The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

2018: A great year for photos

By

Editor’s note: Here is a look at some of the moments of community life captured during 2018 by Christine Holtzman, a regular contributor to The Laker/Lutz News. We love to share your stories through photos, so please feel free to let us know about upcoming events that can help us record life’s big and small moments, by sending an email to .

Dancers at the Summer Sock Hop at the Lutz Senior Center are living proof that age is just a number and you’re only as old as you feel. About 90 people turned out for the dance, on Aug. 25, at the senior center, 112 First Ave., N.W. Lutz residents John Gallucci and his wife, Marta, dance to an upbeat number at the sock hop. The Galluccis, originally from Argentina, were childhood sweethearts and have been married for 48 years.
Roman Sercu, of Wesley Chapel, waits his turn to refill his cup with more paint during the Idlewild Baptist Church’s Student Ministry’s annual Color War on Sept. 5 at the church, 18333 Exciting Idlewild Blvd., in Lutz. The 12-year-old took part in the Color War with his travel baseball team, the Marauders.
Despite the large crowds, 4-year old Kyle Floyd, of Lutz, is able to share a quiet moment in the pumpkin patch with his dad, Jason, while enjoying a frozen treat during the 11th annual Family Fun Festival hosted by the Seal Swim School,19509 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz. Hundreds turned out for the fall event, which also included pumpkin painting, arts and crafts, food, music, a bounce house and a costume parade. Proceeds from pumpkin sales and the festival help promote water safety and the school’s special needs program.
Floating atop a giant and colorful unicorn raft, 6-year-old Harper Gabbard, of Land O’ Lakes, navigates her way across the swimming pool, in the Connerton community. Harper and her family met up with their neighbors for an afternoon of swimming to beat the summer heat.
Covered from head to toe with paint dust, Isaac Cabrera, a student ministry intern from Land O’ Lakes, takes a moment to pose for a picture while the middle school students engage behind him during Idlewild Baptist Church’s Student Ministry’s Color War, in Lutz. Andrew Evans, the church’s middle school pastor, said they stage the event to give people a chance to see who they are, what the student ministry is about and to share the gospel — all while having fun.
Four-year-old Isabella Whitman, of Land O’ Lakes, has some afternoon fun in the sun with bubbles at the Lodge Playground located in the Wilderness Lake Preserve neighborhood.

 

 

 

2018: A great year for photos

By

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, at 37015 Orange Valley Lane in Dade City, had a Blessing of the Animals service on Oct. 7 to commemorate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who was known for his affinity for animals. People brought their animals to be blessed, and shared a potluck meal together. Rio, a Biewer Terrier, gives his attention to Pastor Mark Reiff, left, as the pastor gives the dog a blessing. The canine’s owners Larry Comer, back, and Marcia Alexander look on. Pastor Reiff said that the event is important because the word ‘animal’ comes from the Latin word ‘anima,’ which means ‘spirit.’ ‘Every living thing has the spirit in them,’ he said. ‘We have an obligation to the anima of the Earth to do this.’ (Christine Holtzman)

Nine-year-old Trenton Kienitz, of Zephyrhills, soars through the air on his scooter while practicing his ramp jumping skills at Zephyrhills Skate Park. The park is located at 29th Street and Alston Avenue, and is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
As afternoon temperatures soared, 4-year-old Clence Poe, of Zephyrhills, jumps joyfully on top of a water jet. He was at Waterplay at Zephyr Park, 5039 Fourth St., in Zephyrhills, with his mom, aunt and cousin. They had been playing at the playground and came to cool down under the refreshing water sprays at the park.
Mr. Tommy jokes around by hiding in the crowd at the New River Library, during his introduction before the show began. Mr. Tommy, also known as Tommy Girvin, is a Wesley Chapel resident. He also is known as a longtime lead guitarist and musical director for the rock singer Eddie Money.
Do you think 6-year-old Sam Benson is enjoying his ice cream cone? Here’s a clue: Check out that ear-to-ear smile. Sam, his mother and grandparents went to the ice cream shop to celebrate the last day of school.
Feeling the upbeat vibe, Sandra Gonzalez, left, and her husband Luis Orduz, who live in Town N’ Country, are both originally from Columbia. Here, they are dancing to Salsa music being performed during the Latin Festival on Sept. 29 at the Avalon Park West community, 5227 Autumn Ridge Drive in Wesley Chapel. The festival also included food trucks, bouncy houses, vendors and children’s activities.

