The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Health News 08/26/2020

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Sebastian Cavanagh accepts an award for his compassionate care. (Courtesy of Medical Center of Trinity)

Excellence in nursing
The Medical Center of Trinity has recognized two of its nurses for the Excellence in Nursing Awards, established by HCA to honor outstanding nurses who demonstrate excellence in professional mentoring and compassionate care. The awards spotlight exceptional individuals whose work and lives reflect patient-centered and humanitarian values upon which HCA was founded.

Celena Dilley is honored as a professional nursing mentor.

The Excellence in Nursing for Compassionate Care Award was presented to Sebastian Cavanagh, RN, 4 West. Cavanagh has the knowledge and expert skills that create a quality experience and improve outcomes for the patients.

Every day, Cavanagh is recognized multiple times by his patients for being a favorite and a most-memorable nurse.

The Excellence in Nursing Professional Mentor Award was presented to Celena Dilley, RN, Surgical Services. This award celebrates a nurse who has dedicated herself to guiding and supporting career advancement for individuals and groups of nurses.

Celena has been a member of the Medical Center of Trinity team for the past 14 years. She has extensive knowledge that allows her to consistently mentor new surgical nurses and provide resources for them to be successful.

She is a Super User for the hospital’s documentation system (Preceptor) for new nurses, teaching the systems and operating room protocols.

 

Medical scribe program
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) is offering a Medical Scribe Professional Training certificate program for health care and non-health care individuals.

A medical scribe assists physicians with electronic health records (EHR), maximizing workflow efficiency and productivity so that physicians can focus on providing the best possible patient care. Medical scribes can earn from $10 per hour to $16 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

Those in the health care field may complete PHSC’s self-paced, online program in as little as two months. Individuals with no health care experience can learn medical fundamentals and specific scribe skills, and can complete the program in four months or less.

The PHSC medical scribe program awards a certificate of completion and prepares students to sit for the national Medical Scribe Certification Exam (MSCE) through the American Healthcare Documentation Professionals Group.

To enroll, or for information about the program, email , or call (727) 816-3213.

Heroes of Hope
NAMI Pasco (National Alliance on Mental Illlness) extends a congratulations to these 2020 Heroes of Hope award nominees: Angelica LaGuerre, Yahkaira Balbosa, Christine Pringle, Susan Echevarrie, Jo Dee Nicosia, Det. Michael Reckmeyer, Dr. Sh’Nai Simmons, Dr. Stanley Giannet, Susan Hanna, Dr. Edward Williams, Avery Lumax, Tammy White, Jeanne Botz, Michelle Warren, Crystal Wilson, Ken Delaney, Brie Burke, Todd Woodfill, Mike Piper, Robin Boyko and Bonnie Rogers.

Winners will be announced during the NAMI Pasco virtual gala on Oct. 7.

For information and to register for the gala, visit tinyurl.com/yxlgatem.

Surgical robot added
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, 4211 Van Dyke Road in Lutz, has expanded its surgical services with the addition of a second surgical robot — the da Vinci Xi robot.

The robot provides superior dexterity, enhanced vision and improved surgical access compared to conventional minimally invasive surgery or traditional open surgery.

A surgeon operates the da Vinci from a console that has four interactive arms and a high-resolution screen that projects 3-D images of the surgical site. The surgeon manually operates the instruments utilizing his or her own hands and fingers. When the surgeon moves, the instruments respond precisely to those movements in real time, working identically to the movement of a human arm, human elbow and a human wrist, with an enhanced range of motion.

Other benefits of the da Vinci robots include:

  • Precise surgical incisions that allow unhealthy tissue to be removed without affecting surrounding healthy tissue
    • Smaller incisions that prevent less trauma and pain to a patient’s body
    • Smaller incisions that alleviate blood loss and lowers infection risk
    • Robotic surgeries may result in a shorter length of stay in the hospital
    • Recovery from robotic surgery may be quicker due to smaller incisions
    • Smaller scars result from robotic surgeries

Robotic surgeries are performed in colorectal, gynecologic oncology, gynecology, pediatric urology and general surgery.

