Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 8-20-21

Local
Back To School Bash At NFL YET Center
Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Programs Advisory Com- mittee, City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department, East Tampa Business and Civic Asso- ciation and other local organiza- tions held the 15th Back 2 School Bash on Saturday, August 7 at the Jackson Heights NFL YET Center. Hillsborough County Commissioner Gwen Myers, Tampa City Council Chairman Orlando Gudes, and Veda Girgil, Aide to State Representative Dianne Hart, District 61, were in atten- dance to assist with the event. Also in attendance was law en- forcement personnel from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Police Depart- ment and Tampa Airport Police Department
Bealls Department Stores and Bealls Outlet donated 1,000 backpacks and The Forever 55 Super Bowl Host Committee, Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Programs and the East Tampa
From left to right: Darrell Daniels, Derrick Brooks Charities; Major Rocky Ratliff (Ret.), TPD; Major Calvin Johnson, TPD; Major Anthony Collins, HCSO; Officer Jimmie Bizzle, Tampa Airport PD; and Officer Terence Cottman (Ret.), Tampa Airport.
From left to right: Carol Brooks, Derrick Brooks Charities; Jacqueline Coffie-Leeks, Sulphur Springs Neighborhood of Prom- ise; Hillsborough County Commissioner Gwen Myers; Major Rocky Ratliff (Ret.), TPD; Morvie Burgess, Hillsborough County Health Department; and Sonya Hargrove, Derrick Brooks Charities.
Business and Civic Association provided all the other school supplies and gift cards, accord- ing to Darrell Daniels, Exec- utive Director of Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Programs.
In addition to providing backpacks through a mostly drive-thru service, there were vendors there to educate resi- dents on the virus and recruit
youth for educational services.
Commissioner Gwen Myers handed out flyers to every attendee advising them of the free COVID-19 vaccinations that were occurring simultane- ously at New Mt. Zion Mission- ary Church located in Ybor City.
Jacqueline Coffie-Leeks,
President of the Sulphur Springs Neighborhood of Promise and
From left to right: Hillsborough County Commissioner Gwen Myers; Rev. Arthur Green, Greater Bethel Baptist Church; Cassan- dra Blaylock, Hillsborough County Health Department; Lt. Fred Sails (Ret.), HCSO; and Jamal Jefferson, City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department.
Tampa City Council Chairman Orlando Gudes poses with volun- teers from Leto High School, who were in attendance to donate clothes to anyone in need.
Vice President of the Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Pro- grams Advisory Committee, handed out goodie bags and in- formation to residents advising them of services offered in the Sulphur Springs area.
Carol Brooks, President of the Derrick Brooks Charities Fe- males Rites of Passage Program, and wife of Derrick Brooks, who could not attend because he was at the Hall Of Fame induc- tion ceremony for former Tampa Bay Bucs Safety John Lynch, handed out flyers to re- cruit young ladies for the Rites of Passage Program.
Students from Leto High School distributed clothes to anyone in need.
“This is an event where we will always make sure our chil- dren have what they need to succeed in school on day one,”
said Diedrea Anthony, a su- pervisor for the Tampa Parks and Recreation Department and President of the Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Programs Advi- sory Committee. State Repre- sentative Dianne Hart, who could not attend the event due to travel but said it was impor- tant to host the event because our kids are going back to school, and they must have sup- plies. “Any leftover supplies would be donated to area schools in need,” she said.
For more information on how to join the Derrick Brooks Charities Females Rites Of Pas- sage Program, please email Carol Brooks at dbcropp28@gmail.com. To find out more about the Advisory Committee please email derrick- brookscharities@gmail.com or visit www.db55.org.
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