Roundtable announces officers

The Roundtable Charities of Greater Brandon Inc., better known as the Community Roundtable, recently announced its newly elected officers for 2010: George T. May IV, president; Janine Nickerson, vice president; Mary Boor, president-elect; Sherrie Belcher, secretary; Fran Palek, treasurer; Randall Munsters, technical assistant; Amy Ditrapani, Tammy Morningstar and Walt Raysick, trustees; and Connie Smaldone, current honorary mayor of Brandon.

The group's mission, stated on the new Web site, www.Brandon

Roundtable.com, is to support greater-Brandon-area charities. Organizations, businesses and individuals are invited to join their efforts to improve the community by promoting community service and welfare.

The Community Roundtable sponsors the Brandon's Fourth of July Parade and Brandon's Honorary Mayor's Race. They present the Alice B. Tompkins Award and the Non-Profit of the Year Award at an annual dinner.

Meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association, 619 Vonderburg Drive.

To contact the Community Roundtable, call (813) 661-4350, or e-mail Roundtable2008@aol

.com.

Zach Bonner walks away a winner

VALRICO Twelve-year-old Zach Bonner of Valrico, founder of the Little Red Wagon Foundation, was presented the Listen Learn Care Award by the Office Depot Foundation at the recent "Weekend in Boca" Civil Society Leadership Symposium, which he and his mom, Laurie Bonner, attended.

At the symposium, Bonner was a speaker in a "Homeless in Paradise" panel discussion about ways to address homelessness. To bring attention to the plight of the more than a million homeless youth in America, in 2009 he walked from his house to the White House in Washington, D.C. He will start another walk March 23 from Tallahassee to Los Angeles.

Office Depot Foundation president Mary Wong said, "These awards recognize not only what the recipients have accomplished, but also their vision, their dedication and their persistence. Zach Bonner has established a record as a philanthropist that most adults would envy. We are pleased to honor him for helping to focus much-needed attention on the difficulties faced by homeless children and families in our country - and inspiring countless children and adults to follow in his small, but effective, footsteps."

To follow Bonner's walk or to donate to his foundation, visit www.little

redwagonfoundation

.com.

Mah Jong tournament

VALRICO - The Brandon Hadassah Chai Group will host the fourth annual Mah Jong Tournament from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 13, at River Hills Country Club, 3943 New River Hills Parkway.

Breakfast, lunch and tournament play are included in the $29 per person fee. Registration is required by April 5, by mailing a check payable to "Hadassah" to Linda Greenfield, 12310 Bramfield Drive, Riverview FL 33579.

Checks received by March 20, will receive a free ticket for a drawing.

For information, contact Janice Perelman at (813) 571-2029 or china

dolljp@verizon.net.

Barlow Girl in concert for Haiti

Barlow Girl, a band of three sisters who sing and play contemporary Christian music with themes of encouragement, self-acceptance and chastity, returns at 7 p.m. March 18 to St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, 3315 Bryan Road, in a benefit concert for the people of Haiti.

Also performing will be Stellar Kart and Vota. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

"We're looking for no less than $10,000 to help rebuild Haiti," said Dan Segale, director of student ministries. "Think of all you have and all that they have lost."

Advance tickets are $10 for general admission and $20 for VIP seating, available at www.itickets.com. If any are available the day of the concert, they will be $15 at the door.

The first 100 concertgoers to arrive with VIP tickets will be invited to a 5 p.m. pre-show meet-and-greet.

For information, call Segale, (813) 689-6849, ext. 217.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at neighbors