Passing of the gavel 2018, winners to be announced for the 2018 Best of Plant City awards and more.
Passing the gavel
The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce held its 36th annual Passing of the Gavel ceremony on Jan. 25 at the John R. Trinkle Center.
Yvonne Fry’s term as the 2017 chair for the Chamber came to a close Jan. 25 as she gave her farewell speech and left the chamber in the hands of Jason Jones.
Following a catered dinner and awards, the 2018 board members were brought on stage to be sworn in for the new year. Chamber members also got a sneak peek at Jones’ plans for the upcoming year as he reflected on the lessons taught by former leadership during his time at the Chamber. Jones summed up his passion for the Chamber by sharing the story of his original involvement with the organization. Shortly after establishing his business in Plant City 14 years ago, he enrolled with the Chamber and soon became heavily involved.
His hope for 2018 is to pass that love of Plant City and passion for the Chamber on to new and upcoming members.
Winners to be announced for the 2018 Best of Plant City awards
Voting has officially closed for the 2018 Best of Plant City awards. The winners will be announced Thursday, Feb. 8 at the Chamber luncheon. Winners will be recognized for their work in the community for the following categories:
Best Community Event, City Beautification, Community Service, Customer Service, Downtown Enrichment, Economic Development, Entrepreneur of the Year, Employer of the Year, Health & Wellness, Hospitality & Tourism, Rising Leader, Spirit of the Chamber, New Business, Small Business and Business of the Year.
Space is limited for the event, which is held at the Arthur Boring Civic Center, 2406 W. Reynolds Street. Tickets are $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers.
Local student chosen for Elks American Essay Contest
Taylor Pentecost, a sixth grade student at Marshall Middle School was chosen by the Plant City Elks Lodge as the winer of the Elks American Essay Contest. Pentecost wrote an essay on why veterans are America’s heroes.
Nationally, first-place winners in each division will receive a bronze plaque and local lodges offer different awards for the winners. Pentecost received a certificate and $50 for her entry.
The national winner will be announced at the Grand Lodge Session in San Antonio, Texas in July 2018.
Library to host interactive cooking seminar
Chef Warren Caterson is coming to the Bruton Memorial Library Thursday at 7 p.m. to share cooking tips and humorous anecdotes about the struggle of cooking for two people. He will answer questions regarding pre-packaged frozen entrees, how to upgrade a kitchen and what to do to preserve leftovers. The session will end with Chef Caterson preparing a healthy entree anyone can recreate at home in less than 15 minutes. Register now by calling 813-757-9215.
