South Tampa - Vol. 1, Issue 2, July 2015

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PAIDTAMPA FL

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If I’ve learned one thingabout life, it’s that it just isn’t fair.Sometimes the best people in thisworld are taken away far toosoon. Such is the case with thetragic and sudden loss of Tamparesident and local business ownerAlex Cooks. One of the mostamazing, caring, kind-heartedpeople I have ever met, Alex had

a heart like none other, with alove and generosity that knew nolimits!

A husband, a father, a son, abrother, a friend, a mentor and alocal hero, Alex has touched thehearts of thousands upon thou-sands of people over the years.He had a smile that could lightup a room and a vivacious person-

ality and passion for lifethat would instantlybrighten your day, nomatter what kind of moodyou were in.

I had the honor ofmeeting Alex a few yearsback, when I was first in-troduced to his restaurant,Alex’s Southern StyleBBQ, as it was one of therestaurants featured in ourBattle of the BBQ con-test. A local favorite,Alex’s Southern StyleBBQ won the contesthands down!

But, even more im-pressive than his restau-rant’s food, was Alex’sdevotion to the local community.Loved by all who knew him, Alexwas a true role model and had apassion for giving back to thecommunity and helping those lessfortunate. Through his charityXmas For Kids, for the past 15years Alex has donated bikes tochildren throughout the TampaBay area. Starting in 1999 whenAlex decided to purchase a fewbikes to give out to local under-privileged children on ChristmasDay, over the years his charity hasgrown remarkably and to datethey have donated more than20,000 bikes, made possible bygenerous donations collectedthroughout the year; 100% of allproceeds raised goes towards buy-

ing the bikes. The tremendous impact Alex

had on all those around him wastruly incredible. Alex loved hisfamily, friends, and communitywith all that he had in his heart,and I am honored to have metsuch an inspirational, extraordi-nary man. And although he nolonger accompanies us on earth,he will never be forgotten and hislegacy will forever live on with allthe amazing things he has doneand all the lives he has impacted.

In lieu of flowers, Alex’s fam-ily has asked for donations toAlex’s beloved charity, Xmas ForKids. To donate, please visitwww.AlexsbbqTampa.com/xmas-kids.html.

The Community Mourns the Loss of an Amazing Man!

Alex Cook’s legacy will forever liveon with all the amazing things he hasdone and all the lives he has impacted.



Community Calendar & News Briefs

Christmas in July Donation Drive –Help Bring Comfort and Joy toHospitalized Kids

Christmas in July is a month-long, community-wide fundraiser forSt. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.Every year, St. Joseph’s Children’sHospital Foundation aids corpora-tions, local businesses, civic organiza-tions, and individuals in bringing somemid-year holiday cheer to the kids thatneed it most.

Share your Accomplishments On Friday, July 31, from 7am-

1pm, all of the community partners,sponsors, and donors will come to-gether to celebrate their month-longfundraising efforts. Local media Magic94.9 and Fox 13 will broadcast live aslocal businesses and individuals sharein the joy of giving; patients have a

special visit from Santa, and volunteershelp collect toy and monetary dona-tions from community members.

What are they raising funds for?Health care settings are often stressfuland frightening experiences for chil-dren and families. Providing recre-ation, developmental play, and playtherapy gives kids strategies for copingand bring a momentary escape fromtheir illness. It is through generouscommunity support, and events likeChristmas in July, that St. Joseph’sChildren’s Hospital is able to providethese services that dramatically alter achild’s hospital experience.

How do I get involved? There areseveral options for event involvement,including online team fundraising,corporate sponsorship, hosting or at-tending events in the community, ormaking a donation directly to St.

Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.For more information or to get

involved please visit www.sjhfounda-tion.org/christmas-in-july or call theFoundation at (813) 872-0979.

Upcoming Events at the StrazCenter’s Patel Conservatory Patel Conservatory offers summerJazz Intensive

July 27 - 31, from 9 a.m. to 4p.m. daily; concert on Friday, July 31,at 7 p.m.

WHERE: TECO Theater DETAILS: Students in grade seventhrough college who are interested inhands-on, in-depth exposure to thejazz music art form are invited to par-ticipate in the Patel Conservatory JazzIntensive.

Students will receive five full daysof intense instruction in ear training,sight reading and improvisation. Theirinstruction will also include playing insmall combo and big bands with someof the area’s best teaching artists, cul-minating in a final jam session open tothe public.

