Davis Islands Today

Family Matters, a column devoted to issues pertaining to stepfamilies will launch its initial column in the February 2008 issue of the Davis Islands Community News.

According the 1990 U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 52% to 62% of first marriages end in divorce and roughly 65% of remarriages involve children from prior relationships. Stepfamilies are formed when one or both of the partners have children from a previous relationship and form an extended or blended family unit.

Family Matters will cover issues pertaining specifically to stepfamilies, including personal requests from any of you who are struggling with stepfamily dilemmas. The column will be written by Laura D’Angelo, LCSW, a Davis Islands resident and a practicing psychotherapist.

If you have any questions, or have found yourself in an uncertain situation, or even if you have a funny story to share, please use our contact form online at davisislandstoday.com or leave a comment below.

Laura D’Angelo, LCSW, is a Davis Islands resident and a practicing psychotherapist, who works with individuals and families. Ms. D’Angelo has an office in South Tampa and can be contacted @ 813-601-9440 or at counselor21@gmail.com.

For six years, Jeanne Lavettre has organized the Davis Islands Sleigh Ride.  Santa Claus is part of the action, but he’s not delivering toys – he’s picking them up.  Some of you know Jeanne as the owner of Serendipity Accents and Gifts located in the Davis Islands Business District.  You may not know that each year she collects toys and gifts for those who are less fortunate.

Santa Claus and his elves circle Davis Islands, while area residents reach out to meet the big guy and provide toys and gifts for others in need.  Each year the Davis Islands neighborhood responds with generous support and gifts, and this year seemed like more than ever.  The sleigh was pretty full when we joined the parade, and more presents and gifts were added at each stop.

Neighborhood children were excited to see Santa arrive at their front door and on their neighborhood streets.  Special thanks must be given to all of you who organized the event, to all of the contributors, and to Santa for taking time from his busy schedule to visit Davis Islands.

Watch some video of the event on the TAMPA GOLD website.

Most of us use the month of December as a time of reflection. We think about where we have been over the past year, and where we hope to go next year.

We find ourselves thinking about others, too. We give thanks for the great friends and family in our lives, and offer well-wishing thoughts of hope, love and prosperity. And we also consider those less fortunate than us. Perhaps we’ll make significant donations to a local charity, or donate our various skills in a volunteer effort to help those who need assistance.

I like to think about community. I feel that we are all in this together – not only friends, family, and business partners – but also that person you don’t know sitting across the room from you, the bad driver you try to avoid each morning, clerks who don’t speak clearly, and the guys who are trying to sell you something. We are all in the same boat, simply trying to get by the best way we know how.

This time of year, it’s easy to give a little extra. An extra smile, nod, or “hello.” An extra couple of seconds before blasting the horn. An extra moment of attention to understand. An extra minute to really listen. And all of that helps to make this one of the best times of the year.

We here at the Davis Islands Community News like to think we are good at all of that. But just like you, we are not perfect. So we put an emphasis on Community. We want an emphasis on Listening. We try to put an emphasis on Conversation. And when all of us do this together throughout the entire year, we show other neighborhoods why Davis Islands is one of the best places to live in the world.

That is why we created DavisIslandsToday.com. Your thoughts and ideas are important, and valuable to the community as a whole. Please take the time to not only read this website, but to add to the conversation in any way you see fit. We have a couple of ideas on what belongs here, but we would prefer to hear of what you think should be here, and what should be in the real world.

The Davis Islands Yacht Club was the perfect setting for the Chamber of Commerce Holiday Party. About 50 attendees enjoyed perfect weather on the outside deck with lots of food and drink. Jennifer, Summer, and Jennifer did a great job providing some historic handouts and great giveaways.

ThunderBug and the Lightning Foundation held a news conference and a kickoff celebration Tuesday November 13 at the St. Pete Times Forum’s XO VIP Club to showcase the release of his new book, “ThunderBug’s Street Hockey Tour – Downtown Tampa.”

Lightning radio broadcaster Dave Mishkin emceed the event, and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio was in attendance along with Lightning and St. Pete Times Forum President Ron Campbell.

The book, presented by University Community Health and written by Robin Gonzalez, features ThunderBug taking readers on a tour of some well-known and historic downtown Tampa sites, including Tampa Theatre, the Florida Aquarium, Tampa City Hall, the Old Federal Courthouse and the Tampa Museum of Art.

