B.C. Manion

Residents around the region offer thoughts on Thanksgiving

November 27, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Thanksgiving is typically a time when loved ones get together to share a feast and count their blessings.

Residents across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area shared their thoughts about their holiday traditions, favorite Thanksgiving foods, and what the day means to them.

Reginald Hills, 50, who works in nursing administration, said his favorite Thanksgiving memory was having all four generations of the family together at Thanksgiving 2000.
His extended family typically gathers in Dallas for Thanksgiving, but Hills and his wife, Traina, along with daughters, Toniah, 8, and Keriana, 3, recently moved to Wesley Chapel, so they won’t be able to join them in Texas.
He thinks Thanksgiving is meant to be a time for philanthropy.
“You give to those less fortunate,” Hills said. “There are homeless individuals out here or families who are homeless that need help.”
His favorite Thanksgiving foods include Cajun turkey and brisket, and of course, the fixings, including baked macaroni and cheese, green beans and sweet potatoes.
Thanksgiving also is a day for desserts.
“You’ve got to have sweet potato pie and apple pie, pecan pie, and one of my favorites, peach cobbler,” he said. “I usually gain about 5 pounds for Thanksgiving.”

Tonji Johnson, 47, of New Tampa, and her grandson Leo, 2, recently were at The Shops at Wiregrass to do a bit of shopping.
Her family has a Thanksgiving tradition: “We take a moment to say what we’ve been thankful for.”
Johnson’s favorite Thanksgiving memories involve getting together with family members in Arkansas, her home state. Typically, the feast she prepares includes chicken, dressing, ham, collard greens and sweet potatoes.
Verna Johnson, a retired first-grade teacher from Lutz offered this definition of Thanksgiving: “It’s just family and thanking God. It’s a family gathering.”
She said she is grateful for the many blessings in her life.
Her favorite Thanksgiving food is cranberry salad, which she makes with apples, celery, cranberries, nuts and raspberry Jell-O.
“That was my mom’s favorite recipe,” she said.
Johnson, who is 81, makes it every year.
“In fact, my daughter said to me yesterday, ‘Mom, you’re going to make that cranberry salad, aren’t you?” she said. “That was my mom’s favorite Thanksgiving recipe.”
Some of Verna Johnson’s favorite Thanksgiving memories come from the days when her husband was in the military and they celebrated with military friends.
“It was family away from family,” she said.

Lou Giardina, an electrician from Land O’ Lakes, said his family has a tradition.
“Typically we just all get together and tell everybody what we’re thankful for,” he said.
His favorite Thanksgiving food is stuffing.
“It’s my mother’s stuffing, but my wife just happened to make the same kind,” said Giardina, 44. “Her mother made the same kind as my mother.
“That’s why I married her. The stuffing,” he said, laughing.
Giardina has a vivid memory of one Thanksgiving.
“I got to basic training and the next day was Thanksgiving,” he said.
The officers may have given them a little bit of a break.
“I think they didn’t yell at us that much that day,” he said.

Tara Palumbo, 25, a stay-at-home mom in Zephyrhills, recently was at Zephyr Park with her son, Corbyn Adams, 2.
“We always go to my aunt’s house, every year. My aunt does all of the cooking,” Palumbo said.
Well, there is one thing that her aunt doesn’t make, and it happens to be the dish that Palumbo likes best.
“My favorite is green bean casserole,” she said. “I make it and bring it. I just love it.”

Natalie Allison, 23, of Zephyrhills, thinks she has an unusual tradition.
“Usually you eat turkey on Thanksgiving,” Allison said. “I don’t eat turkey. So, my grandma cooks me ham every year.”
Allison added that she likes Thanksgiving better than Christmas. And that’s because it focuses on two things: Family and food.

Megan Fromm-Sada, 37, a barber who lives in Zephyrhills, has a traditional view of Thanksgiving.
“It’s a time to be thankful and a time for family,” she said.
Her idea of a good Thanksgiving dinner includes turkey, ham and mashed potatoes. She could care less if there is pumpkin or pecan pie, however.
“I’m not a big dessert eater,” said Fromm-Sada, who generally prepares the holiday meal. She was at the park with her niece, Kiara Graham.
The 4-year-old said if she were baking a turkey, she’d take it out of the oven and make it into a pie.
Good thing that Fromm-Sada is in charge of the kitchen on Thanksgiving.

David Denny, 85, a winter resident in Zephyrhills, said getting his family together wasn’t a simple thing when he was young, so it was always special.
He still enjoys Thanksgiving gatherings — including turkey, sweet potatoes, and mashed potatoes and gravy — but now those feasts are with friends he knows in Zephyrhills.
For the retired electronic engineer, Thanksgiving “means giving thanks for just being here on the planet, and being healthy and being able to have a good mind, being able to understand and converse with others.
“I’m 85 now. I’m very thankful for my health, mental and physical,” he said. “To me, that’s worth more than all of the money they have in the banks.”

