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Eatery Plans Fundraiser For Worker's Sick Daughter

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 28, 2009

VALRICO - Employees at Beef O' Brady's restaurant on State Road 60 in Valrico will be flipping flapjacks today to raise funds for the 7-month-old daughter of one of their co-workers.

Olivia Salinas, daughter of Beef O' Brady's cook Ryan Salinas, 24, and Michelle Burruezo, 20, of Brandon, has Pompe disease, a rare genetic disorder that occurs in one in every 40,000 births.

"They told us it was a terminal illness," said Ryan Salinas, recalling hearing the news from doctors at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa just weeks ago. Doctors told the parents that, without treatment, Olivia most likely would die within two months.

The staff at Beef O' Brady's is hosting a pancake breakfast set for 8 to 10 a.m. today at the restaurant. The cost is $7 for adults, $4 for children.

To donate to the family, send contributions to Beef O'Brady's at 2561 E. State Road 60, Valrico, FL 33594.

D'Ann Lawrence White

Amy Grant Helps Out Local Ministry
TAMPA - Tickets go on sale today for a Tampa concert by Grammy Award winner Amy Grant to benefit Metropolitan Ministries.

The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. May 11 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Carol Morsani Hall.

Proceeds from the concert will go toward providing ongoing counseling and support services to those enrolled in the ministries' transitional and affordable housing programs.

Tickets can be bought on the center's Web site, www.tbpac.org, at $35 for the gallery level, $50 for the balcony and mezzanine and $75 for the orchestra.

Lenora Lake

Stetson To Help Seniors Avoid Fraud

GULFPORT - Seniors can learn how to protect themselves from fraud, exploitation, identity theft and abuse at a free expo sponsored by the Stetson University College of Law on April 22.

Participants will have a chance to learn more about Do-Not-Call and Opt-Out registries, win door prizes and collect information from local, state and federal agencies. Also, a shredding service for proper disposal of personal documents will be on hand.

The expo will be from 8 a.m. to noon in the Great Hall at Stetson, 1401 61st St. S, Gulfport.

Parking is available at Stetson at the corner of 61st Street South and 15th Avenue South.

Please RSVP to Slade Dukes, Elder Consumer Protection Program fellow, at (727) 562-7800, ext. 7078, or via e-mail to elderconsumers@ law.stetson.edu.

Lindsay Peterson

This Donated Piano Is A Grand Prize

TAMPA - Six nonprofit organizations are making music with donated pianos in colors of pink, blue, purple and black, all from Holland America cruise line.

A "Piano with a Purpose" essay contest will determine a seventh nonprofit group to receive the last black grand piano.

In no more than 150 words, the essay should explain how the piano would be used to educate and to enhance the performing arts in the Tampa Bay area.

Patel Conservatory Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center helped the cruise line give away the first six used pianos on a first-come, first-served basis.

Those six pianos went to the Children's Cancer Center, Metropolitan Ministries Academy, Walton Academy for the Performing Arts, NFL-YET Centers of Tampa Bay, Sam Rampello Downtown Partnership School and Jennings Middle School.

Essays should be sent, with documentation verifying nonprofit status or on official school letterheads, to Piano with a Purpose, Patel Conservatory, Education Department, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, P.O. Box 513, Tampa, FL 33601; or e-mailed to education@tbpac.org. They must be received by 5 p.m. April 10.

Winners of all pianos and the top 50 essay contestants will receive two free tickets to violinist Midori's April 14 concert at Ferguson Hall, where the winner of the last piano will be announced.

For information, contact Leslie Farrell at (813) 222-6415 or lbsfarrell@gmail.com; or Paul Bilyeu at (813) 222-1050 or paul.bilyeu@tbpac.org.

Kathy Steele

Low Water Closes Boat Ramp

TAMPA - In another indication of the severity of the ongoing drought, Hillsborough County has closed the Harney Canal boat ramp because of low water levels.

The ramp is at 7115 U.S. Highway 301 N., along the Tampa Bypass Canal between Sligh Avenue and Harney Road. The drop in the water level has caused problems with vehicles getting stuck and trailers being damaged as they drop off the end of the ramp.

The ramp also is deteriorating from the weight of vehicles on sections of the ramp that normally are under water.

Though the ramp is closed, the park remains open, and people can still fish from the banks or carry a canoe or small boat to the water's edge.

A staff report

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