The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

REPUBLICAN CLUB MEETING

By

The Wesley Chapel Republican Club will meet Feb. 12 at 7 p.m., at Hyundai of Wesley Chapel, 27000 Wesley Chapel Blvd. The guest speaker is Mark Zubaly on the topic of grassroots’ involvement and the workings of a political campaign. The doors open at 6:30 p.m., for networking, coffee and dessert. For information, call Peter Cracchiolo at (813) 360-9813.

DONATE FOR DISCOUNT FAIR TICKET

By

Goodwill Industries-Suncoast will give a $2-off coupon for a regular adult admission to the Florida State Fair to each person who donates through Feb. 15. Each coupon is good for up to two discount admissions. Donations can be dropped off at a store, donation site or “Round Up.” For each coupon redeemed, the Florida State Fair Authority will donate $1 to Goodwill. For a list of stores and donation sites, visit Goodwill-Suncoast.org.

BOY SCOUT MULCH FUNDRAISER

By

Boy Scout Troop 33 of Land O’ Lakes is having its third annual mulch fundraiser through Feb. 15. The mulch is available in pine bark, red, brown, cypress and gold. The 2-cubic-foot bags cost $3.50 each and will be delivered for free to local neighborhoods on Feb. 28. Orders will be taken after Masses at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, and by email at . Proceeds will go toward the 2015 summer camp scout accounts.

FORT FOSTER RENDEZVOUS

By

The Department of Environmental Protection’s Fort Foster State Historic Site will host its 19th annual Fort Foster Rendezvous Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 15402 U.S. 301 in Thonotasassa. The event is a living reenactment featuring military, Seminole, and civilian reenactors, sutlers, traders, and craft demonstrations. Refreshments will be available. Feb. 13 is a school day for Bay area schools to bring students for $2 per student. Teachers and chaperones are free. To register, all (813) 987-6771. The weekend will include daily live firing demonstrations and a skirmish between the Seminoles and military after 1 p.m., both days. Admission on the weekend is $5 per person. Children younger than age 5 are free. For information, visit FloridaStateParks.org/park/Fort-Foster.

ZEPHYRHILLS ART CLUB

By

The Zephyrhills Art Club will meet Feb. 10 at 7 p.m., at the First Christian Church, 6040 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills. Betty Fairbanks will demonstrate acrylic painting techniques. There will be a member mini show of paintings featuring the month’s theme “Artist’s Choice.” Refreshments will be served. Anyone interested in art can attend.

Health 02-04-15

By

NAMI offers support
The Pasco County Chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness offers the following support groups:

Family & Friends Support Meetings for family and friends of those with mental illness:

  • Atonement Lutheran Church, 29617 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, first and third Tuesday of every month, at 7 p.m. This is a new location for the group.
  • Medical Center of Trinity West Campus, 5637 Marine Parkway in New Port Richey, second and fourth Monday of every month, at 7:30 p.m.

NAMI Connections for those living with mental illness:

  • NAMI Pasco Office, 6480 Jallo Plaza, 6480 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, every Tuesday, at 7 p.m.
  • Medical Center of Trinity West Campus, 5637 Marine Parkway in New Port Richey, every Wednesday, at 7 p.m.

For information, call (727) 992-9653.

Gulfside orientations
Gulfside Hospice will host orientations for new volunteers as follows:

  • Feb. 5 and Feb. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Gulfside’s Center for Hospice Care, 5760 Dean Dairy Road in Zephyrhills, for East Pasco volunteers.
  • Feb. 9 and Feb. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Gulfside’s Bereavement and Community Outreach Center, 6230 Lafayette St., in New Port Richey, for West Pasco volunteers.

For information, call Kathie Poole at (727) 845-5707 for NPR class, or Tracey Thompson at (813) 780-1235 for East and West orientations.

Health, human services seminars
Pasco-Hernando State College will offer a new Community Awareness Series to students, faculty, staff and the community to learn about services provided by local agencies.

The sessions will highlight health and human services programs available in Pasco County, including public benefit, nutrition and pregnancy services.

All sessions are free, run about 90 minutes, and will be at PHSC Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Alice Delgardo of United Way of Pasco County will present the first session Feb. 6 at 10 a.m.

For information and a list of upcoming seminars, visit PHSC.edu/calendar.

