The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Wharton sends four to college ranks

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By Andy Warrener

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

 

The media center at Wharton High School on Feb. 6 seemed like a Division I football press conference.

No less than five microphones sat on the table in front of four student-athletes poised to ink their names to letters of intent to compete in college. A greater number of news cameras surrounded the modest setup. It’s something University of Florida signee Vernon Hargreaves is getting used to.

From left are Wharton student-athletes Ashni Deschenes, Vernon Hargreaves, Leah Chisolm and Maria Areiza signing their letters of intent to play in college. (Photo by Andy Warrener)

“There’s definitely been some times where I wanted to get away from it,” Hargreaves said. “But it wasn’t all that bad.”

Hargreaves was one of the highest-rated players in the country by many recruiting services. He played mostly safety/linebacker this season, but said he will likely return to cornerback at Florida.

“I grew up around football; I’m pretty comfortable playing all positions,” Hargreaves said. “Last season I was begging the coaches to move me up to linebacker because Rocky (Enos) was getting all the tackles.”

Hargreaves has already signed up for summer classes to get a jump on college life.

Three girls soccer players also signed at the event.

Maria Areiza, who only played club soccer, will compete at Division I Mississippi Valley State next season, most likely at outside midfield. The signing capped a lifelong dream for Areiza.

“I’ve been playing for 14 years; this has always been my dream,” Areiza said.

Wildcats girls soccer team had forward Ashni Deschenes and midfielder/defender Leah Chisolm sign with Division I Stetson and Division II Eckerd, respectively.

“It’s always been a dream to play Division I soccer,” Deschenes said, who led the Wildcats with 17 goals this season.

Deschenes didn’t choose Stetson just for the athletics.

“Academics was important,” Deschenes said. “I liked that they (Stetson) have small class sizes.”

Deschenes remembers Wharton’s 2011 district title as the high point of her high school career.

“It was the first girls soccer district championship,” Deschenes said. “It felt really good to leave a mark at the school. Years from now other players will see that (district championship banner) and see what we did.”

Chisolm, who had 10 goals and nine assists this year, said her favorite memory was from that same season, but what stood out was beating Plant in the district semifinals: “That was just an awesome game.”

Wesley Chapel quintet inks intent

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By Kyle LoJacono

 

Five Wesley Chapel student-athletes ensured their playing days will extend beyond high school when they participated in the Wildcats National Signing Day ceremony Feb. 6.

Girls soccer player Kelsey Bare signed with Division II Saint Leo University, girls track and field athlete Courtney Prengaman inked with Division I Samford University in Alabama and football players Aleny Vega, DaQuan Caesar and Jordan Primus picked Division III Briar Cliff in Iowa, NAIA Missouri Valley College and Mendocino Junior College in California, respectively.

Vega, a linebacker, said it was surreal to participate in Signing Day.

Kelsey Bare, left, and Courtney Prengaman prepare to sign their letters of intent at Wesley Chapel’s Signing Day event. (Photo provided)

“I kept asking myself is this real; am I really going to sign with a college today,” said Vega, who will study medicine. “It is, you walk down to the media center and you sign and it makes it real, but it’s still crazy when it happens.”

Primus, a wide receiver, said he probably wouldn’t be going to college if it wasn’t for football.

“I’m still in shock that I get to go to college with my grades and everything, but it all worked out,” said Primus, who will study business management.

Caesar, a running back, was surprised he has the opportunity because he stepped away from football while in eighth grade and as a freshman, but returned for his final three years of high school.

“I just wanted to get back into sports and needed something to do,” said Caesar, who will study law enforcement. “I didn’t think I’d ever get to play in college.”

Caesar said he will likely move to slot receiver.

Prengaman, who will study elementary special education, won the Class 2A state high jump championship last year, which helped make competing in college possible.

“I had people looking at me, but no one made offers before states,” Prengaman said. “After that I had a lot of schools interested, and I started getting letters in the mail.”

