New Tampa Noon Rotary Celebrates A Year Of Growth With A New Location

FisherHouseWEBOver the past 12 months, the New Tampa Noon Rotary Club has grown quite a bit — from only about a dozen members to 21 members today. Valerie Casey has served as president over the last year and will stay in that role for the upcoming 2016-17 Rotary fiscal year. “We’re continuing to grow and we’re always looking for new members who really care about the community and who want to be hands-on to have a positive effect on the community and the world around us,” Casey says.

In addition to Casey, the leadership team for the year includes Angie Garrett, treasurer; Barry Shuman, secretary; Belvai Kudva, executive secretary/director; Scott Hileman, foundation chair; and Gary Lefebvre, club membership chair.

As Casey talks about the New Tampa Noon Rotary, she explains, “We all know each other, and support each other so much. We always say that if something is important to one member, it’s important to all of us.”

So, members who have a charity they are already involved with often find support from their Rotary Club that will allow each to do a little more for their favorite organization. Casey says the club really feels like family. And, for Casey, at least one member literally is family.

“My niece, Taylor Dumke, is one of our newest members.” Casey explains, adding that while Taylor is just 21 years old and is physically disabled, she is contributing to her community through the Noon Rotary Club.

05-16 Rotary Bike picWhen asked why she was interested in joining the club, Dumke says, “It’s a lot of giving back to the people in the community.” Casey says Dumke is assisting with some of the club’s secretarial job duties, and that she really likes the responsibility.

She says her niece is proof that, “Everyone can be a member of Rotary, and everyone can do something, regardless of their temporary or even permanent disabilities.

“And, we would love to have more younger members,” Casey adds. “It’s a good way for people in their 20s to give back to the world around them.”

Casey also says that’s what the mission of Rotary International is all about. On a local level, the New Tampa Noon group recently provided a check to support the Trinity Café, which feeds homeless and hungry people in downtown Tampa. The club also supports needs throughout the entire world by partnering with international Rotary clubs. Casey says one member of the club recently returned from a trip to India, supporting the charitable efforts of a Rotary Club there, including building a shelter at a bus stop and providing needed beds. Additionally, financial support was provided to a club in Nepal that was working on a water project in that area.

For the upcoming Rotary year, Casey says the club will be working hard to host its annual golf tournament to raise money for Tampa’s Fisher House, a place for families of military veterans to stay while their loved ones receive treatment at the James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital. The 2016 date for that event is set for Friday, October 28.

The club’s signature event is its annual bike ride for veterans and first responders, which will be held next March. The 2016 ride through Flatwoods Park raised $3,500 to help benefit the Navy Seal Foundation, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Support the Troops, and the Stay In Step Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Center. In 2017, Casey says there are plans to add a run to the event, either a 5K or 10K, or both.

New Meeting Location

One more change for the NT Noon Rotary is that the club’s meetings will no longer be held at Café Ole on Cross Creek Blvd.

“Café Ole has been wonderful,” says Casey. “But, they’re not going to be open for lunch anymore.” She says the club’s meetings will still be held Wednesdays at noon, but will now be held at Mulligan’s Irish Pub at the Pebble Creek Golf Club. For more information about the New Tampa Noon Rotary Club, visit Facebook.com/NewTampaNoonRotary or call Valerie Casey at 317-8886.

‘Beyond Chaotic’ To Headline Show In Ybor City Tonight!

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Beyond Chaotic performed at the Shops at Wiregrass mall in December of 2015.

Looking for something to do tonight? The kid rock band “Beyond Chaotic” will headline a show tonight in Ybor City.

The doors open at 6 p.m. and Beyond Chaotic is expected to go on at 8 or 9 p.m.

The event is called “Rock The Night Tampa” at The Orpheum, located at 1915 E. 7th Ave. in Ybor City.

Beyond Chaotic is made up of five pre-teens who met at a rock band camp at Bigel Music, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. across from Wharton High (in front of Live Oak Preserve), in the plaza next to the MidFlorida Credit Union. The kids have continued to play together and have performed a number of gigs, including last year’s holiday festivities at the Shops at Wiregrass mall.

