B.C. Manion

Books for Troops offers peaceful respite during challenging times

October 23, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Patricia Murphy was delivering magazines to the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, when a young man in a wheelchair approached her.

The man, who had lost his leg in the war, couldn’t have been more than 20 years old, she recalled. But here he was, thanking her for magazines.

The young veteran told her that reading the magazines at the hospital was helping him through a tough time, and he told her he wished he could have had something to read while he was deployed.

He wasn’t living at a base, he explained. He was living in a tent on the outskirts of Iraq. Having something to read, he told her, would have made a difference.

Murphy said she thanked the young man for his service, stepped into the elevator and burst into tears.

The experience inspired the Land O’ Lakes woman to launch Books for Troops. Now, in its third year, the organization has shipped more than 15,000 books to troops overseas and delivered 5,000 books to local veterans.

It has an annual drive in October to collect the books that it sends out all year.

“We are accepting action adventure, suspense, mystery, comedy and comic books,” Murphy said. “The most important thing is that they are in very good condition.”

Besides shipping books to military personnel overseas, some books are delivered to hospitals and nursing homes.

Because of military regulations, the organization cannot accept books about religion, the apocalypse or pornographic materials, Murphy said.

The effort is aided by an army of helpers, Murphy said, noting this year three Girl Scout troops from Land O’ Lakes are helping with the collection drive, and four scout troops from Lutz are helping, too.

“The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts come and they clean them and sort them by genre,” Murphy said.

Local civic groups and businesses also play a huge role in the effort. Many businesses help by putting out collection boxes. Wesley Chapel Kia, she noted, has been there from the beginning.

The storage unit for Books for Troop is at the 54 U Store in Lutz, which is a year-round collection site, Murphy added.

“All of the paperbacks get shipped to the troops,” she said. The hardbacks are delivered to nursing homes.

Any books that can’t be shipped or delivered because of their condition are recycled, so nothing is wasted.

Murphy has been amazed by people’s generosity.

“The first time I did it, I thought maybe I’d get 100 or 200 books,” she said. “But no, I ended up with over 5,000 at the first book drive.”

Murphy said the donation of books has outpaced her ability to raise money to ship them.

It costs $15 to ship a box of 30 books, said Murphy, noting her husband’s company, Psychological Assessment Resources, donates the shipping boxes.

While she can get enough books to satisfy requests, she can’t raise enough money to ship them.

Murphy thinks the books provide an excellent diversion for troops, when they have some down time.

“It is a really good way to get their mind off the heat, the bugs,” she said. When they’re staying in remote places, she added, “they don’t have television.”

The books go to war zones, but she’s also shipped them to such places as Japan, Germany and China. They also go to hospitals all over the country.

If anyone would like to volunteer, host a collection box, or make a tax-deductible donation, email Murphy at .

2013 Books for Troops Collection Sites
Carrollwood
Book Swap at13144 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.

Land O’ Lakes
Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex at 3032 Collier Parkway
Stagecoach Clubhouse at 3632 Mossy Oak Circle
Ballantrae Clubhouse at 17611 Mentmore Blvd.
Oakstead Clubhouse at 3038 Oakstead Blvd.

Wesley Chapel
Country Walk Clubhouse at 30400 Country Point Blvd.
Lexington Oaks at 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.
Meadow Pointe III Clubhouse at 1500 Meadow Pointe Blvd.
Precision Kia Wesley Chapel at 28555 State Road 54
Saddlebrook Resort Clubhouse at 5700 Saddlebrook Way
Seven Oaks Clubhouse on Ancient Oaks Boulevard in the Seven Oaks subdivision

New Tampa
Grand Hampton Clubhouse at 8301 Dunham Station Drive in Tampa

Community to meet about trees Oct. 29

October 23, 2013 By B.C. Manion

When word got out about Hillsborough County’s plans to cut down trees in the U.S. 41 medians in Lutz, it took howls of protests to silence the chain saws.

Armed with promises from State Sen. Jon Legg, R-Lutz, and Hillsborough County officials to work with the community to find another solution, a meeting has been set for Oct. 29 to discuss what to do instead.

It took a partnership among several groups to work out a plan to prevent chain saws from taking down the trees in the medians along U.S. 41 in Lutz. Those who banded together to help protect the trees included, from left, Debra Evenson, executive director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful; Chris Smith, assistant manager at the Walmart in Lutz; State Sen. John Legg; and Sam Calco, Louise Friar, and Mike White of the Lutz Citizens Coalition. (Photo courtesy of the Lutz Citizens Coalition)

The county had planned to cut down the trees because it wanted to return maintenance of the medians to the Florida Department of Transportation, which has jurisdiction over the highway. The state roads department would only take over if 91 of the 135 trees in the median were removed.

The trees slated for destruction were 64 crape myrtle, 14 wax myrtle, seven live oaks, three Shumard oaks and three red maple.

