BY J.A. JONES, Staff Writer
CLEARWATER – Last month, face painting, line dancing, bounce houses, and a rock-climbing wall were all on the menu, along with an “egg in a spoon race” between Mayor George Cretekos and members of the Upper Pinellas Ministerial Alliance.
The event was the annual Community Family Fun Night, held at Buccaneer Football Field in North Greenwood. Started by Marilyn Turman in 2014, it has become a much-anticipated event for residents, community partners and stakeholders.
Attendees enjoyed free hotdogs, hamburgers, drinks and cotton candy — along with impressive step routines by Young Kings Heirarchy, dance performances by Artz 4 Life Academy, and entertainment by Ivy King Jackson, a professional Michael Jackson impersonator. Audiences and community leaders joined dance instructor Leslie Henry in several simple and not so simple line dances.
Juli Worthington of Let’s Glow LED supplied a brand-new highly-blinged out bike featuring her specially designed LED glow lights to a lucky raffle winner.
Apostle Norma L Fontaine-Philbert of Garden of Grace Ministries, and RCS Pinellas’ Kirk Ray Smith, Sr. shared their partnership to support victims of the September devastation of the Bahamas by Hurricane Dorian with a fundraiser and donation drive. You can learn more about that here.
Representatives from several Clearwater nonprofits were in attendance, including A Mother’s Arms, Inc, FYI Community Partnership, Inc., and the Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center (CNFC), which announced winners of its Red Ribbon Week Poster and Rap Competition.
Other sponsors and supporting organizations included Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center, Artz 4 Life Academy, Clearwater Police Department, City of Clearwater, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Pinellas Technical College, Young Life Inc, United Way, Sam’s Club, St. Petersburg College, Signature Graphics & Printing, Seeds of Promise, Let Go LED, Jolley Trolley,, USG, Clearwater NAACP, RCS Pinellas, Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corp., Neighborhood Walmart, the Community Alliance Volunteers, and many community churches.
To reach J.A. Jones, email jjones@theweeklychallenger.com
