Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Suzanne Schmidt

Staff Writer

LAND O’ LAKES—In a town known for its many lakes, a local club is having a hard time finding one they can use.

Jim Slaughter, of Land O’ Lakes, said he is hoping to find a local place for members of the West Florida Model Boat Club to practice racing their model boats. He said the boats are all electric so they do not cause any harm to the lake or the wildlife.

“They are all electric so they don’t make noise like gas boats do,” Slaughter said. “The boats don’t pollute the water or the air and it doesn’t hurt the fish.”

There are boats of different scale and sizes and types. Some boats can go as fast as 60 miles per hour.

“We have races just like if the boats were full-scale,” Slaughter said. “We put buoys in the lake and we have rules like full-scale boat races have. We like to race them but we also do different events like we use the tugboat to pull a boat or do precision maneuvering.”

Slaughter said he enjoys racing the boats as well as putting them together.

“We can buy the fiberglass hull or make one from wood and then put all the equipment inside,” Slaughter said. “It is a challenge to put them together but then you have the pleasure of seeing something you made racing along the water.”

Just maneuvering the boat can be a challenge according to Slaughter.

“It is very technical,” Slaughter said. “You have to have the boat set up right and have things like the angle of the propeller just right. It is something that is a lot of fun for technical minded people.”

Mike Harvey, of Land O’ Lakes, said he likes the competitive side of the racing.
“It is your equipment and skill vs theirs,” Harvey said. “It is just as much fun as racing the full-scale boats, but without the danger.”

Slaughter said there are a few requirements for the lake they will use.

“We need a small lake like about five to eight acres,” Slaughter said. “We need to have the lake empty of people and boats and it needs to not have a bunch of weeds. Also we need to park our cars close to the shore because we charge our boats using our car batteries. It also needs to have a gentle slope to the water’s edge because we have to be able to put the boats in and take them out.”

Currently the club meets once a month in Sarasota.

“The lake bank in Sarasota is straight down and is hard for us to use since we are all a bunch of old guys,” Slaughter said. “The problem is we don’t get enough practice because we only meet once a month. You need to have more time to practice because it seems like the boat settings change every time. It would be nice to have a local lake so we could practice anytime.”

In addition to looking for a lake, the club is also seeking new members.

“We would like to find people who have tugboats, sailboats or any model of boat,” Slaughter said. “It is fun to just get together and race the boats or just practice.”

Eventually the club would also like to get more involved in schools. Slaughter said he would like to go into a school and give a demonstration.

“We could do a program to show the students how the boats work and what makes them go,” Slaughter said. “If the school could take a field trip we could take them to a lake and let them drive a boat.”

The club is a part of the North American Model Boat Association. It formed a few years ago with a few members from Land O’ Lakes and other areas like Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Bradenton and Punta Gorda.

In order to be a part of the national organization, the club members have to carry insurance. Slaughter said they have $2 million worth of liability insurance for the location where they meet and each individual member has $1 million.

For more information or if there is a lake available, contact Slaughter at (813) 966-7529 or .

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

NORTHDALE – When Heather Castle was named the Gaither High School softball coach before the 2009-10 school year, things seemed to be near perfect.

Castle graduated from Gaither in 2004 and was returning after coaching at King High School in 2009.

“It was really my dream to come back and coach at Gaither, but this was even worse than never getting the job,” Castle said. “I had the position and lost it before I even had a chance.”

Castle was let go as the Cowboys coach Jan. 4, the first day after the winter break in Hillsborough County.

“Gaither High School has elected to move in a different direction with its softball program,” said Henry Strapp, Gaither athletic director. “As a result, Ms. Castle was released as our softball coach. Mr. Jerry Murray was hired as her replacement.”

Strapp had nothing more to say.

Murray is the head of the science department at Gaither and was named the coach within a week of Castle being released.

“I wasn’t given a reason or written warning,” Castle said. “Before the break Mr. Strapp just said ‘have a nice vacation,’ and then on Monday he told me he needed to talk with me. All he could tell me is some of the girls said I was too negative.”

