B.C. Manion

Merry Makers use music as an instrument of joy

December 11, 2013 By B.C. Manion

If you’re looking for a bit of holiday cheer, there’s a new choral group in Wesley Chapel that wants to supply it.

The group, called Merry Makers and led by Edie Ledee-Finnerty, is a choir made up of children ages 6 through 13. And it will soon sing some holiday tunes at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, a Publix grocery store and Cobb Theatres Grove 16.

These are the members of the Merry Makers, a Wesley Chapel children’s chorus. They include, in front from left, Nuvini Wijesundara, Sandali Idippili, Sayuri Ranatunga, Yuthmi Gamage, Bianca Walker and Jasmine Mazard. In back, from left, Ravidu Idippili, Thevin Wijesundara, Yeran Gamage, Jeremiah Williams and Breonna Walker. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The children couldn’t be more excited. On Saturday, they were at Ledee-Finnerty’s house, rehearsing the songs they will perform.

As they sang, the choral director periodically stopped them, offering feedback. Sometimes, she called for improvement. Other times she doled out praise.

She clearly had the kids in the palm of her hand.

At one point, they were singing “Silent Night.” Some of the children knew the carol, but were rusty. Others were still learning the song. The first run-through was a little bit rough.

After Ledee-Finnerty’s coaching, however, they excelled on the second attempt.

Ledee-Finnerty’s ability to inspire the kids comes as no surprise to the children’s parents.

“They adore her,” said Jinali Idippili, whose children Sandali Idippili, 8, and Ravidu Idippili, 11, are part of the group.

Parents feel likewise, Idippili said. “She’s wonderful.”

Chulani Wijesundara said her children — Thevin and Nuvivi — have been taking piano lessons from Ledee-Finnerty for years. The teacher offers piano lessons at very reasonable prices, Wijesundara said. “Chorus is free.”

Both Ledee-Finnerty and her husband, Eugene Finnerty, are involved.

“While Ms. Edie is teaching kids, her husband, Mr. Eugene, gives her full support,” Wijesundara added.

Ledee-Finnerty said she appreciates having a group of parents who are involved.

“Each person offers their particular talent — making dresses, buying props, offering rides, making capes and costumes,” she said. “We all work together and it’s very rewarding.”

One of the moms, Katrina Williams, is the group’s choreographer. She enjoys helping the children make the right moves.

Ledee-Finnerty sees music as a powerful force for good, offering a bridge between people of diverse cultures.

“You can bring very different people together and have them learn the same song,” she said. “I particularly love music from around the world because we learn so much about each other through our music.”

It can be fun, too. As the kids sang “The 12 Days of Christmas,” they were going through the motions of milking, leaping, dancing and other actions contained in the Christmas carol.

The choir is made up of Yuthmi Gamage, 6; Sayuri Ranatunga, 7; Nuvivi Wijesundara, 7;

Bianca Walker, 8; Jasmine Mazard, 8; Sandali Idippili; Jeremiah Williams, 9; Breonna Walker, 9; Yeran Gamage, 9; Ravidu Idippili and, Thevin Wijesundara, 13.

Every member of Merry Makers said they enjoy singing.

Sandali Idippili, who attends Wesley Chapel Elementary School, put it this way: “When my voice is going high, I think of the blue sky and the birds are coming down and singing with me.”

The children are memorizing all of the words to the songs they will be performing, and Sandali Idippili believes they’ll be ready. She credited the choir director, noting, “She’s very talented.”

She offered another reason, too: “We practice a lot.”

Merry Makers performance schedule:
• Dec. 13, 6 p.m., Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
• Dec. 14, 2 p.m., Publix at Shoppes of New Tampa, 1920 County Road 581
• Dec. 15, 1:30 p.m., Cobb Theatres Grove 16 & CineBistro, 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd.

A stroll to remember

December 11, 2013 By B.C. Manion

With its decorative gingerbread woodwork, distinctive minarets, chrysanthemum windows and wrought iron balconies, the University of Tampa is an interesting place to visit any time of the year.

At the holidays, however, the National Historic Landmark — originally opened in 1891 as the Tampa Bay Hotel — becomes even more special. That’s when visitors to the Victorian Christmas Stroll can get a look at 14 rooms dressed up for the holidays in the Henry B. Plant Museum.