After a contentious community meeting on Jan. 24, however, the county put the brakes on that plan and agreed to return to the community for another meeting to discuss potential solutions.

Recently, the trees won a two-year reprieve, when Walmart stepped forward with a $5,000 check to cover maintenance costs. That solution resulted from a partnership between Legg, Hillsborough County, the Lutz Citizens Coalition and Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.

Walmart said it would revisit the matter in two years, Legg said. Meanwhile, efforts can be made to broaden support.

Now that a temporary solution has been found, another community meeting has been set for 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Lutz Community Center, 98 First Ave., N.W.

The meeting is intended for volunteers in Lutz who may want to participate in the maintenance of the medians along U.S. 41.

Mike White, founder and president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said he’s happy with efforts made to date to preserve the trees.

“I think it’s a win-win,” White said. “The voice of Lutz was heard loud and clear.”

He said the solution demonstrates great follow-through by Legg, the county, Walmart, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Hillsborough County and the Lutz Citizens Coalition.

“Everyone stepped up to the plate,” White said.

On another front, the Lutz Citizens Coalition recently received approval to adopt Sunset Lane, from U.S. 41 to Livingston Avenue.

White said he expects the cleanups to occur about a half-dozen times a year, followed by a social gathering of the volunteers.

Keeping kids safe from human trafficking

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

It’s a crime that is so horrible it’s hard to imagine it happening in our own backyard — but statistics prove that it does, Cpl. Alan Wilkett, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, told a group of Rushe Middle School parents.

Florida ranks third behind New York and California in the number of human trafficking cases, and Tampa Bay routinely ranks second or third in the state. Cpl. Alan Wilkett shared those numbers with a group of Rushe Middle School parents last week.

Mechelle Flippo is among the parents from Rushe Middle School who came to learn more about human trafficking and what they can do to help keep their children safe. (Photo by B.C. Manion) — Mechelle Flippo is among the parents from Rushe Middle School who came to learn more about human trafficking and what they can do to help keep their children safe.
(Photo by B.C. Manion)

“Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery,” Wilkett said. “It involves exploitation,” adding that it could be sexual exploitation or forced servitude.

Wilkett came to the Land O’ Lakes school to inform parents about human trafficking at the suggestion of the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association president Anne Fisco.

Fisco had seen a presentation on the topic and believed parents and students at Rushe would benefit.

Rushe principal David Salerno said he wants parents to help their children avoid potential harm.

“Parents need to be aware of what the dangers are, not to scare them, but to inform them,” he said.

“We think this particular subject is one of those things that really needs to be talked about,” Wilkett said, noting he would be giving another presentation to the school’s students. The student talk, he said, would be tailored to the younger audience, with an emphasis on how to stay safe.

There’s an estimated 15,000 to 18,000 people trafficked in the United States each year, Wilkett said. Tampa Bay is fertile ground for the crime because it has major sports teams, is a popular tourist destination, brings in big conventions, has lots of hotels, and has a large agricultural economy.

The sports teams and tourism create crowds, which can generate more customers for prostitutes, Wilkett said. Trafficking victims can also be forced into servitude performing jobs at hotels, or in agriculture.

Victims often are bought or kidnapped in other countries and smuggled into the United States. They can be forced to work a circuit that takes them from New York to Florida to Texas in a matter of weeks, Wilkett said. They are moved around to avoid being detected.

Parents should be vigilant in protecting their children because there are also victims who are American, Wilkett said. These kids often are runaways, vulnerable kids who are lured by expert criminals.

Statistics show that 70 percent of the trafficking victims are female, and the slavery can begin before they even reach their teenage years. The youngest victim Wilkett’s ever run across was 8 years old.

Generally, trafficking victims have a lifespan of seven years because they are killed when they are no longer productive, he said.

The perpetrators tend to look for their victims in places where kids congregate, such as shopping malls, beaches and parks. They tend to go after kids who are alone or in groups of two, he said. They try to engage the kids by finding out what their interests are, or asking them if they’re hungry.

With boys, they might lure them in by talking about video games or sports. With girls, they may use sweet talk and offer to help them, Wilkett said.

The main thing is that they’re looking for some kind of hook. That’s their window of opportunity, he said.

Nicole Hahn, a parent in the crowd, asked Wilkett what parents can do.

“We don’t want to be helicopter parents, but we want our kids to be safe,” she said. “How do you give them some of that freedom, without making them vulnerable?”

Wilkett said that it’s tough to balance safety with freedom.

Parents should instruct their children to make a lot of noise if they feel threatened. They should scream, shout or do whatever they can to attract attention, he said.

It is also good to remember that there’s safety in numbers, Wilkett said. When kids go to a movie, or the mall, or the beach, they should go in groups of at least three, but preferably larger groups. They should also stick together once they get to wherever they’re going.

Parents also need to remind their kids that no one has a right to violate them, and that means no one, Wilkett said.

Human trafficking is a brutal, dehumanizing crime.

