The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Coffee hour and a concert

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On a recent Monday night, June Burgard and Charlie Strum won bragging rights among the euchre players.

Ed Czysz, left, sold many of the concert tickets for the show Fred Thompson performed, along with Debbie Myers.
(Courtesy of Mabel Budzinski)

The Thursday coffee hour was opened with Alan Bennett giving the invocation and leading the Pledge of Allegiance.

Linda Files moderated the conversation.

We were saddened to hear Neva Roy has passed away. Beverly Martin, Joyce Anderson and Lee Heffelfinger were in sick bay.

Our clubhouse was packed for the concert given by Debbie Myers and Fred “Tommy” Thompson.

Audience member Cliff Leonard was chosen to participate in the show.

By Mabel Budzinski
Gem Estates

Published February 22, 2017

A taste of what’s to come

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The first Saturday in February rolled around, and approximately 106 people gathered at the community center for an egg n’ bag breakfast. It definitely seemed like a large crowd, and everyone was socializing. The breakfast was hosted by Jim and Judi Leitzke and many helpers, which included Galen and Sue Parker, Joan Lawrence, Doris Sutfin, Vic and Lynne-Rae Dyson, and Clayton and Carol George.

Karen Donlon (sitting) and Linda Rogers were part of the ladies’ luncheon at Ford’s Garage.
(Courtesy of Helene Rubenstein)

I know I have said it before, but without all the people volunteering, we wouldn’t have things run so smoothly and efficiently.

It started off with Galen Parker saying grace before the meal, and you could literally hear a pin drop.

Once grace was said, tables were called up so guests could prepare their omelets. This is done from an assortment of ingredients that includes bacon, ham, cheese, onions, mushrooms, green peppers and Jalapeno peppers. Once you get all the ingredients you desire and everything is put in a bag, you go over to another counter where the bags are cooked.

The end result, sometime later, is a delicious omelet. There also are hash-brown potatoes, sausage gravy and biscuits, plus coffee and orange juice.

In addition to the lovely breakfast, Gary Wilcox and Chick Shackewyc showed us two promotional videos of the acts that are coming to Grand Horizons. In other words, it was a taste of what’s to come.

The first video was of Rich Wilson, and he will be coming to Grand Horizons on March 4. The other video was of Eric Kearns, an impersonator, who will be coming at a later date.

June Weinle celebrated her birthday with an ice cream and brownie.

The videos looked good, and we sure hope Marty and I will be available to attend both of these shows.

We had our usual entertaining game of dominoes on Feb. 6. Once again, there were several tables and much fun. We always look forward to this night.

Twenty ladies from Grand Horizons attended a luncheon at Ford’s Garage, in Brandon, on Feb. 7. This luncheon was hosted by Rosie Semian.

The restaurant was quite unique, as it has cars to greet people as they enter the parking lot, and tires that were lined up on a top shelf inside the restaurant.

The menu was quite varied, and since a birthday was being celebrated, ice cream on a brownie was served to June Weinle. It was so good that she ate most of it.

Everything was delicious, and everyone went home happy and content.

By Helene Rubenstein
Grand Horizons

Published February 15, 2017

Quilt show a success

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(Courtesy of Becky Busdeker)

Shown are some of the 50 quilts that were on display at the Leisure Days RV Resort in Zephyrhills on Feb. 4.  A crowd of 250 descended upon the clubhouse to take a look at the handiwork. Leisure Days thanks the 25 volunteers that made the quilt show possible.

 

Neighbors saving neighbors

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The general membership meeting, held last Monday evening, was well-attended.

Twenty-two residents completed training for the Neighbors Saving Neighbors program. The training was provided through Bayfront HealthCare Dade City. Our instructors, Wayne, Pete and Randy, were excellent with their presentation and the guidance of each participant through the certification process.

Bruce Hudson and David Roberts both won three games of shuffleboard on Wednesday morning.

My pick for volunteer spotlight this week is Ed Armstrong. Ed opens our clubhouse each morning, does the janitorial chores and locks the doors in the evening. He is a vital member of the clubhouse sales team and helps with the New Year’s Eve celebration. He also participated in the Neighbors Saving Neighbors training.