According to Linda Cobbe, spokeswoman for Hillsborough County, a coaching position must be advertised for at least a week before it is filled unless the replacement is already on staff at the school. Also, because Castle was not a teacher at Gaither, the school is not required to give a reason for the termination.

Gaither principal Marie Whelan told Cobbe that Strapp and some of the players had concerns with Castle as the coach, but did not go into detail.

“I can’t remember off the top of my head the last time I’ve heard of a coach being let go before they coached a game in Hillsborough County,” said Hillsborough County athletic director Lanness Robinson. “It isn’t common I’d say.”

Despite the claim that Castle was negative, the coach did positive things during her one season at King. She started the Principal and Coaches Top Athlete Award to honor players who worked hard on the field and in the classroom.

It could be that Castle was negative around her players, but it is possible something else was going on.

“This is all about Ms. McGrath wanting to have Al Alcala back as head coach,” Castle said.

Lori McGrath is the mother of Kristen and Meagan McGrath, who are twins and pitchers for the Cowboys.

“From what I’ve seen, whatever Ms. McGrath wants, she gets at the school,” Castle said. “Any little thing I did that wasn’t how Al Alcala did it and was wrong to her. I know everyone at the school is saying Jerry Murray is the head coach, but it is really Al Alcala,”

As of Feb. 8, the team’s Web site, which can be accessed from the Gaither’s site of gaither.mysdhc.org, says Alcala is the head coach. The first sentence on the coaching staff link on the team’s Web site states, “Gaither High School has announced that Al Alcala will be returning to GHS for the 2010 softball season.”

However, Alcala cannot be the coach because his coaching certification has expired. Alcala could not be reached for additional comment, but has said in the past he will be the one coaching the team.

Alcala coached the Cowboys for three years before resigning after the 2008 season. At the time, Alcala, who is a Tampa Fire Rescue investigator, said he needed to spend more time at work after he thought he was getting a promotion.

It was later found that Alcala had been falsifying time cards, which said he was on duty while he was coaching Gaither at games. The promotion never happened, and Alcala was told he can expect no promotion with the department ever. Gaither never said the falsified time cards had anything to do with his resignation.

Castle said Mr. Strapp told her Alcala was taking over as the coach when she was released and only installed Murray after the fact to “cover Gaither’s tracks” of the actual hiring.

“Alcala had some good years with Gaither and Lori McGrath wants him back,” said Bob Gambino, assistant with Castle at King, who was going to be assistant at Gaither. “The athletic director at Gaither wants to hide any kind of problem as fast as possible in my opinion. So he played a political game to get Ms. McGrath what she wanted without having to answer why Al is back.”

The other issue was not guaranteeing certain people playing time.

“Heather said no one will get a spot unless they earn it, and that made Ms. McGrath mad in my opinion,” Gambino said. “She wanted her daughters to be told they would play even if they were out of shape or playing badly. What kind of a lesson is that for kids?”

McGrath said she does not speak to newspapers when attempted to be reached for comment. However, when Kristen and Meagan committed to play at the University of Alabama at Birmingham last October, McGrath said, “I’m really excited for their senior season. I’m looking forward to it.”

This may not be the first time McGrath has used her influence to terminate a coach. Laura Wolf coached the Cowboys in 2009, but resigned after one year.

“From everything I’ve heard, Ms. McGrath got Laura to resign,” Castle said. “There is no coincidence to me that two coaches were replaced in basically the same way. Now they are trying to hide who the real coach is.”

At the very least, there is some confusion over who the actual coach is.

“There was no reason behind Gaither releasing me as head coach, except the fact that Ms. McGrath wanted complete control of the softball team and was allowed to do so through Mr. Strapp,” Castle said. “My release was unfair and unjust.”

By Sarah Whitman

Senior Staff Writer

Lutz—Dani McVety was studying veterinary medicine at the University of Florida when she got a phone call explaining her childhood dog Dusty needed to be euthanized. Dusty, a 14-year-old female doberman, suffered from severe arthritis and could no longer function. McVety and her family took the dog to the vet, where a doctor administered the end-of-life drug; then left the room. The impersonal experience left McVety devastated.

