Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

When Pasco County started the widening of SR 54 in Wesley Chapel it was promised to pave the way for a more connected region, but a pair of glitches have arisen near Boyette Road.

Since the traffic pattern changed last December, the 10 or more semi trucks that come by the Wesley Chapel Business Center each week cannot leave without turning across both lanes of traffic and the blocked off portion to the south. Support The Troops Inc., which sends supplies to U.S. troops serving abroad, is located in that complex.
“It’s a big mess,” said Bob Williams, Support The Troops founder. “The trucks just can’t make that turn. If you’ve got a truck worth more than $100,000, you’re not going to risk it getting damaged to drop off donations to us. I’ve already seen problems with donations because of the turning.”
Williams shares the building with two companies owned by his sons.
Pasco chief engineer James Widman said the county has already increased the turning radius out of the center from 35 to 50 feet.
“Trucks should be able to turn in that amount of space,” Widman said.
Williams’ complaint with the project does not end with the turning radius. He also claims the county promised him a wall would be built between SR 54 and the center to protect it if someone hits the building. Currently, only five feet and a small guardrail separate the structure from the thousands of vehicles that drive by every day.
“We’ve just stopped using our corner office near the road because we know it’s just a matter of time before someone crashes into us, especially when the other lanes open and more people drive though,” Williams said. “It’s sad that you reach an agreement in good faith with someone and they back out.”
Williams said it was a verbal agreement. Widman said no promise was ever made. He said he met with Williams, who lives in Lutz, and agreed to present the idea of building a dividing wall to the county lawyer. In the end he says it was decided they would help Williams build the barrier, but would not pay for it.
“We compensated Mr. Williams when we bought the land to do the project,” Widman said. “The amount we gave him was not only for the land, but also to account for anything, such as a wall, that he would need to build.”
The amount Williams received was unavailable from the county, which paid $74.2 million total to acquire right-of-way for the project.
Widman, who emphasized he believes Williams is a good man, said such a dividing wall would cost $40,000 to $60,000.
“They’ll eventually do something, but Pasco County likes to wait until two or three people get killed before they do anything,” Williams said. “Everybody is incensed by this. You can’t even get to the post office without nearly getting into an accident.”
Williams has created a temporary solution to the problem, placing a steel overseas shipping container filled with 100,000 pounds of anything he could find next to his building on his property.
“It will prevent anyone from driving through our building and hopefully will get the county to move a little faster,” Williams said.
The Wesley Chapel Post Office is on Boyette just west of the business center. Problems there began when the intersection of Boyette and SR 54 lost its traffic signal when the lanes shifted.
Megan Hill nearly got into an accident turning onto Boyette to mail a Christmas package. She lives east of the post office and the new configuration of SR 54 made it difficult for her to see when to turn.
“You’re right up against the buildings and then the turn is just past them,” Hill said. “I hit the brakes to turn right and the person behind me had to go into the other lane of traffic to not hit me. I’ve lived here for 10 years, but I almost missed that turn I’ve made about 100 times.”
Widman said he has suggested putting signs up to alert drivers the turn for the post office is near.
“The other problem is we have the wrong street name on the new traffic signal,” Widman said. “That new road that comes through east of Boyette is called Vandine Road. For some reason the Boyette sign was put on top of the new light.”
That new road comes south where Boyette begins its S-curve. It is named after a family that owned the land the county bought to build the street. Widman said it is designed to take traffic off Boyette, which is why it received the signal that Boyette lost.
“We had to remove the light because the distance was too close to have two as part of the access management plan for the road,” Widman said. “It has to meet state requirements. Traffic on Boyette should taper off as people get used to using Vandine Road instead. We understand change is difficult and we aren’t perfect. We’ll do what we can to put the right signage out for drivers.”
Widman added the project to widen SR 54 to six lanes from I-75 to Curley Road is well ahead of schedule and he thinks it should be done before next March as was originally planned.

By B.C. Manion

It’s hard to predict what kinds of cars will show up at the Al and Ida Silver Memorial Classic Car Show.
Car lovers are “liable to see anything there,” said Larry Broga, a car enthusiast with years of experience in the car world, who has been tapped to judge the entries.