Gem Estates hosted the Debbie Myers concert on Feb 10, a board meeting on Feb. 13, and a potluck supper on Feb. 14.

There will be a pancake supper on Feb. 17 at 5 p.m., a Valentine’s dance Feb. 18, and a New England Bean Supper on Feb. 25 at 5 p.m.

By Mabel Budzinski
Gem Estates

Published February 15, 2017

Welcome to the Family

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General manager Aya Burkhart (center, in white) and her entire Zephyrhills Under Par family.

By Will Plazewski

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Since it opened in 1957, the course itself has been known by many names — Airport Links, Zephyrhills Municipal Golf Links and City Course.

While its official name is actually Zephyrhills Under Par, as far as the course’s staff is concerned, it could just as easily be called Family Links, because that’s how they view each other and their guests.

Ask Course Manager Craig Sexton about the numerous leagues he hosts, and he gets off topic boasting about the weekly lunch specials prepared by Denise McKillip and her kitchen staff.

McKillip is just as likely to talk about the wonderful job that Course Superintendent John Husar does keeping the course in excellent shape, as she is to boast about the restaurant’s variety of tasty soups and tasty specials.

And, so it goes.

Everyone on General Manager Aya Burkhart’s staff works very hard, and it’s no secret they’re very proud of each other’s efforts to create a great experience for their guests.

“We really are like a family, and that family includes our golfers,” said Burkhart. “Most everyone is on a first-name basis around here.”

That says a lot, because during the winter season, Zephyrhills Under Par hosts many weekly golf leagues from the area’s numerous adult-living communities. Plus, its 35-seat banquet room is frequently used for various HOA meetings and private parties.

Expanding on their family theme, Sexton talks about what a great place the 60-year-old, city-owned course is for beginners and junior golfers. During the summer, golfers age 12 and younger play for free, when accompanied by a paying adult golfer.

“The course is very forgiving for those still learning the game,” said Sexton. “Plus, golf is an excellent way for kids and parents to unplug from all their digital media, get off the couch, and get some fresh air.”

Zephyrhills Under Par is located just west of the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport and Skydive City. Local pilots and parachutists enjoy the birds-eye view they get of the scenic course.

In fact, Husar recalled one jumper in particular who had the best view ever when he drifted off course and onto the links. “There he was, dangling from one of the trees near (holes) 13 and 14,” he said with a grin.

813-782-0714 • zephyrhillsgolf.com

39248 B Ave. • Zephyrhills, FL 33542

(next to the airport)

Tee-times daily between 6:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Expert, professional service

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Owners, Marius & Angelina Ferezan

Owning their own business is a dream Marius and Angelina Ferezan have shared since they married six years ago. They wanted a business where they could offer excellent customer service and give back to their community.

The couple researched many franchise opportunities, but when they discovered The Flying Locksmith, they knew it fit their goals perfectly.

“The Flying Locksmith is a 70-year-old company with an outstanding customer service reputation,” said Marius. “When we saw it was offering franchise operations outside of its home base in Boston, we jumped at the opportunity to become one of its first locations in Florida.”

Because family was close-by, the couple chose Tampa as the location for their Flying Locksmith franchise, and opened their company last August. It serves families and businesses in central Tampa, and the northern suburbs of Lutz, Land O’Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

“It’s great to finally be open and helping people with their locksmith and security needs,” said Angelina.

The Flying Locksmiths began in Boston 70 years ago by a WWII veteran and pilot, who handed it down to his sons. The sons, and now a third generation, run the company with a synergistic combination of old world locksmith experience and new world technology.

The company has grown to become the largest locksmith service in the northeast, and only recently began franchising its successful formula to other areas of the country.

Customers value The Flying Locksmith because of the expertise and reliability and its technicians, and for its extensive inventory of parts and accessories. They especially like that technicians undergo a security background check, wear professional uniforms and always present identification.

“When you allow a service person into your home or business, you want to be sure there are no security concerns,” said Marius.

