Special to The Laker/Lutz News

A stitch at a time at Leisure Days

February 6, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The quilt show is just around the corner, but the Leisure Days quilters already are preparing their 2015 park quilt.

Members of the Leisure Days Quilters stand proud with their 2015 quilt. Guests can see demonstrations of hand quilting at Leisure Days’ upcoming quilt show. (Courtesy of Anne Astles)

The quilters of Leisure Days RV Resort are getting ready for their ninth annual quilt show on Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Several visitors last year said the Leisure Days quilt show was the “best in the area.”

Visitors are invited to view the numerous quilts on display, have fun at the raffle table, watch a hand-quilting demonstration, and enjoy visiting with other quilters and friends.

A very special drawing will take place at this year’s show. Gertrude Dupuis of Midland, Mich., was an avid quilter, but unable to finish her last quilt. At her daughter’s request, the Leisure Days Quilters accepted her beautiful hand-pieced quilt as a group project to complete.

The quilt, appraised at $2,300, was presented to Gulfside Regional Hospice for fundraising. The drawing for the quilt will be at the annual quilt show on Feb. 8. Tickets will be on sale at the Leisure Days park-wide sale on Feb. 1.

Leisure Days is at 33543 Leisure Days Drive, off Morris Bridge Road and State Road 54, in Zephyrhills.

By Anne Astles

Published Feb. 5, 2014

Kicking up their heels at Rainbow Village

February 6, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

January was a very busy month for Rainbow Village. Most of the snowbirds had arrived after Christmas and ready for all the activities ahead of them for this month.

The Rainbowette Red Hat ladies enjoy an outing at the Whistle Stop in Plant City. (Courtesy of Sandra Gilbert-Abel)

Our board member Maggie Stewart organized a welcoming coffee for all the new residents of Rainbow Village. She had help from Polly Ollie and Sue Phillips.

Each board member shared what events they were in charge of and explained how things get done at our resort. The security committee also explained how we all help to secure the park. Our manager also explained rules and activities of our resort. It was a great turnout for this event.

Our annual bean soup dinner, chaired by Les Mallery, was a big success. They used those great Michigan beans. A lot of planning goes into making this dinner, and Les had a great group of helpers. Great job, Les and helpers.

It was a cold Friday morning for our second yard sale of the season. The weather didn’t keep the people from coming to our resort. It is always fun to see what our neighbors have for sale that maybe we could use. Thanks to Emil Ruhlig for organizing this event.

The Snow Ball dance with Travis Golden was a sold-out event. Travis had almost everybody out dancing to his music. He played music that we could line dance, chicken dance, slow dance, jitterbug, twist and waltz to. He even danced with the crowd. The decorations were really nice with lit up snowmen on the tables as centerpieces.

Thanks to Carol Halliday and Sue Larkin, and their committee, for a great dance.

Congratulations go out to Jeannine Beland and her sister, Claudette Poulin, for coming in third in the Carefree Shuffle tournament. It sure was a long day for the ladies and quite an honor because there were lots of shuffleboard teams from the Carefree parks. Rainbow Village is so proud of both of you.

Magician Chuck Frankie performed some card tricks, rope tricks and money tricks. It was an enjoyable night of magic at our Sunday night ice cream.

Rainbow Village performers put on some funny skits at our ice cream social. Mary Jo Gorsch was in charge. It was fun to watch our residents perform.

From the time Joe Wright started his show, he had us all in stitches from his stories, to the crazy faces that he makes. He is a great steel guitar player that played with Charlie Pride for many years. Jimmy Frable played in the band that backed up Joe. Jimmy has been playing his music in Dollywood this past year and starts up again in the beginning of May. The show was great.

Our next show is Sarah Getto, a musician and songwriter, who will perform Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. Call Sue Flynn at (813) 782-5075 for tickets. Cost is $8 each.

We look forward to more great events in February. The way at Rainbow Village is you can participate in all the activities or not participate in anything. That is your option.

By Sandra Gilbert-Abel

Published Feb. 5, 2014

Sundance Park puts health and wellness first

February 6, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Residents of Sundance Park take part in free health screenings during the Health & Wellness Expo on Jan. 21. A variety of brochures also were available with valuable health information. The event included refreshments, door prizes and giveaways.

Sundance homeowners association representative Sara Lawson and Bayfront Health Dade City’s Patty Richter put together the annual Health & Wellness Expo at Sundance Park. Vendors included Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services of Florida, Heritage Park Health & Rehabilitation, Meridian Acupuncture Center, Pasco County Health Department, North Tampa Behavioral Health, and Westbrook Manor Assisted Living & Memory Support, as well as others.

The signup table was a busy place during the Sundance Health & Wellness Expo on Jan. 21.

