Caught @ The Social
Caught @ Steam Fridays
Mark & Carrie Recipients of 2011 USF PRIDE AWARD
We Want to Personally Invite Everyone to the
2011 Community Recipients; USF PRIDE AWARD IN OUR HONOR
For
GLBT Community Contributions
in the Tampa Bay Area
April 14th, 5:30 – 8:30 pm, USF Gibbons Alumni Center
Our honored letter we received is below:
*************************************************************
Dear Mark and Carrie:
I am pleased to inform you that you two have been selected as the 2011 Community Recipients of the USF PRIDE AWARD for your contributions to the LGBT Community of Tampa Bay. As you may know, we will be hosting an award ceremony at the 7th Annual GALA Event on April 14, 2011 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the USF Gibbons Alumni Center, and we hope you can join us to accept your prestigious award.
On behalf of the USF Presidential Advisory Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (CISOGI), please accept my congratulations and we look forward to celebrating your achievements. Please be sure to register for this event and feel free to invite friends, family and others for this special evening.
Regards,
Mark Hafen, Chair
CISOGI
Mark R. Hafen, Ph.D.
University of South Florida
Dept. of Geography, Environment, and Planning
4202 E. Fowler Ave. – NES107
Tampa, FL 33620-5250
813-974-4777
I am pleased to inform you that you two have been selected as the 2011 Community Recipients of the USF PRIDE AWARD for your contributions to the LGBT Community of Tampa Bay. As you may know, we will be hosting an award ceremony at the 7th Annual GALA Event on April 14, 2011 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the USF Gibbons Alumni Center, and we hope you can join us to accept your prestigious award.
On behalf of the USF Presidential Advisory Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (CISOGI), please accept my congratulations and we look forward to celebrating your achievements. Please be sure to register for this event and feel free to invite friends, family and others for this special evening.
Regards,
Mark Hafen, Chair
CISOGI
Mark R. Hafen, Ph.D.
University of South Florida
Dept. of Geography, Environment, and Planning
4202 E. Fowler Ave. – NES107
Tampa, FL 33620-5250
813-974-4777
GaYBOR Welcomes New Owners of Hampton Inn & Suites
GaYBOR Board Members welcomed the new ownership of the Hampton Inn & Suites in Ybor City to the historic community. The new ownership group took over April 1st, where Bryan Clancy was hotel mgr. and Brenda Holloway was DOS for the hotel. The new OTO Development Group representatives ,DOO East, Rick McDowell, Jason Lillge, OTO Field Education Director and OTO Regional Director of Sales, Kelly Haager were most gracious and inviting. Besides having and operating Hilton brand franchises they have Marriott brand franchises also.
“The OTO Development group presently have 33 hotels and this will be their 34th.” said Rick McDowell.
” We love what we see and what we have heard about the Ybor City area and all its great historic history.” The new investment group wanted to know the beginnings of GaYBOR District and want to continue the long term relationship, since they were 2007 founding members of the GaYBOR District Coalition. The new operational management team hasn’t been in place yet but they are looking to hire new managers in the weeks ahead. (Hint Hint to any hotel management job seekers.)
Police Bikes for Ybor City
The Tampa Police Dept, Ybor City Community Officers work patrol needs your help! Right now the patrol is using another districts bicycles to cover the Ybor City area. “The bicycles that were used for Ybor City are broken and not fixable.” commented one of the community patrol officers.The patrol needs a minimum of 3 police bicycles for designated Ybor City at a cost of appr $1600.00 each. GaYBOR District Coalition has challenged other organizations in historic Ybor City to help in the “Police Bikes for Ybor City” cause. The Chamber of Commerce, Ybor City Development Corp., Italian Club, Cuban Club are given the challenge to help raise money and get the bikes for the police dept. officers by summer. GaYBOR members and a lot of other area Ybor City businesses will have containers for collecting money at variety of retail, restaurants and bars to help “Police Bikes for Ybor City” program.
The specified high profile police bicycles are similar to high cost titanium mountain competition bikes and are very rugged and fully police attired. They even include police light & sirens!
” This is a great time to help the City of Tampa and the Tampa Police Dept in Tampa’s slow economic budget times.” stated Carrie West, President of GaYBOR District.
The Blue Dog Bistro
New in Centro Ybor… The Blue Dog Bistro!!! Located in the former Rock-n-Sports location. This New Orleans Style Bistro is full of the spice, smells, music & magic of New Orleans! There are new items including Voodoo Shrimp, Gator Poor Boys & much more on the menu. The live saxophone player music puts Cajun rhythms in the Spirit of New Orleans. Congratulations to Franja & her staff on this beautiful new restaurant.
Happy Birthday Gaspar's Diva Shere
Shere Schiller proves it’s all true… 60 is the new 40!!!! In what can only be described as “THE GARDEN PARTY of the YEAR!“ Shere’s radiant beauty, class & very youthful friendly charm makes her one of Ybors favorite people. The theme of the birthday celebration party was ‘Garden Hats & Bring your Pets.’ The music performed by professional band talents mixed in with karaoke singers. The guests dined on incredible appetizers created by Yborite Chef Darlene. The Birthday cake was a delicious rich rum creation by “Let Them Eat Cake”. In true Ybor style, the birthday card was a huge painting canvas which everybody was encouraged to paint. Thank You Shere for sharing your special celebration with your friends!!!
Happy Birthday Esme
In the true style of a Queen & Diva, Esme Russell is celebrating her birthday this whole month & so she should!!! There are celebrations all over Tampa Bay aka “The Kingdom of Esme”. The Hamburger Mary’s Sunday Brunch Gospel Party was beyond WOW. Esme’s parents & family were there with many close friends. The show included Legendary Diva, Diva Darcel Stevens form Orlando’s Parliament House & local singing wonder, Iman. What song was #1 the year Esme was born? What song was the first song Esme lip synch to?? There will be another HUGE Party for Esme coming up this Sunday night at Bradley’s on 7th. The party starts right after the GaYBOR Bar Crawl. See you all there.
GaYBOR District Honors 2 New Appointed Ambassadors
The GaYBOR District Coalition have appointed its first 2 new GaYBOR Ambassadors. Brenda Holloway of the Hampton Inn & Suites and Peter Clark, publisher of Hotspots Magazine (Ft. Lauderdale) were bestowed the honor of becoming GaYBOR Ambassadors. The Ambassador position is a high honored appointment for the goodwill they have promoted and accomplished in the GLBTA community and especially acknowledging the ambitious positive efforts of the GaYBOR District in historic Ybor City