This tree, with its ‘Babes in Toyland’ theme, offers a look at the kinds of toys that children enjoyed during simpler times. (Photo courtesy of Henry B. Plant Museum)

Museum staff takes great care in creating rooms that offer a sense of walking into the era when winter visitors came from all over the world to experience the opulence of the grand hotel.

“We really want you to feel that you’re stepping back in time,” said Sally Shifke, who handles museum relations.

The structure, built by railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant, graces a plot of land on the western edge of the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa. It took more than two years to build the grand hotel, at the cost then of $2.5 million. Another $500,000 was needed to purchase the hotel’s European furnishings and artwork.

Visitors to the Victorian Stroll, now in its 32nd year, will have a chance to walk the same grounds Teddy Roosevelt did when he commanded the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War. They also will be able to claim they’ve been to the same place as famous visitors who stayed or performed at the hotel, including John Phillips Sousa, Sarah Bernhardt, Clara Barton, Booker T. Washington, Thomas Edison and Babe Ruth.

Of course, there are those who are not particularly interested in history or architecture, and for them, the stroll offers a chance to see plenty of old-fashioned ornaments, garland and twinkling lights. And, in a gesture of true Southern hospitality, strollers are invited to conclude their visit by relaxing on the hotel’s vast verandah to enjoy a complimentary cookie and cup of spiced cider.

Like its name implies, the Victorian Christmas Stroll aims to give visitors a chance to slow down and breathe in the beauty and magic of the holidays. One room in this year’s stroll, called “Toys, Then and Now,” features toys from the days of the hotel — from the 1890s to the 1930s and from the present day — including Lincoln Logs to Legos, Raggedy Ann to Barbie.

“We feel that this exhibit will really provoke conversation. The fact of the matter is that all children like toys and they use their imagination,” Shifke said, noting the room will likely evoke pleasant memories for older visitors and prompt questions from younger guests.

One thing that patrons may notice is that the toys of today are made from synthetic materials, while those of the past are made from metals, woods and natural fibers, Shifke said.

Another room, known as the Men’s Reading/Writing Room, is the most authentic room in the museum, Shifke said. It features two trees, with masculine themes. One tree is decked out in playing cards and cigar boxes.

“When men came to the Tampa Bay Hotel, they played cards. There was a card room and they would smoke cigars,” Shifke said.

The other tree sports a baseball theme.

“They always talk about Babe Ruth hitting his longest home run on the grounds of the Tampa Bay Hotel,” Shifke said.

Another room on the stroll features a tree, standing nearly 14 feet tall, decorated with peacock feathers. That tree pays homage to the peacocks that once strolled about in a garden that the hotelier had built for his guests.

In addition to the dressing up the trees, the museum staff pays attention to the small details.

“We do try to pretty much decorate every nook and cranny,” Shifke said. They add miniature antique Christmas trees and other holiday accessories to mantles, cabinets and curios, using items of interest from the days when the Tampa Bay Hotel attracted affluent visitors to winter there.

In other places on the tour, visitors can see Santa climbing a stairwell, a vintage goose-feather Christmas and an exhibit featuring sock monkeys, paying tribute to the monkey house that was once on the hotel grounds. John Herrmann of Pasco County loaned the museum the goose-feather tree and 23 of the sock monkeys, Shifke said.

When strollers want to take a break, they can settle in to watch a movie about the hotel’s history.

Besides getting a glimpse of the life that was at the hotel, Shifke believes the stroll prompts visitors to conjure personal memories of Christmases gone by.

“If you weren’t in the Christmas spirit before you got here, you certainly will be in when you leave,” Shifke said.

If you go
WHAT: The Victorian Stroll
WHEN: Dec. 1-23, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with carolers performing nightly. The stroll is also open from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
WHERE: Henry B. Plant Museum, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., in downtown Tampa.
COST: $13 for adults; $11 for senior citizens (65 and older); children, ages 4-18 are $7, until Dec. 23; after that, $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, and $5 for children, ages 5 through 12. (There are no carolers, cider or cookies after Christmas)
INFO: PlantMuseum.com

Acts of kindness abound, and not only at the holidays

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

It’s that time of year again when efforts begin revving up to provide holiday meals and gifts for those who need help, and lots of groups and individuals are stepping up to help out.