 

Cypress Creek plaza still expanding

By

The pace of development at Cypress Creek Town Center is picking up, with new shops and restaurants under construction at two sites within the town center.

Most of the action is taking place along Sierra Center Boulevard, a main artery that cuts through the town center, which is located at State Road 56 and Grand Cypress Drive. Two new shopping strips, each fronting Sierra Center Boulevard, will significantly boost the retail development.

Signs staked amid construction activity herald the coming of HomeGoods, Five Below and Burlington. County records also show additional shops will open, including Hobby Lobby, Sleep Number, Pacific Dental, Verizon Wireless, Dollar Tree and America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.

Restaurants include Blaze Pizza, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Walk-on’s Bistreaux & Bar. Earth Fare, a specialty grocery store, is coming, too.

The town center is part of a mixed-use project of retail, offices, hotel and residential under development by Sierra Properties Inc.

The new retail at Cypress Creek will add to established shops and restaurants that line the south side of Sierra Center, including Men’s Wearhouse, Great Clips, T-Mobile, Noire Nail Bar, Ford’s Garage, Bahama Breeze Grill and Chuy’s Tex-Mex.

Even here, new retail is coming, including Sweetea Café. The restaurant’s menu will have freshly brewed bubble tea, and homemade Vietnamese food and snacks.

The new 130-room Hyatt Place Hotel & Sierra Conference Center opened recently at the far eastern end of the boulevard.

On the south side of State Road 56, Sierra Properties also will gain an Aldi grocery store, at 2215 Sun Vista Drive, on a parcel fronting the Tampa Premium Outlets.

The bounty of new shops, restaurants and offices at Cypress Creek represents a fraction of the development rush that is remaking Pasco County.

It is all part of the warp and weave of bringing a mix of retail, office, hotel, industrial and retail to a county with a long-held reputation as a bedroom community.

Development is bringing rooftops, retail, offices, manufacturing and jobs to the county.

“That’s refreshing,” said Bill Cronin, president/CEO of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

More development brings new residents, more jobs and added amenities, and it all adds up to a county where people “live, work and play,” Cronin said. “They don’t have to get on the road every day. They don’t have to make the commute.”

More development is on the way in the area surrounding Cypress Creek Town Center, too.

One recent arrival is At Home Décor Superstore on an outparcel at Tampa Premium Outlets.

To the immediate west of Cypress Creek, Brightwork Crossing is well under construction of up to 350 apartments. A WaWa gas station and El Dorado Furniture store also are planned.

The Shoppes at Cypress Creek is being proposed for development at the northwest corner of State Road 54 and Old Cypress Creek Road. Site plans filed with the county last summer show two 9,000-square-foot buildings separated by a breezeway. A “quick service” restaurant also is proposed for an outparcel at the site.

The following stores are scheduled to  open in 2019 at Cypress Creek Town Center:

Hobby Lobby
Plans are for a February 2019 opening, according to an email from Hobby Lobby representatives.

Hobby Lobby is primarily an arts and crafts store, but it offers a broad array of merchandise and hobby materials, including picture-framing, jewelry-making, floral and wedding supplies, cards and party favors, and home accessories.

The Oklahoma-based national chain began with a $600 investment in a home-based venture by owners David and Barbara Green. They opened a 300-square-foot store in Oklahoma City in 1972, according to the company’s website. Today, Hobby Lobby has more than 800 stores in 47 states.

Burlington
Burlington traces its roots to 1924 and a wholesale operation selling women’s coats and junior suits.

Its first outlet store opened in 1972 in Burlington, New Jersey, according to the company website.

Today, Burlington sells clothes, shoes and other accessories at discounted prices to women, men and children.