“People who traffic humans often smuggle drugs and guns,” Wilkett said, noting groups like the Russian mob and drug cartels typically use the same routes for human trafficking as they do for smuggling guns and drugs.

The crime often goes unreported because the victims can’t speak English, don’t trust the police because they were corrupt in their home country, or are afraid something will happen to them or their family, Wilkett said.

He asked those in the crowd to help in the fight against human trafficking.

“Be observant in your neighborhood,” Wilkett said. A house that has its windows covered with aluminum, for example, may be a place where illegal activity is occurring inside.

“Listen, especially for detecting an involuntary domestic servitude victim,” he said.

People who look down when you talk to them or don’t answer your questions may be afraid, he said. If something doesn’t sound or feel right, people should report it.

“At least give us the opportunity to go look at it,” Wilkett said, adding the sheriff’s office accepts anonymous tips.

Something has to be done to help these people, Wilkett said. “Inside, they are screaming, ‘I’m really not for sale. I’m really not for sale.’”

Parent Mechelle Flippo said she was glad she attended the meeting.

“Anytime you get information about something that can protect your child, you need to make that a priority,” Flippo said. “It is real. It does happen and it does happen in our community.”

Learn more about human trafficking by visiting these websites:
www.WorldReliefTampa.org
www.SharedHope.org
www.RescueAndRestore.org

San Antonio sizzles: It’s Rattlesnake Festival time

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Every year, on the third Saturday of October, thousands head to San Antonio Park to enjoy wide-ranging activities and foods at the annual Rattlesnake and Music Festival.

The event almost didn’t happen this year, though.

Previous event organizers had decided not to have the annual festival. So a half-dozen Rotary clubs from East Pasco County stepped up to take on the event, said David West, a festival board member.

Aislynn Brooks, left, sits atop a pony waiting for the ride to start. The 19-month-old Rattlesnake Festival attendee is practically a pro, making her second appearance at the festival. Aislynn’s mother, Heather Brooks, stands alongside. (File photo)

While this festival marks the 47th year that people have gathered to experience the festivities, this year’s lineup has a few changes.

For one thing, music will play a larger role — hence the festival’s new name. For another, there will be a beer garden, said Mike Mira, president of the East Pasco Rotary Charities, which has taken over the festival.

Another change is that the event will be one day, instead of two.

But the Oct. 19 festival will begin at 9 a.m. and go until 10 p.m., featuring an evening concert — another new twist, West said.

The planned reptile show had to be cancelled, but Wild Things of Dade City will be doing a wild life show, Mira said.

The event also will feature Billy the Exterminator, of A&E reality television program fame, West said. His appearance is being sponsored by Ierna’s Heating & Cooling, of Lutz.

Skip Mahaffey, a widely known local radio personality, also has been confirmed as the master of ceremonies for the evening concert.

In conjunction with the annual event, the Rotary Club of San Antonio is hosting the 35th annual Rattlesnake Run. Runners can choose to race for 5 miles or 1 mile on a course that includes hills, sidewalks, groves, a bridge and more hills.

The event also features festival foods galore.

Eddie Herrmann, one of the festival’s original founders, recalls its early days when it actually featured a rattlesnake roundup, with people bringing rattlesnakes they had captured. They would enter them in competitions judging size, weight and appearance.

The snakes would win prizes, and in turn, they would be used in payment for the snake expert who put on a show, Herrmann said.

Real gopher tortoises were used in races, too, Herrmann said. But that stopped after state officials objected to people handling the reptiles.

Mechanical tortoises, designed by Herrmann, now take the place of the live ones.

While there have been changes over time, the festival still aims to provide affordable family fun, and to raise money for community causes, West said.

There’s no admission charge or parking fee, but attractions within the festival and food will carry a cost, West said.

Those attending the festival will have plenty of choices of things to see and do and can get their fill of festival foods.

This year’s slate of entertainers includes The Beaumont Family Bluegrass Band, the Florida Cracker Boys, Steelhorse and Crabgrass Cowboys. Cowboy Tom will be there, too.

There will be animal shows, arts and crafts, a truck show, and rides and games for kids.

People who want to grab a bite to eat or something to drink can purchase such offerings as barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, rattlesnake bites, gator nuggets, pizza and funnel cakes.

Rod Lincoln, owner of Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q in Zephyrhills, has donated 700 chicken dinners and is the event’s primary sponsor, Mira said.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rotary clubs, which in turn provide a considerable amount of support in the community, Mira said.

Rotary clubs, for example, provide food bags for families in need during the holidays, bags of food to help feed hungry children during summer months, and school supplies for kids going back to school.

Seminar tackles serious threat of concussions

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Dr. Jonathan Phillips was in his residency near Pittsburgh when he was introduced to the realm of concussions and the kind of harm they can inflict.

The deficits they cause can affect much more than an athlete’s ability to get back onto the playing field, said Phillips, whose office is in the Wellness Plaza at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. They can harm the athlete’s learning abilities and the impacts can spill over to family life, as parents have to shift their priorities to get proper treatment for their child.