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North performed 263 robotic surgeries in 2019.

For information, visit StJosephsNorthRobotics.org.

For more on robotic surgery at BayCare hospitals, visit BayCare.org/services/surgery/robotic-surgery.

Distinction award
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point physicians, leaders and clinicians received the Center of Distinction Award, given to Bayonet Point Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine for the third year in a row. The award was presented by Healogics, then nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services.

The hospital was recognized for achieving outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months, including patient satisfaction higher than 92%, and a minimum wound healing rate of at least 92% within 28 median days to heal.

For more on Healogics and the award, visit Healogics.com/2019awards/.

Chalk Talk 08/26/2020

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Meal applications available
Pasco County Schools is accepting free and reduced-price household meal applications for the 2020-2021 school year, and will serve free breakfast at 49 schools.

In accordance with the National School Lunch Act, households that are below the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines may qualify for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch benefits. Households must complete a new application each school year.

Visit PascoSchoolMeals.com for a link to the online application, frequently asked questions, income eligibility guidelines, cafeteria menus and more.

Schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area that will serve free breakfast are: Centennial Elementary, Centennial Middle, Chester Taylor Elementary, James Irving Education Center, Lacoochee Elementary, Pasco Elementary, Pasco High, Pasco Middle, Quail Hollow Elementary, R.B. Stewart Middle, Rodney B. Cox Elementary, San Antonio Elementary, West Zephyrhills Elementary, Woodland Elementary and Zephyrhills High.

For information, call Pasco County Schools Food & Nutrition Services at (813) 794-2522.

Gift card drive
United Way of Pasco is hosting a Stuff the Bus Gift Card Drive for Teachers.

Those interested can donate a preloaded gift card from a favorite school supplies retailer, to be delivered to Pasco County school teachers.

Mail gift cards to the United Way of Pasco, 17230 Camelot Court, Land O’ Lakes FL 34638.

Donations also can be made online at UnitedWayPasco.org/stuff-the-bus-2020.

Deployed graduate returns
Zephyrhills native and 2013 Zephyrhills High School graduate Desiree Moon returned home on Aug. 9, marking the end of a seven-month deployment aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69).

After departing its home port of Norfolk, Virginia, in January, for a Composite Training Unit Exercise, the aircraft carrier remained underway and deployed to the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Moon is an aviation support equipmentman aboard the carrier. Moon is responsible for being a mechanic on all equipment that supports aircraft functionality and safety.

Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Moon, who has military ties with family members who have previously served.

Moon’s grandfather was in the Navy and retired as a chief boatswain’s mate, and her oldest sister and brother are currently serving in the Army.

Social Work Conference
Saint Leo University has opened registration until Sept. 1 for its sixth annual Social Work Conference, scheduled to take place, through Zoom, on Oct. 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The conference is open to social work professionals and interested community members.

The theme is “Strengthening Generations of Families and Communities.”

Presentations will be solution-oriented and topics that may include family or school violence, trauma, mental illness, and obstacles to successful re-entry to society for individuals coming out of prison.

The conference guest speaker is Cpl. Alan Wilkett of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, who has been recognized for his extensive work in fighting human trafficking and training community groups in areas of crime prevention.

Continuing education credits will be processed for $20. Registration for attendees not affiliated with Saint Leo University is $20.

For information, visit SaintLeo.edu/annual-social-work-conference, or email and use the words “2020 Social Work Conference” in the subject line.

Schools benefit from donations
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices collected donations in July for the Pasco County School District’s ABC (Assist, Believe & Care) Program. The program was created to provide financial assistance to students and their families who are experiencing economic hardship, especially when those needs interfere with the student’s ability to be academically successful.

The donations will go into a fund that teachers can use when they see or learn of a need a child may have.

Each tax collector office earmarked $2,000 for a school in need, totaling $10,000 in donations countywide, Fasano said.

