Businesses helping vets
Volunteers like Wes Van Hout, left, Jan Roberts, Rene Van Hout, Austin Williamson, Karen Horgan, Robin Hanna and Sam Mendolera, collect donations to help struggling and homeless veterans and families through Metropolitan Ministries. The office staff of LOL Transport & Moving at the intersection of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and Ehren Cutoff are collecting items like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, shaving cream, and feminine products. To get someone from LOL Transport to pick up donations, call (813) 996-3775.
Women-n-Charge meeting
Women-n-Charge will meet Sept. 5 from 11:30 a.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.
The meeting includes lunch, a featured speaker, and networking.
Cost is $15 for members, and those who register the Tuesday before the meeting, and $18 for everyone else.
For information, call (813) 600-9849, or email .
Nominations sought for business awards
Bright House Networks and local chambers of commerce are seeking nominations for its second annual Regional Business Awards.
The awards honor companies, organizations and people who have made an impact with their products, services and thought leadership in the business community.
Nominations are currently being accepted through Sept. 26 in four categories ranging from small business to large business, including a category for start-ups.
Bright House will award prizes including commercial television production, airtime, customer newsletter and cash, with a total value of more than $1 million.
Those interested in applying can visit tinyurl.com/BrightHouseAwards.
The winning businesses will be honored at a dinner Feb. 5 at the Tampa Convention Center.
The $100 application fee is waived for members of local participating chambers of commerce.
More jobs in Florida
The job sector in Florida continues to grow, with another 2,100 people given an opportunity to earn a paycheck in July.
That helped the state’s unemployment rate drop to 6.2 percent, down from the 7.3 percent recorded a year ago, but flat with June.
Florida’s unemployment rate has steadily dropped since clocking in at 11.1 percent in late 2010, and has followed the economic recovery of the rest of the nation as it emerged from the Great Recession. The annual job growth rate, however, has exceeded the nation’s rate since April 2012, Gov. Rick Scott’s office said, creating 620,300 jobs since December 2010.
In July, the state’s 24 regional workforce boards reported more than 39,100 people were placed in jobs. This counts anyone who receives employment and training assistance through a CareerSource Center, and finds a job within 180 days. Of these people, a little more than 8,000 received unemployment benefits, according to a release.
Winn-Dixie joins forces with Gators, Seminoles
Winn-Dixie, with locations throughout the region, has finalized a multi-year, multi-sport agreement to become the official exclusive supermarket of the University of Florida and Florida State University.
The agreements pair nearly 400 Florida-based Winn-Dixie stores with two of the largest and successful collegiate sports brands, the company said in a release.
With the official designation at both schools, Winn-Dixie secures the exclusive use of the athletic logos and trademarks in its advertising, signage and other marketing platforms throughout the year, including consumer promotions that will provide fans with the chance to with a variety of prizes tied to their favorite school and sport.
The partnership also will provide Winn-Dixie prominent presence and its customers VIP access during football tailgating festivities outside of Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville.
Bank stands up to cancer
Fifth Third Bank has returned its “Pay to the Order Of” campaign that earlier this year raised more than $2.3 million for Stand Up to Cancer.
The campaign was first launched in January and leverages new checking accounts to help drive donations that support collaborative cancer research programs, the company said in a release. For each new customer who opens a checking account with direct deposit, and makes three online bill payments, Fifth Third will give $150 to the customer and donate $150 to the cancer organization, more commonly known as SU2C.
The campaign runs through Oct. 17.
Bank offers student sweepstakes
Fifth Third Bank has launched its annual Student Banking Sweepstakes.
Through Sept. 30, students who open a checking account will be automatically entered into a sweepstakes offering $10,000 toward college tuition.
Last year’s winner was Tre’ Watson, a rising football star at Tampa Catholic High School.
For more information, visit 53.com/students.