“There could be as many as 100 or as few as 20,” Broga said. “It’s what is called an open show,” he said, meaning it could attract everything from antiques to exotics, from hot rods to street rods to customs.
The event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
Weather permitting, the “show ‘n shine” classic car competition could be a big draw, Broga said. (A rain date has been set for Jan. 22).
On the one hand, it’s a new event, so it’s hard to guess how much enthusiasm it will generate. On the other hand, there’s no other car show that day so it could pull in lots of enthusiasts who want to show off their beauties.
Broga said he will judge the cars by evaluating how much effort it took to get them into tip-top shape.
The car lover said he thinks classic cars have an appeal because they can stir feelings of nostalgia, reminding people of earlier times in their lives, or prompting them to think about simpler times in the past.
“There’s a lot of money and a lot of time put into these vehicles,” he said. “And a lot of pride. It’s a whole lifestyle. Some of those paint jobs are in the $10,000 range.”
Organizers of the car show wanted to stage an event to raise money for the Heritage Park Foundation, while at the same time honoring the late Al and Ida Silver, who owned A-OK Trophies and were founding members in the foundation and icons of the Land O’ Lakes community.
One of the reasons they wanted a car show is that they knew that Al Silver was a big car buff, said Sandy Graves, president of the Heritage Park Foundation.
The couple was widely known throughout the community, said Lonnie Piper, their daughter, who now runs the trophy shop with her husband, Bobby Buckle.
Al Silver championed the quest to have a light put in at Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and Lake Padgett Road because there were so many accidents, Piper said. He also pushed to have Christmas lights on electric poles, even though the family is Jewish, she added.
The family trophy business began in their Long Island home 49 years ago. It started in the basement, spread to the garage and then spilled into the family room.
“When it got to the dining room, that’s when my mother said, “That’s it!” Piper said. Instead of letting it take over the dining room, Ida Silver demanded that they open up a shop.
They had two locations on Long Island when they decided to move south to Florida.
They operated at different spots in Tampa before settling into a pink house on US 41 in Land O’ Lakes.
The house was knocked down by the widening of US 41, and the highway was renamed Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. The trophy shop — which sells trophies, plaques, pen sets, ribbons and other items — operates at 3724 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in a building constructed farther back from the road.
Piper is pleased that the benefit that will raise money in her parents’ memory will provide a nice time for event-goers while raising money to help pay for amenities for the community to enjoy.
The fundraiser’s proceeds eventually will be used to help pay for a Heritage Walk around the park and an amphitheater, Graves said.
It costs $15 to register a car for the event, which can be paid on the day of the show.
Cars will be lined up on a multipurpose field, where spectators can check them out and the contestants can be judged.
Registration is from 9 a.m. to noon. Twenty trophies and a best of show will be announced at a 2:30 p.m. ceremony. The first 50 cars to register will get a free goody bag.
The event will also feature a DJ playing music from the 50s, 60s and 70s and will include various vendors. Some will sell fresh produce. Others will offer pizza, hot dogs or barbecue.
Other vendors will sell jewelry, wickless candles, leather work, soaps, boutique clothing, beadwork, blankets and photography. A personal chef and someone from a company that does signs on car windows will be on hand, too.
Vendors are still welcome to participate, said Pam St. Mary, of Land O’ Lakes Saturday Market, who is organizing the event.
Graves said her organization envisions a day when people will be able to attend concerts and outdoors movies at the park, and will be able walk around a trail, stopping periodically to read markers that tell visitors about the community’s history and about area families.
“We’re hoping that people will come out to see the cars and have a good time,” St. Mary said.
For more information go to LOLSaturdaymkt or call Pam St. Mary at (813) 731-5168.

If you go
Al and Ida Silver Memorial Classic Car Show
Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 15 (Jan. 22 is rain date)
Classic cars, DJ, food booths and various vendors

By B.C. Manion

When buildings go up too quickly, problems can result.
That’s happened quite a bit in recent years, as construction was sped up to save money, said Lou Theberge, a division manager for Southern Independent Testing Agency Inc., in Lutz.

