Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 3-17-20

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Tampa Chapter FAMU National Alumni Association Preparing For Annual Scholarship Gala
Tampa Chapter Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) National Alumni Association (NAA) is preparing for the annual schol- arship events to improve edu- cational opportunities for students and families in the Tampa Bay communities.
The National Association, under Col. Gregory L. Clark, President, created a special program several years ago to keep minority students at the university to support their chances to graduate in four years. The FAMU NAA is working to ensure resources are available for more Tampa Bay area, Hillsborough County students to matriculate suc- cessfully, both academically and financially, at the #1 Public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Amer- ica, #1 HBCU for Research and Development, #1 Producer of Pharmacists, Nursing Master passing rate of 100%, Concert Chorale scheduled to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York and a 70% four (4) years grad- uation rate of 2019 class of ath- letes and a 3.9 GPA offensive lineman enrolled in SBI, with countless other commenda- tions achieved by FAMU stu-
CAROLYN HEPBURN COLLINS ...Gala Chair
dents.
The FAMU NAA has put
more than $1.2 million over two years in a fund that was disbursed to students to help them stay in school, namely SAVE OUR STUDENTS (S.O.S.). Chapters around the country are hosting events to duplicate S.O.S. for their local area students and to contribute to the national and Florida Re- gion scholarships annually at the Alumni Convention.
Join the Tampa Chapter on April 4, 2020, at 6 PM at Mar- riott Tampa Airport with ac- tress Angela Robinson of Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and The Have Nots.”
WENDELL DUGGINS ...President, Tampa Chapter
The Tampa Chapter em- barked upon a scholarship campaign many years ago and selected to re-design their ef- forts the past five years to raise a quarter of a million dollar for local students.
Chair Carolyn Hepburn Collins stated, “The Tampa Chapter went from a $10K NIGHT from 20-30 years ago, to a scholarship program over the past 5 years under Presi- dent Wendell Duggins and funding available from former President Jackie Hearns and retired alumni President Mary White Darby.
The scholarship program is working and the Tampa Chap- ter extends gratitude to all the alumni, businesses and friends for assisting us in reaching more than 85% of the quarter of a million-dollar goal.
Two younger FAMUANS are co-chairing the 2020 Schol- arship Gala to pay it forward. Ms. Paula Goodman and Ms. Teresa Scott Davis are among the young and energetic Rattlers that are co-chairing this year’s Gala.
The co-chairs are asking everyone to go to the website at WWW.FAMUALUMNITAM- PABAY.ORG, or call Chair Collins, President Duggins, or any of the Gala committee members, officers or members of the Tampa Chapter to obtain information on ads, tickets, silent auction items, and/or sponsorships to make a differ- ence in the lives of young Rat- tlers on the hills and the potential young Rattlers in the classrooms, PK – 12, FAMU Ig- nite Programs at HCC and SPC, and transfer students in the Tampa Bay area.
Actress Angela Robinson a FAMU graduate, is proud to reach out and touch chapters raising scholarship funds for students and their families.
TECO Extends Final Notice Deadlines
For Customers
In keeping with the daily changes as they relate to the Coronavirus, many compa- nies are making changes. The changes include closings, changing hours, and making other amendments to their daily routines.
On Saturday, Tampa Elec- tric and TECO Peoples Gas announced they are taking steps to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.
The company said they will continue to deliver rou- tine services but the following
changes will take place:
Effective immediately, no customer’s service will be disconnected for non- payment, at least through the end of March;
Employees are reduc- ing direct contact with customers, to allow ap- propriate social distance; and
Non-essential cus- tomer contact will be rescheduled such as en- ergy audits in customers’ homes and businesses.
PAGE 8 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020