The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

New opportunities await at Cypress Creek Middle High

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Much of the furniture and equipment has yet to be installed at Cypress Creek Middle High School, but even without it, it’s easy to see that the school is designed to offer students a multitude of opportunities when it opens in August.

Cypress Creek Middle High Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles leads a tour of Pasco County School Board members, Superintendent Kurt Browning and other invited guests for a sneak preview of Cypress Creek Middle High School. (B.C. Manion)

Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles and members of her administrative team recently led Pasco County School Board members and Superintendent Kurt Browning on a tour around the campus at 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.

Stops on the tour included a science classroom, the school gymnasium, the cafeteria, the weight room, locker rooms, a band room, a conference room, a variety of other classrooms and a look at the athletic fields.

The tour was similar to a walk-around that school board members and other guests took at Bexley Elementary, at 4380 Ballantrae Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, earlier in the afternoon. Bexley, built to relieve crowding at Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools, also is set to open in August.

Both schools have different types of seating and spaces that can be reconfigured to suit the needs of teachers and students. And, both are designed to foster collaboration among teachers and among students.

Cypress Creek Middle High will serve students in grades six through 11 its initial year and will add a senior class the following year.

During the tour of that campus, Hetzler-Nettles stopped in a classroom that was flanked by classrooms on either side.

“This is an area where we could put three teachers together, they could collaborate. You could open the doors to that classroom and could open up the wall (a sliding wall),” she said.

At the same time, the principal said she’s aware that parents have raised concerns about having middle school and high school students on the same campus.

To help relieve those concerns, the principal said, “they have separate locker rooms, and they will not be crossing paths (to get to the locker rooms).”

Cypress Creek Middle High also will offer high school academies in business management, criminal justice and engineering, and middle school academics in criminal justice and engineering.

Check out this water fountain at Cypress Creek Middle High. You can get a sip of water now and fill up your water bottle for later.

It also will have separate band programs for middle and high school students.

But, it will not have an agricultural program, at least initially, Hetzler-Nettles said.

Some of the features that stood out during the recent tour included water fountains that are designed to fill water bottles, similar to the fountains in some airports. Bathrooms without exterior doors, similar to those seen at airports and other public buildings.

The shower stalls in the boys’ locker room are individual stalls and are outfitted with curtains. There’s also a stall that’s designed to be accessible for a student with a disability.

And, there’s also a chiller farm near the athletic field — attesting to the big job it will be to keep the school cool.

During their visit to Bexley Elementary, board members and guests had a chance to walk around the largest elementary school that Pasco County Schools has ever built, according to John Petrashek, director of construction services for the district.

Its design was a result of collaboration between architect Harvard Jolly, four elementary principals and David Scanga, assistant superintendent for elementary schools, Petrashek said.

The elementary school was built to last, Petrashek said, noting it has an expected lifespan of 50 years.

Want to know more?
Cypress Creek Middle High is inviting students and parents in for a sneak peek before classes begin. For details, visit the school’s website at CCMHS.pasco.k12.fl.us.
For more information about Bexley Elementary School, visit BES.pasco.k12.fl.us.

Published July 5, 2017

Eagle Scout project honors those who served

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When Michael Valenti was looking for his Eagle Scout project, he didn’t have to look very far.

He belongs to Boy Scout Troop 12, in Lutz, and it meets just a couple of blocks away from the Lutz Memorial Park.

Michael Valenti joined scouting when he was in third grade. The 16-year-old spearheaded a project to spruce up Lutz Memorial Park. (Courtesy of Ron Valenti)

The 16-year-old said he had noticed that the Lutz Memorial Park, at 98 First Ave., N.W., needed a bit of sprucing up, and he decided it would be a fitting Eagle Scout project.

So, he organized a team of helpers, secured donations and got busy.

The base for the flagpole was already there, but it wasn’t in good shape, Valenti said.

“There was just grass all around here, so when the mowers would come, they would chip out the base,” he explained. “Some of the paint was peeling off.”

The plaque wasn’t in great shape, either.