When a project is pushed too quickly in the quest to control expenses, testing of the building’s systems sometimes gets short shrift — and costly problems develop later, Theberge said.
That’s one of the reasons why the Lutz company, which has operated in Florida for 30 years, decided to branch out and add “building commissioning” to its list of services.
Put simply, building commissioning is a systematic approach to verify that a building’s support systems have been installed properly and are performing according to the approved construction documents.
The process also ensures that the building’s installed equipment meets the owner’s intended operational, maintenance and energy efficiency needs.
The effectiveness of commissioning in reducing energy use has been documented by a number of organizations, including the U.S. Green Building Council.
The Lutz company decided to branch out to offer the service because company leaders recognized the growing demand for the service and they wanted to generate more work to ensure they would not need to lay off any employees during this economic downturn, said Brian Kaupp, company vice president.
His dad, Chuck Kaupp, brought the company to Florida from Buffalo, N.Y., in 1980.
The company, which began with Chuck and his father, has a long history of testing, balancing and adjusting heating, air-conditioning and ventilation systems.
It officially launched its commissioning division in October, Brian Kaupp said.
The service can help companies save money through more efficient operations and it can help them maintain a more comfortable atmosphere for their employees and customers, Chuck Kaupp said.
It boils down to making sure the systems work properly, Theberge said. It’s like testing out a dishwasher, he said. You want to make sure each cycle performs the way it is supposed to work.
“Most of the time the new buildings are under warranty for a year,” Chuck Kaupp said. So, it is in everyone’s best interest to try to avoid costly errors in the way systems are installed or operated, he said.
“You try to get in at the design phase,” Theberge said.
The idea is to reduce or eliminate the change orders required in a project, Chuck Kaupp said. “There are a lot of savings that can found with scientific testing,” he said.
Building commissioning is intended to be an objective analysis of systems to make sure they are functioning properly, Chuck Kaupp said.
“Buildings are leaky,” Brian Kaupp said. Conditioned air — whether heated or cooled — can escape through window openings, around doors and even building soffits.
“We can tell the owner the leakage rate and the energy loss,” he said.
Technicians can detect leakage by using a giant fan to suck the air out of a room and then blow smoke into the building from the outside to see where it goes.
“Smoke drifts to wherever the leakage is occurring,” Brian Kaupp explained.
Crews also can use thermal energy cameras to detect temperature differences in a room.
In some cases, both approaches are used, Brian Kaupp said.
An increasing number of building owners are seeing the value of commissioning, Chuck Kaupp said. They recognize that a system that doesn’t work properly costs them money and can reduce comfort, he said. As a result, more owners are calling for commissioning services at an earlier stage to try to prevent potential problems and reduce possible costs.
Southern Independent Testing Agency, Inc., is located at 138 A Whitaker Road in Lutz.
The company’s primary market is the southeast United States, Brian Kaupp said. At present, they are doing commissioning work at some schools in Hillsborough and Osceola counties, at a medical center in Louisiana and at a hospital in Orlando.
Chuck Kaupp mused that a lot of people at the stage he is at in his career would be winding down toward retirement.
Instead, he’s enthused about the possibilities of the family-owned company’s new division.
In this tough economic time, Chuck Kaupp said, “people who have ingenuity and guts are the people who make things happen.”
If you would like more information about the company and its services go to www.sita-tab.com or call (813) 949-1999.

By Tammy Sue Struble

Zephyrhills is working on putting its best face forward, and landscape enhancements such as new palm trees along US 301 are just the beginning.

