Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Kyle LoJacono

In 2008, Boy Scout Troop 3 of Land O’ Lakes attempted to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT), but the trip was cut short.
“Two years ago we went and had to stop after one day,” said Steve Mitchell, troop leader. “We didn’t know what we were getting into. I hurt my knee and we weren’t properly prepared. We just hiked in and hiked back out.
“Finishing what we started two years ago felt really good,” Mitchell continued. “We planned everything much better and we were better conditioned to make the trip.”
This time the trip was a success.

“We were on the Appalachian Trail from April 5 to 10 and hiked 30 miles in northern Georgia,” said Mitchell. “The 30-mile hike was part of the hiking merit badge the boys earned as part of the trip.”
In all, 15 scouts from the troop went on the hike with six adult leaders.
“The first day was relatively easy,” said First Class Scout Alex Graves. “We had a lot of energy then and we only went about two and a half miles that day.”
Alex’s father, Dave, has been the troop’s scoutmaster for more than one year.
“It was very hard work trying to get to the end of our hike,” Dave said. “It was a physical challenge. The weather was spectacular except on one day when it rained all day. We met some nice people who were trying to hike the entire trail and they all said our kids pushed through some tough conditions that day.”
On backpacking trips, hikers have to carry everything they need in their packs. That includes food for the week, tents, sleeping bags, toiletries and clothes. Anything unnecessary is left behind to lighten the weight of the bags and when it rains the only thing that can be done is to cover the packs and keep moving.
“That Thursday (April 8) when it rained was the hardest day,” Graves said. “It was a steady to heavy rain all day and there is no place to dry off. The physical challenge that day wasn’t too bad, but it was very mentally challenging to keep going. The boys stepped up and got through it.”

Alex, 14, said the cold that set in after the rain and the added weight from being soaked took all the strength from the hikers.
Despite the rain, the hikers are left with pleasant memories of the scenery and landscape.
“On the third day we had a lot of downhill hiking and the trail was so green,” Alex said. “That’s the only way I can describe it. All the trees and plants were so green. It was like walking through a rainforest without the heat.”
Another spot stood out to Mitchell.
“There were some nice views,” Mitchell said. “Springer Mountain was great. Just the feeling of being part of nature for a couple of days was great. The boys struggled at times and I’m sure this will be the last time some of them do the AT but they didn’t give up.”
The AT is 2,178 miles long, which makes it the longest marked footpath in the United States, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. It starts in north Georgia, ends in Maine and passes through 14 states.
More than 10,000 people have reported completing the entire trail since it was established in 1937. The AT’s highest point is on Clingmans Dome in Tennessee and is 6,625 feet high. In comparison, a mile is 5,280 feet long.
Neither Alex nor Dave were part of the trip two years ago because they moved to Land O’ Lakes after the troop went.
Troop 3, which has scouts from Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Odessa and Spring Hill, has no plans to return to the AT next year, but Graves said they might do so in later years. Alex has a similar timeframe for a grander plan.
“I’d like to do the whole thing later in life,” Alex said. “Maybe when I’m 19 and I have the time to do it. The people who were hiking through seemed to really enjoy it because of how rare it is for people to finish. That would be really cool to be able to tell people I completed it.”

Troop 3 information box
Meeting times: 7 p.m. each Monday
Location: First United Methodist Church of Land O’ Lakes
Address: 6209 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

This year’s Appalachian Trail Hikers from Troop 3
Scouts            Adults
Will Leopold            Steve Mitchell
Collin Finch              Kurt Sturm
Emmanuel Cadavid     Dave Graves
Henry Van Petten       Todd Godfrey
Tim Godfrey             Dan Benoit
Alex Graves               Erin Finch
Sebastian King          Henry Landry
Justin Epplin
Sam Meinke
Robby Sturm
Ryan Benoit
Luc Benoit
Lyden Landry
Sam Anoff
Max Pierovich

By Kyle LoJacono

Zephyrhills City Councilman Manny Funes continues to question the 2008 job application of Zephyrhills Police Department (ZPD) Capt. Jeffrey McDougal.

Funes presented a 30-page report to the council on May 10 that he claims indicates McDougal did not disclose on his application that he had been a suspect in a criminal case 18 years ago.  Funes states in his report that he found documents that show McDougal was identified as a suspect.

