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Rewards go to those who do good deeds

By ERNEST HOOPER
Published November 17, 2006

It's more than 140 acres, nicely nestled along the shores of a sparkling lake. Nature trails, soccer fields and tennis courts dot the landscape around a gym and classrooms of a longtime Catholic school.

That this beautiful property sits in east Tampa is amazing. Call it serenity in the city.

Yet when I read in June that Mary Help of Christians School had closed its doors because of declining attendance, I feared kids might never again enjoy the serenity. I worried the property might fall into disrepair.

Thanks to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay and Bank of America, there is no reason to worry. This week, the bank gave the Boys & Girls Clubs $200,000 as part of its Neighborhood Builders program. The grant is part of the bank's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, which this week awarded two nonprofits, five individuals and five students each in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

The Boys & Girls Clubs grant will pay immediate dividends. The clubs are partnering with the Salesian Brothers, who operated the 78-year-old school, to increase their presence on the property. Boys & Girls Clubs operated an outreach program on the site and plans to expand with afterschool and summer camp programs.

A $350,000 donation from philanthropists Gary and Mavis Smith will help with construction costs for a new club, and the bank grant will defray operating costs.

"For years, it's been a dream for many people to create a summer camp for kids in the city," said Roy Opfer, Boys & Girls Clubs president. "Being out there is like being in the country, but it's only a couple of miles from where kids live."

The University Area Community Development Corp. got Hillsborough's other $200,000 Neighborhood Builders grant. The group will use the grant to increase local economic development efforts.

In Pinellas County, Bank of America's Neighborhood Builders grants went to American Stage and Pinellas Habitat for Humanity.

American Stage will use the grant to expand arts education and community programs with the Pinellas Association for Retarded Children, YMCA and other groups.

"Our first reaction was, we're so proud, then some of us wept," said Todd Olson, American Stage artistic producer and director.

Habitat for Humanity will use the money to increase staff and training to meet the area's growing affordable-housing needs.

Ten "Local Heroes" received $5,000 each for the charity of their choice, and 10 students will get eight-week paid internships with a community-based group.

For a complete list of winners, go to links.tampabay.com.

On both sides of the bay, winners received the red-carpet treatment this week. Bright smiles adorned every face Thursday afternoon as they arrived at the Tampa Theatre in limousines and walked past well-wishers posing as paparazzi.

Pinellas held a similar event Wednesday.

As a member of the selection committee for the Hillsborough awards, it warmed my heart to learn of the nominees' many worthy efforts. It hurt my heart to have to choose one over the other because really they are all winners.

That's all I'm saying.

Ernest Hooper can be reached at 813 226-3406 or hooper@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 17, 2006, 06:03:29]