Jazz Intensive tuition is $275.Registration and more informationare available at www.patelconserva-tory.org and by calling 813.222.1002.

Regularly priced tickets for theconcert are $15 and may be purchasedby calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, inperson at the Straz Center Ticket Of-fice or online at thewww.strazcenter.org. Handling feeswill apply.

Events, days, dates, times andprices are subject to change withoutnotice.

Patel Conservatory presentsSummer FantasyFriday, July 24, at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Ferguson HallDETAILS: More than 200 pre-profes-sional ballet students from all acrossthe globe will perform classical andcontemporary pieces in this spectacu-lar show. These dancers were chosenfrom a pool of more than 1,000 appli-

See “Calendar/Briefs” on page 14.




By Matt Selby

Many have heard phrases fromfamily and friends like, “It’s normaland comes with age,” or, “You’re get-ting older, there’s nothing you can doabout it.” But some of us refuse to ac-cept what others consider “normal.”What if we didn’t have to feel our age?What does feeling your age even meananyway?

Let’s just say you’re feeling fa-tigued, with a lack of strength andnon-existent sex drive, you could letsomeone tell you it’s your age, or youcan turn to the doctors at Titan Med-ical Center, with two convenient loca-tions in Tampa and including oneright here in South Tampa. Up untilrecently, there has never been a solidtreatment that addresses the reasonspeople start to feel weak and fatiguedwith age. Luckily, these days, feelingtired, unmotivated and weak can be achoice, not a miserable reality. You canbe 50 but feel like you did at 30 oreven younger! Sadly, some people at30 or younger already have thesesymptoms. Nobody knows for sure

why hormones in our bodies are de-creasing at an even faster rate thanever before but many theories point topollution and the antibiotic- infusedfood industry. Whatever the reason,Titan Medical Center is here to help!

Titan Medical Center is here toprovide an enhanced quality of life forall of their patients in a comfortable,family-oriented setting. Owners, busi-ness partners and husband-and-wifeteam, John and Sharisse Tsikouris arelocal residents who understand the im-portance of not only looking betterbut feeling better as well. The doctorsat Titan say, “Just because you’re get-ting older, doesn’t mean you have tolook and feel older. We have the abilityto safely and effectively slow and evenreverse many of the negative side ef-fects associated with the aging process.Titan Medical’s Doctors are some ofthe most knowledgeable and trustedin the industry!”

HRT TREATMENTSTitan Medical Center can help

you achieve a healthy body and mindwith a plethora of treatments ranging

from hormone replacement therapy tosome of the most advanced, cuttingedge vitamin regimens on the markettoday! In years past, hormone replace-ment therapy, also known as HRT,was kind of a gray and sometimesscary area of medicine. One of the rea-sons for it being scary was the lack ofeducation and preconceived opinionson what it really is. Many peoplethought it had something to do withsynthetic steroids while others evenadmit thinking the treatments werederived from cadavers. That isn’t thecase at all! In fact the hormones pre-scribed by the doctors at Titan Med-ical Center are what are called“bio-identical” which means the bodydoesn’t see it as a foreign substance, itsees it these hormones as if createdwithin the body.

The products are actually derivedfrom an all-natural plant base source.For men and women, a simple bloodtest can show exactly which hormonesare out of whack and need to betreated. Testosterone replacement isone of the most popular treatmentsfor men in the world and Titan Med-

ical Center only uses the very best for-mula available. Men lose testosteronewith age and this is again, one of thosethings doctors just figured was “nor-mal” but it doesn’t have to be! Testos-terone is what makes a man a man andwith low or non-existent levels, theconsequences are not pretty. Moodswings, excess fat in the midsection

Titan Medical Center’s Doctors Want to Help You Gain Vitality

Dr. Perez


and lower back, a lack of motivation,decreased sex drive, weakness andmuscle loss could be, and most likelyare, a result of declining testosterone.The treatment plan that Titan MedicalCenter puts together is not only lifechanging but affordable as well!

Men aren’t the only ones whobenefit from HRT; in fact, womenhave been receiving treatment with as-tounding results! For women, hor-mone therapy can help to increaselibido, decrease hot flashes and reducemood swings. Options range from

progesterone, estrogen,and testosterone therapies,depending on the results ofthe blood workup.