Bare, who will study business management, set the program’s single-season record this year by scoring 19 goals while playing all three positions in the field. As a junior, she helped the Wildcats make the first playoff berth in their 13-year history.

“It was great to be able to help change the feel of the program,” Bare said. “The first two years were pretty rough, so it was great to go far last year and do something that had never been done before at the school.”

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

Emotions run high at Land O’ Lakes’ Signing Day

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By Jeff Odom

 

Land O’ Lakes boys soccer coach Mark Pearson stood proudly behind University of North Florida-bound midfielder Sean Young and held nothing back during the Gators’ National Signing Day ceremony Feb. 6.

“In my mind,” Pearson told the crowd, “Sean is and will be the most complete player to ever come through our program.”

Young, along with baseball player Zachary Whitaker (Shorter University in Georgia) and girls soccer player Holly Nasello (Point University in Georgia), signed to continue competing at the next level.

From left are Land O’ Lakes student-athletes Zachary Whitaker, Sean Young and Holly Nasello as they sign with their respective schools during National Signing Day ceremonies Feb. 6. (Photo by Jeff Odom)

“That made me feel so great inside,” said Young, the only boys soccer player in Pasco County to sign with a Division I school on Signing Day. “No one’s ever said something like that to me, and it felt really great.”

Pearson touted Young’s ability to play any position on the field and said he thinks it is just the beginning of his budding career.

“Just this year alone playing midfield, he scored 30 goals and had 32 assists. Not only is he a goal scorer, but he’s a playmaker when just last year he was playing defense,” Pearson said. “When I said he’s the most complete player, I mean that. For Sean to get that scholarship and move on, I think it’s literally just the next step. I think he could go on to play professionally, whether here in the United States or over in Europe.”

Young said he always had hopes of playing at the collegiate level.

“Now that it’s finally coming true it’s great; it really is,” Young said. “We’ve had the greatest of times and it’s perfect.”

Whitaker, a shortstop and right-handed pitcher, was a key piece in Land O’ Lakes’ playoff run and the Class 6A-District 10 runner-up last season. He said it is great to take the next step.

“I’m just excited to get up there and make some plays,” Whitaker said. “Just to even have the opportunity to play college baseball is great, because most kids don’t get to do that, and I’m able to get that chance.”

Nasello said she fell in love with Point after visiting the school and working out with the team.

“It was definitely the family bond,” said Nasello, who tallied 12 goals and four assists this season. “It’s a smaller school, and I really like that too. I like the fact that it’s an older town, and it kind of reminds me of Ybor City. I really wanted to be part of the family.”

The Gators won their first playoff game since 2004 this year, and Nasello said that was because of the squad’s work ethic.

“From start to finish from the beginning of the season, we always worked hard,” Nasello said. “Not just winning (our first playoff game) in a really long time, but it didn’t matter what the score was. We always came back, and we deserved it. I’m really glad we made it as far as we did.”

—Follow Jeff Odom on Twitter: @JOdomLaker

 

Godwin, Tanner headline Freedom signees

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By Jeff Odom

 

When Freedom football player Nate Godwin met University of South Florida (USF) coach Willie Taggart he was going to be a Bull.

“When coach Taggart came in, I knew staying close to home was a better deal for me, for my family and for my supporters,” Godwin said. “I can’t wait, man. I feel like I’m a part of a movement.”

From left are Freedom student-athletes Cody Coffin, Richard Bisaccia, Isaac Tanner, Nate Godwin, Faith Woodard and Sandra Akachukwu during National Signing Day. (Photo by Jeff Odom)

Godwin, along with teammates Isaac Tanner (Western Kentucky), Richard Bisaccia (Middle Tennessee State), Cody Coffin (Webber International) and girls track standout Sandra Akachukwu (Western Kentucky) signed their letters of intent Feb. 6 to continue competing at the next level.

Godwin, a defensive back, is excited about what the future holds for him at USF.

“We have a lot of kids coming in and a good recruiting class with coach Taggart, and I feel like we’re going to build something real special,” Godwin said. “I want to be the foundation of that. It’s going to be great to represent Freedom, and hopefully we’ll get more kids to come to USF and be successful.”

