Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020 21

Senior Center 5501 27th Ave. S. 727-893-5657

This is your Center! - Sign up today to enjoy all the classes and events offered at the Gulfport Senior Center. Hours are Monday - Thursday 8:00 am – 7:00 pm and Friday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Stop by and ask for a tour and pick up a copy of this month’s schedule or download your copy at www.mygulfport.us and click the Senior Center link. The Senior Center currently offers multiple monthly classes, activities, and services for residents over 50 years old. Regis-tration is required. Senior Center registration is easy and free.

Like us on Face Book atFacebook.com/GulfportSeniorCenter

Special Events1st Friday Flea Market – Fri., 2/7 @ 9 am – noon. Each month a selection of home décor, jewelry, oddi-ties, one-of-a-kinds, antiques, & collectibles. You nev-er know what treasure you might find! Art Reception – Fri., 2/7 @ 6-8 pm. Meet the artist and view a selection of the art they created during the 2019 Instructional Watercolor & Drawing class. Memory Screenings – Mon. 2/10 @ 9 am – noon. Are you worried about your memory? St. Anthony’s Memory Disorder Clinic is offering FREE & CONFI-DENTIAL memory screenings. Must call 727-893-5657 to schedule your appointment time.The Miracle is You, A Path to Healing – Mon., 2/10 @ 2:30 pm. One can find healing by many methods. Barbara & Noa will present ways to enable you to get in touch with your natural given wonders. You will explore physical, emotional & spiritual ways to heal. Meditation, sound healing & slow body movements will open new possibilities for you.GAME Night! – Mon, 2/10 @ 6:30 – 9 pm. Join us for an evening of GAMES, FOOD, & FUN! Bring your favorite game & some friends or show up, learn a new game & make new friends! Sponsored by UHC.Talk with the Doc: Medical Marijuana – Wed., 2/12 @ 2 pm. MedWell & industry professionals provide educational information on the use of medical canna-bis to relieve chronic pain & illness, and many other ailments that many suffer from on a day to day basis. Lets Play Bunco - Every Wednesday 5-7pm Its How We Roll In Gulfport Come out for some great Fun!Veterans Coffee Connection – Fri., 2/14 @ 10 am. Veterans, you are invited to our new monthly event. Join Empath Health for coffee, support, friendship & an opportunity to learn about available community re-sources. Sponsored by Empath HealthMusic BINGO – Fri., 2/14 @ 3 pm. Come enjoy a new way to play BINGO! Refreshments, Prizes, Raffles! Hosted by Grace Family Home CareCarFit – Fri., 2/14 (By appt only). CarFit is a FREE, interactive, & educational program that teaches par-ticipants how to make their personal vehicle “fit” them to increase safety & mobility. Call (727) 893-5657 to schedule your appointment.Popcorn & Movie: Harriet – Tues., 2/18 @ 1 pm. Join Dedicated Senior Medical Center & Wellcare for a matinee movie & popcorn in the Catherine Hickman Theater. This month’s movie is the story of Harriet Tubman who helped free hundreds of slaves after es-caping slavery herself in 1849. Drama/Action | 2019 | PG-13 | 2h 5m. Tech Tips with Stetson – Fri., 2/21 @ 1:30 pm. Tech-nology is constantly changing making it hard to keep up with the latest trends. Students from Stetson Law College will be here to teach you all about your smart-

Departmentphone. Space is limited. MUST call (727) 893-5657 to pre-register.TED Talks – Mon., 2/24 @ 5:30 pm. TED Talks are thought provoking “ideas worth sharing.” Come out for this monthly viewing & discussion of an inspirational TED Talk. This month’s talk: The Profound Power of an Authentic Apology by Eve EnslerThe New Normal for Aging – Wed., 2/26 @ 2 pm. Here we will discuss the old stereotypes of aging, new concepts, & cultural changes about aging. You will also hear inspirational stories of seniors who continue to break barriers & contribute in one way or another.iPhone/iPad Instruction Class – Thur., 2/27 @ 1:30 pm. Learn the basic functions of your Apple iPhone or iPad. MUST call 727.893.5657 to pre-register. Pre-sented by the Gulfport Library.Gulfport ROCKS! – Fri., 2/28 @ 10 am. Let’s Paint Rocks at the Gulfport Senior Center. All materials are supplied. Space is limited. MUST call (727) 893-5657 to pre-register. Sponsored by Moore Medicare Op-tions.Happy Birthday to YOU! – Fri., 2/28 @ 3 pm. We’re having a good time at the Center as we celebrate this month’s birthdays. Come out (whether it’s your birth-day or not) for cake & fun to help us celebrate. Spon-sored by CarePlus.