But the season of giving expands far beyond the holidays in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

On any given day, the newspaper receives emails detailing the good works being done. Requests pour in, too, seeking help to put the word out for a wide array of charity events.

The communications are telling. They paint a picture of a community that cares.

Noah Schultz gets a look under the tire of a 1998 Honda Prelude that he’s helping to repair for Matt Feldhouse, a member of the military who was deployed at that time to Kyrgyzstan. (Photos by B.C. Manion)

Here’s a look at just a few of the dozens of charitable acts performed in recent months, by young and old residents of Central Pasco, East Pasco and Northern Hillsborough counties.

In response to Typhoon Haiyan that killed thousands in the Philippines and rendered others without food or shelter, the Rev. Federico Agnir of Wesley Chapel had a charity benefit on Nov. 24 at Atonement Lutheran Church. The concert was free, but donations were collected for the Pacific Typhoon Response Fund of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

The Zephyrhills Historical Association also had a recent fundraiser at Ruby Tuesday in Zephyrhills. The restaurant donated 20 percent of diner proceeds for the fundraiser to support the Rosemary Trottman Scholarship Fund. The scholarship goes to a qualified Zephyrhills High School graduate.

Other examples of the community’s giving nature abound.

Nearly 600 hikers turned out for Hike for Hospice, on Nov. 10 at the Land O’ Lakes campus of Rasmussen College on State Road 54. The event raised more than $56,000 to support programs at Hospice Houses and bereavement centers from Gulfside Regional Hospice, as well as to help patients and their families facing life-limiting illnesses in Pasco County, according to a news release.

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club routinely stages events to raise money, which in turn, benefits groups ranging from scout troops, to domestic violence survivors, to the homeless.

Woman’s club members Joan Collins and Pat Serio recently delivered a truckload of infant and toddler clothing to Alpha House of Tampa. It helps homeless pregnant women and mothers with young children by providing a safe place to live and equipping women with tools to become self-sufficient.

Throughout the year, Gloria Dale, another woman’s club member, signs cards that are shipped during the holidays to military personnel overseas, and delivered to residents at local nursing homes.

Other groups also work all year long to show their support for the troops.

Support the Troops in Wesley Chapel ships boxes including microwaves, refrigerators, televisions, snack foods, coffee and other items to military personnel overseas. The Lutz Patriots sends care packages, including snacks, personal hygiene supplies and other items to the troops, too.

Patricia Murphy of Land O’ Lakes enlists local businesses and volunteer groups to help her organization, Books for Troops. The books are distributed to military personnel and at local nursing homes.

Members of the men’s group at Grow Life Church in Wesley Chapel performed a personal act of support for a member of the military. They decided to restore a 1998 Honda Prelude owned by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Matt Feldhouse while he was deployed in Kyrgyzstan.

The car broke down before Feldhouse went overseas. While he was gone, the men’s church group rallied local businesses and others to help support the project and made the needed repairs.

They surprised Feldhouse at an event at The Shops at Wiregrass, a popular venue for many community events, which often are coupled with fundraising efforts for local charities.

In this age of tweets and texts, Gloria Dale uses an old-fashioned way to send holiday cheer to veterans and troops. She writes each of her greeting cards by hand.

For instance, this year The Shops will host a new event called The Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot, with proceeds from the Thanksgiving morning race going to Feeding America Tampa Bay and local charities through New Tampa Rotary Foundation and the New Tampa YMCA.

Local chambers of commerce also commit acts of kindness, often sponsoring student of the month celebrations and scholarships and getting involved in cleanups and other community projects.

The Lutz Civic Association drums up support for community organizations through its annual race for Lutz Guv’na. This year’s candidates raised $12,596, which was distributed to support various community organizations.

The race for honorary mayor in Wesley Chapel also raises funds, which are used to support the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and local causes.

Some networking groups also get into the act.

The Christian Business Connection, a Central Pasco group, hands out a number of checks each year. Recently, the group donated $250 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, using funds from the networking group’s membership dues.

Women-n-Charge, a women’s networking group, presents an annual fundraising tea to raise money to support two $1,000 grants to help women advance their business goals. This year’s fundraiser went so well the group raised extra money, so they also contributed $1,000 to A Woman’s Place, a ministry devoted to providing free help to women facing unplanned pregnancies.