Dr. Jonathan Phillips, of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel’s Wellness Plaza, conducts a concussion exam. (Photo courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)

Philips is sharing that and more in a seminar, “Rising Dangers of Concussion: What Coaches, Parents and Young Athletes Need to Know.” It takes place Oct. 22 beginning at 6 p.m.

Admission is free, and so is a meal that comes with it, but those wishing to attend must register in advance.

Phillips is certified in sports medicine and has provided care for many athletes. During his fellowship at the University of South Florida, he took care of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the USF Bulls, and even the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team when they were in town for Spring Training.

Now, he’s the team doctor for the Arena Football League team Tampa Bay Storm.

“The biggest thing that people don’t realize is that concussions account for about 1.6 (million) of the 3.8 million of traumatic or mild brain injury in the folks ages 15 to 24,” said Phillips, citing statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To combat that problem, it’s essential for coaches, parents and athletes to become more aware of the causes and symptoms of concussions, and the proper course of treatment.

Parents whose children don’t play heavy contact sports, such as football, may think their children aren’t at risk, Phillips said. But that isn’t true. Concussions can occur in athletes playing a wide range of sports, including soccer, basketball, baseball and volleyball.

The CDC has published educational materials to help coaches, parents and athletes learn prevention strategies and how to identify symptoms. Phillips will discuss prevention, symptoms and treatment of concussion at his seminar.

A concussion, the doctor said, “is a mechanical stress on the brain itself that causes it to move, or shift inside the head.”

That shifting causes a metabolic injury to the brain, Phillips said.

While concussions often result from a jolt or blow to the head, they can also be caused by a hit to another part of the body, such as a whiplash action, the doctor said.

Symptoms of a concussion can include loss of consciousness, headaches, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, changes in behavior and sensitivity to noise or light.

Those symptoms may become evident on a playing field, on the sideline or in a locker room, Phillips said. Sometimes, however, the signs of a concussion show up later.

When a concussion is suspected, the next step is to seek medical care and then to receive medical clearance before returning to sport, the CDC says.

Phillips recommends seeing a doctor who is knowledgeable about concussions — to get the proper care as quickly as possible and to avoid unnecessary tests, which can be expensive and may delay appropriate treatment.

“Not everyone needs an MRI. Not everyone needs a CAT scan. Not everyone needs an EEG,” Phillips said, describing an electroencephalography exam.

One tool that’s helpful is an online baseline test of an athlete’s memory, reaction time, motor speed and so on, Phillips said.

“After they have a baseline test, if they were to get injured, it would be easy to see the comparison,” Phillips said, noting it’s just one of the tools that doctors use to evaluate a patient with a suspected concussion.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel provides these baseline tests for free to youth athletes, said Tracy Clouser, director of marketing for the hospital.

While people may think that dramatic, head-jolting hits cause the worst concussions, Phillips said that small, repeated injuries are generally more damaging.

“A lot of times those spectacular hits that you see where people get knocked out for one- or 15 seconds, and then they’re up — those folks recover fairly quickly as opposed to those with multiple hits,” he said.

That’s because the athletes suffering the smaller, repeated hits tend to shake it off and get back into the game. But they are usually injured again before the first damage has a chance to heal, Phillips said.

If a parent suspects his or her child has a concussion and they can’t get immediate medical care, the best course of treatment for the child is brain rest, Phillips said.

“You need as much energy as possible to go to that area of the brain to heal it,” he said. “So, no texting. No computers. No TV. No reading.”

They should have a medical professional check them out. Then, if they need continued treatment, they can seek a modified educational plan to help them heal, Phillips said.

For instance, they may need more time to complete homework assignments.

With concussions taking center stage in recent months, especially with the National Football League, there have been some fears that focusing so much attention on the problem will weaken sports. But no one is saying that athletes should be less competitive, Phillips said. They simply need to learn the proper techniques for the sport and to pay attention to their health.

“They can still be aggressive. They can still want to win. That’s part of sports,” Phillips said. “The key is safety for the kids.”

What: A seminar on the Rising Dangers of Concussion: What coaches, parents and young athletes need to know
When: Oct. 22, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (meal is provided)
Where: Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Wellness Plaza
Admission is free, but reservations are required. Call (813) 929-5432 or visit, www.FHWesleyChapel.org/events

About concussions
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides this information to help lower the risk of concussions and to treat suspected concussions.

For athletes
To minimize risks for concussions:
• Follow the rules of safety and the rules of the sport.
• Be sure protective equipment fits properly and is well maintained.
• Wear a helmet to reduce the risk of serious brain injury or skull fracture, but be aware there are no concussion-proof helmets.
• Avoid hits to the head.
If you suspect you have a concussion:
• Don’t hide it. Report it. Trying to “tough it out” can worsen symptoms. Do not let anyone pressure you to continue playing if you suspect you have a concussion.
• Get checked out. Only a health care professional can tell you if you have a concussion and can tell you if it is safe for you to return to play.