“I just want the truth to come out,” Funes said.

When asked if he planned to review McDougal’s employment application, ZPD Police Chief David Shears said, “I’m not really going to comment on Mr. Funes’ comments. I think that’s come out and I don’t want to talk about it.”

Shears also declined to comment on another question on McDougal’s application probing motor vehicle violations that was left unanswered.
In previous investigative reports, McDougal admitted that he presented a signed document granting an easement for property adjacent to his own to a notary public to validate in 1992. The notary, Wade Thomas, was charged in the case because he did not witness the signatures as required by law, but no charges were ever lodged for McDougal’s involvement. Thomas successfully completed pre-trial intervention and avoided a trial.

Property owners Royce and Janet Mitchell said they believed the easement was being conveyed for the electric company, which would have been the Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative. Instead it went to McDougal, who later returned the property by quitclaim deed when the Mitchells complained. The land in question is 5-feet wide by 157.37-feet long, about half the length of a football field.

The statue of limitations has expired, so McDougal cannot be charged in that incident. Funes maintains that McDougal was obligated to disclose his involvement when he applied to rejoin the ZPD because a department questionnaire requires applicants to disclose whether they have ever been a suspect or arrested in a criminal case.

Information about McDougal’s involvement in the easement case was contained in an anonymous letter delivered to City Hall earlier this year. City Manager Steve Spina said he investigated the information in the letter and found it was not worth pursuing.
The City Council concurred and a motion was passed to “cease and desist further discussion (or action) of this matter…nothing more nothing less” as introduced by councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson in response to a grievance submitted by McDougal.

Funes was the dissenting vote. After the meeting Funes said that he was uncertain about what he will do next.

City Council president Lance Smith said one of the reasons the council wanted to move past the issue is it had already been discussed at a previous meeting and the event happened 18 years ago.

“There’s no reason to drag up something that happened 18 years ago,” Smith said. “…I think it’s enough and he has a very good record as a city employee.”

Smith also said he did not want a lawsuit to result from Funes continuing to investigate. McDougal’s grievance against Funes contends the councilman’s actions have distracted him from doing his job and that the councilman slandered him.

“I don’t hold anything against Mr. Funes,” McDougal said after the vote. “I think he’s a good man. He’s an honorable man and I think he will listen to the council and they’ve given him direction. I’m satisfied with the results.”
After the meeting, Funes said of the result, “It’s what I anticipated…I think (the council) made up their mind, or that their mind was made up prior to the meeting and I think it’s unfortunate we didn’t have input from the public relative to what has taken place.”

By Sarah Whitman

Herb and Stephanie Roshell believe every child deserves the best things life has to offer, the most important thing being love.
In 2006, the Land O’ Lakes couple founded Operation Unwrap a Smile to deliver hope and help to at-risk youth. They deliver wrapped gifts to youth shelters throughout Florida and act as mentors to the children they meet.
“We want the children who feel they’ve been forgotten to know they are worth the very best,” Stephanie said. “We bring them a gift to let them know they are special and when they open it, they smile. It’s like we’re giving them the world.”
The Roshells are partnered with Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches, serving shelters in Bartow, Bradenton, Safety Harbor and Live Oak. They also serve Sonrise in Zephyrhills, G.A.T.E.S runaway shelter for girls in Tampa, The Children’s Home and other facilities. Together, the shelters support 284 children.

