Edition 13 of The Lealman Voice
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Credit: Leo Gomez Studios
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First Reading with the Rays event at Lealman Exchange a huge success
More than 100 kids packed into the Ray Neri Event room at the Lealman Exchange on Tuesday, July 25th, for Reading with the Rays, an event that brings together the excitement of baseball and the joys of literacy.
Local author Davon Miller and Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks read books with local children, encouraging kids to keep reading during summer vacation. Every child in attendance received free books and a Rays hat to take home. The event capped off with a surprise appearance from DJ Kitty, one of the Tampa Bay Rays mascots.
Reading with the Rays, presented by Suncoast Credit Union, is an incentive-based reading program that encourages Pre-K to 12th-grade students to avoid summer learning loss by reading for 24 hours during the summer months. This unique initiative celebrates the importance of literacy in a way that appeals to both young readers and sports enthusiasts, creating a positive impact on the lives of children and families through the magic of storytelling.
“Literacy is one of the most basic functions that you need to move along in your life and your upbringing,” said Fairbanks, whose mother worked as a librarian when he was growing up. “I don’t think it can be understated what reading and the ability to develop your ability to comprehend what you read means as you go along in your academic and social career. I think it’s great that we have programs like this to encourage that.”
Reading with the Rays is hosted in cooperation with the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative. The Lealman Exchange is a satellite library location, allowing the community center to host the popular event for the first time.
Thursdays @ 9AM
August 17th @ 5:30 pm
Night With The Threshers
August 26th - September 8th
AmSkills Bootcamp
August 30th 5PM
Mosquito Control Town Hall @LEX
September 23 @ 10AM
September 16th @ 9AM
Mobile Pet Clinic @ LEX
‘Collective impact’ propels Lealman Exchange
When Pinellas County Commissioners handed over the keys to an expansive community hub last year, they hoped a unique public-private partnership would bolster its impact; the venture exceeded expectations.
The Lealman Exchange (LEX) is a 77,000-square-foot, six-acre campus built to provide programming and services that meet the needs of an underserved community with over 30,000 residents. The St. Petersburg Foundation (SPF) began partnering with Pinellas officials in April 2022 and assumed daily operations of the county-owned facility that August.
SPF is the philanthropic arm of the St. Petersburg Group, which owns the St. Pete Catalyst. Amy Cianci, project manager and engagement director, said the local nonprofit has two functions -managing and activating LEX and creating a collective impact.
A collective impact occurs when leaders representing various sectors work together to achieve a common goal. Commissioner Dave Eggers said he was “amazed” at the various elements SPF has implemented through its first year.
“It’s almost like property management on steroids,” Eggers added. “Improving facilities and providing events. Providing classrooms, getting outside partnerships and donations – just an amazing effort.”
Chris Moore, assistant to the county administrator, said Community Foundation Tampa Bay was an early supporter that contributed over $200,000. However, He said the nonprofit’s collective impact development expertise was far more valuable to the initiative’s success.
Cianci told commissioners that the partners established a Collective Impact Activation Group with over 75 participants. A smaller Guiding Group serves as an executive team.
Joe Hamilton, SPF board member and Catalyst publisher, called the combined efforts “an experiment in public-private partnerships.” He noted that early conversations with county officials centered on programming aspects.
While “it wasn’t easy,” Hamilton said assuming all management responsibilities allowed the SPF to “unleash the power of the private element.” The nonprofit’s leadership overhauled operations and is now under budget.
He said increased revenue has led to a budget surplus that allowed LEX officials to hire an onsite property manager and a needs navigator, and implement additional operational efficiencies.
Play the world’s fastest growing sport for FREE at YMCA at Lealman Exchange
If you are in the market for a new and exciting sport, try pickleball - a fun and competitive game that has gained popularity across the nation. More than 36 million people are playing this easy-to-learn sport, according to CNBC. On this National Pickleball Day,
August 8, 2023, the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg invites you to discover the excitement of this unique sport that caters to players of all skill levels and ages.
The Y offers Adult Pickleball drop-in games at YMCA at Lealman Exchange, Bardmoor YMCA and Jim & Heather Gills YMCA. All drop-in sports are co-ed and open to ages 16 and up. Pickleball drop-in is free at YMCA at Lealman Exchange for all community members, and free to all YMCA members at the Gills and Bardmoor YMCAs. A $5 fee is charged for non-members at those locations.
Pickleball is a fun and engaging sport that combines the elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It can be played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net, a perforated plastic baseball (similar to a whiffle ball) and paddles made of graphite, carbon fiber, fiberglass, wood, or some combination of those. It can be played as doubles or singles.
Accessibility is one of the components that has attracted millions of players worldwide to the sport of pickleball. Beginners can grasp the basics of the game quickly, making it an ideal choice for those who are new to racquet sports – or sports in general. But, don't let its approachable nature fool you, as it can quickly evolve into an intense, fast-paced, and highly fun but competitive game for experienced players.
