A few photos and kind words from Karen Mertes’ Commencement Address to South University!

Karen Mertes always jumps at the chance to inspire groups with her story. She recently spoke at South University in Tampa to the graduating class. Here is a snippet from the letter that Campus President James McCoy sent her —

“Your story of overcoming life’s challenges was an incredible message to our graduates, who will all face challenges/adversity in the years ahead. Additionally, your message was a source of inspiration to so many and provided a road map of how we all should promote ourselves.”

Karen R. Mertes turned a life altering tragedy into a life purpose with her organization, Fulfill Your Destiny.  Karen is a Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) from our United States Air Force, serving as the Squadron Commander in two back-to-back command tours as well as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a $169 million dollar budget at an overseas base.

In 2007, Karen’s car was struck by a drunk driver traveling over 100 mph on I-75 resulting in Karen suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  Facing the consequences of this life-changing injury, this would be the genesis which led her to create Fulfill Your Destiny.  Its signature program awards ‘Business Builder Grants’ to local entrepreneurs desiring to take their businesses to the next level.

 

Karen is a highly regarded Professional Speaker; Award Winning, Best Selling Author; Certified Entrepreneur, Leadership and Business Consultant all to benefit Fulfill Your Destiny. Karen is the creator of Fulfill Your Destiny’s annual premiere event, Spring Chari-Tea held each year in March.

 

In Honor of National Iced Tea Month, We’re Announcing the Date for 2018’s Fulfill Your Destiny’s Spring Chari-Tea Event!

Each year, Fulfill Your Destiny’s Spring Chari-Tea is a pleasurable way to celebrate Women’s History Month. March is also National Brain Injury Awareness Month and it’s when we celebrate the arrival of Spring. 

Ladies interested in supporting our community through philanthropy will attend for Great Food, Auctions, 50-50 Raffle, Surprises, Hat Contests, Prizes, ‘Your Choice’ Raffles, Free Gifts, and Fun!

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Fulfill Your Destiny’s 5th Annual Chari-Tea will take place on March 24, 2018 at The Empress Tea Room 2:30 – 5:00 PM! For sponsorship, tickets or more information; please contact Karen Mertes at karen.mertes@yahoo.com or by phone at 813-481-9895.

Tampa Bay Times Covers 2017 Fulfill Your Destiny’s Spring Chari-Tea Event!

Tampa Bay Times covered this year’s Fulfill Your Destiny’s Spring Chari-Tea Event! Times Correspondent, Lenora Lake, shared Karen Mertes’ story and her motivation to help others through the Fulfill Your Destiny charity. Lake highlighted the events that took place and a spotlight on recipient of the event’s Wheels for Success, Lyda Haaga.

Check out the entire article here!

 

 

Highlights from this year’s Fulfill Your Destiny’s Spring Chari-Tea Event!

Here are some highlights from this year’s Fulfill Your Destiny’s Spring Chari-Tea Event!

Thank you to American Momentum Bank for Sponsoring this year’s event!

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Thank you to all of our 41 Sponsors!

Showcasing our 5 Teacup Sponsors:

Sharing our 5 Oolong Tea Sponsors:

Highlighting our 11 Herbal Tea Sponsors:

Introducing our 19 Iced Tea Sponsors (listed alphabetically):

A.L. Saland Insurance Solutions, Inc.; Academic Alliance in Dermatology; Anita Roederer, Realtor, Tomlin St Cyr Real Estate Services; Biz Dynamics Group; Blo Tampa; Charity Chics North Tampa/Pasco, LLC; Cooperative Real Estate; Kohlerhaus; Marie Rosenbaum, Travel Consultant; Merchant Insurance Solutions; Robert H. Delafield, Inc.; Seven, LLC; TD Bank; South University ; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, The Centre for Women; The Women’s Council of Realtors – Tampa Network; Willow Healing; and Working Women of Tampa Bay.

Auction and Raffle Prize Donors

Thank you to our Auction and Raffle Prize Donors (list alphabetically):  AAD Aesthetics; Ackermann Maple Farm; Ana Wholley, Chole + Isabel; Art Passions; Arthur Murray Tampa; Aveda Level Salon Spa; B & D Wholesalers; Barbara Lodato; Bella’s Italian Cafe; Besito’s Mexican; Blo Tampa; Bonefish Grill; Bradford Portraits; By the Moon; Cabot Creamery Cooperative; Cat’s Creations; CompassPointz; D – K Planners & Designs; Dan Johnson Designs; Denice Nanette, Chloe + Isabel; Designer Magnetic Jewelry; Design My Course; DSW; Earring Holder Galley; Edith Hicks, Premiere Designs; Eyes on You Salon & Spa; Flourish; Hyde Park Kendra Scott; jeanique,;Jen Miller, Plunder Design Jewelry; Jewelry Designs by Carol Anne; John Mroczek; Journey into Color Photography by Kathy Lerche; Just For You; Karen Embry Designs; Karen Mertes; KateKreates; Kathy Sparks Art; Kilroy Krafts; L.A. Parker Designs; Lady Fish Designs; Lancome at Macy’s – West Shore Plaza Mall; Lori Hlavsa; M & D Fine Jewelry; Margarita Sarmiento; Michelle Linden, Cutco Independent Specialist; Nancy DeMeyer; Nautilus Soap Company; Ocean of Gold, Inc.; Out of Hand!; Pami Pocket; Pane Rustica; Paradise Potter; Pillows ‘N’ Stuff; Pilot Bank; Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel; Sarafina’s; Sea Beans with Style; Seven, LLC; Sew Be It; Shannon Abitbol, Earth Essentials; SoHo Wellness; South Tampa Chamber of Commerce; Square 1 Burger & Bar; Steve Vaughn Tropics Gallery; Sweet Shop Confections; Tampa Bay Lightning; The Busted Hourglass; The Florida Orchestra;  The Foot Whisperer Reflexology Institute; The Messy Painter; The Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium; The Write Place; Thistle Delights; Two Twisted Sisters Designs; Urban Phoenix Studios; Willow Healing; Woodsmith of Naples; and  Ybor City Wine Bar.

