Page 10 - Florida Sentinel 11-22-16 Online Edition

Local
Tampa Chapter, The Links, Inc. Kicks Off First Half Of Year ‘Giving And Receiving’
The Tampa Chapter of The Links, Inc. kicked off its 2016- 2017 fiscal year officially in Au- gust.
The chapter hosted a ‘meet- ing of the minds’ retreat that was informative as well as en- joyable. The event was led by Link Renee Lee, Esq., Vice President, and Membership chair. The Retreat was chaired by Link Liz York Cohen. The Retreat was well attended.
Joining the members at the retreat were 2 of its scholarship recipients, Wyatt Dell and Brianna Honeywell. Both college students are STEM ma- jors and have received continu- ous $1,000 scholarships throughout their college stints. Both students shared with the chapter their accomplishments and college experiences.
At the first meeting (Sept.) after Summer Break, the Tampa Chapter invited Diedre Joseph of Village Partners In- ternational, Inc. (VPI) founded by Dr. Sylvia Campbell. Ms. Joseph is a board member for the group that provides massive services and aid to Haiti and Uganda. Led by International Trends chair, Link Ruby Brown and co-chair, Link Sylvia Andrews the Tampa chapter completed its ‘Penny Drive’ for Haiti for fiscal year 2015-2016.
The chapter asked chapter members and taught the Jewels at Sheehy and Van Buren the meaning of giving back. The chapter presented VPI a check for $1,040. The past funds pro- vided by the Tampa Chapter were used to build a fresh water well in Haiti to help combat the outbreak of Cholera.
The Chapter also kicked off its mentoring program with the Royal Jewels (34 5th grade girls) and Royal Gents (40 5th grade boys) at Sheehy Elementary, Patricia McCants, principal and Dr. Levi, Asst. Principal and Liaison; and Radiant Jew- els (31 8th grade girls) at Van Buren Middle School, Mr. Ovette Wilson, principal and Mrs. Cynthia Forward, Liai- son. The program is led by Serv- ices To Youth chairs, Links Margarette Spears and Ozepher Wilds.
The 5th grade girls are trained under a curriculum created by Links Jewel Warren and Casey Curry from the book, ‘A Is For Attitude’.
The 5th grade boys are being trained by the husbands of Links and members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and other male mentors using a curricu- lum created using the book, ‘The Eagle Who Thought He Was A Chicken’.
The 8th grade girls are being trained in STEAM. STEM with the Arts included. The STEAM
Links: Judge Charlene Honeywell, Sonja Garcia, Ruth Bell, Sonjia Little, Dr. Hazel Harvey, Dr. Maria Russ and Hosetta Coleman, Schol- arship Committee, chair pose with scholarship recipients Wyatt Dell, who attends Florida State and Brianna Honeywell who attends Geor- gia Tech (center).
Chapter sponsors and participants in NAMI 3K Walk/Run: seated L to right: Links, Sharon Andrews Gray, M.D., Marketa Wills, M.D., Verneka Rhodes, Willa Peterson, Ruth Bell and Casey Curry. Back: Links, Gloria Andrews, Allison Clebert, Renee Lee, Esq., Kay An- drews, chapter president, Dr. Maria Russ, Judge Julie Sneed, Evelyn Bethune, Paula Sheehy Snow, Liz York Cohen and Marsha Lewis Brown. Not shown, Links, Sylvia Andrews, Chelsea Oggero, who was the logistics chair and Atty. Elita McMillon.
Chapter president, Link Kay Andrews, and International Trends chairs, Links Ruby Brown and Sylvia Andrews present Ms. Diedre Joseph, board member of Village Partners International, (VPI), the check for $1,044.00 from the chapter’s ‘Penny Drive’ to benefit Haiti.
Paint & Sip Event: Front seated and standing, Links Mary Dance, Kay Andrews, Gladys Blalock, Heir-o-link and facilitator, Shannon Curry; Links, Chelsea Lee Oggero, Sharon Andrews Gray, Charlene Honeywell, Marketa Wills and Paula Sheehy Snow. Back row: Links, Kendra Frorup, Margarette Spears, Jewel Warren, Frances Sykes, Sylvia Andrews, Hosetta Coleman, Beverley Hartsfield, Sonjia Little, Marlina McClure, Elita Cobb McMillon, Marsha Lewis Brown and Casey Curry.
Links Marlina McClure, Hosetta Coleman, Sharon Andrews Gray, Marsha Lewis Brown, Kendra Frorup, Paula Sheehy Snow, Chelsea Lee Oggero, Ruth Bell, Casey Curry, Margarette Spears, Kay Andrews and Mary Dance.
curriculum is teaching the teens how Art intersects Science, Technology, Engineering and Math = STEM. The STEAM cur- riculum is being led by the chapters, The Arts facet chaired by Links Casey Curry and Kendra Frorup.
In October, the Tampa Chap- ter’s Health and Human Serv- ices facet, chaired by Links Jacentha Buggs, M.D. and Dr. Maria Russ partnered with The Hillsborough Chapter of the National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI) to spon- sor its 1st annual Mental Health 3K Walk/Run. Over 300 partic- ipants walked to help stamp out the stigma of mental illness. The 3K event was chaired by Link chapter member, Dr. Marketa Wills, a psychiatrist for Well- Care. Approximately 25 Links and Connecting Links and chil- dren volunteered and partici- pated.
The next week, the Tampa chapter’s Arts facet hosted a ‘friendship activity.’ The 1st Paint and Sip was held on the campus of the University of
Tampa. The event, led by Links Casey Curry, a published au- thor and instructor at Blake H.S. and Kendra Frorup, a Art professor at UT, was facili- tated by Heir-O-Link, Shan- non Curry. HOL Shannon is a trained artist and led more than 20 Link members through the personal drawings of ‘The GREEN DOOR’. The members enjoyed wine, champagne and light repast while finding their inner-artist selves. Each mem- ber was also gifted an artist apron by Link Kendra.
Tampa Chapter members also supported the fundraising efforts of ‘Dress For Success’ by attending its luncheon and fash- ion show. Link Patsy Greene is a board member of ‘Dress For Success,’ and more than 10 members attended to support the effort.
In November, the chapter hosted its ‘Say Yes To The Dress’ event. Led by the Na- tional Trends facet, chaired by Link Hosetta Coleman, the chapter assembled the ‘Links Boutique’ of new and consign-
ment gowns for HS girls. Link Patsy Greene was the chair of the SYTTD event. Over 25 teens found dresses for prom.
The next day approximately 20 Links travelled to Sarasota to celebrate Founders Day with the Bradenton/Sarasota and St. Petersburg Chapters of The Links, Inc. The Bradenton/Sarasota chapter was the host. The members were honored to welcome and hear a word from its Area Di- rector, Link Anne Turner Herriott. Link Anne’s focus
centers on friendship and serv- ice.
The Chapter will end 2016 with a field trip for the 5th grade girls to UT’s Victorian Stroll and its annual Christmas Party, chaired by Links Dr. Marketa Wills and Dr. Sharon An- drews Gray that benefits the Media Center and classroom li- braries at Sheehy.
Link Kay Andrews is pres- ident. Link Renee Lee, Esq. is V. P and Membership Chair, and Link Ruth Bell is Vice President, Programming.
PAGE 10 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016