The kids are Alex, who plays violin and keys; Cade is on drums; Dominic plays lead guitar; Devon plays bass guitar and Max is on vocals.

Opening bands for the evening event include Tears of a Tyrant, The Surfin’ Dead, Seek Well, Chris and Rob, and The Frenzied Passions.

Tickets at the door cost $15. Or, get them in advance for $10 by calling Cindy at 210-6685 or sending a message online via Facebook.com/BeyondChaotic.

Freedom Student Joins Ryan Nece To Help Flint During Water Crisis

Freedom senior Taylor Blair (second from the left, front row) went with 12 students and eight adults to Flint & Detroit, MI, with the Ryan Nece Foundation this summer to lend a hand.
Freedom senior Taylor Blair (second from the left, front row) went with 12 students and eight adults to Flint & Detroit, MI, with the Ryan Nece Foundation this summer to lend a hand.

Taylor Blair, a senior at Freedom High in Tampa Palms, recently traveled to Flint, MI, to work with local organizations trying to mitigate the city’s ongoing water crisis and help residents of the area.

Blair was part of a group of 12 students and eight adults from the Ryan Nece Foundation, including founder Ryan Nece and CEO Shelley Sharp, and several board members. Nece, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beginning in 2002 and was part of team that won Super Bowl XXVII, started the foundation in 2006. Nece was released by the Bucs before the 2008 season, then played for the Detroit Lions for one season. The group from his foundation traveled to Michigan June 12-16 and, in addition to their projects in Flint, the students also volunteered in Detroit, about an hour away.

Blair says the first day in Flint, the group assembled rain barrels that collect and filter rainwater to make it useable for watering gardens. The next day, they delivered the barrels to residents affected by the water crisis and helped in community gardens by weeding and planting.

“It was eye-opening,” Blair says. “It was hard to believe, with all the luxuries that we have in our day-to-day lives, that in other parts of the same country, there are these types of communities where (so many) people are in need.”

Sharp says the students helped citizens and worked on sustainability projects, such as urban gardening. “We worked with a wonderful organization called Edible Flint that encourages gardening,” Sharp explains, including fundraising before the trip to buy all of the materials and supplies for the rain barrels.

Blair says that after two days in Flint, the group spent the next day in Detroit, and she and her fellow students were shocked at the conditions they experienced. “To an extent, some of the conditions were as bad as a third world country,” she explains. “For example, we were in a neighborhood where there weren’t very many grocery stores, because the people are so poor they can’t buy enough food (to support the store). So, we worked with a program called Greening of Detroit that’s helping people to start gardens to grow healthy food.”

Blair was touched by the examples of generosity they saw, such as the woman who appeared to be in need herself, however, “She said that if anyone is hungry, they can come and take something from her garden.”

The trip was the final event in a year of learning and service that Blair and the other students had just completed as part of the Ryan Nece Foundation’s flagship program, called the Student Service Program. “It’s a two-year program for high school juniors and seniors,” explains Sharp, who says students apply at the end of their sophomore year and are chosen based on their leadership skills and commitment to service.

“At the end of their first year, the program culminates with a service learning trip outside of our area,” Sharp adds. “It’s a real eye opener to the needs of the community.”

Blair says she heard about the program through the college and career counselor at her school. “It sounded like it was very similar to my personal interests,” she says. “So, I applied and, fortunately, I got in.”

Blair spent the last year learning about servant leadership and practicing skills she was taught through the Student Service Program at local service projects.

“We focus on leadership and service,” Blair explains. “Every month we have a class where we learn about one of the principals from the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens (by Sean Covey, 1998). Business leaders from the community come in and teach us skills, and then we do community service projects.”

As a group, Blair says, “We look for opportunities to give back to the community and help people in need, and we talk about the power of giving.”

She says her favorite local project was when the group worked with The Spring of Tampa Bay, a residential facility for victims of domestic violence. “First, we learned about domestic violence with both adults and teens, and how to identify when it’s happening,” Blair says, explaining they were taught how to identify “little red flags” that indicate someone might be a victim of domestic violence. She says the group then worked in The Spring’s thrift shop to provide support to that organization, and filmed a public service announcement about teen dating violence.