“The doctor left the room and that was it, there was no additional sympathy or explanation,” McVety said. “Having that personal experience made me want to help people with the euthanasia process. It’s such an emotional time. I knew when I became a vet, I wanted to make it better for people.”

Now a doctor of veterinary medicine, McVety is the owner of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia. The unique private practice allows McVety to visit the homes of clients with critically ill or injured pets. She helps care for the animals during their last days; then administers in-home euthanasia.

“I do this for the love of the people that love their animals,” McVety said. “A bad news diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to euthanize right away. I let clients know they have options, that they can take their pets home and go from there.”

McVety offers all the services of an in-office vet, including medications and pain management. She visits client’s homes as requested and begins discussions about end of life when pet owners are ready.

“A lot of people don’t want their pets to die alone,” McVety said. “We work with them to plan so that they can be there at the end.”

McVety is on call for clients, keeping a cell phone hooked to her belt. She works out of her home in Lutz. She also works part-time at Tampa Bay Veterinarian Emergency Services, where she meets many clients for the first-time.

Wesley Chapel residents Marta and Craig Henry were at the emergency vet with their miniature schnauzer Blackie when McVety let them know about in-home euthanasia.

“Blackie was old and had been sick for months, she needed IV fluids everyday and we were always taking her to the vet,” Marta Henry said. “When Dr. McVety told us we could do in-home hospice, we were surprised. We didn’t even know that option existed.”

The Henry’s hired McVety to administer daily fluids from home and monitor Blackie’s health. In the end, they were happy with the decision to discontinue in-office treatment.

“The experience was wonderful,” Henry said. “Dr. McVety was there at the end. She is the sweetest person and she was able to comfort Blackie. Having her help made things so much easier.”
Melissa Kirkpatrick is also grateful to McVety, and her willingness to accommodate client needs.

“Our 13-year-old great dane Bailey had a seizure in the night,” Kirkpatrick said. “We called Dr. McVety and she came out first thing in the morning. Bailey was able to have her last moments in her own home. It was very peaceful.”

For pet owners, losing an animal can be as difficult as losing a friend or relative. For this reason, McVety stays with clients after an animal has passed. She grieves with them and offers support. Many clients share memories and say their goodbyes.

“I’ll stay with them for as long as they need,” McVety said. “Most of the time I tear up too. I think it comforts people to know I sympathize with them.”

Once a client is ready, McVety either leaves the animal to be buried by the family or takes the animal so it can be cremated.

Anyone with a pet in need can contact McVety for a consultation. She is willing to travel throughout Pasco and Hillsborough counties. The base cost for her service is $225, which covers the cost of euthanasia. She spends several hours with clients, so the cost is minimal, she said. Medications and multiple visits are available at an additional cost.

For more information, call Dr. Dani McVety at (813) 407-9441 or visit www.VetHospice.org.

Facility will serve all of Pasco County

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

ZEPHYRHILLS (Change to Pasco County) — Gulfside Regional Hospice, which provides hospice care throughout Pasco County, opened its 12th site Feb. 5 in Zephyrhills.

“The goal of opening the new center is to provide a high level of care,” said Kathleen Postiglione, Gulfside Regional chief operating officer. “We will have new and different elements to help make someone’s last moments the best ones.”

Postiglione has worked in hospice care for five years.

The new location, 5760 Dean Dairy Road in Zephyrhills, is a 21,000-square-foot, 12-bed facility that cost $6.5 million. The Zephyrhills center will have 25 employees and more than 80 volunteers.

“The new center is a Tuscan themed villa with a great view all around,” said Linda Ward, Gulfside Regional president and CEO. “The new center is mainly for people in Zephyrhills and Dade City, but there is no other inpatient center in Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes or Lutz, so we will see patients from those areas and all of Pasco County too.”

Ward has been in the healthcare industry for 25 years and has spent the last five and a half years with Gulfside Regional.

“I absolutely love giving this critical care to people,” Ward said of hospice work. “I’ve always worked with people near death, so this is a culmination of what I’ve done my whole professional life…It is one of the great parts of the healthcare industry.”

