Special to The Laker/Lutz News

400 baskets filled with food and holiday cheer

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

PASCO COUNTY — All eight of the rotary clubs in central and east Pasco County recently joined forces to donate holiday baskets to needy families.

“This is the first year we’ve done the holiday baskets, and to be honest, we just became aware of the tremendous need in Land O’ Lakes,” said Randy Gailit, president for the Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes. “You kind of think you’re isolated from poverty here in central Pasco, but there are many people that need help all year.”

The basket program is called the Eastside Eight Community Food Drive. The Land O’ Lakes club, the Rotary Club of San Antonio, and the two rotary clubs in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Dade City packed 400 baskets for needy families in central and east Pasco on Dec. 19.

“We wanted to do something with all eight of the local rotary clubs, and this is the first time we’ve been able to do it,” said Mike Mira, president of the Rotary Club of Zephyrhills. “I don’t think people know just how much need there is for food during the holidays.”

Each of the clubs was responsible for providing the supplies for their baskets. The baskets included nonperishable food for the holidays, like canned ham and vegetables, boxed mashed potatoes and cereal, to feed a family for several dinners during the holiday break from school.

The families in need were selected by the schools in the various areas to find the families most in need. The food was dropped off at the schools on Dec. 21 and then given to the families.

Mira said the holiday break is especially hard on needy families that receive financial aid, such as free or reduced priced lunch. Many of these children get most of their food from their schools, so the holiday break can be a very hungry time.

“The great thing about this program is everyone can know the food is going to local families only,” Mira said. “It doesn’t go anywhere else but right here in our local community.”

Gailit said of the number of people who could use help, “The need is greater than the 400 baskets that we’re distributing. We could use all the help we can get with helping the needy in Pasco.”

How to help

• Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes, (813) 918-3027,
• Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise, (813) 907-7990
• Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, (813) 973-2392
• Rotary Club of Zephyrhills Daybreak, P.O. Box 1797 Zephyrhills, FL 33539
• Rotary Club of Zephyrhills P.O. Box 1234 Zephyrhills, FL 33539,
• Rotary Club of Dade City Sunrise, (352) 797-0638
• Rotary Club of Dade City-Downtown,

Central and east Pasco County come through in tough year

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

ZEPHYRHILLS — Even though 2009 was not the best for most businesses or people, East Pasco Toys for Tots still distributed presents to thousands of needy children.

“Based on last year, we actually gave toys to more people in 2009 than in 2008,” said Anna Fulk, captain for the Wesley Chapel distribution location. “We just had many more people to help. We did run out of presents for the older kids, but we managed to help everyone that was registered through the schools and many more that showed up afterward.”

The toys were distributed on Dec. 19, and the good news for needy children came from all the distribution sites.

“It’s a good year when we run out of families before we run out of toys, and that’s what happened at all five of our stations,” said Bob Loring, EPTFT coordinator. “I was very pleased with how this year’s distribution went because of how rough the economy was. Our communities here in Pasco take ownership of the needy kids and always come through to help. I was very pleased with the generosity of the whole east side.”

Loring is known as the head elf for EPTFT and has been the coordinator since 1999.

The five distribution sites for EPTFT included:

— Wesley Chapel Elementary in Wesley Chapel

— Land O’ Lakes Community Center in Land O’ Lakes

— Alice B. Hall Community Center in Zephyrhills

— Pasco-Hernando Community College in Dade City

— New Life Assembly in Trilby

While EPTFT focuses on helping Pasco County children, the program does not turn away children who live in Hillsborough County zip codes that cross into Pasco.

At the Wesley Chapel site, toys were separated by gender and age on tables set up in a circle, which has come to be known as the “Circle of Life.” Parents were able to “shop” for toys at the tables.

“It’s just like shopping without a cashier,” Loring said. “At some of the stations, parents also got to take socks and toothbrushes for the kids. We also gave out food to the parents. They got frozen chickens with all the fixings for a Christmas dinner.”

To help or for more information on EPTFT, e-mail Loring at , call him at (352) 588-4230 or visit www.toysfortotspasco.org.

