The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

New Wesley Chapel charter uses Montessori method

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When school begins in the fall, a new educational option will be available for parents of children in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Garden Montessori School has been approved as a charter school in Pasco County, meaning that there’s no tuition for children attending the school.

Ella Selover attends the private pre-school that has inspired the creation of Garden Montessori Charter School which will open this fall in Wesley Chapel. Deadline for applications is Feb. 27. (Courtesy of Garden Montessori School)
Lilly Selover attends the private pre-school that has inspired the creation of Garden Montessori Charter School which will open this fall in Wesley Chapel. Deadline for applications is Feb. 27.
(Courtesy of Garden Montessori School)

The new charter has its roots in a private pre-school and kindergarten that has been offering the Montessori approach to education since 2009.

Parents of some of those children were interested in continuing to pursue that type of education in elementary school, and the school sought permission from Pasco County to open a charter elementary school.

“It’s going to continue the Montessori that’s here,” said John Selover, a consultant to the school.

“The genesis of the (charter) school was that a lot of the parents here were very interested in continuing the Montessori method of instruction. Montessori is much more than a method. It’s kind of a culture of its own,” he said.

Darlene Pla-Tschantz, associate education director, said, Montessori focuses on teaching the whole child.

“It’s based on grace and courtesy,” she said.

The children do a lot of hands’ on work, and the work is designed to build on previous work that has been accomplished.

“In terms of the social piece, it is a community involvement,” she said. One of the values of a Montessori education is giving back to the community in which the sits.

“We have permission to open with up to 270 students,” Selover said. It will begin with kindergarten through second grade and will add a grade each year, until its fifth year of operation, when it will reach 540.

One key difference between this school and traditional public schools is that the children will be taught in multi-age classrooms and they have the same teacher for three years.

“We’re meeting the kid where they’re at,” Selover said.

“Everybody knows the child. They have some history with the child. They’re able to really, truly meet them where they’re at,” he said.

Pla-Tschantz explained: “It’s really not teacher-centered. It’s child-centered, with the guidance, of course, from teachers.

Teachers observe children closely and keep good records, to keep tuned into the child’s progress and where they should be, she said.

Teachers look at benchmarks to make sure that children are reaching them and when they’re not, they ask themselves why children aren’t reaching them and they make recommendations on what they can do to make progress.

Besides paying close attention to a child’s progress, there’s also peer teaching.

The school also pays attention to how the children learn.

“Are they visual? Are they tactile? Are they auditory?” Pla-Tschantz said. Or, perhaps like most people, they learn using more than one style.

The school’s charter application was approved for five years.

Applications are being accepted through Feb. 27.

School officials expect more applications to come in than there are slots, so a lottery system will be used to select the students.

Applications are being accepted through Feb. 27.

A site has not yet been acquired, but officials expect that to be done soon.

Initially, the school will use portable classrooms.

Parents can attend a parent meeting on Feb. 18, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, to learn more about the school.

Questions parents have asked at previous meetings include such practical considerations as the start and end times of school, whether there is before and after care and what kind of lunch program is available, Selover said.

The school will follow the Pasco County code of student conduct. It also will serve Pasco County school lunches, providing free or reduced-price lunches to those qualify.

It will not provide transportation, but will help parents who want to arrange car pools.

Parent information session
Garden Montessori Charter School is a tuition-free, public kindergarten through sixth grade school slated to open in August, serving the Wesley Chapel area.

There will be a parent information session Feb. 18 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway.

General information and enrollment details can be found at GMCSWC.weebly.com.

Published February 18, 2015

Saint Anthony School celebrates historic milestone

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Saint Anthony School, in San Antonio, celebrated a milestone in its history on Feb.9, when the Rev. Robert N. Lynch, Bishop of Saint Petersburg presided over a Mass and dedicated the school’s new building.

“It was just so beautiful,” said Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the school’s principal.

Saint Anthony School held a dedication celebration on Feb. 9 to celebrate the opening of its new classroom building. (Courtesy of Saint Anthony School)
Saint Anthony School held a dedication celebration on Feb. 9 to celebrate the opening of its new classroom building.
(Courtesy of Saint Anthony School)

In addition to the bishop, there were 13 priests and four deacons taking part in the Mass.