Postiglione agrees with Ward.

“I went back to school after being a chemist and fell in love with hospice care,” she said. “My first husband died at an early age, so I know what it means to lose someone…He died in a car accident, so he didn’t have hospice care, but I think that had something to do with me getting into it.”

Postiglione has since remarried to her current husband, John Postiglione.

The process of opening the new center started in February 2007 when Gulfside Regional was awarded a certificate of need to build the new inpatient center. The groundbreaking ceremony was in October 2008.

“The new center will offer many different methods to provide the best and most comfortable care for patients,” Postiglione said. “Some of the therapies we offer in Zephyrhills are aromatherapy and message therapy. We have nutrients to give the best food for the patients’ situations and many other methods to make life more comfortable.”

While some of these methods are being used at older Gulfside Regional inpatient centers, they will all be used together at the Zephyrhills facility.

“An important part of the center is the tranquil setting,” Ward said. “We wanted the whole center to be visually pleasing, so we have outdoor fish ponds and butterfly and rose gardens. We also will have salon treatments available because looking good is an important part of feeling good.”

Part of that tranquil setting was donated by Lorraine Hadley, 84, who gave a fountain worth $100,000 and a stained glass window worth $20,000 to the new center.

“At my age money doesn’t really matter,” Hadley said. “I don’t have any kids and I wanted to leave something beautiful behind…When you see the new center it is something you want to give back to because it’s so beautiful.”

Hadley moved to Pasco County in 1984 and currently lives in New Port Richey.

“I just love working in hospice and with these people,” she said. “I get back three-fold what I give to them.”

Gulfside Regional treats patients with many different conditions each year, but Postiglione said the most common one is cancer.

“We also treat people with breathing problems and cardiac problems each year,” she said. “We help whenever we’re needed.”

Postiglione said the patient aspect was always the focus while building the center.

“We kept to our mission statement all the way,” she said. “We really believe in it and feel that giving people peace and comfort each day is the most important part of what we do.”

Gulfside Regional Hospice mission statement

It is the mission of Gulfside Regional Hospice Inc. to provide compassionate, quality care to individuals and their loved ones facing life-limiting illnesses. We will help you to live each day with dignity and in peace and comfort.

Other Gulfside Regional Hospice locations

East Pasco Administrative and Clinical Office and Bereavement Center, 37826 Sky Ridge Circle in Dade City, (813) 780-1235

Hospice House at The Edwinola, 14235 Edwinola Way in Dade City, (352) 567-2888

Zephyrhills Thrift Shoppe, 36504 SR 54 in Zephyrhills, (813) 788-5461

Dade City Thrift Shoppe, 37925 Sky Ridge Circle in Dade City, (813) 782-7200

Lutz Thrift Shoppe, 21780 SR 54 in Lutz, (813) 909-0485

Gulfside Center for Hospice Care at Trinity, 2144 Welbilt Blvd. in Trinity, (727) 376-3658

Hospice House, 6230 Lafayette St. in New Port Richey, (727) 841-6316

Bereavement Center New Port Richey, 6224 Lafayette St. in New Port Richey, (727) 844-3946

New Port Richey Thrift Shoppe, 3601 Universal Plaza in New Port Richey, (727) 842-7262

Hudson Thrift Shoppe, 12154 US 19 in Bayonet Point, (727) 861-4900

West Pasco Administrative and Clinical Office, 6117 Trouble Creek Road?in New Port Richey, (727) 845-5707

By Suzanne Schmidt

Staff Writer

LAND O’ LAKES— A new principal is learning the ropes at Sanders Memorial Elementary School just in time before the school transfers to Connerton Elementary.

Anna Falcone said she is happy to be the principal of her own school.

“It is exciting to be principal,” Falcone said. “I get to lead the teachers and the staff so the children can be the best they can be. I know my impact will be felt with the teachers and ultimately the children.”

Falcone started her career in Pasco as an intermediate teacher at San Antonio Elementary from 1998 to 2003. She then moved to Pine View Elementary School where she was assistant principal for five and a half years until last week, when she became principal of Sanders.

