Big Sister Deborah Percoco & Savannah
This Big & Little Sister match has been together for almost 3 years. Recently, Little Sister Savannah participated in the Miss Strawberry Pageant at the Strawberry Festival and we wanted to share her Big Sister's story about that day:
"My Little Sister Savannah expressed interest in participating in the Floral City "Miss Strawberry Festival" pageant held on March 3rd. Waking up with pre-pageant jitters the morning of the pageant; Savannah felt it best not to participate. With some encouragement from her grandmother and me, we went to the festival anyway to enjoy the beautiful day and indulge in strawberry shortcake! With only minutes left to register for the pageant, Savannah reconsidered and slipped into a portable restroom to change into her pageant attire (which grandma had slyly brought along!). It was truly incredible how Savannah appeared poised and confident once she finally reached the stage. She and I had, after all, spent an afternoon practicing and role-playing a few days before. Savannah did not win the pageant, although a stranger approached us afterward and said, "in my opinion you should have won!" The most important lesson of this day was Savannah learned to willingly conquer her fears by having an "I can do this" attitude! This experience reinforced how influential and encouraging I can be as a Big. I was happy and proud to have been a part of it."
Share your match moments with your Match Manager. You never know, your story could inspire others just like Deborah and Savannah.
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| Agency Information & Events | |
 Friday, April 27th at the Mahaffey Theater
Thank you to everyone who attended the Big Celebration and helped us celebrate our 45th anniversary! Nearly 700 Bigs, Littles and agency supporters took part in this memorable evening!
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the companies and individuals who so graciously donated their product, funds, time and talents to make this year's event so successful:
- Funding provided by Progress Energy and the Gagnon Foundation
- Dinner and ice cream bar by Outback Steakhouse
- Soft drinks by Pepsi
- Graphic Design by Tom Cawthon, Bryan Schrag and the creative team at Valpak
- Lifetime Achievement Award video by Tom Cawthon
 - Caricature artists who donated their time: Rich Brown, Angel Morales, Dan Smith, AJ Miller and Brenda Lamb
- Volunteers for the event: Regina Bennett, John Skiratko, Michael Lundberg, Danielle Mathena, Donna Lancaster, Jane Makhlouf, Rosa Deharo, Ann Zavaglia, Bob Chiavacci, Debby Battista, Mike Battista, Kimberly Connor, Leah Collins, Channing Finlayson, Mark Talley, Pilar Montague, Lucky Patel, Colleen Parisi, Pha Leven, Stephanie Bay, Jessica Carson, Chris Seney
To view our online photo album, click here.
To view the fantastic photos from the photo booth and/or re-order prints:
- Go to: www.GetThePictureFL.com
 - Click the "Sign In" button on the left
- Enter your Username and Password:
- Click on the "Submit" button
Thank you again to all who helped sponsor this event and all who celebrated with us!
   
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Thank You for Participating in our Research Study with the University of Tampa Students!
Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Pinellas, Hernando and Citrus Counties recently partnered with a team of graduate MBA students from the University of Tampa to continue our pursuit of enhancing your volunteer experience. First, 25 of our Bigs participated in focus groups and in-depth interviews to help develop a survey for all of our Bigs. We are very excited to report that 408 Bigs responded to the email survey! Stay tuned for more to come on the results of this project.
Thank you so much for your participation! If you are one of the three lucky gift card winners, you will be notified by next week.
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Save the Date!
