Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By B.C. Manion

Volunteers will be recruited April 1 at the Relay for Life in Zephyrhills to participate in a major study being conducted by the American Cancer Society.

The Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) is a long-term study that aims to help researchers to better understand the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that can cause or prevent cancer.

Previous research efforts by the American Cancer Society have had significant impacts. Those studies confirmed the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, demonstrated the link between larger waist size and increased death rates from cancer and other causes, and showed the considerable impact of air pollution on heart and lung conditions.

The cancer society’s Analytic Epidemiology research program is recruiting about 300,000 men and women across the United States and Puerto Rico to take part in the CPS-3.

Zephyrhills is one of 10 sites in Florida where volunteers are being recruited in 2011, said Ebonee Pope, the CPS-3 coordinator for the American Cancer Society.

Recruitment efforts for the study began in 2006 and will continue through 2013, she said.

Zephyrhills was selected because of its demographics and its consistent support of American Cancer Society efforts, Pope said.

Student participants must be between 30 and 65 years old. They also must be willing to make a long-term commitment to the project, Pope said.

The study is open only to people who have not been diagnosed with cancer — with the exception of basil or squamous cell skin cancer, she said.

Those wishing to volunteer will be able to sign up at a tent, from 6-10 p.m., at the Zephyrhills Relay for Life at Zephyrhills High School, 6335 12^th St., in Zephyrhills.

Those signing up will be required to submit a blood sample, which will be drawn at the site, Pope said. A measurement also will be taken of the participant’s waist, she said. They also will report their height and weight, she said.

Study participants also will be asked to fill out a survey to provide baseline information about their lifestyle and other factors related to health, she said.

After the initial questionnaire is completed, follow-up surveys will be sent every few years to those taking part in the study, Pope said. Participants also will receive annual newsletters to inform them about ongoing research efforts.

Keri Everlove White, director of development for Florida Medical Clinic’s Foundation of Caring, is chairing the Zephyrhills CPS-3 effort.

Lizzy Mead, a Lutz-based community representative for the American Cancer Society, also will be playing an instrumental role in signing up people to take part.

Organizers hope to recruit 160 to 190 study participants at the Zephyrhills event, White said. It shouldn’t take more than 20 or 30 minutes to get registered, she said.

The study will be tracking participants for 20 to 30 years.

“The study is looking at your genetics, your environment, what you eat,” White said.

The Foundation of Caring will provide 13 volunteers to register volunteers for the study, White said, noting the organization is a huge supporter of the American Cancer Society.

Recruiting volunteers for the long-term study is just one element of the Zephyrhills Relay for Life, both Mead and White said.

“The relay itself is a huge community awareness event,” White said. Those attending the event will have a chance to learn about various types of cancer and recommended screenings.

The event does raise money, but it’s more than just a fundraiser, Mead said. It is also about community and about expressing passion for a cause, Mead said.

Relay for Life brings survivors, caregivers and community volunteers together, Mead said, noting this year’s Relay for Life in Zephyrhills is expected to draw about 1,000 people, including nearly 200 team members and captains, and about 200 cancer survivors.

Mead said the overarching themes for Relay for Life are: “Celebrate. Remember. Fight back.”

Each individual Relay for Life also has its own theme, she said. In Zephyrhills, the theme is “Cartoons” and the slogan for the event is “An April Fool’s Relay: Cancer is no Joke.”

Teams register and pay a $100 commitment fee, which gives them a campsite and a campsite theme, White said.

The event has its solemn moments, when those who have succumbed to cancer are remembered, Mead said. But it also has an air of celebration, too, when people celebrate the gains that have been made in the battle.

“There is music. There are games. There is food,” Mead said. “It’s a big, carnival-like atmosphere.”

The goal is to raise $73,000 through the Zephyrhills Relay for Life, Mead said.

Teams raise money by selling various items at their booths, including coffee, energy drinks and boiled peanuts.

“Come out and have dinner,” White suggested.

Or, just come out to take part, White said. A donation is not required, she said. “Come out and just walk.”

Or, she suggested, “come out and have dinner.”

The event begins at 5 p.m. on April 1 and ends at 11 a.m. the following day.

The reason the event goes on through the night is symbolic, Mead said.

“Cancer doesn’t sleep, so why should we?” Mead said.

