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The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Zephyrhills man keeps patchwork of Pearl Harbor memories

December 7, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Tammy Sue Struble

A woman who responded to a “We Buy Military Photos, Uniforms” advertisement helped Zephyrhills collector John Bolender obtain some first-hand memorabilia from a day that lives in infamy in American history.

Clyde Daughtry

Chief Warrant Officer Clyde Daughtry spent 27 years in the Navy, according to the contents of his footlocker that Bolender now keeps at East 54 Mini Storage in Zephyrhills, where he has a room stuffed with military memorabilia. On Dec. 7, 1941, that former Naval photographer was stationed at Pearl Harbor. When Japan bombed that base 69 years ago this week, Daughtry was three decks below aboard the docked USS Argonne.  Some of his shipmates ran below to inform him “we were being attacked,” according to his journal.

Daughtry hurried to topside to see for himself, thinking it was a “sham.” It was no sham – there was a “large splash 100 ft.” (from him).

He ran below to get his 16 mm film camera together. Mr. Daughtry explained that most of the crews on the ships in the harbor were sleeping at about 7:55 a.m. when the attack on Pearl Harbor began because they had weekend liberty.

“We were taken so much off guard,” Daughtry wrote, “most of the damage was done before our guns got into action. The (Japs) flew so low, they could be seen laughing at my shipmates running on deck” from the machine guns on their planes.

Daughtry was able to film over the last half of the attack as it took him around 10-15 minutes to get his camera together.

When the day was done, the Navy photographer turned over his film to the Navy. His footage was one of few films of the attack. For years, Clyde tried to locate the original films and get credit for his photography that day. The Navy researched and confirmed his films had existed; however, they were unable to locate the originals.

In 1983 the Department of the Navy sent Clyde Daughtry, Retired USN, a letter of congratulations and stated, “We … owe you a double debt of gratitude, both for making the film in 1941 and for persevering in your search for it over the years.”

Clyde passed away Nov. 17, 1985 in Fort Myers, Florida. His last excerpt in his notes on the attack on Pearl Harbor, “Their (sp) was much more damage I didn’t know about, but from one sailor to another, that was Hell on Earth Dec. 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor.”

Bagel shop owner finds her calling in preparing and serving food to others

December 7, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By B.C. Manion

We all have turning points in our lives.

For Linda Carr, one of hers came when she was in her young 20s and her mother asked her to fill in for her at the concession stand for Carr’s brother’s football team.

Carr worked the French fry station and had a blast.

“I absolutely loved it,” she said.

Trisha Beams with, left to right, Kim Greene, Linda Carr and Sarah Graham work together at Bagelicious & More — a bagel shop that serves breakfast, lunch and snacks in Wesley Chapel.

She decided that was the kind of work she wanted to do.

Carr went on to carve out a career in the fast-food industry, working for chains including Burger King, Checker’s, Wendy’s and Subway for a combined total of more than two decades.

About six years ago, Carr had another turning point. She decided to go into business for herself.

She decided she wanted to have a bagel restaurant, but she didn’t know a darn thing about making bagels.

So, she made a deal with some bagel shop owners: She’d work in their shops for free, if they would teach her the tricks of the trade.

“People thought I was crazy,” she said.

But she observed: “There is no bagel school.”

She spent time working at bagel shops in various locales, including Manhattan, New Port Richey, Ocala and Ft. Lauderdale.

The bagel shop operators were generous with their knowledge, she said.

Bagels are not all created equal, Carr said, adding there is no denying that New York bagels taste different than those made elsewhere.

“The difference between New York bagels and here is the water,” Carr said, conceding she can’t replicate that distinctive taste.

However, she said, she strives to satisfy her customers by providing fresh bagels in a variety of flavors.

“I have a lot of New Yorkers come in who say the bagels are good.”

She guarantees that the bagels sold in her Bagelicious & More shops are made that day. Whatever isn’t sold that day is made into bagel chips or donated to the Helping Hands Pantry at Atonement Lutheran Church, 29617 SR 54.

Carla Haberland of the church’s food pantry said Bagelicious provides hundreds of pounds of bagels each week in donations.

“We bag them up, six in a bag,” Haberland said. People picking up food at the pantry enjoy getting the bagels, she added. “They love them.”