Companies for Kids Golf Invitational
 Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Shotgun Start-1:00PM
Innisbrook Golf & Country Club
Copperhead & Island Courses 36750 US Highway 19 N Join Big Brothers Big Sisters on October 2, 2012 for the inaugural Companies for Kids Invitational Golf Classic! Please come out and support the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters, encouraging children's potential through one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. The vision of the Companies for Kids Invitational event is to form corporate alliances with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the local business community. Together, we host an elite corporate event focused on raising significant funds for children facing adversity in our community. This will be our agencies only major golf tournament for this year, so don't miss out! Please click here for the sponsor sheet. Registration will be online soon! For more information on how you can participate as a sponsor or player, please contact Stephanie Sleight at 727-518-8860 ext. 261 or StephanieS@bbbspc.org
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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Is it okay to have a beer or glass of wine while I'm with my Little? No, it is never okay to consume any alcohol while you're with your Little. It is BBBS policy that "the consumption of alcohol, the usage of tobacco, or the usage of any illegal drugs is strictly prohibited during program participation." Although there may be individuals around you and your Little while you're at a party, sporting event and/or out to dinner who may be having a glass of wine or beer; we ask that our Bigs never do so while you are with your Little.
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| Become a BIG Partner with BBBS! |
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Make BBBS Your Charity of Choice!
Are you involved with an organization who is planning an event or fundraiser? Do you have, or know of a business who would like to give back to the community? Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Pinellas, Hernando and Citrus Counties is looking for local organizations to participate in our Charity of Choice program!
A couple of ideas on how to become a Charity of Choice partner would be to have a special day at your place of business where a % of the proceeds benefit our agency, or to hold a special event for a group, where part of the the entry fees or food and beverage sales benefit our local children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters.
To participate, all event planning would be the sole responsibility of the organization that chooses us as their Charity of Choice. Due to a very limited staff, our agency cannot participate in actual event planning, but could potentially send a representative on the day of the event. To help promote the event, our agency would be happy to communicate details of your event to our constituents through email newsletters and social media, as appropriate.
Big Perks
Thanks to our supportive community partners, we are able to offer our Bigs and Littles great discounts for local businesses and activities. This is a great way for our Littles to experience activities that they would normally not be able to do. We need your help to expand our offerings! To view a complete list of our Big Perks, visit:www.bbbspc.org/bigperks
If you have a Charity of Choice idea or suggestion or would like to offer our matches a Big Perk, please contact Christine Battista, Marketing & Communications Coordinator: 727-518-8860 ext 231, or ChristineB@bbbspc.org
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| Tickets Available for Matches |
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All tickets are given on a first come, first serve basis. All requests for tickets must be placed through the online RSVP link provided in this email. Please confirm your Little's eligibility before requesting tickets online. Tickets provided through BBBS are for Bigs and Littles only, unless otherwise noted. Out of courtesy to other matches, please only reserve tickets to one event where we have a very limited quantity of tickets available.
**Important! You must enter your Little's name and other Big's name if part of a Big Couple when reserving tickets (click blue "ADD" button below your info). If you do not enter each person's name, you will only be reserving one ticket.**
All tickets must be picked up at one of the following locations, unless otherwise noted:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters: 918 West Bay Dr., Largo FL 33770 (Mon.-Thurs. 9am - 6pm, Fri. 9am - 4pm)
- Gold's Gym: 203 38th Ave. N, St. Pete (Open 24hrs from 5am Mon - 9pm Fri, Sat 8am - 7pm, Sun 8am- 5pm)
*Please allow 1 full business day to process ticket requests (Monday-Thursday). If you select to pick up tickets at Gold's Gym, please note that we need 1 full business day (excluding weekends) from the time your tickets are processed to transport them from our office to Gold's. Please wait for email confirmation that your tickets are ready to be picked up.
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Tampa Bay Rays
Tropicana Field
1 Tropicana Drive
St. Petersburg, FL 33705
Thanks to a generous donation from the Tampa Bay Rays, we have 50 tickets for our matches to enjoy the following games:
Tuesday, May 29th: vs. Chicago White Sox at 7:10pm To reserve tickets, please click on the date above.
Thanks to a generous donation from our supporters, we have 2 tickets for one of our matches to enjoy the following game:
To reserve tickets, please click on the date above.