Sharp says the highlight of each year is the annual trip outside of the Tampa Bay area. For the past couple of years, the foundation’s trip has been to the Dominican Republic. However, she explains that this year, concerns about the Zika virus prompted the group to plan a trip inside the U.S. instead.

“It was a surprise to learn that we were going to Flint instead of the Dominican Republic, and saddening because we had heard so much about that trip from the students who’ve gone in the past,” says Blair, “but then, we were excited because we would get to help people in a poorer community here in the U.S.”

When asked if the time she spent learning leadership skills and working on service projects was overwhelming for a busy high school student, Blair says, “It wasn’t too time consuming because it was so much fun and so interesting.” She adds that she’ll spend the next year serving as a mentor to the new students who were recently chosen for the program and will continue to participate in the foundation’s service projects.

For more information about the Ryan Nece Foundation, visit RyanNeceFoundation.com.

You’re In Good Hands With Marino Cecchi Allstate Insurance

Marino Cecchi is more than just one of the “Good Hands People.” In addition to insurance, his Allstate office in the Shoppes at The Pointe plaza Tampa Palms also offers investment services.
Marino Cecchi is more than just one of the “Good Hands People.” In addition to insurance, his Allstate office in the Shoppes at The Pointe plaza Tampa Palms also offers investment services.

Marino Cecchi’s Allstate agency, located in the Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms (near Ciccio Cali and Koizi restaurants), offers a full range of personal and commercial insurance products, including homeowner and automobile policies, and additional products, such as life insurance, variable annuities and even money market funds.

The agency has been open since December 2014, and in just a year and a half, it’s grown quite a bit. “Our biggest source of business is referrals,” says Marino. “Our current customers are happy with their service, so they refer their friends, neighbors, and coworkers to us.”

Marino also says that most of his customers find him when they are looking for a quote for their auto or home insurance. Then, after they’ve learned about the agency and established a rapport with Marino, they often begin considering purchasing financial products through the agency, too.

“Recently, we’ve had more people looking for retirement accounts,” he says. “I think it’s a seasonal thing, as people do their taxes, they are looking for ways to reduce their tax burden, and we can help them with IRAs and other financial products. We’ve also recently helped families with college funds, too.”

He invites anyone doing their research about which insurance company or agency to choose to visit his website, which is accessible via the shortcut MarinoFS.com, to read the reviews his customers have written about him. You’ll see that nearly all are overwhelmingly positive reviews, but you’re still able to read the reviews that aren’t as glowing.

“It’s really a credit to Allstate that they don’t allow us to a remove negative review,” he says.

Marino holds a “Series 6” securities license, which means he can sell insurance, mutual funds, and variable annuities, but does not handle stock trades.

Most products are provided by Allstate, but some are brokered, Marino says, such as homeowner insurance and financial products.

“This means that customers can shop from companies that Allstate has already vetted and approved,” he explains, adding that some of these are large, multi-state or even international companies, such as Federated National Insurance, Prudential, Axa, and Voya, while others are based in Florida, such as Security First Insurance.

Experience Counts

Marino is originally from Chicago, and spent most of his life in the Windy City, although he also has lived in Wisconsin and Charleston, SC. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Organization Management from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, IL (near Chicago) in 1985. While in college, he began a career in banking that lasted more than 30 years. He has served as president of First Colonial Mortgage Corporation and Community Banc Mortgage, and he led the account management team at MortgageBot, a leading national provider of mortgage origination for banks and lenders.

“In the banking world, I worked as a trusted advisor,” he explains. “And, that’s what I want to be for my customers now. I have a ton of experience and knowledge that I’ve gained through my banking career, and I’ve realized that there is a lot of emotion when it comes to finances and making major purchases. It can be confusing and daunting to think about all these coverages, and there is a need for someone who can, with composure, look at your issues and give you sound advice. You need to find someone who is willing to do what’s in your best interest, not necessarily the best interest of the company.”

He says that his 30 years in the banking industry also have shown him that many people don’t really understand what they are buying, so they might not be protecting themselves from potential problems.

