The "Meet The Candidates" forum held at the new regional library on Tuesday the 3rd was by all means and measures a success.

I counted 90 people there while I was there. People kept coming and going. I would say it is a safe assumption that the total attendance was well over 100.

Bill Browne, Alliance Chair moderated. County Commission candidates were given speaking opportunities.

That was followed by questions and answers. Mr. Browne asked that the questions would be relevant to county issues and problems that the commissioners could be expected to solve.

Rosemarie Middleton and her group of volunteers did a superior job of setting up the room, serving refreshments and cleaning up the residue after the forum.

Among the candidates attending were, Sandy Murman, John Dingfelder, Mark Sharpe, Trey Rustman, Linda Saul-Sena and representatives for Josh Bergan and Jim Hostler and Ken Hagan.

Reported by Gerald Jacobs
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High School Gardeners

The Town ‘N Country Garden Circle is proud to have worked with these scholars during their high school years providing hands-on horticulture experience, environmental friendly techniques and Florida Friendly Gardening knowledge as well as hundreds of hours of community service for college scholarships.

These 4 high school gardeners have earned
$800,000 in scholarships and financial aid!

Toan Nguyen - Kimberly Adrade
Briana Smith - Harry Ramsamooj

Briana will be attending college in California. She was at the garden expo.

Briana Smith – Robinson IB program. Scripps College, Claremont, California. Women’s liberal arts college. Full financial package.

Plus Briana earned a $60,000 Barnes Scholarship from St. Petersburg Times Foundation. 350 applied 4 were selected.

Toan Nguyen – Robinson IB program, Haverford College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Liberal Arts school with Quaker values. Full financial package.

Nationally recognized arboretum. Haverford is a top 10 liberal arts school and a consortium with Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr colleges.

Toan will be attending college in Pennsylvania

Kimberly Adrade – Robinson IB program. University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida. State school. Kim is selected to the school’s Honors College. Full financial package via Gates Millennium Scholarship through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Funds are also available for graduate studies. Kim has been selected as a 2010 Hispanic Academic All-Star and has received 2 year scholarship from the Tampa Workforce Alliance.

Kim will attend the University of South Florida. She has helped at the Tampa Garden Club "Kids in the Garden Camp for 2 years. Kim helped at the plant sale.

Harry Ramsamooj – Robinson IB program. Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Ivy League school.  Brown University accepted Harry and offered a full financial package at Brown and Harry accepted.

The Town ‘N Country Garden Circle sponsored Harry for the 2009 Save the Earth’s Environment through Knowledge (SEEK) camp at Wakulla Springs State Park in the Florida panhandle.

Harry was also a counselor for the Tampa Garden Club’s Kids in the Garden Camp the last 2 years. He also attended the Save the Earth's  Environment through Knowledge (SEEK) camp last summer. He represented our circle and the Tampa Garden Club. He volunteered at the plant sale.

Harry will be attending college in Rhode Island.

We wish them all well, indeed.

Fran Gamester, President
Town 'N Country Garden Circle
Tampa, Florida 33615