In meetings and workshops during the past year, the City of Zephyrhills is getting closer to more revitalization projects in conjunction with Pasco County and the Florida Department of Transportation.
In the last of the public input workshops regarding the Community Redevelopment Plan, consultants from Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. of Sarasota spoke with members of the community at the noon Zephyrhills Rotary meeting on Thursday, January 6. Then, Kimley-Horn representatives packed up and moved over to City Hall for a 3 p.m. workshop.
At the Rotary meeting, Martin “Marty” Black with Kimley-Horn reiterated information from past workshops yet solicited new ideas and solutions to problem areas from city residents and other members of the surrounding community.
Black suggested in the improvement plan — expected to span the next 10 years — that Zephyrhills include ideas that create noticeable gateway entrances into the city from several directions. Gateways that would be eye-catching improvements that identify one’s arrival into the city.
Something like that could help attract more attention for a city renowned for its bottled water and other businesses, including the strongest Village Inn and Golden Corral restaurants in the state. Yet, with 80,000 full-time and seasonal residents (58–60,000 without the seasonal) within a five-mile radius, people are still going elsewhere like Wesley Chapel, Tampa and Lakeland for office and retail services.
Kimley-Horn officials said Zephyrhills needs to better market itself as a viable place to receive those services.
“Just start the discussions,” Black urged at the Rotary meeting, “None of these solutions are perfect answers.”
Five areas have been identified for possible improvements with this Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) plan. The current CRA boundary is a hub at the intersection of US 301, Fifth Avenue and SR 54 and extending out from the hub in each direction approximately five to six blocks.
Four other areas earmarked for CRA improvements are Hercules Park area extending north from the hub area, Shepard Park area extending south from the hub, Zephyr Park area extending west from the hub, and the Historic area extending mostly east from the hub.
“Look at vacant areas that can be of better use,” Black continued. “Maybe new facades without tearing down existing buildings.” Other ideas were discussed with the Rotary group: like, improvements in the Zephyr Plaza (ABC Pizza) area, revitalizing the theatre on Fifth Avenue, possible outdoor dining, and changing the look of the Tires Plus area at 301 and Fifth Avenue.
Any improvements in the proposed plans do not include residential areas and are restricted to the downtown corridor, not the whole city.
In another question-and-answer session at City Hall where about 50 community members gathered, Marty Black summarized the CRA plan and mission again. Roughly three-fourths of the group were tennis players concerned with the improvement or possible status of the tennis courts at Zephyr Park off SR 54. Consensus in the crowd was that there were not enough courts in the city; there needs to be about two times as many more courts with some possibly being at another location.
Information was gathered about the current courts’ conditions, which are deemed poor because of, noise and dirt from SR 54 traffic, damage caused by vandalism, the courts being too close to each other and bad design of the parking lot.
All solutions, ideas and recommendations presented by the members of the public were gathered and written down by Kelley Klepper, one of the consultants from Sarasota. Suggestions from the community were better lighting for the courts, resurfacing with clay or rebuilding and a possible set of tennis courts near the south end of Hercules Park on city owned Tyson property, where trees would not have to be removed.
Zephyrhills High School tennis player, Stephen Belles, was at the workshop. He explained that it would be helpful to have more tennis courts at the Tyson property as it would be within walking distance from the high school. Currently, if the girls tennis team is playing on the school’s tennis courts, the boys have to travel to the Zephyr Park courts to practice.
“All ages play tennis at the Zephyr Park location.” We need to “get more tennis courts for Zephyrhills; right now there are not enough courts, only five,” Belles explained.
It was also suggested that the city consider adding additional activities such as basketball, another skateboard park, a running field, a place for cyclists, baseball, softball, another dog park, a BMX bike park and a snack bar.
Discussion and banter continued on each subject. Black from Kimley-Horn explained how Zephyrhills was in a better position for redevelopment than many other cities as they set aside funds for such purposes and do not take out loans. When the city has enough money for a project, they work on it. Other financial factors to consider were that certain community redevelopment funds cannot be spent without a plan in place; and, income the city receives from real estate taxes is projected to decline over the next two years.
Klepper from Urban Resource Group, a division of Kimley-Horn, explained that they (the consultants and the city) were about 60 days out from wrapping up planning.

By B.C Manion

There is something about the rhythmic tick-tock of a clock or the ancient sound of a grandfather’s chimes that has nearly universal appeal.