The Roshells receive hundreds of donations a year from businesses and individuals to provide gifts to the children.
“So many children just need someone to say ‘ You can make it. You are Loved,’ “ Stephanie said.
Scott Halbach, program director for the youth ranch in Safety Harbor, said the Roshell’s visits make a huge impact.
“They are dedicated and they’ve been really good with our kids,” Halbach said. “The kids enjoy their visits.”
Stephanie, a former daycare teacher, and Herb, a plant manager at West Zephyrhills Elementary, met and were married in 2005. They both have children from other marriages and a daughter, 18-month old Hannah, together. They were inspired by their own children to help others.
Herb said he also wants to give back because it wasn’t too long ago he was in trouble.
“I was in the 11th grade and I was completely illiterate,” he said. “One teacher reached out to me and helped me. She taught me to read and showed me I could be successful. Now, when I meet kids in that situation, I can help them.”
Herb is also a pastor. He leads Inspirational Praise and Worship, 1110 East Busch Blvd. in Tampa. The church is currently separate from Operation Unwrap a Smile but the Rochells hope to bridge the gap.
“Our long term goal is to open a youth shelter as an outreach ministry of the church,” he said. “Before that, we’d like to open a space where we can have an office and store all of our donations.”
Stephanie’s co-workers at J.P. Morgan Chase recently donated a gift basket of brand new toiletries.
“It’s amazing how giving people are when they hear about what we are doing,” she said.
The Roshells are always in need of donations to give as gifts. Everything from clothing and backpacks, to games and toys are needed.
The Roshells collect new items for children of all ages, but do not accept used items.
“We don’t just want to give a girl a bottle of perfume, we want to give her nice perfume,” Stephanie said. “When a child feels like they have nothing, we want to give them something tangible that will make them say, ‘Wow. This is mine.’“
Herb said the gifts are a way of starting up conversations with the kids.
“The key to helping these kids is getting them to open up,” he said. “I remember when I was a teen and I felt like I was all alone. I was quiet and shut down. When you feel that way, it can feel like a prison. Then, somebody reaches out to help and it changes. When you open up to somebody, it’s like you can finally leave that jail cell, walk out and take a deep breath. When somebody shows they care, it gives you hope.”
For information on Operation Unwrap a Smile, how to donate and volunteer opportunities, visit www.operationunwrapasmile.com.

By Suzanne Schmidt

Parents and grandparents snapped their fingers to show their appreciation at the poetry café at Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel May 7.
Three second-grade teachers and a third-grade teacher in the all-star squadron pod recreated a poetry café atmosphere with lemonade and snacks instead of coffee.
Rachell Brown, second-grade teacher in the all-star pod, said she thinks the poetry café went so well she would like for it to be an annual event.

“April is poetry month, so that is why we taught them poetry,” Brown said. “We just wanted the parents to come in and hear their poetry, but now we decided it should be an annual event. The kids presented their favorite poems. Most kids didn’t like poetry but when they started writing it, they started loving it.”
Students learned different kinds of poetry, such as shape poetry and haiku’s.
Jennifer Roberts, support facilitation teacher, said she enjoyed hearing the students’ poetry.
“Teaching children how to write poetry allows them to be creative and think outside of the typical essay writing,” Roberts said. “It allows them to be creative with whatever they are writing whether it is a three-line haiku or a five senses poem. It also allows us to reach all learning styles, especially those with learning disabilities.”
Madilyn Corbin, 8, is in Brown’s class. She was excited to read her poem “I Love You the Purplest” to her mom, Ravi DeSantis, since she wrote the poem for her.
“I learned I can write stuff,” Corbin said. “It is fun because you can make it anything you like. I like that you can be silly and it doesn’t matter. You just put it in your own words and have fun.”
Watching her daughter read a poem about how much she loves her almost brought her to tears, while hearing a poem about Madilyn’s 10-month-old little brother, Giovanni, made her laugh.
“She read a lot of poems recently,” Corbin said. “I think she likes them more now. She has such a great teacher. She (Brown) did such an amazing job.”
Taylor McKinney, 7, is also in Brown’s class. She read her poems titled “Listen to the Wind” and “I Love You the Orangest” to her grandparents Mike and Sondra McKinney of Wesley Chapel.
“I like poetry, it makes it easy to express myself,” McKinney said. “Writing poetry makes it easy for people to learn the real you.”
Sondra and Mike both said they are impressed with the quality of the education Taylor and her twin sister Kendall are getting.
“We are very proud of her and the kind of student and kind of little girl she is,” Sondra McKinney said. “We are so happy the school is right here so we can be involved.”
Venus Colon, second-grade teacher, said she also learned something from her students’ poetry.
“My students absolutely loved learning about all the different types of poems and realized poetry wasn’t boring but a channel to express their inner most feelings,” Colon said. “Over the past month, I could see their yearning to learn and experience more. I have learned more about my students through this poetry unit that I may not have had the opportunity to learn otherwise.”
Sophia Mitchell, 8, is a student in Colon’s class.
“It was fun and I loved getting to read to my mom,” Mitchell said. “I had never heard of some of the types of poems before. It was interesting to read different types of poetry.”
Andrea Mitchell enjoyed reading some of the poems her daughter wrote. Many of the poems Sophia wrote were about her favorite thing to do, soccer.
“It is nice seeing her express herself,” Andrea Mitchell said. “Hopefully this will improve her writing skills and help her to express herself. I think it is hilarious; the things she said she is scared of are mean people and not having soccer. It is funny to see what kids come up with when they are allowed to say whatever they want.”

