Chamber of Commerce initiates Veteran-owned Business program
By LOIS KINDLE
The Sun City Center Area Chamber of Commerce is implementing a new program, designed to recognize veteran-owned businesses. By presenting his or her DD214, anyone who has served honorably in any branch of the United States military and is a business owner can obtain a free 4-inch by 4-inch window cling that indicates such from the chamber.
“The focus of the chamber’s Veterans Affairs Committee is to build awareness among our members and the community of any veteran-run or veteran-related activity throughout the Tampa Bay area,” said chairwoman Debbie Bates, an Allstate Insurance Co. agency owner. “There is a large number of veterans in this community, and we felt the cling would be one of the ways we could help raise awareness.”
Members of the chamber’s Veterans Affairs Committee are Bill Hodges, Connie Huber, Cedrick Wilson, Jim Haney, Lynne Conlan, Bob Black, Rich Rohde, Robert Carney, Ted Manna and Frank Stulic Jr.
They are currently promoting the 2019 Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games, to be hosted for the first time at various locations in the Tampa Bay area by the U.S. Special Operations Command, June 21 to 30.
The event is a head-to-head adaptive sports competition of service members and veterans who were injured, wounded or ill during their time in service.
The games showcase their tenacity, determination and resilience in the face of upper-body, lower-body and spinal cord injuries; traumatic brain injuries; visual impairment; serious illnesses; and post-traumatic stress.
The athletes will compete in teams in wheelchair basketball, archery, track and field, cycling, shooting, seated volleyball, swimming, indoor rowing, powerlifting, time-trial cycling, golf, wheelchair tennis and wheelchair rugby.
These teams will represent the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Special Operations Command; the United Kingdom Armed Forces; Australian Defence Force; Canadian Armed Forces; Armed Forces of the Netherlands; and the Danish Armed Forces.
Volunteers ages 14 and older are needed. To sign up, visit www.DoDWarriorGames.com and click “volunteer” on the homepage. From there, you’ll be directed to the registration form. Fill out the information requested and submit the form. All personal data submitted by applicants is confidential.
Be sure to include a personal email address in the application, so you will be notified once it is processed. If you are selected, you will be contacted with further information.
“We are co-sponsoring a bus with the Suncoast Community Health Center to take some of our members to watch the wheelchair basketball finals from 3 to 8 p.m. June 28,” said Lynne Conlan, the chamber’s executive director. “Representing a community of so many veterans, we feel it’s important to honor and thank those participating in the Warrior Games for their sacrifices.”