Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020 11

12 Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020

This Week's Solutions

Pet Pals Animal ShelterRemington is a high-energy boy that will make an amazing running partner! He is extremely social and secretly dreams of being a giant lap dog. Come down to meet him and you will fall in love when you gaze into his beautiful Maybelline eyes! Remington is a 1-yearold, 44-pound pit mix. Thanks to the Pit Project and his sponsor, Janet West, his adoption fee is $75. You must own your home to adopt him. If you’re interested in adopting Remington, visit petpalanimalshelter.com.

Save Our StraysMeet one of the sweetest Calicos in the county. Calleen likes to sit on her foster mom’s chair while her human is working. She loves petting time and communicates with her frequent ‘meows.’ The green-eyed beauty gets along quite well with other felines. Spayed, vaccinated and microchipped, Calleen resides in a St. Petersburg household until her forever family gives her the home she deserves. Meet Calleen at PetSuperMarket in Pasadena on Saturday, February 15. Call 727-545-1116 for details.

Music at GulfportBeach Pavilion #6

Monday, 1 to 4 p.m.Music Lovers Karaoke with Mary PhillipsTuesdays, 1 to 3:30 p.m. Karaoke with Melody Tunes with Len and ArleneThe Magiktones Band with Karen and TomWednesday, 1 to 3:30 p.m.Karaoke with Mike FurmanThursday, 1 to 3 p.m.Rick Davis LiveFriday, 1 to 3:30 p.m. (1st & 3rd) Bruce Daniels - Jazz Flute (2nd & 4th) Dancing and Listening with Geno and HarrySaturday, 1 to 3 p.m.(1st & 3rd) Maliblues Duo(2nd & 4th) Mark's Beach PartySunday, 1 to 3:30 p.m. Accordionist Bill

All activities areweather permitting.

Call 727-893-1068 for more information.

Pancake Breakfast at PAG Church The Men's Ministry of Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church will host the Dave Cramer Memorial Pre-Lenten Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, February 22 from 8 to 10 a.m. The very popular all-you-can-eat menu consists of pancakes, sausage, orange juice, fruit and coffee and tea. The centuries-old tradition of eating pancakes and like meals has its roots in the need to eliminate perishable items from the family larder prior to the beginning of Lent. Tickets are $6 per person and can be purchased at the door or prior to the breakfast at the church office. The church is located at 107 16th Ave., St. Pete Beach. For information on this and other church activities, please call the church office at 727-360-5508 or visitpagchurch.org

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Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020 13

Valentine, from front page

Over 225 years of committed love stories were shared while crafting at the Gulfport Public Library, Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m., February 5. Special Projects Librarian Ashley Johnson taught eager participants how to create personalized valentines using the art of Iris paper folding. While Johnson taught, crafters talked. Any fly on the wall would have been inspired by the tales of love – not just romantic love, but tales of friendship and family as well. The only couple in the room had a story worth repeating. Bob and Marilyn Thayer, snowbirds from Mexico, New York, worked on their valentines, periodically checking their own progress with the other. A very unassuming couple at first, they shared their story of 50 years of love. “I think with our generation, you made a vow and you committed. You said ‘For better or for worse’ and you meant it. There have been better times and worse times, for sure, like anybody. But, if you’re committed, you work through whatever,” said Marilyn. “And then you get to a point, which we achieved quite a while ago, where it’s just really good company. You don’t have to worry about anything.” When both of their boys moved out and they became empty nesters after 20 years, the Thayers took their first vacation by themselves to Tucson, Arizona. “I was openly scared,” confessed Marilyn. “What are we going to talk about?” she asked herself. It was that vacation where they realized that they genuinely liked each other – not just as parents, team coaches, or PTA organizers – but as themselves.

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Crafters Marlene Borg, Cathy Struzynski, Mary Jo Sheridan, Mary Pavlicin and Kellie Hopkins (not pictured) share over 175 years of committed love to their significant others. The ladies shared their stories with each other while creating personalized valentines at the Gulfport Public Library, Wednesday, February 5.

14 Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020

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Try your hand at Sudoku Solution on Page 12

South Pasadena Voter Registration You can register to vote at South Pasadena City Hall at 7047 Sunest Dr. S. on Tuesday, February 18, from 11 a.m. till 1 p.m.

