COMMUNITY NEWS BRIEFS: Volunteers sought for giveback, CF earns Purple Star certification, TEDxOcala speakers announced
Chloe Follins, left, and Mary Brewster, right, of the Early Learning Coalition of Marion County, pass out books to children during the Back-to-School Community Giveback in Ocala on July 27, 2024. Volunteers are needed for this year’s event on July 26. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
Volunteers needed for Back-to-School Community Giveback
The Back-to-School Community Giveback is returning on July 26, with the goal of serving thousands of students and families across Marion County.
Hosted in partnership with the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County, AdventHealth Ocala, Marion County Public Schools, The Rock Program, Stuff the Bus, Heart of Florida Health Center, College of Central Florida, Marion County Children’s Alliance and numerous local organizations, the annual event ensures that children begin the school year equipped with the tools they need to succeed, provided materials noted.
The event will provide more than 6,000 backpacks filled with age-appropriate school supplies, along with access to additional community resources. The main distribution will take place at the CF Klein Center with a large secondary location at the Heart of Florida Health Center and several satellite locations.
Volunteers are needed at each location to help welcome families and distribute supplies. A virtual orientation will be held July 21.
For information about volunteering, sponsoring or registering a child for a backpack, go to ocalafoundation.org/back-to-school-community-giveback or contact Ashley Gerds at [email protected] or (352) 622‑5020, ext. 105.
CF designated a Collegiate Purple Star Campus
The College of Central Florida has been designated a Collegiate Purple Star Campus. [Photo courtesy CF]
CF’s Veterans Success Center, located in the Bryant Student Union on the Ocala Campus, is a dedicated space for student veterans and veterans’ dependents where they can connect with the CF Veterans Services department for assistance with college applications, the transition to college life and guidance in Veterans Affairs education benefit programs. The center also serves as a meeting place for the CF Veterans Association, a student-led organization that provides peer support for veterans and their families.
CF is the 13th Florida College System school to earn the distinction since the Collegiate Purple Star Campus program was established by the Florida Legislature in 2023, the news release stated.
To learn more, go to cf.edu/veterans
TEDxOcala speakers announced
TEDxOcala,, an independently organized TED event, has announced that its 11th annual event will take place Nov. 8 at the College of Central Florida. The theme, Pivot, will explore how shifts in thinking, identity, community and industry can create powerful change, both personal and collective.
From a pool of more than 200 applicants from across the United States and internationally, TEDxOcala selected this lineup of speakers and topics:
* Ibrahim Awad – Unchosen Identity
* Chad Carden – Perception to Perspective
* Mitchel Roth – Pivoting of Inmate/Staff Roles
* Ike Anderson – Unmasking Effect
* Madinah Wilson-Anton – Authenticity/Clean Humor
* Richard Corey – Legal Reasoning for Life Changes
* Matt Parr – Understanding Stem Cells
* Allen Simmons – Soft Skills
* Melanie Klein – Antifragility
* Yasmine Shahwan – Community as a Healing Model
* Lee Pepper – Business Strategy vs. Hustle
* Poornima Srinivasan – Blockchain Bartering
* Dennis Gonzalez – Assumptions and Consequences
* Jean Lowery – Power of Pivot
* John Berry – Carrying Unsubstantiated Guilt
* DeLon Canterbury – Deprescribing
“This year’s theme, Pivot, reflects our belief that meaningful change often begins when we find the courage to shift direction, rethink what we know, and embrace new possibilities,” said Manal Fakhoury, TEDxOcala licensee and curator, in the news release. “We’re thrilled to bring this diverse group of speakers to our community and continue fostering conversations that inspire action.”
To learn more, go to tedxocala.com
Tiffany Edith gestures as she speaks during TEDxOcala at the College of Central Florida in Ocala on Nov. 9, 2024. [File art by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]
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