HomeGoods
The Massachusetts-based discount home furnishing store is part of the family of TJX Companies Inc., which includes TJ Maxx.

Five Below
Five Below sells everything from cellphone cases and chargers to yoga pants, footballs, candy and seasonal items for Halloween, Easter and Christmas.

Sleep Number
The Minnesota-based national chain sells mattresses, beds and bedding.

Pacific Dental Services
The California-based chain provides a full-range of dental services. It has more than 630 offices in 20 states.

Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless sells phones and accessories, as well as tablets and “fitbit” products.

America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses
America’s Best offers discounted services, including eye examinations, glasses and contacts.

Dollar Tree
The discount store traces its roots back more than 60 years to the Ben Franklin Variety store, and a concept of selling products for $1. It offers a wide array of products, including drinks, toys, candy, school supplies, home décor, gifts and cards.

Chipotle Mexican Grill
The Denver-based fast-casual restaurant is known for its burritos and tacos, and a philosophy of preparing meals-to-order with fresh ingredients. The company has more than 2,000 restaurants nationwide.

Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar
Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar is a New Orleans-based sports bar that is co-owned by New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees. It was founded by business partners who were walk-ons to the Louisiana State University’s basketball team. They opened their first restaurant near LSU’s Tiger Stadium.

Blaze Pizza
Blaze Pizza is a California-based fast-casual restaurant that serves made-to-order, fresh-from-scratch pizzas.

Earth Fare
The North Carolina-based specialty grocery store stocks its stores with organic, natural and local foods.

By Kathy Steele

Published January 2, 2019

Homemade Ice Cream Combined With Family Time

By

By William Jacko

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

When Joe Schembri was growing up, his family did not take vacations.  Instead, they went to the ice cream shop twice a week — faithfully.

Ice cream became a passion for Schembri, and he dreamed of owning an ice cream shop himself one day. That dream became a reality this past May when he opened Ice Dreammm Shop in Lutz, which specializes in homemade, micro-batch ice cream

“I love ice cream,” Schembri said.  “It started out as family time for me, and I wanted to recreate that experience for others, but also improve upon it.  I wanted to have TV, music, the chalkboard table, and games kids play, like Chutes and Ladders, Yahtze and Dominoes. I wanted a place where kids and parents could enjoy their ice cream together in a fun, family environment.”

Schembri regularly dreams up exotic homemade ice cream creations that defy imagination, such as Peanut Butter Oreo, Chocolate Bacon Toffee and Sweet Potato Casserole. He also has everyday standards, including Creamy Vanilla, Mint to Dream and Strawberry Shortcake.  Even lactose-intolerant customers can indulge in Schembri’s line of creamy coconut-based nondairy ice cream, with three options offered daily.

To keep the menu fresh, Schembri retains his most popular flavors as staples, rotating the rest to make room for new arrivals. The flavors may change, but the quality remains.

“We make the ice cream every single day in small batches, and all the dairy we use is from local dairies, either a sweet cream dairy or a chocolate dairy—from chocolate cows,” Schembri added jokingly. “The dairy that we get is the core base of all our flavors.  Our ice cream is all natural and has no artificial food coloring.”

Ice Dreammm Shop carries 15 flavors daily that can be added to floats, sundaes, brownie sandwiches, ice cream sodas and malts, handspun milkshakes and cold brew coffee. There are also ice cream pies, with the piecrusts composed of Oreo or graham cracker, topped with a drizzle or a crumble. Brownies, waffle cones and whipped cream are also made daily.

Unsure of what to order?  Try an ice cream flight — which gives you a sample of four different flavors at once — or just skip to the shop’s bestseller, Cookies and Dream.

Schembri finds creative ways to bring out the child in adult lovers of ice cream.  To promote his line of adult-only alcoholic ice cream, he sports a T-shirt with the saying, “I make boozy ice cream. What’s your super power?”

“We have Rum Haven all the time,” he said, “and then we rotate one or two every week — this week we have Fire Ball Apple Pie. We put the Fireball Cinnamon Whisky right into the machine when we make the ice cream.  You can definitely taste it, but we’re going for the taste, not the effect.”