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

ZEPHYRHILLS — For the last 25 years, there have been Christmas trees at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

“It is such a special event to experience with family and the community,” said Stephanie Watts, spokesperson for the American Cancer Society’s Pasco Unit. “It’s a great time for the community to come together to celebrate the holiday season. It’s a very special time and really kicks of the Christmas season here in Zephyrhills.”

Watts was born in raised on the Pasco County side of Lutz and has worked with ACS for two years.

Jerry Sterner, 64, was the coordinator for the annual Christmas trees for the community presented by the hospital for 20 years. He recently retired as the director of community relations in September but was asked by hospital administration to come back and be the master of ceremonies this year.

“The trees are a tradition here in Zephyrhills,” Sterner said. “It’s one of the signature events of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills that started in December of 1985. It is one of the highlights of the community and really marks the start of the holiday season.

“The hospital has been here 25 years, and so have the Christmas trees.”

Sterner said the Tree Decorating and Lighting Program is usually the first Sunday in December, unless Thanksgiving is the week before. When that happens, the lighting is second weekend.

“People in the community look forward to the tree lighting, and it does kind of start the holiday celebration in the area,” said Lyn Acer, hospital spokesperson. “This year, we had more than 2,000 people at the event.”

While the trees have been part of Zephyrhills for 25 years, this year was the first for Acer.

“For me it was a great opportunity to see the community come together,” Acer said. “It’s a special time of year, and it’s amazing to see so much community participation and support for the event.”

There are more than 50 trees this year, which include one for each state in the union, one for Canada, one for Support Our Troops, and an international tree.

Different groups sign up to decorate the trees as early as a year in advance. The decorations on the tree are meant to reflect the culture and traditions of the area or group it is named after.

The ACS chose to decorate the Washington tree because the first Relay For Life took place in Washington 25 years ago.

“In 1985, Dr. Gordon Klatt walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for a local ACS office,” Watts said. “Relay For Life as grown from that into something that most people have heard of.

“It’s very cool to have the 25th anniversary of the Relay For Life and the Christmas trees at the hospital happen at the same time.”

The Washington tree was decorated with lots of purple items because purple is the color for all cancer awareness. The ACS also put apple ornaments on the tree.

Watts said next year, the ACS will be decorating the international tree because cancer is a disease felt worldwide.

The Tennessee tree was decorated by the Zephyrhills Historical Association, which put maps of the state, items from the Grand Ole Opry and records from county music stars form the state, such as Johnny Cash.

“We’ve done the Christmas tree decorating for about 10 years as a group,” said Margaret Seppanen, president with the association. “The lighting is a lot of fun. We look forward to looking at the other trees to see other people’s handiwork that we might be able to use the next year.”

Seppanen said the association will be decorating the California tree next year.

“I’m very proud of the hospital and what it offers to the community,” Sterner said. “It’s an expensive program, but it’s a gift to the community. The hospital doesn’t sell tickets or anything for the tree lighting.

“It’s a (nonprofit) hospital that still gives these special gifts to the community.”

Sterner said the trees will be up until the first full week of the new year. The Pasco County Parks and Recreation

By Ashley Reams Dunn

News Editor

WESLEY CHAPEL — Sheri Goldberg-Mueller is no longer executive director of the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, but it’s unclear whether she resigned or was let go.

“I do not discuss staff changes in the office,” said Cindy Fleming, Chamber president.

Goldberg-Mueller, who did not return phone calls from The Laker requesting comment, worked her last day Dec. 11. The announcement of her departure came Dec. 14 in the Chamber’s weekly e-newsletter.

“Last week Sheri Goldberg concluded her time as the Executive Director of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce,” the announcement read. “We want to thank her for her efforts as our Executive Director and we wish her well.”

Goldberg-Mueller was hired as executive director in April 2008, and Fleming said the Chamber flourished under her leadership. Membership grew, and Goldberg-Mueller helped coordinate well-attended events, such as the arts celebration at The Shops at Wiregrass, which saw about 50,000 people.