“You should have seen the excitement in the faces of the children. I don’t think they ever saw so many priests,” Ottapurackal said.

In fact, there were so many that six-year-old student Kolbe Williams, said, “I couldn’t really count them.”

Eight-year-old Colton Courtade enjoyed the school’s celebration and the picnic afterward.

But he was especially pleased to be an altar boy.

“I was serving with them (the priests). It was an honor,” Courtade said.

Both children and adults alike said they are pleased with the new brick building, which was designed to architecturally match the existing brick building, constructed in 1922.

Some of the new building’s advantages are the larger classrooms, better lighting and improved technology, they said.

“It’s bright and cheerful,” said 8-year-old Catalina Espada. It has more space and is organized well, she added.

First-grade teacher Franchesca Blocher, is delighted with the new building.

“Oh my goodness, it’s awesome. This is my 17th year at Saint Anthony. It is a true blessing to have this new classroom, this new building.

“The children are so excited to be in the classroom. They love coming in every day. I love coming in every day,” said Blocher, who commutes from Land O’ Lakes to teach at Saint Anthony School.

“Having all of the classes together in the same building, it really is very nice. We can travel through the building and see the older children and they can be an example for my students,” Blocher said.

Katie Kenny, 6, said she’s new to the school this year and is really enjoying the experience.

She said she likes her new friends, her teacher, and the new building, too.

Like many of the younger children, 6-year-old Ryan Potthast is impressed by the lockers that sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders have in the new building.

Potthast also thinks it’s cool that the school has an elevator.

Parents are also impressed.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Mary Kay Connor, whose daughter, Meg, is in second grade.

Connor has been associated with Saint Anthony School for 16 years. Her daughters Katie, Anne Marie and Claire already went through their elementary school years there.

The new building allows the school to increase the size of its enrollment from a maximum of 225 to a maximum of 270, Ottapurackal said.

“We still have only one class per grade,” she said, but the larger classrooms can accommodate more students.

It also features a new science lab, Ottapurackal said.

The school serves kindergarten through eighth grade. It doesn’t have early childhood because another Diocesan school nearby offers that, the principal added.

She also noted that the St. Petersburg Diocese’s Forward in Faith Capital Campaign made it possible to build the new building.

Next on the agenda is remodeling of the old building, Ottapurackal said.

The library is now sharing space with the Spanish class, but it will be moved to the old building once that is remodeled.

Once that project is done, the cafeteria, library, computer lab, Spanish, music and art will be in the old building, the principal said.

The old building is being used for art and lunch now, but once the renovation begins, the parish center will be used for art and lunch.

The dedication festivities drew hundreds of people, including former graduates of a school that has served generations of families since its inception in 1883.

It’s a community that takes tremendous pride in the school and is always willing to help, Ottapurackal said.

In fact, on moving day which was held Jan. 6 over the Christmas break, volunteers — including students — stepped forward to help.

“It’s just amazing,” she said.

The school didn’t even have to hire a crew.

“That’s the beauty of this community,” Ottapurackal said. Besides providing free labor, they even brought equipment and boxes to use in the move.

“Even the children were carrying their books,” she said.

She smiled broadly, as she described the day of the school’s dedication.

“We had Mass, then a dedication ceremony outside the building, then right after that an open house and then a reception back in the parish center. Our children had a picnic in the park.

“It was just a beautiful day,” she said.

Even the weather cooperated, Ottapurackal said.

“We didn’t have rain until everything was over.”

Published February 18, 2015

Navigating through today’s ‘Teen World’ isn’t easy

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Being a teenager has never been an easy time, but with today’s technology, poor decisions and impulsive actions can go viral in an instant.

And, with Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter it’s so much easier for kids to get themselves into trouble these days — sometimes with deadly consequences.

