Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Taking the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Connerton

February 27, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

This isn’t the first time that Connerton’s adventurous residents have jumped into chilly water at the Land O’ Lakes community swimming pool. The annual Polar Bear Plunge debuted in 2011 and attracts an assortment of brave souls every year. Those who took part were offered free hot cocoa to warm themselves up.

On the count of three, the participants of Connerton’s annual Polar Bear Plunge jump into the brisk 72-degree pool water on Feb. 16. (Christine Holtzman)

Eleven-year-old Emersyn Stroka, of Land O’ Lakes, enjoys a cup of hot cocoa after taking part in the Polar Bear Plunge on Feb. 16 at Connerton. The hot cocoa was the best part, she said.

The Ringger family, of Land O’ Lakes, with family friend 9-year-old Oliver Lopez in front, boldly stand under a large mechanical bucket that dumps gallons of water in a matter of seconds. From left, the Ringgers are Kent, who is the father, holding 5-year-old Beckett; 9-year-old Hans; 12-year-old Corbin; and, 11-year-old Indee.

Doesn’t get much better than a quilt show and tacos

February 22, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Tom Carter, left, and Marty Rubensteinn (Courtesy of Helene Rubenstein)

On Feb. 8, we had our monthly lunch connoisseurs at Shells Restaurant hosted by Bill and Karen Donlon. There were 31 residents in attendance, and the menu had a good variety of dishes. There were mainly fish platters or dinners, but other dishes as well.

We weren’t rushed, and the waitresses were very nice and tried to help if anyone had questions. There was much conversation and everyone got along. It made for a nice afternoon with good company.

The following day, Feb. 9, several women who are members of the quilting club were at the community center, along with several helpers. They presented a quilt show and what a delight it was.

There were quilts all around the community center and some were really eye-catching and had so much detail.

The quilters were Margaret Castonguay, Joyce Billig, Naomi Sisk, Denise Hauser, Pat Otto, Pat Mengel, LuAnne Taylor and Jeanice Dalman. The quilters meet every week at the community center and create beautiful quilts, and these were displayed all over in the community center.

They also had some helpers, including Joyce Bell and Rachel Gamache.

This quilt by Denise Hauser won first place at the Florida State Fair.

There were well over 150 quilts, plus handbags, runners and more. Upon entering the community center, there were several quilts outside on display.

Everything was done to perfection and there were two lap-size quilts that were prizes for the raffle. Coffee and cookies were served at this festive show.

Several days later, on Feb. 13, a Taco Bowl dinner was held at the community center, with 110 people in attendance. This was hosted by Margaret and Andy Castonguay. They have had Taco Bowl dinners for the last several years, and each year they get better and better.

Once again, they had several volunteers and each had a specific job and, therefore, it ran smoothly. The helpers were Joyce and Ron Bell, along with Ron and Rachel Gamache, Fred and Pat Mengel, Linda Rogers and, of course, Margaret and Andy Castonguay.

The taco dinner consisted of meat, diced tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, olives and onions. All of the toppings were placed on a table, so you could add them according to your taste. The tortilla shells were handmade and deep fried by Margaret and, from what I heard, they were simply delicious.

Two days later, on Feb. 15, we had our second karaoke night. It started out with Gary Wilcox singing a Conway Twitty song entitled “It’s Only Make Believe.” He did a splendid job of it, and he made it interesting by giving a little history of the song and the singer.

He sang several more songs, including “Amarillo By Morning” and, if you closed your eyes, you could visualize George Strait.

Paul Williams sang a few songs, such as “Blueberry Hill,” “Abilene” and several others. His deep voice and antics added to the songs.

Chuck Reams also got up to perform several hits, including “As Good as I Once Was” by Toby Keith. Chuck really got into it as the time progressed. His antics were fabulous and had many a person (in the audience) singing back up. He also sang a hit song by Randy Travis entitled “He Walked on Water.” and he did one marvelous job.

A great number of songs were done by Jim Leitzke, such as “Good Hearted Woman” by Waylon Jennings,” “Okie from Muskogee” by Merle Haggard, and several by Marty Robbins like “El Paso.” Jim also looked directly at the audience and he sang like a pro.