“We removed the sign, scraped all of the paint off. We repainted it, and we got these two new signs,” Valenti said. The new plaques came from Crown Trophy in New Tampa.

Before the project began, crews from Hillsborough County’s Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department removed some concrete.

Then, Valenti and his volunteers went to work.

Michael Valenti, of Lutz, did an Eagle Scout project to spruce up Lutz Memorial Park. More than 40 people helped, over two weekends, to beautify the space.

“We laid the concrete, then we planted this large flower box around it,” he said.

The volunteers also built a flower box near the Lutz Memorial Park sign.

The teenager wanted plants that could tolerate the sun, the rain and the drought. In other words, he was looking for low-maintenance plants that could survive in sandy soil, he said.

Since he wasn’t sure what would be best, he turned to gardening experts for advice.

He settled on blue salvia, pink guara and firebush.

“Over the course of two weekends, we had more than 40 people,” he said, including several members of Troop 12 and friends from Freedom High School.

Several local businesses helped out, too.

“John’s Butcher Shop and Benedetto’s (Ristorante Italiano) provided the food,” he said. “People allowed us to use their facilities, like their water and their bathrooms,” he said.

“It would have been about $2,000 with everything, including food and whatnot, but Lowe’s and Home Depot gave us significant discounts,” he said. Ace Hardware, in Lutz, helped, too.

Valenti is gratified by the prospect of becoming an Eagle Scout.

These are just a few of the 48 badges that Michael Valenti has earned. He recently completed his Eagle Scout project, which involved sprucing up Lutz Memorial Park.

“It’s kind of the pinnacle of your scouting career,” said Valenti, who lives in Lutz and is the son of Ron and Rose Valenti.

“It’s taken years of hard work to get where I am,” said the teenager, who will be a junior at Freedom High School.

And, it’s an accomplishment with staying power, he noted. “Once you’re an Eagle, you’re an Eagle for life.”

Valenti was a third-grader when he joined scouts, and he hopes he will become a scout leader when he’s an adult.

“It just ingrains very important values,” he said, and prepares youths to become good citizens.

Besides being on the path to becoming an Eagle Scout, Valenti has earned 48 scouting badges and is a member of the Order of the Arrow, scouting’s national honor society.

While he does well in school and plans to attend a state college, he hasn’t pinned down which career path he’d like to pursue.

Published July 5, 2017

Explore your inner artist on Tuesday afternoons

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If you enjoy the act of creation, the Art in the Afternoon program at Zephyrhills Public Library may help you fulfill that urge.

Artist Bill Bellgraph, of Zephyrhills, works on a seascape scene, using acrylic paint. His artworks are displayed prominently in the room in this month’s exhibit.
(Fred Bellet)

The program welcomes art enthusiasts of all levels.

It’s a great way for artists to share their knowledge and mingle with other creative spirits.

Budding artists can learn techniques from those with more experience.

Artists should bring their own supplies and join those who enjoy sharing their time and talents.

The group meets at the library, at 4347 Eighth St., on Tuesdays, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Jiafu Li, of Zephyrhills, works with calligraphy and uses soft but bold strokes, as she creates characters for her bamboo tree picture.

This is just one of many programs offered at the library, said Peggy Panak, the library’s acting director.

The events calendar shows a wide range of programs offered throughout the month, including help with career searches, gardening, crafts, cooking, good health and other topics.

The library’s hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.

To find out more about what this branch offers, go to PascoLibraries.org, and search the events calendar for the Zephyrhills branch.

Published July 5, 2017

 

 

Using washable markers as his means for drawing, David Milam, of Zephyrhills, tries his hand at copying calendar art.
A look at Marian Gilbert’s detail work on her pastel sketch of a stallion.

Vote set for July 11 on school impact fees

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It’s not clear yet how much Pasco County will increase school impact fees charged against new residential development, but there appears to be a consensus on the board that some increase is merited.

School district officials and the building community also agree that higher fees will help address the district’s problem of providing school facilities to accommodate the district’s burgeoning enrollment growth.

But, homebuilders and apartment developers don’t support the full amount of the proposed rate increases.

