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SEI, SBT, and WCSS are proud to sponsor the Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center's Youth Bowling League! The "No Child Sits on the Bench" bowling league allows youth ages 5-17 to bowl weekly for free at Maple Lanes in Clearwater, Florida. Thanks to the sponsorship, children are provided with bowling shoes and lunch when they bowl. The donation also covers tournament and coaching expenses. The program provides families with safe and healthy outings in the afternoon and the weekends. It introduces youth to a new sport and teaches them the skills of patience, practice, attitude, perseverance, & goal setting. Having these skills ultimately provides avenues to higher education, employment, and scholarship opportunities. The program is entering its third year and is growing in the number of kids it has enrolled!
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With the return to school, many students and teachers are in need of supplies! This year, SBT continued their partnership with Calvin Hunsinger School, a school located near the SBT factory that serves students with behavior needs. To help the school have a strong start to the school year, SBT donated snacks and coffees for teachers and hand sanitizer for all the classrooms.  Following SBT's commitment to supporting students and teachers, SEI donated $1,000 to Eckerd Connects School Supplies campaign. Eckerd Connects provides many resources and services to the community and has helped Pickren Community Outreach serve their mission for over 15 years. 
David Dennis, President and CEO of Eckerd Connects, expressed his gratitude to SEI: This July, Marine Mat sponsored a youth flag football team named The Bolts. The 10-year-old and 12-year-old teams traveled to California in July to play in USA Football's One National Tournament.    Teresa Spann, CFO, expresses gratitude from her son's football team: SBT is a proud sponsor of the Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center (CNFC), an organization that enriches the lives of children and families by harnessing the resources of the Clearwater community. On July 17th and 18th, 2024, the CNFC hosted their 7th Annual Rising Above! Youth Explosion. The event was free to all members of the community and had a focus on exposing youth to robotics. SBT participated in the event by setting up a PWC engine assembly display. Youth in the community visited the SBT table to learn about how engine pieces work together to pump water and propel jet skis. They were allowed to touch pieces of the engine and try their hand at some light assembly.   Michele Edwards, Rising Above Cordinator, expressed her gratitude towards SBT:  HydroTurf was a sponsor of the 2nd annual Mud Bug Bash and Poker Run Fundraiser in Geneva, Florida this spring. The event was a collaborative effort organized by Fast Duck Motors and Underpressure Outdoors. The fundraiser benefitted 10 CAN Inc., which is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing support and resources to Veterans, First Responders, and Law Enforcement Officers who are facing mental health challenges.  The event aimed to raise awareness and funds for outdoor programs tailored to benefit those who have served and responded in times of crisis. Attendees are treated to the culinary delights of over 2,000 lbs of crawfish expertly prepared by the team at Voodoo Daddy Seafood and drinks by the Jolly Gator. The primary objective of the fundraiser was to shed light on the importance of outdoor programs that address mental health challenges faced by Veterans and first responders. The event was a huge success and raised over $44,455.  Sid Thysen, from Fast Duck Motors, thanked HydroTurf for their generous donation: "We couldn't be more thankful for those who helped make the Mud Bug Bash a success! The net proceeds will directly impact the lives of those who have sacrificed so much for our safety and well-being. Together, we are making a tangible difference in the lives of our Veterans and First Responders." As we approach teacher appreciation week, SBT and WCSS have gone the extra mile to make teachers feel valued and celebrated. At Sandy Lane Elementary School, SBT sponsored a catered lunch from Moe's. Seventy-five teachers and staff members enjoyed special lunch during their quick breaks- a luxury during the fast-paced school schedules. 
