Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Molly McGowan

Shrieks of excitement and the patter of eager feet filled the hallways of area schools as teachers led their young students to different speakers and activities last Thursday.
Nov. 18 marked the annual Great American Teach-In, a day during which a wide range of professionals bring their careers to the classroom and share different employment opportunities with students.

At McKitrick Elementary School in Lutz, students began a day early with a visiting armored truck on Wednesday, followed by a Drug Enforcement Administration truck on Thursday. Agents from the Tampa District DEA explained that the truck is used for support in dismantling clandestine labs and showed the children the truck’s first aid equipment, air pressure hoses and shower, as well as their entry equipment, tactical vests and helmets.
The rest of the school was buzzing with different activities, as well. Nearby, soccer player Rafael Giraldo taught Cheri Gamm’s and Liisa DiTarando’s kindergarten classes the basics of the game and set up a scrimmage, while fifth-grader Abby Sutch directed speakers to the correct classrooms. Her favorite speaker was a dentist who had her class smell and eat different things to demonstrate how scent changes the taste of food.
Guidance Counselor Kelly Goforth said her favorite memories of the days’ events came whenever the children become inquisitive. “The kids were … asking questions you and I wouldn’t think of,” Goforth said. “They’re so outside the box.”
Students at Denham Oaks Elementary also stayed active, particularly a group of kindergarteners and first-graders who got their own personal trainers for a day.
Biko Claxton, Denny Locascio and Daniel Peterson from Sports and Field athletic club shared tips for eating healthy then took the children outside for some exercise. The students, who collectively named themselves “Team Alakazam,” competed in relays followed by a few sets of pushups.
“C’mon, let’s see your speed,” encouraged Peterson, while the children ran sprints.
Ready for a rest, the students filed back into a classroom for a visit with Deputy Tobias Smith, who has been working at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for the past 16 years.
Smith listed his history working in a jail, on patrol and on special projects, and explained some of the training and other requirements necessary to become an officer.
Good driving records and college degrees seemed to be too distant to Smith’s young audience whose attention was immediately drawn to his gun. Smith explained that his gun was just one part of his uniform and proceeded to point out the details on what he was wearing. And the instant the shiny, silver handcuffs came out, Smith had won the crowd.
At Lutz Elementary, students were similarly intrigued by what Dan Harrison was holding. Visiting from Tampa Guitar, Harrison was showing a fourth grade class the basics of playing guitar. He began by asking the students a few questions, and was impressed when many knew the difference between acoustic and electric guitars.
Harrison showed them what “fretting a note” was, then let his fingers slither across the fret board to show that chords were “a bunch of different pitches being put together.” With a few more examples and instructions on how to hold a pick, fourth-grader John Anthony Perrone got to strum a few chords on the guitar before Harrison continued his lesson, showing the children just what 10 years of dedication to a craft can create.
A little further away at New River Elementary School, members of the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association were outside showing kindergarteners, first- and second-graders the basics of lacrosse outside, while inside a cosmetologist from a JCPenney Salon shocked students with the news that they each had 100,000 hairs on their head.
At Double Branch Elementary School, the horses of Pasco County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse towered above enraptured second- and third-graders, who learned that the most important jobs of the horses and their riders are search and rescue missions.
Pre-K students at Chester W. Taylor Elementary School learned that horses come in smaller sizes, too. Bakas Horses for Handicapped brought miniature horse Buddy to the school to teach children the proper way to care for a horse, and to show that regardless of size, horses can be therapeutic.
With a multitude of speakers visiting different schools in Hillsborough and Pasco counties on Thursday, and with such a variety of classes and grades within every school, each student participating in the Great American Teach In was sure to have an individual experience unlike any other child’s. But regardless of whether they saw a miniature horse or a draft horse, ran relays or played lacrosse, every child learned something on Thursday. They learned that everyone is good at something. That thousands of career possibilities exist.  And that they can be — and do — anything.

By Kyle LoJacono

Last spring, Sickles High student Jonathon Bermudez was running with a new track teammate, Abdin Fator, when he noticed the freshman had large holes in his shoes. What he did next helped earn him a nomination.