Bagelicious & More has two locations now and is planning to add a third soon. The quick-service café at 30032 SR 54 in Wesley Chapel opened about two years ago and another location opened about six months ago in Zephyrhills at 6215 Abbot Station Drive.

A third location will be set up at Moffitt Cancer Center at International Plaza, a new Moffitt location that is slated to open next summer.

Bagelicious & More will be providing the food service at that Moffitt location, Carr said, noting she was invited to bid on the work and was selected through a competitive process. “I was recommended by some of my customers,” Carr said.

The café in Wesley Chapel has a simple décor with chairs and tables, a flat-screen television and free Wi-Fi. The bagels and cream cheese spreads come in a wide assortment of flavors, but the menu also has a broad array of other items for breakfast, lunch or snacks.

The restaurant serves Seattle’s Best Coffee and offers all of the same specialty drinks as are available at Starbucks, Carr said, mentioning she has a contract with them.

Popular lunch items include a chicken salad melt, Cuban sandwiches, soups and salads. Burgers can be ordered on a bun or a bagel, and there also are salads, soups and wraps.

Bagelicious does catering, handles orders for sack lunches and prepares breakfast for Learning Gate Academy in Lutz.

Kim Burns, who lives in Wesley Chapel, drops by the restaurant about three times a week.

“It’s close to my home and it’s quality food,” she said. The turkey club is one of her favorite sandwiches, she said.

She thinks the prices are fair and she likes the staff.

“They’re very friendly,” Burns said.

Carr also thinks highly of the staff. “I enjoy my staff. I enjoy teaching them.”

One of her employees is her daughter, 28-year-old Gayla Ramon, who works with her at the Wesley Chapel location.

In one sense, this mother-daughter pair is carrying on a family tradition.

“I lost my mother seven years ago,” Carr said. But, she noted, “When she (Carr’s mother) was 16 or 17 she worked in a restaurant with her mother (Carr’s grandmother).”

After years of working for employers and helping them make reach their sales goals, Carr finds it deeply gratifying to be building a business of her own.

The restaurant industry requires hard work and smart management, Carr said. Besides serving tasty food, it requires keeping tight control on costs for labor and supplies.

“You have to fight for your food costs,” said the seasoned restaurateur, who has developed a thorough knowledge of the ins and outs of business through her decades of experience.

Besides the innate challenges of the restaurant business, Carr said she’s had an added challenge with SR 54 being torn up for road construction.

When the project is finished, it will be fantastic, she said. Meanwhile, fewer customers are willing to pull into her business because it is harder to get out.

Even so, Carr has a really good feeling about her future path in the bagel business.

“I felt very guided as I did this project,” she said. “Everything fell into place.”

She is optimistic her business will continue to grow and thrive.

“Bagelicious will be well-known,” she predicted.

Land O’ Lakes woman shops wisely so she can help more people in need

December 7, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Glenn G. Gefers

of www.photosby3g.com

Continuing an annual ritual, Betsy Altshuler, a Land O’ Lakes resident and board member of the American Culinary Federation, stopped recently at the SR 54/Collier Parkway Publix Land O’ Lakes to take advantage of their buy-one-get-one peanut butter sale.

But she wasn’t just looking for a good deal for herself.

She ordered 15 cases of creamy peanut butter — a tall order that will benefit dozens of families in the community. By collecting donations and being frugal, Altshuler was able to purchase 180 jars of peanut butter that will  make their way into the cupboards of those in need.

After leaving Publix, Altshuler went to the Suncoast Harvest Food Bank on Ehren Cutoff to donate her trunk full of Jif — plus other items. Her donation totaled 543 pounds.

Elizabeth Fields, executive director of Suncoast, processes many dropoffs each day from people just like Altshuler. The organization will top 3 million pounds in donations this year.

Suncoast has 10 employees and about 10 volunteers, including one 86-year-old who faithfully helps out each week.

From the warehouse, Suncoast distributes to more than 100 shelters, soup kitchens and pantries. For more information about Suncoast, visit www.suncoastharvest.org or call (813) 929-0200.

Nature Notes

December 7, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Gardening wish list

By BJ Jarvis

Pasco Horticulture Agent

This year, I am making a little different holiday wish list for what I hope to find under the tree. Instead of the typical stuff, I’ve decided to focus on my garden.

