The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Gardening

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By B.J. Jarvis

Pasco Extension Horticulturist and Director

Summer heat seems to have settled in and gardens may be looking a little rough around the edges. There are a few simple things you can do to help your garden cope with the dog days of summer.

MULCH

Mulch is a garden workhorse, providing numerous benefits. While it will help keep the soil cooler in the summer, it also insulates roots during the winter. Mulch also helps suppress weeds and those that do pop up are usually easier to pull. In addition to providing an overall finished look to the garden, mulch will decompose over time improving the typically poor, sandy soils in the area.

Mulch does a wonderful job of retaining available moisture. Reduce heat stress by applying a two to three-inch layer of mulch on the root ball. Mulch from wood chips or leaves/needles are better than rock or rubber. These materials can actually increase soil temperatures in summer and certainly don’t improve the soil.

RAIN GAUGE

Purchase an inexpensive rain gauge and install. This one act will help you know how much rain your plants have received. Always make sure automatic rain shut-off devices are functioning properly to avoid water waste and minimize the chances of fungus on lawns and ornamentals.

PLANT REPLACEMENT

If you need a few new plants to liven up the garden, there are many that can really take the heat! Along with the faithful standbys of Vinca and Pentas, consider some of the newer hybrids.

–Angelonia’s purple, pink or white flowers can take full sun, has few pest problems and will survive a “normal” winter. If you have a green thumb, Angelonias are also easy to propagate from cuttings.

–Gaillardia, or blanket flower, is full of summer color. Hybridizing has produced some intense color combinations, usually in yellow and oranges. Some new introductions have unique ruffled flower petals and really dazzle in the garden.

–Bulbine is one hot “new” plant. This succulent, short-hand for a plant that prefers sun and needs little water, is a clumper reaching no more than about 18-inches tall yet covered with lots of yellow and orange flowers. Although graceful it is quite sturdy.

–If you like it hot, food that is, consider adding the edible ornamental pepper. Peppers are surprisingly durable in the hot summer sun, can have attractive foliage and have a spectacular display of bright orange, yellow and red fruit that lasts for weeks.

For more information about plants that perform in Florida, visit the University of Florida’s trial garden Web site, http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/floriculture/trialgardens/. It is loaded with pictures and results from several years of testing both winter and warmer weather plants.

-B.J. Jarvis is Horticulture Agent and Extension Director of the Pasco Cooperative Extension Service, a part of the University of Florida and Pasco County government. She can be reached at .

Commentary

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By Randall Grantham

Community Columnist

I wrote a while back about the growing irrelevance of the yellow pages, specifically, and phone books in general. Another larger phenomena of our increasingly technological Internet driven wireless world is the demise of books completely.

Now, I don’t think that will actually happen because I don’t think that curling up on the couch or in a hammock with a Kindle or an I-Pad will replace the comfort of doing that with a good book. Although the back lighting of those high-tech widgets would be appreciated at times, the glare on the screen from the sunshine at your island resort would make it hard to read.

I read in the paper that at one local school, history books are history, along with books on all the other subjects. Clearwater High School is going book-free. Although the up-front cost of these e-books would seem to be a concern, officials estimate an overall savings based on the reduced prices for electronic versions of the textbooks the students must now buy.

Plus, they offer magazines, newspapers and on-line access to educational websites. Educational sites only! They’re making the kids promise (good luck with that). The students surveyed say that it makes reading and learning easier and more fun.

The elimination of books is really not too much of a surprise, I guess. The legal profession, long epitomized by huge law libraries full of dusty tomes to be consulted by a wizened old man has pretty much been book free for years. Although I was trained in legal research, literally, “by the book,” attorneys that graduated 10 or even 15 years ago have no idea how to do research without the internet. They wouldn’t know where to begin researching a legal question with books.

When my old law firm split up, I, being the skilled negotiator that I am, hammered out a deal to keep the majority of our library as part of the division of assets. Although we were a small firm, thousands of dollars had been invested in accumulating Florida law books and legal reporters.

When we moved to smaller quarters last month, with no room to store the now useless volumes, I found what a grand bargain I had struck. We could not even give them away, much less sell them. The only thing they were good for was to use as a backdrop for lawyer advertisements. I had to pay somebody to haul the books off. The good news is that they were recycled and can now be put to a good use, but apparently not as schoolbooks.