Stacie Gavin, Terri Vanderhook and Laura LoPresti organized an event aimed at providing resources and advice to parents and teenagers as they confront the challenges of being a teenager in today’s technology-driven world. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Stacie Gavin, Terri Vanderhook and Laura LoPresti organized an event aimed at providing resources and advice to parents and teenagers as they confront the challenges of being a teenager in today’s technology-driven world.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Teenagers aren’t the only ones facing new challenges in this cyber age.

Parents also have trouble helping their children navigate through their teen years.

To help both groups, Steinbrenner High School’s Parent Teacher Student Association recently held a “The World of a Teen,” forum to discuss challenges confronting today’s teenagers.

A panel of experts covered issues ranging from dating, drugs, alcohol, stress, social media.

They also talked frankly about such topics as sexting and sexploitation, human trafficking, date rape, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, self-mutilation, eating disorders and various kinds of anxiety.

More than 160 people turned out for the event, prompting Laura LoPresti, one of the organizers to remark as she addressed the crowd: “This is obviously a topic of interest.”

The forum offered a safe space for both parents and their children to ask questions.

They jotted them on index cards and LoPresti read them to panelists.

Parents wanted advice about how to keep track of their child’s online behaviors.

It’s a serious issue, said Michelle Gonzalez, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Parents must monitor what their children are doing online — on whatever kind of electronic device they are using, said Gonzalez, who investigates the exploitation of children on the Internet, including such issues as sextortion and sexting.

Deputy Tony Bennett, who is the school resource officer at Steinbrenner, told parents there are computer apps that can track their children’s computer behavior. He advised parents to contact him and he’d give them a list to check out.

Dating is another dangerous arena for teenagers, said Erica Ruiz, of The Spring of Tampa Bay, Inc.who works with dating abuse prevention and intervention programs.

“One in three or four teens will experience some form of teen dating violence,” she said, noting the violence can be either physical or verbal.

It’s an issue that’s often not on parents’ radar, Ruiz said.

“Take it seriously,” she urged parents.

Cindy Floyd, a licensed clinical psychologist with a practice in Wesley Chapel, said many of clients she sees have eating disorders, body image concerns, depression and anxiety.

Separation anxiety is another issue that teenagers sometimes have as they prepare to leave home for college.

“Are they socially and emotionally prepared for that transition?” she asked.

Parents often are reluctant to talk about drugs and alcohol with their children, said Sonya Bufe, of The Phoenix House, a substance abuse treatment center.

But it’s a necessary discussion.

In fact, parents, in general, need to talk to their children routinely to know what’s happening in their lives, said Ray Hewitt, who also works for The Phoenix House.

Kids often have an entirely different view of their future than their parents have for them, Hewitt said.

It’s important to know what they’re thinking and feeling and the only way to do that is keep the lines of communication open, he said.

While clients struggle with various anxieties, it’s important for parents to know that help is available, said Karan Lamb, a licensed psychologist with a practice in Carrollwood.

“Treatments are very effective,” she said, but if anxieties are left unchecked, they can develop into deeper problems.

The panelists offered a wide range of advice to parents. They talked about signs that can indicate that a child is being bullied. They gave advice on what to do if your child begins to hang out with a kid you think is trouble. They also offered practical suggestions to help parents prepare their children for independence.

Floyd, who has never been part of this type of panel, praised the Steinbrenner PTSA for arranging the program.

“I think it is so crucial for parents and families to be involved in the ins and outs of their teens’ lives,” Floyd said. “When parents are present, it’s just such a different experience for the teenager.”

She was impressed by the turnout.

“There’s some vulnerability that comes with these questions, especially for the parents to be sitting alongside their teen. I think it’s really neat that they were open and reflecting to their teenager — ‘We’re open and we’re capable of hearing about this stuff, so come talk to us.’ ”

She said the theme that emerged from the panelists’ remarks was this: “Get to know your teenager. Be in their life. Know what they’re looking at. Know what stresses them out. Know who their friends are.

“These are kids, so continue participate in their lives, deeply, so that you know if they’re depressed, if they’re anxious, if they’re engaging in something inappropriate,” Floyd said.

Terri Vanderhook and Stacie Gavin, worked with LoPresti to organize the event.