I’d love to have a couple pounds of composting worms that would transform my kitchen scraps into nutrient-laden humus to improve poor garden soils. Adding this rich material to planting holes or top-dress on soil surface will improve water retention and increase beneficial activity in the soil.

I need a new pair of pruners with a by-pass blade. Working like a pair of scissors, by-pass pruners have two cutting surfaces to provide a clean, healthy cut. Anvil type pruners, which use a blade pushing the plant material against a flat surface, can crush the stem leaving a ragged cut that can be slow to heal. This allows fungus and other plant stressors to attack my unsuspecting plants.

If I haven’t been too naughty, maybe I’ll get a good overhaul to my lawn mower in the shed. We’ll start by sharpening the blades. A precision cut reduces stress on the plant while minimizing the opportunity for fungus or other pathogens to get into the plant. A good cleaning of the mower, particularly the mower deck, will reduce the spread of clippings that have a problem from carrying them to another part of the landscape.

The list also has a rain barrel to create a more steady supply of free water. Rain barrels are available at the retailers for $100 or so, but feed stores and online sources are often willing to part with large, food-grade containers for cheap. Add an inexpensive copper nozzle and bring on the rain.

Gardeners who tote around a five-gallon bucket throwing everything from a dead flower to a few weeds may want to consider adding a garden bucket caddy to their list. These clever fabric wraps fit nicely around these buckets with pockets for everything. You can save trips to the shed for tools, seeds, a water bottle or even stuff a cell phone into one of the pockets.

New store-bought stuff is great, but there are also a few things on my list that can’t be found at the local retailer.

For example, on my list you’ll find a request for bags of all those great leaves my neighbors raked up from their landscape and then put out at the curb for the garbage man. Wouldn’t those make great mulch if I ran my lawn mower over them and spread them as a warm blanket against this winter’s cold wind? Or I could turn them into the compost pile, transforming them into garden gold by spring’s vegetable planting time.

Another hard-to-wrap garden gift is a pile of well-rotted compost. Wonder which of one of my pick-up driving friends would be willing to visit a nearby stable? Stable managers are usually glad to point you to the oldest, odor-free piles. Adding this material to plantings makes for a free improvement to our exceedingly poor Florida soils.

On second thought, one of the best gifts I could get would be some time with a garden buddy who would help me tackle one of the long overdue garden projects. An hour or two of weeding a flower bed, or even kicking around some ideas of expand a garden bed would be wonderful. Couple this with a glass of iced tea, a little garden-related conversation, and some bird watching, now that would be a priceless gift!

-BJ Jarvis is Horticulture Agent and Extension Director for Pasco Cooperative Extension, a free service of Pasco County and the University of Florida, IFAS.  BJ can be reached at .

Healthy Ordering

December 7, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Bottomless fries won’t keep you bottomless

Possibly the best thing about eating out is being able to try and enjoy so many different things, but embarking on that adventure too often can set you up on a road of frustration with your health and your weight.

This Gardenburger is a lower-fat option at Red Robin, which also offers whole grain buns.

You have to make an effort of ordering smart and modifying the dishes to cut down on calories, just as the case is in this newly-opened restaurant I recently checked out, Red Robin at The Shops at Wiregrass .  Ordering real smart is what you have to do at Red Robin.

One thing they flaunt is their “bottomless fries.” Ha!  Eat those often and you certainly won’t be “bottomless,” I tell you!  French fries are among the restaurant foods with the highest calorie content even though they used to be my favorite food.  It is rather sad to be offering and boasting about these bottomless fries, considering the obesity of our country.

On a good note, they do offer some great options, helping you to choose wisely.  You can request whole grain buns when you order any sandwich.  They are known for gourmet hamburgers and I like a hamburger every once in a while, but hardly order it in restaurants since I know I can cook hamburgers at home for 90 percent less fat.  Since I’ve been used to these healthier hamburgers if I eat one out they don’t taste as appetizing; they’re just way too greasy.  That sounds ironic coming from an ex-food addict who used to gobble up greasy, fattening food. So instead I got something I haven’t had in a long time, a Gardenburger.