Zephyrhills Relay for Life, April 1-2

5 p.m. Survivors and their caregivers are invited to a dinner. (Please pre-register by calling (813) 949-0291, Ext. 5609 or go to www.relayforlife.org/zephyrhillsfl

6 p.m. Opening ceremony: Survivors take the first lap, followed by each team taking their own lap.

9 p.m.: Luminarias are lit, generators are shut off and the entire stadium is quiet for the “Time to Remember” lap, which honors those who have lost the battle to cancer.

11 p.m. The general public leaves and teams continue to walk through the night.

11 a.m., April 2: Closing ceremony

Upcoming relays in area communities

/Relay for Life of Land O’ Lakes, Land O’ Lakes High School, 20325 Gator Lane, Land O’ Lakes, April 15

/Relay for Life of Sunlake High, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes Blvd., April 29

/Relay for Life of Wiregrass, Wiregrass Ranch High, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, April 29

/Relay for Life of Trinity, J.W. Mitchell High, 2323 Little Road, Trinity, April 29

/Relay for Life of San Antonio, San Antonio City Park, 12750 Oak St., April 30

/Relay for Life of Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel High, 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel, May 6

/Relay for Life of Lutz, Steinbrenner High, 5575 W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road in Lutz, May 13

By B.C. Manion

How to handle traffic on Gunn Highway may become one of the central issues as residents of Keystone and Odessa continue making plans to shape their Northwest Hillsborough communities.

The planning process began in December 2009, and stakeholders have attended 13 meetings to discuss the Keystone/Odessa area’s future, said Pedro Parra, project manager for the community plan update for the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission.

The planning commission is not pushing any particular plan, said Parra, who is a principal planner for the commission. But he said there are issues of density and intensity outside of the planning area that have created an increase in traffic through the area.

Unlike Lutz, Keystone doesn’t have US 41, North Dale Mabry Highway and the Veterans Expressway to handle the flow of motorists streaming through the community.

Instead, motorists coming from Pasco and Pinellas travel on Gunn Highway and Crawley, Patterson, Wayne and Boy Scout roads, Parra said.

The debate over whether Gunn Highway should be widened through Keystone is nothing new. It’s been raging for decades.

Some say the road needs to be widened for the safety of motorists.

Others say that widening it will only attract more traffic and will increase commercial pressures in an area that has tenaciously fought to maintain a rural quality of life.

The character of the area west of Gunn Highway has not changed much since the last community plan was adopted in 2001, Parra said. The development pattern there is generally large lots and tracts of environmentally sensitive land, he said.

On the east side of Gunn Highway, there are approved developments, he said.

Most of the pressures, however, are coming from Pasco and Pinellas counties, Parra said.

Barbara Dowling, a former member of the planning commission and a long-time Keystone advocate, said the issue essentially boils down to: “Do people want to keep the open spaces and star-filled nights or do they want it more commercialized, like Dale Mabry?”

If the community decides that a wider Gunn Highway is needed, Dowling wonders if it will significantly improve safety.

“The MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) told us — widen Gunn Highway and the traffic increases by 61 percent.”

She’s concerned that a wider road will lead to a bigger push for commercial development.

“Who wants to live on a four-lane road?” Dowling asked.

Although Keystone still has a rural tranquility treasured by many of its residents, not everyone who moves into the area shares that sentiment, Dowling said.

“Sometimes the people want to bring the city with them,” Dowling said.

Exploring ways to enhance traffic safety is just one of many issues that will be tackled in the community planning process, which is an ongoing process. A community open house on the plan is slated for June and the Hillsborough County Commission is expected to vote on the plan at the end of the year.

To learn more about the plan, go to www.theplanningcommission.org and click on Hillsborough, then click on community based planning and then Keystone-Odessa Community Plan.

Mom’s influence inspires Sam Meinke’s project

By Kyle LoJacono

Land O’ Lakes 14-year-old and Boy Scout Troop 3 member Sam Meinke defied the odds and became one of only a few to become an Eagle Scout.

Sam, a Land O’ Lakes High freshman, earned the rank March 5. Less than 2 percent of all boys who participate in boy scouting accomplish all that is required to become on Eagle Scout, according to Boy Scouts of America statistics.

“It’s something that will be with me for the rest of my life,” Sam said.

Kids have until their 18th birthday to earn the rank and many wait until they are 17 to finish the last requirements.

“He got it very young,” said Dan Benoit, who was Sam’s scout master for much of his time in the troop. “To be part of such a small percentage of kids who get it, and to do it so young, shows the kind of person he is. He’s a very determined person.”