Watercraft Superstore became a Gold Level sponsor of Carwise Middle School, adding to the companies list of public school partners. Funds will be used by the PTA to organize events like 8th grade class parties and teacher appreciation celebrations. The company signs will be displayed in the carpool line to remind families of their community support.  Sage Pickren, Director of Community Outreach, expresses gratitude for teachers: As a former public school teacher, I know that teaching is one of the most important and also hardest jobs out there. Teachers have a tremendous impact on the children in our community and we are proud to help schools celebrate teachers this week (and for the entire school year) through our public schools partnerships. Sandy Lane Elementary Expresses their Appreciation for SBT Partnership at a Volunteer Brunch4/22/2024 Greg Pickren attended Sandy Lane Elementary School's volunteer brunch this spring. During the brunch, students presented a special musical performance and delivered handmade ornaments to volunteers and donors to express their gratitude. SBT and Watercraft Superstore have partnered with Sandy Lane during the 2023-2034 school year and provided snacks for the staff break room and meals for teachers. Pam Shufeldt, Sandy Lane Elementary Family and Community Liaison, expressed her gratitude to Greg Pickren: Thank you so much for supporting Sandy Lane Elementary this school year. Your donations have gone a long way in boosting faculty and staff morale, especially as our building is going through renovations. We feel really grateful to have you as a partner.  As part of the partnership the Clearwater Pickren companies have with Pinellas County Public Schools, Watercraft Superstore donated prizes to Skycrest Elementary School's Walk-a-thon fundraiser. The fundraiser raised $6,400, which will be used by the school's PTA to supplement school materials and events. Students who were the top fundraisers were awarded electric scooters, donated by Watercraft Superstore. All students who participated also received a sports ball donated by Watercraft Superstore.
Assistant Principal, Mrs. Pier, expressed her gratitude to Watercraft Superstore for their donations and support this school year: Thank you, Watercraft Superstore, for helping to make Skycrest's walk-a-thon a successful fundraiser and a memorable event for our students!  Once again, Hydro-Turf had the pleasure of being the title sponsor for the 20th Annual Daytona Freeride, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Daytona Freeride is the largest jet ski freeride event in the world, boasting hundreds of riders and attendees yearly. The motor event started in 2005 as a small gathering, but quickly grew into a major global event with participants coming from around the world.  All proceeds from the event directly benefit cancer research and patient care programs at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, located in Buffalo, New York. Founded in 1898, Roswell Park was among the first three cancer centers nationwide to become a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. They are dedicated to generating innovations that shape how cancer is detected, treated, and prevented worldwide with more than 4,000 employees solely focused on compassionate, patient-centered cancer care.  In total, the event raised over $40,000, of which $10,000 came directly from Hydro-Turf. Brian Sizemore, director of Daytona Freeride, expressed his appreciation to Pickren Community Outreach for making the event successful: Hydro-Turf has proven their ability to provide superior products and continues to give back to the community. This shows their commitment to the future success of jet skiing globally.  As part of our continued partnership with local public schools, Watercraft Superstore bought donuts and coffee for Skycrest Elementary School. The breakfast was provided to teachers during a staff meeting. Assistant Principal, Mrs. Pier, expressed her gratitude to WCSS: A HUGE THANK YOU for the donuts today!!! We again appreciate your support. This year, as part of an annual tradition of holiday giving, SEI donated over 60 bikes to Oldsmar Cares. The bikes were distributed to kids in the community during Oldsmar Cares' 2023 Spread the Love Kids Christmas & Toy Giveaway. SEI is a longtime community partner of Oldsmar Cares, an organization that provides stop gap rent and utility assistance, a food pantry, and a clothes closet to those in need in the greater Oldsmar area. The bikes were all accompanied with a $25 Walmart gift card for kids to purchase a helmet, which Justin Webb, SEI General Manager, donated personally.    This year marks 20 years of SBT and the family companies celebrating Thanksgiving in North Greenwood! This annual tradition is one of the most notable celebrations in our community and one that our family looks forward to every year. Hundreds of people gather to eat food that is catered by SBT. All are welcome and the food is free to anyone who attends. The celebration is always marked by announcements and words of gratitude from community leaders. This year, there was a special demonstration from the Shihan Walter Evans School of Survival, A youth karate organization that SBT sponsors. Greg Pickren, owner of SBT, expressed his gratitude: We are extremely grateful for the community that surrounds SBT and our Clearwater companies. We have had long-standing partnerships with the community leaders who encourage our neighborhood to be safe and supportive for our youth. Our community has made our businesses successful and we are honored to be able to give back to the community in this way. Thank you to our employees and the community members who graciously volunteered their time to make our annual Thanksgiving dinner a success! This fall, our Clearwater companies have been able to continue our corporate partnership with three Pinellas County Schools in several meaningful ways. Oftentimes school budgets do not fully cover expenses that public schools have for their students and teachers. Items like food, uniform clothing, school spirit swag, and rewards for good behavior are often not approved by federal and state funds. SBT, Watercraft Superstore, and HydroTurf are combining their efforts to help fill this gap for three local schools close to the factories.  SBT, Hydrotuf, and Watercraft Superstore have made several donations to Skycrest Elementary. In September, the companies donated breakfast from Panera to support a teacher appreciation day. In the beginning of the school year, teachers were asked to create wishlists of items they needed for their classroom. The companies purchased many items off the teacher wishlists, including rewards for good behavior and clickers to advance slides when teachers are presenting content to their students.