Bigger organizations get involved, too.

For example, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point recently kicked off its “Connected in Times of Need” campaign. This four-week effort is aimed at raising money to provide emergency funds to help Hospital Corporation of America employees and their families when they face extreme financial hardships. Those difficulties can arise from a natural disaster, an extended illness or another kind of tragedy.

More than $15 million has gone to help more than 14,000 employees and their families since the fund was established in 2005, according to a hospital news release.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel also is involved in various community events. In August, for instance, it sponsored a seminar to help educate parents, coaches and athletes about the dangers of concussions, and steps to reduce the risks of concussion injuries.

The list of charitable acts through The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area goes on and on. Perhaps it is best represented, however, by Jack Buttafuoco, 9, who took it upon himself to conduct a summer food drive to help fight hunger locally.

The Seven Oaks resident collected canned foods, pasta, peanut butter and other items from friends, family and neighbors to help stock the pantry at Feeding America Tampa Bay-Suncoast Branch. He even pitched in $26 of his allowance.

Buttafuoco said he decided to do the food drive because it makes him feel sad when he thinks of others who are hungry.

Company shares secrets behind festive Christmas lights

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Every year, sometime around July, Melissa Christensen will start fielding inquiries from businesses seeking estimates on decking out their businesses with holiday lights.

Melissa Christensen holds a ball of holiday lights, which is easier to wrap around trees. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The Lutz woman, who calls herself “The Christmas Light Girl,” works with a crew of up to eight guys, all who have holiday light installations down to a science. The company consists of Christensen, her fiancé Jarrett Lane, his relatives and a friend. They’re busy each year from early November through mid-December.

Christensen can quote jobs ranging from small homes to mansions, from the St. Pete Museum of Fine Arts to Bartow Ford — anywhere around the Tampa Bay area, including Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Over the years, the installers have learned the tricks of the trade. When planning a lighting display, for example, it’s important to think about the scale of the job, Christensen said. A big tree, for instance, requires more lights, decorations and extension cords.

When figuring out how many lights are needed for a roofline, it’s important to keep in mind the various setbacks on the roof, she said.

It’s also essential to have enough extension cords and timers for each job. It’s easy to underestimate the number of timers that are needed to achieve the desired effect, she said.

At a house the company decks out each year in Odessa, for instance, the job requires nine timers.

While some people use multicolored lights, others prefer clear ones. One winning look involves clear lights, combined with splashes of color for effect, Christensen said.

Her company uses that approach on palm trees. It wraps the trunks in clear lights and then uses a green band of lights at the top of trunk, just below the fronds.

The average tree requires 150 feet to 200 feet of lights. Trying to deck out the fronds can get a bit pricey, Christensen explained.

“Fronds tend to get expensive because you usually have to have a lift. So, the green band on top is a good alternative to getting your color on your palms,” she said.

It’s a good idea to shop around for lights because prices can vary widely, Christensen said. Decorating trees can go anywhere from $50 to $250, depending on the type and size of tree.

Commercial light strands are available at places like Lowe’s and Home Depot, but also can be purchased online. The strands are typically 132 feet for incandescent lights, and 67 feet for light-emitting diodes.

“LEDs are just a spot of light,” Christensen said. “They do not glow or illuminate. If you really want illumination, then you need to stick with the incandescents.”

However, the LEDs do have one big advantage: They last longer.

It’s also important to expect lights to fail.

“It’s usually one of two things: Either you’re missing a bulb, or the squirrel chewed through the wire,” she said. To help spot outages, Christensen’s company uses “stay lits.” If a light goes out, she loses half of the strand, which helps her identify the problem spot.

To help prevent failures, she recommends taping over extension cord plugs to keep water from seeping in. She also said it’s advisable to alert landscaping crews, so they turn off the sprinklers and avoid running equipment over cords.

It’s also a good idea to tape down any cords that are running across walkways, to prevent a tripping hazard.

For those decorating a tree, Christensen does offer a tip: Roll the strand of lights into a ball. Then unroll it as the tree is wrapped the tree.

“It saves a lot of time. It makes it a lot more manageable,” she said. “It allows you to keep your lines tight. It makes it easier than trying to pull the wire through each time you go around.”

