Brandon/Winthrop
26
July 2023
Volume 18, Issue 7
28
Ph: 813-657-2418
CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF PUBLISHING P OSITIVE COMMUNIT Y NEWS
BRANDON MOOSE LODGE MORPH’D: FLORIDA AQUARIUM’S INVITES YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS NEW GALLERY KICKS OFF $40 TO PARTICIPATE IN KID’S BIZ MARKET EXPANSION PROJECT By Anna Edlund By Sophia Walck
ECRWSS EDDM Osprey Observer 2109 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Valrico, FL 33596
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sees opportunities like this one as necessary practices to ensure a successful future. “We need leaders to lead our future, and our future needs all the help it can get. Encourage your A Kid’s Biz Market flyer supplied by Jessica Pedraza, one of kids to get active,” said Pethe event’s coordinators. draza. The Brandon Moose Lodge is calling all Not only does the event strengthen local ‘kidpreneurs’ to offer their products the idea of young voices in business, but and services at the Kid’s Biz Market. The it also gives kidpreneurs the necessary event will take place on Sunday, August tools to accomplish their dreams. 6 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. A large platform unlocks new skills For a $15 registration fee, kids ages that small neighborhood pop-up stands 5-18 are able to set up a business for vis- don’t allow for. itors to interact with. Each stand highPedraza stated she hopes the meeting lights a child’s unique talents and show- will achieve everything “from learning cases a project, good or service. The firsthand, production inventory, custombooths range from items such as crafts er relations and money handling to an and jewelry to others like baked goods opportunity to showcase their talents and candles. and realize the power they have within Attendees will be able to walk away themselves.” with a variety of high-quality products Amiee Johnston-Wells, leader of the while supporting the budding creativity planning committee, has been especialof local children. Unlike the regular ven- ly eager to turn the vision of the market dor markets that the organization holds into a real occurrence. What started as a quarterly, this kids-only event shines a simple vision of a way to encourage the well-deserved spotlight on the next gen- youth business community has now been eration of business. taken into effect. “Our Kid’s Biz Market is a safe founThe Brandon Moose Lodge encourdation for our young aspiring entre- ages families to register for and attend preneurs to experience their creative the Kid’s Biz Market to empower youth dreams in real life,” shared Jessica Pe- and set up a foundation of skill that will draza, one of the event coordinators who benefit communities for generations to made the market’s creation possible. come. As a mother of three boys, Pedraza For more information, please views fostering children’s abilities and visit the Kid’s Biz Market Faceoffering support as serious matters. book page at www.facebook.com/ Along with her fellow coordinators, she events/632548391839219.
Beat this summer heat by cooling off in one of Florida’s several natural springs. This beautiful spring is found below the surface, in an underground cave where visitors can snorkel around, or even scuba dive if they wish at Devil’s Den Spring. Read about five family-friendly springs on page 12.
Having opened ing to have a beton July 1, The ter understandFlorida Aquariing of what it is um’s newest galthey’re looking lery and interacat and just how tive experience, remarkable these MORPH’D, offers creatures are. visitors many “I hope that this new exhibits and exhibit will bring species. in new people, Part of the especially people Aquarium’s $40 in our community million expansion, that maybe have MORPH’D feanever been to the tures 19 exhibits and 18 aquarium or people who species that are known have just recently moved for their adaptable here. Hopefully, with qualities. Some of these new visitors viewing the unique species include gallery, they’ll also get to axolotls, four-eyed see how special the rest fish, bird-poop frogs of our aquarium is,” stat(yes, they look like bird ed Caro. “It’s not just an poop), archerfish, padentertainment factor dlefish, chameleons and but also a key to opening more. people up to conserva“The paddlefish and tion and education.” archerfish will be a big MORPH’D is just the crowd pleaser,” said Eitip of the iceberg for The Eileen Caro, biologist II at The leen Caro, biologist II Florida Aquarium’s large Florida Aquarium, in front of The at The Florida Aquariexpansion, which will Florida Aquarium’s new gallery, um. “Archerfish are one go on for the next few MORPH’D. of the two known speyears. This incredible excies to actually shoot the water to get hibit that showcases the unique adaptfood.” able qualities the animals have acquired Caro demonstrated this amazing tac- is the first step of many to transform tic by placing some krill on a branch that The Florida Aquarium. hangs above the archerfish tank. Then, The Florida Aquarium is located in the fish came up to the surface and spit downtown Tampa in the Channelside water to free the food stuck above. This District at 701 Channelside Dr. For more show that the archerfish put on will information on this exciting new exhibsurely lure in a large audience. it, upcoming events, tickets and all the “They have great aim, but you’re in a things yet to come, visit www.flaquarisplash zone standing by the tank,” Caro um.org. said. The MORPH’D gallery also promotes interactive features to viewers, like touch screens. These interactive fea- EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT..................PG 3 tures depict the correlating species’ HIGH 5 SWIM LESSONS ................PG 3 characteristics, locations and more. All BEERFEST ................................. ............PG 8 of this contributes to the aquarium’s overall goal to connect humans to these EYE ON BUSINESS................PGS 25-26 unique species, helping those participat- DR. DEEP SEA ...................................PG 29
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