When customers call The Flying Locksmiths, there is always a live operator who answers and quickly dispatches technicians when needed.

“The company has over 100 years of combined experience in the field. If one tech hasn’t seen a particular lock, it’s highly likely someone else has,” said Marius.

“Focusing on the needs of our clients, and exceeding their expectations, is our primary goal,” said Angelina. “We also want to educate our customers and our communities about the importance of physical security.”

Be sure to call The Flying Locksmiths for all your security needs. Services include home and vehicle lock outs; deadbolt lock rekeying; master key systems; keyless entry solutions; safes and filing cabinet locks; door repair and replacement; and alarm and surveillance systems.

813-377-3674 • flying locksmiths.com/tampa-central

Busy hands make quilts, play games

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There is one activity that has been going on for some time that I never mentioned, for the simple fact that I never attended it and I am not creative like the women that go to this on a regular basis. But, I must say that it is a great group who do wonderful and thoughtful things.

It is the Grand Horizons Quilters Club, and they meet every Friday at 9 a.m., in the community center.

I spoke to Pat Mengel, and she was nice enough to give me the following information.

Members of the Grand Horizons Quilters Club are, standing from left: Pat Mengel, Pat Otto, Pattie Molnar, Joyce Billig, Betty Ball and Carolyn Ray; and, sitting is Jeanice Dalman.
(Courtesy of Helene Rubenstein)

She told me that it is a very easy-going group of 12 women quilters who like to share ideas, learn new techniques and do several projects.

Most of the quilters in this group have had many years of experience, but still enjoy learning from each other.

She went on to say that it is always nice when they have a show, and talk about their completed bed quilts, lap quilts, bags, table runners and whatever they have made.

Pat ended by saying that some of the lap quilts they have made together have been donated to Moffett Cancer Center, Dade City Hospice, and Heartland of Zephyrhills.

I must state that they are doing superb things. I am sure everything is more than appreciated.

We had our weekly game of Mexican Train on Jan. 30. Attendance had picked up from previous weeks, as people had come back from their various trips.

We had a nice gathering of residents, and we ended up having several tables of four to five people at each table.

Of course, once the game starts, you can hear bits of conversation from each table, plus friendly bantering.

One game usually lasts between 2 hours to 2½ hours. It is a fun night.

On the afternoon of Jan. 31, a friendly game of pinochle was played in the community center.

I wasn’t here on this particular day, as I had a previous engagement, but I can truthfully say that pinochle is a fun and lively game.

It is usually played men against the women, but it can differ depending on the number of people that play.

If you have never tried pinochle before, you may want to give it a try. It is loads of fun.

By Helene Rubenstein
Grand Horizons

Published February 8, 2017

Gem Estates is planning lots of events

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Recent euchre champs were Joan Wight and Charlie Strum. And, Bruce Hudson and Sy Budzinski each won three games at a Wednesday morning shuffleboard session.

Lois Sprague talks to customers interested in her jewelry at a clubhouse sale. The sale was well-attended and appeared to be very successful.
(Courtesy of Mabel Budzinski)

Thursday morning coffee hour drew our biggest crowd ever with 145 people in attendance.

My choice of volunteers to spotlight this week are Bill and Tes Stacy.

Bill works on the maintenance committee, entertainment committee and also never turns anyone down who asks for help with a project.

Tes takes care of keeping our marquee updated and also is on the entertainment committee.

Upcoming events include a new quilting group starting Feb. 9, the Debbie Myers concert Feb. 10, a potluck dinner Feb. 14, pancakes for dinner Feb. 17, and a New England Bean Supper on Feb. 25.

By Mabel Budzinski
Gem Estates

Published February 8, 2017

 

Taco bowls, pancakes and dancing

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Andy and Margaret Castonguay hosted a Taco Bowl Dinner at the community center on Jan. 19.

Eugene and Nancy Martin take advantage of the music. (Courtesy of Ed Goldstein)

They always put out a great meal, and this is one of the favorites at Grand Horizons. There were approximately 120 people who attended this scrumptious dinner.

There were volunteers to help them out and, once again, everything ran smoothly. The helpers were Carol and Clayton George, Linda Rogers, and Fred and Pat Mengel.