First-year Patriots football coach Todd Donohoe was proud of his players signing with major schools.

“This is a credit to their hard work, their perseverance, their parents and their supporters,” Donohoe said. “It’s exciting, and I know they’re going to do the right things. … They have laid the foundation for sure.”

Tanner, a linebacker, said signing with his friends was one of the most special moments of his life.

“I think it’s the start of something great, and I just want to leave a legacy once I move on to college, but I’m not going to be the type of player to forget where I came from,” Tanner said. “I fell in love with the school, and I felt like the players were great and they have one of the greatest bonds I’ve ever seen in college football.”

Bisaccia, whose father Rich is the special teams coach for the Dallas Cowboys, compared the signing to a “brotherhood.”

“It’s just awesome and a blessing to be signing with my best friend Isaac Tanner and the rest of my teammates,” said Bisaccia, a linebacker. “We didn’t win a lot of games, but the team came together and that was great.”

Before signing, Coffin stood up to thank his teachers and administrators for everything they did for him. The offensive lineman said he doesn’t want to go out as just an athlete, but a student who made a difference academically too.

“It’s definitely like a first pen to paper kind of feeling for me,” Coffin said. “I want to represent Freedom like I have the last four years and work my hardest. … Probably the biggest memories are being a student. Just the environment and the football team was an extra activity that I did, and I’m just glad that I finished a good four years at this high school.”

Akachukwu said she never imagined signing with a Division I school would be possible, and thanked her coach Dwight Smith for helping her get where she is today.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling, like the hard work finally paid off,” Akachukwu said. “I feel like (Western Kentucky) will help me grow up, and I really like the team as well as the coaches. The background of the program is very strong, and I feel like I can succeed there.”

Girls basketball player Faith Woodard also participated in the ceremony after inking her name to a letter of intent in November to play at Georgetown.

—Follow Jeff Odom on Twitter: @JOdomLaker

Gaither football sends trio to college ranks

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By Andy Warrener

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

 

Gaither football player Ernest Suttles summed up the feelings he and teammates Dom Neglio and Shug Oyegunle had on Feb. 6, National Signing Day.

“Excitement, that’s the only way I can describe it,” said Suttles, who inked with Nebraska. “I wish I could leave today. … I’m ready to climb the ladder. Hopefully sooner than later.”

From left are Gaither student-athletes Dom Neglio, Shug Oyegunle and Ernest Suttles as they sign their letters of intent Feb. 6. (Photo by Andy Warrener)

Suttles had praise for both the school administration and second-year Cowboys coach Jason Stokes in assisting his high school career. The 6-foot-5 defensive lineman amassed 88 tackles, 31 for loss, and 12 sacks this season while receiving The Laker/Lutz News Defensive Player of the Year honors.

While Suttles stuck to the defensive line, Neglio and Oyegunle played all over the field during their time at Gaither.

Neglio, who signed with NAIA Bethel College in Kansas, moved from running back to linebacker in his senior year, helped fill a team need and finished with 85 tackles at linebacker.

“(Bethel) had that hometown feel to it, I guess I’m a hometown personality,” Neglio said. “They made me feel at home.”

Neglio said it was like getting “a monkey” off his back when Bethel offered him a spot on the squad.

“It’s been a lifelong dream to play college football,” Neglio said. “To get that opportunity is just unbelievable.”

Oyegunle played quarterback, running back and receiver, while returning kickoffs and punts, during his four years on the varsity squad. He had 1,336 total yards and 16 touchdowns his last two seasons with the Cowboys.

The versatile Oyegunle will stay in state after signing with Division I Florida International.

“(Finding a school in Florida) was a huge deal,” Oyegunle said. “Fans and family can still come and see me play. It worked out well. … When that offer came down, it was a real blessing.”

CDS’ offensive duo signs

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By Andy Warrener

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

 

Two members of Carrollwood Day School (CDS) football’s prolific offense made their college plans official on National Signing Day Feb. 6.