Now if you have never had one, don’t knock it until you try it just the way I ordered it because it was actually delicious!  These are the things I did to make it a healthy and great-tasting meal: I ordered the Gardenburger with a whole grain bun, had the mustard sauce on the side since I didn’t know how much fat was added to it, added a slice of Mozzarella cheese with sautéed mushrooms and onions and substituted a refreshing salad for those fattening fries. The trick is to tell them to use a very light amount of oil on those sautéed veggies.  If you want to be really disciplined, eat the salad and only half of the sandwich.  You will be satiated and pleased, knowing that you made a healthier decision that you shall be happy with later.

Red Robin also has a location at the Citrus Park mall.

Commentary

December 7, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Name withheld to protect the innocent

What I need is a good defense

‘Cause I’m feeling like a criminal

-Fiona Apple

By Randall Grantham

Community Columnist

While my job is not exactly thankless, it can be tiresome and frustrating. I mean, I represent people accused by the government of committing a crime against the “peace and dignity of the state of Florida.”

All the power and money of the state can be marshaled and used to convict my poor client, who usually has only me and the benefit of the supposed presumption of innocence. That and a dollar might get you a cup of coffee.

Defense attorneys have sometimes been said to be like a crawdaddy on the railroad tracks.Your job is to throw the run-away train off the tracks. Usually you get squashed, but occasionally, that train will roll over.

When I represent people who are wrongfully accused, and that does happen more often than you would like to think, they are righteously indignant and sometimes resent having to even hire an attorney for something they did not do. And when I successfully represent someone who has committed some peccadillo, more often than not they are back to see me in awhile, having failed to learn from the first incident.

If there was a crime on the books called criminal stupidity I could easily resolve a boatload of cases.

But there are bright spots and times of satisfaction that I don’t think any other job can offer. I had one of those the other day.

I had been seeing a group of professionals on an extended piece of business and had dealings with several different members of the office. They were all very talented in their field and good at what they did. However, there was one member of this group who seemed especially well suited for the job.

When setting times to see them, I would try to work my schedule around this person’s in order to deal with them instead of another member of the firm. After finalizing our business recently, I closed out my account and bid everyone their goodbye and thanked them for their help. But as I left the office, the one person who I had thought to be the best there followed me out and approached me as I got to my car.

This person reached out to shake my hand again, but before I could say anything, he/she said, “I want to thank you.” As my brow furrowed in curiosity, this person went on to explain that, although I didn’t remember, I had represented him/her years before.

Where other attorneys had blown off their situation, I had taken the time to listen to them and took their case seriously. Not only that, he/she told me, but I had been victorious in the case and, even though they were innocent, they greatly appreciated what I had done.

In fact, they told me, if it hadn’t been for me and the job I had done for them, they would not be able to be in the position that they now held, doing what they loved and did so well in my opinion.

Goose bumps! That’s what I felt.

Every now and then, if you’re lucky, you get some affirmation that you do make a difference in peoples’ lives. This person had just done that for me.

Local family will keep light shining for lost son

December 1, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Mother organizes local version of global vigil to honor children who have died

By B.C. Manion

In the photograph, James David Birk and his sister, Samantha Adamo, lean toward their younger brother, Houston Adamo.
They’re all smiling broadly.

Samantha Adamo (left to right) and Houston Adamo pose with their brother, David James Birk, at a family gathering a year ago on Thanksgiving.