Bermudez took Fator to a local sporting goods store and bought him new running shoes with his birthday money.
“I had just turned 17 and had some money from that,” said Bermudez, a senior. “I’ve always valued personal enjoyment over money, so it wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t even think about it much because I knew it was the right thing. People save money all their life and then can’t spend it.”
Fator, 16 and a sophomore, is a young man of few words, but said he was very grateful for what Bermudez did for him.
“It’s nice to have shoes without holes,” Fator said. He then added, “I didn’t know a lot of the other runners and over the season we kind of developed that running bond. I started just running track and he kept bugging me to join cross country. I said I’d give it a try, but my old shoes wouldn’t last running a 5K (five kilometers), so he took me to get the shoes.”
Fator was born in the war-torn Sudan and moved to the United States in 2003. Before coming here, his father moved to Egypt to raise money to move them to this country.
Bermudez continued to help Fator during the summer. He would drive his younger teammate to cross country practice because he did not have a ride. Then when Fator had no way to get to his physical required to run for the Gryphons, Bermudez stepped in and again chauffeured him.
“He took Abdin under his wing like he was his little brother,” said Sickles boys cross country coach Gail Bottone, who nominated Bermudez for the award. “Now Abdin is one of the top-three runners on the team up there with Jonathon. It’s amazing because Abdin might get a scholarship to go to college because Jonathon helped him.”
Bottone, the Sickles guidance department head, said Jonathon’s actions have helped renew her faith in teenagers.
“I got goosebumps when I first heard about what he did,” Bottone said. “I couldn’t believe a teenager could be so selfless. He didn’t do it for the notoriety. When he first heard about it he said he didn’t know because of the attention. He just did it because he knew it was the right thing.”
Fator has continued to be surprised by Bermudez’s generosity.
“I keep thinking why would someone do so much for me,” Fator said.
“I don’t really think I did anything special,” Bermudez said. “I saw a teammate that needed some help and I gave it to him. I just hope other kids who hear about this will do the same thing the next time they see someone who needs some help.”

Colton Shepard’s actions save family
It was a good thing Colton Shepard decided to wear is brother’s combat boots June 16 because without them, he might not have been able to rescue a mother and child from a burning car.
The Gaither High senior was walking home from a friend’s house when he saw the aftermath of a car accident near the intersection of Dale Mabry and North Lakeview Drive, just south of Lutz. Despite the vehicle being on fire and the real possibility of it exploding, Colton jumped into action.
“I ran across the road and kicked through the windshield, which was already cracked,” Colton said. “Then I took off my shirt and used it to clear the glass from the opening so I could get the mother and kid out without hurting them or hurting myself.”
Colton, 17, does not know the people he saved. He believes the child to be 5 or 6-years-old.
“They didn’t really say anything to me because I think they were in shock,” Colton said.
Colton stayed with the family until paramedics arrived. When he saw they were being treated by rescuers, he left instead of staying for potential adoration.
“I knew they were OK so I just walked home,” Colton said. He then added jokingly, “I still had to get home and I didn’t think they’d be able to take me home on the way to the hospital.”
When he got to his house, Colton told his mother Kathy what happened.
“I can’t tell you my exact words, I was very surprised,” Kathy said. “We went to the fire station and they told me the same thing he said.”
Colton attributes his quick actions to what he has learned in Gaither’s JROTC program. Besides acting fast, he told others on the scene not to throw water on the fire because of all the gas and oil.
“That also comes from working at McDonald’s,” Colton said. “A fire like that, water just spreads it around.”
Kathy sent a letter to Colton’s JROTC instructors, Senior Chief Edward Donohue and Capt. Sreten Zivovic, along with Gaither principal Marie Whelan. The letter thanked them for helping teach Colton to do the right thing and also to tell them what he had done. After learning about what he did, his instructors nominated Colton.
Colton said he wants to join the military after graduating. His older brother, James, served four years in the Middle East, following in the footsteps of Kathy (20 years in the armed forces) and Colton’s grandfather, James, who served four years.
Colton is currently the commanding officer of Gaither’s JROTC athletic team and also the executive officer of the academic team.
“JROTC is all about working as a team,” Colton said. “When I saw that car on fire I felt like that was a member of my team in trouble. I just acted the way I’ve been taught.”