By Sarah Whitman

Southern Gospel music sets the tune at Fellowship Bible Church in Zephyrhills.
The church hosts a gospel concert every month, bringing in acts from across the nation. This month, Atlanta’s own Old Paths will perform at 7 p.m. May 29, Memorial Day weekend. The group is made up of vocalists Doug Roark, Tim Rackley and Jeremy Peace, with pianist Trey Ivey.
The group’s baritone, Roark, also preaches and will speak at 11 a.m. May 30 at the church.
“It’s not just a concert,” Roark said. “It’s a worship experience.”
This is Old Path’s fourth time performing at the church. The group is a nationally recognized harmonic trio that formed in 2003. They have released six CDs, the latest being “Wonderful Life,” which released April 9.

Fellowship’s associate pastor, Paul McCoy, met the group while touring the country attending Southern Gospel shows.
“Southern Gospel is a passion of mine,” McCoy said. “It’s a style of music that emphasizes the message of the lyrics. My wife and I have traveled around attending different concerts.”
McCoy started the Saturday evening concert series seven years ago. Other acts that performed this year include Driven, The Browders and The Rick Webb Family.
“It started as a way of drawing people from the community to the church,” he said. “Over the years, we’ve seen the church grow tremendously, partly because of the concerts.”
About 200 people attend Fellowship each week, sometimes more during the winter months.
Dr. Randy Mobley is senior pastor. He came to the church four years ago, after pastoring Fair Haven Baptist in Zephyrhills for 14 years.
He said the gospel concert series is a blessing.
“It brings a lot of people to our church that wind up staying and I love the music,” he said. “I love harmonies. I’m a Southerner and I like Southern tradition.”
He’s excited to have Old Paths back in town.
“I met the guys my first year here and now we’re all good friends,” he said. “Of all the groups, they’re probably my favorite.”
Roark, 41, has been a singer his whole life. He chose Southern Gospel because he considers it the best way to express his Christian faith.
“Our music is a mix of original songs and traditional Southern Gospel,” Roark said. “The lyrics are Biblically based.”
Old Paths performs all around the country and soon the world. Next year, the group will travel to Ireland on a mission trip. Still, they love coming to perform in small town Zephyrhills.
“We always have such a huge turn out in Zephyrhills,” Roark said. “I love the support. We’ve fallen in love with the people. Whenever we come back, it’s like a homecoming.”
Concerts at Fellowship are free, though a love offering is always taken. The church is located at 6407 Fort King Road. For information, visit www.fellowship-bible-church.com.

By Sarah Whitman

The men of Idlewild Baptist Church are awake and ready to worship before the sun comes up. Fellow early risers are welcome to join in when the church’s men’s ministry, Morning Momentum, begins its summer season May 20.
The group meets at 6:15 a.m. Thursday mornings at the church. Meetings consist of prayer time, Biblical study and group discussions. There is also coffee for those who need an extra boost.
“We meet early in the morning because the first thing every man should do when he gets up is spend time with God,” said ministry leader Bob Thompson. “This way, we make it a point to do that by coming together to worship the Lord.”
Thompson has more than 20 years experience in men’s ministry and has worked at Idlewild for three years. He said the church’s men’s groups are constantly growing and changing. Morning Momentum currently has 65 members, ranging from singles to married men with grown children.