During some songs, we had dancers like the Rockettes. We also had audience participation on the song “Family Tradition.” There were other songs like “Trashy Women” by Confederate Railroad, and even a little trivia thrown in.

We ended the evening with “God Bless the USA,” and we all went home after a lovely two hours. The next karaoke will be on March 22.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons

Quilt by Luanne Taylor and her husband, Doug.

Star burst with vibrant colors by Pat Otto.

Parks Ford Unveils New Dealership Building

February 20, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

There’s been a lot of speculation about what is going on at Parks Ford in Wesley Chapel, with its main building behind a curtain of construction since last summer, and large modular buildings put in place next door.

“We’ve gutted our old building and are completely rebuilding all major customer touch points, so that we can better accommodate our customers and employees,” said Ron Parks at his dealership on State Road 54, located just east of I-75.

When Parks Ford unveils its new building later this spring, it will feature a larger showroom to display its broad line of vehicles, an expanded and fully covered customer delivery center, and much larger service write-up and customer waiting areas.

“The design of our new building is very progressive, and will enhance the comfort and convenience of our customers and staff,” said Parks.

To limit the inconvenience created by such a major project, Parks Ford put in place modular buildings before construction began last July.

“We had the modular buildings ready to go before we started to make sure our customers and staff would not be inconvenienced by the construction,” said Parks.

This major expansion is just one example of Parks’ commitment to the Wesley Chapel community, his customers and staff. His dealership employs over 100 people, most of whom are long-time employees that live locally and are involved in area schools, youth groups, churches and service groups.

“The culture here is very employee-focused. We know that happy employees provide the best customer service, and I’m very proud that many of our people have worked here for many years,” said Parks.

Heading up the operations team at Parks Ford is Vice President Terry Mullane, who has worked with the Parks family for 25 years and is a partner in the business.

“Terry is the driving force behind our culture at Parks Ford — the person who leads our ship and keeps us on track,” said Parks.

Mullane oversees employee development programs to educate and grow his people so they can flourish in their jobs. This includes employee outreach programs, and hosting team building events, such as bowling parties and family picnics.

“Our employees are the focal point of our operation and paramount to our success,” said Parks. “We empower our people to make decisions, so they can do what’s necessary to accommodate our customers.”

Community Responsibility
Parks takes ‘community’ very seriously, and has a full-time employee whose primary responsibility is community relations. Jennifer Cofini has served in this role for the past eight years, and heads up Parks Ford’s involvement in community organizations and events.

Cofini is the past chairperson of North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, and has been on the chamber’s board for the last six years. She also is involved in Rotary International.

“We are very proud of our partnership with Wesley Chapel High School’s Automotive Academy, which train students for well-paying technical jobs,” said Cofini. “Ellis Adams, our service manager, is on the school’s advisory council, and we’ve hired several academy graduates.”

Parks Ford hosts several Drive 4 UR Community events for area schools and service groups, including Sunlake, Wiregrass and Wesley Chapel high schools, and Double Branch Elementary.

Other organizations the dealership supports are March of Dimes, Helping Hands Food Pantry, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, OneBlood, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.

“We give back to the local community because our customers are primarily from Pasco and north Hillsborough counties,” said Parks. “We give back because the community supports us!”

Dealership History
Ron Parks’ father, Jack Parks, spent his entire career in the automotive industry. He opened his first dealership in 1975 in Tampa — a Lincoln Mercury dealership on Florida Avenue, which the family still owns today.

In 1978, Ron joined his father in the family business after careers in banking and real estate. In 1984, they opened their first dealership in Pasco County — Heritage Ford in Zephyrhills, which was seven miles east on State Road 54. In 1999, the Parks moved Heritage Ford to their 15-acre site in Wesley Chapel, and renamed the business Parks Ford.

The Parks wanted to be closer to I-75 so their location would be more convenient for customers. Plus, they believed that central Pasco area was about to explode with new homes and businesses.

“We were the first automobile dealership to recognize the potential in Wesley Chapel and central Pasco,” said Parks. “We are proud to have been the very first dealership in the community, and proud to still be here today under the same family ownership.”

In 2013, Parks expanded again in Wesley Chapel when he opened a Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealership next door to his Ford operation.

In addition to Parks Ford, the Parks family owns Parks Lincoln of Tampa at 10505 N. Florida Ave., and Stadium Toyota at 5088 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Tampa.

