Brandon/Winthrop
26
December 2022
Volume 17, Issue 12
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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF PUBLISHING P OSITIVE COMMUNIT Y NEWS
HOSPITAL GIFT SHOP SUPPORTS DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR? A MISSION OF ANGEL FOUNDATION FL CHILD’S CHRISTMAS WISH By Kathy L. Collins
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The Angel Founities for children. dation FL is a local We also brought in nonprofit organilocal artisans who zation. Its mission created tumblers, is to partner with jewelry, journals businesses and and more.” individuals to be According to a caring resource Brewer, “The purfor families in our pose of the Angel community expeGift Shop is to supriencing a tempoport the foundarary crisis due to tion. It provides a a life-threatening consistent stream illness or cataof revenue so we strophic event. are not dependent The Angel Founon events to raise dation FL raises all of our funds.” funds for its misThe Angel Founsion in a variety of dation FL holds two The Angel Foundation FL, a local nonprofit, ways. This includes signature events operates the Angel Gift Shop located within the running of a each year. In addiHCA Florida Brandon Hospital. The gift shop gift shop at HCA tion, it runs the Justocks a variety of items that someone might Florida Brandon need during a hospital stay or visit. The gift shop, nior Angel FoundaHospital, located run by volunteers, provides a consistent revenue tion. Volunteers are at 119 Oakfield Dr. needed for events, stream for the foundation. in Brandon. The the gift shop and gift shop recently the Junior Angel reopened in August afFoundation. Volunteers ter being closed due to are given an orientation the pandemic. and can work as many The gift shop is open hours as they like. Tuesday through Friday Brewer said, “Our from 1-5 p.m. There are desire is to reach more several days each week families in crisis. Our where the gift shop is work is done inside opened earlier or closed later. the home with families. The more peoLiz Brewer, CEO of the Angel Founda- ple who hear about us will give us the tion FL, said of the gift shop, “The foun- opportunity to serve even more in the dation was given an empty space and years ahead. Being inside the hospital was tasked with stocking the inventory allows us to be more visible to the comand designing the showroom. The Angel munity we serve.” Gift Shop is managed solely by the founSince its inception, the Angel Foundadation staff and our volunteers.” tion FL has served more than 785 famBrewer added, “We carry a wide selec- ilies through more than 567 volunteers, tion of items that one would need during and it has raised over $2 million. a hospital stay. These include items for For more information on the Angel babies, ladies and men. We have inspi- Foundation FL, please visit https://anrational gifts, candles, snacks and activ- gelfoundationfl.com/.
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By Kelly Wise Valdes Jennifer Glancy, wanted make the director of Chilthe first 50 pairs dren’s Ministries to donate to auat Sun City Center diologist offices United Methodist because other Church, also served may not know as one of Santa’s what they are,” elves during a resaid Ashley, Aucent event when drey’s mom. “Afshe came across a ter she donates very special letter her first 50 pairs, 8-year-old Audrey Brown (left) hopes to be able to to Santa. In the letshe hopes to sell help other hearing-impaired people feel confident ter, Audrey Brown, wearing hearing devices by making hearing aid jewel- the charms to a vivacious 8-year- ry. Also pictured is her brother Kamdyn and identical raise money to old that had strughelp children and twin, Aubrey. gled with wearing families afford her hearing aids, wanted a hearing devices.” hearing aid jewelry making kit. Ashley bought Audrey her According to Audrey’s mothfirst pair of hearing-aid jewelry er Ashley, she had received a on Christmas Day 2020. “I had hearing aid bobble and that taken them off and put them in gave Audrey the confidence my backpack for my class with she needed to feel comfortthe audiologist that worked able in her hearing device. with my school,” said Audrey. “Audrey asked Santa for a “When I went to get them out, kit of jewelry making implethey were gone. It made me ments so that she could make really sad. I felt embarrassed charms to sell to raise money again with my hearing aids. I for children who need hearing aids and to do not want anyone, boy, girl, man, or womgive away in order to help other children feel an ever feeling the way I did.” confident and proud to wear their hearing Jewelry making kits can be costly, but Audevices,” said Glancy. drey has set her sights on her goal to help According to the Florida Association of others. As with most families, finances for the Deaf, census data says that Tampa Bay the Brown family are extremely tight this has the third-highest concentration of deaf year, and jewelry making kits can be costly or hearing-impaired residents in the United which makes it difficult for the young family. States. With the emotional support of her identiAudrey has been hearing-impaired af- cal twin sister , her brother, and her mother, ter her cancer treatment as an infant. As Audrey hopes to reach her dream. “Audrey she grew older, she became self-conscious just wants others to feel just as proud as she about her hearing aids. When she was given is,” said mom Ashley. If you are interested hearing aid jewelry, it gave her the self-as- in assisting Audrey with her endeavors to surance she needed. help others, please contact Ashley Brown at “I think the jewelry for hearing aids made kamdynsmommy1001@icloud.com. me feel beautiful for the first time in a long time,” said Audrey. “I had always hidden my hearing aids and I was embarrassed because kids would make fun of me. With HIGH 5 LASER TAG ........................... PG 3 this I feel all kids and adults can feel better about their hearing aids. They helped me MOTORING TAMPA BAY ................ PG 5 NEW DRONE PARK ............................ PG 6 gain my self-confidence back.” Her request to Santa was for a kit to EYE ON BUSINESS ..........................PG 25 make similar jewelry so that other girls can SPORTS CONNECTION...................PG 33 feel pretty while wearing hearing aids. “She
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