Jason Jones named chairman of Boy Scouts district
The Boy Scouts of America’s Timucua District will now be chaired by Plant City businessman Jason Jones through 2021, the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council announced last week.
Jones will now oversee the second-most populous district in the Tampa Bay area. The Timucua District has 52 units across southern Hillsborough County, including Plant City, Riverview, Brandon, Valrico, Lithia and Apollo Beach. The district also has three Venture crews and a Sea Scout ship for older scouts.
“The way I live my life is through the Scout Law,” Jones said in a press release. “I love to be active in my community and serve on as many boards as I can. God, family and giving back to my community, that’s what I enjoy doing.”
Jones is the owner of Advantage Restoration & Contracting and past chairman of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and the Plant City Family YMCA. He has also been vice-chairman of the Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center and a member of the Plant City Planning Board.
He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout back in his own scouting days and got involved locally as a volunteer when his son joined the Cub Scouts. Jones has also been a den leader and an assistant Scoutmaster. Jones said his goal is to keep kids active outdoors and keep all of the Timucua units going strong in the second year of life in the time of COVID-19.
“The biggest challenge is going to be this post-COVID period, getting kids active and out of the house,” Jones said. “We’re going to do it. We’ve got some great leaders. It will be a challenge, but we can do it. We can succeed.”
In-person Girl Scout cookie sales start Friday
Girl Scout cookie fanatics have likely already taken advantage of the scouts’ Digital Cookie platform and other virtual methods to get their cookies from the comfort of their own homes.
But for those who don’t have the patience to wait for shipping — and nothing beats having the cookies in your hand as soon as possible — need not wait much longer. Girl Scouts of West Central Florida announced last week that in-person cookie booth sales are coming back tomorrow.
Publix, Walmart, Sam’s Club and Winn-Dixie stores around western Central Florida will host local scouts’ cookie booths from Feb. 12 through March 14. The scouts encourage all who wish to buy in-person to practice social distancing and follow COVID-19 safety protocols to keep everyone safe.
If you still wish to buy cookies virtually, you can download the Girl Scout Cookie Finder app on your phone and buy cookies from a local troop.
Snap a Selfie contest winding down
Have you taken a selfie or a funny photo with one of the many J. Seward Johnson sculptures downtown? You may be able to make some money from it.
The Arts Council of Plant City’s Snap a Selfie contest, for which the submission deadline is Feb. 15, invites Plant City residents to share their best photos on Facebook for a chance to win one of three cash prizes. The group asks participants to post their photo with a title on its Facebook page, then share your post yourself to get as many likes as possible. Winners will be contacted on Facebook Messenger and will be able to claim their prizes on the Feb. 21 Arts Council Walking Tour. The top entry will get $50 in cash and $50 in gift cards, the runner-up will receive $25 in cash/$50 in gift cards and the third-place finisher will get $25 in cash and gift cards.
Message the Arts Council on Facebook for more information.
YMCA offers free diabetes prevention program for Medicare participants
Qualified Medicare participants can partake in the YMCAs of Tampa Bay’s evidence-based, CDC-approved Diabetes Prevention Program at no cost to them. The 12-month lifestyle modification program has been proven to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes for those who are at risk.
The Y Diabetes Prevention Program is offered both in-person and virtually at YMCAs across Tampa Bay, including the Plant City Family YMCA. A trained lifestyle coach provides a supportive environment where participants learn how to incorporate healthy eating, physical activity and behavior modification into their daily lives.
Qualified Medicare participants can partake in the YMCAs of Tampa Bay’s evidence-based, CDC-approved Diabetes Prevention Program at no cost to them. The 12-month lifestyle modification program has been proven to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes for those who are at risk.
Many insurance providers, including Medicare, Medicare Advantage, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Florida Blue and United Healthcare offer this program as a covered benefit for anyone who has been diagnosed as having prediabetes or who is at a high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. To qualify, Medicare recipients must have an A1C between 5.7-6.4 or a fasting glucose of 110-125.
For more information, contact the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA at YDPP@tampaymca.org.