The Salvation Army is a great organization who helps those in our community who fall between the cracks.  They provide care and placement of shelter and foster children; they provide services for the homeless and less fortunate, and of course, of great importance to all Floridians, they are the first to arrive to provide disaster relief after a hurricane and the last to leave.

A "Salute to the Greatest Generation", including a guest appearance by The Red Hat Society - items were collected for low-income, home bound seniors. Three local agencies, Area Agency on Aging, Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, and Suncoast Center helped to distribute to appreciative senior citizens.

A "Salute to the Troops... The Holidays are Coming" - A most successful drive, including holiday garland, tooth brushes and tooth paste, zip lock bags, lemonade, bags of hard candy, etc. Republican activists Evelyn and Joe Bartoszek and friends put shoe boxes of items together, deliver the boxes to MacDill, with next stops... Iraq and Afghanistan.

A "Salute to People Who Put Children First" - Students at Pinellas Park and Cross Bayou Elementary and Richard L. Sanders schools benefited from all the back-to-school supplies and back packs collected!

A "Hurricane Relief and Waters Splash" - After Hurricane Charley in 2004, cases of water were dropped off at the legislative office and then delivered to Ground Zero at a Punta Gorda relief center. Also, over $1,000 was collected for The Salvation Army.

A "Diaper Drop and Teddy Bear Boogie" was dedicated to shelter foster and adoptive babies. The piled high boxes of pampers touched the ceiling... and the line of Teddy Bears dancing into the legilsative office was overwhelming! Department of Children and Families/Safe Children's Coalition were overjoyed at the community's generosity.

For two years "Keep Warm" and "Winter Warm" drives garnered blankets and socks for the homeless.

As Honorary Chairman of the 2006 Relay for Life of Seminole, Representative Waters helped to raise $70,000, a record amount of money for this event.  All money goes to the American Cancer Society for cancer research and education.

S-H-R-E-D-I-T!  During the month of August 2006 the Legislative Office of Representative Leslie Waters assisted constituents shred personal documents to protect from the dangers of identity theft.

As Honorary Chairman of the 2005 “Cooking for Kids” fundraiser to benefit Help-a-Child, Inc., Representative Waters helped to spotlight community child abuse, prevention and counseling.  Approximately $50,000 was raised for this great organization.

C-A-N I-T!  During the month of September 2006 the Legislative Office of Representative Leslie Waters held a canned food drive for the benefit of hurricane victims and the food pantries of local churches.

As Honorary Host of Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc., Representative Waters helped to raise much appreciated funds for the Hi-Five Program at the annual D’Vine Delectables Wine and Dessert event.  The Hi-Five Program teaches 4^th and 5^th grade students the valuable skills of empathy, impulse control, problem solving, and anger management in six Pinellas County schools.

In the fall of 2006, items of value from the Office of Representative Leslie Waters were given to the Rotary Club of Seminole for a silent auction fundraiser.  Proceeds of the event were divided between CASA, to support victims of spousal abuse, and McDonald House, in support of out-of-town families who are hospitalized locally.

On Thursday, November 16, 2006 a successful Tampa Bay fund raising event for the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund was held at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Leslie Waters, a contributor and event greeter had the honor of welcoming newly elected Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats, former State Representatives Sandra Murman and Kim Berfield, Pinellas County Commissioner Ronnie Duncan, Pinellas School Board member Peggy O’Shea, Judge Susan Bedinghaus, and Republican State Committeeman Paul Bedinghaus to the well-attended function.

2007 Community Support

Relay for Life - Pinellas Park

Relay for Life - Seminole

Faces of Courage - "Unveiling Breast Cancer"

Leukemia and Lymphomas Society - "Rock-a-Thon"

Race for the Cure

Disabled War Veterans

PARC Blues Festival

Salvation Army 2007 (Flyer)

Support the Troops 2007 (Flyer)