Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Meaghan O’Neal

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

New Tampa resident Heta Patel began writing poetry at age 9 or 10 as a way to create personalized presents for her family.

When the Bartels Middle eighth-grader heard about a contest run by Kumon North America to find the best writers in the continent, the 12-year-old didn’t think she had a chance of winning.

“I was like, oh maybe let’s just try this contest out, see what happens,” said Patel, who attends the after-school enrichment program at Kumon’s Land O’ Lakes center.

What happened was a trip to New York City, a $500 prize and the title of top 10- to 18-year-old poet in North America.

The theme of the contest was celebrating Earth Day. Patel was one of 600 submissions.

“The Kumon Poetry Challenge encouraged children to use their creativity and imagination to celebrate the environment through poetry,” said Kumon University vice president Matthew Lupsha, who leads Kumon North America’s Green Initiative. “The contest was held during April, both National Poetry Month and Earth Day, a perfect time to pause and appreciate nature.”

Patel drew her inspiration from various articles and pictures from National Geographic Magazine that discussed the beginning of the earth. She was surprised to find out her entry was among the final seven in the contest, much less the overall winner.

She credits her parents for her motivation to succeed.

“My parents are my inspiration because they’ve always pushed me and told me ‘You can do this,’” Patel said. “You know, they’ve really encouraged me.”

Her success in the contest has motivated Patel to keep going further academically.

“It allowed me to really see the creative side of me,” Patel said. “I thought, oh if I can go and win this I can do so many other things that I haven’t even thought about.”

As for her writing, Patel plans to continue developing her skill. While she doesn’t foresee pursuing a career in writing, she does want to continue it as a hobby when she’s older.

 

Heta Patel’s winning poem

 

When earth was young still yawning

Its arms reaching to the Sun

And frozen cores were thawing

 

The world was silent, almost serene

Mother Earth spoke gently to the seas whispering life into them

For she was lonely, the quiet world worried her

 

Soon there was life, tiny but there it was, swarming

She poured love on them as she rained

Mother was patient

 

Soon creatures all roaming, rumbling, brought smiles on her face

Her smiles turned to frowns, slowly, as we slaughtered the trees

We poisoned her waters and ignored her screams in our

selfishness

 

Mother dithered to warn us with floods of tears

As she sweltered under our weight, trying to hold on, trying to

speak

Have we forgotten this mother, her love, her unselfishness

 

For us to bring back her smile and the serene silence

Some say “do this”

Some say “do that”

 

As we disagree to agree

Mother is patient

And waiting…

By B.C. Manion

The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Florida Water Science Center is preparing to open a new office in Lutz, moving from its current location in Tampa near the University of South Florida.

Rafael W. Rodriguez, director of the center, said the new facility will be in Compark 75 at 4450 Pet Lane in Lutz.

The center will house 60 employees, Rodriguez said, during an Aug. 23 meeting of the economic development committee of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. He expects that number will gradually grow, as the economy improves, to between 65 and 70.

“We’re going to move in within the next couple of weeks,” Rodriguez said.

The staff will occupy a space of about 21,000 square feet, Rodriquez said. They are relocating to be in a more central location with easy access to I-75 and I-275.

“We need to be prepared to go out in the field and document the field,” Rodriquez said. “Where we are now, we’re stuck in traffic a lot.”

The Compark location is also more spacious, Rodriquez said. “The office that we’re in was getting too small for us.”

The USGS is the nation’s largest earth science agency. The Florida Water Science Center collects, analyzes and disseminates hydrologic data and information. Its hydrologic projects address a wide variety of water-resources issues, including aquifer characterizations, availability of water, climate change and hydrologic extreme events, ecosystems, hydrologic modeling, surface water, water quality conditions and wetlands.

The hydrologic modeling work aims to provide better understanding of the movement and condition of water in the state’s streams, lakes and estuaries.

The climate change work involves studying how water resources are affected by shifts in temperature patterns and the consequences of hydrologic extreme events including floods and droughts.

Rodriguez said his agency’s role is to provide impartial information.

“We tell it like it is,” Rodriquez said.

The reports released by the USGS are peer-reviewed and meet stringent research standards, Rodriquez said.

The USGS operates a network of monitoring stations throughout the state and across the nation to help forecast future floods, track rising water caused by rain or storm surge and monitor the availability and quality of water, Rodriguez said.

The USGS collects data that can be used to answer questions such as: “How much water can be extracted out of a river? How much water can be extracted out of a well?” Rodriguez said. He added, “In some places, we’re extracting more water than can be recharged.”

Rodriguez said the USGS’ role is to remain neutral, providing information based on science, not opinion.

For instance, on the topic of climate change, the USGS has a wealth of data, tracking changes that have occurred over time.

“I think the scientific community is 99.9 percent sure that climate change is happening,” Rodriguez said. The scientific data that has been collected makes a case for it, he added.

“It’s not science fiction. It’s real,” Rodriguez said. “Sea level is going to be rising.”

Reversing climate change would require a sustained global effort, Rodriguez said. It may not be possible to stop the effects of climate change at this point, but communities can take action to improve their ability to deal with its effects, Rodriquez said.