It’s the kind of photograph families often snap at the holidays.
This one was taken at the Hillsborough River State Park on Thanksgiving one year ago.
It was one of the first times in years that Linda Adamo had bothered to bring a camera to take pictures at the annual gathering, a tradition begun by earlier generations of her family going back more than 50 years.
Roughly 60 relatives and friends were there. They’d had a tremendous day, stuffing themselves with turkey and side dishes, playing games, laughing, chatting and checking out advertisements for the next day’s sales.
“We just had a really nice time,” Linda said.
James left for awhile, to watch a football game with a friend.
That’s when the bright, cheerful Happy Thanksgiving goes dark.
On his way back to spend the night camping with his family, in a tradition James had known his entire life, the 21-year-old lost control of his 2007 Ford Charger. He crashed into some trees and flipped, just minutes from his family.
Emergency personnel had to cut open the vehicle to free James from the wreckage. The University of Central Florida student was taken to Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, where he was pronounced dead.
It sent the family’s world reeling and they’ve been trying to regain their footing ever since.
“Burying your child is unreal,” Linda said. “It’s like an out-of-body experience. Completely. Completely,” she said. “You need help.”
She and her husband, Tim, got some help, but they — along with Samantha and Houston — still struggle with James’ death.
“I still don’t function right. There are still some days that I can’t get out of bed,” Linda said.
She knows there are others who have experienced the same kind of loss and pain.
That’s why she decided to try to organize a candlelight vigil on Dec. 12 at the Lutz Little League, in an event that coincides with Worldwide Candle Lighting Around the Globe. The Lutz event begins at 6 p.m., with the candle lighting at 7 p.m.
“It’s worldwide and in every different time zone,” Linda said. “For one hour you light a candle, so for 24 hours there will be a candle lit for every child who has died.”
Everyone is welcome to the vigil. Those sharing the event don’t have to be grieving the loss of their own child — they can be supporting someone else whose child has died. And it doesn’t matter how old the child was when he or she died, or when the death occurred, Linda said.
Time passes, but the grieving continues.
James’ accident was a nightmare, said his grandmother, June Cannon. “We try to guess and mostly we think it was a deer,” she said, speculating that he may have swerved to miss hitting one. “We don’t know though.”
They do know that alcohol did not play a role, Linda said, because an autopsy was performed.
The force of the accident caused massive internal injuries, June said. “It crushed his heart.”
James was the kind of guy who was always going out of his way to help others, Linda said.
He loved his sister and brother, she added.
He cared so much about Samantha that he would drive in from Orlando to watch her do a three-minute cheerleading routine. And, if James heard Houston was having a problem with his Xbox, he’d drive to Land O’ Lakes to fix it.
He was well-loved, Linda said. More than 500 people turned out for his visitation.
Tim said he still misses James so much that he periodically sends him text messages.
When James died, a lot of people didn’t know what to do, the couple said.
But some friends from the Lutz Leaguerettes knew just the thing.
They built a sanctuary in the family’s backyard, with brick pavers, chairs, mature palm trees and a fire pit – right in the spot where James had dug his original fire pit.
“James loved fires,” his grandmother said.
The friends who built the backyard oasis had these words etched onto one of the bricks: “James David, loving son & brother, your flame will forever burn in our hearts.”
A candlelight vigil, in memory of James, and others like him, seems fitting.

What: Worldwide Candle Lighting vigil in remembrance of children who have passed away
Where: Lutz Little League, 770 Lutz-Lake Fern Rd.
When: Sunday, Dec. 12 — 6 p.m. event begins; 7 p.m. candle lighting
Who: For bereaved families of Hillsborough and Pasco counties.
Highlights: Special readings, music and an announcement of the name of each child who has passed away. Please bring a photograph of the child who has passed away to be displayed on a special table. Also, candles will be provided, but feel free to bring one in case the supply runs out.
Contact: Linda Adamo, (813) 841-4374 or

Samaritan Project offers a roof and direction

December 1, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Church houses only such facility in east Pasco

By Kyle LoJacono

From the beginning, Eric Gilbertson wanted to make the Samaritan Project different from other homeless shelters.
“This is my passion,” Gilbertson, 43, said. “I was homeless when I was 15 to 19 years old and saw what it was like at other homeless shelters. I wanted this to be more than just a place to go for a meal. I wanted it to help people find a way to get back on their feet.”

From left are volunteer Stoney Robertson, volunteer Brain Lavender, Samaritan Project coordinator Eric Gilbertson and volunteer Mike Potter.