Pasco’s new cheerleading state champion is Sunlake

February 6, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Just weeks after they took the Best of Pasco crown, the Sunlake High School cheerleading squad earned a new honor last weekend: Class 1A Medium division champions for the state.

They had to wait a day because of snow in the Panhandle, but the Sunlake High School cheerleading squad took the state crown for the first time last weekend in Kissimmee. (Courtesy of Pennye Garcia — They had to wait a day because of snow in the Panhandle, but the Sunlake High School cheerleading squad took the state crown for the first time last weekend in Kissimmee.
(Courtesy of Pennye Garcia

The cheerleaders took the FHSAA crown during the competition in Kissimmee, where they were the only school representing Pasco County.

“The girls are very excited, as well as myself,” Sunlake head coach Pennye Garcia said in a release. “They have been trained to know that we need to focus on the task at hand. Between the semifinal and final competition, I made a couple of changes to better our score, and it proved to be in our favor.”

The first FHSAA state championship for the team had to come with some waiting. The cheerleaders earned first place during competition Jan. 30, but one team competing got held up by weather, and didn’t make it there until Friday, Garcia said. Everyone had to wait until the next day, to give that team a chance to compete.

However, late Friday, Garcia got the email that Sunlake had won it all.

The cheerleaders will receive their trophy and medals during a planned pep rally at Sunlake Feb. 14.

To see highlights of the winning routine from Sunlake, visit Bright House Sports Networks at tinyurl.com/SunlakeCheer.

Published Feb. 5, 2014

An exceptional school for exceptional children opens in New Tampa

February 5, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Marilyn Davis, director of Esther’s School in New Tampa, has openings for 30 exceptional students for the 2014/15 school year (starting in August 2014). Spaces are available to early applicants beginning in March. Esther’s School specializes in children with autism, Downs’ syndrome, ADHD and other learning differences.

“Each child receives individual attention, impossible in a public school,” says Marilyn. “We have one teacher for every four or five students. Our goal is to bring every child up to their full potential.” Some of Esther’s graduates have gone on to junior college.

“After receiving a number of requests for a school in the Tampa area, we found a wonderful location with the Saint James United Methodist Church,” says Marilyn. “St. James has a strong special needs ministry serving children and adults.”

Esther’s School is a Bible-based; Christian special needs school with a full curriculum covering all subject areas from kindergarten through 12th grade. “Each child is tested for proper placement with- in the curriculum,” says Marilyn. “Every child works at their own pace.” We work closely with each child to help them grow up to lead successful, independent lives.”

Esther Berry founded Esther’s School in February 2005. With little more than an unction and great concern for the education of differently abled children, Esther’s School was launched as a private coed Judeo-Christian School in St. Petersburg, Florida. In desperation to achieve better services for her own son diagnosed with Down Syndrome, Esther Berry took on the journey and formulated a place where others could join her in gaining exceptional curriculum development, counseling and tutoring for their child struggling to cope with classes in traditional educational institutions.

Esther’s son is now 22 and living independently as a fully functional adult with a job.

With modest beginnings, servicing only two students the first year, Esther’s School currently serves 90 students in four locations. St. James in New Tampa, starting Monday, February 3rd, will be the fifth location. Esther’s husband, Chris Berry, is traveling to Panama in February to oversee the opening of their sixth school. The pastor of a church in Panama sought out Esther to help him set up a special needs school.

Marilyn has worked with Esther’s school for eight years. “We’ve had children come into our school that wouldn’t come out from under their desk,” says Marilyn. “Within the first year, they’ve moved into active participation with the rest of the class. It truly is an exceptional school.”

Tuition has not been raised in seven years. The majority of the tuition is normally covered by the McKay scholarship program or the Florida Step-up program for lower income families. Esther’s School also offers a few scholarships to help parents with costs not covered by other programs on a first come, first serve basis.

Esther is committed to helping all children to learn and grow into healthy happy adults. A few years ago, Esther was instrumental in setting up three schools in Africa for AIDS orphans.

Esther’s New Tampa school is located at St. James United Methodist Church, 16202 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. You can call Marilyn Davis directly at (813) 454-8377 for an application or further information.

The main campus is located at the New Beginnings Nazarene Church in Pinellas Park. Currently, only the main campus offers a summer school program.

Additional schools are located at the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Seminole, 5418 Madison Street, New Port Richey, and the Christian Retreat in Bradenton. Visit their website at EstherSchool.net.

– Mike Matthew

This story is a feature of the advertising department.

He has the solution to health care confusion

February 5, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Ed Klaameyer, a licensed agent for US Health Advisors, strives to help people successfully navigate the health care jungle. “Health care is on everyone’s mind,” says Ed. “It’s always a topic of conversation at the BNI (business) networking group I belong to in New Tampa.”