The schools chosen by each office to receive funds are:

  • Dade City office: Pasco Middle School
  • Gulf Harbors office: Sunray Elementary School
  • Land O’ Lakes office: Charles S. Rushe Elementary School
  • New Port Richey office: Moon Lake Elementary School
  • Wesley Chapel office: Woodland Elementary School

To maintain appropriate social distancing, letters with checks were sent to the principal of each school identified.

For information about the charitable giving programs at the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office, call Assistant Tax Collector Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Early education rankings
The personal finance website, WalletHub, has released a report on 2020’s States with the Best & Worst Early Education Systems.

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 key metrics. The data set ranges from the share of school districts that offer a state pre-K program to the number of pre-K quality benchmarks met and total reported spending per child enrolled in Pre-K.

The quality of early education in Florida ranked as follows (1 is Best, 25 is average):

  • 10th – Total State Head Start Program Spending per Child Enrolled in Preschool
  • 14th – Share of 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds Enrolled in Pre-K, Pre-K Special Education and Head Start
  • 28th – Income Requirement for State Pre-K Eligibility
  • 37th – Monthly Child Care Co-Payment Fees as a Percent of Family Income
  • 43rd – Total Reported Spending per Child Enrolled in Preschool

For the full report, visit WalletHub.com/edu.

 

Auto Club urges driver awareness as classes resume

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As Florida students begin the school year, either virtually or in-person, AAA – the Auto Club Group is urging motorists to slow down and stay alert in both neighborhoods and school zones.

“This pandemic could create risky conditions on the roadway,” Mark Jenkins, Auto Club Group spokesman, said in a AAA news release.

“Schools are reopening in different phases and drivers may be unsure of where they’ll encounter students. Regardless, AAA urges drivers to be extremely cautious around school zones and bus stops. You should also treat neighborhoods like school zones, as students doing virtual classes could be outside at various times throughout the day,” Jenkins said.

Here are driver tips from AAA’s School’s Open-Drive Carefully campaign:

• Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster, according to AAA.
• Come to a complete stop. More than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Check carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
• Eliminate distractions. Taking your eyes off the road for just 2 seconds doubles the chances of crashing. Children can move quickly — crossing the road unexpectedly or emerging from between two parked cars. Do not use a cellphone or eat while driving, for example.
• Follow the law. Florida drivers can be cited for using a handheld device while driving through designated school crossings or active school zones. The noncriminal traffic infraction is punishable as a moving violation and carries a base $60 fine, which does not include court costs or other fees. Three points will be assessed against the driver’s license.
• Watch for school buses. Drivers are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and STOP arm extended.
• Watch for bicycles. Children on bicycles are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least 3 feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a cyclist. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that he or she wears a properly fitted bicycle helmet on every ride.
• Talk to your teen. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, and nearly one-in-four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occurs during the afterschool hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit AAA.com and click on the Community link.

Published August 19, 2020

Oasis founder will assume new role

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Peter Castellani

Peter Castellani, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Oasis Pregnancy Care Centers, will semi-retire on Jan. 1. He will assume the role of founder and director of Church and Community Partnerships.

Castellani will continue to network, build and maintain relationships, and raise funds for Oasis, but the new position will allow him and his wife to spend more time together, doing things they’ve been dreaming of doing.

Castellani will be passing the baton to April Beck, who will be promoted to executive director and will take over the ministry’s day-to-day operations.

The pregnancy centers offer pregnancy tests (no cost, lab quality), free ultrasounds (pregnancy confirmation), free counseling and parenting classes.

Oasis has several locations, including:

  • 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 108, Copperstone Executive Suites, Land O’ Lakes. Call (813) 406-4965.
  • 5854 Argerian Drive, Suite 103, Wesley Chapel. Call (813) 618-5037
  • 14630 N. Nebraska Ave., Suite C, Tampa. Call (813) 978-9737.

For information, visit OasisPregnancyCenter.org.

Published August 19, 2020

New theatre group created

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The Carrollwood Cultural Center recently announced the creation of OVATION, a new performing theatre troupe for teens and young adults, according to a news release.