“We have a courteous and committed sales staff, as well as professional, expert service technicians, all with many years of experience satisfying our customers’ needs,” said Parks. “They are the reason we give the best service possible to every customer. Please stop by and find out how we can help you with your automotive needs!”

Published February 20, 2019

Glimpse Florida’s ancient past at the Green Swamp

February 20, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Living on Florida’s densely populated coast, it’s almost impossible to believe that a 37,350-acre wilderness exists just an hour or so inland.

Giant, old oaks line the main hiking trail in the Green Swamp West Tract, just 5 miles from downtown Dade City. (Karen Haymon Long)

Known as the West Tract of the 110,000-acre Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, this environmentally protected land offers glimpses of what Florida used to look like, and, hopefully, will look like way into the future.

This important natural treasure is a vital recharge area for the Florida Aquifer and contains the headwaters of four Florida rivers – the Hillsborough, Withlacoochee, Peace and a fraction of the Ocklawaha. It reaches into not only Pasco, but Polk, Lake, Sumter and Hernando counties.

Just 5 miles from downtown Dade City, the swamp’s West Tract offers 65 miles of trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders.

On our recent visit on a Monday, we walked a half-hour from the parking lot on an unpaved service road just to get to the hiking trailhead that leads into the woods. This stretch, a section of the Florida National Scenic Trail, winds through dense woods overshadowed by giant old oaks, soaring slash and longleaf pines and mature magnolias.

The Green Swamp West Tract is open to hikers, campers, bikers and horseback riders who want to escape into the wilderness.

I’ve hiked all over the country, in many state and national parks, and have never seen so many ancient oaks in one place. For the next hour, we were alone in the peaceful woods, often with ponds and grassy waters on both sides of us.

The Green Swamp is known for its wildlife – white-tailed deer, hogs, bobcats, turtles, turkeys, raccoons, gray squirrels, alligators and all sorts of wading birds, but on our visit, we saw just birds – little blue herons, white ibis, a great blue heron and osprey. We did see evidence of hogs in one stretch of trail, where they had foraged in the muck.

Part of the trail we took is a section of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, and, on just about the whole length of our hike, we heard a chorus of birds calling back and forth.

The trail was easy to follow — thanks to orange paint slashes on trees along the way — so we never got lost. Twice, we had to climb over or walk around huge trees that had fallen across our path.

While I called the trail “wild,” my husband described it as “primitive,’’ but we both liked it that way.

The Green Swamp’s West Tract has picnic tables where visitors can enjoy a picnic lunch on the edge of the vast wilderness. The tract has no concessions, so come prepared.

We saw cypress domes ghosting from water.

Vast swaths of brown grasses swayed in the breeze.

We watched for snakes in clumps of brilliant green saw palmettos, and admired stately cabbage palms, Florida’s state tree.

And, just around every turn, we saw ponds or pools of water, some of it green, but some tea colored, too.

The Green Swamp is technically not a swamp, but “a mosaic of several different ecosystems,” according to the story anthology, “Rivers of the Green Swamp.”

One of Florida’s two largest wetlands – along with the Everglades – the Green Swamp is managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). Much of it is considered an environmentally sensitive habitat, and visitors are urged to stay on designated trails.

A map available at the tract entrance and online left much to be desired, with some roads bisecting the trail not marked or named and no trail lengths. We figured since the Florida Legislature long ago designated the Green Swamp “an area of critical state concern,” the state may not want hordes hiking in the area, so purposely makes maps vague.

Orange paint slashes on tree trunks lead the way through the main hiking trail in the Green Swamp’s West Tract. The trail is part of the Florida National Scenic Trail.

If that’s true, that’s fine with us. The fewer hikers the better to enjoy the solace of a good, long walk.

By chance, the trail we took was dry the day we went and closed to hog hunters. Dates when it is opened for hunting are posted at the main gate next to the parking lot and on SWFWMD’s website. (See Tips for the Trip).

We had read online that trails are sometimes too boggy to take, and, in the summertime, mosquitoes can be lethal. So we chose a dry, cool day to walk, and we were glad we did.