Those sounds are especially thrilling, however, to those who spend their days repairing clocks that don’t work.
Chris Denherder has sold and repaired clocks for decades and now is passing his knowledge and a few tricks of the trade to his grandson, Andrew Dirkse.
The men work at Timeframe, Inc.  which shares space with custom picture framing shop operated by Denherder’s wife, Judy.
The Denherders opened their shop 3 ½ years ago, at 4843 Allen Road in Zephyrhills. They began the business a year after moving into the area to retire. The couple, who lived in Buchanan, Mich., had been snowbirders since 1989.
They found a place on a golf course to retire, but couldn’t quite settle into retirement.
“We were here for a year doing nothing,” Denherder said. Then his wife told him she missed the framing business and wanted to get back into it. She promised him a small corner so he could fix clocks.
Fast-forward to this summer — that’s when the couple’s grandson, who had been building log homes in Bozeman, Mont, came for a visit.
He went back home, quit his job and signed up for some intensive clock repair classes.
Then, he moved back to join his grandfather’s business and he’s thrilled with his decision.
Both men get a kick out of figuring out why a clock is running too slow, running too fast or has stopped completely.
They enjoy figuring out why the chimes chime too often or at the wrong time or don’t chime at all.
“We repair clocks, anything from cuckoos to Grandfathers,” Dirkse said.  “We don’t do watches, just clocks,” said Andrew Dirkse.
The business draws its customers primarily from Zephyrhills, Dade City and areas to the north.
Dirkse said he has always enjoyed tinkering with things. When he was a kid he took apart radios and vacuum cleaners, he said.
Now, when he and Denherder repair clocks — at the shop or during house calls, he enjoys trying to figure out what’s wrong and how to fix it.
Each job is a little different, taking various amounts of time to complete.
“When you’re out working in the field, there’s a million different kinds of clocks,” Denherder said.
Dirkes said took intensive training in Ft. Lauderdale and Cincinnati to gain technical skills needed to attack all sorts of problems. But he also has the benefit of working alongside his grandfather who has built up a vast store of knowledge through decades of experience.
Some clock repairs can be made quickly and simply. Others require a fair bit of sleuthing to figure out exactly what’s wrong and then to find or make a part to repair it.
Sometimes it would be much cheaper just to buy a new clock. But many people want to hold onto old clocks for nostalgic or sentimental reasons. They may be a family heirloom or were given to them to mark a special occasion.
Sometimes they simply got a good deal and want a showpiece for their homes.
Other times they simply like the way the clock ticks or the chimes sound.
Unlike some repair services, a clock repair always takes time to verify, Dirkse said.
Once the repair has been made, the shop holds onto the clock to let it run for about a week to make sure that it’s working properly, he said. They want to make sure that when the customer gets it home they don’t need to bring it back.
The shop repairs clocks that wind up and clocks that work with weights. Recently it had a clock dating back to 1804.
If you’re going to get an antique clock, it’s a good idea to learn how to wind it properly, Dirkse said. It’s important to develop a feel for your clock. If it is a spring-driven clock, it’s possible to wind it too tightly and break the spring.
It’s also important to know how to set the beat.
“A clock has to tick-tock evenly in order to stay running. It’s not a fixed thing.”
“If you’re going to buy an antique clock, you really should know how to put it in beat,” he said.
Clock maintenance is critical, too.
“It’s a working machine. It needs to be lubricated,” Denherder said, recalling he went to one job and asked the owner when the clock had last been service. The owner replied: “I think it was in the ’90s.”
Doing routine maintenance helps avoid expensive repairs, Dirkse said.
The two men love talking about clocks and are glad to pass along what they know. They do not offer appraisals, but have roughly a dozen catalogs containing all kinds of clocks. The clock repair industry is declining, as fewer people enter the trade and others die or retire, Denherder said.
“Right after Andrew came to work here in September, the only other fellow I knew (who did clock repairs) passed away. I’ve been getting Dade City calls like crazy.”
As for Dirkse, he sees himself sticking with it.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” he said. “I like the history of it, I suppose.”
For more information about the shop’s services and hours call (813) 788-7400.

One Lutz family brings home annual quilt

By Kyle LoJacono

More than 2,500 people from 38 Florida towns, 14 states and four countries saw the 14th annual Christmas House at the Old Lutz School, but only one family could win the big prize.
Lutz resident Ann Parker won the raffle for the fifth annual Christmas quilt, a surprise she was not expecting.

“I just entered to help support the function,” Parker said. “It’s the first time we’ve come to see the house and it’s something special we’ll do in the future. It’s a good thing that everyone should see.”
Parker brought her two sons Charlie, 4, and Harry, 3, to see the house after hearing about how nice the display inside was.
While the majority of people who came to the house were from Lutz and Land O’ Lakes, according to signatures in the guest book, many also came from Odessa, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, San Antonio, New Tampa and many other towns in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Visitors also came from places like California, Canada, Denmark, Finland and Columbia.
The exact number of participants was not available as many people bought more than one ticket, but $290 was raised in the raffle. That money is going to the Citizens of the Old Lutz School to help maintain the nearly 85-year-old building.
“We need to replace two windows that were busted recently when some people broke in,” said Phyllis Hoedt, member of the citizens group. “It’s an old building and needs work to keep it for future generations.”
The quilt is made each year by Betsie Everett, who is currently working on the one for 2011.