 

Tomorrow is Our Fulfill Your Destiny’s Spring Chari-Tea Event!

Tomorrow is our 2017 Spring Chari-Tea event! We wanted to recognize that Fulfill Your Destiny’s 2017 Spring Chari-Tea is being presented by American Momentum Bank.

Our signature event on Mar 25, 2017 returns again to the beautiful Empress Tea Room located at 12924 N Dale Mabry Hwy in Tampa, FL, a locally owned and operated elegant Tea Room and Event Dining venue.  Our 2017 Fulfill Your Destiny’s Spring Chari-Tea will be from 2:30 – 5:00 PM on Saturday, Mar 25, 2017. 

Highlights from Fulfill Your Destiny’s 2016 Spring Chari-Tea presented by C1 Bank

One highlight from our 2016 Spring Chari-Tea was presenting Teri A with a ‘new to her’ Honda Accord.  Fulfill Your Destiny and Wheels of Success partnered to make this happen when Fulfill Your Destiny donated $3,000 to Wheels of Success for their ‘Build a Car’ program.  For the second year in a row, Fulfill Your Destiny and Wheels of Success have partnered to present a local woman with a car at Fulfill Your Destiny’s annual Spring Chari-Tea.

Big thanks to our 2016 Teapot Title Sponsor, C1 Bank, our other 37 very generous sponsors, as well as the 100 beautiful ladies that attended our signature annual event. Together we positively impacted a single mother’s life!

Another highlight from our Spring Chari-Tea this year was helping the clients at PARC.  Fulfill Your Destiny commissioned PARC to make custom Teapot and Teacup ornaments through a donation Fulfill Your Destiny made to PARC.  All guests that attended Fulfill Your Destiny’s 2016 Spring Chari-Tea presented by C1 Bank received one of those special custom made ornaments as a gift for attending this year’s Chari-Tea.

Fulfill Your Destiny recognizes people and organizations who have helped further our mission of helping others by presenting them with Fulfill Your Destiny’s H.E.R.O. – ‘Hands Eagerly Reach Out’ to help others when and where needed awards.  This year, Fulfill Your Destiny’s H.E.R.O. Awards were presented to Kristi Campbell of Home Instead Senior Care and Tara Richter, Richter Publishing, LLC.

Kristie Campbell of Home Instead Senior Care was presented with Fulfill Your Destiny’s H.E.R.O. Award for suggesting Karen Mertes, founder of Fulfill Your Destiny. She seeks sponsors for her speaking engagements.  Kristie Campbell of Home Instead Senior Care then generously and repeatedly sponsored several of Karen’s presentations.

Tara Richer, Richter Publishing, LLC, as the publisher of Karen’s book, PLAINTIFF 101, helped make PLAINTIFF 101 a #1 Amazon Best Seller and a #1 Hot New Release.  Since all the proceeds from PLAINTIFF 101 are donated directly to Fulfill Your Destiny, Tara and Richter Publishing have also helped further our mission of helping others.

March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month!

Fulfill Your Destiny helps people whose careers have been altered by injury or other unforeseen circumstances.  Special consideration is given to survivors living with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Objectives—

1) Keep People Working:  To provide financial support to individuals whose careers have been altered due to permanent injuries or unforeseen circumstances, including, but not limited to traumatic brain injuries for the purpose of obtaining vocational counseling, educational or occupational retraining.

2) Inspire and Motivate:  To educate others about those personal challenges facing any of us suffering injuries that permanently changes our lives. How we confront our challenges is the key to the core motto of Fulfill Your Destiny: Character Drives Destiny. We teach people that we are all defined by our character, which compels us to pick up the pieces and carry on when confronted with tremendous obstacles.

3) Build Awareness and Educate:  To offer assistance – educational, financial, volunteer time and/or in-kind services directly to individuals and other non-profit corporations, to increase awareness of traumatic brain injuries and to support those who have experienced TBIs.

 

For more facts about National Brain Injury Awareness Month click here!

Special Thanks to American Momentum Bank for Sponsoring Fulfill Your Destiny’s 2017 Spring Chari-Tea!

With our 2017 Chari-Tea event just a month away, we wanted to recognize that Fulfill Your Destiny’s 2017 Spring Chari-Tea is being presented by American Momentum Bank. Here are some facts about American Momentum Bank:

– American Momentum Bank is committed to providing financial momentum to those in the communities it serves.

– As one of this country’s strongest and most secure banks, American Momentum Bank offers innovative financial solutions, products, and services for businesses and individuals.

– American Momentum Bank has 15 full-service banking centers in Florida, including Tampa, Orlando, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Naples and Winter Garden.

– With total assets over $1.1 billion, American Momentum Bank’s strong capitalization, superior asset quality, and experienced management teams position it as one of the premier banks in the state.

Fulfill Your Destiny is so thankful for American Momentum Bank’s generosity and we are looking forward to another successful event in on March 25, 2017, at The Empress Tea Room from 2:30 – 5:00 PM.

We hope to see you there!