It was amazing how few people we saw – just one other hiker, two men on bikes, one with a dog on a leash, and a few men in pickup trucks driving on the service roads. We didn’t see anyone on horses. They are not rented out there, but horse owners are welcomed to bring them in if they stay on designated trails and carry proof of their horses’ current negative Coggins test.

The West Tract also has equestrian and primitive campsites, with pit and portable toilets, picnic tables and grills. Free permits are required, and campers are given the front gate lock combination so they can drive their gear into the campgrounds. There are no concession stands, so visitors should go prepared.

We don’t know if we would go back to camp there, but we’d like to return, maybe next time with our bikes.

Even now, I think of the quiet, of the watery beauty, and of those magnificent oaks — some older than our own state of Florida.

This map of the Green Swamp’s West Tract is more detailed than the ones online or available at the tract’s entrance. This one is posted near the tract picnic area.

Tips for the Trip
The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve West Tract is at 13347 Ranch Road (off the U.S. 98 Bypass) about 5 miles from downtown Dade City, in East Pasco County.

Admission is free and trails are open daily, except when hunting is permitted. Before going, be sure to check on those hunting dates at tinyurl.com/y6m2wtsa.
Hours are sunrise to sunset. Maps are on the above website and at the tract entrance.
Picnic tables, portable toilets and campsites are also in the West Tract. Kayakers and boaters can put into a stretch of the Withlacoochee River, just down the road from the West Tract entrance.
For tract details, see tinyurl.com/y6m2wtsa, or call (352) 796-7211, ext. 4470.
Another place to visit the Green Swamp is Colt Creek State Park, at 16000 State Road 471 in Lakeland. For details, see FloridaStateParks.org.

For details on campgrounds, call 1-800-423-1476 (toll-free, Florida only) or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4470, or email .

By Karen Haymon Long

February 20, 2019

Learning the skills and strategies involved in an ancient Chinese game

February 20, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

If you want to learn how to play Mah Jongg (also known as Mahjong), there are weekly games for both beginners and intermediate players at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway. There is no cost to play and the library provides all the game materials. For more information, call (813) 929-1214.

Before picking their tiles at the start of a game, the players shuffle them, in a practice known as ‘washing’ the tiles. The players not only enjoy the game, but the social atmosphere the weekly gatherings provide. From left: Cathy Smolski, of Land O’ Lakes; Linda Maniscalco, of Land O’ Lakes; Colette Pollack, of Land O’ Lakes; and Marilyn Howell, of Wesley Chapel. (Christine Holtzman)

Colette Pollack, of Land O’ Lakes, teaches Mah Jongg (also known by the traditional spelling of Mahjong) at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway. The ancient Chinese decision-making game features tiles printed with Chinese symbols and characters. Players, typically in groups of four, rely on skill, strategy and luck to be the first to complete a winning hand. There are many variations of the game played around the world, but the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library follows the official rules of an Americanized version through the National Mah Jongg League Inc.

Mitsue Thompson, of Lutz, right, pushes her ‘wall’ of tiles into the center of the table, as Renee Glassman, of Wesley Chapel, watches.

‘The Big Shred II’ destroys documents to recycle and protect privacy

February 20, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco County residents took advantage of ‘The Big Shred II,’ an event aimed at helping people dispose of sensitive documents safely — through a shredder. The free event was hosted by Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’ Neill to mark Data Privacy Day, which is Jan. 28. Large shred trucks turned the documents into recyclable confetti. The clerk’s office partnered with Pasco County Recycling & Education; Shred360, a mobile shred company; and Covanta, a waste management company, for the free event. Shredding opportunities were conducted at the West Pasco Judicial Center on Jan. 26 and at the Robert Sumner Judicial Center on Feb. 2.

Kendall Garnett, of Tampa, left, an employee with Shred360, dumps the paper contents of a cardboard box into a recycle bin. Seventeen-year-old Seth Simonds, of Brooksville, center, and 11-year-old Nathan Grimes, of Trinity, also helped at the event. (Christine Holtzman)

Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’ Neil welcomes those arriving at ‘The Big Shred II.’ Here, she hands motorist Cindy Boda, of Dade City, an informational flyer, before directing her to the shred queue area. Boda said she likes taking advantage of the event because she trusts that her documents are going to be safely shredded and properly recycled.