The project started in 2008 and was run out of the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, but a space conflict forced a move. Tim Mitchell, senior pastor at Chancey Road Christian Church located at 34921 Chancey Road in Zephyrhills, brought it to the church.
“We see this as what we’re just supposed to do as Christians,” Mitchell said. “The Bible tells us when we offer cool water, shelter, clothing or food in the name of Jesus we are doing his work. So it’s just natural for the church to want to do this. That’s just our passion and motivation behind this.”
Last winter, the project opened as a cold weather shelter for homeless people. Gilbertson said he wanted to continue the project as a homeless shelter after the winter. At first his idea was to start a tent city in the back of the church because he felt that was better than having them do the same in the woods. Then the church agreed to let them use its building at night.
“We opened as a shelter July 25,” Gilbertson said. “We’ve had 46 different people or families stay with us and have 15-22 people on any night. We’ve had 10 single moms stay with us. … They can stay for 14 days and then we ask for a donation of $1 a day, but we don’t turn people away if they don’t have it. Also people use their food stamps to bring food back to the shelter and we count that toward the $1.”
One person who has been at the shelter since it opened is Mike Potter, who has lived in Zephyrhills for 13 years. He has become a volunteer while living there, supervising the area while the other residents sleep.
“All the people who help here, especially Eric, are extremely helpful,” Potter, 41, said. “I’ve never seen someone work as hard as Eric does for the people here. He basically works 24/7 and doesn’t get enough credit for what he does. This place has given me and many others hope.”
When Gilbertson started volunteering with the shelter he was only going to donate about three hours a week, but was at the shelter six to eight hours a day.
Another resident volunteer is Stoney Robertson, who came to the shelter the week it opened. Before that he was living in a tent in the woods.
“I think a lot of people are very nervous about coming to a place like this,” Robertson, 46, said. “People need to be wanted and respected. Here they don’t make you feel like a second-class citizen just because you don’t have a home. Really this is the Ritz-Carlton of shelters.”
Both Potter and Robertson attend the church’s services. Gilbertson said while they try to steer the residents toward God, they do not make it a requirement.
The shelter opens each night from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 a.m. Once people check in, they cannot leave and return to prevent people from coming back intoxicated, Gilbertson said. Those at the shelter get a dinner and breakfast plus snacks and drinks available all night. There is also a TV with movies, games and books.
There is a separate room for women and men. Children can stay with either parent and married couples can stay together in a common room.
“Before we let someone stay we do a simple background check to make sure they don’t have any outstanding warrants or anything like that,” Gilbertson said. “For the volunteers it’s a more thorough background check.”
The project is currently looking for a location closer to downtown Zephyrhills. Mitchell thinks a central location could help more people in the future. For now, those who stay the night are driven to Alice Hall Community Center at Zephyr Park the next day by volunteer Brian Lavender.
“We want them to find a job during the day,” Gilbertson said. “We have a computer that I’m getting firewalled so they can look for a job. … To me we’re like the center place where people can come for help. We give them a roof, food, support and then find them help from other places.”
Mitchell said the food costs about $500 a month. Add the costs of electricity and water and the total to keep the shelter going at its current level will be $8,000-$10,000 a year. However, the project is expanding its services.
Gilbertson said they will soon open a new kitchen to make a larger variety of food faster for the residents. They also recently installed two showers. He added that when the cold weather returns they will be able to house about 200 people with the space the project has.
Gilbertson said donations of supplies and money are helpful for the cause, but the biggest need is for volunteers. He said he does not need anyone to stay overnight, just mainly to help serve dinner and cleanup after. Anyone interested should call Gilbertson at (813) 810-8670. Donations can also be dropped off at the church office around the back of the main building.
While Potter and Robertson are still down on their luck, they are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
“My goal is to get my own place,” Potter said. “I’m looking for a job, but the tough part is I don’t have a car. While I’m still looking, I’m feeling better about my chances.”
Robertson said of his goals, “I want to be accountable. I just want to pay this kindness forward to someone else who is down on their luck once I get a job and a place to live.”

The Black Friday Experience

December 1, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

From mammoth malls to quaint mom and pops, area shoppers went hunting for deals during the holiday weekend. The day after Thanksgiving marks Black Friday, a time to work off those mashed potatoes and start stocking up on gifts for the season. We spent the day with bargain hunters from Lutz to Zephyrhills.

Stories and photos by Tammy Sue Struble

Wells gets early start
Trayci Wells, owner of Little Stella’s Boutique in the Dupree Plaza in Land O’ Lakes, creates made-to-order gift baskets like diaper cakes, baby shower baskets and princess baskets for girls.

Trayci Wells

She was working on a Grinch child’s holiday basket on Friday. Her shop specializes in upscale kids’ brand name consignment and boutique clothing from baby sizes up to size 14–16.
Trayci got up at 3 a.m. and went to Target and Walmart … not looking for anything specific. “Every year I say I’m not going to do it (Black Friday shopping) again, but I do it anyway! Sometimes you can get really good deals!”
Then, she went to Kmart and Radio Shack and was home by 9 a.m. to get ready to come in and work at her shop. She stated that usually the big ticket items are already gone when she gets to the larger retail stores and admitted that, “The two-day sale is better than the 5–11 a.m. sales.”