For parents
If you suspect your child has a concussion:
• Seek medical attention right away.
• Keep your child out of play.
• Tell your child’s coach about any previous concussion.

For coaches
If you suspect your player has a concussion:
• Remove the athlete from play.
• Inform the athlete’s guardians or parents.
• Make sure the athlete is evaluated by a health care professional.
(When reporting a suspected concussion, a coach should include this information: The cause of the injury; whether the athlete lost consciousness and if so, for how long; any seizures or memory loss by the injured athlete; and, any previous concussions, if known).
• Keep the athlete out of play until medically cleared to return.

Weightman sends message: Bullying not welcome here

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

As teachers at Weightman Middle School were gearing up for the beginning of the academic year, they took part in a training session led by Sharon Morris, the school’s counselor.

Morris had seen a rise in bullying reports in the previous year, and wanted to talk to teachers about the need to identify bullying and stop it. Teachers agreed the issue needed to be tackled and suggested the school take aim at it early in the school year.

Mark Sweet, a parent volunteer, is holding the ‘Chain of Courage.’ Every Weightman Middle School student signed a link of the chain, pledging not to be a bystander to bullying. (Photo courtesy of Weightman Middle School)

Morris also believed the issue called for a more sustained effort than in previous years, so she recommended a weeklong slate of anti-bullying activities.

Each day of the week had a theme, inviting students to get involved.

For instance, they came to school on one day decked out in pink, with crazy hairstyles and glasses. The theme was “Don’t be a crazy bystander and watch someone get bullied.”

On another day, they made pinwheels for peace. The theme that day was “Too cool to be a bully, give peace a chance.”

On other days, they wore boots or jeans or bright colors, all tying in with a special theme.

The bottom line was to saturate the campus with the message that everyone must do what they can to stop bullying, said Morris, who has been an educator for 18 years.

“We did not let up,” she said.

The counselor knew the kids would have fun dressing up, but she didn’t expect the event to arouse such deep emotions by both staff members and students.

One teacher got on the school’s television morning show to share what it felt like to be bullied when she was young. Another staff member approached Morris to tell her how guilty she felt about being a bully when she was young.

One student came in to see Morris and told her about being bullied in the past by a school athlete. The student said he knew the boy would never apologize, but he said he also knew the boy was sorry when he saw he was wearing pink — and he smiled at him.

Morris estimated that 90 percent of the teachers and students took part in the activities and help set an anti-bullying tone on campus.

Weightman principal Brandon Bracciale emailed Morris to congratulate her and her committee for organizing the activities.

“What a great week last week was,” the principal wrote. “One of the most enjoyable and best I have been part of on any level as an educator.”

As principal, Bracciale wrote, he could not be more proud to see the school community “stand up to bullying in such a fun, creative and engaging manner.”

“The fact that the event occurred in the beginning of the school year helped to build a sense of community, and set the expectation that bullying would not be tolerated in our school,” he added.

Bullying is a real issue and can have deadly consequences, Morris said, noting the recent death of a 12-year-old Polk County girl who committed suicide at an abandoned cement plant. Authorities reported that the girl had been harassed by as many as 15 girls for about a year.

Remarks that kids make to each other may seem insignificant to adults, but they can be devastating to youths who are trying to fit in with their peers, Morris said.

In addition to bullying that happens on campus, bullying that happens online is a huge issue. Parents need to monitor what their kids are doing online, Morris said. They need to tell their kids that while they trust them, they don’t trust everyone else that has access to the Internet.

It’s important to realize the power that words can have, Morris said.

“Whether you’re a teenager saying something to another teenager, or whether you’re an adult that’s stalking a kid online, your words are so powerful,” she said. “They can change a person’s life forever.”

Ways to help, if your child is being bullied
• Encourage your child to talk about the bullying experience. Listen.
• Don’t criticize your child the way he or she is responding to the bullying.
• Teach your child ways to stay safe at school, such as telling an adult if he feels threatened.
• Encourage your child to pursue friendships at school.
• Encourage your child to walk with an adult or an older child if she doesn’t feel safe at school in the neighborhood.
• Identify safe areas, such as a neighbor’s home, library or community center. Tell your child to go to one of these areas if he feels threatened.
• Make sure your child has a phone number of an adult who can help.

To reduce the threats of cyberbullying
• Keep your home computer in an area of the house where it is easily viewable.
• Talk to your children about online activities.
• Consider installing parental control software.
• Know your children’s passwords and tell them not to give them out to others.
• Monitor your children’s Internet activity. Let them know that you can review their current or history of online communications at any time.

