Riverview/Apollo Beach
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October 2023
Volume 21, Issue 10
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CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF PUBLISHING P OSITIVE COMMUNIT Y NEWS
RECYCLED TUNES SUPPLIES GENTLY USED INSTRUMENTS TO SCHOOLS IN SUPPORT OF MUSIC EDUCATION By Jane Owen
Osprey Observer 2109 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Valrico, FL 33596
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Most everyone According to in the Tampa Bay Jon Sever, superarea is familiar visor of secondary with the Gasparilmusic for Hillsborla. The Gasparilla ough County PubPirate Festival has lic Schools, Recybeen a Tampa tracled Tunes is key dition since 1904. to bridge the gap What many may created by needs not know is that as music programs the music which is grow. part of the festiv“Recycled Tunes, Students at Pinecrest Elementary School were thrilled to try out some guitars and amps doities through the and Tad and his Gasparilla Music nated by Recycled Tunes, a program supporting crew, has an outmusic education in Hillsborough County. Festival is more standing program than mere sea shanties. Proceeds from for getting instruments to music students the festival support music education of Hillsborough County,” Sever said. throughout the bay area all year long Recycled Tunes is widely recognized through a program called Recycled Tunes. for the impact it is having on music proRecycled Tunes provides refurbished in- grams and the development of individual struments, completes instrument repairs students. The program is the recipient of and donates supplies (including strings, three prestigious awards from 2022-23: reeds, sticks and tablets) to teachers and · The Encore Award from the Hillsborstudents. The program was started in ough Elementary Music Educators Coun2013 as an initiative of the nonprofit Gas- cil in May 2022. parilla Music Foundation and is based on · The Exemplary Music Model Program a belief that music and arts education is Award from the Florida Music Educators a critical part of childhood development. Association in January. Tracy Lisi, supervisor of elementary · The Florida Department of Education music for Hillsborough County Public Commissioner’s Business Partner RecogSchools, said that Recycled Tunes is an in- nition Award from the Florida Departtegral part of providing music within the ment of Education in August. district. Instruments are collected throughout “We are exceptionally grateful for our the year at the Recycled Tunes office, lopartnership with them. They fulfill what cated at 1723 W. we are not able to do, either monetarily Cypress St. in Tampa, and at various or due to time,” Lisi said. instrument drives. “Our biggest need for Recycled Tunes ambassador Tad Den- donated instruments at this time is brass ham is grateful the community’s support and woodwinds as we expand to include has allowed the program to benefit so middle school band programs,” explained many students. Recycled Tunes worked Denham. with 55 elementary schools during the Teachers can request support through 2022-23 school year, 71 percent of which the Recycled Tunes website. were Title I schools. This year, in its 10th For more information, visit www.recyyear, the program is also benefiting mid- cledtunesflorida.com or email info@gasdle school students. parillamusic.com.
PULTE HOMES PURCHASES ONE OF LAST LARGE DEVELOPABLE TRACTS IN RIVERVIEW By Brian Bokor Pulte Homes has closed on land for four new communities, including one of the last developable tracts of land in Riverview, with the purchase of 197 acres for Spencer Glen off Simmons Loop. As part of the new developments, Pulte Homes will introduce two new product lines in the Apollo Beach master-planned community, Waterset, and build three additional new communities in Hillsborough County at Hawks Grove, Riversedge and Spencer Glen in Riverview. “Location and convenient commutes are two of the most important factors for homebuyers,” said West Florida Division President Sean Strickler. “Buyers want to live in Southern Hillsborough County because of its proximity to downtown Tampa, jobs and all the other conveniences and entertainment options Tampa Bay offers. In today’s market, we are not seeing a significant difference between the median price of a resale home when compared to new, and buying new will provide a more energy efficient product with less maintenance costs that comes with a 10-year structural home warranty.” In Apollo Beach, Pulte will purchase 113 lots from Brookfield Communities in the newest phase of Waterset and will offer single-family, new-construction homes on 40 and 60-foot-wide homesites. Homeowners will have access to Waterset’s outstanding amenities along with a clubhouse that houses a resort-style pool with a waterslide. Look for availability of products as soon as the first quarter of 2024. In Riverview, Hawks Grove, located on
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Boyette Road, will feature 26 homes between 2,500-4,300 sq. ft. in a boutique community sharing close proximity to FishHawk Ranch and other nearby conveniences. Much of the c o m m u n i t y ’s perimeter will feature extensive landscaping with mature oak trees, giving homeowners tranquility and privacy. All homes in the community will include a three-car garage, 18-by18-inch tile flooring and quartz countertops. Just a few miles northwest of Hawks Grove, Pulte will build Riversedge, located just off Carr Road and north of Boyette. Each of the 29 homes in this boutique community will offer a natural setting and extra-deep backyards. All backyards can accommodate a pool, with select homes backing to mature trees. Homes are expected to range from 1,850-3,416 sq. ft. Further south in Riverview, Spencer Glen will be located approximately 1 mile from the Interstate 75/Big Bend Road interchange and U.S. 301, and when completed it will feature 492 homes on 197 acres. The community’s resort-style amenities will offer something for every
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Do you have a fourth grader this school year or know someone who does? This year is the perfect time for a trip to visit a national park. As part of the government’s Every Kid Outdoors program, fourth graders and their families can get free access to hundreds of parks for an entire year. Visit https://everykidoutdoors.gov/.
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Brandon- Off Causeway Riverview- Big Bend and 301 USF- Fowler and 56th Lakeland- S. Florida Ave Lutz- St. Rd. 54