In November, the companies sponsored a Veterans Day breakfast to welcome the volunteers who shared their experiences about serving our country with the Skycrest Elementary students.  At Sandy Lane Elementary, students were in need of extra clothes for their uniform closet. SBT, Watercraft Superstore, and HydroTurf donated several shirts and shorts, so that students could have clothes that looked good and fit well. At Calvin Hunsinger School, teachers were in need of some school spirit! In addition to the snacks that were donated at the beginning of the year, the Clearwater companies purchased t-shirts for the entire staff. The Clearwater companies are proud to support public schools and show appreciation to the teachers who work hard to make a positive difference in our community.  We are proud to announce our partnership for the 2023-2024 school year with three local schools in Clearwater, Florida. SBT, HydroTurf, and Watercraft Superstore have joined forces to sponsor three local schools near the factories: Sandy Lane Elementary, Skycrest Elementary, and Calvin Hunsinger School. The companies began the partnership by donating snacks for teachers and staff for professional development in-service days.  The leadership team at Sandy Lane Elementary gathers for a picture to thank Watercraft Superstore for their yummy treats.  Sandy Lane Elementary is an arts integration school that focuses on incorporating visual and performing arts into the general education classroom. The school serves students in grades K-5 and is categorized as a Title 1 school, meaning that a large percentage of the students it serves live at or below the poverty level. This year the school's goal is to ensure that all scholars are provided with challenging, rigorous, relevant, and standards-based education in a positive and safe learning environment.  Skycrest Elementary teachers gather for a picture to thank SBT and HydroTurf for their snacks and drinks!   Skycrest Elementary School is a Leader in me school, meaning they focus on Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Happy Kids. These life-long lessons teach students how to be proactive, manage conflict, and plan for their future. This year, Skycrest elementary's School Improvement Plan includes key strategies focused on effective leadership, student achievement, high-quality instructional practices, and family/community engagement. Skycrest Elementary is also clasified a Title 1 school.  Last but certainly not least, Calvin Hunsinger School, is a school for Exceptional Education students in grades K-12. Most of the students who attend the school have sensory, emotional, or behavioral challenges. The school uses positive behavior supports and trauma-informed care to prepare the students for their futures. The school also has Title 1 status and all 115 of their students receive breakfast and lunch at no cost. Sage Pickren, Director of Community Outreach, comments on the partnership: Our companies are excited to continue this partnership with our local public schools. We hope that our donations throughout the school year make the teachers in our community feel appreciated and creates learning environments where students can thrive. Back in January, Marine Mat sponsored a C.A.S.T. for Kids event in Charlotte Harbor, Florida. This foundation organizes fishing trips for children with disabilities, who might not otherwise get to experience being out on the water. Marine Mat donated over $1,000 worth of product to make the event special for children and the volunteers. Thank you so much for putting on this amazing event. Not all special needs events are “special” but you all have gone the extra mile to give us a great experience where these kids felt honored and valued. Your generosity and kindness is so appreciated.    Back in February, SBT sponsored the Clearwater Open hosted by the Shihan School of Survival, one of SBT's longtime community partners. The tournament occurred this summer and was a huge success! Walter Evans, program director, expressed his gratitude to SBT: We at Shihan School of Survival are so appreciative for all you've done for us here at our martial arts program to better our youth in our communities. We had a chance because of SBT to order some amazing looking trophies that everyone was proud to compete for.   HydroTurf continued their support of Lighthouse for the Blind and Low Vision by hosting students for a factory tour on June 30th, 2023. Lighthouse has a Transitions for Teens program, which prepares blind and visually impaired teens for the responsibilities of adulthood. The program focuses on job readiness, social interactions, and independent living skills. As part of the program, the Lighthouse students toured the HydroTurf factory to learn about factory operations and the job skills that are required to perform certain roles in the company.  