Organizers looking for another $100,000 effort

By Kyle LoJacono

Each year after driving the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine through the grueling NASCAR season, David Reutimann returns to the town of his youth.

He does not get to visit Zephyrhills very often, but when he comes to the city he tries to make a difference. Six years ago he, with the help of other east Pasco residents, started the David Reutimann Charity Golf Tournament.
“We wanted to do something to get people together for a good time while helping a bunch of great charities in Zephyrhills and all over Tampa Bay,” Reutimann said. “Last year we raised $100,000 and I’m hoping to do at least that again, but I want to raise even more.”
Reutimann has been racing on NASCAR’s highest level for five years. He won his second career race, the LifeLock.com 400, this July at Chicagoland Speedway. Despite his success, he has not forgotten his first home.
“I’ve always been extremely proud of where I’m from, so it’s very special for me to come back each year and give back to the community and those in need,” Reutimann said.
The event raised about $19,000 in the first year and has increased each time since then. Last year the total amount raised increased by $20,000. Some of the groups that will benefit including East Pasco Meals on Wheels in Zephyrhills, Sunrise of Pasco County in Dade City and All-Children’s Hospital in Tampa.
Brantley Smith owns the Silverado Golf & Country Club and was one of those who helped start the event.
“It’s really grown,” Smith said. “There are a lot of race fans around here.”
The event is at Silverado, 36841 Clubhouse Drive in Zephyrhills, Dec. 3-4. It includes a cookout at 6 p.m. plus an auction and concert the first night, followed by the golf tournament the next morning.
“We’ll have items for auction that appeal to every type of sports fan, including NASCAR tickets, uniforms, helmets and plenty of signed sheet metal, including a few pieces from the Aaron’s Dream Machine,” said Sean Klotz, golf professional and Silverado general manager. “There will also be items from local pro teams and other big name athletes from all types of professional sports.”
Reutimann said the event has a casual feel.
“I didn’t want to have an event that made people act like something they’re not,” Reutimann said. “I want them to be comfortable and have a good time, and let me tell you, it is a good time. We have a blast both days.”
Reutimann, 40, grew up in Zephyrhills and has seen the east Pasco County town grow and change during the last four decades.
“I was born at Lakeland Regional Hospital because back then we didn’t have a hospital in Zephyrhills,” Reutimann said. “When I come back to town I like to just drive around and see all the things that are new. I mean it’s a lot different city from when I grew up off Wire Road.”
Reutimann went to West Zephyrhills Elementary for his first years of school and then switched to Woodland Elementary when it opened. He then went to Raymond B. Stewart Middle and Zephyrhills High.
“Even though I don’t live in Zephyrhills anymore, I still think of it as home,” Reutimann said. “Those are where my roots are and I’m proud to be from there.”
Hole sponsorships and slots for teams and players are still available for the golf tournament, but are filling up fast. Tickets are also on sale for the charity cookout and auction. For more information or for tickets, call (813) 788-1225.