SPECIAL SERVICESGEMS (Gulfport Extended Mobility Service) – Af-fordable Door to Door transportation service. Limited same day service is now available. Rides to medi-cal appointments, shopping, and downtown St. Pete for Gulfport residents, 55 years of age or older or dis-abled. For more information, call (727) 893-2242.Reassurance Program - Daily calls made to mem-bers to provide reassurance and emergency assis-tance if needed. Gulfport residents 50 years of age or older.Senior Help Line: 800-963-5337 Food Pantry – Supplemental food assistance for qualifying Gulfport Seniors in need. Pantry is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Proper verification required prior to use of the pantry. The Gulfport Senior Center Food Pantry currently collects donations of non-perishable food items. This month we are collecting: vCanned Meats, Pasta Sauce & Peanut Butter & JellySenior Citizens’ Advisory Committee – This com-mittee is a liaison for Gulfport Seniors to City Council pertaining to senior issues & ways to enhance the quality of life for seniors in the community. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, call (727) 893-1231.FITNESS CENTER SCHEDULE: Monday – Thurs-day, 8:00 am – 7:00 pm, Friday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Stop by the Senior Center and take a tour of our state of the art fitness facility.The Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center Foun-dation, Inc. - Membership in the Foundation helps provide enhancements that make our center second to none. All donations to this 501(c)3 non-profit orga-nization will help ensure our continued growth. Please support the Foundation with what you can, when you can! (727) 893-1244More Activities: To view the Senior Center calendar in its entirety, please log onto mygulfport.us

Special AnnouncmentAs of OCTOBER 1 A $50 PER YEAR SENIOR CEN-

TER MEMBERSHIP FEE FOR NON-GULFPORT RESIDENTS WILL GO INTO EFFECT.This affordable fee makes it possible for the Gulfport Senior Center to continue our mission and remain re-sponsive to the growing needs of the senior popula-tion. You will continue to have unlimited access to the fitness center & ability to participate in the 70+ classes / programs / activities we offer each week. Beginning in October we will be using an automated check-in system. This new, efficient technology will improve the center’s membership process, schedul-ing, class registration, & reporting. Which, means no more sign-in sheets!

Casino Ballroom5500 Shore Blvd. S. 727-893-1070

Friday, February 147 - 10 pm

VALENTINES BALLa special event for SOUL NIGHT, featuring

SUGAR & SPICE REVUE7-piece band, winners at 2017’s

International Blues Challenge in Memphis7:00 – 8:00pm: Swing Dance Lesson

8:00pm – 12:00am: Dancing to a hot mix of Soul, Funk, Blues, R&B, and Rock’n’Roll

$15 Admission, advance tickets at Casino or swingtime.info

Sunday February 16Noon- 6 pm

GULFPORT PEACE, LOVE & PRIDE 2020

Proudly Celebrating Our DiversityLive bands outside Casino,

Vendor booths and cash bar inside.Free admission ~ all are welcome

Visit.gulfportpride.com

Casino Weekly DancesBallroom Lessons every Tuesday

Noon - 3 pm $8Argentine Tango every Tuesday

6:30 - 11 pm $8Swing Dance every Wednesday

6 - 11 pm $8 Latin Night every Thursday

6:30 - 11pm $8 ($15 on band nights)

Catherine HickmanTheater

5501 27th Ave S. 727-893-1070Thursday, February 6

6:30 - 8 pm

CITY OF GULFPORTCANDIDATE’S DEBATE

With Ward I incumbent Dan Liedtke and challenger April Thanos answering audience-submitted questions.