Ace Hardware in Lutz scores two national honors

November 20, 2013 By B.C. Manion

The Ace Hardware store in Lutz is not exactly your mom and pop hardware shop.

At one end of the business, patrons can stop in at a service desk for Sunshine Pool Service & Repair to get their pool needs met. They also can peruse shelves in that area featuring chlorine stabilizer, alkalinity increaser and other pool chemicals and supplies.

Scott Andrews, left, and his brother Todd Andrews are proud of the achievements of Ace Hardware store in Lutz. The store has captured two national honors during recent months. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

At the other end of the store, customers can find angels, snowmen, Santas and other holiday decorations at ELLA Boutique, a shop that’s dressed up for the season and well stocked with home décor and gift items.

The midsection of the store is chock full of washers, screws, garage door openers, motor oil, fasteners, paint and other stuff that’s typically found in hardware stores.

The store’s eclectic mix appeals to a broad range of customers, and it has helped the store distinguish itself as being one to watch in the industry.

Recently, the store snagged one of six national honors bestowed by Ace Hardware. It was named a 2013 “Coolest Hardware Store,” and the honor was delivered during Ace’s Platinum Conference in Las Vegas.

The store also recently received a Beacon Award for being the best new store of less than 25,000 square feet. Beacons are bestowed as part of a national industry awards program developed by The Hardware Connection magazine and The Hardware Conference. Just five hardware retailers received Beacons.

Scott Andrews and his brother Todd own the store, which is at 18469 U.S. 41 in Lutz. Scott oversees the hardware store and Todd takes care of the pool service.

Their wives, Tina and Andrea, work together to run ELLA Boutique.

ELLA draws its name from the couple’s children. E and L stand for Elaina and Lilyanna, who are Todd and Andrea’s girls. L and A stand for Luke and Alexander, who are Scott and Tina’s boys.

Even Tina’s mom, Alice McClain, gets into the act. She helps in the boutique.

The two trophies the store recently received are on proud display on a shelf at the front of the store. Directly behind this is a portrait of the two families and historic photos of Lutz.

Andrea Andrews, left, and Tina Andrews manage ELLA Boutique, a gift shop that changes merchandise seasonally to offer timely gift and décor items. Andrea is married to Todd Andrews, and Tina is married to Scott Andrews.

Tina’s family has deep roots in Lutz, Scott said. Her great-grandparents were early settlers, and her grandmother was one of the first children born in the community, which dates back a century.

Scott said the idea for opening their Ace store came to him while he and Tina were driving past the shopping center to attend Tina’s grandmother’s funeral.

Before they took over the space, it was occupied by a Walgreens store. He and Todd already owned the pool store and were looking for a new location, so they decided to move it to the former Walgreens site and add the Ace Hardware. The boutique came a little later.

Besides placing great value on their family, the couples also believe in community involvement, Scott said.

“I think that is how we were raised,” Todd said.

Recently, they took part in a chili cook-off and classic car show to celebrate Lutz’s 100th birthday. They also support various organizations and charities, such as Lutz Little League, local Girl Scouts and Toys for Tots.

And, it’s not a bit unusual for a club or organization to drop by the boutique to ask them to donate an item to include in a gift basket, Tina said.

“We applaud the team at Lutz Ace Hardware for their commitment to providing a consistently amazing shopping experience for the local community,” said Kane Calamari, vice president of retail operations and new business at Ace Hardware Corporation, in announcing the award, in a news release.

It was a huge honor, the brothers said, noting their district manager, Tom Parman, nominated them for the highly coveted Ace award.

Of 4,700 Ace Hardware stores nationwide, just six were honored.

Young woman encourages others to gaze at stars

November 20, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Melanie Crowson set up her telescope in the side yard of the New River Branch Library on an evening in October and welcomed anyone with an interest to come take a peek at the stars.

In a sense, the young woman from Wesley Chapel was coming full circle.

Melanie Crowson’s interest in astronomy began when she was very young. She now offers free community viewings, using the telescope she and her father made when she was in high school. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

“We actually used to go up to the New River Library when we were kids, and I would check out all of the astronomy books,” said the 23-year-old who aspires to become a professional astronomer.

Crowson enjoys sharing her love for astronomy at the occasional community viewing nights that she offers.

“It’s fun,” she said. As the viewing night approaches, she’s excited about sharing astronomy. When it’s over, it’s nice to relax.