By B.C. Manion

Thanksgiving — the day set aside for expressing gratitude for the good things in life — is also the No.1 day nationally for cooking fires, says the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association.
Cooking equipment fires also remain the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, and are the third-leading cause of fire deaths, according to statistics from the NFPA.
There are ways, however, for families to avoid the risk of fires at Thanksgiving and through the holidays, local experts say.
“The most common cause of fire in the home is cooking,” said Capt. Bill Wade of Tampa Fire Rescue.
“Most of the fires that we see are from unattended cooking. They’ll put something on the stove and just forget,” said Amy Schultz, fire inspector/public education for Pasco County Fire Rescue.
The dangers of home fires increase during the holidays, when people cook more, use their fireplaces, light more candles, string holiday lights and so forth.
“The message we spread is, have fun — but be careful,” Wade said.
On Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season, there tend to be more gatherings — with more people coming over and more cooking being done, said Vicky Yeakley, public education coordinator for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.
With so many people around, it’s easy for a cook to get distracted, Yeakley said. So, it’s important to take precautions to avoid potential dangers.
If you’re cooking something in the oven, for instance, be sure to check on it periodically and set a timer so you don’t forget, she said.
If you’re cooking on the stovetop and the doorbell or telephone rings, or someone needs your attention, be sure to turn the burner off or on low, and carry an oven mitt or wooden spoon with you to remind you that you have something on the stove, Yeakley said.
When you’re turning a burner on, be sure that you’ve turned on the right one. It’s easy to make that mistake and you could end up with a fire, she said. It’s also a good idea to clean up any spills to avoid potential fires in the future.
Also, try to avoid cooking when you are wearing loose-fitting clothing because the clothing can catch on fire, Yeakley said.
Also be sure to keep anything that could catch fire at least three feet away from the stove, Yeakley added.
Keep kids at least three feet away from the stove, too.
Stoves aren’t the only cooking equipment that can cause fires.
“Turkey frying has become quite popular,” Wade said, noting he understands the appeal because the turkey is quite tasty. However, he said, it is important to use the fryer safely.
“The turkey needs to be completely thawed,” he said.
Schultz agreed: If the turkey is not thawed, the ice will melt and cause the oil to overflow.
“Only put in as much oil as you are supposed to put in,” Wade said. Otherwise, when the turkey goes in, the oil could splash out potentially burning someone standing nearby.
Besides cooking fires, there are other potential fire hazards that become more prevalent at the holidays and during colder winter months.
People tend to light more candles to create a festive feel, but sometimes they forget to blow them out before leaving the house or going to sleep.
Wade recommends candles with a wide base because they are less likely to tip over.
It’s also important to keep a close watch on children, who tend to be fascinated by candle flames and fires burning in the fireplace, Yeakley said. Be sure that candles are out of children’s reach and be sure they are supervised wherever a fire is burning, she said.
It’s also important to keep an eye on youngsters near tables that are laden with hot foods, Yeakley said. Children who are learning to walk may tug on a tablecloth to help themselves up and can be burned by hot foods spilling on them, she said.
If someone does get burned, the burn should be cooled down with running tap water, Schultz said. Do not use ice as it can cause a frostbite-like injury, and don’t use butter because it seals the heat in, making the injury worse.
Fireplaces and space heaters are other sources of potential hazards.
When burning wood in the fireplace, be sure it’s the appropriate size, Wade said. Also be sure there’s a grate in front of the fireplace. “The smallest spark can start a fire.”
Avoid burning Christmas tree branches or wood in the fireplace, Yeakley said.
Don’t burn paper in the fireplace either, Yeakley said.
Embers from the fire can float out of the chimney onto the roof or onto nearby trees or bushes, which can start a blaze, she said.
“If you’ve ever seen a Christmas tree on fire, it almost explodes,” Yeakley said.
“If you’re going to have a fire in the fireplace, you can’t go to bed until that fire has gone to ashes,” she added.
With space heaters, be sure to leave at least 3 feet between the space heater and anything that could catch on fire, Yeakley said.
Christmas lights can also pose a hazard, if the wiring is frayed or cracked. Be sure to check your lights before you string them up. And, be sure to check for the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) label, which means they’ve been tested for safety, she said.
Finally, if you’re going to put up a fresh Christmas tree in your house, be sure that it’s not dried out when you buy it and be sure to keep it well-watered. For more information about Christmas trees, visit www.christmastree.org.

Protecting yourself and your home

–    Every home should be protected by working smoke alarms. At minimum, there should be a smoke alarm on each story of the house and outside each bedroom. Even better — smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom. Even better than that — a sprinkler system to put out fires.
–    Every household should have a fire escape safety plan and should do a few trial runs. If a fire happens, you’ll be ready and will know what to do.
Source: Vicky Yeakley, public education coordinator for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue

Safe cooking tips

The National Fire Protection Association offers these tips for safe cooking:
Do not use the stove or stovetop if you have consumed alcohol or you are sleepy.

–   Remain in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen, even momentarily, be sure to turn off the stove.
–   Do not use the stove or stovetop if you have consumed alcohol or you are sleepy.
–   If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
–   Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
For additional information, visit www.nfpa.org

Fighting a cooking fire:
–  If the fire on the stovetop is small, wear an oven mitt and use a tight-fitting lid to cover the pan, then slowly move it to another burner until it completely cools.
–  If the fire is on spilled foods on the stove surface, douse it with baking powder.
–  If the fire is inside the oven, turn off the oven and keep the door closed.