Medical Weight loss These days, it seems

like everyone is jumping onthe medical weight lossbandwagon, but very fewunderstand the true scienceinvolved. Titan MedicalCenter, located right herein your backyard, is one ofthe few who actually get it!They don’t just do medicalweight loss as an added “ala carte” style approach likeso many “clinics” do. These

guys have perfected the medicalweight loss plan providing you a solu-tion to the yo-yo dieting that you’vebeen dealing with for years. The pro-grams range from FDA approved ap-petite suppressants, Thermogenics(IE: EAC CAPS), and B-12/MIC/L-Carnitine shots, just to name a few.They also carry specialized topical andfat burning creams. Many claim thatthe results they have achieved with thehelp of Titan Medical Center has beennothing short of a miracle.

Vitamins, Amino Acids & Detox Titan Medical isn’t just for those

who are having negative symptoms ei-ther. Some of us just want to be thebest we can be and with the help of in-jectable Amino and vitamin blendsyou can look and feel your very bestnaturally! The injectable vitamins are afast, efficient solution to those big, ex-pensive, cumbersome supplement pillsthat occupy your medicine cabinet.Get the boost of energy, nutrition andvitality you need at just the right time.While vitamins in pill form are effec-tive, much of the nutrients never getabsorbed into the body. The injectablevitamins prescribed by Titan MedicalCenter are virtually completely ab-sorbable in the body and you are guar-anteed to reap all the benefit of thedosage. If “injectable” sounds intimi-dating, don’t worry! Most injectablevitamins are administered with an in-sulin syringe so tiny you barely feel it,if you feel anything at all!

Don’t forget to treat yourself to aprescribed total body and vital organdetox and cleanse (IE: glutathione),AMINO ACID injectables (up to 80%retention), and prescribed injectablevitamins (IE: vitamin D 50,000 I/Uwhich only has to be injected once aweek and has up to 80% RETEN-TION). I personally have had the op-portunity to try out some of Titan’sunique amino and vitamin injectableformulas and I’m very impressed byhow they make me feel! I honestly feellike a recharged, new man! The“Goal” blend which is Glutamine,Arginine, L-Carnitine and lucine is ab-solutely amazing!

Sexual Performance and Sleep Aids As we age, another symptom we

commonly deem normal is dwindlingsexual desire or performance alongwith unhealthy sleeping patterns.While hormones play a vital role, stressalone can cause many of these prob-lems as well. Lots of things take ourstress to unhealthy levels including in-creased responsibilities with careers,family and our social lives. Non-habitforming, non-narcotic prescribed sleepaids are just a consultation away. Titan

Medical Center also offers libido en-hancers for men and women includingViagra, Cialis and sensitivity cream forwomen. Let’s be honest, nobodywants to admit they need a little boostin the bedroom, but do yourself andyour partner a favor and call TitanMedical Center today. No judgment,no embarrassment, sexual perform-ance or lack thereof, can be kickedinto a new gear with the help of TitanMedical Center.

Age very well may be just a num-ber. Young or old, you don’t have toaccept feeling horrible any longer andTitan medical Center has made it eas-ier than ever to take action. No moreexcuses! Now is the time to feel excep-tional! Now is the time to feel like aTitan!

Titan Medical Center is locatedat 5201 W. Kennedy Blvd ste 615Tampa , FL 33609Make your Appointment Today!For more information please call ortext (727)-389-3220.

Titan Medical Center ownersSharisse and John Tsikouris


By Alexis Selby

Surrounded by a stadium full ofcheering fans, nothing beats the ex-citement of watching your hometeam play on the Tropicana Field.Whether you are out having a funfamily day, enjoying a night out withfriends, or going on a casual datewith your significant other, Tropi-cana Field provides the perfect back-drop for a great experience and awhole lot of fun! And, with newcheaper pricing, including ticketsstarting at only $10, the Rays havemade it more affordable than ever foryou to watch your team live and inperson. New last season, the Raysbegan offering Flex Packs, whichgave fans the opportunity to pre-payfor 3, 6, or 9 games ahead of time, atan even better discounted price, andpick any of the games they would liketo see for the season. They also offer

discounts on group tickets and othergreat packages.

