The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Guide dog in training

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King is a 9-month-old yellow lab. He is a Southeastern Guide Dog puppy, in training, being raised by Rachel Kelly (and Joey) in Lutz. King loves exploring the town during his trainings. The Lutz Branch Library and the post office are his two favorite places to go. King is Kelly’s third guide dog in-training.

A friendly hello

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This little rascal decided to pay a visit to the home of Drew Baer in Seven Oaks, in Wesley Chapel.

Meet Abby, the puppy

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Abby is a 9-month-old Goldendoodle that looks more like a Golden Retriever, but with the legs of a poodle. Abby is a happy, loving and ready-to-have-some-fun kind of pooch! She is great at jumping, but quite clumsy when landing. Abby loves to find headphones around the house to play with, too. She also loves to watch TV on an iPad and prefers shows that include some of her dog pals. Abby’s proud owner is Nitza Diaz, of Lutz.

Basking in the sun

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Will Abraham took this photo of an Anhinga reflected in one of the Oak Grove neighborhood ponds, in Lutz. The bird was drying itself out after a rainy night.

Scholarships awarded

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Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s Volunteer Association, in conjunction with the Suncoast Health & Education Foundation, presented six $2,000 scholarships to graduating seniors in Pasco County. The recipients were, from left to right: Brennon Chruscial, Anna Boglino, Marissa Sanders, Michaela Barney, Ryan Aing and Luke Detlor. (Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Chalk Talk 07/25/2018

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(Courtesy of Jo-Ann Johnston)

Learning new skills to help students
Twenty teachers from Pasco County attended the fifth Teacher Technology Summit Institute at Saint Leo University in June. The event helps teachers gain new skills in working with classroom technology to improve students’ learning. This year, educational tools were added to expose  young students to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. From left: Jessica Heck, Chester Taylor Elementary School, Zephyrhills; Pamela Peters and Carla Torres, Pine View Middle, Land O’ Lakes, look at a small robot called ‘Dash’ that children can learn to program.

Hearing screenings
The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation of Florida screened more than 17,000 students at more than 60 schools last year and is looking for volunteers to do the same this year when school begins in August.

No previous training is required. The screening process is simple and a brief demonstration is provided. The average screening time is two hours to three hours.

Volunteers are free to choose which schools they would prefer.

All volunteers must pass a background check.

Prospective volunteers can fill in an application at Pasco.k12.fl.us, and click on the Volunteer Application at the bottom of the page. Under ‘Preferences,’ choose Sertoma Speech & Hearing.

Hopefest
The Freedom Center will present Hopefest on July 27 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Elementary School, 30243 Wells Road.

There will be free backpacks, school supplies, music, food, carnival games and more.

In order to receive a free backpack, each child must present a ticket.

To register, visit FreedomIsHere.org.

For information, call (813) 414-1664.

Back to School Bash
The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation will host a Back to School Bash, presented by the Standing Strong Outreach Ministry, on July 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Centro De La Restaurancion, 6541 Orchid Lake Road in New Port Richey.

There will be music, face painting, bounce houses, school supplies raffles and more.

For information, call (727) 505-0108.

School supply drive
Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes and the Kiwanis Club of Greater West Pasco are partnering for a Back to School Supply Drive through July 31.

Items needed include backpacks, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, folders, glue sticks, markers, notebooks, paper, pencil cases, pens, scissors and yellow pencils.

Donations will be distributed to students in need in Pasco County elementary schools at the start of the school year.

Shoppers who donate new school supplies will receive a voucher for 25 percent off a single item in the store.

For shop locations, visit GHPPC.org. For information about the drive, call Kirsty Churchill at (727) 845-5707.

Hillel offers preschool
Hillel Academy, Tampa’s accredited Jewish day school, and the Tampa JCCs and Federation, have announced that Tampa JCC Preschool will be offered at Hillel, beginning in the fall, for children ages 3 and 4.

Hillel’s location in Carrollwood will be the third for Tampa JCC Preschool.

The preschool will follow the same curriculum and philosophical approach as the other locations in Citrus Park and South Tampa, but it will mirror the Hillel Academy schedule, August through May, from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., weekdays.

For information, contact Jen Goldberg, executive director for education at the Tampa JCCs and Federation, at or (813) 769-4738.

For information about Hillel Academy’s offerings, financial aid and touring schedule, call (813) 963-2242, or email .