She loves introducing others to the world of stars, planets and galaxies. She also enjoys talking with people who share her fascination with celestial bodies.

“You end up discussing some interesting theories,” Crowson said.

The astronomy student eventually wants to work at a planetarium or an observatory, and is taking online courses to pursue those aims through American Public University.

Crowson, who is a Christian, also hopes to use astronomy in connection with her spiritual life, too. She said she is getting to know God in a new light through her interest in astronomy. It’s driven her to learn more and hopes one day to help develop new scientific evidence of the existence of God.

People talk about loving God with their whole heart, Crowson said. She wants to make full use of her intellectual capabilities to love God with her whole mind, too.

Her fascination with celestial bodies began quite early in life.

“I think I’ve always been interested, since I was a real small kid,” Crowson said.

She recalls going on occasional rides during the dark early morning hours with her dad, who was delivering his newspaper route.

“It was really cool. We could see all of the stars,” Crowson said.

As she learned more about stars and planets, her fascination grew.

Crowson, who was home-schooled, said her parents encouraged her to pursue her curiosity about the heavens.

During her high school years, she and her dad ran across a book that provided instructions for building a telescope. They decided to take on the challenge.

She chronicled the project in a manual she titled, “Closer To The Stars: Detailed Instructions for Building Your Own Telescope.”

It took about two years to build the telescope and it cost about $1,000. It would have been cheaper to buy a telescope, but then she would have missed out on valuable lessons, Crowson said.

Building the telescope helped her better understand how it works, she said. It also gave her a chance to apply math in real life.

“We used math to figure out sizes, distances, making sure the corners lined up,” Crowson said.

If something goes wrong with her telescope, she also knows how to fix it.

“We built it so that we know where everything is. I know exactly what every screw is there for and what it does, what it’s holding together,” Crowson said. “I know which parts I can take apart. If I need to replace anything, I know everything about it.”

Having community viewing nights gives Crowson a way to share what she loves and offers an opportunity to inspire others. She hopes people who come to peer through her telescope will enjoy what they see.

She also hopes it piques their curiosity.

“Maybe it will make them wonder: What’s out there? How was it made? Was it really a Big Bang? Make them question it a little bit more,” she said.

Maybe gazing through the telescope, the experience “will bring them closer to God,” she said.

If you would like to know more about Melanie Crowson’s community viewings, email her at .

New charter school aims to help children with autism

November 13, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Children with autism often are unable to say what they need or want, said Carrie Walker.

She’s the director of Florida Autism Center of Excellence, a Pasco County charter school that opened this year in Zephyrhills.

“They’re hungry. They’re sleepy. They can’t express when they’re hurting,” Walker said.

Carrie Walker is the director of Florida Autism Center of Excellence, which is located at 39375 Chancey Road. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

That inability to communicate can cause frustrations, which boil over into behavior problems, Walker added. So, it’s essential to help them learn that their voice is a tool to help them get what they need or want.

“You want to focus on the language first,” said Claire Stanford, a board-certified behavior analyst who works with children at the charter school for prekindergarten through fifth-grade students.

Although public awareness about autism has improved, stereotypes about it still exist, both women said.

Some people lump all children with autism into the same group, failing to distinguish their individual differences. Others assume that children with autism must have low IQs because of their inability to verbalize. Others brand children with autism as being bad kids.

“Autism is a spectrum,” Walker said. Each child faces individual challenges.

By helping children develop and use language skills, problems with behavior often are resolved, Stanford said.

The Florida Autism Center of Excellence aims to help students gain academic, social and behavioral skills needed to be independent in later life. The center uses the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis — a research-based strategy that has been proven to be effective for teaching students with autism.

“We break the goals down into small, discrete, observable steps,” Stanford said. Students are given praise and reinforcement for exhibiting those steps.

While many schools use a stoplight system to regulate behavior, the charter school does not. At those schools, all of the kids will start on green, Stanford said.

“There’s nothing they can do but go down,” she said.

The charter school teaches children to substitute unacceptable behaviors with acceptable choices, Stanford said.

“We do not use punishment,” Walker said.

The school uses individual language assessments to pinpoint gaps. Stanford then helps teachers write a teaching plan, and a data sheet is used to monitor how a student is faring. Parents receive monthly progress reports.

The idea is to tailor instruction to meet an individual child’s needs.

The charter school, on Chancey Road, operates out of a number of portable classroom buildings. It has an enrollment of 18, and is continuing to accept new students until it reaches this year’s cap of 38. Once that happens, new students will be admitted through a lottery system.

Next year, the school hopes to add middle school classes. Ultimately, it would like to have 110 students, Walker said.