Sponsored by The Gulfport Merchants Chamber

Friday, February 76 - 8 p.m

ART RECEPTION Featuring artwork by

Jila Davoodi Free & open to the public.

GEMS GULFPORT GETAWAYS February 2000Senior Center Registration Required, However, There Is No Need To Be A GEMS Member To Enjoy These Getaways.

Call 727-893-2242 For More Information And To Reserve Your Seat. Trips Are Non-Refundable And Subject To Change Without Notice. 2/13 – International Independent Showmen’s Museum: Learn the history of traveling carnivals, circuses, fairs and see this great collection of carny memorabilia and antique rides. Lunch will be at AJ’s on the River. $25 for GEMS Members/$30 for Non-GEMS Members. Price includes: Round-trip transportation, parking, and admission. Meals paid for separately. 2/20 – Out to Lunch Bunch to Café Cibo: Café Cibo delivers an experience in classic Italian dishes and dining. There is something refreshing about this Italian neighborhood joint, come find out for yourself. $4 for GEMS Members/$8 for Non-GEMS Member. Price includes: Round-trip transportation. Meals paid for separately.2/25 – Tampa Bay History Center: Exhibits include coverage of the Tampa Bay area’s first native inhabitants, Spanish conquistadors, and historical figures who shaped the area’s history, as well as a reproduction of a 1920s cigar store. Feature exhibit: “Pensacola: Florida’s Second City” Founded in 1559 and despite its runner up status, it was and still is an important city. We will have lunch at the Center’s Columbia Café. $23 for GEMS Members/$28 for Non-GEMS Member. Price includes: Round-trip transportation, parking, & admission. Meals paid for separately.

22 Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020

LettersSo Classic Car Show Thanks Everyone!Dear Editor: The 49th Street South Business Association would like to take the time to thank everyone that made the day a great success! Thank you to our advertiser sponsors: The Gabber, News Channel 8 Team, Florida Car Shows, Mike Kelly's Cruise News, Paradise News and Spectrum Bay News 9 Monthly Calendar. We would also like to thank Dayton Andrews Dodge, The Storage House, Safety Tire Auto, Luxury Beach Realty, Coffman Construction, Tampa Contracting Services, Councilmember Michael Fridovich, Dr. Reinhardt (Chiropractic Solutions) and Air Brush Art USA for the financial support to help with the expense of the project. Thank you to our volunteers that worked all day – rain and shine. Thank you to the Boca Ciega High School ROTC cadets for the presentation of the colors, Terresa Warren for a wonderful presentation of "Taps" to our fallen veterans, Azalea Middle School Drum Line for the concert. Thank you to the Florida Highway Patrol, FSU CARD Program, Tampa Bay Rays, Luxury Beach Realty, Cigar City Concourse and Matt Reed and Sergio (our judges) for your great support. Last, but certainly not least, a thank you to the Gulfport mayor, city council, city manager and staff for your hard work. What a wonderful city we have! The 11th Annual So Classic Car

show did not start out as all had hoped! As we stood around at 4:30 a.m., the weather looked like it was going to damper the day. But a break in the weather turned for the good and the day was a success. We had over 60 cars show up for the event and a few thousand spectators stroll through the vintage cars that were on display full of pride and joy. Thank you, Councilmember Dan Liedtke, for the many hours of commitment towards this and many more projects throughout our city. Your contributions to veterans through VETSports is invaluable.

Phil Reed49th Street South

Business Association•••

Gulfport Shines for ReadOut FestivalDear Editor: I would like to thank Gulfport Public Library for its incredible support of the third annual ReadOut: A Festival of Lesbian Literature. The LGBTQ Resource Center hosted 22 authors who came from as far away as the United Kingdom and Seattle, and as close as Tampa and Sarasota. All of them were stunned by the level of support our library gives to the LGBTQ community. The author from England was flabbergasted to find her Lambda award-winning novel on the shelf of a public library in a small town so far from home. Authors from across the country were in awe of a public library putting

on an event like this, and Floridian authors voiced their envy at a library staffed by people who go out of their way to be helpful, friendly and accommodating to this community. My special thanks to Dave Mather, Director, whose leadership sets an example that is unparalleled. I would also like to thank Pia's Trattoria who so generously donated a fabulous buffet lunch on Saturday for 100 people, and A Friend Who Bakes who made a delicious donation of cookies for the Friday afternoon attendees. There is truly no place like Gulfport!

