The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Big Brothers Big Sisters looking for more than a few good men

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Big Brother Big Sisters of Tampa Bay Is seeking more male mentors.

Its goal is to enroll 100 men in 100 days.

In announcing its campaign, organization officials said the need has never been greater, as there are hundreds of children on its waiting list. And, the vast majority of those waiting for a positive role model are boys.

These are boys who, with the approval of their parent or legal guardian, have raised their hand and asked for help from Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The campaign kicked off on Aug. 18 and is scheduled to conclude on Nov. 25.

Last year, the organization attracted 150 men — who enrolled and completed training — during its 100 Men in 100 Days campaign.

This year, it hopes to attract even more men volunteers, according to a news release.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization in the nation and has been operating in the Tampa Bay area for more than 50 years.

The agency matches caring adult mentors, called Bigs to match with boys and girls, called Littles.

The Littles are facing any number of challenges, which can include living in poverty, coming from a single-parent home, living with a relative or having a parent who is incarcerated.

Ninety-eight percent of the children matched for more than a year in 2016 advanced to the next school grade, and 98 percent had no involvement with the juvenile justice system.

“Of course, we need-and appreciate-all our volunteers,” said Stephen Koch, President and CEO, in the release. “But we’ve found with so many great young, local boys waiting, we need to put an emphasis on getting the message out to potential male volunteers,” said Koh, who is a long-term Big Brother, himself.

“Many of these young boys need a positive male role model in their lives and having a mentor can make the difference between those kids getting in with the wrong crowd or staying on the right track,” he said.

“It’s easy to get discouraged for a lot of our kids, who are growing up in some difficult circumstances. Our Bigs help motivate our Littles to keep working hard in school and life, because it is so worth it! It’s time for us all to step it up and make it happen for these boys who have asked for our help. It’s time for the men of Tampa Bay to go Big,” Koch said.

Volunteers are screened and trained before being matched with a child.

Bigs must be at least 18 years of age. They are asked to make a minimum 12-month commitment in the School-Based mentoring program, where they see their Little one hour each week during the school year.

They are asked for a minimum 15-month commitment in the Community-Based mentoring program, where they pick up their Little from home (typically on the weekend or in the evenings) twice a month and engage in activities of mutual interest — going to ball games, hiking/biking, spending time at the beach and so on.

Many of the relationships last well beyond the minimum commitment, with the match officially staying together until the child graduates high school, then remaining friends into adulthood.

Koch said that their Bigs come in all sizes, shapes, backgrounds, and age. Those men who have a particular love of sports might consider signing up for the Sports Buddies program which is supported by the Tampa Bay Rays, where the Bigs and Littles spend their time together either watching or participating in sports. “The options are limitless,” Koch said, “and the difference you’ll make can be life-changing for this young person and for the volunteer, as well. In fact, most of our volunteers tell us that they think they get more out of the relationship than our Littles.”

Anyone interested in becoming a Big can get started by attending a Big Orientation & Training session. For a complete schedule of sessions near you, go to our website at www.bbbstampabay.org and follow the “Volunteer” links.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

 

 

It’s time for the Autumn Market at the Old Lutz School

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Organizers of Autumn Market Day at the Old Lutz School hope that motorists passing by on busy U.S. 41 will decide to stop and shop for awhile.

This year’s Autumn Market Day is set for Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the school grounds at 18819 N. U.S. 41.

The event seeks to raise money for upkeep and improvements at a school that is on the National Register of Historic Places and where generations of Lutz children were educated before it was closed a few decades ago.

The building is considered a community icon and there’s such a strong attachment to it that a group called Citizens for the Old Lutz School

Here’s what the Old Lutz School looked like decades ago — not much different from what it looks like today. (File)

holds occasional fundraisers to preserve the building for future generations.

“We really, really need people from the community to come out and walk the event. You can’t have these things and nobody show up because then you don’t have these special events anymore,” said Suzin Carr, a two-time Lutz Guv’na who has been the lead organizer of the event in recent years, but is transitioning out of that role because she has moved to Citrus Park.