By B.C. Manion

The city of Zephyrhills is on a quest to build a stronger identity — and in the process make itself a more inviting place for investors to establish new businesses there.

Consultants from Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. and Urbanomics have been working with the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency on creating a plan that would help the city encourage more economic development near the city’s downtown core.
So far, the proposal calls for expanding the city’s Community Redevelopment Area and keeping US 301 as a two-lane road through town, contrary to a proposal by the state Department of Transportation to turn it into a three-lane one-way road.
Other ideas, such as how to create a brand that capitalizes on the city’s strengths, how to dress up its appearance and how to enliven its community life are all being discussed as consultants solicit feedback from residents, business owners and political leaders on creating a redevelopment plan for Zephyrhills.
The consultants were in town last week, conducting sessions with the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and the Zephyrhills Economic Development Council. They also held a community open house to discuss ideas and glean more direction.
They expect to be back in December for additional sessions, and then early next year will present proposals to the Zephyrhills City Council and the mayor.
Zephyrhills Mayor Cliff McDuffie believes the process is on the right track.
“I think what we’re doing right now with these consultants is very important because we’re getting input from the community,” McDuffie said.
The city is made up of people with diverse backgrounds and coming from various locales, so they have varied perspectives to offer to the planning efforts, McDuffie said.
“What do we need to be?” McDuffie said. The mayor said he doesn’t know when or how the community will answer that question, but he added: “At least we’re trying.”
Marty Black, of Kimley-Horn, said the city is ahead of the game because it is actively seeking ways to make itself more competitive,
“There is demand for additional office and retail in downtown Zephyrhills,” Black said. But new businesses are not choosing to locate there. The growth, at the moment, is happening at the north end of town.
So the question becomes: “What more can the city be doing to encourage economic development in downtown Zephyrhills?”  Black said. The city also needs to ask what it can do to make itself more competitive with places like Wesley Chapel and Dade City, he said.
One thing the city might want to work on is its branding, Black said. It has a national reputation for its natural spring water, but visitors and passerby wouldn’t know it.
Suggestions that have been made during planning sessions so far include creating a water feature and establishing a place to give out samples of the city’s drinking water.
Another possibility includes creating a more attractive entry onto US 301, at Fifth Avenue, Black said.
That may include using a grant or other enticement to encourage the tire shop to relocate, he said at the chamber breakfast meeting.
Or perhaps keeping the tire shop there, but housing it in a building that is more in keeping with the desired architectural style, a woman at the meeting suggested, noting a tire shop on the north end of town that’s in an attractive building.
The city might also want to consider doing something on the south end of town to let people know they’ve arrived in Zephyrhills, Black said.
You don’t want motorists driving through Zephyrhills to not realize they’ve been through the city.
Even things like deciding what colors to use on city landmarks can make a difference in the image the city projects, Black said.
“As a community, make more intentional decisions,” Black said. “What can we suggest along (US) 301 to make it better for all of the businesses along (US) 301?” he asked.
“Let’s identify some projects the community wants. Let’s prioritize them,” he said.
The city has strengths.
It’s relatively inexpensive to invest in Zephyrhills compared to some other locations, Black said. At the same time, “you have a resident market — both permanent and seasonal — that can be tapped.”
Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director of the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, is optimistic about the city’s future.
“There is so much opportunity in this area. It’s incredibly exciting,” Mikkelsen said. People view Zephyrhills as a retirement community, but Mikkelsen said: “The perception is a misperception.”
In fact, there are younger families moving in and the demographics are changing.
Mikkelsen likes Black’s idea that changes must be made with a vision in mind.
“Make it intentional,” she said. “Understand who you are.”

By B.C. Manion

One minute she’s roving among rows of desks, posing questions and using facial expressions and gestures to clue students in to what she’s asking about.
A few minutes later, she’s at a whiteboard at the back of the room jotting down responses from students as she runs through some grammar drills.