Sam’s final achievement was completing his Eagle Scout project, which was building a recycling station for First United Methodist Church of Land O’ Lakes, 6209 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. In total, Sam and his volunteers put in 85 hours to finish the job.

“I wanted to do this project because I want to increase people’s knowledge of recycling,” Sam said. “My mom has always been big into recycling and let me know it’s important.”

Troop 3 meets at First United, which is also the church the Meinkes attend.

Sam’s journey toward Eagle started in third grade while attending Pine View Elementary. He joined the Cub Scouts, the youth branch of boy scouting. Sam said his father, Jeff, brought him to a meeting one day and he has been hooked ever since.

“He has always been a solid member of the troop,” Benoit said. “He started young and green like most of the boys, but then he flourished and fast became one of our leaders. He was just our senior patrol leader, which is the scout who leads the troop.”

Sam said scouting has helped him work with very different people and also with his organizational skills. His mother, Lise, has seen even greater growth in her son.

“It has built discipline in him,” Lise said. “In middle school at Pine View, he was one of just a couple kids who had straight As all the way through all three years. He’s in the IB program at Land O’ Lakes. I’ve always believed the discipline he built in scouting was a big reason for that.

“It’s helped build a foundation as a confident person as well,” Lise continued. “He’s had to give public presentations and take on leadership.”

Sam has earned 30 merit badges in Boy Scouts, but one stands out — backpacking.

As part of the backpacking badge, Sam and other members of the troop hiked on the Appalachian Trail where it begins in Georgia.

“I hadn’t even seen a mountain before that trip,” Sam said. “I’ll always remember it.”

For more information on scouting, visit www.boyscouting.com.

Group’s ownership transferred to members

By Kyle LoJacono

Each year, people pour into conference rooms to watch the best high school athletes sign their letters of intent to play in college, but a very different signing brought crowds to Zephyrhills.

Nearly 100 east Pasco County shuffleboard enthusiasts found their way to the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club (ZSC) Feb. 27 to witness the start of a new era. The ZSC, at 5207 Eighth St. in Zephyrhills, had been owned by member Bob Perkins, but he signed ownership of the building to the 127 in the group.

“I wanted to give the club back to its members,” Perkins said. “They’re the ones who enjoy it and use it, so it should be theirs. It was always my plan to give it to the members in my will, but I decided it would be easier on everyone if I did it now.”

The ZSC was formed April 4, 2007 when the building with the courts was bought by Perkins from the Tourist Club of Zephyrhills after the latter group had some financial problems. Perkins wanted to keep the shuffleboard courts open for all the members, so he took the economic risk.

“We, the members, were and still are extremely grateful,” said Chuck Moulton, ZSC treasurer. “His vision was for the club to always be maintained as a facility for shuffling even after he was no longer able to participate.”

Perkins, whose wife Diane was also at the signing, sad he still plays at the courts almost every day during the four months they winter in Zephyrhills. The rest of the year is spent in Wisconsin.

“We must be the luckiest shufflers in Florida,” Moulton said. “Not many people are as generous as Bob and Diane. Bob observed the need and was able to fulfill that need.”

After the club was formed nearly four years ago, the group’s membership increased and donations were collected to make improvements to the courts. One of the larger additions was coverings over all 16 of the ZSC’s courts.

“I think it looks much better than when we started in 2007,” Perkins said. “The hard work of the members has made it look so good. It’s really special to think that we were able to save it from closing and to see what it looks like today.”

Club membership is $45 per person or $75 per couple for one year, or $15 per month for more seasonal residents. There are no resident restrictions to join. The fee also includes membership to the Florida Shuffleboard Association.

The ZSC hosts many club, area, central district and state shuffleboard tournaments each year. It also has an exchange night with the Betmar Shuffleboard Club each Tuesday and Thursday night to create area competition and fun.

The club also has morning pickup games and relaxed play each afternoon during the winter months. There are also instructional programs for the winter season for both novice and advanced shufflers. For more information on the club, call (813) 779-9513 or visit www.zephyrhillsshuffle.com.

By B.C. Manion

Pasco County’s newest county commissioner doesn’t expect his constituents to agree with him on every issue.

Indeed, if they do, Henry Wilson said they should never vote for him again.

In fact, Wilson told members of the Pasco Alliance of Community Associations that he’s not even sure he will seek re-election when his term expires in roughly 3 1/2 years.

