Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 7-2-21

Local
St. Peter Claver Welcomes New Pastor
Most Reverend Gre- gory Parkes, Bishop of St. Petersburg Diocese, an- nounces the appointment of Reverend Agustinus Seran, S.V.D., as Pastor of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, effective July 1, 2021.
Parishioners, current and former, along with the gen- eral public, are invited to wel- come Father Agustinus at the July 4, 2021, 10 A. M. Mass. A reception will follow the Mass.
Father Agustinus is originally from Indonesia and joined the Seminary of the Society of the Divine Word. He was ordained in 1999. He comes to St. Peter Claver from St. Rose de Lima Catholic Church in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
St. Peter Claver is located
REVEREND AGUSTINUS SERAN, S. V. D.
at 1203 N. Nebraska Avenue, Tampa. Deacon James “Ben” Hooks is Coordina- tor of Pastoral Care.
CDC guidelines request- ing mask wearing and 3 feet distancing are observed.
Couple Is Proud Owners Of Eggs Up Grill Franchise
Tampa natives John and Priscilla Conyers had a dream and a plan to open their own business. Last November, they opened their restaurant, Eggs Up Grill in Riverview.
The chain of restaurants is based in South Carolina and the Conyers are one of only two franchises in the state.
The couple started doing re- search to decide the type of business they should open. They discovered that the breakfast business was one of the fastest growing fields for restaurants. From there, they started looking at different breakfast concepts to see what would fit their vision.
The Eggs Up Grill turned out to be the ticket. The fact that it was a franchise allowed
JOHN AND PRISCILLA CONYERS Owners of Eggs Up Grill In Riverview
the couple to work within an existing framework while being flexible enough for them to express their culinary vi- sions.
Priscilla feels that in a city like Tampa, where there are many “foodies”, the restaurant is a great fit. “We like the idea that we are providing a great option for “foodies” in our community and for the cul- ture.”
Their dream was post- poned a bit by the birth of their youngest child. Later, John’s training was interrupted by the COVID pandemic. They de- cided to delay the build out of the restaurant during the worst of the pandemic. They had their grand opening on November 16, 2020.
Because they both have kept their regular jobs, they are not in the restaurant every single day like they were in the beginning. They do however, spend a lot of time at the restaurant, meeting customers and cultivating the friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
John states, “Our cus- tomers are always comment- ing on the cleanliness. They are often surprised that it is owned and operated by a Black couple. We want to show everyone that we have a clean, well-run business. It is impor- tant for our community and our youth.”
John said that they are looking at expanding into be- coming a venue for baby show- ers, bridal showers, family parties, and the like since their business closes at 2:30 p.m. each day. They’d like to make their place the first choice for breakfast, lunch, and expanded activities.
Priscilla says, “We are a new restaurant and we ask people to be patient with us. We are always open to feed- back. If you see one or both of us in the restaurant, please say ‘Hello’. We’d love to meet you.”
The grill is open seven days a week from 6:00am to 2:30pm for breakfast and lunch. It is located at 3920 US 301, Riverview, FL 33578.
The Conyers enjoy spend- ing time with their children and going on date nights. Priscilla works part-time as a Clinical Pharmacist at a local hospital and John works for the Tampa Fire Department. They have two children, ages six and two.
Tampa Mourns Native Son
Steven Gilbert Casel- las, 55, passed away after long battle with cancer. He was born in Ybor City and at- tended local schools. His fa- ther affectionally nicknamed him “Leroy.”
Casellas was a man with a lot of passions. He loved dogs so much that the neigh- bors’ dogs would bark for a treat.
Casellas also had a pas- sion for basketball. From the seventh grade on he loved to play the game. He played and taught many kids to play the game.
Casellas was the manager of the family-owned business Alvarez Dry Cleaning and is remembered as being a dedi- cated worker and exemplary friend.
His sister, Belinda Casel- las-Allen, described Casel- las as always having time for friends, despite what he was doing. He would help any- body with no thought of pay- back.
STEVEN CASELLAS
Casellas lived with his sister during his illness and no matter how bad it got, he stayed positive.
The funeral will be held on Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 2:00pm at Blount & Curry Funeral Home at Garden of Memories. Interment will fol- low in Garden of Memories cemetery. The family will re- ceive condolences on Friday, July 2, 2021, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at the funeral home.
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