Next, she’s at the front of the classroom, crouching behind a bookcase while acting out a scene from “The Seven Ravens,” a fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm.
If you pictured German class as stiff or boring, you haven’t visited Annemarie Schunemann’s classroom at Land O’ Lakes High.
She combines high expectations with fun in a quest to not only teach the German language, but to familiarize them with the country’s culture too.
Apparently, her methods are working.
The wall behind her desk is loaded with accolades. Most recently, the Florida Association of German Teachers named her the 2010 Florida German Teacher of the Year during the Florida Foreign Language Association’s conference in Clearwater.
The recognition was both gratifying and unexpected, Schunemann said.
“It felt like, ‘Wow, I won the lifetime achievement award,’ ” she said.
The teacher never had any doubt about what she wanted to do with her life.
She knew it in first grade.
She wanted to be like her teacher, Frau Hanna Schwinning.
“She made learning so interesting and fun,” said Schunemann, who grew up in Grosslittgen, three hours from Cologne.
“She had, really, a gift to inspire kids,” Schunemann said.
Schunemann’s students say she shares her mentor’s gift.
“She’s the best teacher I’ve ever had,” said Timo Russell, 17. “She always makes sure that we know all of the material.”
Ben Olson, a four-year student, signed up at his mother’s insistence during his freshman year. “My family is from Germany,” he explained.
Now, he’s glad his mother made him do it. The class has made a tangible difference in his life.
“I can speak to my grandparents now,” Olson said. There’s another benefit too: “I truly fell in love with the language,” he said.
The teenager has visited Germany and said that speaking the language has given him access to better understand the country’s culture.
While recognizing the upside of taking German, that doesn’t mean it has been easy, Olson said. “There’s a lot of homework.”
However, he hastened to add, Schunemann helps students learn.
“She’s really great at what she does,” Olson said.
Britt DeBartolo, 16, said Schunemann “is so invested in actually teaching the language. She teaches it really, really well.”
“It’s definitely not an easy class,” DeBartolo added, but she has developed a real appreciation of German. “I think it’s beautiful, despite the harsh sound of it,” she said.
Schunemann began her Pasco County teaching career at Pasco High School in 1983 and remained there until 1991, taking a year off when she had a baby. She came to Land O’ Lakes High in 1992 and has been there ever since.
Schunemann said she often goes to conferences and seminars to help her stay inspired and to pick up teaching ideas.
She tries to tie her lessons to current events and to stay in tune with learning techniques that keep up with the times.
“I like to look for new material,” she said. She also likes her lessons to resonate with students. “You have to adapt to what they (students) like.”
For one recent assignment, completed around Halloween, she assigned students to make tombstones of famous Germans, detailing their contributions to society.
In another assignment, students wrote poems in German about themselves.
During a recent class, she paired students and assigned them to reassemble “The Seven Ravens,” which she had typed up and cut into pieces.
Once they put the story together, the pairs practiced reading it because the class might perform the fairy tale for a play. The students also had to answer questions based on the story, which forced them to demonstrate their knowledge of German grammar.
Besides challenging her students, Schunemann views herself as a teacher who wants to know her students well enough that she can respond when they need help.
Schunemann said being an immigrant and learning English as a second language gives her insight into the challenges of learning a foreign language, which in turn, gives her empathy for her students.
“I walk in their shoes,” she said.
But that doesn’t mean she considers herself a pushover — in any way, shape or form.
“I think I’m kind of tough. It’s not a popularity contest,” Schunemann said.
She has some basic rules for her students: “Be on time. Do your work.”
“I don’t like to waste time. If they sign up for my class, it means business,” Schunemann said.
Schunemann is clearly prepared for her classes — jamming instruction into every available minute.
She wouldn’t have it any other way.
“They want to learn; I want to teach.
“In December, I’m starting my 27th year,” Schunemann said. “I think I could not have picked a career that suited me better. I could not think of anything I would rather do.”

Hospital nets record-breaking amount at fundraisers

By Gary S. Hatrick

Julianne Hough, two-time “Dancing with the Stars” winner, country singer and up-and-coming actress gave an energetic performance Thursday as the featured entertainment for the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Foundation’s Gala XIV.