“Why did I get into politics?” Wilson said. “I was tired of being an armchair person.”

However, even since being elected on Nov. 10, he’s already learned this: “There’s a big difference between campaigning and governing.”

On the campaign trail, you can have all sorts of ideas. But ideas won’t get implemented without a majority vote by the board, he said. Wilson, a Republican, defeated Democratic incumbent Michael Cox last fall.

“We want to make Pasco County business-friendly,” Wilson said. “It’s been talked about a lot.”

Along those lines, the board has directed county staff to figure out what the county needs to do to bring impact fees to zero for industrial and commercial developers.

“We have enough retail. We have enough restaurants,” but the county needs more companies that will bring quality jobs to the county, he said.

He’s also aiming to help the county rid itself of its “business as usual” mentality.

The county needs to create process improvement teams, to take a fresh look at how things are done, Wilson told members of the alliance, an organization whose members include 75 of Pasco County’s homeowner associations, community development districts and condominium associations.

These “pit” crews should include people from other departments to help see things from a new perspective, he said.

“One of the biggest frustrations I hear about on a daily basis is the permitting process,” said Wilson, who advocates finding out what makes the process so difficult.

Wilson said he’d also like to see Pasco County do more to advertise itself, particularly in northern states.

The pitch could go something like: “You might be in three feet of snow, but here in Florida, it’s 80 degrees,” he said.

“We need tourism to help us,” Wilson said.

The county also needs a broader economic base.

“For far too long the county has relied too heavily on residential impact fees,” Wilson said. “We need to diversify what we have.”

Wilson said there’s also a need for civil discourse.

“I don’t have all of the answers. You don’t have all of the answers, either. We need to work together.”

“We’re not going to agree on everything,” Wilson said. But he added, “You’ll know where I’m coming from. I tell you what I believe. I don’t sugarcoat things.”

At the same time, when he’s wrong, he wants people to tell him he’s wrong and then present information to help him better understand the issue.

In some cases, he might change his mind, he said.

Some people may call that “being a flip-flopper,” he said.

“I call it being open-minded,” he added.

People need to stay informed, not only by reading the newspaper or listening to the media or talking to their neighbors or relatives — but by doing all of those things, Wilson said.

And when they vote, they need to find the right person to support — regardless of the candidate’s political affiliation, Wilson added.

Wilson also took questions from the crowd, including one about the county’s proposal that would temporarily slash or eliminate impact fees, including one which pays for new school construction.

He said county commissioners and school board members plan to meet to discuss that issue.

“The schools are not projected to build a school for 10 years, so why do they need an impact fee?” Wilson said.

Wilson said his biggest concern is that he doesn’t know what the school district’s fund balance is, or how much it actually needs.

“We need transparency for everything,” Wilson said.

If the district can’t support going to zero, he wants to know what it can support.

Wilson was also asked to talk about what has been the most surprising thing to him since he took office.

“My biggest surprise? How set in the way people are. “We do it this way. We’ve always done it that way.’“

His other biggest surprise is the lack of cross-training in the county. He said more workers need to have the ability to perform multiple job functions. Many employees are approaching retirement and the county needs to be sure that it doesn’t allow all of the knowledge they’ve built up to walk out the door with them, Wilson said.

Screenings key to success rate

By Kyle LoJacono

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related death for men and women in the United States, surprising considering how treatable it is if caught early.

“That’s really the sad thing is about 90 percent of the people who have colorectal cancer can be cured if it is discovered before it can spread,” said Dr. Barry Frank, gastroenterologist with Florida Medical Clinic. “Once it spreads, the death rate increases tremendously. About 60 percent of the people who die from colorectal cancer could have been cured, but it was found too late.”

Frank said there are about 150,000 new cases of the disease each year, affecting both men and women.

“There is a misconception that only men get colorectal cancer,” Frank said. “That’s not the case at all.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics report 142,672 people were diagnosed with the disease in 2007 in the United States, the most recent figures available. Of those, 72,755 were men, while 69,917 were women.

The same records show 53,219 people died from colorectal cancer in 2007. Of those, 27,004 were men and 26,215 were women.

The CDC statistics show that African Americans have the highest incidence rate of colorectal cancer, followed by Caucasians. Native Americans had the lowest rate.

Frank said the medical world still does not know for sure what causes colorectal cancer.