The worst part of losing the physical book from our society is that we will no longer have reference points for all those sayings we’ve come up with over the years. What do you mean, “The judge threw the book at him?” Since we will no longer be able to do things “by the book,” will we have to do them by the URL? A man’s “little black book” with girls’ names, numbers and stats, has already been replaced by his contacts on a cell phone.

Even without books, some sayings containing the word will retain their meaning, for at least another generation or so. Like, “Book him, Dano.”

We can do without books, but we can’t do without reading. If cutting edge technology in our schools will encourage kids to read, I’m all for it. If it saves money in the process, that’s just gravy on the cake, as the saying goes.

Tennis not just for the young in Zephyrhills

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Players come from around Tampa Bay to Zephyr Park

By Kyle LoJacono

Each Thursday night people from Pasco and north Hillsborough counties make their way to play tennis at Zephyr Park in Zephyrhills.

“We don’t really care that much about who wins and loses as long as we all have fun,” Randy Bahr, 52, said. “It’s exciting and I love to play tennis with everyone out here.”

Randy Bahr has played tennis since he attended Zephyrhills High.

Bahr, who moved to Zephyrhills as a child in 1969, won the most recent Zephyrhills city tennis session. He received a new tennis racket for being the reigning champion.

“I used the same racket I used in high school for about 30 years, but now I got this nice new one,” Bahr said. “…We have a lot of good players that come out and I’m not the best. Not a chance.”

Bahr said he started playing tennis because he grew up on C Avenue within sight of the courts in Zephyr Park. He played tennis at Zephyrhills High at its previous location, which is currently Raymond B. Stewart Middle. Bahr was also part of the first graduating class of the present high school in 1975.

Rick Black, who also moved to the city in 1969, was a few years ahead of Bahr in school, but the two did play together on the Bulldogs tennis team. Black, 55, attended his first night of tennis for the first time in several years May 27.

“When me and Randy played there were just two black asphalt tennis courts with chicken wire around them,” Black said looking at the five courts available at Zephyr Park today.

The Thursday night league goes from 6 to 8 p.m. and is mostly for men, but several of the stronger women also play then.

“Most of the guys hit a lot harder than the ladies, so we have ladies night each Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m.” said Karl Hinkle, director of tennis for the city of Zephyrhills since 2007. “Basically everything we do with the guys we do with the ladies too on Tuesday. A couple (players) from the high school girls team come out Thursday.”

Those two are Sarah Vande Berg and Amber Morgenstern. Vande Berg was the Bulldogs No. 1 player last year and will be a junior next school year. Morgenstern just graduated from Zephyrhills and was No. 3 on the squad in 2010.

Each week Hinkle gives instruction to the group and then puts them through a number of competitions. Winners accumulate points and whoever has the most at the end of the eight-week session is declared the champion.

“We give out small prizes to whoever has the most points at the end of the night,” Hinkle said. “Sometimes it’s grips, sometimes it’s a can of balls. At the end of the session they get something a little bigger for being the winner. Randy got that new racket.”

Hinkle is a former United States Professional Tennis Association coach and instructed at Saddlebrook in Wesley Chapel, Lake Jovita in Dade City and at Cheval in Lutz.

“We have a bunch of good players here in east Pasco and we get people from all over coming out,” Hinkle said. “They come from Land O’ Lakes and north Hillsborough too. They are a bunch of good guys and young ladies that have a great time each week. People should just come out and watch how much fun people have. They don’t have to be an expert of anything.”

Josh Thakrar, 52, lives in New Tampa and came out to the men’s night for the first time May 27. Thakrar said he has played on synthetic clay courts in the past, but never on hard courts like the ones at Zephyr Park.

“My friend Todd Vande Berg told me about it and I thought it would be fun,” Thakrar said. “I’m having a good time even though I’m new to it.”

Todd is Sarah’s father and the city’s director of development. He makes it out to the men’s league regularly.

Those interested in playing in either the Thursday or Tuesday night session should call Hinkle at (813) 679-9728 or e-mail him so he knows how many players to plan for. Each night is $10 per person, or players can pay for the entire eight-week session at once for $50.

2 Hot 2 Handle wins Lutz Leaguerettes Pigtail Division

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Family, friends and softball come together in memorable year

By Kyle LoJacono

The 2010 Lutz Leaguerettes spring slow pitch Pigtail Division champion is team 2 Hot 2 Handle.

The team also finished second in all of Hillsborough County and had four county all stars representatives. While all the players and coaches are excited about their accomplishments, it was a little bit sweeter for two families – the Zambitos and the Cuervos.