They said their goal was to inform parents about resources that may be helpful and to provide some practical advice as they deal with the daily challenges of raising a teenager.

Lisa Kiev-Chen, who attended the forum with two of her three children, said the panelists provided plenty of food for thought.

Two big things she took away from the event were this: “Talk less. Listen more,” she said.

She said listening to the experts also reinforced her belief in the importance of sharing family meals together, even when the kids would prefer to do something else.

She also was reminded of the importance of bringing the kids into discussions and listening to their point of view.

Published February 18, 2015

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor hosts Feb. 20 job fair

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While the economy is brightening, there are still plenty of people looking for work.

To help match employers with people who need jobs, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is hosting her 2015 Job & Community Resources Fair on Feb. 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Petersburg Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N., in St. Petersburg.

The job fair is being held in conjunction with St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, the City of St. Petersburg, CareerSource Pinellas County and CareerSource Tampa Bay.

More than 50 employers will be participating, representing a broad range of positions. To check out participating employers, visit www.castor.house.gov

PHSC board selects presidential finalists

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The Pasco-Hernando State College Board of Trustees has selected four finalists in the search for a president to replace Katherine Johnson, who is retiring from the post on June 30.

The finalists are Timothy Beard, vice president of student development and enrollment management at PHSC in New Port Richey; Roberto Gutierrez, president of Klamath Community College in Klamath Falls, Oregon.; Rhonda Tracey, interim president/senior vice president for academic affairs, West Virginia University at Parkersburg, Parkersburg, West Virginia; and Tonjua Williams, senior vice president student services at St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg.

On-campus interviews will be scheduled through March, with a selection expected to occur this spring.

The new president is expected to take office on July 1.

Pasco-Hernando State College isn’t the only higher education institution that will be changing leadership. Saint Leo University recently named William J. Lennox, J., the former superintendent of the United States Military Academy as its ninth president. The appointment becomes effective this summer.

Applicants reduce size of proposed Lutz school

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Applicants for a charter school in Lutz have reduced the proposed enrollment for the kindergarten through eighth-grade school, but opponents say it’s still too big.

Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton has amended its request for a private charter school at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

The public hearing on a request by Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton to allow a charter elementary and middle school on 7.4 acres at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard has been scheduled for March 16, marking the fourth time a public hearing date has been set on the request. (File Photo)
The public hearing on a request by Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton to allow a charter elementary and middle school on 7.4 acres at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard has been scheduled for March 16, marking the fourth time a public hearing date has been set on the request.
(File Photo)

The proposed charter school, Sunlake Academy, would be developed in two phases.

Initially, the applicant asked for permission for up to 1,020 kindergarten through eighth-grade students.

After significant public opposition, the request has been scaled back to a maximum of 870 students, with 670 students in phase one and 200 in phase two.

The request would be subject to the applicant’s ability to secure the necessary water and sewer permits, and would require an updated traffic analysis before the second phase would be allowed, according to revised conditions of approval provided by Michael Horner, a professional planner representing the applicant.

A public hearing on the application originally was scheduled in December, was scheduled again in January and then again in February.

Now, the hearing date is scheduled for March 16 at 6 p.m., at the Fred B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

In addition to reducing the potential enrollment, the applicant would use staggered start and dismissal times to avoid off-site traffic impacts, would provide substantially greater buffering than required by county regulations, would agree to a number of improvements to facilitate access into and out of the school site, and would meet various other conditions.

The charter school request is facing considerable opposition from area residents.

When a community meeting was held on the issue at a hall across the street from the proposed school site, more than 90 people showed up.

The meeting was primarily an opportunity for those gathered to learn how the hearing process worked and to decide whether they wanted to create a legal fund to fight the project.

After the meeting, the legal fund was created and people took to the streets to circulate petitions in neighborhoods near the proposed school.

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, who has played a primary role in organizing the opposition, said that the scaled-back plans are still too intense for the location.

Horner said the delay was sought to ensure that the applicant has all of the information needed for the land use hearing master, who decides whether to approve or deny the request.