Despite having the stomach flu, the 22-year-old entertainer showed no signs of illness as she performed for the FHZ supporters gathered in the Grand Pavilion in Saddlebrook Resort. She later participated in a brief meet and greet and posed for a photograph with select VIPs.
Gala XIV was the biggest in the event’s history drawing about 620 supporters. The black-tie event, combined with the 21st Annual Golf Tournament and Inaugural Tennis Tournament will net about $180,000 for the $1.5 million Comprehensive Breast Center to be built in Zephyrhills.
“That blows away previous years,” according to FHZ Foundation Executive Director Carolyn Sentelik.
“I would say that Julianne Hough just dazzled the crowd,” Sentelik said. “Especially since she shared with us that she has the stomach flu. I was surprised that she performed to the level that she did. She was very gracious.”
Hough (pronounced “Huff”) joked with the audience about supporting her brother who is currently on Dancing with the Stars. She said he needs help because he had to compete with the conservative engine behind Bristol Palin.
“The gala was an overwhelming success,” said Sentelik who took the big chair at FHZ Foundation just months ago, but added that she didn’t do it alone.
“For my first gala I was impressed about how things went,” said Sentelik. “Leslie Dellas, our foundation coordinator, did a remarkable job seeing to every detail. She worked so very hard. Thanks has to go to all of our volunteers, we had a huge corps of volunteers.”

By B.C. Manion

At first glance, D & G Products Inc. looks like a bicycle shop.
All sorts of unusual bicycles sit on the lawn outside the business at 5151 Gall Blvd. in Zephyrhills.

Go inside and it seems like the business is a combination bicycle-skateboard shop, with a smattering of educational games for sale.
It turns out, though, that the shop is all that and more.
It’s also a place where you can buy solar-powered generators and find out about using solar arrays to power your home. And, if you enjoy riding bicycles in nature or going on canoe trips, you may want to drop by to see when the next outing will be.
The shop also repairs antique clocks, radios and all sorts of other items.
In a word, this business is eclectic.
There is a reason the shop has such an array of products and services, said Dave Emery, who opened the business with Greg Findlen on April 1, 2009.
“After retiring, I didn’t want a bike store,” Emery said. “I wanted a little bit of everything that I have a passion for,” he said. “We started out with just three bikes.”
Emery said he opened the shop after finishing his career at Verizon.
“I retired from there in very bad shape,” said Emery, who has since become much more fit by regularly riding a bicycle and eating organic foods.
He encourages others to do the same.
“I was a 58-year-old going on 80. Now, I’m a 60-year-old going on 40. By the time I’m 65, I want to be 35 (physically),” Emery said.
Regardless of what condition you’re in, if you want to ride a bicycle, Emery will find one to suit you.
A patron dropped by the shop the other day and told Emery he had not been on a bike in 40 years.
“That’s OK,” Emery reassured the man. “It’s never too late.”
The shop has bicycles designed to carry people who weigh more than 500 pounds. There are bicycles equipped with electric motors to help people who can’t pedal long distances.
There are bicycles with pedals that are closer to the front to give riders more leverage — and to help them to climb up hills.
Some of the shop’s customers can no longer drive cars, but they can tool around town on their electric-powered bicycles.
Besides stocking bicycles, the shop also sells solar-powered generators — which can be used in remote places or when the power goes out.
Emery knows a fair amount about solar power.
“I live in a house that’s 100 percent solar powered,” he said. His solar panels produce more than enough power to meet his needs, so he sells the excess to the power company.
Emery shares his knowledge of solar power at seminars he conducts at his Dade City house.
He also enjoys going on weekend bike rides or canoe trips with customers.
“That’s what this business is about. This is a store about getting in shape and having fun.
“We get to know our customers and they become friends.  When I stop having fun, this business will cease.”
For more information about D&G Products Inc., call (813) 788-2000 or visit dgGreenProducts.com.

By Molly McGowan

Take a sandwich made out of ham, turkey and Swiss cheese, smother in pancake batter, dunk in a deep fryer, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry sauce. The result is a Monte Cristo, one of the more eclectic items Randy, whose nickname is Razzle, and Becky McCray are proud to serve on their menu.

