Second Soiree a solid success

Posted Jun 8, 2012 by TBO.com

Updated Jun 9, 2012 at 12:48 AM

How would you like to wake up in the morning and face a day of launching and managing major amateur sporting events, like a fun and games job?

Most of us would love it, a dream come true, and that is what the Tampa Bay Sports Commission precisely does. Headed by the capable, running all of the time, Rob Higgins, the organization is public and private. “Their mission is to attract, promote and /or organize major amateur sporting events, and grassroots youth sports programs, that foster the ongoing development and quality of life for the entire Tampa Bay Area.  With a full service approach, this organization provides leadership and guidance for the oncoming events.”

Part of what Rob and his staff do is to attract such events to Tampa and then help them put on their activities. All of the information on the events is on their
website, very impressive.

This is the second year that this organization has appeared in the Breakfast Bonus Tom McEwen blog when he was invited to the 1st Tampa Bay Sneaker Soiree at the Pepin Hospitality Centre last year, he was not well and the affair was attended by my daughter and I. As I ended up writing that blog, I said how creative the event was and how impressive it was that so many people attended the sporting event/banquet, Tom was disappointed not to go.

But this year after Tom’s death, and the loss of Freddie Solomon and LeRoy Selmon all good friends and so valuable to this community, it was a time for special rememberances. Each one was given a special reward and Tom’s was a special Tom McEwen Community Advocate of the Year award to be given every year to a deserving citizen.  This year it was given to the twin brothers, George and Leonard Levy, both terrifically civic minded and in action for many years in our area. For Freddie Solomon, it was the Moral Courage Award, and for Leroy, it was the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The new format of a round table discussion was with the principals of the Tampa Bay Bucs, Mark Dominik, the Tampa Bay Rays, Andrew Friedman and the Tampa Bay Lightning, Steve Yzerman, called the General Manager’s Roundtable this year, the first was of the owners.  The second Sneaker Soiree, yes all are encouraged to wear sneakers, featured a series of recognitions and awards to Tampa Bay recipients and a number of celebrities, especially Jennifer Capriatti, our great tennis player, who was an awards presenter.

For the McEwen family, we appreciated the recognition for Tom as he had given his time and devotion to promoting sports in the Tampa Bay area and was still writing up to his death about bringing new events to our community. A special thank you to Rob Higgins and the members of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.

- Linda McEwen