Installing lights keeps the company busy for about six solid weeks, Christensen said, but she enjoys the work.

She also delights in seeing a finished job.

“Lights are awesome,” she said.

Prize-winning writer draws on diverse experiences

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Jeff Wilson never pictured himself as a novelist.

An avid reader and writer for his entire life, the New Tampa man viewed himself as a short story writer. As someone who has pursued many different career paths in life, Wilson honestly didn’t think he had the attention span to develop an idea into a full-length novel.

He knows now — as he launches into his sixth novel — that, for him, writing a book is actually easier than writing a short story. A novel gives him more time and space to develop the characters he creates, he explained.

Recently, his novel “The Donors” received a Gold Medal in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror category in the Military Writers Society of America’s Book Awards. His 246-page book fuses elements of horror, medical suspense and the supernatural.

The award is especially meaningful because it comes from authors who have an appreciation for the sacrifices and dedication that the men and women in the military demonstrate through their service, Wilson said. That’s even more meaningful for him after two tours of duty in Iraq, with the U.S. Marines and with the Joint Special Operations Task Force.

Wilson’s writing draws on his diverse life experiences. He has worked as an actor, a firefighter, a paramedic, a diving instructor and a vascular surgeon.

He was in the Navy from 1998 until 2012 and was deployed to Iraq in 2005 with the 2nd Marine expeditionary force as part of a forward surgical team supporting combat operations in Western Iraq.

After that, he was recruited to Naval Special Warfare, where he made multiple deployments as part of a Joint Special Operations Task Force. He transitioned to the reserves in 2008 and remained a reserve until leaving the Navy four years later.

Wilson’s other published books are “The Traiteur’s Ring” and “Fade to Black.” The publisher is Journalstone Publishing of San Francisco, an independent book publisher that specializes in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres.

Wilson now hopes a major publishing house will pick up his work.

His agent, Talcott Notch Literary Services president Gina Panettieri, is now shopping his book, “Julian’s Numbers,” to various publishers.

Meanwhile, Wilson continues to write. He recently wrapped up his fifth book, “War Torn.” Unlike Wilson’s other books, “War Torn,” has no supernatural element.

“It’s about a young man and a young woman and the effects that war has on them,” Wilson said. “He’s a member of the National Guard. They’re in their mid-20s. She’s very active in her church. He and his best friend are in this guard unit that’s deployed to Afghanistan.”

The soldier becomes passionate about religion, through the influence of his best friend who becomes his spiritual mentor. When his friend is subsequently killed in front of him, he begins to question everything, Wilson said.

“So he comes home, like most of us, a mess. He doesn’t know if he even believes in God anymore. His marriage is strained,” Wilson said.

The book recounts the soldier’s journey back from war.

“Like all of my books, there’s a lot of me in that book,” Wilson said.

Now, Wilson is working on his sixth book, a collaborative project with another author, Brian Andrews.

Wilson said much of what he has learned about writing has come through trial and error and from being a voracious reader. He doesn’t map out his books in advance.

“When I write, it’s like watching a movie. I can’t wait to write again because I want to find out what’s going to happen.” Wilson said. “As I write, I’ll write a chapter at a time.”

As he finishes one chapter, he includes brief descriptions at the bottom summarizing elements of future chapters. The more the book progresses, the more future chapter summaries Wilson will include.

“I generally don’t know how the book ends until maybe the last 50 pages,” he said.

Wilson doesn’t devote full time to writing. He works part-time in medicine and also does contract work for the U.S. Department of Defense.

He typically writes five days a week, for a couple hours at a stretch. He said he’s found that his writing is more effective when he works in concentrated bursts.

And, even though he has a room in his home that was specifically set aside for his writing, Wilson tends to do most of his work at Starbucks or Barnes & Noble. He does that to discipline himself. If he’s at home and his kids — Jack, Emma and Connor — are there, he would rather spend time with them than work on his writing, Wilson said. He is married to Wendy, an adjunct faculty member at the University of Tampa.

Wilson isn’t the only one who enjoys writing. His son Connor told him one day that he would like to write a story. Wilson said he encouraged him to do so, and much to his surprise, his son wrote a 45-page book, which was picked up by a publisher in Chicago.