“Price is absolutely a factor, and we want to help you get the lowest price,” he says. “But, it’s not the only factor. We take a consultative approach to be sure that you understand how your current insurance products help meet your financial goals, and how your risk and exposure to financial loss might affect those goals.”

Customer Service, New Phone App, Texting & More

In addition to Marino, the staff includes account managers Johnathon Wofford, Donna Jones and Cortney Gonzalez.

“Everyone in Marino’s office is very helpful and friendly,” says Howard Lilienfeld, who lives in Tampa Palms and recently became a client of the agency. “I had a problem and needed insurance for my home, and Marino jumped right on it. I also got auto insurance very quickly, as well as an umbrella policy.”

Howard says he likes that he can call Marino anytime, and that he can stop in to see him because he’s close by.

“I highly recommend him,” Howard says. “He puts a lot of effort into his work and is very knowledgeable. If he treats everyone the way he’s treated me, they’ll be in good shape.”

Marino says his agency is ideal for people who want to understand and make educated choices about the insurance and financial products they buy. As an Allstate agency, all of his clients have access to a 24-hour call center, and he says they like the flexibility of using the website or even the Allstate mobile app (available for iOS and Android) to make payments and get information. But, Marino says that what really sets Allstate apart from the big companies that don’t have agents is, “Clients can come in and meet our staff and talk with the same person every time they have a question,” he says. “People often like to do their research online, buy their insurance or financial products in person, and then make payments easily through a convenient app on their phone.” Marino’s Allstate agency can accommodate all of those options.

Along those lines, Marino also recently added the option for clients to text his office phone number when they need something from their agent. “It gets used more than I thought it would,” he says. “A lot of times, I get texts from people at the car dealer, saying that they are buying a new car and are giving us the VIN number.” He says that’s an easy way to get information to him, and that he gets those messages on his phone, even when he’s not in the office.

Marino has recently joined the leadership team of a networking group that’s new in New Tampa, called Keep It Local. The group meets every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at A Dash of Salt ‘N Pepper (10353 Cross Creek Blvd.). “I like that it’s a more local business networking group,” says Marino. “There’s a lower membership fee than other groups, and it’s seat-specific, so there’s only one insurance agent. There’s also a volunteer component, so our members give back to the community.” He says the group is already meeting, but will have its official kickoff will be on Wednesday, August 3, 11:30 a.m., at A Dash of Salt ‘N Pepper.

Marino Cecchi’s Allstate agency is located at 17020 Palm Pointe Dr. and is open Mon.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-6 p.m., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Fri., and on Sat. by appointment. Call 513-9001 for more information, visit MarinoFS.com,  or you also can “like” the agency’s Facebook page by searching “Allstate Insurance: Marino Cecchi” in the Facebook search engine.

Need A New Look For The Summer? Try Raquel.Does.Hair!

Raquel Torres of Raquel.Does.Hair has a private room inside the Visionary Hair Company salon in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56
Raquel Torres of Raquel.Does.Hair. has a private room inside the Visionary Hair Company salon in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56

Raquel Torres of Raquel.Does.Hair. is an independent veteran hairstylist who gives her clients an exclusive salon suite experience in her own private room located in the Visionary Hair Company salon in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off of S.R. 56 (just east of I-75).

“You pay for my full attention,” says Raquel. She says she never double-books, so she won’t be attending to someone else’s haircut while you’re sitting under a dryer. “I control my own schedule, which is nice because I can set the appropriate appointment length to give each client the best experience possible.”

Raquel became licensed as a cosmetologist in Florida in 2003. She was dual enrolled in high school, where she thought cosmetology school would help her gain independence and an option for supporting herself while she attended college. Instead, she “fell in love and found I had a knack for hair.”

She did go on to receive her Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree from Pasco Hernando Community (now State) College in Brooksville in 2005. In addition to her cosmetology schooling and general education, she also recently went to barber school and became licensed as a barber last July.