She said she is not the type of principal that just sits at her desk; instead she likes to work hands-on with the students.

“Curriculum and instruction is my passion,” Falcone said. “I am always in the classrooms and I love to be connected to the children. I think all children can learn and all children learn differently. If we have the best interest of the students in mind then everything else falls into place.”

Over the summer, Sanders will be closed and all the students, faculty and staff will be moved to the new Connerton Elementary School, 9300 Flourish Road in Land O’ Lakes, for the next school year. Instead of thinking too much about the new school, Falcone said for now she is just trying to get to know everyone at the school.

“My first goal is to get to know the students, faculty and the community,” Falcone said. “I want to know everything that is going on and get to know the people and how they work. I think it will help us to have a smooth transition to the new school.”

Even though the entire school, including the teachers and students, will be transferring to a new building, they will not be taking the old name and mascot with them.

“We will probably have a student vote in order to come up with a mascot,” Falcone said.

John Petrashek, director of construction service and code compliance for the District School Board of Pasco County, said the new school will be completed by the middle of summer.

“The school will be open August 2010,” Petrashek said. “That will allow time for the principal to move in so she can be ready to welcome back the staff during teacher week.”

Petrashek said all of Sanders is going to be torn down except for four buildings. Those buildings are a part of the design for the new building. Even though there is a design almost complete, there is no plan yet in place to rebuild.

“We will have to look at the growth projections for future years,” Petrashek said. “We do not want to operate two schools with full staff if they are only full to half capacity with students.”

With Sanders now in its 64^th year there is a lot of history.  To bid the school good bye, Falcone said in April she is planning on having an Open House for the community.

“We are planning a farewell to Sanders,” Falcone said. “We will have the school open to where people can stop by. There is a lot of history here and a lot of people who taught here or were on the administration here or went to school here can come in and say goodbye.”

Barbara Stark, secretary at the school, said she is excited to have a new principal and soon a new school.

“The staff at Sanders is happy to have a new principal,” Stark said. “We are looking forward to working for her and we are excited about the new school. The kids are all looking forward to it, too.”

In the future, the site where Connerton Elementary is being built will also have a middle school, a major regional Pasco community park as well as an adjoining South West Florida Water Management District preserve.

For information, visit pasco.k12.fl.us or call Sanders at (813) 794-1500.

Christian music producer seeks local talent

By Sarah Whitman

Senior Staff Writer

LUTZ — Tucked away in The Sanctuary community off Livingston Avenue is the home of Christian music producer Nick Coetzee. Open the front door, walk inside and there, just passed the kitchen, is a production and recording studio where artists from all over the world come to make their music dreams a reality.

Locally, however, Coetzee’s business is virtually unknown.

“I don’t think people in the area even know we’re here,” Coetzee said. “I want local songwriters and musicians to know I’d love to help them.”

Coetzee, a native South African, began making music as a student in the late 1980s. He studied jazz piano, production and arranging. After opening his heart to Christianity, he decided to merge his love for music with his love for God.

“I wanted to do more than just make music for a living,” he said. “I wanted to make music with a positive message.”

Coetzee worked as a worship director for churches overseas until coming to the United States in 1995. Then, in addition to overseeing music at churches, he began working as an independent producer. His label and production company Rain Music has since produced more than 60 CDS. He co-produced the first recording of “Shout to the Lor,” a hit made popular by Hillsong. Other artists on his client list include Alisha Merritt, David Baroni and rock artist Skyline Circle.

Mark Robins, a worship leader from the United Kingdom, came to record with Rain Music Feb. 2. He came with songs already written, hoping to learn from the best.

“I was working with Roy Fields and he suggested Nick to me,” Robins said. “He is a genius.”

After arriving in Florida on a rainy day, Robins immediately knew the trip was worth it.

“I can record a song at home but I can only take the music so far,” Robins said. “When I got here this morning and we starting working, the first song we did, Nick was able to make it fresh and change up the song structure. The song vastly improved.”