Running back Robert Davis signed with Division I University of Memphis, choosing the Mustangs out of four other schools, while quarterback Vidal Woodruff picked NAIA Bethel College in Kansas.

Davis, who attended Freedom as a freshman where he didn’t play football, broke Hillsborough County’s career rushing record by piling up 5,576 yards while adding 66 touchdowns during his three years at CDS.

Davis also piled up a single-season program record 2,221 yards as a senior to help the Patriots win their first district championship in program history. He was named The Laker/Lutz News Football Player of the Year following the campaign.

Davis said CDS’ academics are the big reason he chose to attend the private school.

“I could have worn a jersey and helmet for any school,” Davis said. “CDS had more complete academics, and for me it was more an issue of what colleges are going to look at on paper.”

Davis boasts a 3.5 grade point average and a 1310 SAT score. He plans to major in business marketing and already has high hopes for the 2013 football season.

“I connected with the guys on campus,” Davis said. “It’s (Memphis) where I saw myself in the future.”

Woodruff had a rocky road to earning his scholarship.

He was dismissed from Robinson’s squad after starting as a junior. Woodruff couldn’t transfer to another public school and still play his senior year, so he elected to home-school and play for CDS.

“He (Woodruff) could have gone to any other private school in the area, but he chose CDS and we thank him for that,” said Patriots coach Lane McLaughlin.

Woodruff’s 25 touchdowns and 137 passing yards per game added the passing option to take defenders away from swarming Davis.

“When I left Robinson I felt tense, like I might not make it,” Woodruff said. “My stock was falling. I knew I just had to keep faith. The CDS team is what got me here.”

 

Husband and Wife Team Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and Dermatology Open Clinic in Wesley Chapel

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Women have many choices when it comes to cosmetic surgery and skin care. Board-certified plastic surgeons and board-certified dermatologists are uniquely trained to provide these services. Together, Drs. Raj and Aparna Ambay provide Tampa’s first center for coordinated care.

Raj S. Ambay, M.D. and Aparna Ambay, M.D., FAAD
Raj S. Ambay, M.D. and Aparna Ambay, M.D., FAAD

“Quality and safety should always be a priority,” Dr. Raj Ambay, a board-certified plastic surgeon, recommends patients look past marketing hype by checking the board certification of their doctors with the Florida Dept. of Health and the American Board of Medical Specialties. “Your health and safety is too important to accept a compromise,” he said.

Dr. Ambay completed his general surgical residency at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Following his residency, he completed a plastic surgery residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a cancer fellowship with the National Institutes of Health, and a second sub-specialty fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he specialized in microsurgery and tissue transplantation.

“Microsurgery and tissue transplanta- tion allow me to perform the most advanced forms of breast cancer reconstruction,” said Dr. Ambay. “Knowing how to reconstruct a breast requires an artistic eye and comprehensive under- standing of anatomy. That knowledge is the foundation for delivering superior results in cosmetic surgery.”

Dr. Ambay brought his medical expertise to the Tampa area in 2010 when he relocated here with his wife, Dr. Aparna Ambay, a board certified dermatologist, and their daughter Amani.

Dr. Ambay is also a reservist, Lieutenant Colonel and an Army veteran. He was deployed to Iraq in 2011 and spent four months stationed in a combat hospital supporting a Special Forces unit.

When Dr. Ambay entered the combat zone, he recalled his commander saying, “the force behind you is far greater than the challenges ahead of you.”

“When I returned from Iraq, I felt like that was the same reason to open a medical center,” said Dr. Ambay. In early 2012, Tampa Institute of Plastic Surgery and 360 Dermatology opened together in a Seven Oaks office complex in Wesley Chapel behind Sam’s Club.

In addition to the convenience of the two disciplines working together, patients appreciate the practices’ state-of-the-art technology. Every suite has high-tech features such as iPads mirrored on large LCD screens to enhance patient education.

On Feb 5, ABC Action news featured Dr. Raj Ambay as the first practice in Florida to use HIPPA-compliant email and texting technology. This technology provides updates to anxious family members on the status of their loved ones while in surgery, at the same time, and anywhere in the world.