Stefanie Ensor, another former Lutz Guv’na, is the new market coordinator, Carr said, adding that Ensor has done an excellent job of organizing the event.

Ensor said she expects 35 to 40 vendors to be there, offering jewelry, candles, tote bags, vintage gifts, plants, custom handmade wood signs, among other things. Some nonprofit organizations and a politician have also rented out spaces, she said.

“It’s a perfect holiday time to buy gifts and to support local vendors as well as nonprofits,” Carr said. Plus, there will be a bake sale.

Proceeds from the Autumn Market will be used to pay for electricity and building upkeep.

“We’re always up there replanting and weeding and painting and mulching,” said Ensor, a member of the Old Lutz School Board.

The event also includes a micro-irrigation and water conservation class by the Hillsborough County Extension Service, which begins at 10 a.m.

The Old Lutz School Museum also will be open, with some long-time Lutz residents there to talk about Lutz’s early days, and the role the school has played over time.

The old brick building was designed by Frank A. Winn Jr., who also designed the Seminole Heights Methodist Church in Tampa, the Municipal Fishing Pier and Pavilion in Ballast Point Park and Tampa Heights Methodist Church, according to the Citizens for the Old Lutz School’s website.

Originally, the building had four rooms downstairs and a large auditorium upstairs. But within a few years, the auditorium was divided into four rooms, plus a teacher’s room, the website reports.

The site where the old brick school building stands is the same place where Lutz had its first schoolhouse.

That was a one-room frame schoolhouse, built by the North Tampa Land Company in 1910, says an account on the group’s website. Records show that 37 students, first through eighth grade, attended Lutz School in 1912. They were taught by 18-year-old Callie Berry, who was the school’s principal and teacher — earning $39 a day.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

 

 

Pasco County Health Department issues rabies alert

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A rabies alert has been issued for a portion of Pasco County by Mike Napier, county health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

The rabies alert has been issued for an area that’s generally west of Morris Bridge Road, south of State Road 54, east of Ashton Oaks Boulevard and north of Chancey Road.

Mike Napier, county health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County. (File)

The alert came in response to a raccoon that tested positive for rabies on Oct. 3, according to a health department news release.

Residents should be aware that rabies is present in the wild animal population and domestic animals are at risk, if they’re not vaccinated, the release says.

The public is being asked to maintain a heightened awareness that rabies is active in Pasco County.

While the alert designates a specific area of Pasco for heightened awareness, officials want to be sure that residents don’t have a false sense of security in areas that are not named in the alert.

The rabies alert is effective for 60 days.

All domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies and all wildlife contact should be avoided, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes.

Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm blooded animals and humans. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. Appropriate treatment started soon after the exposure, will protect an exposed person from the disease.

To reduce potential exposure to rabies:

  • Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.
  • If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.
  • Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals by leaving pet food outside, or garbage cans open.
  • Do not adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
  • Teach children not to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
  • Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.
  • If you are bitten by any animal seek care promptly. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Go to your family doctor or hospital for medical attention immediately.
  • Contact Pasco County Animal Services at (727) 834-3216, (813) 929-1212, or (352) 521-5194 to report animal bites or scratches and for information on stray dogs and cats.
  • Contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at (863) 648-3203 for concerns about wild animals.

For further information on rabies, go to the Florida Department of Health website http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/medicine/rabies/rabies-index.html or contact Florida Department of Health Pasco County, (352) 521-1450, Ext. 344.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

Central Pasco chamber is on the move

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The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce is looking to expand and relocate after nearly 15 years at its current location, 2810 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The chamber’s building is on the market.

As soon as a sale goes through, plans tentatively are to move to a small medical and business center, off State Road 54, adjacent to Highland Oaks Preserve, west of Livingston Road.

Shalyah Fearing, a local singer and contestant on ‘The Voice,’ performed at the Land O’ Lakes Music Festival. (File)

“The (current) building is outdated,” said David Gainer, chairman of the chamber’s board of directors.

Renovations were considered but Gainer said there was too little land to accommodate a larger building and parking. “We’re land-locked. There is no more room to add parking.”