“It’s very confusing with all the changes taking place,” says Ed. “People are trying to figure out who and what to believe. There is so much conflicting information being presented by the media.”

Ed’s role is to help people understand the health care marketplace and make the best choices for both the short-term and long-term. His goal is to provide his clients with a comprehensive health care plan that effectively meets their needs without breaking their budget.

He was an international sales manager for 15 years with DHL when the package delivery industry was starting up. “Our culture was changed forever through the impact companies like DHL, Federal Express and UPS had on us,” says Ed. “It changed the way businesses operate and what customers expect from them.”

“We’re now seeing the same long-term cultural effects taking place with health care,” says Ed. “Everyone, regardless of their age, whether they work for a big company, small company or are self-employed, are being affected by these changes.”

Ed’s primary focus is on small businesses with less than 10 employees, sole proprietors and families. “I owned a small business for 15 years, so I understand what business owners and their families go through as they’re making health care decisions,” says Ed. “Their biggest cost is payroll with health care coming in second and rising fast.”

“Our motto is HOPE: helping other people everyday,” says Ed. “The first thing I look at is what they feel their needs are. Then we look at networks, doctors, hospitals, prescriptions and premiums. These are the key items for building a comprehensive health care plan.”

US Health Advisors represents US Health Group. Insurance is underwritten by Freedom Life Insurance Company of America.

“We’re the only insurance company that offers a premium rate lock in,” say Ed. “This means your premiums won’t increase for up to three years.”

Solutions provided by US Health Advisors are not off- the-shelf plans. The three key areas that Ed looks at are sickness, accident and wellness (prevention). This enables the client to focus on the areas of greatest concern and create a health plan that meets their specific needs.

“The ability to customize the plan is a real blessing,” say Ed. “This allows me to help business owners set up a plan that takes care of their unique requirements.”

Ed has also been able to help companies supplement their existing health care plan. He can help them to cover deficiencies in their existing group plan without needing to give up what they already have in place. This gives the employees the additional coverage they need without losing their existing benefits.

Ed and his wife Jan have been married for 30 years. They moved to Florida from New York in 1998 and have been residents of Land O’ Lakes since 2002. Ed and Jan have been members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for nine years. Ed is currently the president of the church’s board of directors.

For a free consultation, call Ed at (813) 318-1012

– Mike Matthew

This story is a feature of the advertising department.

Residents awarded for beautiful landscape

January 22, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Timber Lake Estates Beautification Committee awarded Ray and Marlene Bedell of 3210 Moonlight St., Home of the Year on Dec. 16. They received a certificate, a winning flag, and a cash award of $150. The Beautification Committee is noting many improvements within the park and is encouraging residents to keep up the good work. The committee is now in the process of selecting the Home of the Quarter for 2014.

Let the entertainment begin at Rainbow Village

January 22, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Rainbow Village residents started out 2014 with meals that are to bring them good luck in the new year.

Entertainer Rich Wilson snapped this photo of the audience during his show at Rainbow Village. With front row seats are Dave and Donna Sherman, and Dick and Sandy Abel. (Courtesy of Rich Wilson)

In Pennsylvania, we have pork and sauerkraut with mashed potatoes. In the south, some have pork jaw and green eyed peas, or corn beef and cabbage for good luck. Whatever tradition you follow, it’s always been the way to bring in the new year.

You don’t always get to hear about the nice things people do at Christmas time, especially businesses. Our Rainbow Village residents were very generous at Christmas and collected enough money to purchase 18 big bicycles for the needy children in Zephyrhills.

Our manager, Sue Flynn, went to Walmart, and the assistant manager there, John, went above and beyond helping them select and purchase the 18 bikes. Thank you, John at Zephyrhills Walmart. Residents also collected many toys and games for the children, too.

Denny Ellis entertained us at a Sunday night ice cream social with a lot of country songs, especially Merle Haggard songs. It was a very enjoyable evening.

Jimmy Smith performed his gospel show at a recent Sunday night ice cream get-together. He did some of his Elvis gospel songs and some Vince Gill and other artists’ gospel songs. Jimmy has a beautiful voice and he closed out his show honoring the veterans.

We were very privileged to have Rich Wilson for our first show of the season. He has performed in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and many other places. His unique brand of interactive comedy, along with his great vocals, was a perfect combination for Rainbow Village to love his performance. He sang many songs of yesteryear that most of us grew up on. We sure would welcome him back to our resort.

We started off the state dinners with the Multi-State Dinner. These are the states not from Michigan, Canada and New England. Dick Elliott and his committee did a great job of planning this event. There were raffle prizes, and entertainment by Doug and Mary Sawyer, and Jan Peyton, singing country songs. It was very entertaining.