Ways to intervene, if your child is a bully
• Hold your child accountable for his behavior.
• Set up clear rules in your household and follow through with logical consequences, such as withdrawing privileges, when those rules are not followed.
• Spend time with your child and pay attention to what she does with friends.
• Support your child’s talents and skills by encouraging positive activities, such as involvement in sports or clubs.
• Reward your child and offer frequent reinforcement for positive behavior.
• If your child has been reported as engaging in bullying behaviors, listen to your child, but check the facts. Children who bully are also good at manipulating.

Report a bully:
Go to: www.pasco.k12.fl.us, and click on the “stop bullying” link.

Carr gets second term as Lutz Guv’na

October 16, 2013 By B.C. Manion

One of the highlights of every Fourth of July celebration in Lutz is the crowning of the Lutz Guv’na, an annual campaign where whomever raises the most money wins the title.

Suzin Carr was this year’s winner, becoming the first person to claim the title twice in a competition that dates back to 1991. She won her bragging rights by collecting more money than her competitors, Karin D’Amico, Lauren Leahey and Susan Gulash.

Suzin Carr celebrates her victory in the annual race for Lutz Guv’na. Joining her is Bill Coats of the Lutz Civic Association. (File photo)

The quartet of candidates raised $12,596 in this year’s race. The proceeds were doled out to a number of local organizations during a gathering on Oct. 7 at the Lutz Baptist Church, located on the corner of U.S. 41 and Crystal Lake Road.

Besides being Guv’na for the second time, Carr also has the distinction of holding the honorary title during the Lutz centennial.

Each Guv’na candidate identified charitable causes of their choice.

As the winner of the contest, Carr donated $407.50 of the proceeds to the Old Lutz School and $407.50 to the Lutz Patriots.

Gulash designated Girl Scout Troop 735, which received $50; Leahey picked Friends of Joshua House, which received $78; and D’Amico chose the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, which received $350.

Of the remaining proceeds, $1,253 was earmarked for the Lutz Civic Association and the $10,500 was divvied up among these organizations:

• Boy Scout Troop 12 — $400
• Girl Scout Troop 13 — $400
• Boy Scout Troop 339 — $400
• Girl Scout Troop 735 — $400
• Cub Scout Pack 212 — $400
• Boy Scout Troop 212 — $400
• Lutz Cemetery — $350
• Learning Gate — $400
• Books for Troops — $350
• GFWC Little Women —$400
• Lutz Chiefs — $400
• Lutz Patriots — $350
• Friends of the Library — $350
• Civil Air Patrol — $400
• Lions Club — $350
• GFWC Junior Women — $400
• Old Lutz School, — $2,000
• Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club — $1,250

Boothe kicking cancer for herself, unborn child

October 9, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Ashley Boothe has been engaged in a battle with breast cancer for the last seven months, but she wasn’t just fighting it for herself.

The Wesley Chapel woman was also battling for her unborn child.

On Oct. 4, at 10:17 a.m., she won part of the fight. She delivered her son, Scott Gregory Booth III. He weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces, and was 18.5 inches long.

“Mom and dad and everything is fine,” said Lilly Fontanez, a family friend, shortly after the baby’s birth.

Ashley Boothe is not your typical mom. Not only did she deliver a healthy son on Oct. 4, but she had to fight breast cancer as well. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

But the little boy’s birth was hardly a sure thing.

When Boothe was just a couple weeks into her pregnancy, she found a lump in her left breast.

“I was putting lotion on to prevent stretch marks and I felt it. It was like, ‘That’s weird,’” the 26-year-old said.

When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she had to make a decision. The doctor had informed her that her pregnancy was still in the early term and she could have an abortion.

Boothe, however, was determined to have the baby.

“I was like, ‘That word is not in my vocabulary. It’s not an option. God didn’t give me this baby for me to terminate him.’”

Boothe, 26, said she made that decision even before she talked to the experts at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute who told her they could work around her pregnancy.

The decision still carried increased concerns about her health and about the pregnancy. So, Booth told her husband Scott she would understand if he couldn’t support her decision.

“I gave him an out card,” Boothe said. “He said, ‘Are you kidding me? You’re crazy. I’m not going anywhere.’”

Boothe made the overture, she said, because she understands that some people just aren’t built to handle these kinds of challenges.

“They can’t,” Boothe said. “It’s not that they’re not a strong person and it’s not that they’re not a good person. They just can’t bear to see people go through something like that.”

But her husband stood strong.

Choosing to have the baby has affected her cancer treatment and the baby’s birth date.

“I had a total, radical modified mastectomy,” she said, noting it had to be done in the second trimester of her pregnancy.

She has also undergone four sets of chemotherapy, where she received strange looks from people when they saw a pregnant woman on her way to treatments. While both Boothe and her husband had doubts, experts told her the type of chemotherapy she received during her pregnancy would not harm the baby.

She had to have her baby delivered at around 33 weeks, instead of the typical 40, in order for her to stay on track for her treatments. That early delivery could cause complications, but Boothe said his development is now in God’s hands.

Yet, her faith hasn’t always been this rock-solid.

Boothe struggled with it after her mother, Donna Mullens, was struck by cancer for a second time.