While students can learn in portables, a school’s infrastructure — including its cafeteria, bathrooms and media center — are not designed to handle the demands created when too many are placed on a school campus, says Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools. (File)

They say the building community is being asked to shoulder too much of the burden.

They’ve asked the Pasco County Commission to reduce the proposed impact fees that were recommended by a school board consultant.

All of these issues came up during the first public on an ordinance that would increase the impact fees.

The second public hearing is set for July 11 at 1:30 p.m., at the historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

The Tampa Bay Builders Association expressed its concerns in a May 1 letter to commissioners.

“The School District proposes very significant increases in the impact fees for single family detached (+ $4,152, 85%); single family attached (+$1,877, 107%); multifamily (+$3,421,183%) and mobile homes (+$2,673, 93%).

“However, even if the impact fees were increased to these levels the deficit (as projected by the School District) would be a staggering $284 million,” the letter notes.

“We want to be part of the solution for funding, but we know we cannot be the only source of revenue. We support an increase in the school impact fee for single family detached homes of $2,300,” the letter says.

Mark Spada, president of the builders’ association, reiterated those positions during the public hearing.

The association also advocates an effective date of Jan. 1, 2018, for the higher fees.

The current proposal calls for the new fees to take effect 90 days after the ordinance is adopted.

Representatives for the multifamily industry and a land broker also expressed concerns about the proposed fees.

The multifamily industry representatives said the fees are disproportionate for multifamily and will undermine new apartment development in Pasco County. They also questioned the data used to compute how many students are generated from multifamily developments.

A land broker urged commissioners to look at the big picture, noting the proposed fees will raise development costs so significantly that it will drive away new projects. Besides hurting land owners who want to sell their land, she said, it will also damage the county’s potential tax base.

On the flip side, others urged commissioners to boost the impact fees to the level recommended by the consultant.

They said that residential growth has put a squeeze on the school district and that it cannot keep pace with enrollment demands.

Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd said the district is trying to address the issue before the district has schools at 200 percent capacity, which it has in the past.

“The answer to solving school overcrowding is not by adding portables.

“Kids can learn just as well in a portable as they can in a concrete building,” Gadd said. But, he noted, the bathrooms, cafeteria, media center and other facilities are built to accommodate a school’s permanent capacity.

When too many portables are added, he said, the infrastructure in the school building doesn’t work.

Commissioners appear to be leaning toward an increase, based on their questions and remarks during the public hearing, but it is unclear how much of an increase they will support — or when the increase would take effect.

“I’m in favor of doing something,” said Commissioner Mike Wells. “The issue is affordable housing. Affordable housing is multifamily.”

“I know we need to do something on impact fees,” added Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

“I do have a concern on these multifamily numbers. “If we have a sliding scale on the houses, why are we charging a studio the same price as say, a three-bedroom apartment? That doesn’t make sense to me, if it’s about student generation.”

It may be possible to have a tiered system for apartments, said David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, but he would need to talk with the school board’s consultant about it.

“We’re happy to look at the multifamily issue,” Gadd said.

The second public hearing is set for July 11 at 1:30 p.m., at the historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

Published June 28, 2017

American Legion Post 108 marks 80th anniversary

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The group wants a home of its own

When American Legion Post 108 formed 80 years ago, it had its preliminary meeting in an old house on Denny Johnson’s old grove, on Lake Fern Road, according to club records.

About 10 veterans gathered for that initial 1937 meeting.

Next, they met in an old store building on U.S. 41, then known as Route 41, near the Superette.

After that, the group met for several years at the old Boy Scout Hall, with the Auxiliary members gathering in another room at that hall, according to an account published in a 1963 club newsletter.

From left are Joe Dilimone, Ray Mason, Lyle Watson and Hunter Arnstine, during the American Legion Post 108’s 80th birthday celebration. (Courtesy of American Legion Post 108)

Flash forward eight decades to the present: The group is still active, but is seeking a permanent home — and more members — to increase its vitality.

“We’re in a Catch-22. We need more members, and we need to meet in a place to get more members,” said Lyle Watson, the post’s adjutant. “We need fundraisers. We need a place to hold fundraisers. You can’t hold bingo if you don’t have a building to hold bingo in.”

