The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

8/14/2015 – SEED SAVING WORKSHOP

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Morningstar Fishermen, 33336 Old Saint Joe Road in Dade City, will offer a Seed Saving workshop Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. Guests can learn how to save and share rare, heirloom and native seeds. Admission is free. To RSVP, call (352) 523-2722, or email . For information, visit MorningStarFishermen.org.

8/14/2015 – ORGAN CONCERT

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Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 32832 Saint Anthony Way in San Antonio, will host a Young Organ Scholars Concert on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. There will be a reception after the concert. Admission is free. For information, call (352) 588-3081.

8/1/2015 to 8/31/2015 – HELP HOMELESS CHILDREN IN PASCO COUNTY

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Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano has teamed up with the Community Volunteer Corps to collect food, clothing and hygiene items for homeless children in Pasco County during the month of August.

Donations of school supplies, clothing and personal care items will be given directly to any student who is in need. Individuals interested in donating can bring in unwrapped items and leave them in specially marked boxes located in the lobby of any of the five tax collector offices: Wesley Chapel, Gulf Harbor-New Port Richey, Central Pasco Government Center-Land O’ Lakes, East Pasco Government Center-Dade City, and the West Pasco Government Center-New Port Richey.

Cash donations will be used to purchase needed items. A cash donation of $5 will purchase a complete hygiene kit for one child.

For information, call Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179.

For information about the Community Volunteer Corps, visit FLCVC.org.

Bibi Geeringh receives certification

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(Courtesy of Jo Ann Buley)
(Courtesy of Jo Ann Buley)

Timber Lake Estates is proud to announce that its maintenance man, Bibi Geeringh, has successfully been certified and licensed to operate the park’s Water Treatment Plant. This has been an eight-year endeavor on Bibi’s part to get his Class C Drinking Water Treatment Plant Operator License. Thanks also to the Board of Directors over these years in his quest.

Carrollwood Day School announces new coaches

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Carrollwood Day School has hired former Eckerd College softball assistant coach Frank Arcuri as its varsity softball coach. Arcuri comes to CDS after the most successful season in history at Eckerd College. He has more than 28 years softball coaching experience, and has coached in national championship tournaments at every age level. Joining Arcuri will be pitching coach Julia Morrow. Morrow is a two-time All American pitcher from the University of Tampa. She held the national ERA record last year and set the UT season record for strikeouts.

Chalk Talk 08-05-15

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(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

PHSC students place as future business leaders
Five members of the Pasco-Hernando State College Phi Beta Lambda business club competed in the Future Business Leaders of America PBL National Leadership Competition in Chicago. David Adams, of the North Campus, placed ninth in the Business Communication category. The PHSC Small Business Management category team of the Spring Hill Campus placed fourth. Students attending the competition were, back row from left, David Adams, Joseph Conte and Michael Finucane. Front row, from left, Martha Gonzalez, Cassie Love and Sandre Lyons, coordinator of student activities North Campus.

Pine View student travels to Japan for leadership academy
Colby Tomasello, a student at Pine View Middle School in Land O’ Lakes, was one of eight students and four teachers selected to travel to Tokyo, Aug. 4 to Aug. 11, to participate in the TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy.

The academy is a weeklong, cross-cultural exchange program where students and teachers, from Japan and the United States, work in teams to develop a disaster-resilient smart community of the future and develop proposed solutions to global issues using learning experiences central to the Next Generation Science Standards.

For information, visit Tomodachi-Japan.com/index.html.

Kurt Browning appointed to board
Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning has been appointed to the Florida Association of District School Superintendents Board of Directors as an at-large director.

Browning’s term began July 1 and will end June 30, 2016.

Browning was elected in August 2012 and took office as superintendent of Pasco County Schools in November 2012. Prior to that, he served as Florida secretary of state under the administrations of Gov. Rick Scott and Gov. Charlie Crist. Before Crist appointed him secretary of state in 2006, Browning served 26 years as Pasco County’s elected supervisor of elections.

New school location
Metropolitan Technical Career Institute will host a grand opening for its new campus site on Aug. 13 at 12:30 p.m., at 14138 Sixth St., in Dade City.

The institute offers careers in a variety of health-related areas including CNA, phlebotomy, EKG, X-ray and medical assistant. Day, evening and weekend classes, as well as online certification programs, are available. A career counselor will be at the opening to answer questions.

For information, call a student advisor at (352) 293-2474, or visit MetropolitanTechnicalCareerInstitute.com.

Wiregrass Ranch registrations
Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will host three orientations for the new school year.

  • Aug. 17, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., for senior class only
  • Aug. 18, from 8 a.m. to noon, for 10th- and 11th-graders, and any 12th-graders who were unable to attend senior registration
  • Aug. 18, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., for ninth-graders

Guided tours will be available during registrations on Aug. 18. Students will be able to pick up schedules, select lockers, verify transportation, and learn about the academic and athletic programs, as well as the clubs.