Beyond the enjoyment of playing the game and a bit of friendly competition, pickleball offers a multitude of benefits whether you're playing casually or in an organized game with friends.
National Pickleball Day is only a few days away and if you're eager to try your hand at pickleball or already a seasoned player looking for some competitive action, this is the perfect opportunity for you! Come alone or bring a friend and stop by the Y to join our pickleball community. The court awaits!
Lealman CRA considered 'great success model' by Pinellas County
Via - Tampa Bay Business Journal
The Lealman CRA may become a model Pinellas County uses to address other areas of blight and encourage further economic development.
During a commission work session Thursday morning commissioners received an update on the Lealman’s work plan and items being proposed in the next fiscal year. They also heard an update on the implementation of the Lealman Exchange Strategic Plan, which was put into place last year.
The Lealman CRA was established in 2015 and is the first CRA in unincorporated Pinellas County. Several commissioners spent time Thursday applauding the monumental success of the CRA in the community.
Chair Janet Long said Lealman has “come a long way” over the last decade when the county first began working on the program to enhance the quality of life for residents of the community.
“It was a very impoverished area with high crime and lots of not very nice things happening there,” Long said. “So this is a real testament of what you can accomplish with a CRA to the benefit of the citizens.”
Long said the CRA has been a “great success model” and asked if it was possible to use that formula in other areas throughout the county. The conversation is expected to continue at future work sessions.
Lealman is currently on the cusp of a wave of development. The new Tesla Service Center, 4601 34th St. N, opened in February on 4.21 acres in Lealman. The center was a massive adaptive reuse project by developer Rob Truett. It sold in April for $26.25 million and the Tampa Bay Business Journal honored the project as a Best Real Estate Deal in 2022.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Brian Aungst Jr., Kristen Gnage, Michael Mikurak, James Millican, and Melissa Rutland to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County.
Brian Aungst Jr.
Aungst is an Attorney and Shareholder at Macfarlane Ferguson and McMullen, P.A. Active in his community, he serves on the Pinellas County Charter Review Board. Aungst earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and telecommunications and his juris doctor from the University of Florida.
Kristen Gnage
Gnage is the Assistant State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit. She is a member of the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Gnage earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Boston College and her juris doctor from Stetson University.
Michael Mikurak
Mikurak is currently retired. He was previously an International Consulting Partner for Accenture, PLC, and currently serves as Chairman of the board of HEPCO Holdings, LLC. Mikurak earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Rider University.
James Millican
Millican is the Division Chief and Fire Marshall of Lealman Fire District. He is the Chairman of the Lealman Asian Neighborhood Family Center and a board member of the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board. Millican earned his emergency medical technician and state firefighter certification from St. Petersburg College.
Melissa Rutland
Rutland is the President of the Rutland Florida Gulf Group. She serves on the St. Petersburg Area YMCA Board of Directors and is a member of the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute. Rutland earned her bachelor’s degree from Flagler College.
Lealman Community Redevelopment Area
Commercial Site and Building Interior Improvement Grant Program
The Lealman CRA Commercial Site and Building Interior Improvement Grant Program is intended to provide matching grants that will accelerate and leverage private investment to improve the appearance, condition, and functionality of existing non-residential sites and buildings in the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA).
The program provides reimbursable matching grants to commercial property owners and businesses that upgrade their building façades, landscaping, lighting, loading and service areas and other features of their exterior of their sites, and interior upgrades with a focus on projects that remedy degraded building systems and extend the economic viability of the building.
Ashley Halsted
Please introduce yourself to your neighbors.
Hello, Lealman neighbors! Nice to meet you. I'm Ashley. I live in Lealman, near the Cultural Center. I am a designer, as well as a receptionist for a really fun co working space called Thrive. I have a cat, and if you want to come feed him and pet him, come on in!
How many years have you lived in Lealman?
One year.
What organizations are you involved in?
None currently, but I am open to the possibility of finding some.
What gets you out of bed every day?
Probably those organic connections that I make, the little moments where I see people really excited about stuff. Where I’m at, I see lots of ideas going back and forth, and I enjoy witnessing people collaborate and grow. A lot of my joy comes from helping other people.
What is one thing you've seen change for the better in Lealman in the last few years?
Lots of fun events are moving over to Lealman, and that was really big for me. Moving from downtown St. Pete, where there are so many things happening all the time, I was really concerned with moving to the Lealman area that I was going to be missing out on those crazy fun events that are really spontaneous in St. Pete. But within the last year of moving to Lealman, I’ve found lots of fun community things happening. There are a lot of cultural events as well, especially with the high Vietnamese population over there. It's really exciting seeing that flourishing and growing, especially with lots of local restaurants and stuff. I love getting out and doing community events.
What's next for you?
I intend on staying in Lealman for a couple more years. I look forward to moving more towards the creative side of me and delving into that, because I feel like I have really stepped away from that, and the daily 9-to-5 has kind of overcome my life, but I'm really excited to start going and doing more creative things.
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