The post currently meets monthly at Harvester United Methodist Church.

It would like to expand its activities, but it is difficult to fit into another organization’s schedule and it doesn’t have the financial means to purchase a permanent home.

Still, the post has a proud history.

When Post 108 was formed, it had 22 charter members. Over the years, membership has waxed and waned.

The post’s charter members must have been veterans of World War I, Watson observed.

Post chaplain Fred Wilsky has firsthand knowledge of how the post got started: “The guy who went out and recruited those members was my dad. He was a member of the Sulphur Springs Post.

It was during the Depression, he noted, “it was expensive for everybody to drive all of the way down there for a meeting, so they wanted to have a post out here,” said Wilsky, a member of the Army Air Corps who served in Guam.

N.B. Shewfelt, the post’s adjutant in 1963, offered a glimpse into the organization’s character in a February 1963 issue of the Lutz Legion News.

“Post No. 108 somehow keeps going right along doing their job of looking out for the interests of veterans, their widows and orphans,” Shewfelt wrote.

Over time, the name of the post was changed from Lutz Post 108 to Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Post 108. Post meetings now attract about 20 members.

Some members have been lost to death, said Post Commander Ray Mason. “We lost two veterans this year,” noted Mason, who served from 1962 to March 1968 in the Navy as a commissary store keeper.

One of those veterans who died was Granville Kinsman, a fighter pilot in World War II.

“He supported ground troops and escorted bombers to their destination,” Mason said.

“He was a paid-up lifetime member of Post 108. He was 95 years old,” Mason added.

The attendance at his funeral was gratifying, Mason said.

“Oh, my God, it was packed,” Mason said.

Post members say their experiences in the armed forces give them a particular kind of camaraderie with others who have shared the military life.

Currently, the post’s main activities are awarding school medals, providing an oratorical contest, supporting the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes and posting flags on veterans’ graves.

The organization presents two medals and two certificates at several local elementary and middle schools. The schools select the recipients. One medal goes to a boy and one goes to a girl. An honorable mention certificate also is awarded to a boy and to a girl.

“Sometimes we get invited,” Watson said. “The schools sometimes tell us what these kids have done to get selected. It is fantastic. It gives you a whole new perspective on public schools.”

At the high school level, there’s an oratorical contest, with cash awards.

The national winner gets an $18,000 scholarship, Mason said.

Presenting the awards has been a long tradition, Wilsky said.

“The post has been doing that since the beginning. My sister (Virginia) won it in 1939 or 1940,” he said. It was quite an honor, he said. It was “an affirmation of good character and studying hard and everything good about a person.”

The post needs more members so it can be of greater service, said Watson, who is retired Navy and who served from 1956 to 1974. The post could also participate in more programs that are available that are supported by the national organization.

Jim Evans said the post owes deep thanks to Vince Nasso, a former adjutant for the post.

“Without him, we probably wouldn’t have a post.

“When I joined here, I actually came from a Tampa post. There was probably no more than four or five active members. It was terrible,” said Evans, who was an Army intelligence analyst in France for three years, served in the Army Reserve for 15 years, then went back on active duty in the first Gulf War as a senior counterintelligence agent.

When Evans attended his first meeting, Nasso was the only one there. Nasso, who has since passed away, was determined to keep the post going, Evans said.

Belonging to the post is important, Evans said, because he wants to support the American Legion’s mission.

Plus, he enjoys reconnecting with people who served, he said.

“You live in communities that probably have veterans, but you may not even know it,” Evans said, adding he has a special affinity for veterans.

“I realize what most of them have been through,” he said.

Elaine Stoots, the post’s new historian, said she wants to help keep the organization alive because “we are losing some of the American ideals that founded this country.

“A lot of the rest of the world is looking to us for leadership and example. Who is going to provide it?” asked Stoots, who served from 1984 to 1990, stationed at Hahn Air Base Germany and at Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Want to help?
American Legion Post 108 is looking for a permanent home. Members believe that having a home of their own would help to increase membership, which, in turn, would bolster the group’s vitality. For more information, contact Lyle Watson at (813) 996-5917 or Ray Mason at (813) 994-1214.