Since then, Connor, now 13, has made appearances with his book, “A Giant Pencil,” and has even made joint book signings with his dad.

For more information about Jeffrey Wilson, visit www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com. To learn more about Connor Wilson, visit www.thegiantpencil.com.

‘First Friday’ food truck rally debuts this week

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

People who want to grab a bite to eat can check out a new option this Friday at the Lutz First Friday Food Truck Rally.

The event will be he first Friday of every month, said Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition.

Food trucks like this will gather on the first Friday of each month at the Lutz First Friday Food Truck Rally. The idea is to provide a community gathering spot, while raising money for the Lutz Citizens Coalition and Lutz Preparatory School. (Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally)

The coalition and Lutz Preparatory have partnered to put on the event, which will raise money for the school and the citizens coalition. It runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 6, at Lutz Preparatory School, 17951 N. U.S. 41.

“It’s just going to be a good time,” White said. “Come enjoy some good company and relax. It’s no cooking. No dishes. No hassles.”

He thinks the food truck rally will become part of a local tradition, as families who are headed to football games, ballet recitals and other events will stop to grab a bite to eat. The money raised from the event will go to support the U.S. 41 tree project, cleanups on Sunset Lane, and other efforts by the coalition to help protect the quality of life in Lutz, White said.

The food truck rally will offer patrons plenty of choices, said Michael Blasco, chief executive officer of Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally. It will feature a dozen food trucks offering such options as gourmet hot dogs, Cajun food, flatbread, cheesesteaks, pressed sandwiches, South American and Italian fusion, and, of course, desserts.

“It’s like traveling the world,” Blasco said.

The food truck rally is just one of the events happening in Lutz this month. The community will also have its final celebration to mark its 100th year: The Lutz Centennial Christmas Card Lane.

That is set to run from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 17 on the Train Depot grounds at the corner of U.S. 41 and Lutz Lake Fern Road.

Lutz and Maniscalco elementary schools will provide entertainment with Lutz Guv’na Suzin Carr acting as emcee.

The evening also includes the lighting of the Christmas tree and an appearance by Santa.

Organizers are encouraging attendees to bring a blanket and lawn chairs.

Any Lutz resident, business, club or organization that wants to display a Christmas card can make one using either a quarter-inch plywood or 10mm Corex, the material that is used to make white yard sale signs.

Anyone who would like to participate should bring the card to Lutz Memorial Park, which is across the street from the Train Depot, between 8:30 a.m. and noon on Dec. 14. Boy Scout Troop 12 will set up the card.

For more information about Centennial Christmas Card Lane, call (813) 949-1937.

For more information about the food truck rally, call Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally at (813) 464-5600.

Thousands expected at arts and crafts festival at Lake Park

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Every year, for the past three decades, the Lutz Arts & Crafts Festival has attracted thousands to this community north of Tampa.

Vendors display their wares at the annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Festival. (Photo courtesy of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club)

The event, Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 at Lake Park, 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, features nearly 250 vendors offering paintings, photography, jewelry, woodcarving, ceramics, pottery, stained glass, quilts and food.

The event, co-sponsored by the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, is free after a $2 per vehicle parking charge.

The art show is juried, with cash prizes awarded by the Woman’s Club.

A variety of foods will be available, with the Woman’s Club booth offering breakfast items, hot dogs and the club’s peach cobbler. Other food booths will offer barbecue, Cuban selections sausages, funnel cakes and other items.

The event gives shoppers a chance to peruse booths to find holiday gifts and décor. It also raises money for the Woman’s Club, which uses the proceeds to support many local organizations, said Phyllis Hoedt, co-chairwoman of the festival.

It’s a popular event, attracting as many as 30,000 visitors.

The show enjoys a good reputation, and vendor booths sell out shortly after applications become available each March, Hoedt said. Many of the event’s vendors come from other states to set up their tents at the festival.

Pulling off the annual event requires an army of volunteers, Hoedt said. The Civil Air Patrol, the Boy Scouts and the Woman’s Club itself provide dozens of helpers, and community volunteers pitch in, too.

For additional information, call Hoedt at (813) 949-1937, or her co-chairwoman, Shirley Simmons at (813) 949-7060.