With a membership currently totaling about 420 businesses more space is essential, Gainer added.

In 2015, the chamber celebrated its 40th anniversary. The nonprofit also merged with the Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to form one organization.

Central Pasco chamber began in 1975 with a more localized moniker – the Land O’ Lakes Chamber of Commerce. But, the local chamber evolved into a broader mission that covers residents and businesses in central Pasco and northern Hillsborough County.

Member businesses come from Land O’Lakes, Lutz, Odessa, Trinity, Shady Hills, Spring Hill and Wesley Chapel.

During the year, the chamber sponsors numerous events and awards in support of the business community including a golf tournament, music festival and the “Heart of Pasco Award.”

“Our membership is growing,” he said. “We’re going to be adding staff and we don’t have room. Our board of directors can’t meet there so we meet at Copperstone Executive Suites.”

Gainer said the chamber is growing in response to all the new residential and commercial development in and around Land O’ Lakes.

“A lot of small businesses are doing well in this area and the region,” Gainer said.

He also attributed membership growth to the chamber’s decision to hire its first marketing and membership director, Suzanne Beauchaine.

“She’s doing a great job,” Gainer said.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

Building the community, one check at a time

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After the race for the Lutz Guv’na wraps up every year, the money raised is doled out to local groups and causes.

Kori Rankin is the 2017 winner of the Lutz Guv’na’s race and she has the plaque to prove it. She’s shown here with Paul Vahue, emcee of a celebration held to pass out checks from the annual race’s proceeds. (B.C. Manion)

This year the race drew candidates Greg Gilbert of Beef O’ Brady’s Lutz, Jessica Sherman with Pinch A Penny, and Kori Rankin, of Kori Rankin Photography. Ultimately, Rankin won the Guv’na’s sash. Her stepmother, Jennifer Rankin, won the sash in 2015.

The 2017 campaign for the honorary title generated more than $7,000 in contributions and the checks to local groups were handed out in a ceremony on Oct. 3 at the Old Lutz School.

This year’s recipients included the Old Lutz School, the Lutz Chiefs, the Lutz Cemetery, Girl Scout Troop 2717, Boy Scout Troop 12, Books for Troops, the Lutz Patriots, the Little Woman of Lutz, The Lutz/Land O Lakes Women’s Club, Steinbrenner High School Student Ambassadors, and Martinez Middle School, Learning Gate Community School, and the North Tampa/Lutz Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol.

Suzin Carr, a two-time Lutz Guv’na, said the good that the funds help to generate goes beyond sheer dollars.

“All of these little nonprofits, we’re keeping them healthy and whole,” Carr said.

“A candidate gets to decide where 10 percent of their money goes,” she said.

“The Girl Scout Troop, for instance, this year they were recipients of Jessica Sherman’s 10

Paul Vahue hands a check to representative of the North Tampa/Lutz Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol. The group received a portion of this year’s proceeds from the Lutz Guv’na’s race. (B.C. Manion)

percent,” she said.

“That group can also apply for more money,” Carr noted.

“That scout group is going to go for an overnight at NASA. That’s something they could not afford, if this had not happened,” she said.

“You don’t know the impact that that will have, even if it’s just on one of those girls, what their future could be as a result of that trip,” Carr added.

The Civil Air Patrol cadets were there and they talked about their mission, she said. When a disaster hits, they’re among the first people on the ground to analyze what’s needed in an area, she said.

“It’s a tremendous feeling to be able to watch the money come in one hand, and immediately within a matter of a month or two go right back to the community,” Carr said.

The night the funds were being distributed a group from Learning Gate Community School arrived early, Carr said. “They helped set it up.

“This is a night to celebrate them, and here they are setting up tables and chairs, bringing stuff in from the cars to get it ready for everyone else,” she said.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

Area teenager bowls perfect 300 in North Carolina tournament

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Chandler Carr, who got his start bowling at Royal Lanes in Lutz, shot his first sanctioned perfect 300 in the Randy Pedersen 4 Game Sweeper in Shallotte, North Carolina.

He achieved the perfect score on Oct. 7 at Planet Fun, helping him to take fifth place in the competition.