Coetzee said he could do the same for local artists. He can offer advice, provide a recording space, produce and potentially sign the artist to distribute music on the Rain Music label. Coetzee uses state of the art equipment, and provides clients with the use of instruments such as keyboard and guitar.

He said not all artists have to be Christian or Gospel, but he will not produce music he opposes lyrically.

“I know there’s got to be a lot of great talent right here,” he said. “I can take their music to a higher level. They don’t have to have a band. Sometimes there are songwriters who need help finding musicians. I can help them with that.”

Artists that record with Rain Music are promoted heavily online.

“In the music world, the business side is no longer about getting albums in stores and touring,” Coetzee said. “It’s about Internet downloads. It’s a whole new era.”

In addition to his work with Rain, Coetzee is currently the music director and a music teacher at The River of Tampa Bay Church, an evangelical Christian church in Tampa.

“His music brings excitement to the church,” said pastoral intern Josh Kight. “It is encouraging and uplifting.”

Inspiring young people is important to Coetzee.

“Young people need music with a positive Christian message,” he said. “They need to know its important not only to lead a good life but to lead a life with Christ. Contemporary Christian music is a way of sharing the Gospel outside of church.”

Some of Coetzee’s personal contemporary Christian favorites are Jesus Culture, Kurt Franklyn and Hillsong. He works with clients to turn them into similar professionals.

“It’s great recording with Nick because he’s willing to take the time to make the music great,” Robins said. “If we have to work into the night, he’s willing to do that.”
Coetzee welcomes any songwriters, singers or musicians to contact Rain Music and learn what it takes to turn ideas into albums. The cost to record varies depending on the project.

For information, visit www.rainmusic.org or call (813) 949-8780.

By Suzanne Schmidt

Staff Writer

LAND O’ LAKES—Through the ABC program, students in Land O’ Lakes High School get the help they need whether it is for school supplies or funds to buy food.

Donations of money and supplies come to the school through people and businesses like Publix. The donations have been great. The only problem was the closet storing the supplies was unorganized until recently, when the owners of Office Assistance Plus and The Organizing Queen came together to donate their time to fix the problem.

Jann McHollan, coordinator and counselor for the performance-based diploma program at the school, works to coordinate the ABC (Assist, Believe, Care) program. Students receiving help from the ABC program have to fill out an application to qualify. Typically the students are receiving a free or reduced lunch or are otherwise in need.

“We had a store room filled with donations from the faculty, staff, people from the community and Publix,” McHollan said. “The storage closet is full of supplies like notebooks, folders, pens, pencils, binders and back packs. The supplies were separated but not organized. When a kid would present himself and tell us they need supplies, we would have to hunt down what they needed.”

Lisa Assetta, owner of Office Assistance Plus, and Betty Arnold, owner of The Organizing Queen, often work together on organization projects. They were both looking for a non-profit organization to help since it was Get Organized month in January, according to the National Association of Professional Organizers or NAPO.

“We set out to find a community organization that couldn’t afford the help but needed it,” Assetta said. “We wanted to donate our time and expertise to help make a positive impact.”

At first, Assetta thought it was a good idea just because it was a school but then she found out what the program was doing.

“I didn’t realize there were students in school that were classified as homeless,” Assetta said. “I like the program because it is helping families who can’t afford to get supplies for their children. Just being able to give back to the community is the best part about this.”

First McHollan had to clean out the storage closet of all the supplies and then she set up some shelving. The organizing team were able to re-use bins and shelving so there was no cost to complete the project.

“It is wonderful,” McHollan said. “Instead of sifting through everything and trying to find what we need, now we can go right to it. We can also see when we need more supplies. It will help out next year when we are getting supplies because we will be able to pick up what we are running low on.”

Assetta and Arnold organized the contents of the closet into bins and put everything away in the closet all in one day. Assetta then decided to take it a step further and create spreadsheets to keep track of all the supplies.

“The system will help out during peak times like back to school,” Assetta said. “This way they can make sure they have ample supplies. It was great to be in a school and get to help out the students. We were able to make a good impact because now they will have a good functioning room for years to come.”

