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4XPro donated $500 to Clothes to Kids this year and continued their support of one of our family's favorite charities.
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SBT got creative this year and hosted the annual Thanksgiving dinner as a drive-thru because of rain. For the first time in over 15 years, the sun did not make an appearance at the annual dinner. SBT had many things to be grateful for this year though. We were able to gather together in person and serve over 750 pounds of turkey to our beloved community! Thank you to all our volunteers and employees who packaged meals and delivered them to the long line of vehicles. We were happy to keep this important tradition alive. Watercraft Superstore was proud to sponsor the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition's Family Fun Night this year. The event took place at the Buccaneer Football Field and was complete with free food, games, slides, vendors, health screenings, and live entertainment. The Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition focuses on improving North Greenwood, the neighborhood where both SBT and Watercraft Superstore are located. The organization works towards building community wealth through community business development, health, self-sufficiency, literacy, education, and resilience.  This year, Marine Mat continued their support for C.A.S.T. for Kids by making a $1,000 donation. C.A.S.T. for Kids is a nonprofit organization that arranges fishing trips for kids with disabilities. Robby Wellden commented: We like C.A.S.T. for Kids because it allows children the opportunity to spend time on the water. Fishing and being on a boat is something every child should be able to enjoy, regardless of their individual differences. Marine Mat has many products that make being on a boat comfortable and fun. We love that children all over the country get to go fishing through this organization. This year was particularly special because Marine Mat got to sponsor a C.A.S.T. for Kids event in Charlotte Harbor, Florida. In the future, Marine Mat hopes to host an event in the Tampa Bay Area, so it was great to have Marine Mat volunteers attend an event close to home. Marine Mat donated shirts, hats, and koozies to the event to be included in swag bags for the volunteers and children.
O'Neal and Nedra Larkin hosted a school supplies event in Clearwater to help families prepare for heading back to school. SBT donated $1,000. Sage Pickren, SBT Director of Community Outreach, commented: As a former teacher, I personally know how challenging it can be to have enough supplies for your students at the beginning of the year. School supplies is expensive, and when you work in a Title 1 school, many families cannot afford to purchase everything on their school supplies lists. We hope that donations like these can reduce the back-to-school stress for families that live near our factory. We are proud to be able to support the Larkins as they continue to make North Greenwood a place where children can access a good education and have the tools they need to succeed. SBT donated $5,000 to become a Diamond Partner for the 5th Annual Rising Above! Youth Explosion Leadership Conference. This event was hosted by the Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center, which is conveniently located on the same street as SBT. The center is dedicated to the belief that families should have the resources, support, and skills necessary to raise children in a healthy and safe neighborhood, which promotes the development of their maximum potential.  SBT manager, CJ Lammers, and SBT Social Media Manager, Barbara Bacvic, pose with Conference Coordinator, Michele Edwards and Executive Director, Terry Jones The 3-day event was hosted at The Long Center, SPC Drew Campus, and the N. Greenwood Aquatic Center. Youth that attended the conference participated in indoor and outdoor games, heard from guest speakers on panels, and were served free food! SBT is a proud sponsor of the Walter Evans Shihan School of Survival. Each year, the tournament hosts kids from around the community to compete and show off the karate and martial arts skills they've been learning. The non-profit organization has a focus on teaching children health, safety, discipline, focus, self-respect, and respect for others. Shihan School of Survival takes pride in providing programs to their youth that give them the mindsets to pursue their academic achievements and jumpstart their future careers.  With the help of SBT, this year's tournament was the best yet! Our new venue made the event very professional and we are continuing to grow!  This spring, SBT donated $5,000 to Eckerd Connects, a long-time Pickren Community Outreach partner. The donation supported Eckerd Connects' Success Awards, which helps children, young adults, and families who are especially vulnerable to failure in the community. The program pays for transitional needs so that recipients can reach their vocational and educational goals. David Dennis, President and CEO of Eckerd Connects, explained the impact of the donation: Thank you so much for your generous gift through SBT to our Success Awards fund this spring.   This year, through the help of Paul (an SBT employee), we found a new nonprofit organization that could use our support. Sunstate Orchestral Program introduces music to children at an early age and promotes a love for music making. The organization uses the El Sistema technique, which has inspired educators all around the world and serves youth in high-poverty areas. Children who attend the Sunstate Orchestral Program have opportunities to build self-confidence, discipline, commitment, social skills, and other fundamental values essential to child development. SBT's donation will contribute to the Honors Spring Recital and Masterclass Series, which reaches over 300 families in the Tampa Bay Community.
HydroTurf was the lead sponsor of the Daytona Freeride. The Daytona Freeride, held on January 13-16, 2022 in Daytona, Florida, offered surf riders the chance to show off their expertise as they competed in battle rounds featuring both aerial stunts and mastery of the waves. The event is the largest gathering of personal watercraft enthusiasts in the USA.    As part of the event, HydroTurf made a $10,000 donation to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Located in Buffalo, New York, Roswell Park treats every type of cancer at every stage. They offer comprehensive care with doctors who create personalized plans of treatment. Donations to Roswell Park support cutting-edge cancer research that focus on finding life-saving treatments and implementing best practices for patient care. Stephen Tackney, manager of HydroTurf, commented on the importance of this donation and the success of the event: We are proud to support the Daytona Freeride- an event that keeps our industry thriving and creates excitement about the sport. Since cancer is an illness that impacts so many families across the world, we were happy that the Daytona Freeride allowed us to donate to Roswell Park. It's important that researchers and doctors have the funding they need to provide the best patient care possible. Brian Sizemore is a surviver of cancer and was treated at Roswell Park. He deserves a lot of recognition for planning this successful event. We are extremely impressed by the professionalism and turnout at the Daytona Freeride. We cannot thank Brian and his team enough.  Stephen Tackney and Barbara Bacvic from HydroTurf thank Brian Sizemore for organizing the event.  As part of the Herd of Hope campaign, HydroTurf was awarded a blue buffalo for their generous donation. |
AuthorSage Pickren Archives
April 2022
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