Published June 28, 2017

School construction needs outpace funding

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The Pasco County School Board has begun exploring the idea of asking voters to support a half-penny sales tax to help pay for school construction.

During a June 20 workshop on the district’s capital needs, School Board member Cynthia Armstrong asked staff to come back with a projection of how much the half-penny tax would generate in 10 years and a list detailing the types of projects the tax revenues would support.

Pasco County Schools would like to see more scenes like this around the district. The Pasco County School Board has asked district staff to research how much money a half-cent sales tax could generate and possible projects the revenues could support.
(File)

Her request came during a board workshop immediately after the Pasco County Commission’s first public hearing on a proposal to boost school impact fees.

The County Commission appears to be leaning toward an increase, but it’s not clear how much that increase will be, or when it will take effect.

Even if the full amount of the proposed impact fees is approved, the district construction needs far outstrip its expected revenues, said Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd. It is unlikely the money the district needs will be provided by the state Legislature, Gadd said.

The district has identified these projects to be partially supported by the proposed impact fees:

  • Cypress Creek Middle School
  • Starkey Ranch, kindergarten through eighth grade
  • A new high school
  • A new elementary school in the Wesley Chapel area
  • A new elementary school in State Road 54 corridor area

Those projects are based on current growth patterns, Gadd said.

Meanwhile, the newly built Cypress Creek Middle High School, off Old Pasco Road, is scheduled to open this fall. Initially, it will serve students in grades six through 11, but it will add grade 12 during the second year. Its boundaries affected Rushe, John Long and Weightman middle schools, and Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass high schools.

Bexley Elementary School, 4380 Ballantrae Blvd. in the Bexley subdivision off State Road 54, also is set to open in the fall. It is intended to reduce crowding at Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools.

The district also is proceeding on massive remodeling projects at Land O’ Lakes High School in Land O’ Lakes and Woodland Elementary School in Zephyrhills.

Armstrong also urged supporters of the proposed school impact fee increase to show up to make their views known at the Pasco County Commission’s second public hearing on school impact fees. That meeting is set for July 11 at 1:30 p.m., at the historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

Published June 28, 2017

Laughter fell like dominoes, during these friendly games

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If you’re age 50 or older and you enjoy dominoes, the Lutz Senior Center, is a great place to go.

Eighty-two-year-old Betty Villafane, of Tampa, is one happy lady when she defeats three others during a game of dominos at the Lutz Senior Center. At far right is 83-year-old Carmen LoBianco, of Tampa. (Fred Bellet)

One recent day, the winners were clearly enjoying their victories — but even those who didn’t win seemed to be having fun.

The center, at 112 First Ave., N.W., in Lutz, draws quite a few competitors to the dominoes games it offers on weekdays.

Accounts vary over the origin of dominoes.

Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica say that dominoes originated in China and can be traced back to as early as the 10th century.

An article posted on Kidzworld.com, puts the beginning of dominoes a bit later — in around 1100 A.D.

The Kidzworld story also said the game eventually arrived in Europe sometime during the 18th century.

Seventy-five-year-old Hermita Duarte, left, of Tampa, took on a challenge by 83-year-old Carmen LoBianco, right, also of Tampa, during a game of dominoes at the Lutz Senior Center. Other players also joined in the fun.

But, the article also notes that a game similar to dominoes was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb in Egypt, which dates back to 1355 B.C.

Whenever and wherever dominoes began, it remains a popular game.

Each set of dominoes has 28 tiles.

In the most basic game, the dominoes are laid face down and mixed up.

Each player then draws seven dominoes and arranges them so opponents cannot see them.

Each player plays one domino in turn by matching one of their dominoes with the open end of a domino that has already been played. If one player cannot play, the opponent goes on until a domino is placed that the blocked player can match.

Seventy-two-year-old Tina Lisojo, of Tampa, contemplates her next move.

The game ends when one player has played all their dominoes or when both players can no longer make a play.