This season’s study is “The Man God Uses” by Henry and Tom Blackaby, a reflection on being a man of God in daily life. Chapter topics include Character of a Man, How God Shapes a Man and Man’s Response to God. Topics will be reviewed at morning meetings.
General day-to-day topics and issues are also on the agenda.
“Men are facing a lot of stresses and pressures in the world,” Thompson said. “Men need other men so we can learn from each other to become better husbands and fathers and to be more successful in the workplace.”
Dana Hardey has been a member at Idlewild for 20 years. He considers men’s fellowship a way to refocus and gain perspective. He hopes to be an example to younger men in Morning Momentum.
“Sometimes you need advice from someone who’s already been through the situation you’re going through,” he said. “If someone is considering divorce, a man that’s been through it might be able to shed light on the pain of divorce and tell a friend not to give up. By getting together, we can help each other overcome hurts, habits and hang-ups.”
Hardey doesn’t mind waking up early for meetings. He said the time is convenient.
“Guys can get up, meet and then can go to work,” he said. “It works.”
Thompson said it is a perfect time for busy dads.
“It’s a good time to meet because it doesn’t interfere with being home with the family in the evenings,” he said.
For the men who don’t have to rush to work, Idlewild offers men’s small groups following Thursday morning meetings. The men’s ministry also offers a 5:30 p.m. Thursday group, for those who aren’t morning people.
“I’m a part of that one too,” Hardey said.
Thompson said the men’s ministry is more than just its meet-up groups. The men participate in community service projects and are there for one another in difficult times.
“We’re an all inclusive ministry,” Thompson said. “We really consider all men at the church part of the group. If they don’t come to us, we go to them.”
For information on Morning Momentum and Idlewild’s men’s ministry, call (813) 264-1515 or visit www.idlewild.org.

By Suzanne Schmidt

Two students from Sunlake High School will march the summer away touring with Teal Sound, a world-class drum and bugle corps.
Brent Harden, 16, of Land O’ Lakes and Becky Macias, 17, of Odessa, will compete in the Drum Corps International World Class Summer Tour from the day school ends June 4 to the day before it starts again Aug. 14. The students will get to travel all over including Texas, Oklahoma, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Illinois.
Harden will be playing the mellophone an instrument he has played for five years because it is a fun and easy.
“The corps is like the NFL for marching bands,” Harden said. “It is rewarding and challenging. It will be very tough to leave my family behind for the summer. One good thing about it is we will get to see a lot of the country.”
Macias said she is excited to be on tour all summer.
“I think it will be fun but I will miss my family,” Macias said. “I am looking forward to going on tour. Even if it is hard right now, I feel like it is completely worth it. It is something I really like to do.”
Macias has been in the color guard for a little more than two years.

“I started off in percussion then midway through the marching season I switched to color guard,” Macias said. “I like performing and I like dancing around and having people watch me. It is a lot of fun. I want to be a high school teacher and teach color guard on the side one day.”
Harden and Macias need to raise $2,500 each to be able to go on the tour. The money will go towards their lodging and food. To donate, visit tealsound.org/support/wholeperson.html.
The students auditioned for Teal Sound at a weekend-long camp with hundreds of other high school students from throughout the Southeast United States. They were two of only four students from Pasco to make it. The other two are Brandon Slaughter and Ryan Harring from Mitchell High School.
Ever since they found out they would be touring with the corps, they have been spending at least one weekend a month practicing at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast. They said they are practicing as much as 12 to 14 hours a day in the sun only breaking for meals.
“You have to be fit,” Macias said. “You have to eat healthy and they gave us exercise plans.”
Harden said he has learned a lot more than just being fit.
“I learned that nothing comes easily,” Harden said. “It is something I will take with me for the rest of my life.”
Tonya O’Malley, Sunlake band director, is the visual technician for Teal Sound. She asked both students to audition because she thought they would learn a lot from the experience.
“I saw there were some positions available but I didn’t know if they were interested,” O’Malley said. “I contacted the students who I thought could perform at that level. Becky and Brent went to a couple of the camps and it was nice because they really enjoyed it. This is an experience I feel high school students wouldn’t get anywhere else. The camaraderie and the work ethic they learn is something a lot of kids just don’t understand.”