The Rays certainly don’t holdback when it comes to giving back tothe fans. Widely know for their fangiveaways, the Rays are always find-ing unique ways to thank their fansand give incentives for those whoshow up early to the games by givingaway freebies for the first 10,000 fansthat walk through their doors. Pastprizes include, derby-style hats,which they gave away on Mother’sDay, bobble-head dolls, stuffed ani-mals, and my personal favorite- DJKitty toques, which were a huge hitamongst fans.

Sunday is Family-Fay at the Tropi-cana Field!

A great way to incorporateeveryone in your family, the Rayshave brought back a returning tradi-tion with their Family Fun Days,

which is held every Sunday they havea home game. Featuring free parkingfor cars with four or more passen-gers, giveaways for kids 14 andunder, and a variety of free activitiesfor kids on the concourse, theseevents provide affordable fun for thewhole family – from young childrento the young at heart. Extra enter-tainers are also provided on Sundays,including face Painters, airbrush tat-too artists, magicians, mimes, stiltwalkers, jugglers and balloon artists,as well as complimentary concourseactivities, courtesy of the Tampa BayTimes, such as grand slam alley,power alley batting cage, speed pitch,Raymond’s art studio and Toppsmake your own baseball card. Afterthe game children will also have theopportunity to run the bases anddance around at the DJ Kitty Kid’sParty!

Tampa Bay Rays – The Best of theBest!

Boasting one of the best recordsin the league – including making theplayoffs four times in the past sixyears – you have more reasons thanever to come watch the Rays play. Infact, the Rays have won more gamessince 2008 than any other team inthe league, with the exception of theYankees – who have won just a hand-ful more, despite an astronomical$900-million spending gap betweenthe two teams. In addition, they haveaccomplished five 90-win seasons inthe past six years, which is more thanany other team in the MLB, andquite possibly in the entire sport. So,when you go watch your home teamon the Tropicana Field, you truly are

watching one of the best teams in theNation!

So Much More Than Just A Base-ball Team

Your local hometown baseballteam, the Tampa Bay Rays, have be-come a huge part of this communityin more ways than one and as im-pressive as they are on the field, whatthey do outside of the stadium is justas amazing! Mentors, teachers, and“heroes”, the Rays organization pro-vides much more than just athleti-cism and entertainment – they arecommunity impact leaders who ac-tively strive to make a lasting differ-ence in the Tampa Bay area.

Taking a hands-on approach tosupporting the community, in addi-tion to the Rays Baseball Founda-tion, a 501c3 non-profit organizationthat raises money to help supportyouth education development pro-gramming, the players and theirwives, as well as many of the corpo-rate employees, dedicate their time tohelping individuals, families and or-ganizations in the communitythrough their numerous charities,volunteer programs and partnershipaffiliations.

“We are really proud to be com-munity impact leaders,” says MarkFernandez, Senior Vice President ofthe Rays Organization. We take ourresponsibility seriously and are alwayslooking to find ways to form mean-ingful partnerships within the com-munity. Giving away the money iseasiest part, but the most meaningfulthing that we do, in addition tobeing an ongoing funder, is to be ac-tively engaged in the community.”

The Tampa Bay Rays - Your LocalSports Team!!


An inspiration to our youth, theplayers are a true testament to thenotion, that if you dream big andwork hard, anything is possible. Fur-thermore, in all their success, theyalso recognize that giving back is justas important as the sport they playand that without you – their fans,their community – what they haveaccomplished would never have beenpossible; which is why they give backto the Tampa Bay area, not just toshow gratitude and thanks, but be-cause they want to make a differencein the lives of those around them!“At the end of the day, the name onthe front of their jersey means morethan the name on their back,” saysMark. “When people see our logoand our brand, I hope we’ve doneenough for them to say, ‘that’s myteam and those are my guys’. Thatmeans everything to us!”

From playing on the field to vol-unteering in your community, theRays truly are your hometown team!So, what are you waiting for? Theseason is almost over. Round up yourfriends and family today and comeon down to the Tropicana Field tocheer on your very own Tampa Bay

Rays and enjoy some good ol’ Amer-ican fun!

RAYS TICKET GIVEAWAY!!! As part of our partnership with the

Rays, the Neighborhood News &Lifestyles is giving away 6 press levelseason tickets – one season ticket foreach of our 6 magazines.