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Tampa Bay Storm
Tampa Bay Times Forum
401 Channelside Drive
Tampa, FL 33602
Thanks to a generous donation from the Tampa Bay Storm, we have 18 tickets in the Storm Suite for our matches to enjoy the following game:
To reserve tickets, please click on the date above.
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Tampa Bay Rowdies
Al Lang Field, Progress Energy Park
230 First Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Thanks to a generous donation from the Tampa Bay Rowdies, we have 12 tickets for our matches to enjoy the following game:
The actual game starts at 7:30pm, but if you arrive between 6:45-7:00pm, your Little can participate in the Rally Tunnel down on the field prior to the game. They will get to give the players high fives as they come onto the field and also receive a free t-shirt!
To reserve tickets, please click on the date above.
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Disney on Ice presents Ice Dare to Dream
Sunday, May 20
5:00 pm
Tampa Bay Times Forum
401 Channelside Drive
Tampa, FL 33602
Due to a generous donation from one of our supporters, our matches can experience the beauty, sparkle, and spirit of Disney on Ice Dare to Dream! This hilarious hair-raising escapade Tangled; as Rapunzel her unlikely companion Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths! Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog, in a magical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss. And fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true. All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale at the ultimate Disney Princess event of a life time!
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| Activities in Our Community |
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In an effort to streamline Match Flash, many recurring events have been moved to our website. Be sure to visit the "Bigs Only" section of our website to view recurring community events that you and your Little can take part in. Please click on the links below to view the information most helpful to your match:
Match Activity Ideas - organized by age group
Big Perks - coupons and deals for local activities
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Saturday, May 5
Sunflower Maze!
10:00 am
Sweetfeilds Farm
17250 Benes Roush Road (off US-41)
Masaryktown, FL
Maze your way through the paths of 8-10 ft tall sunflowers in search of the exit! Enjoy hay rides, picnic area, rubber duck race, animals, crafts, fresh produce and the U-Pick area! Suggest sturdy shoes (no open toe shoes, sandals, flipflops), sunscreen/hat. Don't forget your camera! Price: Adults $8.50; Ages 3-11: $4.50; Age 2 & under: Free. (Note: no credit cards or checks accepted). For more information, contact (352) 279-0977 or visit www.sweetfieldsfarm.com.
"Tangled" Movie
Movie will begin at dusk Lecanto Community Park 3505 W. Educational Path Lecanto, FL 34461
"Tangled" (rated PG) will be the shown on Saturday, at the Lecanto Community Park. Bring the whole family out for this fun and FREE event under the stars. The movie will begin at dusk. We will provide the popcorn, you make the memories!
Saturday, May 12
Children's Wildlife Jeopardy Program "Armadillos"
Noon
Children's Education Center
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
4150 S. Suncoast Blvd.
Homosassa, FL 34448 A program on armadillos at the Children's Education Center at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Price: Regular park admission. For more information, contact Susan Strawbridge 352-628-5343, ext. 1002.
Saturday, May 19
Seed Need - Children in the Wild Series
10:00 am
Chinsegut Conversation Center
23212 Lake Lindsey Road (CR-476 i-mile west of US-41)
Brooksville, FL
Children in the Wild series continues with Seed Need. Children 3-7 years will learn about the the seeds of plants and their importance through activites, storytelling, games, and crafts. Pre-registration required. For more information, contact (352) 754-6722 or visit www.MyFWC.com/chinsequt.
Saturday, May 26
Homosassa - Herry's Market Day
8:00 am
8471 W. Periwinkle Lane
Homosassa, FL
The outdoor flea market features a variety of merchandise. For more information, contact (352) 527-2020 or visit www.hospiceofcitruscounty.org. Herry's Market Day is the last Saturday of each month.
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1 Year
Mauriah Lamia & Dajá
2 Years
Nancy Pannullo & Monica
5 Years
Richard Singletary & Kavon
6 Years
James Wood & Michael
9 Years
Bill Koenig & Joshua
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New Home or Phone?Please help us keep our records up to date.
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