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‘Ageless Beauty’ From Tampa Appears In May 2015 Essence Magazine
Ribbon Cutting On First Phase Of Selmon Greenway
BY LEON B. CREWS
Already the successful author of six published books, Ms. Betty Byers never had any idea she’d be nationally known for another big accomplishment.
Thanks to her son, Ms. Byers appears in the May 2015 issue of Essence Magazine as one of the “Ageless Beauties” in her age bracket.
Ms. Byers said her son, a film director and photographer, told her about the contest, and she read the rules and qualifications and de- cided to give it a try.
“Three weeks after I sent in all of my infor-
mation, I received a call that I had been selected as one of six out of a pool of thou- sands.
“I’m very excited, and I’ll be represent- ing the 70-year-old bracket.”
Ms. Byers said a woman is selected to represent the six age groups from 40 to 90, and this year’s youngest winner is 42 and the oldest is 95.
“To be identified as an ‘Ageless Beauty’ is flattering and an honor. If it weren’t for my son, I don’t
think I would have ever thought about entering the contest.”
The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is hosting a ribbon-cutting cer- emony of Phase One of the Lee Roy Selmon Greenway on Sat- urday, May 2, 2015 at 10:30 a. m. at the park underneath the Selmon Expressway at the in- tersection of Borein and Franklin Streets.
Dignitaries from THEA, the City of Tampa, Tampa Down- town Partnership and River- walk will gather for the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Selmon Greenway will complete a key connection from the Hillsborough River at the Rivewalk to just east of
19th Street within the largest, city-wide trails network that includes the Riverwalk, Bayshore Boulevard Linear Park Trail and the McKay Bay Trail.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a. m., the USF Contemporary Art Museum and the Tampa Downtown Partnership will host Jane’s Walk: Get to Know Your Greenway - Where do We Come from, Where are We Going?, a guided conversa- tional walk introducing the newly installed Selmon Green- way path.
Both events are free and open to the public.
Spring College Commencement Speakers
‘Family Blessing’ Auditions
Ageless Beauties (left to right): Mildred Chestnut, 82; Betty Byers, 71, and Janet Cosby Bridges, 58.
Auditions for the 18th An- nual 2015 “Family Blessing,” formerly “The Chocolate Nut- cracker,” will be held starting in Tampa on Sunday, May 3, 2015.
Audition times are: 10 a. m. – 12 noon for ages 5-12; 12:30- 2:30 p. m. for ages 3-17, Be- ginners; and 3-5 p. m. for all ages, Intermediate and Ad- vanced Dancers. There is a registration fee.
The audition in Tampa will be held at Frank Rey Studio, 3021 W. Waters Ave., Tampa (33614).
Other auditions are: Satur-
day, May 16, 2015, Enoch Davis Center, 1111 18th Ave. So., St. Petersburg (33705); and Saturday, May 30, 2015, ARTZ 4 Life Academy, 1751 Kings Highway, Clearwater (33755).
The “Family Blessing” pro- duction will be presented Sat- urday, December 19, 2015 at Mahaffey Theater in St. Pe- tersburg.
For additional information, please call Ms. Barbara at (813) 451-4410.
The production is presented by Brighthouse and Artz 4 Life Academy.
TOM VILSACK
On May 2, 2015, he com- mencement ceremonies at Florida Agricultural and Me- chanical University (FAMU) will take place at the Alfred L. Lawson, Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymna- sium in Tallahassee.
U. S. Secretary of Agricul- ture Tom Vilsack will serve as the speaker for the 9 a. m. ceremony, and FAMU alum- nus and filmmaker Will Packer will serve as the speaker for the 2 p. m. cere- mony.
Vilsack is the nation's 30th secretary of agriculture and is leading the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with a mission to strengthen Amer- ica’s agricultural economy through building vibrant rural communities, and creating new markets for the innova- tion of rural
America.
Packer has established
himself as one of Hollywood's blockbuster hit makers with seven of his films opening number one at the box office. In 2013, Packer signed first- look production deals with Universal Pictures and Uni- versal Television. Under both
WILL PACKER
deals, he develops new proj- ects for the studios under his Will Packer Productions ban- ner.
In 2014, he became one of the only African-American producers to have seven films debut at number one during opening weekend. His most successful film to date is Uni- versal's “Ride Along” starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart. "Ride Along" debuted No. 1 at the box office in 2014 with record-breaking receipts total- ing over $48 million during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, making it one of the biggest January opening box office tallies of all time. The film also wentontobeNo.1atthebox office for three consecutive weeks and grossed over $153 million worldwide.
Packer's number one films also include "No Good Deed (2014)," "Think Like A Man Too (2014)," "Think Like A Man (2012)," "Takers (2010)," "Obsessed (2008)" and "Stomp The Yard (2007)."
Packer graduated magna cum laude from FAMU in 1996 with a Bachelor of Sci-
SHERYL UNDERWOOD
ence degree in Electrical Engi- neering.
Benedict College Com- mencement
The Benedict College Spring Commencement Cere- mony for the Class of 2015 will be held at 9 a. m. on Saturday, May 9, 2015, at the Charlie W. Johnson Stadium in Colum- bia, South Carolina.
Ms. Sheryl Underwood,
Co-Host of THE TALK on CBS, will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters de- gree from Benedict College and will give the keynote ad- dress during the College’s 145th Commencement Exer- cises.
Sheryl Underwood, who has been a member of the Benedict College Board of Trustees since 2014, is a savvy businesswoman and a multi- faceted, multimedia entrepre- neur who is recognized as one of the most articulate, well in- formed women of our time.
Underwood is Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Pack Rat Productions, Inc. and is the 23rd International President of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
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