This celebration honors area residents with presentations in three categories:
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Alice B. Tompkins Community Service Award
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Non-Profit of the Year Award
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Maureen Krzanowski Scholarship
The 2015 Community Affairs Dinner took place February 25, 2015 at Center Place with keynote speaker Earl J. Lennard, PhD. A Brandon native, well known as a long time volunteer after serving as the Hillsborough County schools superintendent and Hillsborough supervisor of elections, set the tone for the evening by praising Brandon’s spirit of giving. Lennard recounted his journey from a wise-talking teenager to a teacher at East Bay High School, and credited the community for his success. Lennard also praised the Roundtable for its Community Service Forum, which offers local students the opportunity to fulfill their community service hours by volunteering with Brandon-based nonprofits.
Tony Del Castillio, Advertising Manager for the Tampa Bay Times emceed this year’s event as The Community Roundtable distributed their annual awards.
The first award was given to Mallory Hillary, a senior at Bloomingdale High School whose long list of volunteer work and outstanding grades earned her a $1,000 scholarship. Hillary, learned of volunteer offerings through the Roundtable’s Community Service Forum. The honors student admitted that she at first viewed volunteering solely as school requirement. “But everywhere I volunteered, I loved it,” she added, noting that her many volunteer placements have given her the chance to not only meet professional athletes but inspire elementary school students.
The 201 Non-Profit of The Year was awarded to the Outreach Clinic. The clinic, which started with just a handful of volunteers in 1989, has grown to more than 300 volunteers who average 500 volunteer hours each year. The clinic provides health services to residents without health insurance, and does not receive any federal assistance. Dr. Steven Parks, medical director for the outreach clinic, told the crowd the non-profit has grown because of the support of organizations such as the Community Roundtable.
The 2015 Alice B. Tompkins award was given to Jean Ippolito. She has a vast resume of volunteer service, regularly assisting organizations such as Metropolitan Ministries, Meals on Wheels, Hospice, and the United Methodist Church of Brandon, among others. Ippolito was nearly speechless when she was awarded the Alice B. Tompkins Community Service Award. “There are so many people who do so much more,” she told the audience, which gave her a standing ovation.
Over 125 guests dined on a delicious meal catered by 3 C’s Catering Company and celebrated the accomplishments of The Community Roundtable over the past year. Plans will soon be underway for the 2016 Community Affairs Dinner so be sure to check back for next year’s date to be announced soon.
The following video was presented at the 2015 Community Affairs Dinner.
It is entitled Year in Review 2014, a recap of the events in which the Community Roundtable membership was involved. Take a look and share our thanks to our sponsors.