Team 2 Hot 2 Handle after winning the Lutz Leaguerettes Pigtail Division.

“I’ve coached in the Pigtails Division for seven years now,” said 2 Hot 2 Handle coach Frank Zambito. “…They are a very well-rounded team. We had great defense when we needed it, but they were primarily a hitting team. Everyone contributed.”

The team finished the season 24-3, which gave them the Lutz pigtails crown. Girls in the division are between 10 and 13-years-old.

Frank, 45, has coached all four of his daughters in the league and his youngest, Kellie, was a member of the 2010 squad. The coach said Kellie, 12, has almost grown up on a softball field watching her older sisters.

“It’s always more fun when you win and when your team is nice,” said Kellie, who is a sixth grader at Martinez Middle. “It was so much fun because everyone got along on the team and a lot of us knew each other from school. We knew we could win every game as long as we tried our best.”

Kellie plays first base and said she loves playing softball. She plans to continue to play for many more seasons.

“It has been special to coach all of my daughters and it’s nice when they can win the division,” Frank said. “My twins won pigtails a couple years ago too…I’ve loved coaching all the players and it was great to see how much they’ve grown this season.”

Sisters Lauren and Hailey Cuervo were also members of 2 Hot 2 Handle, as was their cousin Gina Klare.

“It was really fun to play with them,” Hailey, 11, said of playing with her sister and cousin. “We got to have sleepovers after games and have fun playing softball.”

The Cuervos’ mother Karen, who is the league’s secretary and director of fundraising, said siblings are always placed on the same team if they are in the same division, but does not guarantee other relatives will be grouped together.

“Players are drafted before the season and we asked if Gina could be on the same team as Lauren and Hailey because we were her main source of transportation to the field,” Karen said. “The league was good enough to make that happen.”

Lutz Leaguerettes break each season into three parts. To win the division a team has to have the most wins in two of the three portions. The team managed to take home the division title by winning its last 10 straight games.

Lutz Leaguerettes teams play at Oscar Cooler Sports Complex on W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road and players come primarily from Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Odessa. The Lutz division had nine teams this spring and each squad had between 11 and 13 players.

Hillsborough has five locations for Leaguerettes leagues. The Lutz complex is one of the larger facilities, but other fields are in Temple Terrace, north Tampa, Town ‘N’ Country and Brandon. Lutz hosted the county tournament in May, where Frank said his favorite moment of the season happened.

“I would have to say one of the most memorable occasions was when Gina Klare (catcher) tried all year to catch a foul ball and when she did the entire team surrounded her and hugged her,” Frank said. “The smile on her face said it all.”

Catcher Gina Klare during one of team 2 Hot 2 Handle's games this year.

The team came up one win short of the county championship, but 2 Hot 2 Handle still sent four representatives to Hillsborough’s all-star tournament in Temple Terrace. Those who made the county team include second baseman Mackenzie Tate, pitcher Jasmin Trent, shortstop and outfielder Destiny Aplin and shortstop and third baseman Madison Reinhard.

Lauren, who also attends Martinez with her sister, said her favorite memory from the season was avenging a loss.

“We played a team in Brandon and lost, but we came back and beat them by 11 runs,” Lauren, 12, said. “That felt great because we didn’t lose many games this year, so it was great to come back and beat them.”

Lauren plays in the outfield and also caught for 2 Hot 2 Handle.

Hailey, third base, said her favorite moment was making a diving catch on a line drive in fair territory to end an inning. Kellie said she also likes making sliding catches, but could not remember any one in particular.

Lutz Leaguerettes has several summer softball camps in June, July and August and will start registration for its fall season Aug. 2. For more information on the league, visit www.lutzleaguerettes.com.

Land O’ Lakes residents return from nationals

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By Kyle LoJacono

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Women’s National Championship had four participants who frequent Royal Lanes in Land O’ Lakes this year — Betty Strickland, Cat Carson, Char Roush and Barb Douchett.

The four Land O’ Lakes and Lutz residents were joined by Strickland’s daughter, Robyn Geiger. The group recently returned from competing in the tournament in El Paso, Texas. Strickland said it is about the 20th time she has competed in nationals.

Betty Strickland, 80, recently competed in the USBC Women’s National Championship with four other women from the Lutz and Land O’ Lakes area.

“It is huge for us to go to each year,” Strickland, 80, said. “It’s a great time for us to get together to bowl and go to different places.”