Another first by the Ambays’ is their use of video technology to host consultations and after-surgery check-ups. “Our patients like the option of meeting with us through their computer or smart phone because they don’t have to put their life on hold to visit the doctor” said Dr. Aparna Ambay. The facility is a spacious 4,000 square feet decorated in inviting, warm colors that make patients feel at home and at ease.

The Ambays chose Wesley Chapel for their practice because of its family friendly environment, convenience to I-75 and rapid growth. “Plus, we live close by and so we are a part of the community which we also serve.”

At 360 Dermatology, Dr. Aparna Ambay not only performs non-invasive cosmetic procedures but also specializes in Mohs surgery, a precise tissue preserving surgical technique used to treat skin cancer. It is the only on-site, state certified Mohs facility in Wesley Chapel.

“The goal is to remove all of the skin cancer while preserving surrounding healthy tissue,” said Dr. Ambay, who also said that a substantial portion of her patients choose to have their skin cancer defect reconstructed by Dr. Ambay, the plastic surgeon, rather than waiting weeks with an open wound.

Why does a woman consider plastic surgery or cosmetic dermatology?

“Our patients are intelligent women who frequently say that they have spent their lives taking care of everyone else but themselves. Now it’s their turn to do something for themselves,” said Dr. Ambay. “If cosmetic surgery and beautiful skin improves a woman’s self esteem and overall well being, then why not?”

The Tampa Institute of Plastic Surgery is located at 27716 Cashford Circle, Wesley Chapel. They can be reached at (813) 406-4835, or visit them online at www.ambayplasticsurgery.com, or at www.360DermatologyTampa.com.

This story is a feature of the advertising department. 

Just in time for Valentine’s Day

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A book to rekindle that romantic spark

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Local author Kim Moore said she learned early in her marriage about the importance of setting time aside to spend alone with her husband.

The Land O’ Lakes woman said she and Doug, who have been married for 34 years, were good about that at the start.

“But then what happens is, OK, you have date night once a week, you go out to eat once a week; what do you do now when a special occasion rolls around?” Kim said. “You go out to eat again? … I felt like all of my Valentine’s, anniversaries and our birthdays were all looking the same. ‘Want to go out to eat, honey?’ ‘Sure, let’s go out to eat.’ ‘Where do you want to go out to eat?’ ‘I don’t care.’”

This intimate table for two aims to create the mood for romance.

In an effort to break that pattern and inject a little more pizzazz into her marriage, Moore decided to do something inventive.

She began creating what she calls roomscapes, which incorporate room décor, food, lighting, music and attire aimed to set the mood for romance.

“The very first one was probably done about 11 years ago,” Moore said.

She decked out an upstairs balcony in a Caribbean theme.

“It was our anniversary. I took him up there and he was like, ‘Wow, this is gorgeous.’” Her husband’s reaction was so positive, it encouraged her to create other theme celebrations, which prompted him to urge her to write a book to inspire other couples.

Moore resisted the idea of a book initially.

“I told him for two years, ‘I don’t know how to write. I’m a decorator,’” said Moore who owns a home decorating business called Southern Interiors.

Eventually, though, she decided to give writing a try.

She began her book in January 2008.

She perused other decorator books for layout and organizational ideas and joined a writer’s group to strengthen her skills. She also hired professionals to help design, photograph and edit the book, including Mary Rathman, an editorial assistant at The Laker/Lutz News, who proofread the pages.

After more than four years of work, Moore self-published a 119-page, full-color book, called Now That’s Romantic! Intimate Themed Dinners for Special Occasions.

While many books offer recipes for romantic meals, Moore created a detailed guidebook to create the mood for intimacy.

The book provides plans for six romantic getaways couples can have at home. She names these themed celebrations for two, including Caribbean Cabana, Hearts on Fire and Santa Baby.

Moore offers readers step-by-step instructions on how to pull it off.