Big savings on a wallet
Aggie and Artie DeVirgilio of Land O’ Lakes were at their last stop before home, Franklin Jewelers in the Collier Commons shopping center in Land O’ Lakes. They started shopping around 9:30 a.m. with stops at Bealls, Office Depot and Target.
“It was crazy at Bealls! Lines were really long,” Artie determined. “Target was really good.” She was excited about saving around $75 total at Bealls, and was especially proud of a $24 savings on a wallet.

Half-price Christmas dress
Near Ulta Beauty in the Grove at Wesley Chapel, Mariah Samia of Land O’Lakes was shopping for Christmas gifts for her three Chihuahuas at PetSmart with her mom. It was her first experience with Black Friday shopping. They had spent three hours at Kohl’s in Lutz and stood in a line that was all the way to the back of the store. Why wait?
“I got a really pretty dress for Christmas!” Mariah said. “It was a good deal: half price!”
Her mother said they don’t normally shop on Black Friday because it is so crazy, but they were going to shop until they dropped or at least until they were too tired and hungry. The Samias agreed that most people were jolly. “Only a few were impatient or rude,” observed Mariah.

Waiting for the rush
At Princess Boutique in the VanDyke Commons shopping center in Lutz, employee Lisa Miller was preparing for the afternoon rush on Black Friday. According to Miller, Black Friday shoppers typically hit the big store sales in the morning, and then get to the smaller businesses in the afternoon. The boutique offers “unique ladies apparel and accessories.”

Michela and Chad Mollick of Wesley Chapel don’t normally shop Black Friday but were at Home Goods in Lutz later on Friday morning with their daughter Sophia, 22 months. Michela explained, “We contemplated (Black Friday) shopping before seeing lines. We drove by Toys “R” Us and Best Buy (Thursday) around 9 p.m. and already saw long lines.” They decided not to try the early, early morning shopping.

Sales beautiful at Ulta
Ulta Beauty in The Grove of Wesley Chapel shopping center opened their doors at 6 a.m. Erin Norris of Dade City, a manager at Ulta, said that sales were up compared to last year’s Black Friday. At 1 p.m. over 50 percent of their day was in and Ulta wasn’t closing their doors until 9 p.m. “We have had a line of 10-20 people (at the registers) continually since opening at 6 a.m.,” Norris smiled. The Ulta blockbusters, fragrances, gift sets, and 5 for $5 stocking stuffers were “flying out the door.”

Stuck behind five carts
Black Friday shopper Luis Galarza, pictured with son Brandon, spent the day finding deals around Zephyrhills with his family. One stop — the Bealls Outlet on Allen Road. The outlet store opened its doors at 6 a.m. luring holiday shoppers with huge doorbuster specials, 70 percent off clearance prices, 50 percent off Christmas for the home, and 15 percent off everything storewide on their Friday Club for everyone (Black Friday only).

Luis and Brandon Galarza

On his first trip, Galarza explained he, “Had to park way in the back in the parking lot. Then, got behind a lady in checkout line with five shopping carts!”  However, he was happy that he had found a great deal at Bealls Outlet on a PlayStation 3 and Guitar Hero game.
His family did not enjoy their Walmart experience stating they would, “Never do Walmart again for Black Friday.”

Bealls ringing in Zephyrhills
Sheila Thompson, manager of the Bealls Outlet store on Allen Road in Zephyrhills, said the economy may be in a little better shape this year compared to last year. “We had four registers going since 6 a.m.” The store still had already passed 2009’s Black Friday totals around 5 p.m. and weren’t closing their doors until 10 p.m.

‘Definitely not’ again
Nathan n Jaclyn
After two-hours of shopping, Nathan Hunter and Jaclyn “Niki” Rice of Dade City left the long checkout line they were in around 2 a.m. at the Zephyrhills Walmart and had the customer service/returns counter check them out instead. Finished, they said they would “definitely not” do the midnight thing again.