Ice cream is also sold by the pint and quart. Catering is available for festivals, parties and community and corporate events.  The Hemp and Coffee Exchange, a local roaster out of Zephyrhills that roasts its coffee with hemp seed, supplies the shop’s coffee.

“I try to keep my partners local so we can support each other,” Schembri said.  “When you shop local, helping a mother, a father, a family to live their dream, and by shopping there you can learn the stories behind their dreams.”

It’s not too late to order your custom ice cream pie for your holiday dinners. Ice Dreammm Shop requires a 24-hour notice for its pies, because every one is made fresh and to order.

“This is our busiest time of the year, so please place your pie orders soon,” said Schembri  “Our pies are a great addition to pumpkin pie on your dessert table.”

Published 12/19/18

Bexley Residents Stay Healthy In The Sunshine

By

Most weekday mornings you can find Bernie Schmitt working out in the fitness center at The Bexley Club. Spending time on the recumbent bicycle and rowing machine helps keep his body flexible and staves off the occasional arthritis pain he feels, after undergoing several back surgeries.

Schmitt and his wife moved to Florida to retire about a year and a half ago.

“We came down to stay healthy in the sunshine and see the grandkids,” said Schmitt, whose three sons live nearby.

One of the factors that drew the active couple to purchase their home in Bexley, Pasco County’s award-winning master-planned community, is how convenient it is to exercise right within the neighborhood.

Set on 1,825 acres of land, Bexley was designed so that residents could enjoy the great outdoors and Tampa Bay’s spectacular weather year-round. The heart of the community is The Bexley Club with a resort-style pool, separate heated lap pool, open-air game room, playground, and cardio-focused, state-of-the-art fitness center.

The Bexley Club is also home to the Twisted Sprocket Café, which is open to the public. It’s the perfect place to enjoy an after-workout smoothie or coffee, along with an outstanding menu of breakfast items, gourmet lunches, craft beer and wine.

Bernie and his wife also enjoy the miles of multi-surface trails developed by fitness pioneer Avid Trails™. Designed to encourage residents to get fit while getting back to nature that is easily accessible from nearly every home, Bexley’s trails are ideal for walking, biking, jogging and strollers.

Along the way, exercisers can use 10 separate Fit Stations, which add fun and variety to workouts. The popular Bootcamp Loop offers exercisers a complete circuit-training workout along the trail. When complete, Bexley will have more than 10 miles of trails meandering throughout the community.

With so many bikers in the community, it’s the perfect location for Suncoast Trailside Bicycles, which opened its second location within Bexley. The shop provides tune-ups, repairs, sales, and test rides for residents and visitors.

One of the most popular bicycles being offered are battery-powered e-bikes, which let users pedal on their own, or turn on the battery when they need some extra assistance. The staff at the bike shop also assists with BMX bike clinics at Bexley’s very own Mud, Sweat and Gears park, which features a unique BMX pump track.

“We designed Bexley to be a community that makes it easy for residents to get outside and live an active lifestyle,” said Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities, the developer of Bexley. “Residents can enjoy the beautiful scenery, acres of nature preserves and the vibrant, social atmosphere that Bexley offers.”

Located in Land O’ Lakes along State Road 54 just east of the Suncoast Parkway, Bexley has earned numerous awards, including best master-planned community and best recreational facility from the Southeast Building Conference, and a Best in American Living Award for best single-family community from the National Association of Home Builders.

To learn more about all that Bexley has to offer, visit BexleyFlorida.com.

Published December 26, 2018

Best wishes for your new home in 2019

By

It’s that time of year when many are dreaming of their future and making goals for the New Year. If one of your goals is to purchase a new home, many of the builders in Asturia have “quick move-in” homes that are ready now.

Some builders are offering special deals to move their inventory of homes. One home available now by David Weekley Homes is The Humbolt, a single-story home with four bedrooms, three full baths, a study and two-car garage for a total of 2,717 square feet, priced at $420,282.

Asturia is designed with sensitivity to the environment with a series of interconnected walking trails—some which are elevated over water and other ecosystems. Now in Phase 3, visit Asturia now while pristine lots are available.