“We need to start addressing what to do with infrastructure,” Rodriguez said.

By B.C. Manion

You might say that Jason Hahn’s love of nature began when he was just a boy.

He grew up on a small farm in Thurmont, Md. near the Appalachian Mountains.

“Nature was always a backdrop,” Jason said. “My brother and I were out in the fields all day long, sunup to sundown.”

The 39-year-old Land O’ Lakes man said he’s always been interested in art, taking every class he could through his high school years, but he didn’t pair those interests until a little more than a decade ago.

That’s when he discovered a passion that changed his life path.

Jason, who has a degree in criminal justice, said he was working for a company as a trainer for security personnel when he and his wife, Nicole, moved to Florida. The couple was living in Palm Harbor while their house was being built.

During his downtime, he found himself taking his then 1-year-old son, Adam, on bike rides to John Chestnut Sr. Park in Palm Harbor, a place known for its wildlife.

“I’d bring a little point-and-shoot (camera) with me. … Everything was new,” Jason said, noting there were no storks or spoonbills where he grew up.

“About halfway into the ride he (Adam) would fall asleep and pretty soon the bike rides became an excuse to take pictures,” Jason continued. “I got hooked really fast.”

He soon purchased a better camera and became a serious photographer.

About six months later, he posted some of his images online. An editor saw a photo he wanted to use for his magazine’s cover.

“A lightbulb went off and it was, ‘Wait a minute, I can make money at this,’” Jason said. “I just jumped in with both feet.”

Over time, his photography business grew and now both he and his wife work full-time in their family businesses.

Hahn Nature Photography sells Jason’s images for various uses.

Jason also partners with a friend, Les Voorhis of Outdoor Photo Workshops, who offer group and individual training sessions for people of all ages and ability levels. The company strives to maximize the experience for its participants, Jason said.

“We want you to come away with full minds, full memory cards and dead tired,” Jason said.

The workshops cover both the technical and artistic aspects of photography, ranging from a few hours to several days.

Jason teaches at nearby places, such as Honeymoon Island and Fort De Soto, and farther locales including the Everglades, Alaska, Utah, North Dakota and South Dakota.

“We try to go to places that nobody else is going — the undiscovered gems,” Jason said.

The nature photographer loves immersing himself in the work

“My second home, almost, is the Everglades,” Jason said. One of his favorite moments in his workshops there happens when he wades into the swamp water and waits for his class to follow.

“I’ll step in and walk about 10 feet and not hear a sound behind me. I turn around, they’re all still standing there looking at me. Finally, they’ll come in,” Jason said.

Within 10 minutes, they’re having the time of their lives.

“They never realized just how beautiful this place is, how diverse, and the initial trepidation is just gone,” Jason said.

While Jason brings his background as a trainer to the company, Nicole brings her experience as an event planner.

To help Jason meet the needs of his students, Nicole surveys them before the workshops to find out how experienced they are, what kind of gear they have and what they’d like to learn.

Together they are able to organize workshops, and this year, they’ve been tapped to serve as the behind-the-scenes manager for the Black Hills Photo Shootout, an event that’s expected to draw 200 photographers to South Dakota in September.

At some point, they plan to have similar photo shootouts.

The couple relishes the lifestyle their work allows them to enjoy.

“We get to do more as a family,” Nicole said, noting the family can be whitewater rafting in the morning, and she can be answering emails in the afternoon.

The couple said part of the attraction of their work is its changing nature and new challenges.

“Every picture is a story,” Jason said. “Some days, it’s just pure luck.”

Other times, it can take weeks to capture the image Jason wants.

Going into the wild to capture photographs can be dangerous, if you don’t use care, Jason said. It is essential to know the environment and  be aware of what’s happening around you.

“The coolest opportunities are when a wild animal lets me see their world for awhile, lets me just travel along with them for awhile,” Jason said, recalling an instance when a family of sandhill cranes stopped in front of him for more than an hour while he captured images of their life in the wild.

“I don’t know what made them stay there. They were totally cool with me. I was trusted,” Jason said.

The couple is also delighted their son can enjoy a wide range of experiences.

Within a couple of months, Adam visited a wolf preserve where he bottle-fed puppies, he held baby foxes and he climbed to the highest point in North Carolina, Jason said.

Along with unusual experiences, Jason’s company sells images sometimes for unconventional purposes.

“We had a guy who wanted one of our eagle pictures tattooed on his arm,” Jason said. “We had a guy who was a Gator fan, so he wanted one of our alligator pictures reproduced on the wheel cover on the back of a truck.”

Another man loved ducks and poker. He had a custom poker table made with some pictures of ducks Jason took reproduced on it.

Jason has won a number of awards for his photos, but said even more gratifying is getting to see intimate details of nature.

“You’re not going to get that experience from a cubicle.”

 

For more information visit:

www.HahnNaturePhotography.com

www.AllCreaturesArt.com

www.OutdoorPhotoWorkshops.com

New leadership of Sunrise Rotary Club of Dade City

The Sunrise Rotary Club of Dade City has named Kerry Westbrook as its new president, succeeding Camille Hernandez.