During the tour, the Lighthouse students participated in three stations. Stephen Tackney, HydroTurf General Manger, presented about the history of the company and shared about the types of products HydroTurf manufactures. He also described the characteristics he looks for when hiring employees and emphasized to the teenagers the importance of being on time to work and having a positive attitude.  The HydroTurf Sales Manger, JC, volunteers with Lighthouse outside of work and is our connection to the program. During the tour, he guided students through a sorting and counting station, where the teenagers experienced a typical factory workstation. They practiced counting spare pieces of mat and sorting them into bins for resale. He also showed the students the sew shop and the different fabrics and threads that are used to make PWC seat covers.   During the third station, students learned about how the factory’s inventory is stored, organized, and transported. They also learned about the groover machine that creates the traction on the mats. Students were able to match up different mat patterns to their stencils and learn about one of the most important steps in HydroTurf's manufacturing process.   Last, but definitely not least, all the HydroTurf employees and students gathered for a pizza lunch and received goody bags of HydroTurf swag. Sue Glaser, Transition Coordinator for Lighthouse, expressed her gratitude after the visit: We can't thank you and your team enough for giving our students such a warm welcome and informative, behind-the-scenes tour of Hydro-Turf! Everyone there was so thoughtful and friendly. They really made our group feel welcomed and comfortable. We heard many positive comments from students on the way back and they loved going through their goody bags. The hats look so great! We are trying to talk them all into wearing one next time we have a field trip (so we can find them all easily!). We greatly appreciate all the time it took you to create stations for our students to get the full experience and end the day with a delicious pizza lunch! As part of our continued partnership with Clothes to Kids, Marine Mat recently sponsored their fundraising event. Clothes to Kids is an exceptional nonprofit organization dedicated to providing new and quality used clothing, free of charge, to low-income or crisis-affected school-age children. This partnership is especially meaningful to our companies as Kimberly Pickren, the wife of Marine Mat owner, Greg Pickren, has volunteered regularly for Clothes to Kids for more than 8 years. She explains why the organization is important to her: Every child deserves the opportunity to feel confident and comfortable at school. By providing kids with the clothing they need and a friendly shopping environment, students can focus on their academics and enjoy school. Teens in the Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision's Transition Program went kayaking with WayneAdventures and they had quite the adventure! Sue Glaser, transition coordinator, shared about the experience, "From manatees sniffing boats and swimming in between us, to practicing water rescues and paddling hard against the strong winds, students worked on a lot of skills and had a great time. We were grateful to enjoy a delicious lunch of wraps, fruit, and cookies afterwards thanks to HydroTurf! We appreciate all the support from the amazing Tampa Bay Community!!"  Dane Mosny, Palm Harbor University High School student and son of WCSS manager, Stephanie Mosny, expresses his gratitude about the donation: FEAST is an organization that collects food and donates it to families around Pinellas county. Thanks to your help, we were able to do that by collecting more than 100 food items and raised more than $400 to donate to FEAST. I want to thank you personally for participating in this food drive and giving back to the community.  SEI generously donated a lower unit, with a retail value of $1,500, to Wishing and Fishing. Wishing and Fishing is an organization dedicated to providing fishing and wildlife educational outings for children diagnosed with cancer, blood disorders, debilitating diseases, and children who are living in adverse conditions. SEI’s donation will help Wishing and Fishing maintain their boats, ensuring they can continue to provide safe and enjoyable experiences for children out on the water!  