Pasco County voters hit the polls on March 17 to make their vote count in the 2020 Presidential Preference Primary, despite threats posed by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. For more coverage on this story, see full story.
Zephyrhills Founder’s Day heads back to The Roaring ‘20s
Thousands made their way to downtown Zephyrhills to honor the city during the 110th Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival on March 7.
This year’s theme was “The Roaring ‘20s: Glitz, Glam and Tin Cans” – which celebrated the wild decade of gangsters, the Charleston and flappers.
The 1920s also marked the start of the tin can tourist trend in Zephyrhills.
People from all over would come to the area for the warm weather, in their homemade camping trailers.
One could say this was the early beginnings of the modern day ‘snowbird.’
The parade, which featured floats, marching bands, dignitaries and various vintage vehicles, kicked off the event at 10 a.m.
Many riding on floats tossed out beads and candy to the crowds that lined up along the parade route.
One of the parade highlights was when Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield, who along with his wife, Ernestine, tossed candy from atop the red jeep they were riding in.
Over 80 vendors and food trucks lined Fifth Avenue and some side streets, offering an array of dining and shopping options.
Throughout the day, live music was performed on the Eiland Clock Stage. A storytelling series, called ‘Tales of the Hills,’ also entertained audiences from the Hopkins Family Porch, at the Jeffries House.
Rounding out the event – there was a kid zone, with a bounce house and inflatable slide. The Zephyrhills Police Department had a K-9 demonstration, and there was an old-fashion corn grinding presentation at the Woman’s Club.
The event was hosted by Main Street Zephyrhills, 38537 Fifth Ave.
Using string to create masterpieces
The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, recently hosted a paint-by-string event, as part of its Try it Tuesday program. This was the library’s first time doing this particular craft. The craft involved placing pieces of string in each of six available watercolor paint colors. One color at a time, participants then placed the painted string in between two pieces of paper, allowing a small section of the string to hang out. To provide weight, a large text book was placed on top of the paper. The final step was to pull the string free from the paper. Each time the child repeated the process, the dragging effect of the string created unique shapes and patterns. Karen Allen is the library’s youth services librarian. The Try it Tuesday program meets every other Tuesday, and gives school-aged children a chance to try something new.
The Roaring ‘20s return
Downtown Zephyrhills transformed back into the wild decade of gangsters, flappers, sparkles, feathers – and tin can tourists. The 110th Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival, on March 7, was themed ‘The Roaring ’20s: Glitz, Glam and Tin Cans.’ This year’s event featured over 80 vendors, a kid-friendly zone, live music, storytelling presentations, a police K-9 demonstration and, of course, the iconic parade. See full story below.
History comes alive at Civil War reenactment
Civil War buffs, area students and spectators had a chance to get a sense of what life was like during the U.S. Civil War era, at a three-day event at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village in Dade City.
The event, held Feb. 28 through March 1, provided an opportunity for school field trips and for museum visitors to immerse themselves in living history displays.
Public school, private school and home-school students visited on Feb. 28, taking self-guided tours through camps and stations created to give a sense of what life was like in the 1860s.
The museum also offered guided tours of many of the museum buildings, including the 1860s-era Overstreet House.
On the weekend, several informational presentations led up to the big show, The Battle of Santa Rosa Island reenactment.
Other features of the day included a blacksmith and wood wright demonstration, live entertainment, food, and traditional crafters.
There also was a Time Period Fashion Show, on Feb. 29, on the porch of the Overstreet House. There was a Ladies Tea, too, which welcomed spectators, but required them to wear period dress to participate.
The Battle of Santa Rosa Island was conducted on both weekend days.
Audiences were encouraged to bring their lawn chairs or blankets to witness the great battle reenactment, as the Confederate and Union Soldiers battled for Santa Rosa Island, a 40-mile barrier island located in the Panhandle near Pensacola.
The historical Battle of Santa Rosa took place on Oct. 9, 1861, and was a victory for the Union. According to the website AmericanCivilWar.com, an estimated total of 154 men lost their lives that day.
The actors that participate in the Dade City Civil War reenactment usually arrive at the museum on the Thursday before the start of the event. These hobbyists pay for their own expenses out of their own wallets, and make or purchase their own costumes.
Many agree that it is a very expensive hobby.
