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Fest Welcomes Holidays, Neighbors

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By LENORA LAKE, Tribune correspondent

Published: December 5, 2007

UNIVERSITY AREA - A free family festival designed to celebrate the holiday season and build community spirit is planned for Dec. 15.

The event, the Winter Holiday Festival and Family Day, will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the University Area Community Center, 14013 N. 22nd St. It will include food, storytelling, face painting, a rock-climbing wall and a variety of music, including jazz, Gospel and Latin.

It is designed to bring together people of different ethnicities and races who live in the community west of the University of South Florida.

It is sponsored by the University Area Faith-Based Coalition, the University Area Community Development Corp., Hillsborough County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, and Gulf Coast Community Care.

The plans were finalized last week at a meeting of the faith-based coalition.

"It is our way of celebrating as a community," said the Rev. David Cantillo, pastor of Iglesia Tampa para Cristo (Tampa for Christ Church) and co-chairman of the coalition. "We can come together on an equal status and celebrate all the good things we have gotten from God."

The event also will have an anti-gang focus, said Clarence James, who coordinates anti-gang efforts for Hillsborough County. The University Area is a community targeted by the county's anti-gang initiative, he said. The initiative is geared toward ages 7 to 14.

James said he and others will distribute literature and answer parents' questions.

"We want people to know how kids get involved with gangs," James said.

Sandra Bowles, program director for the anti-gang initiative of Community Care, said her organization will have information about various diversionary, recreational and education programs available to those ages 7 to 14.

Community Care works with social service organizations to provide financial resources to families that cannot afford the programs but feel they need to have their child involved in the activities, Bowles said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Winter Holiday Festival and Family Day

WHEN: From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 15

WHERE: University Area Community Center, 14013 N. 22nd St.

HOW MUCH: Free

INFORMATION: Call (813) 558-5212.

Correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851 or llake@tampatrib.com.

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