MacDill Happenings

The Bishop Planetarium at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton is a six-film series offering the opportunity to learn about water through documentaries about water sports, environmental issues and aquatic exploration. Today’s film is a 109-minute PG-rated, Waterlife. The lyrical documentary traces the flow and fate of the Great Lakes, the last huge source of freshwater on the globe. The Bishop Planetarium is a multipurpose, all-digital domed theater, boasting one of the most advanced projection systems in the world. Incorporating unidirectional stadium style seating and a digital 25,000 watt Dolby 5.1 surround sound system, the Bishop Planetarium Theater is capable of accommodating a wide range of programs, from lectures to film series to live performances. Founded in 1946 by community leaders, the South Florida Museum opened in 1947 on Bradenton’s Memorial Pier with the Montague Tallant collection of Florida’s First Peoples pre- and immediate post-contact archaeological material as well as collections relating to the scientific and cultural history of southwest Florida and Manatee County. In 1966, the Museum moved to its present site and added the Bishop Planetarium. The addition of the Planetarium afforded museum visitors an expanded opportunity to learn about history in the making with programming which coincided with early space exploration. Snooty™, who continued to thrill visitors was moved into a larger pool and new permanent exhibits about Florida’s earliest inhabitants, Florida’s natural sciences, a medical gallery and life-sized dioramas filled the two-story museum. Admission is $5. Normal admission prices are $15.95 for adults, $13.95 for seniors, and $11.95 for children 4 to 12 years of age. Located just south of the Greater Tampa Bay, Bradenton is the seat of Manatee County and a fabulous place to explore the arts, historical attractions, have fun in the sun on the numerous beaches in the area and spend an evening dining out or having a drink with friends in one of the many restaurants or pubs on downtown’s historic Old Main Street.

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In support of National Employee Health & Fitness Month, the Fort Brooke Downtown Y is open to the community for a week long open house. Stop by anytime between May 23 – May 27 and enjoy the perks of being a Y member. You can jump start your exercise routine with BODYPUMP, wind down after work with yoga or spin to the music in one of our SPINNING classes. The Downtown Y also features a well-equipped wellness center with cardio and strength equipment and free weights. There is a second Y around the corner from the Fort Brooke Y at 100 North Tampa St. On, Monday, a Spinning class starts at 5:45pm at 100 North. On Tuesday – H.E.A.T. (High Energy Athletic Training) class at 12pm at 100 North. On Wednesday, there is a BODYCOMBAT™ Demo Class at 5:15pm at Fort Brooke. On Thursday, there is a Yoga class at 5:30pm at 100 North. And on Friday, there is a BODYPUMP™ class at 12pm at Fort Brooke. Feel free to try each class and all the equipment! There is free on street parking available Monday – Saturday before 8am. The Fort Brooke location validates parking Monday-Friday from 5-9:15pm in the Fort Brooke Parking Garage. In 1908 the first YMCA facility was built in Tampa–a 50,000 square foot building on the corner of N. Florida Ave. and Zack Street. Now the YMCA in the Tampa Bay area has grown to 18 facilities across Hillsborough and eastern Pasco counties.

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Come out to Brandon and have some fun and exercise at the same time with a little Salsa! The Way 2 Dance Studio is offering Salsa dance lessons on Tuesday 26 April starting at 6:30pm. The class is adults 18 years old and up. It’s never too late to learn a new move. With all the dancing shows on television, this is the chance for you to show what you can do at that next wedding or party you go to! The Way 2 Dance Studio is located at 610 Oak Field Drive. Brandon is about a 30 minute drive from MacDill AFB. The LeRoy Selmon Expressway runs from Brandon to Tampa and can cut 10 to 15 minutes off your commute during rush hour. Make sure you buy a SunPass transponder since there are no toll booths on the Expressway. Brandon has all the amenities that anyone would need. The Westfield Mall in Brandon is one of the largest malls in the Tampa area. Anchor stores at the Mall include Dillard’s, Macy’s, JC Penny’s, and Sears. With stores offering everything from shoes to sports to sunglasses and everything in between, the Westfield Mall is also a destination place for dining out from something quick to eat in the food court to a sit down restaurant in the restaurant courtyard. The Mall is open on Mondays to Friday from 10:30am to 8:30pm, Saturdays 10am to 9pm and Sundays from 11am to 6pm. With a large food court with wide variety of offerings or nice restaurants including the Cheesecake Factory and Ruby Tuesdays, you can find something to satisfy everyone and not spend a lot of money. In Brandon there is the MacDill AFB Branch Medical Clinic across the street from the AMC 20 Brandon Regency movie theater so that military families don’t have to drive onto MacDill AFB for medical appointments. Make sure ask to go to the branch clinic in Brandon when you register at TRICARE. Brandon Clinic Pharmacy provides initial prescription service to eligible beneficiaries seen at the Brandon Clinic.