Another quick move-in David Weekley home is The Cecily, a two-story home located on a cul-de-sac. It has four bedrooms, three full baths, study, bonus room and three-car garage. The Cecily is 3,503 square feet priced at $464,841.

David Weekley also has The Rivergate model available now. It has an elongated paved driveway, open floor plan, huge rear windows, and backs up to conservation and a pond. This four-bedroom, three-full bath, three-car garage home is 2,537 square feet, and includes a paved lanai for spacious outdoor living and aluminum fencing. The home’s price is $465,198.

ICI Homes is another premium builder at Asturia, which also has three move-in homes available. The Serena is its model home, and is loaded with elegant upgrades, including a grand foyer and 12-foot ceilings, and is located on a beautiful conservation lot. At 2,217 square feet, this one-story home priced at $517,775 has four bedrooms, three baths and a two-car garage.

Other ICI Homes ready now are the Arden and Oakland plans. The four-bedroom, three-bath, three-car garage Arden model is 2,402 square feet and sells for $470,415. The Oakland is 2,115 square feet with four bedrooms, three baths and a two-car garage. It sells for $392,376.

Ryan Homes is introducing Asturia’s first townhome neighborhood with two floor plans that have just been released. Both plans offer three bedrooms and 2.5 baths, with the Chopin at 1,582 square feet and the Haydn at 1,740 square feet. Both townhomes have separate, 2-car garages in the back, and a unique courtyard between the home and garage.

Ryan Homes is building 105 townhomes in its low maintenance community at prices beginning in the low $220s. Decorated models will open in January and are expected to attract first-time homebuyers coming out of apartments, as well as empty-nesters looking to downsize.

Asturia is the intimately scaled, master-planned community with an unmatched amenity package that includes a trail network, recreational parks, state-of-the art fitness center and modern clubhouse with resort-style pool. There is a Kompan play structure and GaGa Ball court, as well as event lawns that foster imaginative play and a healthy, family friendly lifestyle.

Both ICI Homes and David Weekley Homes are offering homesites nestled near Asturia’s nature preserves. Ryan Homes’ townhomes are within walking distance to the community’s Amenity Center.

Commercial parcels are being developed at the front of the community along State Road 54, making for a full, mixed-use community experience. Asturia is centrally located just five minutes from the Suncoast Parkway, with close proximity to U.S. 41, U.S. 19 and I-75. Top-rated schools are nearby.

The community is now in its third phase, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to realize your dreams for a new home in one of Pasco’s best neighborhood in 2019.

Published December 26, 2018

Cardel Homes Expands at Bexley

By

New models and large homesites
Choosing the right home and community are two of the biggest decisions you’ll make when buying a new home. Not only do you want you a community that gives your family plenty of ways to enjoy a wide range of activities and amenities, you’ll also want a builder whose floorplans and home features meet your family’s needs and exceeds your quality expectations. You’ll find this perfect combination with a new home built by Cardel Homes in Bexley.

This master-planned community developed by Newland Communities in

Land O’ Lakes is located north of State Road 54 at the Suncoast Parkway — a prime location that is convenient to many areas of Tampa Bay. Bexley is known for its unique amenities, excellent schools and preserved wilderness with 13 miles of planned hiking and biking trails.

Cardel Homes is one of several builders in Bexley, and has been in the community since it opened in the Fall of 2016.

“We have been one of Bexley’s most successful builders, selling all but our model home during its first phase, and recently moving to Bexley’s second phase with two new models,” said Brian Phillips, Vice President of sales and marketing at Cardel Homes.

Cardel Homes is one of Bexley’s premium builders and offers buyers some of the community’s largest homesites, many with pristine conservation views. Its homes are built on 70-foot lots, with sizes ranging from 2,507 to 3,939 square feet, and prices beginning in the $390,000s.

“Our homes offer, as standard, many exclusive features that other builders sell as upgrades,” said Phillips. “This means dollar for dollar, you get more with Cardel Homes because we put the most popular features that buyers want in the base price of our homes.”