Each month, starting in May andending in September, we will giveaway multiple press level (sec.204)Rays’ tickets to 6 lucky winners amonth. Two Grand Prize winnersper month will receive 6 tickets and2 parking passes. Two 1st RunnerUp winners will get 4 tickets and 1parking pass, and two more 2ndRunner Up winners will have fun atthe ball park with 2 tickets and aparking pass. This contest will be alot of fun and we are really happy togive back to our readers. You makewhat we do possible, plain and simple.We wish we could make every entry awinner.Good luck! Enter online atwww.NNLFlorida.com/Rays

The Tropicana Field is located at 1Tropicana Drive in St Petersburg.For more information on upcominggames or to purchase tickets pleasevisit RaysBaseball.com.


own privately owned company Ihave the opportunity to help myclients to the very best of my abil-ity,” says Mathew. "No one entityhas all the best products and op-tions, so having my own companygives me the flexibility to build aplan that is specific and customizedto the client’s needs, wants and de-sires.”

Mathew prides himself in build-ing strong, long-lasting relationshipswith his clients, and to him, being afinancial advisor means more thanjust handling their money. "I’m inthe relationship business,” saysMathew. “I love working with peo-ple and I’m passionate about what Ido. I enjoy helping my clients to un-derstand the financial market andenjoy showing them how they canattain their financial goals - it’s usu-ally far easier than they ever thoughtpossible. I am their coach and theirconsultant, and am grateful for theopportunity to empower them.Money ties into so many differentthings, it can be so personal andemotional. I help to break it downso that their goals become attainableand I give them a defined directionof what it takes to meet thosegoals.”

Stewardship Financial Groupworks with people in many stages oflife. Whether your goal is to preparefor retirement, pay for education,prepare for the unexpected, create abusiness succession plan, prepareyour estate transfer, prepare for anexpected inheritance, it all startswith taking the first step - talkingwith a financial planner! Taking intoaccount your individual needs andconcerns, Mathew will specially tai-lor a plan that is perfect for you; onethat addresses all that you hope toaccomplish in the future.

You never know what the futuremay hold and what the economy willbe like in 20 years, so it’s better toprepare now and have a plan for suc-cess, as opposed to waiting, at whichpoint it might be too late. So, whatare you waiting for? Mathew wouldlove the opportunity to personallyintroduce himself. Feel free to reachhim directly on his cell or by email.Whatever your goal, Stewardship Fi-nancial can help you build the foun-dation for financial freedom!

Stewardship Financial Grouphas two locations to better serveyou. Their main office is locatedacross the street from One BucPlace at 3109 W. Dr. Martin

By Alexis Selby

Whether you have a young fam-ily or are already retired, now is theright time to have a professional re-view your financial plan. But, as isthe case for many, the hardest part isknowing where to start. With somany investment options to choosefrom, knowing the right places toput your money is a tricky situationand can leave you feeling over-whelmed and frustrated. So, why notleave it to the professionals at Stew-ardship Financial Group!

With over a decade of experi-ence, financial advisor Mathew Stew-ard helps his clients to take controlof their financial future and putsthem on the right track to buildingthe foundation for financial freedom!Following in the footsteps of hispredecessors Bobby Owens and KentMoss, Mathew took over the invest-ment management of their practicein 2012. Together, they have a com-bined experience of over 125 yearsin the financial services industry, andworking as a team, are dedicated toproviding their clients with the high-est level of expertise and knowledge.As owner of Stewardship FinancialGroup, Mathew currently operatestwo offices in the Tampa Bay area tobetter serve his clients, including oneright here in Tampa.

Mathew says, “It’s all about es-tablishing good habits. My goal is toestablish a plan for my client andprovide them with a blueprint tohelp them reach their short term andlong-term financial goals. I offernon-commission, fee-based planningand am not required to sell any-thing. I only do what is right for myclient. My objective is to build a cus-tomized plan for individuals, profes-sionals and business owners.”

"Another huge factor that reallysets Stewardship Financial apart, isour macro asset perspective to finan-cial planning,” explains Mathew.“We consider every asset you own aspart of your financial plan and or-ganize the risks of those assets andstructure them so that, in turn, weminimize risk, minimize taxes, maxi-mize returns, and maximize sav-ings.”