East Pasco students to have more educational options

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Students on the county’s east side will have a broader range of educational options beginning next school year as Pasco County Schools initiates Cambridge education programs at Pasco Middle and Pasco High schools.

An international program that offers students the opportunity to earn college credits is being introduced at Pasco Middle and Pasco High schools next year. A large crowd of parents and students turned out to find out more about the program at a recent information meeting. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The programs, which are known for their academic rigor, will be housed at those two schools, but will also be open through school choice to students from Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel high schools, and also to students from Centennial, Stewart and Weightman middle schools.

Students who successfully pass the examinations attached to the Cambridge program can earn up to 45 college credits at Florida public universities. Those achieving the Cambridge diploma will qualify for the highest award available in the state’s Bright Futures Scholarship program.

Pasco educators believe that students who complete the Cambridge course of study will be better prepared to succeed in college.

The University of Cambridge launched the program more than 150 years ago, beginning with 370 candidates in seven British cities. Now it has more than 8 million diploma candidates in more than 160 countries.

A large crowd of parents and students attended a recent information session at Pasco Middle to find out more about the programs.

“We wanted to bring a rigorous program to these kids in the east side of the county,” Pasco Schools superintendent Kurt Browning said. “This is an established program.”

Students have the opportunity to earn college credits that will result in substantial savings in tuition costs, but they’ll have to apply themselves to make that happen, Browning said.

“They’re going to have to work. They’re going to have to work hard,” he said.

Another information session about the Cambridge option is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 6 p.m., in the media center at Wesley Chapel High, 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

The program, known formally as Cambridge International Examinations, offers the opportunity to earn an Advanced International Certificate of Education. It is offered through the University of Cambridge International Examinations, a division of the Cambridge, England, school.

The program seeks to develop learners who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged.

To apply for the Pasco programs, students must:

• Have a score of Level 3 or above on reading and math on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

• Submit two teacher recommendations.

• Have an unweighted grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

• Complete a 300- to 500-word essay.

The application deadline is Jan. 31.

Pasco Middle will house the Lower Secondary Program, which is designed to prepare students to continue onto Cambridge course work at Pasco High.

“We were very impressed with the Cambridge schools that we went to go see,” Kim Anderson, principal at Pasco Middle, told the audience at the recent information session. “The students that we saw in these programs were outstanding. They were thinking, at times, far above some of the adults in the room.”

The program offers academic rigor, much like the district’s International Baccalaureate program offered at Land O’ Lakes and Gulf high schools, but offers students more flexibility, district officials said. The program requires students to pass six exams to receive a diploma. Three of those exams must be in each of the program’s study areas, but the student gets to choose the other three.

In the IB program, five of the six required exams must be taken in specific study areas.

Because of its flexibility, students should have no problem taking electives and participating in extracurricular activities, such as band, officials said.

Students are also able to get college credits for single courses, if they pass the exams, even if they do not take enough of the courses to get a diploma.

The program will begin next year, with students entering sixth grade through 10th grade eligible to take part. The district will provide transportation to students in participating schools.

District officials said they’re going to wait until the applications are in before determining how large the programs will be.

To learn more about the Cambridge program, contact:
Jenny Borders at Pasco Middle School:

Saint Anthony School builds on optimism

November 27, 2013 By B.C. Manion

There was a time, not many years ago, when the future appeared uncertain for Saint Anthony School in San Antonio.

Attendance had dwindled to 153, and there was talk of shutting down the elementary school.

Sister Alice Ottapurackal is the principal of Saint Anthony School. She is optimistic about its future growth. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

“At that point, when the enrollment was really low, a group of parents rolled up their sleeves and went to work in every way they could (to) get the word out about the school,” said Will Plazewski, whose son represents the fourth generation of his family to attend Saint Anthony. “It was amazing that even though the school has been here for 129 years, how many people in East Pasco County had no idea that it existed.”

Parents spread the word, and a 15-second commercial at the Cobb Grove 16 in Wesley Chapel also helped attract students, he said.

Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the school’s principal, attributes the turnaround to a higher power.

“The enrollment went up — God’s special blessing,” she said. “Truly, I believe, it’s the power of prayer.”

Now, enrollment stands at 213, and prospects for future growth are so bright that ground was broken on Nov. 17 for a new building. The new structure will accommodate 270 students.

