Lealman Voice Edition 23
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Credit: Leo Gomez Studios
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A successful year for pet partnerships at LEX
Pinellas County Animal Services and SPCA Tampa Bay are celebrating a successful year of providing community veterinary services at the Lealman Exchange Community Center. The two animal organizations teamed up to provide free vaccinations and microchips for dogs and cats when their owners purchased a Pinellas County animal license. A total of four clinics were held on select Saturdays in 2023.
In total, the animal welfare organizations served 185 animals—131 dogs and 54 cats—out of Pinellas County Animal Services’ mobile veterinary trailer. One of the critical services offered at the clinic was the administration of rabies vaccines. Rabies is a potentially fatal disease that poses a threat not only to pets but also to human health. A total of 174 animals received rabies vaccines at LEX in 2023, protecting the individual pets and contributing to the broader community's safety by reducing the risk of rabies transmission.
Pinellas County Animal Services and SPCA Tampa Bay encourage all pet owners to microchip their animals—even if they’re indoor pets. A microchip is a tiny device implanted under the skin that serves as a permanent form of identification for furry companions. Microchips are essential in the reunification of pets with their owners, especially during disasters like hurricanes. 95 animals were given microchips in 2023, ensuring that these animals can find their way home if they’re ever separated from their families.
SPCA Tampa Bay and Pinellas County Animal Services are looking forward to hosting more vaccine clinics at the Lealman Exchange in 2024. If you’d like to learn more about the services that these animal welfare organizations offer, visit www.pinellas.gov/department/animal-services/ and www.spcatampabay.org.
Tuesdays & Thursdays at the Lealman Exchange
YMCA Senior Exercise: Tu/Th 9 a.m.
YMCA Total Parkinson's Exercise: Tu/Th 10-11 a.m.
December 23rd 11AM - 1PM
Pet Food Pantry Pop Up
December 28th @ 6:00 p.m.
Saturday January 6th
Gadgets for Good Drive
January 20th @ 9 AM
February 10th @ 12:00 p.m.
Lealman Honey & Arts Festival
Pinellas: Vacancies Announced on Lealman Community
Redevelopment Area (CRA) Advisory Committee
Applications Due by 3 p.m. January 19, 2024
Applications are now being accepted for three appointments to the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). These appointments are for three- year terms, beginning on the date of appointment. The Lealman CRA Advisory Committee was established to advise the Pinellas County Community Redevelopment Agency on the creation and administration of the Lealman CRA redevelopment plan and any amendments thereto, and on issues and policies impacting the Lealman CRA.
The committee has nine members, who are appointed by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Applicants must be residents, business owners and/or property owners or other stakeholders from within the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area. A boundary map of the area can be found at pinellas.gov/lealman-cra-boundary-area-map. The bylaws of the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Committee are available at: pinellas.gov/by-laws-of- the-lealman-community-redevelopment-area-advisory-committee. The committee meets six times per year, on the fourth Wednesday of every other month. However, meeting dates may be canceled or adjusted as needed.
Applications are due by 3 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. The application can be found at www.pinellas.gov/boards.
Please note: All materials submitted to Pinellas County government are subject to the public records law of the state of Florida.
Lealman Fire appeals for the public's help to give local kids Christmas toys
The Lealman Fire District is asking for your help as they work to provide toys for children in need for Christmas.
Division Chief Jim Millican said donations for this year's toy drive are down by nearly 50%. The department has been holding its annual toy drive since 1990.
According to Millican, Lealman is one of the most poverty stricken areas in Pinellas County.
In 2022, the drive provided toys for nearly 3,000 kids in the Lealman area, officials said.
Millican said every year the department provides a full Christmas experience, including a full dinner, to 150 families. On Christmas Eve, firefighters take Santa on the fire engine to deliver toys to 20-25 of those families. After that, they take Santa to all of the apartments and mobile home complexes to make sure every child gets a wrapped present from the man in red.