“We have worked with a lot of amazing young talent over the years,” said event coordinator and MAS Theatre show director Aaron Washington. Many have “earned leading roles in large musicals at the center,” he said.

The original members of OVATION include Rhett Ricardo, Robbie Hipkins, Kaileen Barreto, Joseph Conrad, Brilee Gold, McKinnley Nelson, Rylie Nelson, Keira Osborne, Alexandra Sterling, Zachary Trenkle and Elijah Zurek.

“These young performers possess professionalism and passion beyond their years….they inspired us to create OVATION,” Washington said.

OVATION is more than a group of young adults who perform together. The members are encouraged to share their outside experience with school performances, auditions and other community/professional projects with the rest of the group.

Also, members will receive master class opportunities, and can receive hours toward Bright Future Scholarships. They also will be called upon to perform in various staged and outreach performances for the center.

“Needless to say, COVID-19 has made it difficult for these performers to get out and perform,” Washington notes, “but they’ve been in touch with one another and have recorded a few things while social distancing, which has kept them engaged.”

Washington said that the center hopes to “help these young performers build life experience that will be instrumental in pursuing a career in the performing arts.”

For more information, email Aaron Washington at .

To see OVATION’s recordings, visit CarrollwoodCenter.org and click on Clubs and Groups.

Published August 19, 2020

Working the runway

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Lexie (left) loves to dress up and prance around to show off. Abbie, on the other hand, tolerates her mom’s wardrobe selections. Lexie is 16 years old and Abbie is 13 years old. They are sisters to each other, but not by blood. Abbie and Lexie live with their proud owner, Debbie Wright, in Land O’ Lakes.

Outdoor dining

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Female cardinals are pale brown overall, with warm-reddish tinges in the wings, tail and crest. The females have the same black face and red-orange bill as the bright red males. Cardinals tend to sit low in shrubs and trees or forage on or near the ground, often in pairs. These birds are common at bird feeders. Cardinals sing with a loud, metallic chip note. Marisol Fontanez snapped this photo at her home, in the Blue Jay Mobile Home Park in Dade City.

Health News 08/19/2020

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Study volunteers needed
Researchers at the University of South Florida Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute are looking for participants age 50 and older with no memory loss to take part in an Alzheimer Prevention Trials (APT) Webstudy.

The Webstudy is a first-of-its-kind online study that detects if people experience memory loss over time and need early intervention, and matches them with the right Alzheimer’s study, as quickly as possible.

Twenty percent of Floridians, more than 4.3 million people, are 65 and older, making Florida one of the ‘grayest states’ in the nation. Consequently, it has one of the largest populations of people with Alzheimer’s disease — a projected 580,000. This number is expected to skyrocket by 24% to 720,000 people in the next five years, according to Message Partners PR news release.

Volunteers take no-cost memory tests online every three months to monitor memory changes over time. If changes are observed, volunteers may be invited to an in-person evaluation to determine eligibility for additional Alzheimer’s studies.

To learn more and enroll, visit APTWebstudy.org.

Dental services added
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County (DOH-Pasco) is partnering with Premier Community HealthCare Group Inc., to provide dental services at the existing locations previously operated by the health department.

“Premier continues to be a solid partner in our community effort to improve health outcomes,” said health officer Mike Napier, in a DOH-Pasco news release.

“This partnership ensures long-term sustainability for children to receive dental services,” Napier said.
The three dental facilities/programs serving children that will transition include:

  • Children’s Dental Clinic, 10841 Little Road in New Port Richey
    • Cox Elementary Children’s Dental Clinic, 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Dade City
  • Smile Care-A-Van Mobile Dental Clinic serving Pasco County Title I Schools
    The transition of dental services will open opportunities for additional services and provide vital dental care for children/youth, especially the medically underserved population.