The club also presented a number of other awards, including special recognition for  “Aunt” Winnifred Taylor, the club’s youngest at heart member who is 99, the Business of the Year Award to Gail and Glen Greenfelder/Kokopelli’s and a special Service Award to Susan Dowling for her dedication and service to the organization.

Mike Wooten, assistant governor for District 6950, Area 5, performed the installation of Westbrook as president for 2012-13. Jean Nathe, Randy Bush and John Levitt were given the duties as president-elect, secretary and treasurer, respectively.

Sunrise Rotary is a Breakfast Club and meets every Thursday at 7 a.m., except for the first Thursday of the month when they meet at 4:45 p.m. at the Kokopelli Restaurant in Dade City. Visitors are welcome.

 

Meritage Homes’ Bella Casa grand opening

Meritage Homes hosted scores of potential homebuyers at the grand opening of Bella Casa, a new housing development located off Lake Magdalene Boulevard and Indian Head Drive in Lutz.

Brian Kittle, vice president of sales for Meritage Homes, said the homebuilder is constructing 16 single-family homes at Bella Casa that range from 3,200 square feet of living space to 5,100 square feet priced from the mid-$300s. Bella Casa is the first new home community in the Tampa Bay area for Meritage Homes.

 

Gulfside Regional Hospice photo contest

Gulfside Regional Hospice is having a photo contest open to the public, with all winners featured in Gulfside’s 2013 calendar.

At least 13 pictures will be selected for the calendar, one for each month in 2013 and a picture for the remaining months of 2012. All entries are due by 5 p.m. on Aug. 31.

For consideration, photos must be shot in Pasco County and be sizeable for printing at 12 inches wide by 9 inches high. Each photographer can submit as many pictures as they want, but in the final calendar, there will not be more than two winning entries per person. A committee made up of hospice staff and volunteers will choose the winners, who will be notified by Sept. 10.

All winners receive five calendars, as well as a gift certificate for Gulfside’s Thrift Shoppes.

For specific requirements about the contest, contact Ashley Juno, director of community relations, at (727) 845-5707 or .

 

MOSI seeks vendors for first Idea Faire

Vendors who want to take part in the Museum of Science and Industry’s first Idea Faire have until Aug. 31 to sign up.

The Idea Faire is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 17 and 18. Vendors who wish to participate must pay $50; exhibitors may display their exhibits for free.

The Idea Faire is a two-day celebration of human creativity and innovation, featuring a convergence of robotics, video gaming, science, engineering and makers.

Participants at the Idea Faire will enjoy electronic music shows, performance art, high-tech fashion, robot races and presentations by experts and innovators.

Students will demonstrate science and engineering projects in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) area, while participants learn how to create new technologies to improve the way we live, learn, work and play.

Admission is included in MOSI’s regular attendance price.

Vendor applications are available online at mosi.org. Vendors can call Kim Chavez at (813) 987-6030 for more information. The museum is at 4801 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa.

 

Protecting seniors from scams

To help senior citizens avoid potential scams, the nonprofit National Association of Triads and Home Instead Senior Care in Pasco County have launched a public program to help seniors be more informed.

The Protect Seniors from FraudSM program — developed with the assistance of the Triads — provides family caregivers with a number of important tools at ProtectSeniorsFromFraud.com.

Included in the website’s various resources is a Criminal Target Scale, which can help family caregivers assess how likely their senior is to be the potential target of a scam. A Senior Fraud Protection Kit is also available from the local franchise office.

According to experts, the top three crimes targeting seniors are identity theft, Medicaid/Medicare and medication fraud and financial exploitation.

To obtain a free protection kit, call the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Pasco at (813) 991-7524.

 

Oak Hill Hospital announces promotion

Oak Hills Hospital has promoted Dr. Duane Ashe to its clinical coordinator. Ashe received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 2003. He has been working at the hospital since 2009 and has been active in its clinical farming initiatives.

 

Medical Center of Trinity names marketing coordinator

Medical Center of Trinity has announced the appointment of Robin Schneider as its marketing coordinator.

Schneider comes to the hospital with more than 12 years experience in health care marketing. Her responsibilities include managing social media and web initiatives, as well as hospital special events and programs.

She is a graduate of Leadership Hernando class of 2003 and Leadership Pasco class of 2001, serving as president of Leadership Pasco in 2006.

 

Save the date for BizGrow2.0

A one-day conference at the Pasco-Hernando Community College Conference Center in New Port Richey will feature guest speakers and an entrepreneur exchange. The conference will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fee is $35. For more information, go to www.pascoedc.com.

 

National Parenting Center seal of approval report

The National Parenting Center has released its 22nd annual Fall Seal of Approval report, which follows consumer testing by parents and children at The National Parenting Center’s test centers.

The center’s evaluative process gauges consumer reaction to products currently being marketed to both parents and their children such as toys, games, books, videos, websites, educational products and so on.

Each is reviewed on a variety of levels including, but not limited to, price, packaging, design, stimulation, desirability, age appropriateness, instructions and more.

To find out more, visit www.tnpc.com.