The food was great, and there was so much of it. Thanks, Dick and your committee.

Our next Rainbow Village show is the Steve Jeffris’ one-man band variety show, with guitar and vocals, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.

On Feb. 19, Sarah Getto, a musician and songwriter, will perform.

On March 5, our last show will feature Jimmy Smith Remembering the Legends and Gospel Show.

These shows all start at 7 p.m., and the price of the tickets is $8 each. Call Sue Flynn at (813) 782-5075.

So far the season has been great and we’re looking forward to a very eventful February.

By Sandra Gilbert-Abel

Quilters finish what Gertrude Dupuis started

January 22, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

When Gertrude Dupuis began sewing her last quilt in Midland, Mich., she didn’t know that it would be completed by a group named the Leisure Day Quilters and used to benefit hospice patients like herself in Pasco County.

Quilters take care of unfinished business The Leisure Days Quilters finished this quilt started by Gertrude Dupuis before she passed away under hospice care. The quilt is now being awarded in a drawing with all proceeds benefiting Gulfside Regional Hospice.(Courtesy of Regional Gulfside Hospice) — Quilters take care of unfinished business
The Leisure Days Quilters finished this quilt started by Gertrude Dupuis before she passed away under hospice care. The quilt is now being awarded in a drawing with all proceeds benefiting Gulfside Regional Hospice.(Courtesy of Regional Gulfside Hospice)

Dupuis was an avid quilter and loved her hobby. When she passed away on Feb. 18, 2013 under hospice care in Michigan, her daughter, Marilyn Rindle, knew she could not leave her mother’s last piece unfinished.

Rindle gave the unfinished quilt to Donna Agle, a volunteer for Gulfside Regional Hospice and a member of the Leisure Day Quilters. Agle brought the pieces to the quilters, and they completed the hand-pieced quilt as a group project.

The quilt, appraised at $2,300, is now being awarded in a drawing with all proceeds benefiting Gulfside Regional Hospice, at Rindle’s request.

“Marilyn thinks the world of what hospice did for her family,” said Agle.

She is 100 percent behind hospice and what they did for her mother while she was in her last days.”

Tickets for the drawing are available now for a donation of $2 per single ticket, or $5 for three tickets. The drawing will be on Feb. 8 at 9 a.m., at the Leisure Days Quilt Show, 34533 Leisure Days Drive in Zephyrhills. Contestants do not need to be present to win.

Tickets can be purchased at Gulfside’s administrative office, 6117 Trouble Creek Road in New Port Richey; Gulfside Center for Hospice Care, 5760 Dean Dairy Road in Zephyrhills; and each of Gulfside’s five thrift shop locations.

For more information about the quilt or tickets, call Erin Cleary at (727) 845-5707, or email .

The high days of winter at Happy Days

January 22, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

It was called “polar vortex,” but in truth it was cold. Almost too cold to think about our first ice cream social of the New Year.

Socializing before one of the many park activities at Happy Days are, from left, Jim Weaver, Steve Warren, Nancy Warren and Judy Weaver. (Courtesy of Ron Graham)

In the middle of those freezing days, the most amusing site at the local store was Ron and Heather Graham pushing a cart loaded to the brim with frozen ice cream. Boy, that was a topic of conversation for their fellow shoppers. Our chairperson, Heather, felt like the mailman — we must deliver in sleet or snow.

As she noted, all we have to do now to get ready is slice it into squares. Brrrr.

The ice cream social always is a popular event, and luckily the temperature rebounded enough for the 6 o’clock serving to bring more than 110 into the hall. For $1 you got a cupcake and ice cream. What a deal. Cold cash gave you an equally cold dessert, on an equally cold day.

On Jan. 11 we all headed down to the hall again for our first park breakfast of the year. Jim Grant and his cracking (egg) team again plated their mouth-watering breakfasts of pancakes, eggs, sausage, toast and coffee for $3. All you had to do was bring your silverware, coffee mugs, and a big appetite. And, of course, three bucks. Last count was 104 happy eaters.

Jim probably wished he had that many on KP duty. Not being deterred, he is planning the next one for the first weekend of February. He may have a special addition to his menu, so stay tuned.

And, since we seem to overdo our feasting frenzies sometimes, on Sunday evening we finished the week with our first potluck dinner of the new year. Since our official capacity counter had the weekend off, association president Linda Jenkins defined the crowd, equally as large as we had this week. Cleanup crews as usual are many and anonymous, but still thanked for their service.

There is no doubt that the high days of the winter season are upon us. Now the sports venues are heating up, the crafts, hall activities, bus tours, etc., are active. It will now be a few busy months.

By Ian Marwick