A number of area residents, community organizations and homeowner associations have gone on record against the request, sending emails to county staff, outlining their objections.

In a Dec. 23 email to the county, Todd Caroline, who lives in Lake Fern Villa, notes that the project would back up to his property line.

“It is already a struggle to get out of our community morning, afternoon and evening due to a poorly built intersection at Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake (Boulevard). Ever since Steinbrenner (High School), Martinez (Middle School) and McKitrick (Elementary School) have opened, it has only gotten worse,” Caroline wrote.

James Lather, another opponent, said the Lutz Citizens Coalition vehemently opposes the application because of the inappropriate size, scope and density of the project for the proposed location.

Area resident Joanne Plazza noted that she’s lived in the area since 1987 and has never objected to any previous project. But, she said, this school would add traffic to an already congested area.

Opponent Sharon Bard, of 22232 Yachtclub Terrace, put it like this: “I am very much against this. I travel Lutz Lake Fern often and the added traffic would be horrific.”

White said opponents don’t object to schools, just schools that are proposed for unsuitable locations.

Published February 11, 2015

 

Sanders Memorial Elementary: Past and Future

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Notifications went out last week to parents of students who have been accepted for the inaugural year of Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School.

Sanders’ roots in Land O’ Lakes date back to 1948.

Gertrude Godwin was known for being a strict disciplinarian, who was devoted to teaching. She’s shown here with her second-grade class at Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Andrea Frank)
Gertrude Godwin was known for being a strict disciplinarian, who was devoted to teaching. She’s shown here with her second-grade class at Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes.
(Courtesy of Andrea Frank)

The school was closed for a few years, pending reconstruction, but the crash of the housing market stalled that redevelopment.

In August, the school now made up of a combination of new structures and redeveloped buildings will open as Pasco County’s first magnet program.

It will focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Sanders received 1,690 applications from across Pasco County. The school will serve kindergarten through fifth grade and can accommodate 762 students.

While students streaming into the school this fall will be greeted by the latest in technology and new approaches to learning, the school’s history also will be honored through a special display.

Some people don’t need a special display to remind them how the school used to be.

Andrea Macomber Frank is one of five grandchildren of Gertrude Godwin, who taught at Sanders for about five decades.

“Of course, her children, our mother, aunt and uncle went there also,” said Frank, who now lives in Daytona Beach.

Long-time residents of Land O’ Lakes likely recall her grandmother, who was known as a strict disciplinarian, said Frank, who was in the area during the holidays with her brothers, Bruce and Mike Macomber.

“She used to thump people,” Bruce Macomber said.

“She could pinch you,” Mike Macomber added.

Her approach to discipline wouldn’t fit in today, they said, but her devotion to teaching would.

Because she was their grandmother, they had the benefit of learning from her at home and at school.

“She taught me to read when I was 3 years old,” Bruce Macomber said.

Their grandmother had high expectations, especially of them, they said.

“You were always expected to be a little better than everybody else because if you weren’t, the principal didn’t come to you, they went to your grandmother.

“In the ninth-grade, we all went on strike one day because we wanted to have a school dance and they wouldn’t let us have a school dance. So we all sat out by this huge pine tree. There were only about 20-some kids in our class.

“And, all of a sudden I hear yelling out the window: ‘Bruce Macomber, you and those kids get up right now and get back in your class,’ ” he said.

She commanded respect.

“The kids would listen to her,” he said.

She taught generations of families, and when she died, the church was packed with people who came to pay their respects, they said.

They don’t know what she would make of the new approaches that will be used at Sanders when it opens, but they know she would support efforts to provide a quality education for children.

During a news conference, announcing that applications were being accepted for Sanders, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said that the district’s first magnet school makes it clear that the district recognizes the need to offer more educational choices.

“As a district, we know we need to compete for the students we serve,” Browning said, at the time.

Published February 11, 2015

He’s seen his share of love stories through the years

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As Valentine’s Day approaches, jewelry stores and florists are ramping up to handle the heavy demand that this day — set aside for love and romance — creates.

Through the years, Tom Vanater, owner of Nabers Jewelry at 6951 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, has seen his share of love stories.

