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Local heroes get grants for causes

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By LENORA LAKE

llake@tampatrib.com

Published: November 11, 2009

TAMPA - Roberta Skinner likes seeing people overcome limitations.

She volunteers are Quantum Leap Farms in Odessa, where she helps children with autism, disabled adults and returning veterans with brain injuries through therapeutic horseback riding and equestrian activities. She also serves as vice president of the board of directors for the 9-year-old nonprofit organization.

For her seven years of volunteer work, Skinner, an Odessa resident, recently was named one five Local Heroes through Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Awards. A $5,000 donation will be given to the nonprofit organization in her honor.

Skinner, who rode horses as a child, also purchases and delivers supplies, organizes fundraisers, gives riding instruction and underwrites the cost of care of one horse. Last year, 500 people were helped by the nonprofit.

"I've always received much more than I have given," Skinner said in accepting her award at a Nov. 4 ceremony at Tampa Theatre.

She said she was surprised by the recognition. But Edie Dopkag, Quantum Leap Farms' executive director, said, "The rest of us weren't surprised. She's great."

The Rev. Tom Atchison of north Tampa also was among the winners, with $5,000 going to his organization, New Beginnings Tampa Inc.

Founded in 2000, the organization at 1402 E. Chilkoot Ave. provides transitional housing, substance abuse counseling, emergency shelter and a program that provides about 2,000 meals a week to homeless people.

Atchison told the award celebration guests, many of whom were former clients, that long-term addiction treatment had "hard moments and good times."

He said there are "times when we think we are making progress and then things fall apart."

But the successes help keep him going.

The organization also sponsors housing for children aging out of the foster-care system and is about to begin work on remodeling a house for female veterans and their children. It has helped more than 4,000 people in its nine-year history.

Other winners of $5,000 were Joseph and Norma Robinson for their work in revitalizing Sulphur Springs, with the money going to the Sulphur Springs Museum; Jennifer Leigh, for her work in providing therapy for children who could not afford it, with her winnings going to Kids In Balance; and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Warrick Dunn for his Homes for the Holidays program, which has provided homes for 86 single parents with more than 200 children. The money will go to the Warrick Dunn Foundation.

"God gave me the ability to play football, which made it possible to reach out," he said.

The ceremony also included the Neighborhood Builders grants for $200,000 each to Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay Inc. and the Tampa Theatre Foundation.

Rebuilding Together offers residential housing rehabilitation programs to improve living conditions for low-income families, especially for seniors and the disabled. The Tampa Theatre Foundation supports the theater, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, it provided more than 35,000 students with access to educational and artistic programming.

Tribune correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 259-7662.

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