Strickland said it was not the best conditions for good scores in El Paso.

“They flooded the lanes with oil and no one could score,” said Strickland, who has lived in Land O’ Lakes her whole life. “It was easier to score if you can throw the ball hard, but I’m 80-years-old now and I don’t have the zip on it anymore.”

Strickland said her best scratch series, which is the total score of three games, was 511 for an average of just more than 170. She said the others were also not pleased with their scores, but enjoyed the chance to see the sights around the city.

“One thing we really liked about the trip was this ranch that had all kinds of animals and food out in the middle of nowhere,” Strickland said. “I don’t remember the name but they had great food and a bin with rattlesnakes in them. That was a little strange but kind of fun too.”

Carson, 62, is usually Strickland’s partner at local and regional tournaments. She was taking a bit of a break from bowling because she was angry with her recent performances, but has said she enjoys playing the game with Strickland and the various events.

The national event moves to different locations each year and included 5,863 teams of at least two people in 2010, according to the USBC. Participants’ ages ranged from teenagers to those closer to 100-years-old. Next year’s tournament will be at Syracuse, N.Y. and the five women have already signed up.

The women do not just play in state and national tournaments. They also bowl several times a week at Royal Lanes, 1927 Brinson Road in Land O’ Lakes. Strickland bowls every weekday and plays as many as 10 games during the busy winter season.

“They are all just fun people to be around,” said Kathy Umsted, who works the front desk at Royal Lanes. “They are all here most of the time and it’s weird if one of them stays home. We notice. Betty usually comes up and gives me a big hug when she comes in and when she leaves. They’re great people.”

Bob Farinas, the alley’s manager, previously said of Strickland, “The best way to describe her is she is really just part of the family here. She gets along with everyone on the staff and is friends with the kids and the older folks.”

Strickland said her average for the year was 177, which is down from the 180 score she had in the past. She has also thrown a 300 game Jan. 9, 2006 at Royal Lanes. She has a ring to remember the accomplishment.

“One thing people should know is anyone can bowl,” Strickland said. “I didn’t start until the (1970s) bowling regularly and I still managed to have a 300 game. It just takes a passion for the game and a drive to want to get better.”

Check this out

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Allen picks Charleston Southern

Pasco High kicker and punter Brennan Allen will walk on at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina and should receive a scholarship after one season, according to Pirates coach Tom McHugh.Brennan Allen

Allen had also received an offer to play at Georgia Southern University and considered attending Wisconsin Lutheran College.

As a kicker he had 37 touchbacks on 55 kickoff attempts with a long of 72 yards in 2009. Allen accounted for 61 of the Pirates 331 points last year, making seven field goals and 40 extra points. He also averaged nearly 35 yards per punt attempt.

Land O’ Lakes Thunder baseball

The Land O’ Lakes Thunder U8 travel baseball team is hosting open practices for the 2010 fall season from 6 to 8 p.m. June 15 and 17 and from 4 to 6 p.m. June 19 at field No. 3 at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center on Collier Parkway.

Thunder players come from central Pasco and northern Hillsborough county and must not turn 9-years-old before May 1, 2011.

For more information, call Thunder coach Ron Roberts at (813) 335-5929 or e-mail him at . Those interested can also call (727) 224-6199 or e-mail .

Sellers to Wisconsin Lutheran

Pasco High linebacker and fullback Chase Sellers has signed a letter of intent to play at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Sellers had the third most tackles for the Pirates (9-2) with 60 last season. He also had eight and a half sacks, one interception and one recovered fumble as a senior for Pasco.

The Pirates defensive allowed 13.3 points per game and won a division title for the third straight year in 2009.

Steinbrenner wrestling camps

Steinbrenner High wrestling coach Paul Noble will lead several camps throughout June at the school for children ages 6 to 17.

The sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to noon and are June 15 to 17 (cost $35), June 21 to 24 (cost $50) and June 28 to July 1 (cost $50). Each camper receives a T-shirt and will compete in a tournament at the end of the session.

Noble has coached three state champion wrestlers, while also guiding past squads to five conference and three district championship. He also wrestled at Northeast Missouri University. Ryan Joyce, Steinbrenner assistant, will also coach the campers.

“We would really like to encourage any youngster that is interested in wrestling to come and learn,” Noble said.

For more information or to register, call Noble at (813) 478-1148 or e-mail him at .