Chandler Carr recently shot a perfect 300, while he was in Shallotte, North Carolina. (Courtesy of Suzin Carr)

Carr — whose mom is Suzin Carr, the only person to win the Lutz Guv’na race twice — has done a substantial amount of volunteer work at the Old Lutz School in Lutz, and in various Lutz activities.

The family moved to Citrus Park in November.

Besides this most recent accomplishment, Carr is one of 25 finalists for the Positive Coaching Alliance-Tampa Bay Chapter “Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship.”

The 17-year-old will be the Athlete of the Week in partnership with Casper’s Company on 860AM radio on Oct. 14.

Carr is a senior at Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School. Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate Charter School is the only public school in Hillsborough County which has a bowling team.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

Chalk Talk 10/11/2017

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AP exam scores improve
More Pasco County students scored the highest level on Advanced Placement (AP) exams in 2017 than in any previous year, and equaled or exceeded peer performances in the state, nation and globally on seven subject area exams.

These achievements occurred while Pasco County increased the number of students taking AP exams. Across the district, 4,174 students took 7,281 exams, which was a 2.9 percent increase from the previous year.

District-wide, 54 percent of the tests taken resulted in a score of 3.0 or better, matching the district’s previous record high from 2014.

Scores of Level 3, Level 4 or Level 5 are considered to reflect proficiency at the college level.

For the fourth year in a row, more Pasco students scored a Level 5, the highest possible passing score, than the prior year.

The number of Level 4 and Level 5 scores either exceeded or matched the district’s best performances.

Compared to state averages, Pasco County matched the number of Level 5 scores, and exceeded the number of Level 3 and 4 scores.

Pasco also had fewer Level 1 scores than the state.

To access the subject comparisons, visit tinyurl.com/yajqwquw.

Fall open house
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, 13651 Hays Road in Spring Hill, will host a Fall Open House Oct. 15 from noon to 3 p.m.

Admissions testing will be Nov. 4.

For information, call (727) 857-2600, ext. 244, or visit BMCHS.com.

Academy open house
Hillel Academy, 2020 W. Fletcher Ave., in Tampa, will host an open house Oct. 24, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Hillel is the city’s only private Jewish day school.

Topics will be academic secular programming, Hebrew and Judaics, art, music, physical education and technology programs. There also will be door prizes, tours, goody bags and refreshments.

For information or to RSVP, call (813) 963-2242, email , or visit HillelAcademyTampa.com/admissions.

National Merit semifinalists
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Semifinalists from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area include:

  • Freedom High School: Annie Cao, Ryan Dembo and Catherine Weng
  • Land O’ Lakes High School: Joshua Brett, Nathan Brett, Zachery Dahm, Daniel Fernandez, Roshan Kumaraswamy, Camellia Moors, Pooja Patel, Ethan Teo, Rohil Tuli, Akshaya Venkata and Kenta Xu
  • Pasco High School: Andrew Hull
  • Steinbrenner High School: Dahyeon Kim and Grant LoPresti
  • Sunlake High School: Jordan Kaszyk and Rebecca Urbonas
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School: Joseph Basi, Angelora Cooper, Taylor Douglas and Emily Leonard

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, the semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition, including submitting a detailed scholarship application, in which the student provides information about his or her academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.

The student must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Shoes-4-Schools
The nonprofit organization Shoes-4-Schools is hosting a fundraising campaign to help supply local school children with footwear.

Faceplant Dreams has donated samples of its top-selling items, and every $10 donation can receive a free gift of either a cosmetic bag or a travel bag, while supplies last.

For information, email Janet Chubinsky at .

New grant program
Hunter Brooks Watson Memorial Fund is now offering young people, whether in school or not, the opportunity to win grant awards of up to $5,000.

The new program has a policy of awarding grants to young people, between the ages of 16 and 25, who have a demonstrated enthusiasm and passion in their lives and who are pursuing an innovative idea or dream.

The memorial fund’s focus is to encourage those with interests in the performing arts, technology, music of entrepreneurship who need funding to help take their passion to the next level.