Instead of lamenting the closure of a school that enjoys a rich heritage, Saint Anthony School is now celebrating a new chapter in its history. About 200 people turned out for the groundbreaking festivities, Plazewski said.

Construction on the new 17,905-square-foot building is expected to begin Dec. 1, and be ready for use by next fall. The new three-story brick structure will be situated on a space now occupied by five portable classrooms.

Even with the new building, the school will continue to emphasize academic excellence while teaching the Catholic faith, the principal said.

“All day long, we are teaching them about Jesus,” Ottapurackal said. “It is so important, especially nowadays, when you don’t see a lot of support in society about faith.”

Helping children form their faith is fundamental, the principal said.

“Once you have God in you, the other things will come,” Ottapurackal said. “Our focus is on whole child education, not only intellectual, but spiritual, moral, social, (and) emotional aspects of the children.”

Teachers know their students well, the principal added.

“Our teachers are well-connected with them because of the family atmosphere we have here,” she said.

Saint Anthony School serves kindergarten through eighth grade. Tuition is $4,375 for practicing Catholics and $5,075 for others. Since 2000, the school has produced 14 valedictorians and salutatorians at area high schools, Plazewski said.

Parents who are interested in pursuing a Catholic education for their children should not be discouraged by the tuition, Ottapurackal said. Assistance is available in various forms.

“Catholic education should be for any group of people, whether they are rich or poor, regardless of race,” the principal added.

Unlike previous buildings that were constructed on the school campus, this one will be an additional building, not a replacement. The existing brick structure, built in 1922, will remain and will be used for some school functions.

The new building will be the fourth in the school’s history. The current building replaced a two-story structure built in 1899. The original building was a 12-by-24-foot structure constructed in November 1884.

Not only is Saint Anthony School the oldest parochial school in the diocese, it’s also one of the oldest Catholic schools in Florida, Plazewski said.

“It is by far the oldest school in Pasco County of any kind,” he said. “The only thing that’s close to it is Saint Leo University.”

San Antonio was founded in 1882 as a Catholic colony. The following year, a widowed woman named Cecilia Morse moved into the community with her six children.

When she inquired about the school, she was told it could wait until there were more settlers, Plazewski said. Morse reportedly responded that the “minds of the children now here, can’t wait.”

With that, the widow began teaching 14 children, including six of her own, in her kitchen.

Today, Saint Anthony School draws students from San Antonio, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Brooksville, Land O’ Lakes, New Tampa and other communities.

And, its new building sends a clear signal that the school intends to be there for many years to come.

Wiregrass Wobble is drawing young and old

November 27, 2013 By B.C. Manion

It’s an inaugural race, but already the Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel is expected to draw as many as 1,300 runners.

The race already had registered 991 runners by Nov. 21, said race director Brian Brink. He expects as many as 20 percent of the race’s participants to register on race day, which is on Thanksgiving.

The 5-kilometer event, which is a walk or run event, begins at 7:30 a.m., and the one-mile fun run and walk begins at 8:15 a.m.

So far, runners from 30 states have signed up, said Brink, who is general manager for Fitniche at The Shops at Wiregrass. The oldest runner registered so far is 83. He thinks the youngest in the one-mile fun run and walk will be about 3.

Fitniche is putting on the race, in conjunction with the New Tampa Rotary and the New Tampa YMCA. Besides giving runners a new race, the event is raising money for Feeding America Tampa Bay and the New Tampa YMCA.

The inspiration for the Wiregrass Wobble came from a running group established by Brink that regularly runs on Thursday nights at The Shops, located at 28211 Paseo Drive.

Last year, members from the group decided to run on Thanksgiving morning and Brink put out the word about a week before the holiday. Much to his surprise, about 150 people showed up.

Brink figured if that many people turned out with just a week’s notice, the event could draw substantially more runners with more lead time. When planning began, Brink predicted there would be at least 1,000 runners. Now, he’s upped that projection to 1,300.

The route of the Wiregrass Wobble’s 5k will go around the mall and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, ending at the top of the mall’s parking garage.

Runners can register on race day. It costs $25 for the 5k and $20 for the one-miler.

Parking will be available in mall parking lots near State Road 56 and lots off of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. The parking garage and areas nearby, however, will be closed off for the race, Brink said.