To be eligible, students must have a diagnosis of autism by a medical doctor or an Individual Education Plan issued by a school that states the student has autism, Walker said.

She encourages families to take quick action if they believe their son or daughter has autism. The sooner a child is diagnosed, the sooner he or she can get help.

“You want to get them enrolled as early as possible,” Walker said. “Early intervention is the key.”

The charter school also wants to give parents support and help. Parents often feel they are being blamed for their child’s behavior, Walker said.

“For some of them, they feel they’re being pointed at, they’re the cause,” she said. “This is a safe environment for them. They don’t feel judged.”

Walker said the work she does is rewarding.

“I like to see the gains,” Walker said, referring to the progress that students make. “I like to give hope to the parents, because there is hope.”

What: Florida Autism Center of Excellence is a Pasco County Schools charter school providing services for children with autism. It serve prekindergarten through fifth grade, and hopes to add middle school classes next year.
Where: 39735 Chancey Road, Zephyrhills
Web: www.FACEProgram.org
Phone: (813) 395-5952

About autism
As a spectrum disorder, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity.
Some examples of behaviors a person with autism may display are:
• Communication: Children may have difficulty in verbal and nonverbal communication. There may be a lack of language development. Speech may be limited or disordered, or they may engage in one-sided conversations. They may have challenges with body language, facial expressions, gestures and signs.
• Social Interactions: Children may exhibit highly inappropriate behaviors and may show indifference to others. They may avoid affection, eye contact, and may play by themselves.
• Imagination: Play may be limited to one or two activities, involving repetitive actions.
• Playing: Children may use toys inappropriately and not for their intended purpose.
• Repetitive Behaviors: Children may develop ritualistic behaviors and obsessions.
Autistic behaviors may include rocking, spinning, flicking hands or fingers in front of their eyes, tapping objects and mouthing objects.
Source: www.FACEProgram.com

Old car, pay phone booth perfect for this garden

November 13, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Maryhelen Zopfi gets a kick out of finding new uses for old stuff.

The avid gardener’s green thumb is on glorious display at her North Mobile Villa Drive home in Lutz, where she grows roses, orchids, crotons, fruit trees, orchids, grapevines and all sorts of other plants.

But her enthusiasm for gardening is perhaps outdone by the funky stuff she has all over her place.

Maryhelen Zopfi has added another point of interest to her eclectic collection of yard art that embellishes her garden and koi ponds at her home in Lutz. This 1997 Buick front end makes a perfect waterfall, she said. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Recent additions to her eclectic outdoor décor include the front end of 1997 Buick that she’s converted into a waterfall for her koi pond in her backyard. The pond, by the way, is a former swimming pool, which is partially covered by a deck.

The deck, it turns out, is the perfect cover for the koi — should a hungry bird swoop down to try to grab a quick bite to eat.

The Buick’s front end is raised up on blocks, spilling water through its grill into the pool below.

Meanwhile, out front, Zopfi has added an old-fashioned telephone booth amidst her plants, just for fun.

She also has a smaller waterfall in her front yard, which, by the way, she thinks would be a perfect candidate for the front end of a Smart car.

Zopfi, who describes herself as a “stay-at-home gardener,” always is thinking up stuff she can do to keep adding interest to her yard. Besides being full of whimsy, her yard also is environmentally friendly, too.

She won Hillsborough County’s 2012 Florida-Friendly Landscape Water-Wise Award for the many water-conserving practices she observes.

For instance, she catches rainfall in a barrel to water a portion of a garden. She diverts runoff from her rooftop and pipes it into areas of her garden. She also uses landscape beds to keep storm water from spilling out of her yard. And, she uses micro-irrigation to apply water where needed without wasteful spraying.

Zopfi gets a kick out of showing off her handiwork. She welcomes garden clubs to come take a tour of her yard. She’s also been known to set up tables in her driveway, to let garden club members have a meeting and eat lunch.

Her generosity does have its limits, though.

The garden club members have to bring their own lunch.

If your garden club would like to schedule a visit to Zopfi’s garden, you can email the request to .

Young girls keep smiling … through pain of arthritis

November 13, 2013 By B.C. Manion

At first blush, Lindsey and Ashley Valenti look like typical preteenage girls.

They enjoy doing typical preteen things: Going to Disney theme parks, attending birthday parties and playing.

But doing even these simple things is difficult for the Wesley Chapel girls, as they both suffer from juvenile arthritis.

Ashley Valenti, left, and her sister Lindsey have been selected as the child honorees for the Tampa Bay Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Walk/Run event in December. Both girls have had to curtail many of the activities they enjoy because of the pain they suffer from juvenile arthritis. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Still, they keep an upbeat attitude, which their mom, Mary Valenti, said is probably one of the reasons they’ve been chosen as the child honorees for Tampa’s Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run/Walk. The event is set for Dec. 21 at the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough County Community College. Besides a 5-kilometer and one-mile run, there also will be activities for kids, a silent auction and awards.