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Celebrate National Car Care Month during April at the MacDill AFB Auto Shop.  Call the Auto Shop to sign up for a free car care class during April.  Keep your vehicle running in top condition by having regular check-ups on all its vital parts.  The Auto Shop personnel can perform a variety of services including oil changes, filter replacements, checking belts & hoses, replacing brakes and more!  Prices are much lower than you would find out in town.  To make an appointment, call 828-4553. If you want to do your own car work, then stalls and lifts are available Tue-Fri from 11am-7pm and Sat from 9am-7pm. Stalls and lifts are on a first come, first serve basis. Stalls cost $2.50 an hour and lifts cost $2.50 per half hour.   On Thursday 14 April from 11:30am-12:30pm, there is a class called “How to Perform your own Vehicle Safety Check”. The staff will show you what to look for to keep your vehicle safe on the road. This is a great beginner’s class for the new driver in your family! Topics include tire treads and air,
checking fluids, wiper blades, and even how to put a vehicle on a lift to check the under carriage for damage or problems. On Thursday 21 April 11:30am-12:30pm, the class is “Tire Rotation to Keep You Rollin’”. Unevenly worn tires can put you and your vehicle in jeopardy. Skilled technicians will show you how to recognize tire wear, how to use a wheels-free lift and removal/replacement of tires. On Thursday 28 April, 11:30am-12:30pm, the class is “Auto Basics Class for Women”. Learn how to change/rotate tires and the oil in your car, as taught by one of our own auto experts. On Tuesday 26 April, 2-4pm, the class is “Teen Car Care and Safety”. Learn the basics to keeping your set of wheels running smoothly so it doesn’t leave you stranded! Tips on keeping your ride safe will also be demonstrated. Bring along any questions you may have on trickin’ your ride out, too! Open to ages 15 and up.

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The MacDill AFB Youth Center will host a CircusFit Seminar on 15 December from 3pm to 4pm. Just in time to make sure the kids stay fit during the holiday season! Put on by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey performers, the Circus Fit Seminars are 45 minutes demonstrations of fun fitness basics that offer children an awe inspiring and action packed road to health and fitness. The seminars are geared toward children ages 4-12. The seminars are broken into two parts: an introduction with demonstrations and then practical interaction. Children will be broken down into small groups and will have the opportunity to try different fitness skills like juggling, stretching, balance acts and group games. Each child will receive a CircusFit completion gift certificate, clown nose and a discount coupon for the circus. The Ringling Bros, and Barum & Bailey Circus will be at the St. Pete Times Forum from 5 to 9 January. The Youth Center offers a diversified youth sports program that includes basketball, baseball, and soccer leagues along with a cheerleading program. Teens have their own area where they can come to interact with their peers, get homework and career assistance, or play video games. Special events are conducted periodically for both the pre-teens and teens. There is a Teen Room with a full-size pool table and the Youth Center also has a basketball court and game room. Call the Youth Center at 828-7956 for more information.

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The Davis Island Youth Sailing Foundation is holding a Summer Sailing Camp for Kids during one-week sessions for Summer Learn-To-Sail camps for kids age 8-18 with no experience sailing to experienced sailors. The camps run throughout the summer and take place Monday through Friday. The camp takes place 9am-4pm. Lunch will be provided and is included in the program fees. Each child will receive a one t-shirt, extra t-shirts can be ordered for $10. This camp is available to both Davis Island Yacht Club members and non-members. The goal of the the Foundation is to promote the sport of sailing for the benefit of the children of the Tampa Bay area in an environment which stresses safety, good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage, respect for authority and respect for the community. The cost is $265 per session plus a $25 annual fee per family. A discount of $25 per session will be available for any combination of registrations for a family beginning at the 3rd session and/or child.  Davis Island is located near downtown Tampa and is about a 9 mile drive from the Bayshore Gate of MacDill AFB. Davis Island is a mix of residential and retail areas. Davis Island is home to Peter O. Knight Airport, Davis Island Yacht Club, and Tampa General Hospital. Also on the Islands are the Marjorie Park Municipal Yacht Basin & Marjorie Park. East Davis Boulevard is the commercial area of the neighborhood. Along several blocks there are restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops in a tranquil sidewalk setting. The area is also very pet-friendly due to the pedestrian nature of the island and a great starting point for a walk or run along Bayshore Blvd.