Greg Pickren (right) poses for a photo with the lower unit donated to Wishing and Fishing HydroTurf Sponsors Students in the Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision Transition Program4/5/2023 Students in the Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision (LBLV) Transition Program participated in a charity event on April 1 for the American Lung Association of Florida: Tampa Bay. HydroTurf donated $500 to the program to sponsor the team and provide a well-deserved pizza lunch following the event. The annual Fight for Air Climb is a stair climb race up the 42-story Bank of America Plaza in downtown Tampa. Thirteen Transition Program students climbed the building and/or raised money at the event with their fundraising business, Braille With Vision. The Lighthouse Transition team, "Are we there yet?", raised a total of $1,926 for the ALA of Florida: Tampa Bay! Many of the students have been training since January, climbing the 914 steps of the building during Saturday practice climbs. Teachers and volunteers climbed with students during the race to provide sighted guide assistance if needed. Two students placed in the top 30 out of 300 climbers and both placed first in their respective age groups!!  Thanks to the generous support of HydroTurf, all students and team members received an official "Are we there yet?" team shirt and a celebratory lunch at Eddie & Sam's NY Pizza after the event. The HydroTurf Sales Manager, JC, was introduced to the sport of stair climbing by climbing alongside one of the Transition students. Many people do not even know that stairclimbing is a sport, yet alone how difficult it is! LBLV Transition students gained valuable skills contributing to the community, managing a fundraising campaign, building confidence, and budgeting money at a local restaurant. Together, HydroTurf and Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision teens gave back to the community! On Saturday, March 18, 2023, the Pickren family participated in the Breakthrough for Brain Tumors 5K to celebrate and support Chris Pickren in his fight against brain cancer. The 5K took place at Al Lopez Park in Tampa, Florida and benefited the American Brain Tumor Association. Chris Pickren was a top individual fundraiser and donated $6,223 to the cause, which helped the campaign exceed their overall goal of raising $100,000!  Inspired by Chris Pickren's fundraising page, 4XPro donated $4,201 to the Brain Cancer Fund at Tampa General Hospital. This fund supports the Neuro-Oncology department to better care for their patients by covering expenses that insurance will not cover. This fund helps patients, who are receiving treatment, pay for out-of-pocket costs like transportation to doctor appointments, groceries during their stay, and their chemotherapy medication. This fund allows patients and caregivers to focus on what is most important- winning the fight of their lives.  Chris Pickren with his brain surgeon, Dr. Harry van Loveren Chris Pickren expresses gratitude about the donation to the Brain Cancer Fund: Thank you for the donation, 4XPro. I'm glad we were able to direct this money to support patients in the community. I love the people at Tampa General Hospital's Cancer Institute. As you know, putting up with me is rarely easy. They do it with a smile and actually seem to enjoy it. I might be the first cancer patient that looks forward to my next visit to the TGH cancer center to hang out with my friends!  Chris Pickren with TGH ICU nurse, Daniella, and a nurse in Dr. Ranjan's group, Laura  Chris Pickren with a TGH administrator in Dr. Ranjan's office, Waleska  Chris Pickren at the 5K with his wife, Melinda, and his three children, Ethan, William, and Cody SBT continued their support of the Shihan School of Survival by donating $700 this year. Part of the donation went towards sponsoring the Clearwater Open Karate Tournament, which will take place on June 3, 2023. The annual karate tournament serves as a platform for budding martial artists to showcase their skills, compete, and gain valuable experience. It brings together participants from the local community and beyond, creating an atmosphere of friendly competition and mutual respect. Through this tournament, children learn important life lessons such as discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship. The other portion of the donation went towards sponsoring free community karate classes that take place at the North Greenwood Recreational Center. These lessons offer an opportunity for individuals of all ages to learn the art of self-defense, improve their physical fitness, and enhance their mental well-being. This sponsorship helped children in the community have access to uniforms, supplies, and a custom SBT patch!
To celebrate the holiday season, SBT sponsored the annual North Greenwood Christmas Toy Giveaway. Families from around the community lined up near SBT to pick out toys for their children and take pictures with Santa. There were toys for kids of all ages including hula hoops, action figures, dolls, games, sports equipment, and gift cards! Greg Pickren, Owner of SBT, commented: It's important to us that members of our community can gather and spread joy during the holiday season. We like seeing kids in the neighborhood receive presents they wouldn't normally be able to receive and benefit from the generosity of our community. We hope to be able to continue this tradition every year. |
AuthorSage Pickren Archives
August 2024
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