From behind the counter at Nabers Jewelers, owner Tom Vanater inspects a piece of jewelry. Vanater, who has been in business in Zephyrhills for more than 30 years, is retiring this spring. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
From behind the counter at Nabers Jewelers, owner Tom Vanater inspects a piece of jewelry. Vanater, who has been in business in Zephyrhills for more than 30 years, is retiring this spring.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

He recalls one couple, in particular, that came into his shop to purchase an anniversary ring.

They were celebrating their 50th anniversary.

The man told the jeweler how he met his wife.

“He was at a dance and he looked across the room and said, ‘I’m going to marry that girl.’

“He was about 6-foot-4. She was about 5-foot-3.

“He was in uniform. He asked her to dance. He told her he wanted to marry her.

“He left (for World War II) like three days later.

“She waited for him to come back.”

“Some of the hardships that they’ve gone through. And some of the things they’ve endured — to stay together through all that,” Vanater said, marveling at the couple’s enduring love.

As a jeweler, he’s had the chance to be part of many happy occasions — as patrons selected jewelry for engagements, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, retirements and other special occasions.

Jewelry helps convey a feeling of connection, Vanater said.

In many families, it is passed on from one generation to the next, and people often become quite attached to it because of the emotional bond it represents, he said.

Nabers Jewelers was established by Myron Nabers in 1933, offering jewelry services to residents in East Pasco.

Vanater bought the business more than three decades ago.

Now, he’s retiring from the business and liquidating the store’s contents so he can focus his energies on his real estate interests.

Vanater, originally from Charleston, West Virginia, didn’t set out to become the owner of a jewelry store.

After graduating from college, he went to work as a salesman for a company in New York that imported costume jewelry.

He decided to move to Florida, after being snowed in at a hotel while on a business trip near Eerie, Pennsylvania.

That snowstorm motivated him to move to Florida, where his parents had already moved, he said.

He needed a job, so he found one working at a jewelry store at Eastlake Mall.

An opportunity arose for him to move into management, so he took it.

Next, he went to work for a distributor representing Citizen Watch Co.

“They were a wholesale jewelry distributor, from Tampa to New Orleans. I covered the territory selling to jewelry stores,” he said.

But then, he said, “my daughter was born, and I wanted to get off the road.”

That’s when he found out that Nabers Jewelers was up for sale, and he bought it.

“The store wasn’t open if I wasn’t there, the first few years. I started the store with myself and two part-time people,” he said.

At one point, he had a store in Dade City and one in Zephyrhills, but he later decided to combine them.

“When you’re doing two stores, you’re trying to run them both yourself,” he said. “So it really is very difficult.”

Within a year of combining the stores, he found he was doing more sales in that store than he had in both of his stores, combined.

Over the years, the store has changed locations. The current location is in a shopping center he built.

“It’s worked out beautifully. It’s been a great location for us,” he said.

Working in the jewelry business has its share of challenges because it requires a great deal of knowledge about gems, settings and other technical aspects of the business, as well as the ability to stay tuned into trends and deliver reliable and trustworthy service, Vanater said.

But it has many rewards, as well.

“It’s a fun business. You’re experiencing a happy time in someone’s life, almost always. They’re either buying something for someone as a gift, that gets them excited, or they’re buying something for themselves that is very exciting for them,” he said.

He hopes that the new owner will find as much success in the business as he has.

“I hope it makes it to 100 years – Nabers Jewelers. It’s a good service to the community, and it’s a good living for whoever owns it,” Vanater said.

Published February 11, 2015

Business Digest 02-11-15

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North Tampa Chamber meeting
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have a general meeting Feb. 12 at Brunchies Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch & Catering at 14366 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

Guest speaker will be Mary McDonald, director of development with The Spring of Tampa Bay.

Doors open at 11 a.m., for informal networking. Serving begins at 11:30 a.m., and the program starts at 11:45 a.m.

For early bird registration, people should RSVP to the chamber office by 5 p.m., on Feb. 10 to get the discounted rate of $16 (The charge applies, whether or not you eat). Reservations will be accepted after that date on the attendee check-in list for $21 payable online or at the door.