Wiregrass Ranch will operate on a 10-period day. Students in 10th, 11th and 12th grades will attend from 7:45 a.m. to 1:56 p.m., and ninth graders will attend from 10:25 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.

For information, call (813) 346-6000.

Seventh-grader selected for dragon boat championships
Kaitlyn Robinson, a seventh-grader at John Long Middle School, was selected to join the U16 Youth Dragon Boat team to represent the United States at the World National Dragon Boat Championships Aug. 19 to Aug. 23 in Welland Ontario, Canada.

Robinson has been a member of the Blade Runners Youth Dragon Boat Team of Tampa for two years. Her first dragon boat practice was in 2013 with her Girl Scout troop, and her first race was in March 2014.

To donate and help Robinson pay for expenses to the championships, visit GoFundMe.com/vgqr4c4c.

Get school immunizations early
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County reminds parents to have their children immunized early to avoid the back-to-school rush. Parents of kindergartners and seventh-graders are encouraged to review their children’s immunization record to ensure readiness for the upcoming school year.

If parents do not have a copy of the child’s immunization record, they should ask their provider about Florida Shots, the database that records immunizations. Students entering college also are encouraged to ensure their immunizations are up to date.

The following vaccines are required for children entering preschool and grades K through 12: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox and hepatitis B. Students entering college should check with health services at their respective college regarding requirements.

For information on upcoming back-to-school immunization events, visit Pasco.FloridaHealth.gov/.

Meet the Teacher days
These elementary schools will have Meet the Teacher Day on Aug. 20, in the cafeteria:

  • Connerton Elementary, 9300 Flourish Drive in Land O’ Lakes, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guests can meet the teachers, visit the classrooms, get bus passes, pick up car line tags, pay student fees and join the Parent-Teacher Association. For information, call (813) 346-1800.
  • Double Branch Elementary, 31500 Chancey Road in Wesley Chapel, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can purchase planners, pay school fees, get transportation information, drop off school supplies and meet the teachers. For information, call (813) 346-0400.

Health News 08-05-15

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(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)
(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Second class of new residents graduate
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point introduced the second class of its Graduate Medical Education Program internal medicine residents. The class of 2015 residents include Lauren Applehof, Trevor Applehof, Dan Bainbridge, Duat Bui, Rebecca Burt, Mallika Devarapalli, Michael Harris, Pornchai Kittivarakarn, Anna Marshall, Ricardo Navarro, Torrey Poholsky, Joseph Robbins, Brandon Rosenthal, Nicole Smith and Angela Spinelli.

Get school immunizations early
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County reminds parents to have their children immunized early to avoid the back-to-school rush. Parents of kindergartners and seventh-graders are encouraged to review their children’s immunization record to ensure readiness for the upcoming school year.

If parents do not have a copy of the child’s immunization record, they should ask their provider about Florida Shots, the database that records immunizations. Students entering college also are encouraged to ensure their immunizations are up to date.

The following vaccines are required for children entering preschool and grades K through 12: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox and hepatitis B. Students entering college should check with health services at their respective college regarding requirements.

For information on upcoming back-to-school immunization events, visit Pasco.FloridaHealth.gov/.

Gulfside Hospice names health information director
Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care has appointed Cristoval Jiminez as its new health information systems director.

Jiminez will be responsible for privacy, security and integrity of electronic patient data, tools and training used for electronic medical records, and all aspects of Informatics and Health Information Management.

Jiminez started working at Gulfside in 2006 as a certified nursing assistant, and was promoted to CNA mentor. In 2009, he transferred into the informatics department, where he worked as a clinical systems coordinator before being promoted to informatics manager in 2012.

DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT

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The Medical Center of Trinity, 9330 State Road 54, will have a diabetes self-management workshop on Monday mornings at 9 a.m., starting Aug. 17 through Sept. 21. The workshop is two hours a week, and topics include techniques to deal with symptoms of diabetes, fatigue, pain, hyper/hypoglycemia, stress and emotional problems; appropriate exercise for improving and maintaining strength and endurance; healthy eating; appropriate use of medication; and working more effectively with health care providers. Reservations are required. For information and to register, call (727) 834-5630.

INFANT CPR CLASS

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The obstetrics program at Medical Center of Trinity, 9330 State Road 54, will offer an American Heart Association Family and Friends Infant CPR class Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The cost is $15 for one person, and $25 for two. For reservations, call (727) 834-5630.

STRESS REDUCTION SUPPORT

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Florida Cancer Affiliates, 3611 Little Road in Trinity, will host a stress reduction support group meeting once a month, on Wednesday, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The next meeting is Aug. 12. The group is open to anyone who feels overwhelmed at times, is struggling to find a balance in their life, or just wants a place to express feelings with those going through similar experiences. Stress can be work or school related, relationship stress, caregiver stress, illness or health stress, parenting or family stress, or financial stress. For information, call (727) 808-4818.