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5 ways to have fun giving back today for Give Day Tampa Bay

Published May 5, 2015

Today is Give Day Tampa Bay, a 24-hour giving event that benefits 550 local nonprofits. You can find your favorite charity and give them a boost at givedaytampabay.org. We found five off-beat ways to have fun while giving back:

1 Time your donation

Some of the corporate donors have set up some bonus prizes so that if you time your donation right, you can earn your favorite charity some extra money. The prizes are timed for:

6:46 a.m.: The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay will give an extra $5,000 to the organization that gets the donation closest to sunrise.

8:06 p.m.: The Tampa Bay Rays will give an extra $5,000 to the organization that gets the donation closest to sunset.

Noon-1 p.m.: The United Way Suncoast Lunch Break Prize gives $5,000 for the organization that raises the most during this lunch hour.

6-7 p.m.: HCI Happy Hour Prize gives a $5,000 bonus for the most donations during this hour.

11:59 p.m.: The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay's Midnight Madness prize adds a $5,000 bonus to the organization that gets the last donation of the day (the closest to midnight).

Hourly: There will be a $500 hourly Golden Ticket awarded from Sykes every hour to one nonprofit that received a donation within that hour.

Follow along on social media with the hashtag #GiveDayTampaBay.

2 Channelside party

Starting at 9 a.m. today, Channelside Bay Plaza in downtown Tampa will be the spot to find rewards doled out all day. Show that you've donated at least $25 to one of the 550 participating charities and you get a free McDonald's breakfast. Later in the day, givers wearing identifying wristbands will get 20 percent off at Hooters Channelside, $3 frozen margaritas at Hablo Taco, $3 Bud Light drafts from Boathouse Channelside, buy-one, get-one-free bowling games at Splitsville and free samples at Cold Stone Creamery, from noon to 6 p.m.

3 Ferg's party

The Animal Coalition of Tampa Bay, which provides low-cost vet services, is spreading the hashtag #cincodegiveo and will have a party at Ferg's Live in Channelside with live music, games, prizes, a Cinco de Mayo mustache contest. A bucket of Corona, Corona Light or Negra Modelo gets $1 for the Animal Coalition of Tampa. 2 p.m. to midnight at 490 Channelside Drive, Tampa. No cover.

4 Shopping perks

Hyde Park Village is giving its shoppers discounts, promotions and giveaways today to donors who give at least $25 to High Risk Hope, a nonprofit that supports families with high-risk pregnancies,

5 Hit the links

The Tampa Bay Arts and Education Network, the nonprofit that presents artistic, cultural and educational programs on Tampa Bay's cable channels, is at the Summerfield Golf Club, 13050 Summerfield Blvd. in Riverview, today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. handing out vouchers for $5 off a round of golf and a free draft beer for donors of at least $25.

Contact Sharon Kennedy Wynne at swynne@tampabay.com. Follow @SharonKWn on Twitter.