For information about Office Assistance Plus, visit OfficeAssistancePlus.com or call (813) 760-6198 and for information about The Organizing Queen, visit OrgQueen.com or call (813) 961-4755.

For more information on the ABC program or to donate, contact Anita Snider at (813) 794-9400.

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

Boy Scouts of America celebrated its 100th anniversary Feb. 8. The century-old youth organization has seen many changes over the last ten decades, including adding a causal look to their uniform collection.

The “class A” is the formal uniform of Boy Scouts of America, which includes a collared, short-sleeved shirt tucked into either shorts or pants with the scout belt and green socks.

Class B refers to the more causal dress scouts wear when they are not at formal events. The attire includes a T-shirt, Boy Scout shorts or pants and a scout belt.

What many don’t know is that Class B is a clothing company out of Zephyrhills.

“My mother started the company from our house and (she) is still the owner,” said Gregg Hilferding, vice president of Class B. “It started as a hat and shirt company, but we focus on T-shirts now.

“My mom thought there would be a demand for comfortable shirts for youth groups,” he continued. “She knew that a lot of youth groups have expensive uniforms, so she started the company to give the kids an alternative that could get dirty or torn while outside without it mattering too much, because the shirts aren’t expensive.”

The Class B shirts also help keep scouts cooler in the summer.

“I’ve lived in Zephyrhills since I was less than 1-year-old, so I know how the summers can get here,” Hilferding said. “Scouts usually wear a T-shirt under their uniform anyway, so it’s just a good idea to have shirts with the troop number on them. The scouts are going to take off their uniform tops anyway when they go outside.”

Hilferding, who is an Eagle Scout, is also the Scout Master for BSA Troop 72 in Zephyrhills. His father and brother, Robert and Eric, also are Eagle Scouts and his mother, Perry, was his troop’s Scout Master while growing up.

His sister, Carin, was not involved in Boys Scouts, but was a member of the West Wind Neighborhood Girl Scout Troop.

Hilferding said he and Eric, who is the company’s president, do the day-to-day work for Class B, which offers customizable shirt options in a variety of colors.

“In the past, we have ordered shirts for hikes on the Appalachian Trail, for adventure trips and other things we’ve done,” said Robert Jackson, former Assistant Scout Master of Troop 12 in Lutz. “We also just have ones for regular meetings.”

Jackson earned his Eagle Scout award in 1962 with Troop 12.  His two sons, Ryan and Reid Jackson, are also Eagle Scouts with the troop.

Class B ships to BSA organizations across the country and to U.S. military bases overseas.

“We’ve shipped to Okinawa, Japan and Germany,” Hilferding said. “We ship anywhere with BSA groups. The first time we got an order from Germany was amazing because it told me we were really on the map.”

Hilferding said the focus of the business was to serve local businesses, schools and youth groups for about the first 15 years. Then the company branched out to regional and national sales after launching its Web site, www.classb.com, in 1996.

“We are the largest officially licensed BSA T-shirt company and have earned the quality award for licensees in 2007 and 2008,” Hilferding said. “Those are the first two years of the award and we will know if we won for 2009 sometime in March.”

Class B has been helping scouts be more comfortable for the last 27 years, but BSA is nearly four times as old.

The organization was first founded by William Boyce Feb. 8, 1910 when BSA was officially incorporated.

“It’s very symbolic, especially for my old troop,” said Steven Kubasek, Allohak District executive, on BSA’s birthday. “My troop is also 100-years-old this year, so I’ve been anticipating this for 10 to 15 years.”

The Allohak District covers all BSA organizations in Pasco east of the Suncoast Parkway. Kubasek’s troop was Troop 4 in Yonkers, N.Y., where he earned his Eagle Scout award.

“Scouting has been around so long because of the timelessness of the program,” Kubasek continued. “The main goals are the same as they were 100 years ago.”

Hilferding agrees with Kubasek on the meaning of the anniversary.

“My brother, father, mother, and my time in Boy Scouts added together is almost 100 total years of scouting,” Hilferding said. “This is the only time Boy Scouts we will turn 100 and we are all incredibly proud to be a part of it both as scouts and with our business.”