Valenti is pleased that her daughters were selected for the honor because she thinks it’s important to spread the word about juvenile arthritis, a condition she believes is often misunderstood. Both girls — who also require a monthly infusion of antibodies because of an immune system condition called specific antibody deficiency — were diagnosed in 2010, but Valenti suspects that they had the condition much longer.

Lindsey, 12, said she began noticing problems with her knees about two years before she was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. She was taking a dance class and one part of a routine required dancers to spring up from the floor.

“All of the girls were able to get off the floor with ease,” Lindsey said. All except for her. She had to push herself up.

When Valenti reported that Lindsey’s knees were swollen, it was explained away as “growing pains,” she said. Lindsey had back pain, which doctors said could be kidney infection. She had severe fatigue that was chalked up to her immune system condition.

“It took us a very long time to come to this diagnosis,” Valenti said.

But it didn’t take as long to recognize Ashley’s condition, her mom said. When Ashley complained that her foot hurt, they initially thought she had turned her ankle.

When that wasn’t the problem, Valenti wondered if Ashley also might have juvenile arthritis. A rheumatologist confirmed her suspicion.

Many people have never even heard of juvenile arthritis, Valenti said. Often, they trivialize the condition, saying things like their grandmother or grandfather has arthritis.

“They don’t get it. They don’t understand it. This is a life-altering diagnosis,” Valenti said. “They look so normal and healthy, that’s why we have trouble getting across to people how serious this is.”

The arthritis they have is aggressive and lifelong. It affects organs. It affects their heart. It causes blindness.

“These are things we constantly having to get checked,” she said. “We have a team of about seven specialists.”

Lindsey remembers that recently she saw her neighbors playing outside.

“We used to be out there with them, and now we can’t,” she said. “It hurts to run. We’d go and play tag. We live in a lot of pain.”

When Lindsey wakes up in the morning, she has at least an hour of stiffness “with every joint, my neck, my knees, everything.”

The arthritis has prompted Lindsey to be home-schooled, taking classes through Florida Virtual School. But it can be hard, because Lindsey is at an age where having a social life is important. Being out of sight means being out of mind, she said, noting she doesn’t attend many birthday parties because she’s not invited.

“I have a wheelchair that I use off and on during flares, and sometimes I think kids are almost scared of what to say, so I’m avoided,” Lindsey said. “Ashley will go and play with the Barbies and she’ll need help getting up. And, I’ll sit down on the floor, and I’m pulling on the chair to try to get myself up. Even getting up from a chair is sometimes hard.”

Ashley attends Wesley Chapel Elementary School, but is frequently out of school to attend doctor’s appointments and get treatments.

Valenti and her husband Tony try to keep things as normal as possible for her girls. When Ashley’s school had a Halloween parade, for instance, Valenti pushed her daughter around in a wheelchair so Ashley could take part.

“She’s fifth grade, it’s her last one. We’re fighting to make it memorable for her because fifth grade is a big deal,” Valenti said. “I don’t know how much more schooling she’s going to be able to attend. We have some decisions to make for next year. We’re probably going to have to do the virtual school as well. But it’s a tough choice. She’s a very social kid.”

Besides robbing her children of their childhood, the disease has posed challenges for the entire family, Valenti said, especially when it comes to finances. There’s the cost of medical treatment, doctor visits and medication. There’s also the cost of just driving the girls to their medical appointments, which include trips to St. Petersburg and Gainesville.

“We bought a brand new car in May just because we travel so much, and I already have 12,000 miles on it,” Valenti said.

They’ve formed a fundraising team they call the Valient Valentis, and they’ve had some local events to raise money to help battle arthritis. They’re determined to do what they can to help their daughters and others who suffer from juvenile arthritis.

WHAT: Jingle Bell Run/Walk
WHO: Tampa Bay Arthritis Foundation
WHEN: Dec. 21, with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m.
WHERE: Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough Community College, 4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd.

Nurse earns national accolades creating new approach to care

November 13, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Susan Scherer — one of four finalists for a national nursing honor — wants to help patients understand their medical conditions and to obtain the most appropriate care.

Scherer will find out Friday if she received the 2013 Oncology Nurse Excellence award from the Academy of Oncology Nurse Navigators when they meet in Memphis, Tenn.