“I kind of had a falling out with the Lord when my mom was sick,” Boothe said.

She was a teenager when her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer the first time.

“When she got sick the first time, she didn’t even want to tell me because she didn’t want me to get upset and she didn’t want to hurt me,” Boothe said.

Her mother’s cancer returned in 2007, and by then Boothe had married and moved to Hawaii with her husband. Her parents had planned to visit her there, but had to cancel the trip when her mom got her diagnosis.

Instead, Boothe returned to Lutz to help her mother.

“She had a rough time,” Boothe said. “It was hard for me to watch her go through that.” After Mullens recovered once again, Boothe got involved in Relay for Life. She also became heavily involved in the Land O’ Lakes Sun Rays Concert for a Cure.

And now friends are getting together to raise money for Boothe with the Kicking Cancer for Ashley fundraiser. The event takes place on Oct. 12 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of Police Grounds, at the corner of Bell Lake Road and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

If anyone deserves help, it’s Boothe, Fontanez said.

“When she found out that I had a (Relay for Life) team, she baked her heart out,” Fontanez said. “She went ahead and she did seven or eight cakes. She did chocolate-covered strawberries, candies, cookies.”

In fact, Boothe made so many goodies that they were giving them away at the end of the event.

“She’s done baking every year. She’s been on our team for five years,” Fontanez said.

While Boothe is grateful for the help, she wishes she were on the giving, rather than the receiving, end.

“I want to be independent. I want to do it on my own,” she said. “This time, I just can’t. I don’t have the resources. I don’t have the money. I don’t have the energy.”

Boothe is humbled by the support that others are showing her.

The Fit Body Boot Camp is having a fundraising event for her with a two-week boot camp pass to its gym for a $33 donation. A personal trainer there also will match the money raised up to $3,000, and is giving away prizes to existing or new clients that participate in the fundraiser.

Firefighter Charities of Pasco Inc. and the fire chief are also helping.

“We are now allowed to wear pink duty shirts as we work,” said Jesus “J.J.” Martinez, president of the charitable organization. “The money we raise from the shirts will be going to Kicking Cancer for Ashley.”

Boothe said she is in awe by the kindness of others.

“So many people are so giving. All of these businesses that are willing to donate, I’m just very grateful,” she said.

She knows the road ahead will be challenging.

She must undergo additional chemotherapy treatments and surgeries. And, it’s too soon to tell if her newborn son, who has been receiving special care since his birth, will face future medical challenges because of his premature birth.

Despite the uncertainties, Boothe said she feels fortunate.

“People are still worse off than me,” she said. “They’re still dealing with worse things than I’m dealing with. As long as I have my family and my husband and my God, I don’t worry anymore.”

New festival celebrates the joys of flight

October 9, 2013 By B.C. Manion

A festival debuting in Lutz this year celebrates the joys of aviation.

The Festival of Flight, presented by American Balloons and Tampa North Flight Center, will feature hot air balloons, kite-flying demonstrations and aircraft ranging from vintage World War II airplanes to state-of-the art flying machines.

Festivities begin at 7 a.m. on Oct. 19, with a hot air balloon launch and wrap up that day with a night hot air balloon glow at Tampa North Aeropark, 4241 Birdsong Blvd. in Lutz.

A hot air balloon operates over Land O’ Lakes. (Photo courtesy of American Balloons)

Activities will resume at 7 a.m. on Oct. 20, with another hot air balloon launch and activities will conclude around noon.

Those wanting to watch the balloon launches are advised to arrive early and should bring chairs to sit on, according to the event’s website.

“There will be balloons flying in and out,” said Jessica Warren of American Balloons, a company based at the flight center.

Besides the hot air balloons and airplanes, Kiting Tampa Bay will also be there flying kites. And children will be able to make kites, Warren said.

Other plans that are pending include paratroopers dropping in and tethered balloon rides, Warren said.

The event celebrates the renovation of the private airport and the grand opening of The Happy Hangar café.

Various vendors will also be there, offering wares for sale or dispensing information about their businesses. Live music is planned, too.

“We’ve been trying to bring the balloon festival in here for a really long time,” Warren said. “We really need something local. We want to share our love of aviation.”

The Pasco County area is fortunate to have hot air balloon flights, Warren said. The only other place in Florida that offers hot air balloon rides is Orlando. Many people come from around the world to go for rides in her company’s balloons.

“There are only about 5,000 hot air balloonists in the United States,” Warren said, and while they’re spread out around the country, their shared interest in aviation makes them a tight-knit community.

Chuck Norris, a flight instructor at the Tampa North Flight Center, said aviation enthusiasts will have a chance to see some interesting aircraft. They can also purchase rides on a 1942 Boeing Steerman.

Norris is excited about the event.

“This airport has been a very sleepy airport for years. We want to wake it up,” he said.

Organizers intend to make this an annual event, Warren said. In fact, planning for that already has begun, she said.