The fund was created in honor of Hunter Brooks Watson, a young man killed in a car crash in the spring of 2016, just before he was about to enter his junior year at Syracuse University.

The grant program does not require the young person to be in school, to have a certain grade-point average, to be a member of any religious group or demonstrate school leadership or athletic accomplishments.

For information and the grant application, visit HunterWatson.org/grants.

The deadline for the current grant cycle is Nov. 15.

There is no charge to apply.

Local student at Colby College
Chase Goode, of Lutz, has enrolled at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.

Prior to the fall class semester, Goode took part in a weeklong orientation that included a civic engagement component in Waterville, an introduction to academic and intellectual life at Colby, and an address at Colby’s 200th convocation.

Goode, a graduate of Wharton High School, is the son of Tom and Shera Goode, of Lutz.

High school may convert to technical school
Ridgewood High School, which received two consecutive D grades from the state in 2016 and 2017, is exploring the possibility of converting to a technical high school and entering into a dual enrollment agreement with Fred K. Marchman Technical College.

The two schools sit next to each other in New Port Richey, making a merger convenient.

A technical high school specializes in skilled trades, applied sciences, modern technologies, and career preparation. Students can learn relevant skills that help make the students marketable right out of high school.

Donate socks and shoes to help Pasco students
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s office is taking part in the second annual new socks and new shoes campaign to help local students in need.

The effort is a collaboration with Pasco County government and Pasco County Schools.

The “Two Good Soles” campaign seeks to collect as many new pairs and socks and new socks as possible between now and Oct. 27.

The tax collector’s five offices in Pasco County will be collection sites for “Two Good Soles.”

“It is heartbreaking to know that children come to school without socks or shoes in good repair,” Fasano said, in a news release. “I am pleased that our office is part of this effort to collect as many pairs of footwear as possible.  I encourage everyone who is able to please stop by one of our offices and leave a donation.  Every item will go to a student in need who attends a school in Pasco County.”

Pasco County Schools reports that the sizes most in need are children’s shoes 9 and up and adults 5 and up.  Socks of all sizes are welcome.  It is recommended that sneakers, tennis shoes and socks be of a “neutral” color, but all donations of new items will be accepted.

Here are the tax collector’s collection sites:

  • New Port Richey: 8731 Citizens Drive, Room 120.
  • Gulf Harbors: 4720 U. S. 19, in New Port Richey
  • Land O’ Lakes: 4111 Land O’Lakes Blvd. (also known as U.S. 41)
  • Lutz : 4610 Pet Lane, C 101 (this is known as the tax collector’s Wesley Chapel office)
  • Dade City – 14236 Sixth St., Room 100

For more information, contact Greg Giordanao, assistant tax collector at (727) 847-8179.

The Laker/Lutz News likes to spotlight local school news in our Chalk Talk section every week. Send us your photos, events, accomplishments, etc., so our communities can see what your school is up to! Submissions can be emailed to .

 

 

Health News 10/11/2017

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From left: Vince Vanni, public relations consultant; Lex Harris; Dr. Maria Scunziano-Singh, founder and chief medical officer, Access Health Care; Dana Chorvat; and, Barbara Joy, vice president of Care Management. (Courtesy of Access Health Care Physicians)

New Care Management Center opens
Access Health Care Physicians had an informal ribbon-cutting on the day of the opening of its new Care Management Center, 10470 Spring Hill Drive in Spring Hill. The building will provide outreach, education and resources to AHCP patients who are in need of complex case management, disease management and utilization management services.

Help end breast cancer
During the month of October, the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation will be the featured charitable organization at the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office.

The foundation’s main objectives are to advocate on behalf of patients, educate the public on all aspects of breast cancer, and to provide funds for research seeking new treatments and ultimately a cure for breast cancer.

Customers can purchase a breast cancer tag for newly registered vehicles, or choose to trade in their regular license plate for a specialty tag with a renewal.

Cash donations also will be accepted for the foundation.

