Eastword: February 2015

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Claire Strickland takes top individual honors in the 54rd Annual Manatee Land Judging Competition

Claire Strickland with award presenter Dan West.
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Taking top honors in the 54th annual land judging competition sponsored by the Manatee River Soil and Water Conservation District was senior 4-H student Claire Strickland. She won the I.H. Stewart Award with the highest individual overall score, reports Gail Cameron Somodi, soil conservation supervisor for Manatee County Government. The top award was sponsored by ECo Consultants.

The 4-H senior team composed of Claire Strickland, Jesse West, Samuel West, and Benjamin Hoffner won the Callon Keen, Sr. Award for the team with the highest score overall. The team also won the senior 4-H division. In second place, was the team composed of Hannah Whitaker, Casey Wingate, Westin Maye, and Joshua Groover.

The intermediate 4-H team including Shelby Bryan, Janna Groover, Jo Hoffner, and Jay West, placed first in the 4-H intermediate division.

Placing first in the FFA high school division was a team from Southeast High School, advised by Mike Buckley, with students Kenan Alemhoca, Isabel Cushing, Colt Travis, and Jasmine Villegas.

Placing second was the FFA high school team from Southeast High School, advised by Mike Buckley, with students Luis Solorzano, Jaimie Davis, Samantha Lockhart and McKayla
Moreno.

The FFA high school team from Braden River High School placed third, advised by Deb Barry with students Meagan Gigliotti, Christine King, and Emily Courson.

Buffalo Creek Middle School swept the middle school FFA division. Placing first at the middle school level was the team of John Greer, Caissy Chase, Savannah Cannon, and Camrie Henderson. The second place team, included students Zach Stolze, Faith Gilray, Jade Parrish, and Hannah Hattaway. In third place, were Mara Behringer, Chloe Flourney, Alexis Orloski, and Sorryl Cannon. Steve Harber, advised all Buffalo Creek FFA students.

Medals were awarded to the high scoring individual at each of four fields. This year, Claire Strickland was recognized for the highest score (perfect) at two of the four fields in the senior division. Luis Solorzano and Jasmine Villegas, from Southeast also scored highest at the 3rd and 4th fields, respectively. Villegas had a perfect score at the 4th field. Junior division winners, both from Buffalo Creek Middle School, were Fields 1, 2, and 3: John Greer and Field 4: Camrie Henderson.

FFA teams from Haile and Nolan Middle Schools and Palmetto High School also competed. Participating as guests were Charlotte, Pinellas and Orange FFA students. In all, 83 students competed, resulting in one of the largest turnouts in recent years.

The winning FFA teams from Southeast High School, Buffalo Creek Middle School, and the intermediate and senior 4-H teams are eligible to compete in the state land judging competition to be held in late March hosted by the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District.

The competition was held at Ed Chance Reserve-Gilley Creek Tract, a Southwest Florida Water Management District property, on one of the coldest days of the year. Students answered test questions concerning soil properties at four fields in such categories as slope, depth, texture, permeability, erosion and nutrients. One of the fields represented a potential homesite location, and students were questioned on how well the land could serve as a building site.

For more information visit http://landjudging.org/

4-H intermediate team: Shelby Bryan, Janna Groover, Jo Hoffner and Jay West.
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4-H Senior Team.
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FFA team from Southeast High School.
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Students examining one of the fields in the land judging competition.
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Chief Judge Juan Vega explains the results of the competition to the students.
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FFA team from Buffalo Creek Middle School team.
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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

East Manatee's Rosedale community steps up to support Homes for Our Troops

Lt. Col. Steven Skelton, who provided the initial information to the Rosedale community about Homes for Our Troops, is shown with his father, John Skelton.
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Rosedale residents have decided that they need to do more than just say "thank you for your service" to grievously wounded members of the military who sacrificed so much in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Recently, Rosedale held a golf tournament that raised $18,275 to help build a specially adapted, mortgage free home for Marine Sgt. Anthony McDaniel in Navarre, Fla., reports Kathi Skelton.

"We started the first year, 2013, with about a three-week window and just put an informational display and donation box in the pro shop. After sending out an email to Rosedale residents, we raised $4,500," she said.

The second year, 2014, Rosedale added the golf tournament as well as information and donation box in the pro shop, and raised $11,500.

"This year we tried to promote the golf tournament outside of the Rosedale community as well as within and raised the $18,275," Skelton said.

"The Rosedale community is very supportive since they are now very familiar with Homes For Our Troops. We are already looking to next year. The event will be the last Saturday in January and we have identified a new recipient. Our plan is to continue what we have done in the past but try to increase our fundraising goal by trying to solicit larger corporate sponsors," she said.

Purple Heart recipient Larry Gill addressed players after the Rosedale tourney.
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Design on Rosedale's first tee.
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Monday, February 16, 2015

Photos from Cracker Trail Ride bring us about as close to the event as possible without being there

Cracker Trail riders forge a small stream, and horses pause to take a sip.
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Horses and riders streamed out of Kibler Ranch, located about 15 miles east of Bradenton on Saturday, headed to Fort Pierce.

They won't arrive on Florida's east coast until Friday, Feb. 20, as they retrace the cattle drives of the 19th Century.

The event is, of course, the annual Cracker Trail Ride, which takes its name not from Saltines, but the bull whips cowboys used in the old days to drive cattle.

Here are photos sent by smart phone to the Bradenton Herald by trail boss Suzanne Park, and some of the other riders. All were sent from horse back. They give a sense of the fun and adventure, as well as some of the natural Florida beauty along the trail.

http://www.bradenton.com/2015/02/14/5636370/cracker-trail-riders-to-head-cross.html