Cam Caudle, the owner of Shred360, on left, accepts two bags of unwanted documents from David Wellons, of New Tampa. Caudle, a U.S. Army Veteran, said that 3 tons of paper were shredded during the event and hauled to Accurate Paper Recycling in East Tampa, to be recycled into paper products.

Shred360 owner Cam Caudle, of Wesley Chapel, right, places a pair of noise-cancelling headphones onto the head of 3-year-old Isaac Weber, of Wesley Chapel, who is being held by his mother Mallory. The headphones block out the noise of the motor, allowing the youngster a chance to see how the shred truck operates via a computer monitor at the control panel. Isaac’s grandmother, Kathy, on left, was glad Isaac got to see what was happening because she said he’s a curious child.

Pigz in Z’Hlls attracts record crowd

February 13, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The ninth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival attracted more than 13,000 people, according to event organizers.

Smoke emanates from the grill, as Edwin Alvarez, of Kissimmee, prepares chicken on a stick, which is called Pincho. Alvarez and his boss, Luis Merced, of Largo, prepared food for patrons at the barbecue festival. (File)

Event-goers headed to the festival venue, at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, to enjoy a day of live performances by blues musicians and other bands, and to enjoy barbecue chicken, pork, brisket, ribs and foods offered by other vendors.

Fifty-three teams competed in the professional and backyard categories, with the professional teams having a chance of winning $10,000 in prizes.

Backyard Bro’s took the grand champion honors, while Pig Chika Cow Cow, was the reserve champion.

The backyard division winners were: LaFamigilia BBQ, grand champion; Quid Pro Q, reserve champion; and Bahr’s Smokin’ Butts, third place.

There were also 42 teams, of two people each, that vied for $500 in prize money in the event’s inaugural cornhole competition.

Efforts have already begun to prepare for next year’s event, slated for Jan. 18, 2020.

Published February 13, 2019

Architect selected for $48 million technical education center

February 13, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Pasco County School Board has selected Hepner Architects Inc., to provide architectural services for the design of the new east-central Pasco technical center the district plans to build.

The facility, which has a construction budget of $48 million, is planned for the northeast corner of Handcart Road and Fairview Heights Road, in Wesley Chapel.

Hepner’s fee includes architectural design, civil engineering, structural engineering and other services for a total fixed basic fee of $2,880,000.

The agreement also includes not to exceed confirmed additional services allowances in the amount of $403,570, and a not to exceed reimbursable allowance $30,000.

Hepner was selected from a short list of three architectural firms that the school board approved in November, and it was ranked No. 1 during the interview process.

The center will be designed for 900 students in grades nine through 12, although the district may opt to incorporate post-secondary programs, according to documents included with the board’s agenda item.

The center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022.

Published February 13, 2019

Creating sweet cards for their Valentines

February 13, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Children had a chance to create some Valentine’s Day cards in a make-and take-day at the Hugh Embry Branch Library, at 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City.

Kristine Johnson, of Dade City, left, watches as her 6-year-old granddaughter, Natalie, designs a Valentine’s Day card. Natalie made two handcrafted cards, one for each of her parents. The library had tables set up throughout the day with all the supplies needed to make a handmade card or a paper heart wreath, at no cost. (Christine Holtzman)

While making a handmade heart wreath for her grandfather, affectionately known as Papa Bear, 4-year-old Cadince Lethco, of Dade City, reaches for another brightly colored heart cutout to glue on her creation, as her father, Ashton, looks on. Cadince enjoyed making the wreath but said the glue made her fingers sticky.

Six-year-old Natalie Johnson, of Dade City, puts the finishing touches on the Valentine’s Day card she made for her father. She said she wanted to make cards because she loves her parents and wanted to give them something special from her heart.

Florists’ fingers fly, as they gear up for a very, very busy Valentine’s

February 13, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Rose’s Hub Florida on North Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz has played a role in brightening Valentine’s Day for recipients of the florist’s handiworks for decades. The business, which opened its doors in 1959, is best-known for its farm-fresh flowers and 70-cm long-stem roses. Rose Moore is the current shop’s owner. Her mother, Louise, opened it, and Rose’s daughter, Egan, is the third generation of floral designers to work there. They expect to be very, very busy with Valentine orders. Caroline the cat likes to hang out, there, too.