Susan Scherer, a nurse who lives in Land O’ Lakes, has created a business called RN Cancer Guides. It pairs an oncology nurse with a patient to help the patient gain a clearer understanding of complex medical issues as well as the complicated medical system. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Scherer is gratified to be recognized as being among the nation’s leading oncology nurses, but she is even more excited about a business she has launched that will serve patients in a new way: RN Cancer Guides.

It pairs oncology nurses with cancer patients to help the patients gain a better understanding of their medical condition, and to be better equipped to manage their care. It’s a unique approach, Scherer said, noting “it’s never been done.”

The company is in its infancy, but the Land O’ Lakes nurse foresees vast potential for expansion, as there is no shortage of a need for the services her company provides.

In a nutshell, RN Cancer Guides provides a nursing expert to review a patient’s medical records and medications, and to accompany a patient on important doctor visits when patients are at a decision point in their care. They also help patients become aware of resources that may be available to help them reduce medication and medical service charges, or to help cover those costs.

Prior to launching her business this summer, Scherer worked as a nurse at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute. Before that, she was a nurse in Minnesota where she suffered a stroke. That gave her a greater affinity for working with patients with neurological conditions.

Scherer’s goal is to help patients learn enough to handle their health care issues on their own, but she said most people are not equipped to deal with the complex issues that confront cancer patients. On top of that, patients generally are grappling with emotional and financial pressures, as well as impacts their conditions have on their work and family lives.

She believes oncology nurses are in a unique position to help cancer patients understand their condition, become more aware of their options, and pursue appropriate care.

“Nurses seem to be the point of contact. Patients really open up to nursing,” Scherer said.

She also is a staunch advocate for patient rights.

“People are having to take more responsibility for their own health care,” Scherer said. “I believe people have the right to hear what’s going on, honestly, with them.”

Unfortunately, many people find doctors to be intimidating, she said. “There’s a whole generation of, ‘Well, the doctor said …’”

Finding appropriate care is essential, but that doesn’t always happen. “People will shop for cars more than they will their own physician,” she said.

Scherer’s service helps people gain greater insight about their options and resources that may be available to help them. It also helps patients realize they need to advocate for their health care.

“I give them a voice. I say, ‘You have every right to say what you have to say. You have every right to be heard. This is your life,’” she said.

She believes patients want to be informed about their condition, — even when the news is bad.

“If you arm people with education and you tell them the truth, they can handle it a lot better than if you blindside them,” Scherer said.

She believes her new venture is particularly timely.

“Right now, we have this health care system and nobody knows what’s happening. It’s mass chaos. Looking at how fragmented that things are right now, now is the time to help out,” she said.

RN Cancer Guides serves patients at any stage of their diagnosis, she said.

Costs for the service vary. For newly diagnosed patients with no complications, the service is $750, which includes 10 hours of service and a doctor’s visit.

The cost increases to $1,000 for 15 hours of service and a doctor’s visit, for more complicated cases, and $2,000 for up to 20 hours of service and a doctor’s visit for even more complex cases.

There’s also an hourly consulting service available at $149 an hour. And, there are corporate programs available, too, for businesses that want to provide a cancer assistance program for their employees.

When the patient is facing an important decision, the oncology nurse will accompany them on that doctor visit, Scherer said.

“When I go into physicians’ offices, I have to not be adversarial. I’m supposed to be an extension of everybody, to make sure they’re all talking,” Scherer said.

If she wins the award on Friday, it won’t be Scherer’s first honor. In 2005, she received a Florida Hospital Heroes Award after she and her husband, Nick, traveled to Mississippi twice in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The couple hauled a trailer full of food and supplies to dispense to storm victims. She also provided medical assistance, administering tetanus shots and helping in other ways.

Anyone who would like to know more about RN Cancer Guides can call (813) 360-1145, can email , or can visit the company’s website at www.RNCancerGuides.com.

Porter Campus aims to become hub of academic activity

November 13, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Deja Ventura couldn’t be more excited about the January opening of Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel.

The new campus — PHCC’s fifth — will make life much easier for Ventura, a student at the college.

“I can’t wait,” she said.

Ventura and others attended an information session last week in a conference room at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. There, faculty and administration for the new campus gave the crowd a virtual tour of the new facility, and shared their aspirations for the quality of education it will bring to its students.

Having a campus in Wesley Chapel will reduce Ventura’s commuting time for school by two hours, she said. It takes the 20-year-old an hour to drive each way to her classes now at PHCC’s New Port Richey campus.

Ventura’s also pleased that the new campus is near Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, where Ventura eventually wants to work.

The Wiregrass Ranch High School graduate said she was a patient at the hospital, and the positive experience she had there helped seal her decision to pursue a nursing degree.

Julio Rivera, an employee in the hospital’s cafeteria, is also looking forward to the opening of the new campus, as he pursues classes in information technology.