For information, call Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Apply for basic eye care
The Zephyrhills Lions Club, 5827 Dean Dairy Road, accepts applications from Pasco County residents for basic eye care through its Sight Program, on the first Thursday of every month between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

To qualify, visit the list of required documents at e-clubhouse.org/sites/Zephyrhills, or by calling the clubhouse at (813) 788-1441 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Those interested must have the required documentation when applying to be considered for approval.

Al-Anon support group
The Al-Anon Family Groups are relatives and friends of alcoholics who share experiences, strength and hope in order to solve common problems.

There are local day and evening groups that meet weekly.

For meeting locations and times, and more information, visit the Pasco-Hernando-Citrus website at nfldistrict5.com.

For information, call (352) 697-0497.

Diabetic screenings
The Wesley Chapel Lions Club offers free monthly diabetic screenings at the Lexington Oaks Activity Center, 26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p. m., prior to the club’s monthly meeting.

The club meets every fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Screenings are open to anyone in the community.

For information, visit Wesley Chapel Lions Club on Facebook.

New mindset needed in substance abuse battle, speakers say

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A shift in attitudes could go a long way toward reducing impacts from substance abuse, speakers said at the sixth annual Substance Abuse Prevention Conference held in Wesley Chapel.

Stigma is a huge issue, they said.

Those attending the sixth annual Substance Abuse Prevention Conference could visit a number of booths, including this one, which featured a poster on the topic of shattering the stigma associated with substance abuse. (B.C. Manion)

Until that changes, fewer people will seek treatment, and employment and housing challenges will remain for those in recovery from substance addictions, they explained.

A new mindset is also needed toward people who are in recovery, several speakers said.

Even when people have stopped misusing drugs or alcohol and are trying to reform their lives they often encounter roadblocks because of previous run-ins with the law, speakers said.

Those were among myriad issues discussed during the Sept. 21 conference at the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

The conference, which had the theme “Strengthening Our Communities: Opportunities for Action,” was presented by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) and BayCare Behavioral Health.

About 400 people were registered, including youths involved in prevention efforts, people at various stages of recovery, mental health and medical providers, elected officials, judges and members of law enforcement. Besides the speeches, the event included a panel discussion and breakout sessions.

The keynote speaker was Andy Duran, executive director of Linking Efforts Against Drugs (LEAD) and the SpeakUP! Prevention Coalition, based near Chicago.

About 400 people registered to attend the sixth annual Substance Abuse Prevention Conference at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel. The conference was presented by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) and BayCare Behavioral Health. (B.C. Manion)

He talked about the need to change the conversation, as it relates to the topic of the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

He suggests dropping labels commonly used to describe people with drug or alcohol issues.

“We use pejorative words, even in prevention we do this. We use words like ‘addict’ or ‘junkie’ or ‘dirty’ … We’ve got to get those words out of the language.

“Someone has an addiction, they’re not an addict. Someone has an alcohol problem or struggles with alcoholism, they’re not an alcoholic.

“When we start to talk differently, we start to think differently. And, when we start to think differently, society then follows us and starts to think differently,” Duran said.

Society generally views substance abuse as a crime, a moral failing or a simple choice, Duran said. In reality, it’s a complex medical behavioral problem, he said.

The stigma attached to the problem reduces the likelihood that someone will ask for help, which increases the risk for overdose, Duran added.

Worst crisis in decades

Another speaker, Mark Fontaine, executive director of the Florida Alcohol & Drug Abuse Association, offered an assessment of the current situation. He also addressed ongoing efforts to bring about change and the challenges ahead.

“I’ve been doing this work for 40 years. I have never seen a crisis as we’re facing in this state right now,” Fontaine said.

Opioid overuse is affecting every community in Florida, with opioids being the direct cause of 2,538 deaths across the state in 2015, he said. Statistics are not available for 2016 yet, but the number is expected to double, he said.

It’s not an isolated problem.

Mark Fontaine, executive director of the Florida Alcohol & Drug Abuse Association, gave an assessment on the state’s current situation relating to substance abuse issues.

“This epidemic is affecting us all. It’s the most important thing that’s on the table in the state right now,” Fontaine said.