Wiregrass Ranch basketball camps

Wiregrass Ranch High will host three summer basketball camps in June. Bulls boys basketball coach Jeremy Calzone and girls basketball coach Greg Finkel will lead the four-day sessions.

The sessions are June 14 to 17, June 21 to 24 and June 28 to July 1. The cost is $120 per week or $330 for all three. The price includes a T-shirt, individual instruction, fundamental stations, full court drills and daily contests.

For more information or to learn how to register, call either coach at (813) 346-6000.

Impact golf and tennis camps

Quail Ridge Golf and Country Club, located at the corner of SR 52 and Shady Hills Road, will host two Impact summer camps this year.

The first is a training course for golf and tennis players ages 5 to 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The four-day session is $160, or $85 for four half days. To register, visit www.brentwellmanimpacttraining.com.

The second course is a summer tennis and fitness camp for high school and advanced players from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The four-day course is $110. For more information, call (727) 919-2011 or e-mail .

Basketball camp in Land O’ Lakes

Tampa Tech High basketball coach Shaun Haggerty is directing his second annual summer basketball camp from 8:30 a.m. to noon June 21 to 25 at the Land O’ Lakes High gym.

The camp is for boys and girls ages 6 to 14 and offers basic and advanced training. Children will be grouped according to age and skill levels.

The first 50 campers will receive a free camp T-shirt. The camp is $50 if registered before June 12 and $60 if registered after.

To register, visit www.shepherdoflakes.com or call at (813) 401-9135.

-All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches as June 3. Kyle LoJacono can be reached at or (813) 909-2800.

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Athlete of the week

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Lindsay Arnold to run with the Bulls

Zephyrhills High senior Lindsay Arnold has accepted a scholarship to run track at the University of South Florida (USF).

Arnold was the Class 3A, District 7 champion in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles. She reached states in both events and was the 3A runner-up in the 100 with a time of 14.52 seconds. She also played volleyball and was on the cheerleading squad for the Bulldogs.

Arnold graduated ninth in her class June 4 and will start at USF this fall.

Reds bring home district 25 title

The Land O’ Lakes Little League Reds junior boys baseball team won the Florida District 25 championship May 25 against Lutz 9-6. The Reds finished the regular season 12-3 and includes boys from Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and Wesley Chapel.

Seen is the team after the championship. From left back row are coach Jeff Cornelius, Tristan Hart, coach Carlos Jaramillo, Zach Howard, Zach Scranton, Kevin Rodriquez Tyler Schultz and coach Jay Scranton. From left front row are Wade Daniels, Parker Jagert, Radamez Delgado, Joel Jaramillo and Jackson Cornelius. Not pictured Emilio Batista.

Eastside 8 team up again to fight childhood hunger

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By Kyle LoJacono

The eight Rotary clubs of central and east Pasco County will donate at least 400 baskets of food to needy children for the summer break from school.
The clubs, which are collectively called the Eastside 8, also donated 400 food baskets during the winter break so families could have a special holiday dinner.

From left are Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel members George Schwappach, Dionne Vlk and George Vlk as they pack bags of holiday dinners.

“It really comes down to need,” said Randy Gailit, Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes president. “After the Christmas food baskets, we learned that we were looking at only the tip of the iceberg. A lot more people are in need than we thought and we got a lot of special thank-you cards, so we wanted to be part of it again.
“We started discussing having another food drive right after the holiday one, so it’s been in the works for four or five months now,” Gailit added.
The Eastside 8 include the Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes, the Rotary Club of San Antonio and the two rotary clubs in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Dade City. The baskets will be put together at 9 a.m. June 5 at Shepard Park, located at the intersection of US 301 at A Avenue in Zephyrhills.
“The whole point is to get the clubs together for community support,” said George Vlk, Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel president. “The clubs always are doing charitable things in the community, but we wanted to join forces.”
The food goes to children in public schools who usually get free or reduced priced lunches, which includes more than 50 percent of the students in Pasco. The clubs are still looking for donations to fill more food baskets. The food stays within each of the five communities. To donate to any of the area clubs see the box below.
“There’s so much that needs to be done in our communities,” said Mike Wooten, assistant governor of Rotarian area 8 and member of the Zephyrhills daybreak club. “The motto of Rotary is ‘service above self,’ so the clubs do a lot of service in the area.”