Lunch and learn in Dade City
Bayfront Health Dade City, 13100 Fort King Road, will offer a free Lunch & Learn on the topic of the Affordable Care Act on Feb. 6 at noon, at Medical Plaza I, classroom 108.

The seminar will include enrollment and renewal sessions.

To RSVP, call (352) 518-2000, ext. 5015.

Free dental care Feb. 6
Monticciolo Family and Sedation Dentistry, 5139 Little Road in New Port Richey, will offer free dental care at its annual “Dentistry From The Heart” event Feb. 6.

The first 500 people in line will have a choice of a free dental cleaning, filling or extraction.

The services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis for those ages 18 and older.

Registration begins at 4:30 a.m., on that day and patients will be seen through 5 p.m.

Those who would like to be seen should dress for the weather and bring chairs, water and snacks as they wait outside.

For information, visit DentistryFromTheHeart.org, or call (727) 849-2002.

National Heart Month events
The Medical Center of Trinity, 9330 State Road 54, will celebrate National Heart Month with a variety of events.

During the month of February, the outside of the hospital will be lighted red to promote heart disease awareness.

On Feb. 6, the hospital staff, volunteers and visitors are asked to wear red to promote awareness.

Every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the dining room, a different healthy lunch will be featured with a recipe card. The cost is $5.

Starting Feb. 9 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., there will be a six-week health seminar series on Mondays, presented by Community of Aging and Retirement Services. Reservations are required. Guests should call (727) 834-5630.

On Feb. 24 at 10 a.m., there will be a nutrition seminar on the concepts of heart healthy eating. Reservations are required. Guests should call (727) 834-5630.

Heart events at Regional Medical
The Heart Institute at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point is encouraging people to participate in National Wear Red Day on Feb. 6, to raise awareness that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American woman and is a disease that must be prevented.

Regional Medical also is having a 3K Run for Life or 3K Heart Walk Feb. 7 at 8 a.m., on the campus at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Hudson.

Participants will meet at the Rao Musunuru, M.D. Conference Center, 14100 Yosemite Drive.

Registration begins at 8 a.m., with a warm-up at 8:30 a.m. The run/walk begins at 9 a.m., followed by a reception.

There will be music entertainment and raffle drawings.

For information and to register, call (727) 869-5500.

Health Fest at Bayfront
Bayfront Health Dade City, 13100 Fort King Road, will have a free Enrollment & Health Fest Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Medical Plaza I, classroom 108.

There will be enrollment for ACA, Medicaid and Kidcare, along with renewal sessions.

For information, call (352) 518-2000, ext. 5015.

Tuesday Tutorials
The Heart Institute at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point will present a series of Tuesday Tutorials with complimentary lunch at the Rao Musunuru Conference Center, 14100 Yosemite Drive in Hudson.

All programs begin at noon. Upcoming tutorials are:

  • Feb. 10 is “What to do When Your Heart Does Attack You.”
  • Feb. 17 is “Intimacy and the Heart,” for adults only.

For information and reservations, call (727) 869-5498.

Heart health seminar
Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel is hosting a free Heart Health Seminar Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Sessions include “Women’s Heart Health” at 10 a.m., “Chest Pains and Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography” at 11:15 a.m., and “Heart 411: The Insight on Radial Cardiac Catheterization” at 12:30 p.m.

Lunch will be provided.

For information and to register, call (813) 929-5432.

 

 

Chalk Talk 02-04-15

By

(Courtesy of Chiles Elementary School)
(Courtesy of Chiles Elementary School)

Launching marshmallows in the name of science
Fourth-grade students at Chiles Elementary School in New Tampa researched energy and motion by launching soft projectiles, better known as marshmallows. The team of Khalys Hamm and Victoria Radulescu-Pop took the school’s top honor among the classmates with their version of a Marshmallow Flyer.

School choice began Feb. 1
The Pasco County Schools’ school choice application period began Feb. 1.

Parents can access applications on the district website at PascoSchools.org, and click on the school choice banner at the top.

If a student is currently attending a school on school choice, parents do not need to reapply unless their address has changed after initial approval, they reside outside Pasco County, or the student will be moving to the next school level (for instance, elementary to middle, or middle to high).

Families who live in another county and want to request assignment to Pasco County must submit a release from their home county within the open enrollment period.

Applications not fully completed will not be considered.

Requests for more than one child need to be submitted individually.

The application period runs through March 1.

Info sessions for Garden Montessori
Garden Montessori Charter School is a tuition-free, public kindergarten through sixth grade school slated to open in August, serving the Wesley Chapel area.

There will be parent information sessions Feb. 5 and Feb. 18, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway.

General information and enrollment details can be found at GMCSWC.weebly.com.

Academy at the Farm fundraiser
The Mustang Mad Dash, a 5-kilometer and one-mile fun run, will be Feb. 7 to benefit Academy at the Farm Charter School in Dade City.

The race will start at First National Bank of Pasco, 13315 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Packet pick-up and late registration is at 6:30 a.m., followed by the 5k race at 8 a.m.

Advanced registration is $35, and $40 after Jan. 30.

Participants should dress up as their favorite Alice in Wonderland character, or create a mad hat to run in.

For information and registration, call (352) 588-9737, visit FriendsOfTheAcademy.org, or email .

Scholastic chess tournament
The Academy at the Lakes Chess Club is hosting a Scholastic Chess Tournament in its gym, 2331 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.

There will be rated and unrated sections for kindergarten through 12th grade. Advance registration by Feb. 4 is $20. Day-of registration is $25 and runs from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Participants should bring a clock and chess set. Concessions will be available.

There will be trophies and medals for the top individual finishers.

For information, email Steve Abrahams at .

‘The World of a Teen’ panel discussion
Steinbrenner High School, 5575 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz, will present “The World of a Teen” Feb. 10 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for teens and parents.

There will be a panel discussion on dating, driving, drugs, alcohol, stress, social media, health, peer pressure and more.

For information, call (813) 792-5131.

Pilot Club honors Top Dogs
The Pilot Club of Zephyrhills recognized its Second Quarter Top Dogs from Stewart Middle School at a recent luncheon.

Students honored for academics and leadership roles were Adriana Garcia, Isaiah Lawrence, Donald Roach, Lindsey Binnicker, Zachary Schneidmiller, Adam Reid, Abigail Sloan, Emily Jennings and Cresencio “Roel” Siller.

For information about the Pilot Club, call Deborah Lincoln at (941) 993-6563.

Watergrass students score first place with essays
The Tampa Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution chose Watergrass Elementary School to participate in its premier Constitution Day essay project. Claire Donahue and Riley Cartel received first place awards. Each won a medal, certificate and $25.

Fourth-grade teacher Renee Marsella was awarded a copy of the book “We the People,” and a copy of “We the Kids” was donated to the media center.

The essays were typed and published for the school in a commemorative booklet.

SAT test and strategy session
The Princeton Review practice SAT test and strategy session will be offered Feb. 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the Wiregrass Ranch High School cafeteria, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Students should bring a scientific or graphing calculator and sharpened No. 2 pencils.

Students must stay until the test is over.

The fee for the day is $15 prepay by Feb. 20, and $20 at the door.

Registration forms are available at WiregrassPTSA.org, or can be picked up in the Student Services office.

For information, call Angela Palmer at (813) 388-1556, or email .

American Mathematics Competition
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, will offer the AMC 10 or AMC 12 exam for secondary students in grades 12 and lower to take part in the American Mathematics Competition, on Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.

Both exams use multiple choice in which students use algebra and geometry concepts to solve problems.

Participation is free.

For information on the competition, visit MAA.org/math-competitions/amc-1012.

To register, contact Jacci White at (352) 588-8338 or , or contact Siamack Bondari at (352) 588-8279 or .

 

EMBROIDERS’ GUILD MEETING

By

The Gulfview Chapter of The Embroiders’ Guild of America will meet Feb. 11 at 10:30 a.m., at The Lakeside Club, 12606 Shadow Ridge Road in Hudson. A Sudoku project will follow the business meeting. Beginner and advanced stitchers are welcome. For information, call Betty Brandt at (727) 856-3643.

SNOWBIRD PALOOZA

By

Simply Events of Tampa Bay will host a Snowbird Palooza Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills. There will be exhibitors, keynote speakers at 10 a.m. and noon, interactive areas, a bingo tournament, line dancing, a free health clinic, and entertainment. For information, call (727) 674-1464.

NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY MEETS

By

The Nature Coast Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society will meet Feb. 10 at 7 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. Master Gardener Deb Hamilton will speak on “Ornamental Grasses for Home Landscapes.” Admission is free. There will be light refreshments and a native plant drawing. For information, call (727) 207-1853, or visit PascoNativePlants.org.