For free school help, stop by your local library! Use your local library to help you writing a school paper or study for an upcoming test or research on any college. The library will provide you access to live assistance from Tutor.com and NetLibrary. Those online services provide professional tutors in math, science, English and social studies. Help is available 7 days a week from 2pm to midnight in English and Spanish. Studying can be challenging at times, so why not use every resource available to help you succeed! Reserach habits learned at a young age at the library will help a student be prepared for future academic success. Use the Hillsborough County Public Library website at www.hcplc.org to fing archived newspaper articles, current events, online encyclopedias or research tools with information on science, literature and art. The library’s periodical databases are designed to help elementary, middle and high school students. There is help to work on the FCAT, SAT and AP tests. Check out the website or stop by your local library and ask the librarian about the resources available to help your child.

The Brandon Broncos Youth Football team in Brandon are getting ready for Fall football.  The Brandon Broncos is the oldest youth football and cheerleading organization in Brandon with hundreds of children participating.  Registration takes place the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month from 10am to 2pm JC Handley Field at 3104 Kings Ave in Brandon.  Teams fill up fast so sign up as soon as you can.  Football registration fees are $200 and cheerleader fees are $175.  Football teams are divided into 5 age/weight divisions so that similiar sized children are playing against each other. Brandon is an affordable housing alternative from many people who work at MacDill AFB. Brandon is about a 30 minute drive from MacDill AFB. The LeRoy Selmon Expressway runs from Brandon to Tampa and can cut 10 to 15 minutes off your commute during rush hour. Make sure you buy a SunPass transponder it’ll save you .25 cents at each toll booth. Also, instead of waiting to pay at the toll booth with a SunPass transponder, you can go through the automated pay lane and save yourself some time. Brandon has all the amenities that anyone would need. The Westfield Shoppingtown is one of the largest malls in the Tampa area. It not only a shopping destination but also a great place for dinner with the Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen and Sam Selzer’s Steakhouse along with a host of other restaurants. A great local jazz club is Dela’s After Dark with its initimate setting and delicious food for dinner. There is a large variety of housing available. From single family homes to condos to townhouses, there something for every budget. The local community is very supportive of military families with many establishments offering military discounts. In Brandon there is the MacDill AFB Branch Medical Clinic across the street from the AMC 20 Brandon Regency movie theater so that military families don’t have to drive onto MacDill AFB for medical appointments. Make sure ask to go to the branch clinic in Brandon when you register at Tricare. A great source of information about Brandon can be found at the Brandon Chamber of Commerce website. There are some great neighborhoods in the Brandon area: FishHawk Ranch, Bloomingdale, Providence Lakes, and Brentwood Hills. Towns near Brandon include Seffner, Riverview, Lithia and Apollo Beach.

The Blue Wave Swim Team at the The Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center (BSAC) will host team tryouts on 14 Mar starting at 10:30am. All ages and skill levels are welcome. BSAC is the premier swim center in central Florida home to several U.S. Olympic team members and collegiate swimmers who have won 4 Olympic titles, 3 World Championships and 27 NCAA Championships. The Blue Wave team trains year-around, competing in approximately 15 meets per year. Swimmers train in groups based on age and level of proficieny. BSAC is a community-based non-profit organization that has been serving the Brandon area for more than 40 years. They provide not only athletic training but they also work on character development, physical and mental wellness. If you’re just looking for swim lessons, then The Peter Banks Gold Medal Swim School at the Brandon Sports and Aquatics Center offers a fully comprehensive learn-to-swim program beginning with students as young as 18-months old. An all encompassing mom-and-tot program for infants and toddlers is also available.

If you want to learn how to make your own frames, then sign up for the 2 day Framing Class at the MacDill AFB Arts and Craft Center. If you have gone out recently to get a price estimate for framing, you know that parts are not too expensive. What is expensive is the labor cost of putting together the frame. Learn how to put together a frame yourself to save some money. Learn the basics such as chopping and glass cutting while assembling your own masterpiece. Class dates are 18 & 20 Nov from 10 am – 3 pm. The is cost $35 plus materials. This will be the last frame class until January, so plan to attend now. Call the Arts and Craft Center at 828-4413 for more information.