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Ornament Depicts College's Auditorium

Tribune photo by JOYCE MCKENZIE

This is the 2008 Florida College Academy Hutchison Auditorium ornamant.

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By Joyce McKenzie | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 10, 2008

Temple Terrace - Bonnie Salazar's reason for purchasing four each of all 11 Temple Terrace Heritage Collectible Ornaments is simple.

"I have three little boys who are growing up in Temple Terrace," she said. "I buy one every year for our tree and one for each of them. This way, when they get their own homes, they'll have something to hang on their Christmas trees and something that should evoke memories of their childhood years."

Salazar plans to add the 2008 ornament of Florida College's Hutchison Auditorium — built in 1961 with money donated by longtime college devotee Paul Hutchison — to her family's collection.

Jeff Nunley, a Florida college graduate and manager of its bookstore, is delighted.

"The school has been here for a long, long time and until recently it has kind of been a best-kept secret," said Nunley, a Temple Terrace resident who is happy to take credit for initiating the idea.

Similar to the other limited-edition keepsakes that depict several of the city's landmarks and notable occurrences, this year's ornament is being issued by the Temple Terrace Service League, an organization that recently merged with the Temple Terrace Junior Woman's Club. It comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity, is 24-karat gold on brass and costs $15.95.

"This is just a wonderful project," said Lynn Werner, president of the junior woman's club. "It preserves some of Temple Terrace's beauty and some of its historical properties."

The 2008 ornament, along with those from earlier years, may be purchased at four sites and are available year-round.

Proceeds help support several of the club's charities, including the Temple Terrace Library; Adopt-A-Park, a program of the Temple Terrace Leisure Services Department; LifePath Hospice; the Temple Terrace Relay for Life, which benefits the American Cancer Society; and The Spring, a temporary housing facility for domestic violence victims.

"If somebody is unable to get out to purchase an ornament, we'll make arrangements to do it for them," said Norma Walker, the project's chairwoman since its inception in 1998.

Betty Powell, a 15-year resident of Temple Terrace, wouldn't miss the opportunity to add one more to her set of ornaments.

"I started off the first year and decided to collect all of them," she said. "If my kids want them that's fine, but they'll have to wait until I'm gone."

WHAT: The Temple Terrace 2008 Heritage Collectible Ornament

WHERE TO BUY: Florida College Bookstore, 119 N. Glenn Arven Ave.; Temple Terrace Public Library, 202 Bullard Parkway; Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce, 9385 N. 56th St.; and Business Ink Printing, 8834-C N. 56th St.

COST: $15. 95

INFORMATION: Norma Walker, (813) 986-0066

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849.

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