Letters have been sent to 5,100 existing clients advising them of this change effective Sept. 8.
Research indicates that maintaining good oral health has value beyond the obvious. It can help prevent serious health complications and disease.
To learn more about the programs and services offered by DOH-Pasco, call (727) 619-0300, or visit Pasco.FloridaHealth.gov.
For more about the services offered by Premier Community HealthCare, visit PremierHC.org, or call (352) 518-2000 or (727) 645-4185.

Health support bill
Congressman Gus Bilirakis and a bipartisan group of colleagues on July 30 introduced the Strengthening Behavioral Health Supports for Schools Act.

This bipartisan bill “would authorize annual funding of $25 million for the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through Fiscal Year 2025, to operate a technical assistance and training center to provide schools and school systems with mental health and substance use disorder support and services for students during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond,” according to a news release.

“It is said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I certainly believe that is true when it comes to ensuring early identification and appropriate intervention for children who are at risk or struggling with mental health or substance use issues,” said Bilirakis, in the release.

“Our bipartisan bill will help with data collection, research and sharing of most effective strategies for addressing this unmet need. When we know better, we can do better. Our children deserve the best possible care and treatment available and our bill will help us meet that goal,” Bilirakis said.

Medicare phone scams
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs’ (DOEA) Serving Health Insurance Needs of the Elderly (SHINE) Program has received multiple reports of Medicare phone scams involving Durable Medical Equipment (DME), according to a SHINE news release.

The Social Security Act prohibits suppliers of DME from making unsolicited telephone calls to people on Medicare. The reports indicate people have not only received unwanted sales calls, but other people have received unordered supplies, including back braces.

People on Medicare should be aware that DME sent by a supplier needs to be prescribed by their doctor. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), fraudulent telemarketing and DME supplies contribute to the estimated $60 billion in fraudulent Medicare payments each year.

To help put a stop to unsolicited calls and unordered supplies, consider the following actions:

  • If you receive a call that pressures you to buy medical equipment you don’t want or need, simply hang up.
  • If you receive items in the mail you didn’t order, refuse the delivery or send them back and report it to your local SHINE Senior Medicare Patrol Office at (800) 963-5337.

Donor awareness
During the month of August, LifeLink of Florida will celebrate National Minority Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM) to bring heightened awareness to organ and tissue donation, and transplantation in minority communities.

Minorities often experience higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, which can contribute to organ failure, especially kidney failure. African Americans are three times more likely than white Americans to suffer from kidney failure, and Hispanics are 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to have kidney failure.

During NMDAM, LifeLink of Florida will highlight the need for more organ, eye and tissue donors within multicultural communities, provide donation education, encourage donor registration, and promote healthy living and disease prevention to decrease the need for transplantation.

Individuals interested in celebrating this month are encouraged to follow LifeLink’s social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, to participate in the education programs offered. Anyone can be a potential donor, regardless of age or medical history; a single donor can save or improve the lives of up to 75 people.

LifeLink encourages the public to register their donation decision at DonateLifeFlorida.org, or when obtaining or renewing a driver license.

Chalk Talk 08/19/2020

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Scholarship winners
The Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) announced its 2020 scholarship winners.

Recipients in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are:

  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School: Kayla David and Brandon Glenn
    • Cypress Creek High School: Alexis Aponte, Aliyah Clarke, Julianna Greenberg, Jocelyn Hammett, Noel Martinez-Pla and Rebecca Radcliff
  • Land O’ Lakes High School: Natalie Mosko, Rachel Pinsky, Arelis Rodriguez Martinez and Loretta Thompson
  • Pasco High School: Marycarmen Adruskiewicz, Susan Hammond and Abigail Miramon
  • Sunlake High School: Jack Walker
  • Wesley Chapel High School: Jayla Alfaro, Madilyn Corgin, Shayla Hobot, Seth Laney, Taylor McKinney, Gigi Palmer, Joanne Trangluu and Ashlyn Walters
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School: Jarvis He, Crighton Methe, Antonio Perez, Kanishkh Ramesh, Emilie Ramos, Alysia Sanchez and Mackenzie Sholl
  • Zephyrhills High School: Luis Montez

Human services webinar
Saint Leo University’s Undergraduate Human Services Program will present a panel discussion on Aug. 20 at 6 p.m., through Zoom.