In her Valentine’s celebration, Hearts on Fire, Moore provides a checklist of items needed to create that special mood.

She also provides specific instructions for setting the table, for the décor and lighting, sounds and scents, what to wear for men and women.

While food is part of the equation in Moore’s romantic roomscapes, she keeps that element simple.

She suggests combining takeout foods with a few homemade touches to keep the focus on fun and one another.

Moore also shows readers what she’s talking about with full-color photographs.

She staged the scenes featured in the book at her home and her sister’s home.

The photographs depict elegant settings and creative approaches, but Moore said she deliberately kept plans easy to achieve.

“I didn’t want it to be intimidating,” Moore said. “I really want it to be doable. …I tried to use things that people can find. You don’t have to have specialty items.”

Moore credits her mom, Shirley Perez, of Odessa, for influencing her imaginative nature.

“My mom’s very into being creative and thinking outside of the box. She was always into doing fun things around the holidays that were unique and different,” Moore said.

Moore hopes her book will inspire people to tap into their personal creativity and put their own spin on her suggested roomscapes.

People can use as many or as few of her ideas as work for them, Moore said. The main idea is to help find ways to re-awaken the ardor that brought them to together in the first place.

Some couples will want to play it safe, and others may choose to be more adventurous, Moore said. As couples use the book for guidance, they may choose to expand their comfort zones as times goes on.

So far, Moore has been marketing her book through women’s shows, holiday shows, on her website and on Amazon.com. She has also been asked to speak to some women’s groups at churches, and she’s willing to give talks to civic or other clubs too.

While she wrote the book she thought her target market would be couples that had been married for years looking for ideas to rev up their romance. But the book has found another market. It’s been a popular choice as a bridal shower gift or a wedding present, she said.

She has been pleasantly surprised.

“It was to spark older couples’ imaginations,” Moore said. “I figured in the beginning, you don’t need it.”

 

Buy the book

The book sells for $29.95 and is available on Amazon.com or through Moore’s website, www.NowThatsRomantic.com.

Zephyrhills: A popular place to escape the chill

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By B.C. Manion

 

It’s an annual occurrence that doesn’t happen on a particular day or last a specific amount of time, but it has an undeniable impact on Zephyrhills.

Each year, typically starting near the end of October, thousands of winter residents begin trickling into the city near the eastern edge of Pasco County.

Audrey Acciard, left, and Marian Head, who work in the office at Betmar Mobile Home Park, said winter residents come to live there for many reasons. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The part-time residents make the trek largely because of the promise of Florida’s sunshine and warmth. They head south to escape the bone-chilling winter they would experience if they remained in such places as New York, Connecticut and Canada.

Once they arrive, the winter residents typically stay for months.

They make their presence known through increased traffic on area roads, longer lines at grocery stores, crowded restaurants and swelling congregations at churches.

Many live in the scores of recreational vehicle and mobile home parks that straddle US 301 and SR 54.

Bob Winters, of Winters Mobile Home Park, said the first influx of residents to Zephyrhills came after the Civil War when soldiers were looking for a place to settle.

The soldiers became farmers, and friends and family from other locales came to visit, eventually leading to seasonal residents.

Madonna Jervis Wise, a local historian, said Zephyrhills has attracted seasonal tourists since its inception.

An early promotional flyer described Zephyrhills as “The colony that made good” and called it “The land of flowers and cool breezes.”

In 1910, the visitors were known as “Tin Can Tourists,” according to an excerpt of a local history book called “Zephyrhills,” written by Wise.

The development of railroad lines and automobiles boosted area tourism, said Winters, whose family has owned the city’s oldest mobile home park since its establishment in 1950.

The number of winter tourists has ebbed and flowed during the years, Winters said, noting, “just prior to the Depression, there was quite the tourist boom.”

Wise also noted another boom time in her book: “The 1950s brought a significant and steady influx of seasonal folks that established an increasingly stronger service industry identity to accommodate the seasonal visitors.”

Among the city’s scores of mobile home parks, Betmar is the largest.

