FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patty Suarez
Patty.Suarez@sccmail.org
813-676-5616
Senior Connection Center’s Rise & Shine Event Celebrates Amazing Local Seniors
TAMPA – On Tuesday, May 24th, Senior Connection Center (SCC) hosted their annual Rise & Shine Awards Ceremony and Fundraiser, a virtual event that celebrates the achievements of extraordinary local seniors by presenting them with a Salt & Pepper Outstanding Senior award. The Salt & Pepper awards were created by Senior Connection Center as a tribute to the late, Honorable Claude Pepper, a Florida statesman whose commitment to improving the lives of seniors still continues to serve as a valuable inspiration for so many of us. “The Salt & Pepper Awards are always the highlight of Rise & Shine, and this year was no exception,” says Patty Suarez, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Senior Connection Center. “These individuals clearly demonstrate that older adults are contributing so much value to our communities, along with serving as inspirational role models for healthy aging.”
The following is a listing of the 2022 Salt & Pepper (S&P) Award recipients:
Charles Burdette was selected as the 2022 S&P Philanthropist of the Year. After moving to Lakeland in 2005, “Charlie” has donated thousands of hours of his time volunteering for local causes he believes in, including Talbot House Ministries, VISTE, Rath Senior ConNEXTions Center, Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine, Good Samaritan Clinic, RSVP, and Elder Point Ministries. He is also a generous donor to these and other community organizations that are dedicated to helping people in need.
Ana Rivera received the 2022 S&P Business & Entrepreneurship Award. In 2007, Ana launched the Puerto Rican Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Polk County and has been running the organization ever since. The Chamber provides a voice to local Hispanic businesses, and helps them promote and grow their businesses. The Chamber offers an array of programs, including job fairs, educational speakers, and business summits, and serves as an ambassador of good will for the Hispanic and Non-Hispanic communities throughout Polk County and Puerto Rico.
Carol White received the 2022 S&P Community Service & Volunteerism Award. Carol is an all-around champion for the Alzheimer’s Association. She volunteers as a Program Promoter, monthly Support Group Facilitator, Community Educator and serves on the National Care and Support Volunteer Advisory Committee. Carol has educated several thousand individuals about Alzheimer’s disease, from the general public to family members to health care professionals, she participates in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s as a donor and a promoter, and has been recognized by the national Alzheimer’s Association for the numerous hours she volunteers annually.
Izora Bullock received the 2022 S&P Health & Wellness Award. Izora is a community lay leader for Senior Connection Center’s Health & Wellness department where she is certified to teach an array of classes including Tai Chi, A Matter of Balance, Diabetes Self-Management, Chronic Disease Self-Management, and Savvy Caregiver classes. Izora is also the founder and President of LIFE Limbs, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides community-based Health & Wellness education and Community Health Worker training on an array of health topics. She also represents her community by serving on Senior Connection Center’s Advisory Council.
Bill Hodges received the 2022 S&P Arts & Entertainment Award. Bill is the creator and host of the Veterans Corner Radio program on Sun Radio WSCQ-FM and he hosts the podcast of the same name. This program engages veterans and increases their awareness of the benefits available to them. His podcast recently reached the milestone of 25,000 downloads by listeners in all 50 states and 28 countries around the world. He and his wife, Phyllis, also operate Freedom Floats, a program that entertains veterans with complimentary pontoon boat rides. Bill has also won numerous awards from various veterans’ organizations for his commitment to serving those who have served.
Rise & Shine is Senior Connection Center’s only annual fundraising event. Proceeds from the event are used to support SCC’s Crisis Funds, which assist local seniors to resolve one-time, unexpected crisis situations, and SCC’s Mini-Grant initiative, which funds local projects that address immediate, unmet needs of local seniors including home repairs, access to better nutrition, and social isolation and loneliness.
Those who missed the Rise & Shine ceremony can view it on YouTube. The link can be found on the home page of SeniorConnectionCenter.org.
Senior Connection Center is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization serving Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Highlands, and Hardee counties and whose mission is to help older adults and persons with disabilities live with independence and dignity.
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