Millican said its the largest Christmas some of the families may ever see and for many of the kids, the only gifts they'll get are those from the fire department.
You can help the fire department by donating toys or funds. Any businesses, churches or organizations that want to help can contact Millican at 727-526-5650 ext. 549 or email at jmillican@lealmanfire.com.
New, unwrapped toys may be dropped off at any of the three fire stations within the Lealman Fire District.
CES Students of the Month
Ms. Thomas' student of the month is Natori Wyman. She has increased her Math and reading scores, and she has increased her ratio of good days. Great job Natori!
Dre’Anna Snead is Ms. Dawn’s Student of the Month. Dre’Anna is a very hard-working, conscientious student. She reaches for the stars and does her very best in everything. She is a great friend to her classmates, and a LOT of fun to be around. Our class is richer with Dre’Anna in it!
This month, Ms. Mitchell has chosen Elijah Martinez-Saenz, because he can always be counted on to be honest and do the right thing. He does things not because he wants recognition, or attention; he does the right thing because he knows he should and because he wants to be a positive role model for his peers.
County loan program aims to keep residents in their homes
Pinellas County officials are encouraging homeowners to apply for a program that offers no-interest loans for home upgrades.
The Home Repair Loan Program provides up to $55,000 for a range of home repairs, including roofs, windows, exterior doors, HVAC and code-related electrical work. The program offers interest-free, deferred payment or amortized loans based on household income.
“Primarily, we focus on hurricane mitigation items,” said Rebecca Crisp, Community Development Specialist with Pinellas County’s Housing and Community Development department. “We've had quite a few people who, without this program, would not have been able to get those types of repairs because their income just doesn't allow it.”
To be eligible, the home must be the applicant's primary residence, and the Property Appraiser Just Value cannot exceed $375,000. The program, which is funded by the State, is available in unincorporated Pinellas and most cities in the county, with the exception of Belleair Shore, Clearwater, Largo and St. Petersburg, which Crisp said operate their own programs. Income limits apply, with the maximum income for an individual set at $48,650 and a family of four at $69,500. Higher limits apply for homes within the Lealman CRA.
Crisp said a lot of residents who’ve taken part in the program are on a fixed income, like Social Security.
“Because of our income thresholds, we can also help what I tend to refer to as the lower middle class,” said Crisp. “They make too much money to qualify for most programs, but they don't make enough money to really keep themselves going on some of these things like a home purchase that is going to require more maintenance.”
Crisp added that beyond enhancing the safety of residents' homes, the home loan program contributes to the community by enhancing the visual appeal of neighborhoods and keeping people in their homes longer.
“We want to help people stay in those homes longer so that there's not that turnover of selling homes, people losing homes, maybe not being able to afford the repairs and losing their insurance, going into foreclosure,” Crisp said. “It's a domino effect, so we feel like starting at the beginning and giving people options to repair their home gives them a better chance of staying in the long run.”
In addition to the loan program, an Accessibility Grant of up to $10,000 is available for modifications such as grab bars, walk-in showers, wheelchair ramps and door widening. The Pinellas County employees who operate the program are hoping more homeowners will apply for both the Accessibility Grant and the Home Repair Loan Program in the new year.
“We have plenty of money to spend right now, so we would like to start helping some more people,” said Crisp. “'I’m hoping that we can start getting some people in before hurricane season, because once hurricane season starts, it's a little bit more of a time crunch to get roofs and things like that done. The sooner we can get people in, the sooner their house can be preserved in case we do get hit next year with another storm.”
Career Corner
Career Source Pinellas
Exciting News! Our professional Networking Orientations will be back in January 2024! Make sure to join us
In the dynamic landscape of job hunting, networking has proven to be the game-changer in connecting professionals and securing meaningful employment
Remember, it's not just about who you know; it's about who knows you. The impact of a strong professional network goes beyond job listings.
Location: SPC EPICENTER-13805 58th St N, Room 2-303, Clearwater, FL
Monthly Orientations from10AM-11:30AM
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