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Brandon enjoys many groups of volunteers who give of themselves to support their churches, social groups and sports teams.

Way back in the early '70s, Steve Preuss, Richard Bateman and other Brandon boys rode the Nativity bus into Tampa to obtain the level of education offered only by the Jesuits. These fine young men who traveled from their homes in Brandon to Tampa to further their education were affectionately known as the "Brandon hicks."

Ten years after our graduation from Jesuit in 1975, I received a call from Steve Preuss early one Monday stating vivaciously: Look who's the Brandon hick now!"

It seems that a year and a half earlier, I had the opportunity to purchase the law practice of the first attorney ever to open a full-time office in Brandon, Clayton Tittsworth. I formed the Law Offices of Tittsworth & Curry in 1983. I then had the good fortune to become involved in the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis and other community organizations.

Ultimately, I was elected Honorary Mayor the weekend before the call from my old friend, Steve. It seemed that we had come full circle. He was the Tampa lawyer with an office in one of the big towers downtown and I was the "Honorary Mayor of Brandon," practicing law in Brandon.

With 20 years of hindsight behind my decision to relocate my family and law practice to Brandon, one thing is very clear: It was a great decision. Why, you might ask? Because with the assistance and insistence from people like Harry Vildibill, Pat Odiorne, Bill Noriega, Bill Carey and Dick Cimino, I became part of what makes Brandon so very special: those people in the community who are willing to give back much more than they receive.

I became part of what was then known as New Brandon. Together with Anne Nymark, Mark Proctor, John Noriega, Tom Lee and many others, we began to attempt to follow in the footsteps of those very capable community leaders who had given so much of themselves to make Brandon special.

Today, Brandon enjoys many groups of volunteers who give of themselves to support their churches, social groups and sports teams.

To our friends in South Tampa, Brandon begins and ends at the mall. To those of us lucky enough to live here, Brandon is truly the place we all call home.

- Curry lives on Miller Road.