While efforts are underway to increase funding in the battle — and Gov. Rick Scott has declared it an emergency — the state lacks a comprehensive plan for tackling the problem, Fontaine said.

He pointed to gaps in service.

“In Florida, there are many people who come knocking on the door for treatment and treatment is not available to them,” Fontaine said.

And, while there’s a focus on the opioid crisis, that’s just one part of the substance abuse picture, speakers said.

“I can tell you that in the Pasco County Drug Court, we are seeing more methamphetamine than opioid cases,” said Judge Shawn Crane, who oversees that court. “That is a growing number. We see it all of the time. It’s cheap. It’s easy. It’s something for those practitioners and providers — just keep that on your radar. That is an important part of what we are facing in our court.”

And, while the opioid crisis is the focus of today, other problems persist, Duran said. “Alcohol still kills more people a year. Tobacco use still kills more people a year.”

In addition to the conference speakers, there was a panel discussion, moderated by Carley Boyette of Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend. It

A detail shot of a slide, used as a backdrop for conference speakers. (B.C. Manion)

took a look at the issues from the perspective of recovering addicts, social service providers, elected officials and law enforcement.

Cesar Rodriguez, who has had his share of battles with substance abuse, talked about the struggles that he encountered in finding work and housing, after he got sober.

“I stayed the course and I was able to find a job after a while, but by no means was that easy.

“When I made enough money and I was on my feet, the next obstacle was — you have to fill out these background checks to rent anywhere, and people don’t want convicted felons in their neighborhoods or in their HOAs (homeowners associations).

“Everything is, ‘Put your application online.’ You don’t get a chance to present yourself.

This artwork was on display at the sixth annual Substance Abuse Prevention Conference in Wesley Chapel. (B.C. Manion)

“It can break people. When you get told ‘No’ enough — ‘No you can’t have safe housing,’ ‘You can’t have an hourly wage job to keep your life moving forward,’ — it can send somebody back out,” he said.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore noted “substance abuse doesn’t discriminate …Every one of us has friends and neighbors that are going through this. Every one of us probably has a family member that has gone through this,” Moore said.

“As a community, we need to give people a chance,” Moore added.

Erica Smith, a licensed mental health counselor from BayCare Behavioral Health, said the road to recovery begins with meeting people where they’re at.

“It’s really about helping them to achieve behavior change,” she said.

“You get asked the question a lot of times: ‘How many times are you going to let this person come and use this service, or go to detox?’

The answer, she said, is “As many times as it takes.”

“We never shut the door,” Smith said.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Creating an outdoor place to pray the rosary

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When Gabe Vega was a little boy, he was not the slightest bit interested in joining the Cub Scouts.

However, once he did it didn’t take long to overcome that initial resistance.

This is what the Blessed Mary’s garden looks like, at the completion of phase one of Gabe Vega’s Eagle Project. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

And now, the 16-year-old can’t wait to earn the rank of Eagle Scout — the highest honor a member of the Boy Scouts of America can achieve.

The completion of an Eagle project is one of the requirements necessary to earn that distinction.

And, Gabe — who belongs to Troop 33 based at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church — is well on his way to accomplishing that.

After conferring with various groups at the Land O’ Lakes church, Gabe decided to build a Rosary Garden.

His garden features a garden, with a statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as its centerpiece, and a seashell path surrounding that garden, which will have engraved pavers, representing the beads of a rosary.

In the Roman Catholic Church, a rosary is a set of beads that are used in a form of devotion, during which five (or 15) decades of the Hail Mary are recited, preceded by an Our Father, and followed by a Glory Be.

Stones line the border of the path, which will be covered with seashells before pavers will be installed to signify rosary beads. Shown here, Spencer Huffman bends over to place a rock on the edge of the path, while a number of other volunteers help, too. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

To get started on the project, Gabe and his father, Edwin, visited a rosary garden at St. Paul Catholic Church, 12708 N. Dale Mabry Highway, for some ideas. That visit came at the suggestion of Leo Gendreau, who recommended Gabe check out that garden and consider creating one for Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Land O’ Lakes High School junior also talked things over with Rich Thibeau, of Natural Designs Landscaping, who is the teenager’s coach for the Eagle Scout project.

