Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 10-17-17

Features
Customer Comment Sought On Utilities’ Hurricane Response
Florida Recognizes October As Domestic Violence Awareness Month
TALLAHASSEE —- The Florida Public Service Com- mission (PSC) is inviting utility customers to provide comments on Florida electric utilities’ hurricane prepared- ness and restoration actions.
Customers can visit www.floridapsc.com and and submit their comments.
The PSC recently set its action plan to review utilities hurricane preparedness and
restoration actions. The re- view will explore the poten- tial to further minimize infrastructure damage that results in outages.
This extensive data col- lection and detailed analysis will include a workshop on hurricane preparedness with input from all electric utili- ties and stakeholders, in- cluding comments submitted by customers.
TALLAHASSEE – Gov- ernor Rick Scott pro- claimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Florida.
Throughout October, the Florida Department of Chil- dren and Families (DCF) is raising awareness to help recognize and stop domestic violence. This month, DCF also received more than $8 million from the STOP Vio- lence Against Women For- mula Grant Program through the U. S. Department of Jus-
tice.
Florida currently has 42
certified domestic violence centers located throughout the state that provide life- saving emergency shelters, services, and programming to survivors and their chil- dren.
In 2016, the centers pro- vided 145,327 safety plans and responded to 84,457 hotline calls, with an addi- tional 25,540 Florida Do- mestic Violence Hotline calls. Domestic violence crimes
against spouses and cohabi- tants are overwhelmingly the most frequently reported re- lationship between perpetra- tors and victims.
If you suspect that some- one is involved in domestic violence, call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800- 500-1119.
For more information about DCF’s Domestic Vio- lence Program, visit http://myflfamilies.com/ser- vice-programs/domestic-vi- olence.
Theme Announced For 2018 Florida Strawberry Festival
Celebration Of Fashion And Hope Termed Successful
PLANT CITY, Fla. - The Florida Strawberry Festival announced last week the theme for the 83rd annual event - “Building New Mem- ories!”
“Yes, it points to the new entertainment venue we’ve constructed,” said President Paul Davis.
A new theme is created for each year’s festival to offer guests a glimpse of the experience they can expect at the 11 day event. It also uni- fies vendors, FFA chapters,
organizations, corporate partners and exhibitors who create parade floats and dis- plays throughout the cele- bration, said Davis.
The festival’s strawberry character featured in each year’s theme artwork is an iconic part of the event’s branding and advertising ef- forts. In this theme’s art- work, he wears a hard hat and safety glasses and carries a hammer and construction plans for the new entertain- ment venue.
“From Runaway to the Runway” Fashion Show kicked off another year to celebrate current accom- plishments, raise awareness against human trafficking, and work towards a new fa- cility for young women.
Miracles Outreach Com- munity Development Center, Inc., hosted another success- ful fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 30. Located at the his- toric Fort Harrison Hotel, Clearwater, the nonprofit or- ganization held its 5th annual “From Runaway to the Run- way” fashion show as a cele- bration of the achievements of local youth in Miracles Outreach’s program.
Miracles Outreach pro- vides mentoring, tutoring, girls’ housing, and other serv- ices to youth in the Tampa area. Each year, “From Run- away to the Runway” features the young women who have succeeded and progressed during their time with Mira- cles Outreach.
This year’s theme, “It’s Never Too Late for Happily Ever After,” drew inspiration from Ebony Jones, a for- mer resident in Miracles Out- reach’s “Fresh Start” housing program, who just married a week before the show. Mira- cles shared her story as an ex- ample of promise for a better future.
The theme conveys a sense of hope for Miracles Outreach, whose mission to serve local youth extends to human trafficking victims. Following their mission to prevent, heal, and end its ef- fects in the community, Mira-
Among the
guests was keynote speaker, Stacie B. Harris, Assistant U.
evening’s Michelle Walker. (Credit: S. Attorney General, who
Miracles Founders,
Outreach Co- Tyrone and
Trale Williams)
spoke on human trafficking.
With donated supplies and volunteer beauticians, they modeled on a runway, featuring clothing by Love Khaos, Eliz- abeth Carson Racker, X-Girlfriend Apparel, All Brides 2 Be, and Accessories. (Photographer Credit: Trale Williams)
cles Outreach raises aware- ness for human trafficking as an integral part of the fashion show’s tradition.
A portion of the evening’s proceeds will help Miracles Outreach purchase a new housing and administrative facility to expand the organi- zation and reach more youth.
Miracles Outreach is run- ning a fundraising brick cam-
paign. For their contribution, donors can engrave their names or dedication on a “legacy brick” which will con- tribute to a new path leading to the new facility.
If you would like to make a donation or learn more, please contact Miracles Out- reach at (813) 374-2184 or MiraclesOutreach@gmail.co m.
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