“We give our buyers many selections to choose from, including 11 different styles of cabinets, 20 flooring options and 12 countertop choices,” said Jeffrey Lorenzo, who heads up Cardel’s sales at Bexley. “Our buyers love that they have so many choices in the base pricing, which means they typically spend less at the design center than they would with other builders.”

Customers also appreciate Cardel’s flexibility and ability to make changes.“I listen closely to what my buyers want and work closely with them all the way through the buying process,” said Lorenzo. “Because we are flexible, we are able to make changes that many national builders are not able to do.”

Another unique feature that Cardel offers is its large selection of one-story floorplans.“Families of all ages prefer living in a one-story home,” said Phillips, who adds that 90 percent of the homes Cardel sells are one-story floor plans.  “We have refined our one-story plans to meet the demands and desires of families of all sizes —couples with school-aged children, empty nesters wanting a beautiful home to entertain, and retirees looking to build their dream home to spend their retirement years.”

One of Cardel’s models at Bexley is the Henley, a new floorplan the company designed for families who love to entertain and want very open living spaces.

“The Henley offers our biggest great room and biggest bonus room,” said Phillips. “At almost 4,000 square feet, it’s a lot of house for the money, and one of the best values we offer.”

The Henley model features five bedrooms and four bathrooms with a 26 x 23 great room and 20.4 x 28 great room. Cardel’s other model home, the Savannah, is a versatile four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with 3,308 square feet. Both homes have three-car garages.

Cardel’s phase one Bexley model home is currently for sale fully-furnished at the reduced price of $749,990. “This home has over $200,000 in upgrades, and is a tremendous value for a family wanting to move now,” said Phillips.

Visit Cardel Homes at Bexley, Mondays through Saturday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.

Every Cardel home comes with these standard features:
– Granite or quartz countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms
– Kitchen island countertop that extends 18 inches to accommodate seating
– 42-inch, level-3 maple cabinetry with crown molding and brushed nickel hardware
– Whirlpool appliance package, including a French door refrigerator
– Tankless hot water heater
– Four, 16-foot panel glass doors to a covered lanai that collapse into each other and push all the way back to the wall
– Premium windows that open easily from the inside for cleaning
– 4-inch baseboards throughout
– Closets with swing doors
– Epoxy garage floor coating

Published December 26, 2018

Nutcrackers, nostalgia and Christmas cheer

By

Take a step back in time to celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas at the Old Lutz School, 18819 U.S. 41 in Lutz.

The free attraction, hosted by the Citizens for the Old Lutz School, is now in its 22nd year.

Though there’s no charge for admission, donations are accepted for the upkeep of the historic building, and nonperishable food donations benefit the Christian Social Services ministry.

Citizens for the Old Lutz School is dedicated to preserving the school as a community asset and landmark.

Visiting the Old Lutz School during Christmas has become a family tradition for the Ceretta family from Land O’ Lakes. Here, they are enjoying the Christmas tree room. From left: dad Clinton, 4-year-old Galilee, 2-year-old Noelle and mom Erin. (Christine Holtzman)
The Christmas tree room features around a dozen trees representing a variety of organizations, at the Old Lutz School.
Seven-year-old Adrian Gatza and his 5-year-old brother, David, watch a miniature train pass by, in a room that’s devoted to model trains and Christmas villages. Ben Nevel, the chairman of Citizens for the Old Lutz School organization, said he and Wally Hoedt, and many community volunteers, begin setting up the displays in October to be ready for the Christmas season.

Who doesn’t love a Christmas parade?

By

Dade City kicks off its holiday season each year with the Magical Night Christmas Parade, a parade that dates back to 1982.

The event was presented by The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, Florida Hospital Dade City and Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

Santa arrived in a red mustang to conclude the parade. The Santa sponsor was State Farm Insurance, ‘Baldy’ Boyd agent.

Here are some scenes from the festivities this holiday season.