“We know that eating a lot of red meat may increase the chance of getting it,” Frank said. “We also know that eating a lot of fiber can help to reduce the chance. Anything else is kind of still a guess.”

Frank said the most important thing in preventing the disease is to get regular screenings.

“We are very lucky here because the screenings are very available and they do save lives,” Frank said. “We can go in and remove a polyp before it progresses, effectively preventing colorectal cancer. If it has progressed to cancer, but hasn’t spread, we can easily see that in the colonoscopy and treat it.”

The CDC’s website agrees with Frank.

“Colorectal cancer screening saves lives,” the CDC website states. “Screening can find precancerous polyps — abnormal growths in the colon or rectum — so that they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads to a cure. About nine out of every 10 people whose colorectal cancer is found early and treated are still alive five years later.”

March has been deemed National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to spread the word about how screenings save lives.

A normal person without a first-degree relative who hasn’t had colorectal cancer should start getting colonoscopies at age 50, and then every 10 years after that, according to both Frank and the CDC. If someone has one or more first-degree relatives who have had the disease, they should talk with their doctor about possibly starting earlier and having them done more often.

“Of the people who should get screened, only about 45 percent will,” Frank said. “Some are afraid of what the doctor will find, some are embarrassed and some are afraid of pain. There is no pain from a colonoscopy and there shouldn’t be any embarrassment. Everyone over the age of 50 should be getting them regularly.”

Along with traditional screenings, Pasco Regional Medical Center in Dade City is giving away free home screenings for the month. The home-based test detects blood being passed, even if it is too small an amount to see, within two minutes.

Susan Frimmel, Pasco Regional spokeswoman, said the goal is to get people in the area accustomed to getting screenings. If the test detects blood, the person should see his or her doctor for further screenings.

Anyone can request a home-based test by calling (352) 521-1100 or by visiting the facility at 13100 Fort King Road.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes — and their owners — are welcome at a weekend event

By Elizabeth Gwilt

The second annual Bark Fest at the dog park on Collier Parkway will provide an array of activities for pets and owners alike.

The event, which will be Saturday, March 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature vendors selling everything from dog toys to food. Donations from attendees and vendors will go to the local SPCA.

Ruth Ann Collins, the recreation leader at the Land O’ Lakes complex, says that the purpose behind Bark Fest is twofold.

“Besides raising funds for SPCA, we want the public to know that there is a dog park in Land O’ Lakes, and that it’s a great place to bring your entire family,” Collins said.

Bark Fest is in two different sections of the dog park, with areas for both small and larger animals. A variety of demonstrations, a mobile vaccination center and the dog and disc Frisbee competition qualifier will also be headlining attractions.

“We wanted to provide a variety of activities; it’s going to be bigger and better than last year’s, which was already a fabulous success,” Collins said.

This year, more vendors and demonstrations will make their way to the dog park, such as the grooming demonstration, a crowd favorite.

Collins asks anyone willing to donate, whether it’s pet items or money, to stop by the festival. “Bark Fest is sure to be a fun time, and I encourage everyone to come out and spend some time with your pets in the fresh air.”

Lorey Tinti, an attendee at last year’s Bark Fest, said she can’t wait for the upcoming event.

“I’m absolutely going to Bark Fest again; it’s just such a great event that the community can all go to together,” Tinti said.

Tinti went with her beagle-hound mix, Trooper, after she heard about plans for the festival. “I loved watching Trooper interact with the other dogs,” she said. “But the speed tail wagging and howling contests were fun to watch too.”

Tinti said that she would like to see more dogs be taken home after this year’s Bark Fest. “I hope people will adopt even more pets this year. There were so many wonderful dogs last year that deserve homes.”

Tasha Hyder, who organized the first Bark Fest before Collins took over, agrees with Tinti.

“Although last year was a great success, I would love to see more of the dogs get adopted, as well as raising more money for SPCA,” Hyder said.

Bark Fest raised $500 and three huge bags of pet supplies last year, but Hyder said that she would love the donations to reach $5,000.

Hyder, who now lives in Jacksonville, is making the trip to Tampa in order to go to the festival.

“I’m so happy how successful it’s been after only one year. I was shocked, since I was only expecting 200 or so people, but over 1,000 showed up.”

Tinti, along with several hundred other dog lovers, are expected to spend their Saturday at the Collier Parkway dog park. “If you have a dog, want to adopt a dog or just like being around dogs, then I strongly encourage you to come,” Tinti said.
The dog park is located at 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.