Talked into going by daughter
Hazel Carmona was shopping in Dade City at Williams Fashion Center on Seventh Street, which also houses Lunch On Limoges. “I don’t go out on Black Friday,” explained Carmona, “I usually pretty much stay in!” Yet, her daughter talked her into going to Dade City — they figured it would be less chaotic. They were happy with their choice.
Phil Williams, owner / operator of the store and restaurant, stated that the, “Lunch side was a little busier than normal.” And, saw an increase in the number served compared to Black Friday last year. He was hoping that the Small Business Saturday campaign will help his clothing and dry goods business … and help other local small businesses.  The small business campaign, started by American Express, follows Black Friday in effort to send customers to the smaller retailers.

Toys for Tots spreads holiday cheer

December 1, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

Each year, Toys for Tots allows thousands of needy children in Pasco and Hillsborough counties to have that moment of excitement while opening presents Christmas morning.

Some cheerful elves at the Land O’ Lakes distribution last year. (Photo courtesy of Bob Loring)

The need for the program has become even greater in recent years and East Pasco Toys for Tots coordinator Bob Loring did not want to run out of gifts like the program did in 2002.
“That year at the Dade City distribution we ran out of toys early,” Loring said. “It broke my heart that we could not assist many of our folks. I still have that nightmare from time to time.
“We expect more requests for assistance than ever before and I’m hoping everyone will give something to help a child have a Christmas,” Loring continued. “The reasons are self evident. Bad economy, forecloses and layoffs are rampant throughout our fair community.”
The East Pasco chapter covers the entire county east of US 41. Loring is expecting 4,500 children to be registered for help this year. The story is similar in Hillsborough, where Sgt. Anton Spivey will not be surprised if record numbers turn out for help.
“The need is just so great right now,” said Spivey, Toys for Tots volunteer with the Tampa chapter. “You hear from hundreds of parents each day who want to make sure their kids have something special on Christmas.”
Both volunteers are or were involved with the Marines, which started the program in 1947.
“I’m honored to have this opportunity to assist our children in need,” Loring said. “What could be a higher calling?  I firmly believe that we need to mobilize the community around supporting our at-risk children. I still firmly believe in the American dream and I want all our kids to at least have a shot at it. We can do this, and in my view we must try.”
Herb Roshell, coordinator for the Land O’ Lakes distribution site, fondly remembers one parent who received a bike for her child from the program.
“We’d been holding onto a bike at a drive the year before last and wanted to give it to someone who really needed something special,” Roshell said. “Then one lady came in and when we told her she could take the bike for her child she couldn’t even speak. She just hugged us and thanked us for 20 minutes because she knew it would make her family’s Christmas.”
Roshell also thanked the Interact Club at Land O’ Lakes High for helping at the distribution each year and also added a group of Sunlake High students would help the process this year.
In Hillsborough, registered families can pick up their toys until Dec. 17 at 22 different locations. For information on registering or to donate, call (813) 805-7020 or visit tampa-fl.toysfortots.org.
Pasco has five distribution sites east of US 41, including Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Dade City and Lacoochee. All toys will be distributed Dec. 17. Loring works directly with the public schools to identify the most needy children and registers them.
For the children not in public schools, Loring works through Premier Community Health Care, which handles Pasco Medicaid families.
“I am confident that we are assisting the most needy children and families,” Loring said. “These counselors personally know the families and the children. I like our method very much and have great confidence in this dandy partnership.”
To find the nearest toy drop-off location in Pasco or for more information, visit www.toysfortotspasco.org.
Along with the toys, Loring has worked to make a program called Food for Tots, which gives food and other needed items to the children along with toys. He does it with the different name because the Marines have a very specific goal for their program and cannot divert from it.
“It’s just like shopping without a cashier,” Loring said of how the distribution works in Pasco. “At some of the stations, parents also get to take socks and toothbrushes for the kids. We also give out food to the parents. They get frozen chickens with all the fixings for a Christmas dinner.”
To make any donations to the Food for Tots, e-mail Loring at .

How to help
Toys for Tots will hold mailbox toy drives on Saturday, Dec. 4 to help collect enough gifts for the thousands of children. It is the largest drive for the program each year. To donate to the cause, place new, unwrapped toys by a home mailbox and the mail carrier will bring it to the nearest chapter. All toys must be new and unwrapped to be accepted.

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