The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Mary Rathman

Photo contest to showcase Pasco County

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Gulfside Healthcare Services once again is hosting its annual photo contest to showcase the beauty of Pasco County. All winners will be featured in Gulfside’s 2025 calendar.

At least 13 pictures will be chosen for the calendar, a picture for each month of 2025 and one for the remainder of 2024. In addition to the winning photos, judges will select a few entries for 2025 honorable mentions.

To be considered, photos must be taken in Pasco County and be able to be printed horizontally at 12 inches wide by 9 inches high. Entries will be reviewed by a volunteer committee made up of Gulfside staff and volunteers.

All entries are due by 5 p.m., on Aug. 15.

Contest winners will be notified by Sept. 10 (subject to change) and will receive five copies of the calendar once it is printed.

For complete contest rules and to enter, visit https://tinyurl.com/3maxe7dw, or contact the Public Relations department at for more information.

January 2024 winner “Laser Focus” by Noriko Buckles (Courtersy of Gulfside Healthcare Services)
“Fire Sunset” by Steve Hyatt, October 2024 winner

This caterpillar loves herbs

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Janet Rice, of Land O’ Lakes, snapped a photo of a black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar on her dill herb plant. Black swallowtails feed on a variety of plants, including carrots, parsley, dill, fennel, Queen Anne’s lace (also called wild carrot), milkweed, phlox and rue.

Health News 06/26/2024

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Front row, from left: Dr. Jessica Greer, nurse manager Kelly Howard and certified surgical tech Meggin Montalvo. Back row, from left: RN (registered nurse) Dawn LaPlume, troop leader Amy Kirby, Girl Scout Gabriella Kirby, Girl Scout Syraphina Kirby, Girl Scout Natalie Dorch, RN Terri Blanyar and RN Cindy Zipperer. (Courtesy of Martin Bahl/St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Hospital welcomes Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts Troop 50157, of Land O’ Lakes, is studying women’s health and visited with labor and delivery team members and medical staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, taking Girl Scout cookies to the team.

The Girl Scouts toured maternity operating rooms, labor and delivery rooms, and infant stabilization rooms, according to a news release. Troop leader Amy Kirby delivered her daughter, Gabriella, one of the Girl Scouts, at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North back in 2011.

It also was a reunion for mom Amy, Gabriella, and Dawn LaPlume, one of the nurses in the photo. LaPlume was Amy’s nurse when she delivered Gabriella. And Girl Scout Natalie’s mom, Aimee Dorch, another troop leader, is a nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

The hospital extends its thanks to the Girl Scouts for the visit, the interest in the hospital’s women’s health services and the outstanding Girl Scout cookies, the release says.

Safety summit provides CPR training and more
AdventHealth provided families and youth sports coaches with hands-on CPR certification, alongside expert-led panel sessions at its Youth Sports Safety Summit on June 8.

Teachers, parents and coaches learn hands-on CPR at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa. (Courtesy of AdventHealth)

The free event at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa was designed to equip coaches and families with the knowledge and skills necessary to safeguard young athletes.

Leading clinical experts share information on recognizing concussion warning signs, managing heat exhaustion and understanding the mental health needs of athletes.

More than 100 people signed up for hands-on CPR demonstrations and CPR certification.

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes. Estimates vary, but reports suggest that about 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 80,000 young athletes die of sudden cardiac arrest each year, according to the Mayo Clinic.

State Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa), who attended the summit, played a pivotal role in the recent passage of HB 865, along with Rep. Brad Yeager (R-New Port Richey). This legislation was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis and mandates that Florida public school athletic coaches maintain certification in CPR, first aid and AED use. HB 865 will take effect starting July 1.

For those who want further CPR training, visit https://www.adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-tampa/events and search “CPR.”

Chalk Talk 06/26/2024

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Environmental champions honored
Learning Gate Community School in Lutz announced the recipients of this year’s SIEGE Award, an honor given to an individual on each campus who embodies the spirit of the school mascot, the heron.

Kara Windish, left, and OJ Beane are the recipients of the 2024 Environmental Champions award. (Courtesy of Learning Gate School)

As a premier charter school, Learning Gate prioritizes academic excellence, community service and environmental responsibility through the ethos of “Nature is our Best Teacher.”

The SIEGE award recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond in their dedication to education, reflecting on the core values: Striving for excellence, Inspiring others, Engaging in learning, Giving respect and Establishing purpose.

This year’s recipient for the Hanna Campus is Kara Windish for her dedication to students and love for teaching. She uses methods like Socratic Seminars, Shark Tank Pitches, Mystery Historic Crime Scenes, Debates, Escape Room and skits, making lessons come alive. She also plays a key role in The Amazing Shake program, teaching students vital communication skills and accompanying them to national competitions.

Windish supports new teachers, organizes sixth-grade challenges, contributes to the National Junior Honor Society, and supports both school campuses through training sessions and teaching sessions at the University of South Florida.

OJ Beane is this year’s recipient for the Lutz Lake Fern Campus, recognized for his positive attitude and team spirit.