The player who goes out first, or who has the fewest spots on his or her remaining pieces wins the game.

Dominoes is just one of many activities offered at The Lutz Senior Center, which is open with no membership fees to Hillsborough County adults age 50 and older.

Other amenities at the center include computers, classes, Internet access, nutritional services, public parking and Wi-Fi.

Meal services are available to registered participants who are 60 and older.

The center’s hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

To find out more, call (813) 264-3804.

Published June 28, 2017

Eighty-three-year-old Carmen LoBianco, of Tampa, gracefully slides a tile as she competes in a game of dominos.
Betty Villafane, 82, raises her arms in victory as she takes on three players in a domino game at the Lutz Senior Center. From left, looking on, are Marta Gallucci, 68, of Wesley Chapel; Mabel Macaluso, 91, of Lutz; and Tina Lisojo, 72, of Tampa.

Serving the community is Rosie Heim’s motto

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When Rosie Heim decided to toss her hat into the ring to run for honorary mayor of Land O’ Lakes, she had a purpose in mind.

She wanted to raise the profile of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club in the community of Land O’ Lakes.

She wants the club to become “a household name in Land O’ Lakes.”

Gloria Dale and Rosie Heim worked a booth at Land O’ Lakes Music Festival, as Heim made an effort to drum up support for her bid to become the new Honorary Mayor of Land O’ Lakes. Dale is the deputy honorary mayor, a title she’s been given for life. (File)

She explained: “We are very well-known in Lutz because we do the parade, we do the art show. “But, Land O’ Lakes didn’t know the ladies in the green shirts. I wanted some of the businesses to know who we are, and some of the community to know the wonderful work that we do,” she said.

The club is active in many ways.

It pitches in at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes.

It sponsors the annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show.

It has an annual flea market, supports survivors of domestic abuse, helps to plant trees, decorates graves of veterans, packs boxes to ship to troops stationed overseas, and does all sorts of other things to support the communities of Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

It uses the money it raises to help local community groups, and support scholarships.

So, Heim has learned a thing or two about fundraising.

In her quest to become the honorary mayor, she hosted eight events.

When she began the race, she was competing against Andre Pamplona. But, he needed to divert his energy to his family when owners of Royal Lanes decided to close the bowling center that Pamplona managed, Heim said.

That didn’t slow her down, though.

The woman’s club will get a portion of the money she raised, she said. “The chamber will get the rest for the community services that they do.”

Heim said she doesn’t have a clique that she hangs out with, but she has loads of connections.

Besides the woman’s club, she’s involved with Women-N-Charge, which is a networking group. She’s also involved with AARP, churches and other groups.

Heim said she wants to recruit more ladies to be involved with the woman’s club because more help is needed.

“There is a need in the community to help with community services,” Heim said.

Many of the women in the club are getting older and aren’t able to do as much as they once could, she said.

“Not all of the ladies are physically able to move tables and set up crafts,” she said. “We would love younger people with better backs.”

Besides working to increase the woman’s club’s ranks, Heim hopes she can attract more members to the Central Pasco Chamber, too.

She plans to be an ambassador for the organization — reaching out to new businesses and giving them a warm welcome from the chamber.

“I’ll do the ribbon cuttings,” she said.

She’ll also be participating in the Lutz Fourth of July Parade.

“They’re going to get me a convertible,” said Heim, who joined the woman’s club 10 years ago, after retiring from her job as a special needs school assistant at Denham Oaks Elementary.

She said she’s happy to be the face of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, and will do what the chamber would like her to do to spread its goodwill.

“If any of the schools asks me to come and speak and give awards to the kids, I’m available to do that,” Heim said.

Being involved is rewarding, said Heim, noting she was overwhelmed during a recent pasta dinner fundraiser she had.

Ninety-six people turned out.

“I was just so honored and overwhelmed by the love shown in that room,” she said. “They were chanting my name, ‘Rosie. Rosie.’”

It was incredible, Heim said. “When you give, it’s always returned to you 10-fold.”