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Trivia Night is Back at Gulfport Library Are you a trivia buff? Do you love watching Jeopardy!? Want to show off your esoteric knowledge? Grab some friends, make a team and come to the library's afterhours Trivia Night on Tuesday, February 25 at 7 p.m. They'll have light refreshments for all and prizes (including bragging rights) for the winning team. For more information contact Cailey at 727-893-1074 or email cklasson@mygulfport.us

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Big Ideas: An Evening with TED (Talks) Bring a friend and come to the Gulfport Senior Center, 5501 27th Ave. S. on Monday, February 24 at 5:30 p.m. for another inspiring TED Talk. TED Talks are thought-provoking “ideas worth sharing.” This month’s talk: "The Profound Power of an Authentic Apology" by Eve Ensler. Must be a registered Gulfport Senior Center member. Membership is easy and free for Gulfport residents 50 years of age or older. For more information call 727-893-5657.

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Volunteer at the Pink Flamingo Home Tour Have you ever wanted to know why a lot of Gulfport residents don’t have to buy flood insurance? Find out as a volunteer during Gulfport’s 15th Annual Pink Flamingo Home Tour. Not only will you get up close and personal with one of Gulfport’s oldest neighborhoods, but before or after your shift you can hop on one of the trolleys circulating throughout the tour and get a gander at each of these magnificent homes. Interested? Fill out the volunteer form at pinkflamingohometour.com/volunteer/ or call Mary Hanrahan at 972-772-9998.

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Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020 15

Gulfport Democrats February Meeting For the February meeting of the Gulfport Democrats on Monday, February 17, Rick Boylan, Pinellas State Representative to the Florida Democratic Party, will discuss the delegate and super-delegate process for selecting presidential candidates. They can also discuss the Iowa caucuses and what caucuses are like in general. This is such an important election everyone needs to know what really goes on! The meeting will be at Stella's at 2914 Beach Blvd. S. in Gulfport at 7 p.m. For more information please contact April Thanos at 206-501-7836.

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Nan Colton as Georgia O’Keeffe Nan Colton returns to Gulfport as Georgia O’Keeffe on Friday, February 21, at 7 p.m., at the Catherine Hickman Theater. This is Colton’s third show at the Hickman to benefit the Gulfport Senior Center Foundation. Colton calls the show “It Takes Time to See,” exploring Georgia O'Keeffe's personal mystique. In an era in Western culture when women were just beginning to recast the possibilities of their sex, O’Keeffe lived her life not confined to the conventional pattern of mother and submissive wife. O’Keeffe’s way of living and expressing what she saw was out of the ordinary. She is known to have stated: “If only people were trees… I might like them better.” Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. They are available at GulfportSeniorFoundation.org or at the Gulfport Beach Bazaar, 3115 Beach Blvd.S. Colton is a playwright, director, storyteller, actress and performing teaching artist who has performed and lectured professionally on stages internationally. The Gulfport Senior Center Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises and distributes funds to support and enhance the health and wellness, educational, social and recreational programs and services of the Gulfport Senior Center. Learn more

at GulfportSeniorFoundation.org or contact Foundation Office Manager Jerryanne Hindman at 727-893-1244 or mpscfoundation@tampabay.rr.com.

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Volunteer with Eat Be Grow! The Gulfport-based non-profit organization that manages the Gulfport Food Forest is seeking eight people, or ideally eight families or groups of friends, to mother and ultimately grow beauty, flower dandies and edible delights in one of 11 beds located in the first block of the Clymer Park Art Walk

Greenway, home to the community food forest. This is a perfect opportunity to participate in community gardening and meet like minded people while creating a sense of wonder and beauty for all who enjoy the Clymer Park Greenway. Often the food foresters of Eat Be Grow meet on Sundays to grow and tend the community food forest. All are welcome! For more information or to schedule a guided tour, please email eat.be.grow@gmail.com, message gulfport food forest on Facebook or call 727-560-0608

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16 Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020

Florida is ranked number one in the nation for fraud, with Tampa Bay being the

epicenter, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). To help protect residents, the City of Gulfport hosted a Fraud Prevention Forum at the Catherine Hickman Theater on Wednesday, February 5 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. The number of fraud victims in the Tampa Bay area isn’t appealing. The level of sophistication and manipulation involved in scams can be scary for an uniformed person, but knowledge is the best defense according to Gulfport Police Department’s Volunteer Coordinator Jim Wright. “My intent is to raise awareness to the scams that are affecting our neighbors,” said Wright. “I knew I had to get the experts here to heighten awareness and empower our citizens.”

