2020 Florida Strawberry Festival theme announced
It doesn’t take much hindsight to see why the Florida Strawberry Festival has lasted so long, and their vision of the future is now a little clearer.
The festival announced the theme for 2020 on Tuesday morning. “Our Perfect Vision” will define the 85th festival, which will take place from Feb. 27 through March 8, 2020.
“We’re seeing 20/20,” festival president Paul Davis said in a press release. “Be on the lookout for some world-famous headline entertainment, incredible new food items and vendors at this year’s festival.”
The “bright future” of next year’s festival also starts with the annual redesign of the Mr. Berry mascot, which is now decked out with “2020” sunglasses, a fedora and a Snellen chart.
An average of more than 500,000 visitors flock to Plant City for the festival every year for concerts, ag shows, midway rides, tasty fair food and much more.
“We look forward to seeing our guests and hope they will enjoy all the 2020 Florida Strawberry Festival has to offer,” Davis said. “It’s sure to be eye-catching.”
Visit flstrawberryfestival.com for more information and follow the #berryfest20 hashtag on social media channels for more content.
HCSO rolls out new veterans program
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has launched a Veterans Resurgence Program at the Falkenburg Road Jail to help U.S. military veterans get back on their feet.
The program, which launched Tuesday morning, works by “providing them with the guidance and resources necessary to reduce and eventually eradicate recidivism,” HCSO said in a news release. Mental health services, medical care, education and other VA services are being offered for incarcerated veterans, who will also have access to a new veterans’ housing unit.
“We hope that this program will help our veterans get back on the right track in life,” Chronister said. “By housing them with other veterans like themselves who may be experiencing PTSD, or other affects from serving our country, we hope that they can learn from one another, heal and grow together.”
Constitution Week to be recognized in PC
The next Plant City commission meeting will be special for the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Mayor Rick Lott is set to issue a proclamation recognizing Constitution Week, which will be accepted by DAR-Echebucsassa Chapter Regent Ann Swinford and Vice-Regent Marie Wunderlich.
“There are two documents of paramount importance to American history: the Declaration of Independence, which forged our national identity, and the United States Constitution, which set forth the framework for the federal government that is still in use today,” the DAR said in a news release. “While Independence Day is a beloved national holiday, fewer people know about Constitution Week, an annual commemoration of the living document that upholds and protects the freedoms central to our American way of life.”
The DAR successfully petitioned Congress in 1955 to dedicate Sept. 17-23 to the commemoration of Constitution Week.
“The framers created a Constitution that translated into law the ideals upon which our nation was built,” DAR President General Denise Doring VanBuren said. “Their vision was so forward-thinking that their words still guide us today. No American history education can be complete without a thorough understanding of the impact the Constitution has had on the lives of American citizens past and present.”
The DAR has 3,000 chapters with more than 185,000 members in the United States and even has some international reach. Its mission is “to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service, and more.” Visit dar.org for more information on the group.