For more information on Class B, call (800) 851-4020.

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

Most programs that help children, such as Toys for Tots and the Make a Wish Foundation, are well known, but just as supportive is Florida’s Guardian ad Litem Program.

“Being a volunteer with Guardian ad Litem is what I’m most proud of,” said Vonnie Mikkelsen, Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce executive director. “I’ve volunteered with Pasco (County) Animal Services and with other programs, but Guardian ad Litem is what is the most rewarding and probably most important because it helps helpless kids.”

Mikkelsen has volunteered with the program for nearly three years and currently lives in Land O’ Lakes.

GAL is a statewide program where volunteers collaborate with program staff and attorneys to represent the best interests of abused or neglected children. The volunteer checks on them at least once a month and is present at court hearings and other meetings regarding the child’s case. Guardians interview the people closest to the children and make recommendations to the court from what they find.

“A guardian works with a professional staff and an attorney to ensure that a child has a safe, caring and stable environment,” said Marco Sandusky, GAL area coordinator for Pasco and Pinellas counties. “The court system decides if a volunteer should be appointed for each case of a neglected or abused child.”

Pasco and Pinellas counties are part of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which has 150 volunteers helping nearly 3,000 children. Sandusky said about 600 of those kids are from Pasco.

“The Sixth Circuit is one of the largest in the state and Pasco has many children in need of a guardian,” Sandusky said. “There are two dependency judges for Pasco. Lynn Tebber is in Dade City and William Webb in New Port Richey. Either of them can recommend that a guardian be appointed in a case.”

Sandusky said more than half the children in abuse cases in Pasco receive a GAL volunteer.

Volunteers are allowed to work with either one family at a time, or take on as many as they feel they can handle. It is against GAL policy to discuss any single situation in specifics, but volunteers can speak of their experiences.

“I’ve worked with as many as five families at once, but that was after being in the program for a couple years,” said Vince Rieger, GAL volunteer in Dade City. “The reason I do it is because I have very strong feelings about protecting kids. There’s no way I’d stop being a guardian.”

Rieger has been a volunteer for nearly four years. He got into the program soon after he retired as an electrical technician.

“There are two hard things about the program though,” he continued. “The first is when the court closes the case, we aren’t supposed to have any contact with the children because they need to move on with their lives. That’s hard after working with a child for a year or more. The other is you can’t bring your ideas of what a normal family should be because you have to deal with many difficult situations.”

Rieger is not just an average guardian. He is also the 2009 GAL volunteer of the year.

“That was huge and very humbling because there are a lot of dedicated volunteers,” Rieger said. “It was incredible to stand with all the volunteers chosen to represent their circuit.”

Mikkelsen also received an award for her work with GAL. She was the Pasco County GAL volunteer of the month in August 2008.

Volunteer qualifications are not overly strict.

“If you are 19 years of age or older, have common sense, good judgment and a heart with the room to help one of these children, you could become a guardian,” said Yvonne Marrone, volunteer recruiter and community outreach coordinator for GAL in Hillsborough County. “This volunteer work is vitally important to creating a successful future for the child helped.”

Hillsborough is the 13th Judicial Circuit. Sandusky said the program’s standards are the same across the state, and guardians average volunteering six to 10 hours a month.

To be a volunteer, people must attend a five-week, 30-hour training course, which gives background in child welfare and working with families. There are three training seasons each year in Pasco, one of which is going on now in Land O’ Lakes that will end Feb. 13. People cannot join a class while it is in progress.

“The program always needs volunteers, and it can be daunting at first,” Mikkelsen said. “It is normal to doubt yourself. I know I did, but guardians are usually the one stable thing in these kids’ lives.”

For more information on becoming a volunteer in Pasco, call (352) 521-5178 or (727) 834-3493 or visit www.guardianadlitem6.org. For Hillsborough, call (813) 272-5110, e-mail or visit www.vfcgal.org.

Upcoming training in Pasco County

Monday and Wednesday evenings May 10 to June 6 at Marchman Technical Education Center, 7825 Campus Drive in New Port Richey