Seniors vs. Crime: How to Avoid Becoming a StatisticBy Laura Mulrooney

The two-and-a-half-hour forum hosted speakers from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Middle District of Florida, IRS Criminal Investigations and the FBI. “You can protect yourself,” was the mantra repeated by every speaker during the forum. And, if you’ve already fallen victim to a scam, they explained, there’s help out there. Organizers hope that residents walked away with the knowledge to protect themselves, their friends and family. Or, at least a better understanding on how to prevent falling victim to scams and becoming another statistic. IRS Supervisory Special Agent Ryan Thompson had important tips to prevent tax fraud this tax season. “Everyone has been a victim of identity theft,” explained Thompson. “I’m here to tell you how to prevent your identity – not from being stolen, but from being used.”

File early Tax Season started on Friday, January 28. According to Thompson, most if not all residents should have completed filing their taxes by now. Early filing prevents scammers from using a person’s SSN to file on their behalf, using made up income figures, dependents and other false information to ensure a greater return for the criminal. If citizens wait too long, criminals have a better chance at finding an “unused” SSN to file with.

Pick a good tax preparer Beware of who you use to file your return. Ask pertinent questions: How are you trained? What are your credentials? If filing a return through a preparer, Thompson urges citizens to review their returns line by line before submitting. Once a thorough review is done, be sure to watch the preparer file immediately before leaving the office. Once a return is reviewed, a fraudulent preparer has the opportunity to change the information on the return that can earn them money and put citizens at risk for unexplained funds they never received.

Request an IP PIN from IRS.Gov

Thompson’s final tip to residents: “Request an identity protection [IP] PIN from the IRS.” An IP PIN is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their SSN on fraudulent federal income tax returns. An IP PIN helps the IRS verify a taxpayer’s identity and accept their electronic or paper tax return and prevents someone else from filing a tax return with your SSN. Thanks to Florida’s staggering fraud statics, every Florida resident is eligible for an IP PIN. Many other topics were discussed during the forum. For more information, Wright encourages residents contact him at jwright@mygulfport.us or call 727-893-1022. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Reach out to someone you trust,” encouraged Wright.

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IRS Supervisory Special Agent Ryan Thompson had some important tips to prevent tax fraud during the City of Gulfport’s Fraud Prevention Forum at the Catherine Hickman Theater, Wednesday, February 5. “Everyone has been a victim of identity theft, I’m here to tell you how to prevent your identity, not from being stolen, but from being used,” explained Thompson.

Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020 17

How do you show someone that you love them?The Gabs

Marlene Borg, Isla Del Sol, 40 Years Married: “Cook for them, send them cards, hug them, kiss them, pray for them.”

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Ivonne Rivera, South Pasadena: “I cook their favorite food.”

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Sylvia Curcuruto, Gulfport: “Bring them wine.”

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Kellie Hopkins, St. Pete, 35 Years Married: “Family, being a family. Being together and doing things together.”

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18 Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020

Gentle Yoga for Adults at Gulfport Library Come to the Gulfport Library on Saturday, February 22 at 10:15 a.m. for their Gentle Yoga for Adults class. Nourish your body and spirit with mindful movement, breath work, and meditation. This slow-paced class welcomes all levels and each month will feature a different set of postures. Please bring props if you want them. The class is taught by Christa Fairbrother, RYT and Certified Yoga for Arthritis Instructor. Call 727-893-1074.

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Health and Wellness Expo at Gulfport Casino The Gulfport Health & Wellness Expo returns to the Gulfport Casino on Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. This free informative event features health and wellness screenings, information about medical products and services, and vendor samples. You’ll be able to find out about insurance providers, legal professionals, financial advisors, senior living communities and more. You can also drop off out-of-date prescriptions, enter to win door prizes, and enjoy demonstrations of classes available at the Senior Center. Parking is limited! Beach parking is likely to be unavailable so visitors are encouraged to park in outlying lots at the Senior Center, Catherine Hickman Theater, Rec Center, and Wood Ibis Park, where they can hop on a free shuttle to the Casino. A free GEMS vehicle will also be circling between Town Shores and the Casino throughout the event. The Health & Wellness Expo is sponsored by the Gulfport Senior Center Foundation to support the Gulfport Senior Center. The Gulfport Senior Center Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises and distributes funds to support the programs and services of the Gulfport Senior Center. Learn more at GulfportSeniorFoundation.org or contact Foundation Office Manager Jerryanne Hindman at 727-893-1244 or mpscfoundation@tampabay.rr.com.