“I live 5 to 10 minutes from here,” he said. “I drive by here all of the time.” Rivera said.

Stan Giannet, provost of Porter Campus, was enthusiastic about what the school intends to offer its students.

“We’re very fired up,” Giannet said, noting that PHCC expects to branch into four-year degree programs next year, with bachelor’s degrees in nursing as well as supervision and management.

Stan Giannet, provost at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, looks forward to creating a sense of community on campus and connections with the community it serves. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The community college has received approvals from the state for the programs and is awaiting approval on its application for accreditation for the programs.

Once that clears, PHCC plans to change its name to Pasco-Hernando State College.

The four-year programs are slated to begin in fall of 2014.

Porter Campus also plans to be the only PHCC location to offer two new certification programs that the college will launch in 2014. Those certification programs are for surgical and pharmacy technicians, both fields where workers are in high demand.

One of the college’s missions is to help address workplace needs. “We want to be at the table to offer some solutions,” Giannet said.

The new campus is well equipped to serve student needs, Giannet said. It has a seven-story building, which includes four stories of classrooms on top of a three-story parking deck.

Beyond traditional classrooms, it also has nursing, computer and science labs as well as a two-story library. The nursing labs are so current that the mannequins used there can breathe and talk.

The campus also features two outdoor plaza areas, which Giannet believes will be popular places for people to congregate, for academic discussions and social gatherings.

He aspires to make the new campus an intellectual, cultural and community hub.

“We want to make it a vibrant campus for this community,” Giannet said.

The campus doesn’t have a cafeteria, but Giannet said students, staff and faculty members have many dining opportunities nearby.

“It’s so ideally situated in the heart of Wesley Chapel. There are restaurants that are peppering this entire area,” he said, adding that the library will have a coffee shop.

Besides offering a wide variety of programs, the college is committed to helping its students succeed, Giannet said.

“You are not a number. You are known. This is the kind of climate we are going to have at Porter Campus at Wiregrass,” Giannet said.

Courses will be offered in a variety of ways. Some will be taught in the traditional mode of a teacher delivering face-to-face instruction. Some will be offered online. Some will be a combination of both.

Pam Medley, the assistant dean of student development, said the college wants to help students get the classes they need.

Those transferring in must be sure to get their transcripts, to help them during the enrollment process, she said. Unofficial records can be used during the registration process, but official records are needed to release financial aid.

It’s also important for high school graduates to be aware that they can enroll as early as May for classes that begin in August.

The college will work closely with high schools for dual enrollment, where high school students can earn college credits, Medley said. She expects those relationships to be especially close between the college and Wiregrass Ranch High School, which is across the street from the new campus, and with Wesley Chapel High School, which is nearby.

The college also has a Teaching-Learning Center, which is committed to helping students achieve their potential. The idea is to help students engage in learning, whether they are tackling a complex research project or struggling to stay on pace, said Natalie Epo, coordinator of the Teaching-Learning Center.

Classes at Porter Campus are set to begin Jan. 13.

For more information, go to www.PHCC.edu.

Young Virginia cancer patient inspired Plantation Palms fundraiser

November 6, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Christina Jenks recently had her head shaved for a cause. She’s trying to help put an end to pediatric cancer.

Jenks and her husband Eric are behind a fundraiser planned for Nov. 9 at Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes. The event combines a golf tournament, head shavings and fun activities for kids and adults, aimed at raising money for St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation to support pediatric cancer research.

Christina Jenks shaved her head to battle pediatric cancer. Will you? There are other ways to help, as well, of course. A fundraiser is set for Saturday at Plantation Palms to help fight pediatric cancer. (Photo courtesy of Christina Jenks)

The Jenks, who are the founders of Big Heroes 4 Little Warriors, began their crusade against childhood cancer a couple of years ago. It began when Christina Jenks read about a 6-year-old boy in Virginia who was fighting for his life.

One of the things that the little boy, Nathan Norman, said he most wanted for Christmas was cards from his heroes — police officers, firefighters and rescue personnel.

The young boy’s plea touched Jenks’ heart.

She approached her husband, a firefighter with Pasco Fire Rescue, and suggested they get the boy a card and ask firefighters at various stations to sign it.

The simple gesture snowballed into an avalanche of love as word spread. Fire and rescue folks from Orlando to Pinellas County began calling, expressing their desire to get involved.

“The response ended up being overwhelming,” Jenks said. “They wanted to donate helmets, they wanted to donate uniforms. They were making gifts for him. We had stuff coming from everywhere.”

They got so much, in fact, they wound up loading up their Chevy pickup and driving 700 miles to the Normans’ home in Lynchburg, Va., to deliver the loot to the young boy.