Tax Diversification is a hugepart of this. Through their macro

asset approach, Mathew is able toanalyze your portfolio and diversifyyour assets and investments to helpproduce retirement income that isexempt from taxes. “If done exactlyhow we say, when you invest yourmoney a certain way and withdrawalit another way, you are able to cutyour taxable income by up to 50%.Most people invest where their re-tirement income is 100% susceptibleto taxes, essentially creating a taxtime bomb! Do you think taxes aregoing down in the future? My guessis no! So wouldn’t it be a good ideato consider taxes when withdrawingmoney from your accounts? I canhelp you get more from your moneyand avoid the dreaded tax timebomb!”

Licensed through New YorkLife, at Stewardship Financial youget the best of both worlds – the ad-vantage of having the safety and se-curity of a large corporation, whilemaintaining the personal, trustingexperience and flexibility of a pri-vately owned company. “I have allthe products, backing and resourcesof New York Life, including all thecredentials and professional expertiseyou could ask for, but by having my

Take Control of Your Financial Future withStewardship Financial Group

With over 125 years of combined experience in the financial services industry, Stewardship Financial Group is dedi-cated to providing their clients with the highest level of expertise and knowledge.


Luther King Jr. Blvd, Suite 300 inTampa. Their second office is lo-cated at 8910 N. Dale MabryHwy, Suite 8 in Tampa. For moreinformation please contact

Matthew directly at (813) 244-7177, email him at [email protected] or visitwww.Stewardshipfg.com.

Financial Advisor Mathew Steward absolutely loves the Carrollwood areaand looks forward to raising his family in such a wonderful community!


cants to come to the Patel Conserva-tory to train and perform.

Regularly priced tickets are $15-$22 and may be purchased by calling813.229.STAR (7827) or800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, inperson at the Straz Center Ticket Of-fice or online at www.strazcenter.org.

The Patel Conservatory offerssummer camps and classes in dance,music and theater for students of allages and experience levels. Registra-tion and more information are avail-able at www.patelconservatory.organd by calling 813.222.1002.Events, days, dates, times and pricesare subject to change without notice.

Straz Center’s Patel Conservatorypresents Shrek the Musical

The Patel Conservatory willpresent Dreamworks’ Shrek the Mu-sical, performed by students in gradeseven through college, July 16-19and 23-26 in the Straz Center’sTECO Theater.

Everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek,and his friends Princess Fiona anddonkey meet up with storybook palslike Pinocchio and the Pied Piper inthis hilarious Tony Award ®-winningshow. Students will perform in thecharming musical after spending fourintensive weeks advancing their act-ing, music and movement skills,preparing for this full-length, fully-produced production.

Directed by Patel ConservatoryTheater Chair Suzanne Livesay,Shrek the Musical will appeal to allage groups. The snappy books andlyrics are by David Lindsay-Abaire,with music by Jeanine Tesori.

Performances of Shrek the Musi-cal are Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.and Saturday and Sunday at 2 and 7p.m. Regularly priced tickets to startat $20 and may be purchased by call-ing 813.229.STAR (7827) or800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, inperson at the Straz Center Ticket Of-fice or online at www.strazcenter.org.

Audition and registration infor-mation for participation in Shrek theMusical is available by calling813.222.1002 and at www.patelcon-servatory.org. The fully accreditedPatel Conservatory offers summer

camps and classes in dance, musicand theater for students of all agesand experience levels. Each year, thePatel Conservatory and the StrazCenter’s arts education programs en-rich the lives of more than 50,000students in our classrooms, on ourstages and through the community.

Events, days, dates, times andprices are subject to change withoutnotice.

The Athletic Angles AssociationUnites Gospel and Sports

The Athletic Angels Association,in partnership with the City ofTampa is currently creating opportu-nities for the community to unitewith the common goal of sharing thegospel through the medium of sportssuch as Kickball, Flag Football, Bas-ketball and others!

Scripture tells us in (Matthew4:19) And He said to them, “FollowMe, and I will make you fishers ofmen.”

“Our mission is to use the sportsplatform to bring the inner city com-munity and local churches, in theTampa Area, together for a positiveChristian fellowship,” says Commis-sioner Ainsley Blackmon. “We havestarted our 1st inaugural flag footballand basketball league and we arechanging lives one person at a time.”

Thursday night basketball leaguegames are played from 6 p.m. – 9p.m. at MLK Recreation Complexand their flag football league gamesare played Saturday afternoons atLincoln Garden Park from 12 noon –2 p.m.