He is dedicated to self-improvement and professional growth, and his humility and kindness make him approachable and easy to work with.  Beane proactively addresses needs before they become issues and connects with students on a personal level, supporting their academic, emotional and social growth.

Learning Gate Community School is a tuition-free, A-rated public charter school.

Curbside meals offered
Pasco County Schools has four sites offering curbside meal pickup every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Connerton Elementary, Lacoochee Elementary, San Antonio Elementary and Watergrass Elementary.

These sites provided meals to over 1,300 children this week, which is 30% more than anticipated. Pasco Schools has implemented changes and improved its process with the hope of meeting the demand for summer curbside meals.

To better serve the community, families are encouraged to fill out the Curbside Intent to Participate Form each week so the district has an estimated number of meals to prepare.

The Curbside Intent to Participate form opens at 6:30 a.m. every Wednesday and closes at 5:30 p.m. every Sunday.

Filling out the form does not guarantee meals at the time of pick up, as meals are distributed on a first-come, first served basis.

For more information, visit https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/fns/mform/view.php?id=285537

Goal exceeded in reading campaign
Pasco County Schools has announced that students, parents and staff exceeded a reading goal by more than 15 million minutes during the 2023-2024 Race to Read campaign. The Pasco Schools community read 30,468,440 minutes in the district-wide initiative aimed to foster a love of reading by engaging students, parents and staff in a collective effort.

“We are immensely proud of our students, parents and staff for overwhelming participation and dedication to this initiative,” said Superintendent Kurt Browning, in a news release.

“Reading is the foundation of all learning, and the incredible number of minutes read this year demonstrates our community’s commitment to education and literacy,” said Browning.

Moon Lake Elementary School, Pine View Middle and Pasco High were the champions in their respective categories. These schools each receive a celebratory banner and 500 paperback books to distribute to students next year. Several schools achieved significant milestones and have been awarded digital badges created by Beanstack.

These schools were awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals based on their reading achievements:
Gold: Moon Lake Elementary, Pasco Elementary, New River Elementary, Seven Oaks Elementary, Connerton Elementary, Sand Pine Elementary, Pasco High, Quail Hollow Elementary
Silver: Odessa Elementary, Longleaf Elementary, Double Branch Elementary, Pine View Elementary, Denham Oaks Elementary, Cypress Elementary, Trinity Elementary, Mary Giella Elementary, Shady Hills Elementary, Anclote Elementary, Wiregrass Elementary, Pine View Middle, Centennial Middle, Sanders Memorial Elementary, James M. Marlowe Elementary, Veterans Elementary, Charles S. Rushe Middle
Bronze: Wesley Chapel Elementary, Chester W. Taylor Elementary, Bexley Elementary

For more information about the Race to Read campaign and other initiatives, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us.

{Courtesy of USDA Food and Nutrition Service}

Nutrition training funding
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced funding for Behind the Tray-Food Science for School Meals, and is committed to providing safe school meals and supporting those who prepare and serve them every day.

FNS seeks to award a two-year $600,000 cooperative agreement to develop, implement and evaluate a new weeklong, in-person, science-based food safety education training program for school nutrition professionals. Behind the Tray will enhance the food science and food processing literacy of school nutrition professionals with special emphasis on food safety and food microbiology.

Public, state and private universities and colleges are eligible to apply. The opportunity closes on July 12.

For information and to apply, visit https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/354169.

New Horizons program
Saint Leo University is now offering its Next-Level Grad Award, a scholarship available to graduate program students who study online or at one of the university’s education centers.

This graduate program scholarship is for students newly enrolled in Saint Leo’s Master of Business (MBA) or Master of Science in criminal justice degree programs. It covers the tuition costs for the final nine credit hours of the program (all specializations).

Technology, book and assessment fees are not waived for those who receive the award, and up to six transfer credits will be accepted for those enrolling.

Eligibility requirements include that the recipients must be Saint Leo WorldWide students, fully admitted to the MBA or master’s in criminal justice programs that are now enrolling.

To continue receiving the scholarship, students must meet all academic performance requirements and maintain good standing in their program from an attendance, student conduct, and GPA requirement standard (3.0 cumulative average or better).

For more information about the Next-Level Grad Award, email , or call 855-523-2472 or 800-707-8846.

Five high school students received scholarships from local woman’s club. (Courtesy of Deborah Erdahl)

Woman’s club awards scholarships
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club announced the 2024 scholarship winners and recognized each of the following high school students:

  • Siena Pena, Sunlake High School: $2,000 – University of South Florida (nursing)
  • Tyler Montgomery Tyson, Jesuit High: $5,000 – University of Florida Honors Program (computer science)
  • Aelexys Carley, Land O’ Lakes High: $2,000 – St. Thomas University (biology/biochemistry)
  • Rohil Agarwal, Land O’ Lakes High: $2,000 – University of California-Berkeley (computer science)
  • Caitlin Conrad, Steinbrenner High: $5,000 – University of South Florida

For more information and/or club membership opportunities, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

Hillsborough County seeks input from residents, public

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Hillsborough County is seeking input from its residents through two surveys — Hillsborough County Aging Services and a Community Vulnerability Study.