Published June 21, 2017

Dade City Garden Club is a community mainstay

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The Dade City Garden Club took root in the home of Thelma Gilbert, on May 9, 1947 — and the organization has been part of the civic and social glue of the city ever since, based on scrapbooks compiled by club members through the decades.

Some members of the Dade City Garden Club wore 1940s’ attire to the club’s 70th anniversary celebration at the Garden Club on May 15. (Courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

Club member Madonna Wise, who happens to be a local historian, gained an appreciation for the role the club has played in community life, as she paged through the volumes that were faithfully compiled through the years.

It has been involved in nearly every civic event during the past 70 years, said Wise, an author who has written a book about Dade City’s history.

One example of that involvement, she said, was when there was a send-off for troops leaving for Afghanistan. The garden club was there, providing desserts for the event.

“They’re just an integral part of Dade City’s fabric,” Wise said.

Gail Stout, the club’s outgoing president, said “the greatest impact we have are our partnerships with the community.”

It was Gilbert’s love of gardening that led to the club’s creation, Stout said.

“She heard that this organization in Florida (The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs) existed and was growing, and that’s what she decided to pursue,” said Stout, who recently helped to organize the Dade City Garden Club’s 70th anniversary celebration.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez, left, reads the proclamation honoring the Dade City Garden Club, while Gail Stout, club president, listens.
(Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

Within a year, the Dade City club was accepted for federation with the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. And, less than a year later it had its first flower show, based on the theme, “The Spirit of Spring,” according to club records.

Through the years, the club has had the twin goals of beautification and advocacy.

“Early on, they’re saving the trees at the courthouse,” Wise said. “They started a junior garden club at the elementary school.”

They also have advised Dade City commissioners on decisions regarding landscaping, Wise added.

During its heyday, the club had a radio show, Stout said.

It had a column in a local newspaper, too, Wise added.

In the beginning, the club met in its members’ homes and then later, at civic locations.

In 1959, it purchased 2 acres on South Fifth Street for $9,000. By 1966, the club had paid it off.

Soon after that, the organization sought to build a clubhouse.

“Our building story is unique,” Stout said.

“Somehow, St. Rita’s Catholic Church, which is up by Old Dade City Grammar School, offers to donate the building,” Wise said. “That building (which was St. Rita’s mission church) dates back to 1913. It was quite the thing when they moved this building all across town.”

The structure was near what is now Cox Elementary School. Movers took the structure down Seventh Avenue and had to get the power company to move power lines so they could get the building through.

“It was really quite a move that they orchestrated,” Stout said.

A contractor named Michael Giella advised the club on how to renovate the building and held the $35,000 mortgage. Giella’s contributions were recognized during the 70th anniversary celebration, when a paver dedicated to his memory was presented to his widow.

This is a current view of the Dade City Garden Club building. The club has been a community mainstay for 70 years. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

The club had its first meeting in the building in September of 1977 and hosted an open house later that year — attracting members of garden clubs from Tampa, Lakeland, Clearwater and across Pasco County.

There were 57 charter members of the garden club.

“The last charter member was just deceased,” Stout said.

The club officially has 113 members, but there are some older members who are too frail to attend meetings, she said.

Through the years, the garden club has fostered leadership opportunities for women, and has helped to build connections throughout Dade City, Wise said.

It also has provided a forum for members to learn “the political ways of trying to influence legislators and local government for environmental purposes, that type of thing,” Stout observed.

“Two years ago, we had a fracking (hydraulic fracturing) seminar, to talk about the pros and cons of fracking, mostly the cons. We were leaning toward that,” Stout said.

Dade City has since banned fracking from within the city limits.

Although membership has declined, the club has staying power. It has several second- and third-generation members, and many come from families that have played an influential role in the life and development of Dade City, Wise noted.

The club is divided into smaller groups, called circles, which are named after flowering trees or plants.

The Dade City Commission presented a proclamation to the Dade City Garden Club on May 9, commemorating the garden club’s 70th anniversary. Commissioners, garden club members and Mayor Camille Hernandez are pictured here. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

“We had seven circles at the height of our glory,” Stout said.

Now, it has these six circles: Azalea, Poinsettia, Magnolia, Holly Hock, Hibiscus and Dogwood.