O’Malley said she is happy they both enjoy the corps because of how hectic the work schedule is.
“They wake up at 7:30 a.m. and the lights out are at 1:30 a.m.,” O’Malley said. “They only get a break for meals. They are literally rehearsing all day long. They do a lot of physical training out in the sun all day.”
In addition to the life lessons, O’Malley said it is a great opportunity to prepare the students to be global citizens.
“There are people who fly from all over to participate,” O’Malley said. “There is even one person in Brent’s section who is from Japan. It gives them the opportunity to interact with people from different parts of the world.”
For more information, visit tealsound.org.

By Suzanne Schmidt

Wesley Chapel resident John Loblack has been helping people to accomplish their personal and professional goals for eight years.
Loblack, a human development specialist, will lead a GPS for Life Seminar 10 a.m. to noon May 20 at Best Western Summer Crest, 5639 Oakley Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. The cost is $59.
“I want to remind people of their goals and resolutions they set at the beginning of the year,” Loblack said. “I will help them gauge where they are and help them get the tools so they can accomplish the goals they have set. Saying you are going to do something is one thing, knowing how to do it is another. I do whatever it takes to get the people from where they are to where they want to go.”
The seminar will be more like a workshop with handouts and interaction. People will learn the S.M.A.R.T. approach to completing goals. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Resonant or Realistic and Timely.
Loblack said many times the reason people do not accomplish their goals is because the goals are too general.
“When I grow up, I want to be a doctor is not specific enough,” Loblack said. “You have to state the goal and outline the step-by-step process to help you get there. I like the group seminars because I feel people will be able to learn so much more from the other people in the seminar as well, but I will also talk with people one-on-one.”

Loblack said he has a unique perspective, which helps him to motivate the people he works with. He grew up in Dominica, an island in the Caribbean, with his mother Lucia George.
“I can provide guidance because of my personal experience,” Loblack said. “I have come from a third world developing country with a mom who has only a fifth-grade education. I was motivated since I was a kid to get an education and now I have a doctorate. These collective experiences enable me to help others.”
Loblack also draws from his education. He has a bachelor’s in Sociology from Midwestern State University in Texas, a master’s in human resources from Texas State University and a doctorate in organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.
“I want to help people because so many people helped me,” Loblack said. “My mom was my biggest influence and my sociology teacher Dr. Emily Labeff (Midwestern State University) was a big influence as well. She inspired me to believe in myself. She helped me so much, it is my goal before I die to start a scholarship in her name.”
Loblack teaches a graduate course in education at Strayer University.
“There is nothing better than seeing people blossom,” Loblack said. “It is great helping people to uncover or discover their inner potential. I am like a farmer sowing the seeds and then seeing them grow.”
Angie Tyson-Martin of Temple Terrace attended one of Loblack’s goal setting seminars and she said it helped her a lot. She is about halfway through her book of original poetry titled “Messages from Above.”
“For years, I was saying I need to write a book,” Tyson-Martin said. “I had a bunch of poems. After the seminar, I used the steps in the pamphlet to get all my poems in order and then I started adding to them. I am halfway through finishing my book and I have been looking into self-publishing sites.”
Tyson-Martin was inspired to complete her goal because she could finally see each and every step she needed to take. She also had a lot of motivation from Loblack with regular e-mails and check ups.
“The way he presented the steps, it was so motivational to me,” Tyson-Martin said. “It was real helpful for me to see that I can accomplish something. He helped me to go from being less confident about myself to being more confident. His follow up methods helped me a lot too because he would always call me or e-mail me and see what I accomplished that week.”
Loblack also inspires Michael Riley of Tampa. They have been friends for about a year since they met at Nova Southeastern University.
“He is a good leader and he encourages me and motivates me,” Riley said. “He is very helpful. He strives to make me feel comfortable. He does whatever it takes to help you. He will go that extra mile.”
Loblack is also focusing his efforts on helping at-risk youth from the ages of 13 to 24.
“I am going out and talking to inmates getting their GED,” Loblack said. “I want to focus on the at-risk youth because there are so many of them.”
In June, Loblack will have another workshop on how to overcome roadblocks in work and in life. For more information, visit http://goalmindcoaching.net.