That was in December 2012.

When they arrived, the boy’s parents talked to them about the need to help children who have cancer. The Normans had launched their own fundraising organization and wound up giving the Jenks 110 gift bags to bring back to children at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and All Children’s Hospital.

The Jenks later decided to create Big Heroes 4 Little Warriors to help children in the Tampa Bay area who, like Nathan, are fighting for their lives.

The couple said they felt called to get involved.

“For me, I’ve been in fire rescue for more than 20 years, and helping people is something I love to do,” Eric Jenks said.

“All you have to do is meet one of these children and that’s all it takes – to see the battle they’re fighting, you just want to fight it for them,” his wife added. “That’s what we’re doing, we’re fighting for a need that needs to be filled. These kids need someone to fight for them. That’s what we’re doing.”

If you go
When: Saturday, Nov. 9; Opening ceremony 11:30 a.m., shot gun start for the golf tournament as well as head shaving and family event at noon.
Where; Plantation Palms Golf Club, 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
What: Golf tournament, chance drawings, face painting, bounce houses, head shaving, games, arts and crafts, DJs and other activities.
Plantation Palms will donate 10 percent of all restaurant proceeds.
For more information, call Eric or Christina Jenks at (727) 641-6075.

Workin’ at the carwash: Local business chips in with prime location

November 6, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Samantha Barone, Lexi Romeril, Kendall Perkins, Katie Hale and Amanda Lasky all stood on the sidewalk at the edge of U.S. 41 and Ehren Cutoff, waving signs and urging drivers to pull into the parking lot across the street to get their cars washed.

They were asking for a $5 donation per car wash, and judging from the energy the volunteers were exerting, motorists got their money’s worth.

Dean Hale sprays off a car during a car wash to raise funds for the Mini Bulls, a fast-pitch softball team he coaches. The team donated a portion of proceeds to Susan B. Komen’s ‘For the Cure.’ (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The car wash crew was busy on the afternoon of Oct. 27 as drivers streaming by the busy intersection decided to pull in to have their cars soaped and sprayed.

The car wash was done to raise money for Mini Bulls, a traveling fast-pitch softball team, as well as to support the Susan B. Komen “For the Cure” breast cancer foundation.

Players weren’t the only ones getting wet and sudsy. Parents pitched in, too, along with some siblings.

The event was just one of many that Rene Van Hout and her husband, Wes, expect to occur at the corner lot as groups seeks to raise money for various causes. The couple owns LOL Transport & Moving, and they recently announced they would make the lot available to community groups to have car washes. They would also supply water, hoses and nozzles to help make each one a success.

The Mini Bulls seized the opportunity.

Rene Van Hout said the idea is to give back to the community. It’s one way the couple can express its gratitude for being able to secure the site for their business.

“I wanted to share the blessing of this prime location,” she said.

The lot is available to any group that’s raising money for a nonprofit group, such as a church, a band, an athletic organization, or a charitable cause, Van Hout said. They do not have to be designated by the government as a nonprofit group, but cannot personally profit from the venture.

Rebecca Lasky, who was on hand to support her daughter’s softball team, praised the moving company for its generosity.

“I think it’s an amazing donation to the community,” said Lasky, who lives in FishHawk Ranch near Brandon.

Lasky was holding a sign at one spot at the edge of U.S. 41, while her daughter was among the group of kids holding signs near the intersection of Ehren Cutoff and U.S. 41.

Lasky said the team is a great thing for the kids.

“They’re like sisters,” she said, adding her 14-year-old daughter is devoted to the game. “My daughter eats, breathes and sleeps softball.”

Lesley Harris, whose daughter Keeana also plays, applauded the moving company for helping organizations that need to raise money.

“I think that it is phenomenal,” the Wesley Chapel woman said. “It’s a prime spot.”

McKenzie Nix, a 12-year-old player from Lakeland, was busy at the fundraiser. At one point, she climbed into the bed of a pickup truck to clean off the back window of the passenger cab. At others, she was washing or drying off cars.

Dean Hale, who coaches the team, was busy, too, hosing off soapy vehicles. His wife, Mercedes, was busy scrubbing them.

Besides raising money for the softball team, the fundraiser had another benefit, Coach Hale said. Raising money to battle cancer helps make the girls more aware of the world outside of softball.

The team, which practices at Krusen Field in Zephyrhills, draws its players from Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Valrico, Brandon, FishHawk Ranch and Lakeland.

Any group interested in requesting the use of the parking lot for a fundraiser should call (813) 996-3775 and book the date. The lot is available on Saturdays and Sundays.

“As long as they’re raising money for a nonprofit group,” Van Hout said.