From left are Rotarians Dale Yates, assistant governor Mike Wooten and Charlie Wilkinson of Rotary Club of Zephyrhills Daybreak as they pack bags of food during last winter’s Eastside 8 food drive. (File photos)

Area 8 includes the two clubs in Zephyrhills and Dade City and Wooten, who lives in Wesley Chapel, acts as an assistant to the organizations.
The schools decide who is in most need of the donations so the families can stay anonymous. The food will be dropped off at the various schools June 7 and 8 and then given to the families later that week.
The winter food drive was designed to give the families one large meal, but the summer edition will include food children can make for themselves for two weeks. Each will include items like peanut butter and jelly, various canned foods and crackers.
In Land O’ Lakes, the baskets will go to Sanders Memorial and Lake Myrtle Elementary schools and Charles S. Rushe and Pine View middle schools.
“We wanted to keep it with the younger kids because we thought they would be in a more helpless situation at home,” Gailit said. “Those are the kids who will benefit the most from easy-to-prepare foods.”
Vlk said the Wesley Chapel club would be giving to the town’s elementary schools, which include New River, Double Branch, Quail Hollow, Sand Pine, Seven Oaks, Veterans, Watergrass and Wesley Chapel.
Rotary began in 1905 and currently has about 1.2 million members. Several of those in leadership positions in the Eastside 8 clubs received similar help growing up.
Wooten said his father died when he was 12 and his junior high school allowed him to do small chores in the cafeteria in exchange for lunch each day.
“They knew I needed it and I got to work for it.” Wooten said. “It wasn’t until when I was an adult that I realized how much that helped me.”
Gailit said he grew up with government assistance.
“I got similar help, so I’m familiar with how much it helps needy families,” Gailit said. “Children have no control over their family situation and many really need some help. Most people don’t realize that plight and we could use more donations to help more families.”
The Eastside 8 have no current plans to do any more combined events except for the holiday food drive later this year, but Wooten expects that to change.
“As of the beginning of July the eight clubs will have new presidents and I think they will continue the food drives for sure,” Wooten said. “I see us doing more collaboration. Together we can make a bigger footprint than we can alone.”

How to help the Eastside 8 food drive
— Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes, (813) 918-3027,
— Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise, (813) 907-7990, www.wesleychapelrotary.com
— Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, www.rotaryclubofwesleychapel.com
— Rotary Club of Zephyrhills Daybreak, www.zephyrhillsrotary.org
— Noon Rotary Club of Zephyrhills P.O. Box 1234 Zephyrhills, FL 33539,
— Rotary Club of Dade City Sunrise, (352) 797-0638, www.dadecitysunriserotary.org
— The Rotary Club of Dade City, dadecity-rotary-club.org

Going for Eagle Scout at just 13-years-old

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Alex Pereira needs help to fix Lutz Cemetery

By Kyle LoJacono

Lutz 13-year-old and Academy at the Lakes seventh grader Alex Pereira wants to be the youngest Eagle Scout in Boy Scout Troop 12 history, but needs a little help finishing his project.

Alex Pereira with scoutmaster Dan O’Dea after Troop 12’s court of honor in January. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Pereira)

Alex’s plan is to fix the section of the Lutz Cemetery known as Babyland. The section is on the corner of one of the driving paths in the cemetery, located at the corner of US 41 and Fifth Avenue N.E. The section was surrounded by marble blocks, but during the years pieces have cracked, been lost or even run over.
“I want to clean up the baby section and make it nice because a lot of the Lutz babies are buried there and I think it should be in better shape,” Alex said. “…It looks like people are driving over one corner of Babyland and I don’t want people driving over the graves.”
Besides replacing the missing and cracked marble, Alex plans on installing a six-foot pole to mark the corner of the section so people cannot run over it any more. He will also be weeding the ground and doing some light landscaping.
“I think it’s a wonderful project,” Brenda said. “The cemetery needs a lot of help…When I saw the baby section it was heartbreaking to see that people have been driving over the graves.”