Ken Gezelman’s dreams of being on “The Biggest Loser” were lost but his dreams of loosing weight live on. I’ve been following Ken on Facebook and he’s working hard to prove he doesn’t need a television show to get in shape. He posts what he eats and when he exercises. When he craves a food like pizza, he asks for advice on how to satisfy the craving in a healthy way. He counts calories and doesn’t get discouraged on a bad day.
Ken is proof that taking a risk on a big dream may not turn out they way you hope, but that doesn’t mean something good won’t happen. Maybe even something great. He’s proof that the most important thing is never giving up hope.
He may not be a T.V. star, but to the people of Zephyrhills, he is a superstar.

The Laker,

Well, I didn’t get picked for the Biggest Loser show but since the article was printed, the support on Facebook has been overwhelming. The group jumped up to 1755 people. The responses have been good, mostly advice and well wishes. Overall, support is great.
I have been working with my doctor, Alise Pastorik, ARNP. Together we are working on a diet program and I have been working on my exercise program. I go to The Local Gym in Zephyrhills. It is a great place with newer updated equipment and it is open 24 hours a day. Which makes it easier for me to go to after work, since I work afternoons.
Trying to get on the Biggest Loser has been a life awakening experience. I have been recognized from the article in The Laker and from my Facebook page. While shopping in stores or just being out and about around town, people ask me questions about my diet.
It will be a challenge but I will reach my goal. I will lose the weight I need to get healthy. I am going to continue to go to workout and control my eating habits. I will try to help others on their weight lose journeys too. I want to thank The Laker for putting my story out there and the readers for all their support.
I am still working at West Zephyrhills Elementary as the Assistant Plant Manager. I want to be a positive role model for the children to get in shape and exercise. My goal is that once I lose the weight, I will talk to the children and show them they can be healthy too. I have been overweight my whole life. If I can change, it should give hope to others that they can be fit.

Ken “JT” Gezelman

By Suzanne Schmidt

Ben Pumo, owner of Benedetto’s Ristorante Italiano, has changed the seafood dishes at his restaurant to bring in fresh fish from other areas like Maine and Hawaii due to the recent Gulf oil spill.
“We have stocked up on shrimp and once we run out, we will get it from the east coast,” Pumo said. “We are now serving monchong from Hawaii, which is a buttery, meaty fish with a texture almost like chicken and an unbelievable taste. We are also bringing in fish from Maine where it comes from our own dock. We have haddock, Ipswich clams, and Maine lobster.”
The restaurant is also serving mahi-mahi and big eye tuna from Hawaii and Chilean sea bass. Sean O’Connor, general manager of the restaurant, said he thinks it is a good idea.

“People won’t want to eat seafood as much with the oil spill,” O’Connor said. “We are getting our seafood now from all over the place.”
Pumo said his restaurant is different from others for a number of reasons.
“The uniqueness of the piano bar and the type of cuisine we offer sets us apart,” Pumo said. “Everything we serve is so fresh. We also have a lot of talent here with the chefs and the servers.”
Vito Martucci, a chef at the restaurant, is from Italy and has worked in and owned a few Italian restaurants through the years.
“We have contemporary Italian cuisine with a flair of French and Latin influences,” Martucci said. “The atmosphere is nice since we have live music every night. The piano adds a New York flair to the atmosphere.”
The restaurant can also serve up made-to-order dishes.
“A lot of people think eating Italian means that they have to eat garlic, but everything we make is made-to-order,” Pumo said. “We can make something special for people who are lactose-intolerant or we can make it with wheat pasta. Also most of our dishes are vegetarian or can be made that way. We truly try to have something for everyone.”
Lillian Stark of Land O’ Lakes has been eating at Benedetto’s since it opened. She said she keeps coming back because the staff is so inviting, the atmosphere is cozy and the food is excellent.
“He has a real knack for coming up with creative and delicious dishes,” Stark said. “It is a place I like to go weekly to just hang out. I am from New York and it is hard to find an Italian restaurant that can deliver such great food. Plus I love the piano bar, it makes it so much fun.”

The restaurant is also offering early dinner specials from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. For $14.95 customers get a beverage, house or Caesar salad, a choice from eight entrees and either key lime pie or spumoni for dessert.
“It is a good deal and that is what people are looking for,” Pumo said.
The restaurant, 21529 Village Lakes Shopping Center Drive in Land O’ Lakes, is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, call (813) 909-9694 or visit benedettoitaliano.com.