Santa’s suit hangs in the window at Quilts on Plum Lane, as Carol Roy, a resident of Ridge Manor, strikes up a conversation with Ren Wright, a snowbird from Michigan. The pair hadn’t met before, but shared a table, as they waited for the 2018 Magical Night Christmas Parade to begin. The friendly conversation between strangers was not unusual, Roy said. ‘It’s the Dade City way, to be friendly to all.’ Her grandchildren were taking part in the parade. (Christine Holtzman)
Felecia Harvey, of Dade City, second from left, shares a moment with her four girls before the start of the 2018 Magical Night Christmas Parade. From left, 10-year-old Roxy Howard, mom Felecia Harvey, 4-year-old Rosalie Espinosa on her mom’s lap, 12-year-old Matilda Howard, and seated on the ground, 6-year-old Serenity Harvey.
Enjoying a hot coffee at the Christmas Parade, Tyler Wrage of San Antonio, right, and his wife Elizabeth admire a quilt on display while window shopping at the Quilts on Plum Lane shop, on Seventh Street in Historic Dade City. Elizabeth said she has attended the parade every year since her parents began bringing her when she was 3.

Christmas with friends, family, and Santa!

By

On Dec. 14, 144 friends and family enjoyed a Christmas show produced by the group Tin Pan Alley and hosted by Terry Gardner.

Stockings hung by the fireplace. (Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)

Before the show started, there was a screen in the front giving the name of the show, the people that were in it and several other bits of information. There were all kinds of decorations, plus a fireplace that was on a miniature screen on the stage. During the performance, stockings were pinned up on the fireplace.

Terry Gardner started the show with a few jokes, which were cute and prepared the crowd for a good show.

Four performers entertaining the residents. (Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)

It started off with a skit with grandma and several kids. They proceeded with the song, “We Need a Little Christmas” with everyone decorating an onstage Christmas tree. They continued with more hits such as “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree,” “Silver Bells,” “Let it Snow” and others. Included along with the songs were a few dance steps and jumping on the stage.

They did a fine rendition of  the Christmas song, “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”.

They then performed some songs, Florida style. In other words, they did it in Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses, no Santa hat and more. For instance, they performed to the tune of  “Winter Wonderland,” Florida-style, and some words were changed. It was adorable and got applause.

Helene Rubenstein takes her turn visiting with Santa. (Courtesy of Bill Donlon)

Next, there was a special treat for the men, as the women, in black sequin dresses, performed “Santa Baby.” They went through the entire audience and did a very good job.

Two men performed “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” while they were hopping and bopping around the stage. We were treated to several more songs, and each one was better than the next.

There was an adorable segment when they sang “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” and you could see grandma descending the stage and a guy with antlers on his head going after her. It was a cute part of the show and had everyone was in stitches.

Belting out a song for the holidays. (Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)

The song “I’ll be Home for Christmas” plus “All I Want for Christmas is You” was performed as a dedication to the veterans. At this time, each individual branch was called, and as they called it, the people in the audience who were in that particular branch stood to be recognized. This included he Merchant Marines, Navy, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force and the Marines. It was a very nice moment and a beautiful touch.

There were several more songs performed like “Count Your Blessings,” and the program concluded with “Silent Night” and “Have Yourself a Merry little Christmas,” with audience participation.

After the show and during the intermission, people got the chance to talk to Santa and Mrs. Claus and have their picture taken with them.

Five of the holiday performers. (Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)

This marked the end of a real good show, and our thanks go to Terry Gardner plus his helpers, which included Rosie Semian, Tom Carter, Karen and Bill Donlon, Ron and Joyce Bell, and the hosts Mim and Terry Gardner.

While exiting the community center, Santa gave out some candy. Everyone went home happy.

The following morning, approximately 75 people met at the community center for an egg-in-a-bag.  This was hosted by Rita and George Gattos with helpers Rachel and Ron Gamache, Sue Parker, Linda Kartes, Maureen Stephans, Jim and Judi Leitzke, Carol and Clayton George, Marty Stephens and Doris Sutfin.  im Leitzke said grace before tables were called to fix the ingredients for their omelet. The breakfast was delicious, and we all thank Rita and George, plus the helpers.

Then on Dec. 19, we had our usual get-together for coffee and doughnuts, and got caught up on the news for the next week.

In addition to this, Sandy Lindke presented a gift to Craig Selph.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons