Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Joe Potter

Laker Correspondent

In March 1975, a well-equipped Chevrolet Impala cost $4,901, Gerald Ford was president and a gentleman named Ira Crook began working at Zephyrhills High School as a custodian.

In today’s market, that vehicle ­in pristine condition ­is worth up to $20,000. Zephyrhills got an even better return on its investment it made by hiring Crook.

More than 100 people recently helped celebrate Crook’s retirement during a party in the commons area of the school.

Crook, 63, a shy, humble man who prefers to work behind the scenes, found himself the center of attention at the party.

He is a unique employee in many ways. Crook is the last school resource personnel who began their career at the former site of Zephyrhills High, now Raymond B. Stewart Middle School. He is sure his starting date is March 15, 1975, but not so sure of the date in May 1975 the new location opened.

“I wish I had wrote the date down,” Crook said.

The new site might not have opened on time without the help of Crook and other employees who carried furniture and equipment into the building.

In 1979, Crook was promoted to assistant plant manager at Zephyrhills High. His 31 years at that position is unsurpassed by any other person in the Pasco County School District.

Crook never aspired to be plant manager. He was happy to work under four plant managers, among whom were Clay Durrett, George Scudder and Mark Steve, and six principals, James E. Davis, Raymond B. Stewart, Larry Robison, James T. Davis, Gerri Painter and Steve Van Gorden. He was happy with his job, which he said fit him the best.

“It’s best to have people in the position they’re best suited for,” Crook said.

He had not figured on working at Zephyrhills High for 35 years when he started in 1975.

“I must be doing a good job because they kept me on all these years,” Crook said.

It is estimated an employee works 72,800 hours over a 35-year career. Crook likely surpassed that mark by thousands of hours. He worked the afternoon and evening shift his entire career.

On many occasions he would be the last person to leave the campus. After all, the band or the football team might be getting back late from an event. It was his responsibility to make sure all the gates and doors were locked and all the lights were turned off

“So I always put in extra time,” Crook said. “You don’t get paid for it, but it’s something that needs to be done.”

He would also help set up the gymnasium for performances by the band or chorus. He made sure the doors and the lighting and the sound system were ready and working.

There were many things Crook did for the school on his days off. He would frequently stop by the school to see if anything was needed during special events.

Crook was not in it for the money. He drew a great sense of personal satisfaction from helping students, coaches, fellow employees, the plant manager and others.

Crook is proud of the way Zephyrhills High looks considering it is 35 years old.

“This looks like a new school,” Crook said.

Crook enrolled in the school district’s delayed retirement plan five years ago. When the five years was up, he had to leave the job. He sounded and acted as if he would have rather stayed on longer, but he acknowledged it probably was time for him to retire so he would have more time to devote to community projects.

One of those is the Neighborhood Care Center in Zephyrhills where he has been a volunteer for several years. He is also involved in Relay For Life and Special Olympics.

His last working day at Zephyrhills High was March 31.

“My first day of retirement is April Fool’s Day,” Crook said. “So what a day to have the first day of retirement.”

That does not mean you will not see Crook around the school. He said he did not know if he would take another full-time job anywhere after retirement, but he does know he is ready, willing and able to help out at Zephyrhills High if he is ever needed.

Oscar Cooler Sports Complex expansion nears completion

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

Residents of Loch Devon Estates in Lutz seem to be in favor of the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex’s expansion as long as the entrance remains on the north side of the park.

“If they have a northern entrance to the parking I am very much ok with that,” said Loch Devon resident Tracy Gaschler. “…I am very exited about having the new park in the neighborhood and having a safe place for kids to come and play. My family can’t wait until it’s finally finished.”

However, a year ago residents of the neighborhood off W. Lutz-Lake Fern Road had concerns about the expansion. The problem stemmed from where Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department originally planned the entrance to the new parking lot. The new entrance originally was directly across from the neighborhood’s only entry point.

“The county first planned to widen Lutz-Lake Fern to three lanes from two by adding a right-turn lane into the new parking lot,” said Mark Saunders, president of the Loch Devon Homeowners’ Association. “They also had a cement divider that would force you to turn into the park or into our neighborhood. People would have to do a U-turn in our neighborhood to keep going on Lutz-Lake Fern.”

Loch Devon Drive is a dead-end road with 23 homes and about 100 residents. Sunders has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years.

Mark Thornton, the department’s president, eventually agreed to redesign the park, which has been set for expansion for six years. The entrance was moved from the eastern to the northern end of the complex. The parking lot will remain directly across from Loch Devon’s entrance.