Alison R. SolomonChair, ReadOut Committee

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Letters to the Editor Letters must be signed by the author and may be emailed to publisher@thegabber.com, or sent to the Gabber office. Commentary posted to thegabber.com or on Gabber Facebook pages may also appear in the paper. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers, staff or advertisers.

Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020 23

Gulfport Elves Donate Medical EquipmentBy Debbie Wolfe

A group of Gulfport Elf Team volunteers led by Lou Worthington, right, recently dropped off recycled medical equipment to Advocates for World Health in Largo. The donation included a hospital bed with electronics, six hard-frame walkers, one rolling walker with a basket, one potty chair, an IV pole, three sets of crutches and three canes. The photo was supplied to the Gabber by a volunteer elf.

Seafood, from front page

Paragon Festivals and hosted by the Corey Area Business Association. Live music from a variety of genres provided the soundtrack for the event, emanating from a stage at the top of the block. Tasty eats, meanwhile, were in every direction with a diversity of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes all cooked fresh on site by local restaurants and food purveyors. Add-on treats included both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, along with freshly prepared fruit drinks and a wide selection of desserts. Local vendors offering everything from art to hammocks to old-fashioned licorice were on hand for those festival-goers who needed to walk off the meal.

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Gulfport’s Get Rescued Returns The 16th Annual Gulfport’s Get Rescued event will bring hundreds of adoptable animals, vendors, activities and a Bark-B-Que to the streets of Gulfport for a full day of fur and fun on Saturday, February 22, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The event has grown to become the largest animal rescue event in Florida. You will have the opportunity to meet with many of these cuddly creatures along the south end Beach Boulevard. The event raises money and awareness, but they hope you want to choose a new fur baby of your own to raise! For those not looking for a new furry or feathered friend, there will still be plenty for to do. All well-behaved people (and their surely polite pets) are welcome. Convenient complimentary parking will be available all around the area. Visitors and attendees are encouraged to bring donations of unopened dog and cat food, cat litter and pet supplies. The drive-by drop-off location on the day of the event will be conveniently located at the historic Gulfport Casino at 5500 Shore Blvd. For more information on Gulfport’s Get Rescued, visit facebook.com/GetRescued or VisitGulfportFlorida.com or contact Suzanne King at 727-322-5217 or SuzFest@gmail.com.

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24 Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020

RaptorFest Sinks Its Talons Into Boyd Hill Nature PreserveBy Jeff Donnelly

“They call them the wolves of the air,” says Ash Cary of Knightwings, referring to the Harris’s Hawk held by his sister and fellow trainer Sarah Head. Knightwings is a traveling presentation of birds of prey, seen frequently at festivals and Renaissance fairs across the region.

RaptorFest swooped into Boyd Hill Nature Preserve once again on Saturday, February 1, featuring trained birds of prey in free flight, presentations featuring Florida’s native falcon species, environmental exhibitors and family friendly activities. RaptorFest is an annual fundraiser to support the bird-of-prey program at Boyd Hill. All

donations are used to provide food, aviary maintenance and medical care for rehabilitated birds who could not otherwise survive in the wild. Located along the shores of Lake Maggiore at 1101 Country Club Way South, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve’s 245 acres park has more than three miles of trails and boardwalks, five unique ecosystems, a bird-of-prey aviary, and interpretive programming on a variety of environmental and natural history topics.

At RaptorFest, Salome Brenna, 4, smocks up and makes her mark on the NOMAD Art Bus, a retired bus transformed into a mobile studio by artist Carrie Boucher to

bring hands-on, open-ended art exploration to the world. With the mission of "art for ALL,” NOMAD (Neighborhood Oriented Mobile Art + Design) travels throughout

Tampa Bay delivering arts education and experiences, often to those who have

little to no access to arts programming.

Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020 25

Crossword Puzzle Solution on Page 12

Around the World

26 Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020

Gentle Yoga for Adults at Gulfport Library Come to the Gulfport Library on Saturday, February 22 at 10:15 a.m. for their Gentle Yoga for Adults class. Nourish your body and spirit with mindful movement, breath work, and meditation. This slow-paced class welcomes all levels and each month will feature a different set of postures. The class is taught by Christa Fairbrother, RYT and Certified Yoga for Arthritis Instructor. Call 727-893-1074.

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Pancake Breakfast at PAG Church The Men's Ministry of Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church will host the Dave Cramer Memorial Pre-Lenten Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, February 22 from 8 to 10 a.m. The very popular "all-you-can-eat menu" consists of pancakes, sausage, orange juice, fruit and coffee and tea. The centuries-old tradition of eating pancakes has its roots in the need to eliminate perishable such as eggs and milk from the family larder prior to the beginning of Lent. Tickets are $6 per person and can be purchased at the door or prior to the breakfast at the church office. The church is located at 107 16th Ave., St. Pete Beach. For information on this and other church activities, please call the church office at 727-360-5508 or visit pagchurch.org

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U.S.C.G. Auxiliary Safe Boating Course Want to get your State of Florida Boating I.D. Card? The Gulfport Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 7-16 "About Boating Safely Course" will be held on February 8. Class are from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the CGAux Building, 3120 Mariam St. S. in Gulfport. The class includes instruction, course materials and completes the requirements for the Florida Boating I.D. Card. The cost for the class is $40 at the door. To register or for more information contact Marty Richardson at merichardsonjr@att.net or 630-674-5352.

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Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020 27

Council, from front page

been scheduled and budgeted, said City Manager Jim O’Reilly. The future changes will help to alleviate overflow incidents that currently occur along the lower elevations of Shore Boulevard “during peak rain events,” said Wehner.

Honoring Local POWs

During the informational reports segment of the meeting, Councilmember Michael Fridovich read portions of a letter he recently received from Mike J. Liles of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In his letter, Liles recounted historical details of how his friend, Steven Jay Robin of Gulfport, served on the USS Pueblo during the conflict in Korea and how on January 23, 1968, the ship was attacked by the North Korean Navy wounding Robin and others. After the attack, Robin and 81 of his remaining crewmates were held for 11 months in a North Korean prison camp. Robin died on July 28, 2008 at Bay Pines Veterans Administration Hospital. According to the letter, Liles would like to honor Robin with a granite memorial and oak tree planted in Veteran’s Park. Liles has pledged $2,500 as a start-up fund, said Fridovich. “I would like to put together a memorial for all POWs with Gulfport connections sometime this spring. If you know of anyone who was a POW, please contact me,” said Fridovich.

Mayor’s Letter on Climate Change

Mayor Sam Henderson read a letter he will be sending to elected officials in Florida regarding climate change. In part, the letter states, “One of the greatest disservices we have done for ourselves as a species and society is to allow environmental concerns to become fodder for political division. Regardless of our party affiliations and political perspectives, we have a common need for clean air and water, uncontaminated food and resiliency against natural hazards for both ourselves and our property. “We call on you, our leaders and

policy makers, to meet this problem head on from both sides of the aisle. Survival, security and prosperity are a bipartisan agenda. My father taught me at an early age to always leave a campsite cleaner than how you found it. This tiny blue marble is our only campsite, and our children are the next group of campers. “Meaningful change to the laws, policies and regulations that manage carbon emissions must begin now.”