“We want to do things differently than anyone else in town,” Becky says of Razzle’s Café, a new restaurant in Zephyrhills. And as far as she knows, Razzle’s Café is the only place in town to get a Monte Cristo.
The rest of the menu is a mix of feel-good favorites with home-style items such as grits, sausage and gravy and smothered chicken with peppers. Cuisine for a picnic includes potato salad, macaroni salad and tuna salad. There are also items suitable for a ballgame — chili cheese fries, hamburgers and Cubans, and specialty items like the Reuben sandwich, ice cream smoothies and the gourmet third-pound hot dog.
Also sprinkled into the menu are the names of McCray grandchildren and close family friends —Brianna’s pancakes, Kailynn’s kids breakfast, Noeah’s hotdogs and Big Mike’s chili cheese fries, exemplifying the family atmosphere of the café.
Two pieces of a child’s artwork are proudly affixed to the Working Cow ice cream counter, and the staff is comprised of McCray family members and a few of their close friends.
Becky tells the story of Razzle’s Café and reveals that the establishment originated from a family-wide loss. She and her husband, their children and their spouses all worked for the same company, and all got let go at the same time.
Instead of being daunted during these uncertain times, the McCray family pooled together their savings and opened up Razzle’s Café. “We had to invest in ourselves,” Becky says. “No one else was going to.”
So now the McCrays and their son run the kitchen and do the books, Becky’s sister-in-law and family friends wait tables and Becky’s daughter waits tables and makes the homemade soups. Having so much personal control over the café’s affairs allows for creativity in the workplace and the family is still experimenting with what to put on the dessert menu.
Just the other night, they tried deep frying Oreos.
“It reminded me of fair food,” says family friend and waitress Brandi Page. Though skeptical of the deep-fried Oreos, Page is a fan of the Philly cheese steak. And Working Cow ice cream.
“I eat a lot of ice cream,” Page said. “But I’ve slowed down…” Page, who’s been with the café since it opened in September, has noticed a definite increase in customers and already greets the regulars by name. She nods to three older gentlemen sitting outside the café and explains that they come in for coffee, two to four times a day and sit outside contemplating the world.
Page points to the daily special board and says that something new they’ll be doing will be Fish Fridays, where customers will have a choice of either deep fried Pollock or catfish. But for now, Becky says, people should try the breakfast special: two eggs, bacon or sausage, a choice of potato or grits, toast, and coffee all for $3.49.
For those more adventurous, there’s always the Monte Cristo. It’ll make tongues delightfully confused about whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dessert time, and just might become a favorite.
Razzle’s Café is located in Zephyrhills at 6620 Gall Blvd. in the Florida Medical Clinic parking lot on 301. Hours are Sunday-Thursday, from 6 a.m. – 9 p.m., and open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information call (813) 395-5903.

By Shannon Edinger

There is a coffee house on the block that has the Lutz community buzzing.  Felicitous Coffee House opened its doors six months ago, and, although it is new, it has already been awarded “Best of the Bay” by Creative Loafing for its iced coffee.

Two friends, Cristie Leacock and Rani Chehal, co-own the busines at 19015 N. U.S. 41, just north of Lutz Lake Fern Rd., in a location that was previously a gas station and a thrift store.
Now filled with vintage decorations and artwork, it has become a go-to spot for coffee and pastries.
Leacock describes the atmosphere as vintage, artsy and eclectic.
“We have always supported small mom and pop shops so we sell their work here,” Leacock said.  “We have some locally made arts and goods, homemade soups and candles.  We want to start selling pottery also.”
Leacock said the coffee house’s décor is meant to make people feel like they are at home. There are comfy chairs and couches so people can take off their shoes and relax.  Artwork is displayed throughout the coffee house and there are board games for customers to play.
Felicitous hosts events such as open mic nights on Wednesdays for local amateur musicians and poetry/spoken word nights on Thursdays.  They also have knitting and gaming nights on Tuesdays.  Saturdays are Doggy Day at the café, when they provide water and treats for dogs outside on the patio.  Spaces can be reserved for events on Sundays. USF students get a discount on Monday nights.
In this rough economy, Felicitous tries to keep its prices low. Coffee is $2, cupcakes are $3.50 and muffins are $2.50.  Leacock says they are experimenting with new drinks, but a customer favorite is the java chip frap.
“The secret is in the way you make it,” Leacock says.
Felicitous also serves gourmet sandwiches from Five and Two, a nonprofit Tampa area ministry that helps benefit food pantries.
Felicitous is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.  It is closed on Sunday except for reserved events.  For more information, visit www.felicitouscoffee.com or call (813) 948-6540.