Stamps scholar
The 13th class of Stamps Scholars includes 230 top students from across the country attending 30 partner universities. Selected from almost 300,000 applications, the scholars have diverse academic interests such as medicine, education, engineering, history, public policy, and visual and performing arts.

Stutee Acharya, of Land O’ Lakes, was awarded a Stamps Scholarship and will attend the Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall. She plans to study neuroscience.

Stamps Scholars are chosen for academic excellence, leadership experience and exceptional character.

At many partner universities, the scholarship covers the total estimated cost of attendance for four years of undergraduate study, and also includes an enrichment fund that scholars can use for academic and professional development, ranging from study abroad to internships to independent research.

Stamps Scholars are known for their significant contributions to their local campuses and communities around the world and, for many, the scholarship allows them to study at the top colleges for their career path.

To meet the other scholars, visit StampsFoundation.org/yearbook.

Student achievements

  • Alexia Faith Acebo, of Lutz, received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama.
  • Rachel Carlson, of Lutz, was named to the spring Dean’s List at the University of Maine.
  • Lyra Joy Francisca Escobar, of Lutz, graduated from The College of St. Scholastica, in Minnesota, with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.
  • Paige Manjrawala, of Lutz, received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Administration-Management from Berkeley College, New Jersey.
  • Clare O’ Keefe, of Lutz, was named to the spring Dean’s List at Endicott College in Massachusetts, where she is majoring in sports management.
  • Russell Ludwig Perciavalle Jr., of Lutz, a graduate of Washington and Lee University in Virginia earned a place on the Presidents List.
  • Summer Solovitch, of Dade City, was named a 2018 Presidential Scholar at Missouri Valley College for the fall and spring semesters.

Back to school haircuts
My Salon Suite of New Tampa, 20707 Center Oak Drive, will provide free haircuts, in exchange for school supplies, Aug. 5 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For every $5 to $10 of donated school supplies, a child will receive a free haircut. The donated supplies will be given to Quail Hollow Elementary and Metropolitan Ministries.

There also will be free food, face painting and more.

For information, call (813) 501-0600.

Donate new supplies
David Weekley Homes will host its fourth School Supplies Drive through Aug. 6.

Donations can be dropped off at the Design Center, 9006 Brittany Way in Tampa, or at any David Weekley model home in the Tampa area.

For a complete list of supplies needed, visit tinyurl.com/y7bhpk3w.

Eighth annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers
United Way of Pasco County is conducting its eighth annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers. The campaign is set for Aug. 3, Aug. 4 and Aug. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Supplies that are collected will be distributed by Pasco County Schools.

A school bus will be stationed at Walmart shopping centers to collect donations at the following locations:

  • Walmart-Port Richey, 8701 U.S. 19
  • Walmart-New Port Richey, 8745 State Road 54
  • Walmart-Lutz 1575 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
  • Walmart-Wesley Chapel 28500 State Road 54

Volunteers at all locations will hand out shopping lists and collect the donations.

On Aug. 6, volunteers will gather at the The Mike Fasano Hurricane Shelter, 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson, to sort and pack the supplies.

Volunteers are needed at the donation sites and at the packing sites.

For information, contact Melinda Velez at or (727) 835-2028.

Enjoy the summer, but heed these tips

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As the summer temperatures increase, so do the calls to poison control across the state.

More people are outdoors and kids are out of school, which can lead to an increased number of poison exposures, including pool chemical accidents; snake, spider and insect bites, and aquatic stings.

The Florida/USVI Poison Information Center in Jacksonville offers tips to keep Floridians safe this summer.

Pool Chemical Safety:

  • Be sure that you are in a well-ventilated area when using pool chemicals.
  • Follow product instructions carefully.
  • Do not store chemicals where flammable items may mix with them.
  • Never mix pool chemicals because that can create a toxic gas.
  • Always keep pool chemicals stored up and away from children.

Inspect Repellent Usage:

  • Read and follow product instructions carefully, as some repellents are not meant to be applied to the skin.
  • Do not use on a child’s hands, eyes, mouth or cut/irritated ski; spray repellent onto adult’s hands and then apply to child’s face.
  • Consumers also should not use a combination of sunscreen and insect repellent, as sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, and repellent should not be reapplied.
  • DEET should not be used on children younger than 2 months old.
  • Always wash treated skin with soap and water after returning to the indoors.