“It cost us about $80,000 more to design the entrance twice, but in the end it was extremely important to the people in Loch Devon that we move it,” Thornton said. “Our goal was to maximize the property. We had to integrate the design to use the most land we could, but we still want to be good neighbors.”

There will be a bike and pedestrian entrance to the parking lot where the original car entrance was planned. Additional trees have been planted along the eastern end of the parking lot to reduce the amount of noise in the neighborhoods.

Thornton went on to explain that the lights at the complex are hooded to reduce the amount of light that escapes into the surrounding communities at night. The hooded lights cost between 25 and 30 percent more than traditional ones.

When asked why the original plans forced people to turn either into the sports complex or the dead end neighborhood, Thornton only repeated that the original plans were designed to maximize the use of the land.

“When we got together with him last year we told him that everybody in the neighborhood was against it,” Saunders said. “I guess he didn’t realize it was a dead end.”

The finalized plans for the new entrance were not available by press time. Thornton said that will be the last part completed because of it being designed twice.

“I would like to see the finalized plans,” Saunders said. “Imagine building a house in Hillsborough County without approved plans.”

The new park, which comes in at a price tag of about $3.7 million, is set to open either in May or June, but the opening date is also not set.

When finished, the complex will add three soccer fields, a shared football and soccer field, the new parking lot and eventually a new baseball and a softball field.

“The Lutz area hasn’t ever had any soccer fields like this,” Thornton said. “People had to travel to either New Tampa or elsewhere if they wanted to play. It will help soccer grow and flourish in north Hillsborough County.”

By Suzanne Schmidt

Staff Writer

In Tommy Town in Dade City, many children do not know how to dream of a better future. Two nonprofit organizations are working together to change that by starting a soccer club.

Recently Carlos Crespo, director of Cresportour 22, teamed up with Margarita Romo, executive director of Farmworkers Self Help, to form the soccer club.

Children ages 9 to 18 will be learning to play soccer while also learning about life.

“This is about teaching the kids discipline and teaching them skills,” Romo said. “We want to bring out the self we know they are. It is a tool we can use. Our kids love soccer and they are really excited about this.”

The club is a part of the Teen Dream Team program through the Farmworkers Self Help organization.

“The whole point of the Teen Dream Team is to teach kids to dream,” Romo said. “With the new club, we can use soccer as a way to teach the kids to dream beyond that field. They could become professional soccer players or referees.”

Romo said the children need something positive to look forward to since their lives are filled with so much turmoil.

“In our community, there is a lot of drugs and shootings,” Romo said. “We want them to stop thinking they need a gun and instead for them to think they need a soccer ball. We hope they will learn skills that will one day help the community.”

The program started with Rocio Paulsen, director of the Pasco/Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“When Rocio was trying to find out where the Hispanic community is in the area, David West directed her to me,” Romo said. “I showed her around and let her see what we have been doing at the park. We have been using the park to play soccer for four years, but it was very unorthodox. We have not had the ability to make it come to fruition.”

That led Paulsen to contact her father, Crespo, who was a professional soccer player and professional referee and is currently a soccer coach at Sickles High School. In the future, the club is hoping to get a female soccer coach as well.

Romo said she is hoping Crespo will provide structure the children might not be getting at home.

“Most kids don’t have a male figure at home,” Romo said. “It is good for them to see someone who is loving and kind but tough. I want to help the kids that really need the support. There are so many kids that have nothing.”

Crespo said he is looking forward to helping the children see a better future.

“This is the best way for the kids to move forward,” Crespo said. “They will learn teamwork. It is a way to form the personality of the kids; it is not just a sport. It is important for them to see a role model right in front of them and not on TV. We want the children to learn they can work hard and reach their goal.”

Jose Amateco, coach for the club, said he likes the club because it teaches children manners.

“We make sure they do not use bad language,” Amateco said. “We tell them they have to be careful of the words they use. They have to work as a team and they have to treat each other with respect.”

Paulsen said she is hoping the children will learn the game so they can one day become referees.

“It is a way for them to make money,” Paulsen said. “It can give them self-worth and self-esteem so they won’t have to depend on their parents for money.”

The biggest need is to level the field where the children are playing soccer.

“The team will be in charge of keeping the park clean,” Romo said. “It will be another way to teach them discipline. This field is their field and they will have to keep it beautiful.”

The team also needs a number of soccer supplies including soccer balls, shoes with cleats, soccer goals, lighting, a water cooler, snacks, uniforms and more.

The Hispanic Chamber is collecting used shoes with cleats to help out the program.

“We don’t need new shoes,” Paulsen said. “We are just hoping people will go into their kids closet and get the shoes they are not using anymore.”