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Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020 19

Severe Weather Leaves Vessels Stranded in Boca Ciega BayBy Laura Mulrooney

It’s not always smooth sailing in Gulfport. Thursday night February 6, into early Friday morning, February 7, the Tampa Bay area experienced boat-rocking severe weather. Due to winds exceeding 40 miles per hour, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was closed by 3 p.m. on Thursday. The evening’s heavy rains and howling winds stranded no less than three vessels in Boca Ciega Bay. Gulfport Marina Harbormaster Denis Frain encourages all boat owners to prepare for winter and summer storms much like homeowners would for hurricane season. “Have a plan and check the weather, often,” said Frain. “There’s no reason why a vessel should run aground in the winter. Storms are very predictable during the winter. We were preparing for last week’s storm a week in advance; boat owners should have been doing the same.” If vessels are stranded during storms, Frain urges owners to contact the local police department in order to keep vessels from being considered abandoned and to recover vessels as quickly as possible.

20 Gabber February 13 - February 19, 2020

The Lincoln Cemetery Society, in conjunction with community

activist Corey Givens Jr., will be hosting a memorial and clean-up of Lincoln Cemetery on February 22 at 9:30 a.m. The event will be an opportunity for neighbors to lend a hand in the upkeep and preservation of the historic site at 600 58th St. S., which served as the main burial ground for St. Petersburg’s black population from its establishment in 1926 through the segregation era. In later years the cemetery fell into severe disrepair and was nearly forgotten, with records of those laid to rest there being lost to neglect, a fire and mismanagement. The Lincoln Cemetery Society, led by founder and president Vanessa Gray of

Gulfport, took over care of the cemetery in 2016 and has been committed not only to restoring and maintaining it ever since, but has worked toward rediscovering the identities of the hundreds buried there, when they were interred and where. “It’s kind of hard for me to tell you just one or two stories,” Gray says, when asked what she’s discovered about those buried there, “because there’s so many amazing stories out here. And so many people that I kind of feel protective over.” Gray and her non-profit, along with scores of community members and even students and teachers from neighboring Boca Ciega High School, have made significant strides bringing the names and stories of those buried in

the cemetery to light and etching them permanently into the public record so as not to be lost again. While many remain unnamed, the identities of those who have been discovered reflect the diversity of lives that have been lived in and around the area. Three Civil War soldiers are buried at Lincoln, including John “Stable Arm” Lasker. Lasker was stationed in New Bern, NC, and earned this nickname thanks to the steadiness with which he held his rifle. Lasker is one of the stops on a walking tour marked with a series of wooden plaques created by the students at Boca Ciega. The students, under the direction of their teacher Dr. Alicia Isaac, wrote and published a book of collected biographies about individuals at the cemetery called “The Lincoln Cemetery Chronicles.” Emma E. Booker, for whom an elementary, middle, and high school in

Sarasota are named, was buried at Lincoln Cemetery in 1939. Booker moved from Live Oak in 1918 to teach at Sarasota Grammar School, which consisted of one rented room and orange crates as desks. Promoted to principal in 1923, Booker set about raising funds for a permanent school and by 1925 construction of Sarasota Grammar School was complete. In 1937 she moved to St. Petersburg to become principal of Davis Elementary, where she led not only the flourishing of that school but also earned her college degree at 51. Also buried in Lincoln Cemetery is Chester James Sr., a key figure in the local civil rights movement of the 1960s and 70s, and was honored by both the NAACP and President Lyndon B. Johnson for driving voter registration up among black voters in St. Petersburg. James was committed to encouraging African-American citizens to become

Clearing Out the Brush and Uncovering Stories at Lincoln CemeteryBy Jeff Donnelly

A portrait of Emma E. Booker, buried at Lincoln Cemetery alongside her husband, hangs in a classroom at the high school named for her in Sarasota. Photo courtesy of the Sarasota School District.

Chester L. James Sr., who pushed to register blacks to vote throughout the 1960s and 70s, is buried next to his wife Rachel, who was an activist in her own right. Rachel L. James founded the first private school for African-Americans in St. Petersburg.