Raquel says men, women and children come to her for, “everything in the color and cut family.” She says that includes hair cuts, razor cuts (which she says offer more texture versus a blunt cut using scissors), pixie cuts and short hair cuts for women, among other styles. She does color and highlights, and especially loves a technique she uses with many of her clients called “balayage highlighting,” where she hand-paints your highlights instead of using foils.

“It makes it so the outgrowth is more natural with no heavy horizontal lines,” Raquel says, “so people can carry their natural color much longer without needing any kind of touch-ups.”

Especially now that Raquel has her barber’s license, she says she offers men much more of an experience than any of those “quick places” men often go to for their haircuts. Her high-quality cuts include shampoo and a scalp massage, which she says men really enjoy.

“When a man comes to me for the first time, they often tell me no one had ever given them a scalp-massage before,” she says. “Now, they won’t let me skip it. They enjoy the relaxation of the experience.”

Raquel2Raquel worked in salons in Brooksville, Gainesville, and Wesley Chapel for many years before she says she “took a leap of faith” and began working independently in 2012. She found the room for rent at Visionary Hair Company and felt that striking out on her own at that time in that location was meant to be. “My faith played a huge part in this,” Raquel says. “I really wanted this decision to come when I was sure it was what I was supposed to do.”

Raquel says that, to date, her business has grown primarily from word of mouth and referrals. She encourages clients to refer their friends to her when they’re looking for something new.

“Every client you refer to me means $10 off your next service, and your friend gets $10 off, too.” says Raquel.

“I hear from people all the time that it’s harder to find a new hairstylist than to find a new doctor,” she adds, “especially because, when you try someone new, you have to walk around ‘wearing’ that until your next experiment.”

So, Raquel wants to make the experience of giving her a try easy and pressure-free. She says she talks with each client for 5-10 minutes before she ever takes out her cutting tools. Because her room is private, she can close the door, so there’s no one else watching. She says she prides herself on being able to communicate with her clients.

“Anyone can say they are a hair stylist, but I really work to understand how my clients see themselves so that we can agree on a vision for their look,” says Raquel. “I take as much time as needed to be sure we find a style that complements them and their lifestyle.”

She also says the private room allows each client to have the experience that really fits their needs at that time. “A lot of moms come in and just want peace and quiet while they drink their coffee,” she says. Then she laughs, “Others want to talk, and I tell them they can talk as much as they want as long as they hold their head still.”

She says she also has clients who want to come in and have a good time, so she’ll put on some good music and maybe even sing and dance while she works. “If you’re looking for entertainment, I can do that, too,” she laughs.

Client Allen Williams says that Raquel’s warm, bubbly personality, and excellent work has kept him coming back to Raquel since the day he went to a salon and the person he wanted to see wasn’t there, so he ended up with her.

Allen says she cut his hair and his response was, “Wow! I like this.” Allen’s been going to her ever since, following her to her new location.

Allen’s wife Julie started going to Raquel a little over a year ago. “She’s always in a happy mood, and I feel super comfortable with her,” Julie says. “She really seems to know what’s going to look good on me.” Julie adds that she wanted to “go blonde” for the summer, but Raquel talked her out of it.

“She’ll do what you want,” Julie says, “but the times I’ve gone against her advice, I’ve regretted it.” Julie says Raquel suggested she tone the blonde way down so it goes with her complexion, and she loves the end result.

Allen and Julie’s son, who is a high school student, began getting his hair cut by Raquel, too. Raquel describes his style as “hipster chic” and says he’s “very particular” about his hair. His parents say people often ask him who cuts his hair, so they refer them to Raquel.

“I love her,” says Julie, “and everyone I’ve recommended her to loves her, too.” Allen concurs, “I refer everybody to her, because you can pretty much guarantee they’re going to be happy.”

That’s Raquel’s goal. “I don’t care how you looked when you came in,” she says, “I’m responsible for how you look and feel when you leave.”

Raquel.Does.Hair. is located at 2405 Creel Ln., Suite. 101, inside the Visionary Hair Company salon. Raquel is available by appointment Tuesdays-Saturdays beginning at 10 a.m. To make an appointment, call Raquel at (352) 442-1082. You can see before and after photos of her work, check her prices, and read client testimonials at StyleSeat.com/raqueldoeshair.