Oldsmar Cares Plans 2nd Annual Wine & Food Gala
The second annual Oldsmar Cares Gala Event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9, at East Lake Woodlands Country Club. The event co-chairs, Suzanne Vale and David Wallace, are hoping to have more of everything—with more space, more restaurants and more auction items than the very successful 2011 event.
Last year’s first annual Oldsmar Cares Wine and Food Gala was a huge success with over 300 attendees and $30,550 raised. Oldsmar Cares is a unique community-based organization that operates a food pantry, clothes closet and provides stop gap rent and utility assistance to greater Oldsmar area residents. The organization is 100% volunteer managed and staffed by caring and committed members of the community.
This year’s presenting sponsor is Nielsen Corporation, and gold level sponsors include Tampa Bay Downs, TECO, StellarNet and the City of Oldsmar. Bay News 9 reporter Virginia Johnson will return as mistress of ceremonies, and Oldsmar Vice-Mayor Doug Bevis will be on hand to auction off an incredible list of items including vacation packages and a weekend behind the wheel of a luxury sports car. There also will be a silent auction for dinner for two at 12 area restaurants.
For more information on Oldsmar Cares Gala tickets and sponsorship opportunities call 813-415-7373, email info@oldsmarcares.org or visit www.oldsmarcares.org/gala.html. To view a photo slideshow of last year’s event go to the “Oldsmar Cares” Facebook fan page.
Dan Mooney/ABA BMX
Oldsmar BMX Hosts 2012 Gator Nationals
BMX racing is now an Olympic sport. Riders will earn qualifying points during this popular Oldsmar weekend, which will include a Level 3 UCI event. Riders from all over the world will come to qualify. Come out and experience BMX racing at its finest, February 10, 11 and 12.
Last year’s event brought hundreds of riders to Oldsmar, and because it will include a rated competition, many more are expected to participate. The Oldsmar BMX track has been rated as one of the top five in the world.
It’s free to watch. Only pay for parking and concessions. Oldsmar BMX is located at 3120 Tampa Road inside the Canal Park Sports Complex. For more information on competition times, visit www.OldsmarBMX.org.
Highwaymen Art, Nature Photos on Exhibit
Two exhibits will run concurrently at Oldsmar’s City Hall Art Gallery through the end of February. Experience the art of the Florida Highwaymen and the nature photography of William Emrich in a “Wild and Wonderful” exhibit.
The Florida Highwaymen paintings are being made available by special arrangement with The Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to view many of these great artists who were recently inducted into the Florida Hall of Fame.
Local resident William Emrich will also share his nature photography collection. Mr. Emrich has written “The Wildlife Side of Oldsmar,” a monthly nature column that began in 2004 in the Oldsmar Community News of the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.
For more information call (813) 749-1260.
Citizen Heart Saver CPR/AED Course
Head to your fire station and learn when and how to properly perform CPR procedures on adults, infants and children. In this 4-hour class, students will receive hands-on instruction for Automatic External Defibrillators (AED). Oldsmar Fire Rescue certified instructors use the American Heart Association’s video based Practice-While-Watching format to deliver the training.
Each student is provided with a book and will receive an American Heart Association certification card, valid for two years. The cost for this course is $30 per person. Please contact the fire station at 813-749-1200 to register prior to the class, which will be held at Fire Station 54, 225 Pine Ave. North at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21.
Library Hosts SCORE, Battle of the Books
Oldsmar’s public library will have a free one hour, one-on-one session with a business counselor from Pinellas County Chapter115 of SCORE, the society of Retired Executives. Sessioins are held the first and third Tuesday of the month from 10 a.m. and noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Rotary Literacy/Conference Room. Pre-register in person or by calling 813-749-1178.
Elementary and Middle School readers who plan to participate in Battle of the Books but need more competitive training may join others at the Oldsmar Library every Thursday evening from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. No registration is required.
The Library’s event will help prepare the students for their final competition in the ‘quia bowl” type of game with questions on plot, setting and character taken from a select list of books. Qualifying tests are given during March and April, with winners in local schools advancing to the district battle in May for a chance to win a trophy for display at their school until next year’s Battle.
Want To Experience the O.S.C.A.R.S?
The O.S.C.A.R.S. (Oldsmar Senior Citizen Art Recreation Social) meet every other Monday, from 9 a.m. to noon. The first meeting for 2012 is January 12. The cost is free with a recreation card. There is a $2 suggested donation for supplies. The Oldsmar Senior Center is located at 127 State Street West. For more information call 813-749-1253.
Art in the Park To Feature Beauty Pageant
Sunburst Pageants will be conducting Sunburst Art in the Park Beauty Pageant at Oldsmar’s Art in the Park Festival on Saturday, April 14 in the R.E. Olds Amphitheatre at the Festival starting at 11 a.m. Contestants are being sought from birth to age 27 years.
There will be eleven different age divisions with winners chosen out of each age group. Boys under the age of 3 years are also invited to attend, with a king chosen out of three age divisions. There is still time to enter. To receive a form, visit: www.sunburstbeauty.com or email: sunburstbeauty@sunburstbeauty.com. You may also phone: 352-429-4924 to receive an entry form via U.S. mail.
The Pageant will be held in conjunction with the City of Oldsmar’s 4th Annual Art in the Park that will take place that day from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. to the far right of the amphitheatre. R.E. Olds Park overlooks Old Tampa Bay and is located at 107 Shore Drive West in Oldsmar.
Applications are available for the 2012 Art in the Park. Call Chris Steiner, Oldsmar’s Cultural Arts and Recreation Coordinator, at 813-749-1260 or visit www.myoldsmar.com to obtain one on the city’s website.