The club has traditions, too.

It decorates the Pioneer Museum at Christmas and also hosts “Uncorked,” a wine-tasting fundraiser.

It helps keep the memory of the community’s history alive, too, by creating an ornament each year to honor a local place or organization. Proceeds from the ornament sales help support the garden club’s upkeep and help pay for club projects.

The club also hosts a flower show every other year — which is a popular event, and which garden club members view as their gift back to the community, Stout said.

Members join the club for different reasons.

Stout became a member after she bought a 1925 bungalow that came with more than 90 camellias.

Stout decided she needed to join the club so she could learn everything she could about camellias.

Later, she learned that Gilbert had obtained camellias from Georgia.

Quite likely, Stout said, some of those camellias can be traced back to the garden club’s original founder.

Now, that’s what some would call coming full circle.

Published June 21, 2017

They’re off to learn the ins and outs of leadership

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While some kids are heading to the beach or to a theme park this summer, a trio of girls who just wrapped up fifth grade at Lutz Elementary are gearing up for a trip to Washington D.C.

Kylie Flynn, Kaitlyn Britton and Alice Mooneyham will be participating in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference.

The students were nominated by their former teacher, Cindy Morrissey.

The girls can’t wait to check out the nation’s capital.

This trio of girls are heading to Washington D.C., to find out a few things about leadership. They are, from left, Alice Mooneyham, Kaitlyn Britton and Kylie Flynn. They’ll be participating in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference. (B.C. Manion)

“I’ve never been to Washington D.C., and I’ve wanted to go there,” said Alice, who is 11. “I think it’s going to be a really cool experience.”

Eleven-year-old Kaitlynn shares her enthusiasm.

“It’s going to be fun. My sister went in eighth grade. She got a lot of really cool photos. It was really pretty there.”

Plus, Kaitlyn added: “It will be fun to learn all about the statues.”

Ten-year-old Kylie is eager to make the trip, too.

“I can’t wait for the experiences to go to the different places,” she said. “I was really happy that I was nominated.”

Alice is particularly interested in visiting the Lincoln Memorial, while Kylie is looking forward to visiting Harper’s Ferry. Kaitlyn is looking forward to an activity-packed schedule.

“There’s going to be a lot of stuff to do in the day,” Kaitlyn said. “You’ll get to learn the history behind the monuments.”

The conference includes sessions on leadership traits and historic topics, as well as visits to national memorials, museums and a sleepover at the Maryland Science Center, amid mummies, dinosaurs and space exhibits.

Kaitlyn thinks the conference will be a good experience, but she’s not sure if it will help her with her future career. She wants to be a chiropractor when she grows up.

Alice wants to be a teacher.

Kylie wants to be a teacher, too. But, she said: “If that doesn’t work out, I want to be a lawyer. I want to be a lawyer that helps people get custody of their kids.”

Both Kylie and Kaitlyn live in Lutz, and Alice just moved from Lutz to Land O’ Lakes.

Kaitlyn will be attending Terrace Community Middle School in Temple Terrace. Kylie will be attending Buchanan Middle School in Tampa, and Alice will be attending Cypress Creek Middle High in Wesley Chapel.

Alice’s mom, Michelle Milone, is thrilled that Alice was nominated for the program.

“All three of you should be so super-duper proud of yourselves,” Milone told the girls, during a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

“I think it’s really, really great,” Milone said.

“When I was in high school, I went to something called GHP, the governor’s honors program. It was paid for by the state. It was a big deal. I learned a lot.

“I went to law camp, one year,” she added. “I went to Spanish camp.”

“I met people. I learned things,” Milone said. She’s glad the girls can take advantage of this opportunity.

Like Milone, Andrea and Kiel Flynn are delighted that the girls were nominated.

They estimated the conference cost for each of the girls to be around $3,000, and that doesn’t count the expenses that Flynn, Milone or Dave and Melissa Britton will incur because they’ll be on their own.

While it’s pricey, Milone and Flynn think its worthwhile because they believe the experience will have a lasting impression.

Published June 14, 2017