June 2018

Jun 11

Top Bowl For Kids’ Sake Fundraisers Were Thanked with a VIP Bowl Featuring Special Guest Mallex Smith of the Tampa Bay Rays

By bbbs Fundraising Events, In The News

Each year, fundraisers who raise the most money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay get the chance to meet and greet with a Rays player at our annual VIP Bowl For Kids’ Sake event.

Bowl For Kids’ Sake is Big Brothers Big Sisters’ signature fundraiser, raising over $200,000 annually for children in need across Tampa Bay. Bowl For Kids’ Sake is a fun and easy way to positively impact a child’s life. Because of Bowl For Kids’ Sake, more Bigs and Littles can be paired up, more friendships can be created and improved outlooks on life can be started. Participants in this annual fundraiser recruit a team of people to help collect donations and fundraise for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, then celebrate their hard work fundraising at a bowling party!

Each year, top fundraisers for Bowl For Kids’ Sake are invited to a special VIP bowling event hosted by the Tampa Bay Rays at Pin Chasers Midtown as a way to show our appreciation for their dedication to fundraising for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. The VIP Rays event features bowling, pizza, raffle prizes, a silent auction, goodie bags, t-shirts, a signed baseball, and the chance to meet a Tampa Bay Rays player! This year, Mallex Smith, outfielder for the Rays, attended the event. After an introduction by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay CEO, Stephen Koch, Mallex greeted the crowd and thanked everyone for their amazing support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay! Each team got the opportunity to meet Mallex and have their picture taken with the Rays star. Everyone was so excited to be able to personally speak with Mallex as he took his time shaking the hands of each person in attendance and even bowled a few frames. The Tampa Bay Rays street team was there to give away prizes such as 20^th Anniversary baseballs, t-shirts, cups, and stickers. There was even a special appearance by Raymond, the Tampa Bay Rays mascot!

The Rays VIP Bowl For Kids’ Sake event is one that all our fundraisers look forward to each year. They strive to be a top fundraiser to be a part of this special invitation only bowling event!

There is still time to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay by donating to the Tampa Bay Rays Bowl For Kids’ Sake fundraising page here.

View the full photo album from the event here.

View the slideshow video from the event here.

Jun 04

Love0

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2018!

By bbbs Uncategorized

We celebrated our Littles that are graduating from high school with a ceremony at Sunken Gardens.

Bigs, Littles & their families celebrated the graduating class of 2018 this past week with a very special graduation ceremony at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, FL. This year, we had 85 Littles in our program who were graduating from high school with over 40 of the Littles in attendance at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay ceremony. Along with their Bigs and family, the event was a packed house with over 150 people there to show their support for our graduates.

The evening kicked off with a delicious spread of pasta, salad, and bread from Carrabba’s Italian Grill. As guests nibbled on their dinners, our guest speaker Bob Conigliaro of Caspers Corporation gave out words of wisdom for our graduates, reminding them that hard work and a positive attitude will lead to success. His words were so inspiring that many Bigs and family members said that they were also moved by his speech.

After the special guest speaker, Scholarship Committee member, Gerry Goldhammer, and our own Senior Vice President of Programs, Jennifer Libby, presented awards to the two Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay scholarship winners, Timia Fonville (Boca Ciega High School) and Kiara Stevens (Boca Ciega High School). Then our School-to-Work Coordinator, Dallas Ruffin, recognized our School-to-Work Scholarship winners who received their awards at our School-to-Work graduations earlier this month. Yonjer Suarez (A. P. Leto High School), Dalila Maceda (A. P. Leto High School), Sky Kinzinger (Clearwater High School), Jordan Curtiss (Clearwater High School), Tristan Trombley (Northeast High School), and Emily DaSilva (Northeast High School) were all recognized for their outstanding work and for being chosen as our School-to-Work scholarship recipients. Jennifer Libby also took the time to recognize Alexander Marcano (Clearwater High School), who was chosen to be one of only 20 Minor League Baseball Rising Star Students. Alexander was recognized at the Clearwater Thresher’s game on June 1^st where he had the opportunity to throw the first pitch and was also awarded a scholarship.

Each graduate was called to the podium to be recognized for their achievements and receive a certificate from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay for graduating from high school and from our mentoring programs. They were each awarded a monogrammed pen and pencil set with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay logo, a token of remembrance for the special time spent with their Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

A special thank you to Caspers Corporation for sponsoring the event for the third year, Carrabba’s Italian Grill at Sunken Gardens for their generous dinner donation, and Winn-Dixie South Tampa for the beautiful cake.

View the photo album from the evening here.

Jun 01

Love1

OrangeTheory Fitness Hosts Facebook Check-in Fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

By bbbs Fundraising Events

Check-in on Facebook at a participating OrangeTheory Fitness location and a donation is made to help provide mentors for at-risk youth in our community.

OrangeTheory Fitness has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay to make an impact for children in our community with a Facebook check-in fundraiser. It’s a simple way to make a BIG difference!

Anytime during the month of June 2018, check-in to a participating OrangeTheory Fitness location and they will donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. Each donation made will help Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay provide children facing adversity with professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships that will change their lives for the better, forever. This applies to all check-ins made from June 1 to June 30, 2018. The more check-ins are made, the more they will donate! Use the hashtag #OTF4BBBS to show your support.

Participating location:

Orangetheory Fitness Carrollwood
Orangetheory Fitness Channelside
Orangetheory Fitness Wesley Chapel
Orangetheory Fitness New Tampa
Orangetheory Fitness University Park