MacDill Happenings

Today from 2-7:30pm, the Tampa Bay Lightning will be having a garage sale at the St. Pete Times Forum at the Chrysler Jeep Plaza.   Items on sale will include game-worn jerseys, sticks, helmets, gloves and more!  You might be able to buy a complete uniform.  Make sure you come out early, there will be a lot of collectors to compete against.  Items that you buy you should eventually get a player to sign.  At 7:30pm after the sale, stick around and watch the game against the Florida Panthers and get the equipment you bought signed!  Discount tickets can be purchased at the MacDill AFB ITT office at the Exchange mall. 

If you just got transferred to MacDill AFB and your spouse wants to look for a new job or you are looking for a new job, then there is free help available on writing a resume. This Saturday from 1 to 5 pm, the University of South Florida College of Business and human resources officers from nearly two dozen local companies will offer a free resume review workshop for people seeking business careers. The event will include 15-minute reviews by local hiring managers as well as a 60-minute workshop on how to perfect a resume. This event is open to anyone and will be held at USF’s College of Business, 4202 E Fowler Ave. in Tampa.  USF is the largest of several universities in the Tampa Bay area with around 30,000 students.  The campus is located in the northern part of Tampa with easy access from I-75 or I-275.  Free parking is available in the adjacent USF Sun Dome lot. You need to bring an initial resume with you. Reservations are required and can be made at (813) 974-8155. 

It’s that time of year again in Tampa for Gasparilla! This year’s events starts off with an alcohol-free, family celebration on Saturday 24 Jan on Bayshore Blvd and will start a week-long series of celebrations leading up to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. Saturday’s parade will include the Gasparilla Preschooler’s Stroll starting at 11am, the Gasparilla Air Invasion, the Children’s Gasparilla Parade and the “Piratechnic” Extravaganza, Tampa Bay’s largest firework presentation starting at 7pm and ending at 7:30pm. The parade’s center will be at Howard Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard. The Children’s Gasparilla Parade will feature eight dance teams, over 80 themed floats, 52 krewes and four marching bands. The Gasparilla Air Invasion will have the Day Flight, featuring Bill Leff Airshows North American T-6, and a parachute demonstration as the US Special Operations Command Parachute Team lands on Bayshore near Howard, and the Night Flight, featuring Bill Leff’s Starfire Night Skyshow, a one-of-a-kind pyrotechnic aerobatic performance. The Gasparilla Extravaganza will operate two continuous shuttle routes from 8a.m. to 10p.m. The shuttle will pick up at two locations, the South Regional Garage, at the corner of Florida Avenue and Channelside Drive, and the Fort Brooke Garage, at the corner of Franklin and Whiting Street. The shuttle will deliver to two areas along Bayshore Boulevard, near the beginning of the parade route at Bay to Bay Blvd. and the Crosstown OR at Watrous Ave. and Rome near the end of the parade route. Cost is $5 per adult, children accompanied by an adult ride for free.

If you want to do something to help others, then donate blood through Florida Blood Services. One blood donation can help save the lives of up to three patients. It is estimated that nine out of ten people who live to age 70 will require a blood transfusion.
Plus during January, get a free pound of coffee when you donate. Florida Blood Services will give you a coupon for a free pound of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and a travel mug. Other promotions include free movie tickets, T-shirts and wings from Hooters, depending on the donation location. Check out Florida Blood Services and click on Find a Blood Drive for a location nearest to you.

Tour Tampa Theater on 21 & 31 Jan from 11:30am to 1pm each day. A $5 admission benefits Tampa Theatre’s continuing restoration and operations. Kids 12 and under are free. Built in 1926, the lavishly ornate Theatre is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a Tampa Landmark. Take an entertaining balcony-to-backstage tour of Tampa Theatre, where art, mythology, and history are interwoven through one of America’s best-preserved examples of grand movie palace architecture. The tour also includes a demonstration of the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ by Central Florida Theatre Organ Society volunteer Bob Baker. Parking on the 21st will require the use of metered parking spots. On the 31st, the metered parking spots can be used free of charge.

During the Super Bowl on Feb 1, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform in the Halftime Show in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium. Enthusiastic volunteers are needed to be part of the on-field audience for the show. This sounds like a lot of fun, but group leaders need to be very responsbile for their group. Groups must have at least 10 members. All group members must be at least 16 years old. Each group must have a leader who is at least 21 years old. All group leaders & members must be present and participate during all rehearsals. Register online to be selected. Make sure you have the full name, phone number, birth date, and emergency contact for each member of your group.

This Sunday is $5 Conservation Day at the Lowry Park Zoo. The normal admission price is $18.95. Lowry Park Zoo has been voted the #1 Family Friendly zoo by Child magazine. Extras like the train ride, camel rides and giraffe feedings are available at an additional cost from $2 to $5 each. But with your admission fee you can visit more than 2,200 animals. See the animals in their native habitats at Asian Gardens, Primate World, Free-Flight Aviaries, Wallaroo Station children’s zoo, and Safari Africa. The zoo is open 9:30 am to 5 pm at 1101 W Sligh Ave. in Tampa just off of I-275. Parking is free.

For a refreshing Saturday morning, stop by the Market in the Park in Largo. They will have fresh produce, plants and herbs, all-natural pet treats, hot sauces, breakfast and lunch foods and more. The Market opens at 9 am every Saturday through mid-April 2009 at 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo. Pinellas County Extension experts and Master Gardeners will hold educational seminars on gardening, nutrition and cooking during market hours. To make sure the whole family gets involved there will be many childrens activities as well. The market booths will be set up in the Pinellas County Extension main parking lot adjacent to the Florida Botanical Gardens. Parking is free.

If you’re child is a senior in high school, then now is the time to start filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the first step in the financial aid process. It is used to apply for federal student financial aid, such as the Pell Grant, student loans, and college work-study. In addition, most states and schools use FAFSA information to award their financial aid. All the information that you put into FAFSA results in your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. The EFC is a preliminary estimate that measures your family´s financial strength. It is subtracted from the Cost of Attendance at the school(s) you plan to attend to determine your eligibility for federal student aid. There are couple of things that are helpful to have including a completed 2008 income tax form. Most people haven’t filed their 2008 taxes yet, but another item that you can do while you waiting to file 2008 taxes is requesting a PIN. A PIN will allow you to file your FAFSA online. You can go ahead and start filling out the FAFSA which will include basic information like addresses for parents and students. Having parent’s and student’s Social Security Number, driver’s license, income tax returns, bank statements, and investment records will help make filling out the form easier. State and school deadlines will vary and tend to be early. Check with them to find out their exact deadline dates. Be wary of organizations that charge a fee to submit your application, or to find you money for school. Some are legitimate and some are scams. Generally, any help that you pay for can be received free from your school or Federal Student Aid.

Get your senior or junior student and yourself ready to see how to pay for college by attending Financial Aid night at your local high school. Learn about Bright Future Scholarships, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other avenues for funding. You should never think you can’t pay for college! Think of going to community colleges for the first couple of years, working part-time, student loans and financial grants. Colleges always offer some type of need based financial aid.  Hillsborough County Public School District Financial Aid meetings start at 7pm each night at each school’s auditorium:

Thursday, January 8, 2009 Gaither High School
Tuesday, January 13, 2009 Riverview High School
Thursday, January 15, 2009 Alonso High School
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Plant City High School
Thursday, January 22, 2009 Jefferson High School
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Freedom High School
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Brandon High School
Thursday, January 29, 2009 Hillsborough High School

School locations can be found on the Hillsborough County Public School District website.