Casino Dock Mooring Violations

During the public comment portion of the meeting, several local live-aboard boat owners spoke about recent “mooring time limit” ordinance violations that had been issued at the Casino dock on Saturday, February 1 by the Gulfport Police Department followed by small vessels being impounded. Some owners stated they were unaware of the rules. Most said they would like to work with the city to make dock mooring more accessible especially for those who need to come ashore for employment shifts that last longer than four hours. Signs posted on the Casino dock titled “Dock Rules” detail a mooring time limit of four hours per 24-hour period along with the statement, “Abandoned personal property, including bicycles, will be confiscated.” City ordinance number 2015-08, section 6-13.13 “Public casino boat dock” is available online:

tinyurl.com/wokheap. Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent said on Tuesday, February 4 that a total of seven ordinance violations and related boat impounds were on record for February 1 as part of the department’s routine enforcement of the city’s 2015 ordinance. One February 1 police Incident Detail Report concerning a mooring ordinance violation at the Casino dock states in the comments section, “A city employee documented multiple vessels over the four-hour time limit and wanted them removed. We are now using the city employees to document vessel time and to use them as a witness for city ordinance violations and impounds.” Henderson asked the city manager about boating rules in the city, “Correct me if I’m wrong: We haven’t made any recent changes to those?” “No. That’s correct,” said City Manager Jim O’Reilly. “Council adopted the rules approximately three to four years ago. It’s all covered in Chapter 6 of the city ordinances.” Henderson added that the city cares about boaters and has shown this by investing money in the mooring field along with upgrades to the municipal marina and the transient dock by the Casino. “If there are ways to think of to meet somewhere in the middle, we’ll certainly consider it,” Henderson said.

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28 Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020

ARIES (March 21-April 19). This quote by Honore de Balzac will apply: "Nothing so fortifies a friendship as a belief on the part of one friend that he is superior to the other." If you have to choose, then the inferior position will be better. If you don't know why, then just try it. Life experience always shows small egos win in the end. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). What is the result you want? Focus there. The steps won't be as straightforward as they look and actually may be irrelevant once you get a little further into this. Focus exclusively on the end, the bottom line, the thing you need. Then be open to strange things happening in the delivery. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Uncontrollable outside occurrences needn't turn your inner world into chaos. Think of what you can control. List it and prioritize, and then focus on one or two things. Take action where you can and, suddenly, you'll feel powerful. Feeling powerful is practically the same thing as being powerful. CANCER (June 22-July 22). The

most successful people you know have been rejected more times than not. Rejection is a price of entrance for success, and those who know the circumstance well will wear it as a badge of honor. Ultimately, glory comes from taking chances, doing the risky things and going after what you believe in. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Knowing when to mind your own business is a pretty good quality, but knowing when not to is an even better quality. This will open the door to flowing attention to those who need it most. Also, excellent opportunities will come from talking with strangers, which is basically the opposite of minding one's own business. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). People often reference being smarter than Neanderthals as a point of pride, not realizing that Neanderthals were plenty smart. People with bigger IQs tending to things that don't matter make Neanderthals look like geniuses. Bright move: Do what it takes. No more, no less. Then call that enough. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There

are moments -- a stretch of dinner, a few seconds in a line, an exchange at home -- when you're eyeball to eyeball with another. It fulfills a human need. It's a gift, and it's something to keep in mind as you go about your week. People on phones miss out on the rush of eyeball-to-eyeball communication. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It is scientifically proven that the sensual experience of being in nature beneficially impacts well-being. Of course. You are part of a system. Limiting yourself to a world without greenery is cruel. Do whatever you can to experience the whole of life. This is not a privilege or a right; it's a natural calling. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Go to a wall in your house that has been standing for years and resolve to hold it up with all the strength of your body, soul and being. This exercise is both hard and pointless, illustrating that there is no reason to sell what's sold, support what's supported, uphold what's upheld... go forward. Do new. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). When you're into it, you put up with differing opinions, learn how to deal with strange mannerisms, try to appease the preferences of others. No longer wanting to do this is a sign that there's just nothing in it for you. Honor your instincts. Pay attention to the signs. Go where life is ripe for the juicing. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). When you're in a creative mindset, you'll solve things quickly. That's because there's usually more than one way that will work, and your active mind, when left to its own devices, will gather the top choices available. You'll wind up on a path that suits you and everyone else involved. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You're a giver. You make it about them -- what they need and want. If you assume everyone is a narcissist and go from there, this week will be pretty smooth. (Everyone is not a narcissist, but the assumption will have you serving in a way that the good ones will appreciate and repay.)

Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020 29

PAVA’s 2Cool Art Show at Gulfport Casino Entertains Crowd for 9th YearBy Debbie Wolfe

On Saturday and Sunday, February 1 and 2, 35 artists representing works in paint, wood, ceramics, photography, metal, glass, jewelry and mixed media participated in the Professional Association of Visual Artists (PAVA) free 9th-annual juried 2Cool Art Show at the Gulfport Casino. According to their website, PAVA is a non-profit “organization founded by artists for artists in the Tampa Bay and outlying region of Florida.” Its mission strives to: “create opportunities for the professional and emerging artist, develop and encourage professional standards in the visual arts, serve as a collective voice for its members while encouraging recognition of and support for the arts in the community.” Other sponsors were the City of Gulfport and the Gulfport Merchants Chamber.

Artist Bob Richardson of Safety Harbor specializes in repurposing old musical instruments and their cases into functional Bluetooth audio speakers. “I turn them into sculptures, add a speaker and

I call them ‘Bluetooth sound machines.’”

Molly Dots by artist Molly Rohrer of Palm Harbor specializes in creating copper enamel jewelry. “I hand saw each piece then I fuse glass to the metal for the color,” she said. “Each piece has anywhere from six to probably 50 different firings” depending on the complexity of the design. Pictured in her left hand is a lionfish necklace.

30 Gabber February 6 - February 12, 2020

A little drizzle and fog couldn’t stop Treasure Island’s community stars from shining bright. The City of Treasure Island hosted its second annual Community Appreciation Day on Saturday, February 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Treasure Island Community Center and Park located at 1 Park Place at 106th Ave. City departments, civic associations and community partners showcased their contributions to the residents of Treasure Island during the event, such as the Treasure Island Fire Department’s Vehicle Extrication Demo, where firefighters demonstrated how they use the “jaws of life” in the event of a serious car accident.

City Planner Bob Bray shared the importance of Sea Turtle Nesting season, May 1 to October 31. “ B e a c h f r o n t lighting can be properly managed to benefit humans and sea turtles,” said Bray. “We are trying to encourage property owners to turn their lights off at night, unless there is a safety concern. It is important that we create an environment conducive to sea turtle survival.” In general, explained Bray,

“a good sea turtle-friendly lighting fixture directs light down to the ground where it is needed for safety, shields the light source from being visible from the beach and is outfitted with a red or amber LED light bulb.” The 2020 Census was another hot topic at the event. “The census is important,” said Bray. “It ensures equitable political representation and distribution of federal funds; $44 billion in federal funding for programs across Florida is guided by census data.” Information Technology and Communications Director Mark Santos was at the ready to help residents get in touch and stay in touch with city resources and events. Santos’ department is responsible for keeping residents in the know with an updated resident guide

that lists all pertinent city-related information. The IT and communications department also manages “Ready TI?,” an annual Hurricane Readiness expo. This year’s expo is scheduled for Thursday, May 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Treasure Island City Hall, 120 108th Ave. And no community event is complete without a chili cook-off. Seventeen participants, two of whom were professional local chefs, and one visitor from London put their best bean forward during this year’s chili cook-off. Besides bragging rights, the winner received a custom printed apron, “that they will be required to wear to the next commission meeting,” said Dominique Retier, Chili Cook-Off organizer. All proceeds benefited the Treasure Island Fire Department.

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Treasure Island’s Community Appreciation Day: A Treasure Trove of InformationBy Laura Mulrooney

Treasure Island Firefighters Alan Ahearn and Jacob Malezis held an Extrication Demo, during the city’s second annual Community Appreciation Day, Saturday, February 2 with Lieutenant Jeff Logsdon and Fire Chief Trip Bars explaining the process. The demo showed residents what it takes to save a life after a serious car crash.

Dominique Retier, Chili Cook-Off organizer, models this year’s prize for the Treasure Island’s second annual Community Appreciation Day Chili Cook-Off competition. The winner will be required to wear the apron to the next commission meeting, where Retier will introduce the winner.