Babyland at the Lutz Cemetery

“I heard it would be a good project from Joey Vars,” Alex said.
Vars was the last scout from the troop to earn his Eagle Scout award and also did his final project at the cemetery. Each scout needs to complete a large service project in order to achieve the rank.
Of the 60 Eagle Scouts in Troop 12 history, Jack Herridge is the youngest ever for the Lutz troop at 14-years-old. Alex will turn 14 July 17.
“I keep track of the ages of the boys coming before our board in Tocobaga District,” said Bob Jackson, Tocobaga District Eagle Board of Review Chairman for the last eight years. “For the past four years right at 75 percent of the eagle candidates coming before the board turned 18 before their (Eagle Scout) board of review.
“The youngest we have seen was 13, and I think we have had three of those during my tenure as chair,” continued Jackson, who lives in Lutz.
The district includes scouts in all of Tampa and much of north Hillsborough County, including Lutz and Odessa. Scouts can be 18-years-old during their final board of review, which is an interview where the scout talks with district representatives to see if he is ready for the rank. Certain scout requirements make it nearly impossible to be an Eagle Scout younger than 13.
Alex said of trying to be the youngest Eagle Scout from the troop, “When I heard about the record I thought it would be a good thing to try and break. It would cool for people to say Alex Pereira is the youngest Eagle Scout from Troop 12.”
That competitive drive is in line with Alex’s character.
“He likes to stand out,” said Alex’s father Andrew. “His great-grandfather got his Eagle Scout in either 1931 or 1932 from (Troop 38) in Tampa. I hung his eagle certificate on his wall so he knew. I guess you could say he’s trying to compete within the family.”
Andrew said he was in scouting for a little more than a year, but did not go very far into the program.
While Alex’s drive is strong, he has hit a snag. He originally thought the project would cost about $800, but when he went to get estimates it was double that for the marble. Alex has been selling popcorn at the Publix Super Markets at the apex of US 41 and N. Nebraska Avenue in Lutz and near his school in Land O’ Lakes.
“He’s been one of our leaders from the start and we’d love to see him get the rank before he turns 14,” said Troop 12 scoutmaster Dan O’Dea. “There’s got to be people in the community who have people buried in the cemetery that might want to help with the expenses. We’d like to get him some community support.”

To send tax deductible donations
Make checks payable to Troop 12 Inc. and mail to:
Troop 12
504 Brooktree Court
Lutz, FL 33548
Indicate in the notes the check is for Alex’s Eagle Scout project

Zephyrhills man named southwest water management chair

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By Kyle LoJacono

Ronald E. Oakley has been on the Southwest Florida Water Management District governing board since 2007 and he was named the organization’s chair May 25.

Ronald E. Oakley

“It’s a very humbling position,” Oakley said of being elected chair. “It’s a great organization with great people and you get to work with the public to make things better for everyone. It’s very rewarding to be able to protect our natural resources.”
Oakley was elected unanimously by his peers on the 13-person board and will serve as chair until March 1, 2011, according to district spokesperson Robyn Felix.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Oakley to the board in 2007 to serve a four-year term. He has previously served as the board’s treasurer and vice chair. Oakley is also co-chair of the Withlacoochee River Basic Board, which is part of the district, according to Felix.
“Our biggest concern now is protecting our natural resources in the district,” Oakley said. “We want to protect our waterways and we oversee Tampa Bay Water, which provides water to most of Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
“We also set water restrictions during droughts,” Oakley continued,” We’ve been in a drought for the last 48 months. The water shortage is getting better with the wet winter we had, but it’s still a concern for the board.”
Oakley owns several citrus groves across east Pasco under the name Oakley Groves Inc., raises cattle in the county and owns a trucking company that transports liquid food. His experience growing food allows him see both the farmer’s and the public’s needs for water.
“One of the big issues we’ve been working with is pumping water to crops during freezes like we had this winter,” Oakley said. “There was the big concern in Plant City to protect the strawberries this year and all the pumping created a sink hole problem and people didn’t have water.
“It was 11 days of frost-freeze conditions, which is very strange and we are looking at how to deal with that problem if it happens again,” Oakley added.
The district covers all or parts of 16 counties from Levy and Marion counties in the north to Charlotte County in the south. It includes all of Hillsborough and Pasco and Oakley is the representative for his home county.
The Florida Legislature originally created the organization in 1961. Some of its duties include flood control, regulation of water use and wetland protection.
Oakley grew up in east Pasco and graduated from Pasco High. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Carson-Newman College in Tennessee.
Members of the governing board are unpaid and “come from all walks of life,” according to Oakley. He said some of the members are in the real estate industry, others are city council members and some, like himself, are involved with agriculture.
“They are very representative of the public and are great people to work with,” Oakley said.
Oakley is also the director of Florida Traditions Bank in Dade City and is a licensed real estate broker.
“I’m excited to continue to work to protect our natural resources and water supply for all of Pasco County and the entire district,” Oakley said. “It’s not a position I take lightly and I will do my best at it.”