For directions or information, call (813) 908-7023.

Dade Chamber business breakfast
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce will have its business breakfast Feb. 17 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at The Creation Café at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills at 7050 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is the sponsor. The guest speaker will be orthopedic surgeon Gerald “Trey” Alexander III who will discuss the hospital’s Bone & Joint Center.  Alexander’s expertise is in hip and knee replacement and in revision of painful and failed hip and knee replacement.

Made-to-order omelets, a waffle station, yogurt parfaits and fresh fruit will be available. Breakfast is $5 per person. There will be door prizes and giveaways.

Please RSVP, if attending, to , or call (352) 567-3769.

Attorney addresses forum
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will host a Lunch N’ Learn Business Forum Feb. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the chamber’s boardroom at 6013 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Suite 105.

The guest speaker will be attorney Dineen Wasylik, of DPW Legal, who will discuss the Top Five Intellectual Property Mistakes Small Businesses Make and How to Avoid Them. Wasylik is a certified intellectual property expert.

Registration is limited to 15 people. The cost is $15, including lunch.

For information, contact the chamber office at (813) 994-8534 or email .

Burgess Opens District Office
State Rep. Danny Burgess will celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of his new district office on Feb. 24 at Creekside Center, 35358 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills.

The open house will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with the ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m.

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce are co-hosting the event.

Rotary Club Needs Bee Sponsors
The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon needs sponsors for the third annual “BEE Part of the Buzz” Adult Spelling Bee.

The spelling bee will be April 10 at 6:30 p.m., at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club at 10641 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio. Teams compete in three rounds with words progressing in spelling difficulty from easy to intermediate to difficult.

Spectators cheer on their favorite teams in a fun event that helps raise funds for the Pasco Education Foundation. Donations range from $1,500 for a Queen Bee sponsorship to $150 for a four-person team.

For information, email Erin Meyer at .

NetFest sponsors needed
The Pasco Economic Development Council is hosting its 13th annual NetFest, which is short for Networking Festival, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., on March 5 at Starkey Ranch on State Road 54 in Odessa.

The council is seeking sponsorships ranging from $500 to $2,000.

The event is a casual night of food, drink and music — and a great chance to network.

For more information, visit PascoEDC.com.

Central Pasco Chamber to host new expo
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce is launching a new event this year called the 2015 Community Fun Day and Business Expo.

The event, open to everyone, will spotlight businesses and service providers in the northern area of Hillsborough and the central area of Pasco counties.

There will be fun and games for kids, live entertainment, door prizes and a food truck rally.

The event’s theme is “Keeping It Local — Moving our Businesses Forward.”

The two-day event, free to the public, will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., on March 6 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on March 7. It will be at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Sponsorships and booth spaces are available.

Visit CentralPascoChamber.com for an application.

For more information, call (813) 909-2722, or email .

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.

For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

Wesley Chapel networking group
Networking for Your Success meets every Thursday at 8 a.m., at Lexington Oaks Country Club, 2615 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Cost is $5, and annual membership to the group is $79.

Dade City chamber needs volunteers
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is looking for some volunteers to help with the chamber event season.

With winter residents returning to the area, there are a number of activities the chamber needs help to staff. The chamber is looking for people who are friendly and outgoing, who have knowledge of the local area and activities, and are team-oriented.

For information, email .

Catholic Business Networking seeks members
The Catholic Business Networking group is looking for Catholic business owners, employees and supporters interested in joining it for regular meetings every Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes.

The group has annual dues of $60, and there is a minimum attendance requirement of two meetings per month.

For information, call (813) 833-4737, or visit CBNTampa.com.

 

It’s a Snowbird Palooza

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It’s no secret that snowbirds flock to Florida by the thousands to escape winter’s chill, but now there’s an event to celebrate those winter residents.

Simply Events of Tampa Bay will host a Snowbird Palooza from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 11 at Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.

The event includes exhibitors, speakers, a bingo tournament, line dancing and other activites.