The Athletic Angels Associationwas established to help all involvedgrow physically, socially and, mostimportantly, spiritually. This platformgives people of God a chance to fel-lowship with their fellow peers, relat-ing to one another, and moreimportantly, reaching out to theirfriends by sharing the fabulous Wordof Jesus Christ in a non-threatening,sports-related environment.

“Our hope is as fishers of menwe can use this bait as a platform forsaving lives and allowing each personto grow into a relationship with eachother and Jesus Christ,” says presi-dent Devonne Stokes. “As you mayvery well know, sports can be a com-mon denominator for all levels of in-terest, bringing in the lords sheep

and piercing their hearts with hisword. We encourage you to help uscontinue to use and build on thisbridge to win souls for Christ.”

For more information [email protected], [email protected] visit www.TheAthleticAngels.com.

Philip Neal named Patel Conserva-tory Dance Department Chair andArtistic Director of Next Genera-tion Ballet

Straz Center President/CEOJudy Lisi announced today thatPhilip Neal has been named chair ofthe Patel Conservatory Dance De-partment and artistic director ofNext Generation Ballet (NGB).

Neal officially begins his tenurein Tampa on June 15, and as previ-ously announced, will lead themonth-long NGB Summer Intensiveprogram while now also overseeing afull slate of summer camps andclasses and preparing for the fall2015 session and beyond.

“We are so fortunate that Philiphas agreed to join us at the StrazCenter and lead the dance depart-ment at the Patel Conservatory,” saidLisi. “His wealth of experience anddepth of knowledge as a teacher,repetiteur, choreographer and dancerwill be of incalculable value to ourstudents. I am confident that Philipwill build on NGB’s rock-solid foun-dation and prove to be an enormousasset to Tampa’s cultural commu-nity.”

Neal comes to the Straz Center’sPatel Conservatory following a sto-ried 23-year tenancy with New YorkCity Ballet. He is a sought-after in-structor and has worked with numer-ous companies and schools,including Miami City Ballet, BostonBallet, Joffrey Ballet and the Schoolof American Ballet. He is a repetiteurfor the George Balanchine Trust andthe Jerome Robbins Rights Trust,staging the ballets of both legendarychoreographers throughout theworld. As a choreographer, he hasbeen commissioned to craft five orig-inal works for Richmond Ballet andinvited to participate in the NewYork Choreographic Institute.

Neal began his dance training atage 11 at the School of Richmond

Ballet, where he was recognized byEdward Villella and offered a sum-mer scholarship to the School ofAmerican Ballet, the official school ofNew York City Ballet. In addition tohis training in New York and Rich-mond, he studied at the Royal Dan-ish Ballet School in Copenhagen,Denmark.

He joined New York City Bal-let’s corps de ballet in 1987. In thespring of 1991, he was promoted tothe rank of soloist, and was pro-moted to the rank of principal dancerduring the 1992-1993 season. Dur-ing his career he performed a multi-tude of Balanchine’s finest works,including, among many othersApollo, Divertimento No. 15,Mozartiana, Serenade andTschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2.Neal was featured in many Robbins’ballets including Dances at a Gather-ing, The Goldberg Variations andI’m Old Fashioned. He has been aguest performer with the Kirov Balletand with the Paris Opera Ballet.

The Patel Conservatory is cur-rently celebrating its 10th anniver-sary. The Patel Conservatory DanceDepartment, official school of NGB,offers instruction for both pre-pro-fessional training and enrichment forstudents from age three through col-lege. NGB prepares serious youngdancers for professional employmentthrough instruction, coaching andperformance opportunities and iscommitted to their artistic, personaland professional development. ManyNGB students have placed highly atmajor ballet competitions and havegone on to dance with companiesaround the globe.

The David A. Straz, Jr. Centerfor the Performing Arts and its pro-grams are funded in part by the Cityof Tampa; the Hillsborough CountyBoard of County Commissioners; theTourist Development Council/Hills-borough County; the State ofFlorida, Department of State, Divi-sion of Cultural Affairs and theFlorida Council on Arts and Culture,and the National Endowment for theArts.

For more information aboutthe Straz Center for the Perform-ing Arts and the Patel Conserva-tory, visit www.strazcenter.org.

“Calendar/Briefs”Continued from page 5



Documents

South Tampa - Vol. 1, Issue 2, July 2015