“He helped me map everything out. The kind of rocks we needed. The kind of flowers we were going to plant in the garden,” Gabe said. “I went with the idea of having the rocks and the crushed shell, then selling the pavers to have the beads.”

The project has involved help from many sources, said Gabe, who lives with his parents, Edwin and Sheila, and his twin sisters, Rosie and GiGi, in Land O’ Lakes.

The Rev. Ron Aubin, pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary, gave the project his blessing and his support. The monsignor allowed Gabe to run an article in the parish bulletin explaining the project and announcing the sale of pavers.

The pavers that will represent Hail Marys, and will be used as stepping stones on the shell pathway, sell for $100 each.

A set of four smaller pavers will be joined together to represent each Our Father and Glory Be. Each of those pavers goes for $75.

Edwin is delighted by how well the project is being received, and supported.

A group loads rocks in a pickup truck to carry them closer to the Rosary Garden being created at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. Working here, from left, are Sean Smith, Jim Pasek, Clayton Hagel, Matthew Thibeau and Tommy Ploor. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

“Everybody has been so nice and responsive,” he said.

“For me, this has taken on a life of its own, all of the support at the church. They’re spreading the word. They’re backing it up,” he said.

People have helped in all sorts of ways, Gabe and Edwin said.

The physical work has been done mostly by Gabe, his Scout friends and a few men from the church.

Contributions have come in through the sale of pavers, but also in many other forms, Edwin said.

For instance, the sod cutter needed to put down the seashell path was provided for free by Dot Geho, of West Coast Events and Rentals, and Joseph and Casie Lynn Holloway, of Holloway Farm Store, provided a free cement bench.

The statue of Mary, which now serves as the centerpiece of phase one of the project, was donated by Hal and Betty Montgomery.

“We had the Blessed Mother here (in the family’s family room) for months,” said Sheila Vega, Gabe’s mom.

Paver sales have been going well.

Sean Smith, left, and Gabe Vega carry a very large rock, with Evan Hernandez in the background. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

“This past Saturday is when we built the path. One gentleman came down and said he was going to buy one for each of his children, and he has six children,” Gabe said.

A woman called to say she would be buying a paver to honor the memory of her nephew, who was killed by a drunk driver.

Another woman, who initially thought she could only swing a $20 contribution had second thoughts and decided to go ahead and buy a $100 paver.

Building the first phase of the project — Mary’s garden — took two days.

“Day One was putting the boulders in and filling the hole with dirt. Day Two was putting all of the plants in,” he said, as well as installing the statue of Mary.

That part of the project involved help from a dozen scouts, and four or five adults, Edwin said.

“Those were big boulders we were moving,” he said. “We had to have a special cart. No one could lift it. It was so heavy.”

Gabe said that after a while, they came up with a better plan.

“Eventually, we just lifted them into the back of a pickup truck,” he said, and moved them closer to the site.

Building the seashell path, the next phase, took another day.

Eight scouts and a few adults helped that day.

All of the scouts, Gabe said, are close friends who he’s known since he was a Cub Scout.

This is the Rosary Garden, after the completion of the shell path. The final phase will be to install pavers, which represent the beads of a rosary. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

“It made it easy being the leader of them. The dynamic of it all was easy,” said Gabe, who is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program at Land O’ Lakes High.

The last phase will be to install the pavers.

Polar Engraving, which is engraving the pavers, is based in Naples. It was hit by Hurricane Irma, which has affected its schedule, Edwin said.

Overall, Edwin estimates the cost of the project to be about $10,000.

But, the value to the community, he said, far exceeds that.

Edwin expects the pavers to be ready before Thanksgiving, so they can be installed. Meanwhile, orders are still being taken for the pavers not yet sold.

Want to help?

If you’re interested in purchasing a ‘rosary bead’ paver engraved with your personal message, visit PolarEngraving.com/BoyScoutTroop33. If you have questions, call Edwin Vega, (813) 838-2400, or email .

Published Oct. 4, 2017