Folks living at Betmar, which opened in 1966, hail from such northern places as Michigan, Maine and Massachusetts. Some show their loyalty to their native state by posting license plates beneath their mailboxes outside their homes or displaying decorations, such as a lighthouse or a plaque.

Audrey Acciard and Marian Head, who work in Betmar’s office, said people who move to Betmar offer lots of reasons.

Many have heard about it from word of mouth or have been there to visit friends or relatives.

Acciard said her neighbor chose to move to Zephyrhills after studying weather maps and surmising that the area was least likely to be hit by a hurricane.

Acciard and Head said Betmar is well managed and offers a broad array of activities for its residents that range from shuffleboard to square dancing, golf to card games, Bible study to bingo, coffee hour to computer class.

Besides being entertained by activities, the residents also enjoy the friendships they form, the ladies said.

Throughout Zephyrhills, businesses and organizations feel the impacts of the city’s winter residents.

More items are checked out of the two local libraries serving Zephyrhills, said Pasco County libraries’ administrator Nancy Fredericks. Last year, 30,356 items were checked out in February, noticeably higher than the 26,266 items in April after winter residents have gone home.

The congregation at First United Methodist Church of Zephyrhills grows by roughly 50 percent when winter residents are in town, said the Rev. Ken Minton, the church’s pastor.

During the dead of summer, he estimates attendance ranges from 375 to 425. At the height of the winter season, though, it ranges from about 725 to 800.

Leading a seasonal church was an adjustment, Minton said.

During winter months, more people receive communion. There are also church ministries that operate only when winter residents are there, Minton said.

There are special activities related to the winter residents, Minton said.

“We do a lot of picnics for the different states,” he said. The Michigan folks, for instance, have a big going-away picnic each year.

Minton said having a congregation that comes from so many places has been a blessing, too: “We are strengthened by the energy and all of the ideas.”

Next Gen home responds to changing lifestyles

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By B.C. Manion

 

It looks much like any other home from the outside.

But step inside a Next Gen model home by Lennar at Concord Station in Land O’ Lakes, and you’ll find a home within a home — designed to address the changing needs of today’s families.

People are living longer, and more baby boomers are reaching retirement age. A lack of jobs has caused more college graduates to return home to live with their parents. And, on top of all that, elderly people are increasingly choosing to “age in place” rather than move to retirement homes.

A second-story bonus room in the Independence.

Next Gen homes are meant to meet the needs of these changing lifestyles.

They feature a private living space — which is a full suite that is separated, but adjacent to the main living area — for parents, grandparents, adult children or even long-term guests, Mark Metheny, president of Lennar’s Central Florida Division, said in a release.

“Modern families are often different from the very traditional mom, dad and two kids,” Metheny said. “We need homes that can accommodate more than one generation, and Lennar’s Next Gen homes offer just those capabilities.”

The idea is to provide essentially two homes for one house payment, according to the company’s marketing materials.

The adjacent suite provides privacy, but also allows family members to live near each other so they can interact as much or as little as they would like.

Two floor plans are now available for Lennar’s Next Gen homes.

One design, which the company calls Independence, has five bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and a three-car garage with 2,518 square feet in the main living area and 839 square feet in the Next Gen living suite.

The other design, called Liberation, has six bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a two-car garage and a single-car garage, with 3,029 square feet in the main living space and 838 in the Next Gen living suite.

Both designs have private entrances into both living areas and interior access between the two.

Both designs also feature separate kitchens, laundry facilities and living rooms, too.

The Liberation also features a private, one-car garage for the Next Gen living suite.

The Independence is the company’s first example of the Next Gen floor plan, David Parker, director of sales and marketing for the Central Florida Division of Lennar, said in a release.

The company is aiming to serve a growing segment of the nation’s housing market.

“The number of multigenerational households in the U.S. has increased by 60 percent since 1990 as adult children continue to live with their parents, sometimes with children of their own or as grandparents move in with their children,” Parker said.

Prices for the homes are in the $200,000s and $300,000s.

For more information, visit www.LennarTampa.com.