By B.C. Manion

An $11 million building going up at Saint Leo University signals the first new classroom building on the campus in decades.
It’s like going from the 1960s to the 21st century in one fell swoop.
School leaders are excited by how they’ll be able to use the latest in technology to better prepare their students to play a meaningful role in their future work places, whether they’re working for an employer or running a business of their own.
“On a very basic level, it will give us the physical resources we need,” said Michael Nastanski, dean of the Donald R. Tapia School of Business at Saint Leo University.
Burgeoning growth during the past decade has forced the business school to use every bit of classroom and office space available on the Saint Leo campus, Nastanski said.
“We’re the largest Catholic business school in the United States,” he said. Besides its Saint Leo campus, the university has 17 regional education centers and the Center for Online Learning.
The new business building will allow the university to bring all of its business students and faculty members on the Saint Leo campus under one roof.
Beyond pulling people together, the building itself is designed to foster collaboration and creativity, Nastanski said.
It has many gathering places, where faculty members can discuss ideas and where faculty members and students can continue discussions that began in the classroom.
The building’s technology will enable students to work together on projects and then share their results with the class, Nastanski said.
The technology used in today’s workplace is one of the huge drivers of change, said Lorrie McGovern, who joined the university in October as head of graduate programs in the school of business.
The building’s technology enables students to hear and see lectures being delivered by experts at one of the university’s satellite locations.
The building also is designed to accommodate gatherings with corporate leaders and economic development groups, such as the Pasco Economic Development Council.
Such exchanges can be very beneficial to students, as well as to companies seeking future employees to join their team, McGovern said.
It also is enabling the university to add a computer science program, Nastanski said.
The new structure adds 50,000 square feet to the university’s main campus. It includes nine classrooms, a large lecture hall which doubles as a boardroom, computer labs and a broadcast technology suite.
Nastanski said he can’t wait for the building to open. He believes it will help the university prepare graduates to be innovative thinkers who are capable of helping their future employees or their own businesses to use technology to reduce costs, increase revenue and improve customer service.
The university’s school of business bears the name of Donald R. Tapia, an alumnus who donated $4 million for the building, the largest single gift in the university’s history.
Tapia received a bachelor’s degree in business administration through the Center for Online Learning at the university and returned for an online MBA.
Before McGovern joined Saint Leo, she said she was looking at the university’s website and read about Tapia’s donation. Tapia grew up in a rough neighborhood in Detroit and now owns a multi-million dollar wholesale business outside of Phoenix. McGovern said she was impressed that an adult, online graduate had made such a large contribution. Those kinds of donations are rare, she said.
“I thought, ‘Wow, something exciting is going on,’ ” McGovern said.
The plans for the building are impressive, she said. “That’s what you see,” she said.
But it was the camaraderie and culture that could lead to such a gift that drew McGovern to Saint Leo.

Local chapter building seven homes

By Kyle LoJacono

The 81 homes dedicated by Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco helped the national organization reach a milestone in 2010, and the local group has more planned for 2011.

Habitat for Humanity dedicated its 400,000th house last December. The East & Central Pasco chapter is currently building seven houses for needy families in Land O’ Lakes, Zephyrhills, Dade City and Lacoochee. The latest started Jan. 8 at 11 a.m. when Gail Emmanuel saw the groundbreaking of her future home in Zephyrhills.
“I can’t believe it,” Emmanuel said at the dedication. “To think people are helping us get a house. It’s overwhelming.”
Along with the 400,000 homes dedicated worldwide during the last 35 years, Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 2 million receive better housing.
“We are happy to have helped Habitat for Humanity reach this important milestone in bettering communities across the country,” said Stephanie Black, director of family services with the East & Central Pasco chapter. “With continued support of our sponsors and volunteers, we’ll address affordable housing needs in east and central Pasco County.”
The East & Central Pasco chapter was formed last year when the separate units in central and east Pasco merged to pool resources and build more houses. Two homes were dedicated in 2010, one in Zephyrhills and the other in Dade City.
Last year, Habitat for Humanity dedicated nearly 80,000 homes by repairing, rehabilitating or building new ones. The organization has set a goal to get that number to 100,000 families helped globally each year by 2013.
“We are pleased that even in this difficult economy, Habitat for Humanity has been able to help a record number of families around the world have a better place to live,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “Our affiliates are the backbone of Habitat’s efforts. Their hard work and dedication have made this milestone possible. We are grateful for the work of Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco.”
Generally, Habitat homes in east and central Pasco cost $97,000, which includes the land. They are usually 1,150 square feet and include three bedrooms and one bathroom.  Black said they are affordable to low-income families because there is no profit included in the sale of the house and no interest charged on the mortgage, which are financed for 30 years.
The East & Central Pasco chapter has fundraising events throughout the area and receives money from churches, business, organizations and individuals along with support from local government. It also raises money through sales at its ReStores.
Anyone interested in donating time or money to the effort can do so by calling the East & Central Pasco chapter at (352) 567-1444 or visiting www.habitatpasco.org.

