Plant City resident appointed to media company's advisory board

Daniel Guillen, Hillsborough Community College Honors Institute member and Plant City campus student, was appointed to the 2010-11 Student Advisory Board at Pearson Students, an international media company recognized as a global leader in education, business information and consumer publishing.

About 2,000 university students across the nation applied to serve on the 12-student board of directors. The board members provide input and a student perspective to senior Pearson executives and work with Person editors and marketing managers.

Guillen, a Plant City resident and Durant High graduate, is a sophomore planning to major in mechanical engineering. He has distinguished himself academically and through his leadership at the college and within the community.

He was one of only eight community college students selected as one of 3,000 delegates for the Harvard National Model United Nations and was appointed president of the charter chapter of the National Society of College Scholars at HCC. While continuing to work in the fields alongside his close-knit family picking seasonal crops, he maintained a high GPA and earned numerous recognitions in community service activities.

Plant City High student receiving scholarship

Promise Goodwine was recently recognized as a recipient of the Garcia Family Foundation Scholarship.

This is a prepaid tuition scholarship that covers four years at any college or university in Florida. Goodwine, who is entering the 10th grade, was selected based on her academic achievements, school and community involvement as well as demonstrating need. She submitted an online application through the Hillsborough Education Foundation.

Martin Garcia, president of the foundation, made the presentation at Plant City High on the Raider Television Network.

Bloomingdale grad wins scholarship

Derek Busciglio of Busciglio Orthodontics, who has offices in Brandon and Plant City, recently sponsored his first student-athlete academic scholarship essay program for all high school students in Hillsborough County. Each of the students submitted an "Athletics Versus Academics: Can Athletes Really Have it All?" essay.

The $1,500 scholarship went to Zachary Wayson, who recently graduated from Bloomingdale High School. He will be attending the University of Florida this fall in the honors program. He will major in industrial and systems engineering and business administration.

He carried a 4.0 unweighted grade point average during his high school years. He plays tennis and will be in the tennis program at UF.

Brownlee steps up to fill business niche

Ray and Patti Brownlee of Plant City, who have been in the citrus business for 29 years, have taken over where Gro-Mor left off when its property was sold to the city. Brownlee Citrus & Garden Center, 1705 Sammonds Road, will be handling vegetable seeds, chemicals, vegetable plants and fertilizer, and it hopes to have flowers and woody ornaments in the future.

Ray Brownlee is the third generation in his family in the business.

For information, call (813) 752-1818.

Rotary names member of the year, new officers

Bruce Sperry, outgoing president of The Rotary Club of Plant City Day Break, presented Bill Petraitis with the Rotarian of the Year Award at an installation and awards dinner held at the home of George and Cassandra Banning.

Sperry also installed new officers: President Allan Gray, Vice President Doug Updike, Secretary Rob Evans and Treasurer Bill Petraitis. Awards presented from the Rotary International District 6890 were for the Day Break Club's support in raising money for Camp Rotary, a camp for physically and mentally handicapped children located in Brandon.

The club meets 7 a.m. Mondays at South Florida Baptist Hospital.

For information, call Sperry at (813) 754-3030.

Arts Council plans July 31 dinner and show

The Arts Council of Plant City will present a medley of pop, jazz, opera and Broadway tunes July 31 at Midsummer Melodies at the Red Rose Ballroom at Red Rose Inn and Suites, 2011 N. Wheeler St.

Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7 and performance at 8.

Price of $40 per person includes appetizer, full dinner and dessert. There will also be a cash bar.

For information or reservations, contact the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center at (813) 754-1578, or stop by 106 S. Evers St.

Church offers exercise program for seniors

Eastside Baptist Church is starting a free walking program for seniors in a safe and comfortable environment at its Family Life Center, 1318 E. Calhoun St.

The program begins Thursday, and the center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. Sign up in the church office.

Wear walking shoes. No animals are permitted.

For information, call the church office at 754-2681.

2 Plant City High seniors receive awards

The Ryan Nece Foundation recently recognized two Plant City High School graduating seniors, Haylee Dietrich and Ashlyn Robinson, at an awards banquet at the Renaissance Hotel in Tampa.

They were among the winners of the foundation's monthly Good Samaritan awards during the school year. All the monthly winners, chosen from schools in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, were honored June 3 and presented with an autographed football by Ryan Nece, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer player and founder of the award.

The awards are presented for academic accomplishments and community service.

Dietrich graduated with a 5.87 grade point average and served with the student council for four years and lettered in softball and volleyball. She volunteered with Special Olympics, Big Brothers/Big Sisters Foundation and Relay for Life. She plans to attend the University of Central Florida.

Robinson graduated with a 6.06 GPA and was a varsity cheerleader for four years and served as president of the Civinettes Service Club. She volunteers with Metropolitan Ministries, Relay for Life, Support Our Troops Care Package Committee and a host of other charitable causes. She plans to attend the University of Florida.

Jim Scott, vice president and general manager of the dealership, said it was a very successful event.

Calling the Class of '70

Plant City High School's Class of 1970 is planning a reunion Oct. 23, class member and local attorney David Galloway said.

All class members are asked to send contact information as soon as possible so plans can proceed.

Contact Peggy Causey at (813) 754-7015, Cindy Gutowski at (813) 754-6664, Janis Wood at (813) 230-8434 or contact Galloway at dhgalloway@aol.com.

Employee group meets Thursday in Brandon

BRANDON - The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association's Strawberry Chapter 1224 will meet at noon Thursday at Romano's Macaroni Grill in Brandon.

For information, contact Donna Bishop at (863) 644-3169 or donnamaebishop@yahoo.com.

Wrestlers go to mat at car dealership

Jarrett-Scott Ford of Plant City partnered with the National Federation of Wrestling for a free wrestling event June 12 to introduce the wrestling federation to the community.

Nick's Pizza gave away pizza slices and Italian ice. The first-time event drew more than 150 spectators.

Jim Scott, vice president and general manager of the dealership, said it was a very successful event.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Two officers of the Lions Auxiliary Club for the 1910-11 year were inadvertently omitted in June 16 column. They are Lois Lastinger, chaplain and Nancy Burke, treasurer.