Snake and Spider Bites:

  • If bitten by a snake, remove jewelry and tight clothes, immobilize the extremity if possible, keep affected area at or below the heart, and wash the area gently.
  • Do not feed the victim, make cuts or place ice on the bitten extremity, or apply a tourniquet.
  • If bitten by a spider, call the poison control center immediately.
  • If believed to have been bitten by one of the six venomous snakes in Florida, call poison control at (800) 222-1222, or 911, if victim cannot be aroused, is convulsing or has stopped breathing. Venomous snakes include the coral snake, cottonmouth/water moccasin, Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, copperhead or canebrake (timber) rattlesnake.

Outdoor Hazards:

  • Jellyfish and other aquatic life can bite and sting. Have a spray bottle with vinegar available at the beach for jellyfish stings. Call poison control for specific treatment advice.
  • Treat all wild mushrooms as poisonous, unless you are absolutely certain they are safe.
  • Initially, apply a baking soda paste to insect stings, including fire ants, bees, wasps and caterpillars. Then call poison control for specific treatment.

Pesticides also should be used according to the product instructions, and properly stored and disposed of according to the label. All pesticides should be kept in their original containers.

Consumers should avoid using produce that require leaving powder or pellets in areas where children or pets have access.

The Poison Help Hotline can be reached at (800) 222-1222 and provides free, confidential medical advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year-round, from toxicology specialists, such as nurses, pharmacists, physicians and poison information providers.

Published July 18, 2018

Spencer has a thing for squirrels

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Spencer is a rescue Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd mix. When not demanding his owner’s attention, Spencer enjoys squirrels — looking at squirrels and barking at squirrels. He also enjoys napping — and, of course, dreaming about squirrels. Oh, and he also likes chicken jerky. Spencer’s proud owner is Marjorie Hoffmann, of Land O’ Lakes.

Serene wildlife

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Lillian Cucuzza, of Land O’ Lakes, was waiting for a baby gator to surface in this retention pond when three deer popped out of the woods. It was a great day to capture reflections on the pond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Health News 07/18/2018

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Shelli Ginther

Humanitarian award winner
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has recognized Shelli Ginther as this year’s Frist Volunteer Humanitarian Award winner. In addition to volunteering at the hospital, Ginther is active in the United Methodist Church as an organist, choir member and in volunteer services. She also is a certified lay servant and lay delegate to the Methodist Conference, and is a member in the Native Plant Society, as well as the New Port Richey Garden Club and the Spring Hill Garden Club.

 

 

New director appointed
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has appointed Jennifer Aceituno-Cardona as hospital administrative director of graduate medical education and program support for the hospital’s newly ACGME-accredited general surgery residency program.

Prior to joining Regional Medical, Aceituno-Cardona recently served as administrative director for graduate medical education at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of Stony Brook University in New York.

In addition to her role at Mather, she worked as the graduate medical education specialist in the GME office at Stony Brook and as a fellowship coordinator at Southampton Hospital, giving her experience with both osteopathic and allopathic programs.

Aceituno-Cardona has a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Stony Brook University.

Autism specialty plate
Every year, the Florida Support Autism Programs Specialty License Plate generates funds that support nonprofit organizations providing direct services for individuals with autism and related disabilities in Florida. In 2017, nearly $80,000 was awarded.

All nonprofit organizations with a current Internal Revenue Service designation as a 501(c)(3) exempt organization and a current State of Florida Charitable Solicitation Registration number that are providing services to individuals with autism and related disabilities in Florida are eligible to apply.

Proposals are due by July 31, by visiting AutismLicensePlate.com/grants.

New chief nursing officer
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has announced the appointment of Melanie Wetmore as chief nursing officer.

Wetmore comes to Bayonet Point from Oak Hill Hospital, where she served as assistant chief nursing officer. Prior to Oak Hill, she was employed at Memorial Hospital of Tampa.

Wetmore has more than 20 years of experience in emergency care and nursing leadership. She began her career in Rochester, New York, and served in emergency nursing in Torrance, California; Tucson, Arizona; and Tampa.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the State University of New York College at Brockport.

Wetmore also has a Master of Science degree in nursing leadership from Jacksonville University and is in the process of completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

She also is a board-certified nurse executive, certified emergency room nurse, and holds certification in advanced cardiac life support, basic life support and pediatric advanced life support.

Wetmore also is a trauma nursing course educator.