Margaret made the shells herself and, from what I heard, she did a magnificent job.

We weren’t there to experience it, but from what I understand, they were all deep fried and delicious.

The condiments were on a separate table, so you could add them to your taco and meat, according to your taste. There were diced tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, olives and onions. The meal also included a dessert.

Before the meal even started, Galen Parker said grace and did a fine job.

Everyone had a good time along with a great meal and went home very satisfied.

The following day, there were more than 70 people at the community center for an evening of entertainment and dancing with The Good Stuff Band, featuring rock-and-roll legend Ken Brady, of The Casinos. Tony, Jen, Tricia and Ken Brady made up The Good Stuff Band. The event was hosted by Gary Wilcox.

From left: Andy Castonguay, Carol and Clayton George, Linda Rogers and Margaret Castonguay with the many handmade taco bowls.
(Courtesy of Tom Carter)

A wonderful variety of music was performed, including The Casinos’ big hit, “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.” This song was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, as one of the top 100 songs of all time. Brady, now 72, performed this wonderful tune perfectly to a standing ovation of the crowd.

In addition to the dancing and the music, there was a prize-in-an-ice cream theme that consisted of certificates to Publix (for ice cream), plus individual jars of toppings that included chocolate syrup, nuts, whipped topping, etc., in a basket.

Our monthly pancake breakfast was hosted on Jan. 21 by Dave and Mary Heim. You could get all the pancakes, sausage and/or French toast with coffee that you wanted. It is a great way to start off the morning, and people always look forward to it.

There were several volunteers to help out during this breakfast, and they were Pat Bond, Tom Carter, Bill Donlon, Dave and Mary Heim, Linda Rogers and Rosemary Semian.

Volunteers help keep different activities running for Grand Horizons, and they certainly are appreciated.

By Helene Rubenstein
Grand Horizons

Published February 1, 2017

An afternoon, and cruise, to remember

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Rich and Chris Fulton don’t seem to mind their empty plates.
(Courtesy of Adrianne Ayres)

Because Marty and I were away, Sandy Lindke was nice enough to tell me about their outing. She told me that a nice size group of residents showed up for a late lunch at the Zephyrhills Golden Corral on Jan. 13. She went on to mention that there were 46 people who attended and left stuffed. This was a nice time for chats and laughs, and it was hosted by Sandy. From what Sandy mentioned, there was a door prize won by Bill Elliott. It was a voucher to the next visit to Golden Corral, and it was picked by Mr. Tuttle from the signup sheet (The Tuttle family owns Golden Corral).

I am sure that most people thoroughly enjoyed themselves and found that time just flew by. If you have never gone to a Golden Corral, let me tell you that anything you could possibly think of is on this buffet.

Eileen and Ed Goldstein at the Golden Corral luncheon.

In the meantime, while this lovely outing was going on, Marty and I went on a mini cruise to the Bahamas.

We had a lovely time aboard the cruise ship, and on the very first day after attending a mandatory fire drill, the ship hosted a sail away party.

Everyone mingled and got to know one another. There was much music and loads of conversation.

Later that night, we saw a comedy show which had everyone in stitches.

The following day, we attended many a trivia contest. They were so much fun, and I realized there was a lot we didn’t know.

The ship made a stop at Nassau, but since we were here before, we stayed onboard.

The Atlantis Hotel in Nassau, Bahamas.(Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)

There was also an International Parade of Flags aboard the cruise line, where they celebrated the many nations represented by their crew onboard.

There was another comedy show that was entirely different than the first. Again, it was an absolute delight.

Later that night, there was the Love and Marriage game. This was a cute show and had some audience participation.

On the very last day, beside some more games, our travel agent (B & D Travel) hosted a show that was fabulous. It consisted of different types of music and songs, and there was quite a bit of dancing going on. There was also a hilarious special treat.

We were, at this time, also treated to some cocktails.

The very next day we made a stop at CocoCay, a private island, where they had vendors and swimming.

By Helene Rubenstein
Grand Horizons

Published January 25, 2017