The county has more than 410,000 residents aged 55 and older and wants their feedback in a survey about senior centers, to learn how familiar residents are with the centers and their programs and services, and to identify service gaps.

(Anupam Mahapatra/Pexels)

Aging Services’ programs include lifelong learning classes, photography workshops, sewing classes, painting groups, jewelry-making, gardening clubs, billiards, chess clubs, fitness classes, ping-pong, yoga, tai-chi, table games, and more.

Residents can take the survey online until June 30.

The public’s input also is needed to update the county’s Local Mitigation Strategy and Community Vulnerability Assessment, which helps to measure and prepare for potential impacts from flooding, sea level rise, storm surge and other natural hazards.

Participation from people who live, work and spend time in Hillsborough County will provide insight into areas most at risk of flooding and other hazards. The effort will help direct mitigation efforts to keep the community safe and assure a speedy recovery in times of crisis.

A plan developed at the county level also will help reduce the risks associated with natural and human-caused disasters.

To view Hillsborough County’s virtual participation opportunities and surveys, visit HCFL.gov/HCEngage.

Published June 19, 2024

Make reading fun, all summerlong

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PJ Library is a nonprofit that sends 240,000 free high-quality Jewish children’s books to families every month. The program was created by the nonprofit Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) in keeping with its mission to help people connect to Jewish values, traditions, and culture while building vibrant Jewish communities, according to its website.

With school out for the season, PJ Library is offering tips for getting kids to read and free books for kids of all ages.

(Karolina Grabow/Pexels)

Here are some ways PJ Library suggests to make sure the family reads, all summerlong:

  1. Take books with you. Toss books in a beach bag, a vacation carryon or in the stroller. On hot days at the park, encourage kids to find some shade and read for a few minutes. Families also can select a “vacation read” together for the child.
  2. Read aloud together. Children whose parents read aloud to them have a leg up on literacy and reading comprehension. Make silly voices, take turns, stop to answer questions a child might have — have fun and increase the child’s vocabulary while instilling a love of reading and stories.
  3. Go to the library. Some local libraries offer inexpensive or free children’s programming during the summer. If the child is old enough, sign them up for a library card so they can make their own selections from books, CDs, DVDs and games.
  4. Let kids choose. Let the child pick out what they want to read. If the child’s school has a summer reading list, make sure to give them some free choice materials as a reward for working through the list. Unconventional reading materials like magazines and graphic novels can be choices, too.
  5. Make it social. Join a summer reading challenge or a children’s book group, or start your own.
  6. Have a reading picnic. Grab a blanket, friends, snacks and a stack of favorite books. Kids can take turns listening to stories or read aloud together.
  7. Make “Story Stones.” Collect stones from your backyard, a nature walk or a trip to the beach. Decorate each stone by painting it, adding stickers, or using markers. Mix the stones up in a bag or box and use the randomly drawn stones to inspire stories. Players also can each choose one stone and build a story together.
  8. Keep count. Use a summer reading journal to log and rate all the books read over the summer. Keep the list on the refrigerator to keep children engaged and talking about reading.

PJ’s Summertime Bingo is a free printable game that includes dozens of great ideas — from building a sandcastle to helping cook a healthy meal to having a dance party, and yes, reading books. Visit https://pjlibrary.org/home and search “bingo.”

To sign up for a free monthly subscription for children ages 0 to 12 in the household, visit www.PJLibrary.org.

Published June 19, 2024

Post office renamed for Hernando County hero

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(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Star_Medal)

A bill authored by Congressman Gus Bilirakis and co-sponsored by every member of Florida’s Congressional Delegation was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this week. It will rename the United States Post Office, at 207 E. Fort Dade Ave., in Brooksville, as the Specialist Justin Dean Coleman Memorial Post Office, according to a news release.

During his first tour of duty with the 10th Mountain, 32nd Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army in July 2009, Spc. Coleman of Hernando County was killed in action while patrolling a residential area of Nuristan Province in Afghanistan. He was only 21 years old, the release says.

Coleman’s platoon conducted patrols of a local village, going house to house checking for Taliban combatants. During the patrol, Coleman provided security outside one of the houses and received direct fire from an enemy combatant, fatally wounding him.

By drawing fire away from his platoon, the soldier’s actions allowed his comrades time to take cover, locate the enemy and successfully counterattack.

Because of his sacrifice, Coleman earned the Bronze Star.

Published June 19, 2024

A splashy debut

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(Courtesy of ZooTampa)

Munah, a Malayan tapir baby, has made her official habitat debut at ZooTampa, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., going for her first swim. Zoo guests can stop by the tapir habitat on their next visit to see this little girl. Visit ZooTampa.org for information.

Shealina is full of joy

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Shealina will be 6 years old in July and was adopted five years ago from Pasco County Animal Services. She is a very sweet cat and loves her toys. Shealina brings so much love to her family, Frank and Nicole Magazu, of Land O’ Lakes.