Human services professionals conduct interviews, identify problems and set goals, as well as provide referrals to individuals in need of service.

The webinar, entitled “Human Services in Action,” will be a live, interactive session featuring four Saint Leo alumni who earned their Bachelor of Arts degrees in human services, and are now working in entry-level and administration positions at a nonprofit agency, for a local government, and at an organization that serves veterans, seniors, families and youths.

Information will include strategies that help the transition from being a student to working as a knowledgeable professional in the human services/social services field.

There also will be a Q&A session at the end of the discussion.

The event is free.

For information on how to join, email Dr. Amina Abdullah-Winstead at .

Creating more space for students
Students and staff at Wendell Krinn Technical High School added additional space on campus to help with social distancing, by assembling picnic tables.

The goal was to set up three outdoor classrooms and more outdoor seating for the cafeteria.

“Having additional classroom space outdoors will make it a lot easier to create social distance, and that will create a healthier environment for everyone,” said Principal Christopher Dunning, in a school news release.

The staff and students got a helping hand from Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization of volunteers that builds and donates bunk beds for families in need.

The tables were made of pressure-treated wood and built from scratch.

Host an exchange student
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (ASSE) is looking for local families to host boys and girls ages 15 to 18, arriving soon, to attend community high schools, according to an ASSE news release.

Students from all over the world have been selected to participate based on their strong academics and citizenship; all they need now are host families.

Students are equipped with pocket money for personal expenses, along with accident and illness insurance. Host families can choose their students from a wide variety of backgrounds, countries and personal interests.

Participants can share our country, its own family, and culture, with an exchange student. During this temporary period of social distancing, there is a need to look forward to and celebrate opportunities to show hospitality and care toward others.

ASSE’s top concern is the health of the host families, host communities and exchange students. Even as the U.S. and many other countries continue to live under temporary travel restrictions, ASSE is reassuring participants that the students will not travel unless it is considered safe to do so by the U.S. and foreign agencies entrusted with public health and safety.

To become a host family, or to find out how to become involved with ASSE in your own community, call (850) 866-6508 or the ASSE Southern Regional Office at (800) 473-0696, or visit Host.ASSE.com, to begin an application.

‘Adopt’ a classroom or student
Pepin Academies Foundation has launched its inaugural “Adopt-a-Classroom” and “Adopt-a-Student” campaigns to help equip teachers and students with needed school supplies for the 2020-2021 school year.

Individuals and businesses can participate by sponsoring or “adopting” a classroom or student. There also is an option to donate to a specific Pepin Academies campus.

The classroom funds will provide teachers with academic enrichment materials, as identified by the teachers for individual classroom needs.

The student funds will provide students with a backpack filled with school supplies that will be delivered directly to their school for pickup.

Donations to either campaign can be made securely online through the Pepin Academies Foundation website, or through the Pepin Academies Foundation’s Amazon wish list.

Pepin Academies are public, tuition-free charter schools in Tampa, Riverview and New Port Richey that serve students with learning disabilities in grades three to 12.

Shoe & Sock Drive underway
The fifth annual Two Good Soles Shoe and Sock Drive is underway, as the Pasco County government and constitutional offices work together to collect footwear for kids in Pasco County schools, through Oct. 26.

Donations can be dropped off to the collection boxes at Pasco County Government locations, and the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller, Property Appraiser and Tax Collector offices countywide.

Last year’s record-setting drive resulted in 3,057 pairs of shoes and 13,285 pairs of socks.

Items collected will be donated to Pasco County Schools at the end of October, directly benefiting local students.

For information, visit PascoCountyFl.net/civicalerts.

Lavender is silky and soft

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Lavender is a Rex and Lions Mane mix. She is kind, loving, cute and gentle. Lavender likes to cuddle and play, but especially loves attention! Lavender lives with her owner, Eva Jordyn Pagni, in Wesley Chapel.