The Team Dream Team has been around since 1987. Since then the organization has made a lot of changes in Tommy Town in Dade City including getting a health clinic set up and paving the streets. Romo said she has many plans for the future.

“I want to see a day where people will want to move here and have businesses here,” Romo said. “I would like to see this area turn into a place like Ybor City. A lot of people want to pretend like it doesn’t exist.”

For more information, visit http://fshflorida.org.

The Teen Dream Team soccer club needs:

• Soccer balls
• Shoes with cleats
• Soccer goals
• The field leveled
• Lights
• Cooler
• Snacks
• Lawn mower
• Gardening tools
• Trash cans
• Uniforms
• Benches

Child inspires Wesley Chapel golf tournament

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

Stephanie and Mike Walls knew something was wrong with their youngest son Remington, but years of tests left only confusion and heartache for Land O’ Lakes family.

“He was sick all the time,” Stephanie said. “After we’d feed him he would scream and spit up his food every time and he was not a happy baby. We took him to several doctors and changed his baby formula so many times and tested him for almost everything. We had no idea he had this until he was 4-years-old.”

That “this” turned out to be eosinophilic esophagitis (EE), which prevents Remington from eating any solid foods.

“I don’t really remember eating food,” Remington, 10, said. “I only really remember that I got bad chest pains. It feels like I was having a heart attack or something…It was sharp knife pains in my chest.”

To raise awareness about the disorder, the family is planning the seventh annual Remington Golf Tournament. The tournament will benefit American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of EE and other related diseases.

The tournament starts at 1 p.m. May 1 at Lexington Oaks Golf Club, 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. The deadline to register is April 18. To sign up for the tournament, call Stephanie at (813) 997-2151.

Remington weighs only 60 pounds, which is light for a 10-year-old boy.

“He can’t eat anything solid,” Stephanie said. “Some people with EE can find some things they can eat, but Remington is in that small percent of people who can’t. He can only have this drink formula that has a lot of vitamins, minerals and the nutrition he needs.”

The formula has to be kept refrigerated and Remington has 12 to 13 of the 8-ounce drinks each day. Stephanie, who is a language arts teacher at Pine View Middle, said Remington sometimes gets so hungry at school that he drinks his entire daily supply before lunch. She keeps extras with her in case he needs more during the day.

Remington said the drinks taste like pineapple and orange when he first drinks them, but have a bad aftertaste.

“It’s really hard because it changed our entire lives,” Stephanie said. “People don’t realize how much of their lives involve food. We can’t go out to eat at restaurants. We still sit down and have dinner as a family and he has his drinks, but it has changed basically everything we do.”

According to APFED, Walls’ condition starts with an increase in a certain kind of white blood cells, called eosinophils, in the esophagus. Those blood cells attack any food that a person swallows and then continue to damage the esophagus.

“That’s what causes the pain,” Stephanie said. “It can cause scar tissue to build up and make is esophagus hard and unusable. It could cause him to need a feeding tube.”

APFED’s Web site, www.epfed.org, states common symptoms of EE include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal and chest pain, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, anemia, difficulty sleeping, weight loss and stunted growth. The symptoms are not specific to EE and vary widely, so most people are misdiagnosed as having acid reflux or other diseases. There are no accurate estimation of how many people in the United States have EE.

While EE forces a drastic change in eating habits, no evidence has shown that it shortens a patient’s lifespan. Medications are available to reduce some of the symptoms of EE, but there is no cure.

“The medicines didn’t help Remington,” Stephanie said. “His condition got worse and spread to his small intestine. We knew his life was at risk, so I started looking online to see if I could find anything about what could be causing this. I came across the APFED Web site and was directed to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. They specialize in treating EE.”

The Walls travel to the Cincinnati hospital several times a year, which is difficult with Remington’s nutritional requirements.

“It has become tricky to travel with his drinks,” Stephanie said. “I usually send most of them ahead of us so that I know they’re waiting for us, but the airports don’t like us traveling with all the liquid. They usually want us to check them, but he needs to have them every couple hours and I’m always afraid they will get put on the wrong plane.”

Despite his hardships, Remington is still able to participate in sports.

“I play baseball and it’s my favorite sports,” Remington said. “It is a tradition in our family because my dad played in high school…I play second base, shortstop and catcher. I like playing second base the best because I get the most balls hit to me.”

Remington’s favorite baseball team is the Tampa Bay Rays and his favorite player is Carl Crawford. He said he would like to be a baseball player when he grows up.

“He’s a very determined kid,” Stephanie said. “He doesn’t want to be known for the disease. He’s a strong fellow and can show people that determination can take you a long way.”