By Gary S. Hatrick

The Rotary Eastside 8 bagged 775 Christmas meals to be distributed to those in need Saturday attaining a 72 percent increase over 2009’s holiday joint community service project, which yielded 450 bags.

Eastside 8 is the name given to the East Pasco County Rotary Clubs comprised of the Rotary Club of Zephyrhills; Rotary Club of Zephyrhills, Daybreak;? Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel; Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, Sunrise; Rotary Club of Dade City;? Rotary Club of Dade City, Sunrise;? Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes;? and Rotary Club of San Antonio.
A matching grant of $3,700 from Rotary Club International helped to bring about the increase in dinners for the east side clubs.
The project was begun last year and conceived and spearheaded by past president of the noon Rotary Club in Zephyrhills, Mike Mira. This year, he and current president Mike Waters continued to provide leadership for the project.
The meals consisted of a canned ham, mashed potatoes, muffin mix, corn, green beans, gravy and a cake.
“Pretty much a complete holiday dinner,” Mira said.
“Our club did 200 of those bags,” Mira said. “We’re taking care of West Elementary, Chester Taylor Elementary and Stewart Middle School as well as making a contribution to the Samaritan Project.”
The Samaritan Project is a cooperative effort between churches, businesses and the city of Zephyrhills to meet needs of families and individuals in the community.
“Daybreak Rotary is doing 100 bags,” Mira continued. “Their club is taking care of Woodland Elementary and the High School.”
“We re going to the schools because we feel [having needs is] never the children’s fault. We want these families to have a nice Christmas dinner,” Mira explained.
Stewart Middle School contributed 600 extra cans of canned goods from a drive held at the school which were added to the bags.
Contributions also came from Zephyrhills community business partners Wade Thomas, who gave $1,000 to the noon club, and Tom Vanater, who provided $300 to the noon club to fund the bags being given to the Samaritan Project.
Mira said that the need was even greater this year.
“We’re supposed to be coming out of the recession and it seems like people are in worse shape this year,” he said.
The Eastside 8 clubs had a summer vacation food project last summer to help children when there is no longer a school lunch after they get out of school. They plan to do that project again in June.
Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

By Kyle LoJacono

The Hillsborough County Commission recently voted to add 4.2 miles to the Upper Tampa Bay Trail in Lutz and Odessa, but a 2.6-mile hole remains in the plan.
The trail will be added from near the intersection of Gunn Highway and Peterson Road in Odessa north to where the Suncoast Trail ends near W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road in Lutz. However, the Tampa trail will not connect with its southern portion because of a 2.6-mile gap.
Project manager Bill Hand said there are four people who own the property near Peterson who are unwilling to sell their land to the county. Hand said the overall goal is to connect the trails, which would create 59 miles of continuous pathways from Tampa to Citrus County.
Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department spokesman John Brill said the commission told his department they are still committed to creating the continuous route. The commission is unwilling to use eminent domain to force the landowners to sell their property at this time and is looking at alternatives for the trail.
The project is moving forward faster than expected after the commission voted to use available county and Southwest Florida Water Management District money. A start date is not yet set, but the project is planned to begin in the spring 2012 and is scheduled for completion by that October.
The cost of the project is $8 million with no significant operating cost added after completion. The job includes creating two trailhead parking areas, one near the intersection of Van Dyke Road and Gunn and the other on Lutz-Lake Fern Road halfway between the street’s intersections with the Suncoast Parkway and Gunn.
The original plan for the Tampa trail addition was to use Florida Department of Transportation Department money, but doing so would delay the completion until at least 2015.
Lutz resident Mike Rainer, 36, is a distance runner who uses the Suncoast Trail every morning in Pasco County. He runs about 10 miles each morning and is happy with the thought of having more pathways.
“That’s great news,” Rainer said. “We live in a state were we can go outside and enjoy the nice weather. It’ll be great to have more trails to go out and enjoy.”