Six children from Rampello Downtown Partnership School, another featured site in the book, came to the event to see the book and unveil a scale model of Tampa City Hall they had built. Mayor Iorio was so impressed with the model that she offered on the spot to display the piece in City Hall.

The Lightning Foundation joined with University Community Health and Tampa Downtown Partnership to give 11 elementary schools enough books for all of their fourth- and fifth-grade students at no cost, totaling more than 2,000 books. The remaining books will be given to downtown partners featured in the book and sold at Lightning Foundation tables during Lightning home games.

From the Young Islanders

Santa’s Collection – Y.I. Site Captains Needed!

The 6th Annual Santa’s D.I. Ride will take place next Sunday, December 9, 2007. If you would like to serve as a Site Captain, please contact us at youngislanders@yahoo.com. The Site Captain is a popular position held by Young Islanders in past years. As a site Captain, you have exclusive access to Santa’s cell phone number (wow!) to check progress of his sleigh so you can report his arrival timing to your assigned Santa Stop. Any responsible Young Islander can serve in this important role.

Parents! If you would like to host a Santa Stop, please contact Jeanne at Serendipity. Jeanne is also looking for volunteers to help sort through the gifts after the collection.

The collection route will be posted soon here on the Davis Islands website, and watch for the Santa Stop Signs in your neighborhood!

Rep. Kathy Castor Cautions all of us on Holiday Shopping for Kids

With a display of colorful toys, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor identified several of the playthings as dangerous, and bemoaned the lack of oversight of the toy industry.

Last month, the Florida Public Interest Research Group released their annual toy safety report, “Trouble in Toyland” at a news conference on Davis Islands. Brad Ashwell, Consumer Advocate with the Florida Public Interest Research Group (FPIRG), Dr. Reinhart of Tampa General Hospital Pediatrics, and Rep. Castor came to the Children’s Choice Learning Center at Tampa General Hospital (formerly known as Davis Islands Child Development Center) on November 20.

2007 was “the year of the recall.” Millions of toys, including famous ones like Thomas the Tank Engine and Barbie, have been recalled this year. Many of them were from leading manufacturers like Mattel, and most were imported from China. Most of the recalls were for hazards like excessive levels of toxic lead, dangerous small magnets, and choking dangers.

The number of children treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries last year reached 140,700 nationwide, with 13 of those injuries resulting in deaths.

Bicycle helmets that fit properly, and concerns about cuts and scrapes topped Dr. Reinhart’s list of issues, but he cautioned that lead poisoning is a real concern as well. He wants holiday shoppers to consider the lead content when buying toys or jewelry, and notes that many toys have been banned due to small parts. Dr. Reinhart begged gift purchasers to pay attention to age recommendations on toys purchased. He further emphasized the danger of choking on toys by those 3 years of age and under.

Additional toys identified as risks included sparkling nail polish that can contain dangerous chemicals, lead content lunch boxes, and even some well known toys under the name of major American manufacturers.

FPIRG is asking for increased inspections and stiffer punishments for makers of unsafe toys, and Rep. Castor agrees. With over 22 million toys being produced, Rep. Castor says only one US Consumer Public Safety Council (CPSC) inspector to oversee these manufacturers is not enough.

Saying it is the “least we can do to keep families safe,” Castor joined other co-sponsors for legislation demanding more oversight and accountability of the industry. “Frankly, this is outrageous,” Castor said. “Unfortunately, this agency has been starved for resources over the years.” She suggested that trips sponsored by toy industry groups to the people who regulate them as improper and a practice that should be stopped. Castor called for the resignation of Acting CPSC Chairperson Nancy Nord.

Rep. Castor promoted safe holiday purchases, such as passes to the Lowry Park Zoo, Museum of Science and Industry, and the Florida Aquarium, books, and athletic equipment as family and health builders that eliminate some of the risks of today’s toys. Consumer advocate Brad Ashwell says if shoppers are going to buy toys, they need to be vigilant, and suggested www.toysafety.net as a good location to find out more about toy safety.

You can download the entire “Trouble in Toyland” toy safety report, get more information directly about the Florida Public Interest Research Group, learn about the US Consumer Public Safety Council at their website, and contact Rep Kathy Castor at http://castor.house.gov/