Joe Kurtright, a musician with the live old-time musical act, ‘7lbs of Bacon,’ summed it up like this: “The reenactors do it for their history and their heritage, and for the deep love of their country.”
Published March 11, 2020
Environmental day offers hands-on lessons
Academy at the Lakes, an independent school in Land O’ Lakes, recently hosted its fourth annual Senior Kindergarten Environmental Science Habitat Celebration Day. During the day, students in the senior kindergarten class were paired with eighth-graders as they moved through several student-led activity stations. The stations — prepared by the school’s Upper Division environmental science class — included a water pollution activity, a decomposer/worm station, a bear hibernation activity, and a bird feeder craft. Students also took a ‘floating classroom’ boat tour of Lake Myrtle.
Traveling back in time to 1861
The thunderous sounds of canons and rifle fire filled the air at a recent Civil War reenactment at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village, at 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City. The three-day event, which concluded March 1, gave those attending a chance to get a feel for what life was like in the 1860s. Actors, dressed in period clothing and uniforms, remained in character, as they mingled with visitors. They set up realistic campsites and gave informational talks — leading to the reenactment of the Battle of Santa Rosa Island, a Civil War battle that took place Oct. 9, 1861, on the barrier island near Pensacola. For more coverage, see full story below.
Simulation teaches a real-life history lesson
Second-graders at McKitrick Elementary School had a chance to gain a greater understanding of what life was like for immigrants arriving at Ellis Island during the early 1900s.
The school, at 5503 Lutz Lake Fern Road, created an event that allowed children the chance to walk through the paces that immigrants faced when they arrived in America.
The Feb. 27 simulation involved 180 second-graders and 68 volunteers, many dressed in period clothing.
Bilingual volunteers spoke to the students in Turkish, Russian, Greek and Arabic, to show students how it would feel to arrive in a new country without knowing its language.
Students prepared for the experience by taking virtual trips to Ellis Island, where they listened to audio recordings of interviews from people who actually came through Ellis Island.
They also had a chance to video chat with a museum curator, via Skype.
To prepare for their trip, students were asked to construct a cardboard suitcase and use it to hold five prized possessions, such as family photos, a favorite book or other treasured items.
Each student remained in character as they completed the activity, which took two hours to three hours to complete. They carried out the steps that were taken by actual immigrants: They waited in long lines for customs, upon departure and arrival. They were crammed into a boat. They were sprayed with ocean mist and doused with water, to simulate delousing measures taken when immigrants arrived.
They provided fingerprints at the registry, were subjected to searches at baggage claim, and forced to undergo medical and psychological exams.
They also participated in interviews and had to pass a citizenship test.
And, they faced real dilemmas, such as being separated from family members or having to pawn their possessions for money.
After each group finished, they were sworn in as American citizens — by a judge, portrayed by McKitrick Principal Allison Cline.
The event, now in its third year, is the brainchild of former second grade teacher Liisa DiTarando, who is now the school’s Social & Emotional Learning Resource teacher.
It takes about three months to organize the annual production.
In addition to great content, the activity teaches kids critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which allows them to rise to the occasion, DiTarando said.
Every year, she said, she receives emails from parents that tell her how their child could relate a connection in their own lives to the content that was taught in this program. Parents also share that it has given their child the ability to empathize with what their relatives may have gone through.
Published March 4, 2020
Watercolor artist Joye Moon gives visual presentation
Joye Moon, a watercolor artist and author, gave a free demonstration of her watercolor techniques during a Feb. 4 visit presented by the Pasco Fine Arts Council and Avalon Park West, at Avalon Park West’s Amenity Center in Wesley Chapel. During the 2-hour event, the award-winning artist offered a glimpse into her work flow and techniques. Besides explaining her techniques, she took questions from the audience. Moon is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and has taught more than 200 workshops nationwide. She and her husband, Dave, are avid travelers and, to date, have organized 36 international artisan tours throughout Europe, Greece, the Bahamas, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Simulation teaches a real-life history lesson
Second-grade students at McKitrick Elementary School, 5503 Lutz Lake Fern Road, went back in time, to the early 1900s, when the school had its third annual Ellis Island simulation on Feb. 27. Students and volunteers, many dressed in period clothing, were able to get a taste of the kind of experience endured by people arriving in America during that time. The program featured the different steps that immigrants had to complete in order to become American citizens. For more, see our feature story of the week.