For more information about this year’s festivities, visit FestivalOfFlightWesleyChapel.com.

Fire inspires priest to transform ministry

October 9, 2013 By B.C. Manion

It happened more than a decade ago, but the Rev. Garry Welsh said the event was a turning point in his life as a priest.

“I woke one night to the sound of wood burning,” recalled Welsh, then pastor of St. Ludger Catholic Church, a parish in the small town of Creighton, Neb. “The rectory caught on fire.”

Welsh descended from his second-floor bedroom to search out the source of the fire.

“I saw a kind of a glow at the end of the hallway, and when I walked down toward it, I discovered the kitchen was on fire,” he said.

Father Garry Welsh is on loan to the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary in Land O’ Lakes. He says a fire that destroyed the rectory where he was living in Nebraska transformed his ministry. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The black smoke was so thick that Welsh became disoriented. He suffered burns on both of his hands and feet.

“They tell me — I don’t remember much about the night — that I did walk across a floor that was on fire. It was a laminate floor, so it was hot and it burnt the bottom of my feet,” Welsh said. “I was in the hospital for quite a while. I had to learn how to walk again.”

Investigators traced the cause of the fire to a candle that Welsh had left burning on the stove, he said. The rectory had just been renovated, and it and all of its contents were destroyed.

Recovering from his injuries kept Welsh away from full-time ministry for quite some time. Now, however, he’s on loan to Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Land O’ Lakes. And despite the fire’s destructive nature, Welsh said it held lessons for him.

“I think what it gave me, as I look back now, is that it gave me a better appreciation of the struggles people go through,” Welsh said. “I was in a wheelchair for quite a while. I think it made me understand (the impacts of) when people start to lose their mobility.”

The experience gave him a greater appreciation of being able to do things independently and changed his perspective on life, people and the priesthood, he said.

“It changed my outlook on ministry, entirely,” Welsh said.

Before the fire, Welsh said he was a priest that was driven by a schedule. The experience of the fire, and recovering from it, however, softened and mellowed him. Welsh became more aware of the value of savoring the gifts that God bestows.

“Before when I would visit with people, it was very much an in-and-out, I’ve got other things to do,” he said. “Now, I take more time. I’m more liable to sit with people and listen to people a little bit more.”

Before the fire, Welsh said he was an ambitious priest. That changed, as well.

“As a priest, I used to try to be the best,” he said. “I discovered that when I try to be the best, it’s all about me. What I try to do now is that I try to be the priest that people need today. So, when someone comes to me, my prayer always is: ‘What do you need from me as your priest, now?’

“That might be a listening ear. That might be some advice. It might be a pat on the back to say you’re OK. It might be that you need me to sit and listen to your joke and laugh at it, even if it’s bad.”

Welsh said he asks himself: “What does this person, or these people, or this group – what do they need from me, now?”

“They don’t need me to be the best priest. They need me to be their priest, their priest who loves them,” he said.

Welsh was born in England to Scottish parents, but grew up in Ireland. He came to the United States in 1998, and was ordained three years later in Nebraska. Welsh said spiritual needs are universal, to know that spiritually, they’re loved.

When fellow priests and brothers are struggling, Welsh reminds them that “we make priesthood difficult because we think it’s about doing,” he said. “It’s more about being.”

“When we’re ordained, we’re ordained to be in the image of Christ. And we forget that and we’re lost in our own image,” Welsh said. “And we get disappointed, and the people get disappointed. We don’t get fulfilled, and the people don’t get fulfilled. And we all end up in this bad place.”

Instead it should be more about the image of Christ. “What did Christ instruct us to do?” Welsh said. “He said, ‘Love one another, as I have loved you.’”

“That’s the key, I think, to all faith,” he said. “No matter what we do, we have to do it with love. People will respond to love.”

When Welsh officiates the mass, he begins with a reminder that those present are on a journey together. As such, they are bound to stumble and fall. But they are there to help each other and to continue together on the journey, he said.

When he prepares his homilies, he consults a number of sources and draws on his personal experiences.

“As a priest, I struggle like you struggle,” Welsh said. “I have good days and bad days. I have high moments and low moments. We’re journeying together.”

When others hurt him, he said, he realizes he is unable to forgive them. “I ask God to forgive them,” he said.

Like commentator Bill O’Reilly, he enjoys being pithy.

He also recalls this bit of advice offered by a professor when Welsh was learning to write homilies: “In three minutes, you’ll move hearts. In 10 minutes, you’ll freeze butts.”

Welsh, who has been an associate and a pastor at several churches in Nebraska, said he has never requested a particular assignment, trusting the Holy Spirit will lead him to the right place to use his skills.

Currently, he is on loan to the Diocese of St. Petersburg, from the Archdiocese of Omaha. He’s not sure how long this assignment will last.

“When I came down here, my archbishop said, ‘This is for three years.’ And, I said, ‘Well, let the Holy Spirit decide that.’”