“The Chamber launched a few new events, which were highly successful,” Fleming said.

Goldberg-Mueller helped launch the Chamber’s first 5K run at Saddlebrook, a health fair at Wesley Chapel District Park and a craft fair at The Grove of Wesley Chapel. She helped create the first revised newsletter and the Chamber’s new Web site, which should launch around the beginning of 2010.

The Wesley Chapel Chamber was created 11 years ago, and Goldberg-Mueller was it’s third executive director. She replaced Jason Wilson, who was in the position for little more than a year. Elayne Bassinger preceded Wilson.

The Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce also recently found itself without a director. Jan Slater, who accepted the position in 2006, resigned in November in order to have more time with family. She was replaced by Vonnie Mikkelsen, who was hired two weeks ago.

The Wesley Chapel Chamber is now accepting applications for a new executive director. According to a press release, applicants should have proven leadership skills, management and sales experience, proficient fiscal and budgeting skills, strong interpersonal skills, communication skills and time management skills. The executive director will have to participate in regular activities, including business networking, community events, resources and special committees.

Preferred candidates will have experience working with a Chamber of Commerce or other nonprofit organization and its board of directors, the press release states. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and education is required. Compensation includes salary in the range of $37,500 with commission and bonus incentives, health insurance and mileage reimbursement. Interested applicants are asked to submit a resume with references and cover letter via e-mail to .

Fleming said she expects to receive at least 100 applicants, and three board members will review the applications, narrowing the field down to about five or six candidates. She said the Chamber hopes to have a new executive director by Feb. 1.

“We’re looking forward to a good 2010,” she said.

By Diane Kortus

Staff Writer

LAND O’ LAKES — Vipul Patel wanted his new Land O’ Lakes pharmacy to have a name that was meaningful and memorable. And so he chose Aum, the chant used in Yoga to deepen thought and sharpen focus.

“Aum gives you mental peace, and I wanted to bring that to my patients,” said Patel. “It is part of my culture and is meaningful to me.”

The word aum, which rhymes with home, expresses the ultimate reality. It is a universal word used by many religions — aum among Hindu and Buddhist, amin among Moslems, and amen among Christians.

Patel came to the U.S. from India at age 18 to attend college and graduated with a master’s degree in pharmacology from Long Island University in 2002. The youngest of five children, he was the first to study in the U.S.

He moved to Florida shortly after graduating and was hired by Eckerd’s Pharmacy, which later became CVS Pharmacy. Most of Patel’s seven years working for the national chains were at their Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel stores.

As a staff pharmacist, Patel was limited to the amount of customized care he could provide his patients. He dreamed of his own store and opened Aum Pharmacy this past August in the office park in front of the Oakstead community, located off SR 54, about a mile west of US 41.

Many of Patel’s initial patients were referrals from the three doctors and two dentists also located at the Oakstead center. Since then, his patient list has grown as word spread on the personal attention he provides. There is seldom a wait, and Patel personally talks to every patient before filling his or her prescriptions.

Patel prides himself on making sure patients get the prescriptions they need at the best price. It is not unusual for him to call a doctor and recommend a generic form of a prescription that is significantly less expensive.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time, the doctor will change the prescription,” said Patel. “I recently had a patient who saved $134 a week because I called his doctor and suggested an ointment instead of the cream version of an eczema medicine.”

Patel also works to find substitute medication for patients if the prescription ordered by their doctor is not covered by their health insurance plan.

“It’s not good for people to go without their medicine, and it’s not their fault if their insurance does not cover a particular medicine,” said Patel.

Seventy percent of Patel’s patients do not have insurance, which is the complete opposite of chain pharmacies, said Patel, which is why price is such a major concern. Most of Aum Pharmacy’s patients are seniors and typically spend between $500 and $1,000 a month on medication.

Aum Pharmacy offers the same seven-day supply of free antibiotics as does Publix Super Market, and also matches Wal-Mart’s $4 per month discount program for common prescriptions, but without the $10 membership fee Wal-Mart charges.

Patel lives in New Tampa with his wife, Ami, who assists her husband at the pharmacy. The couple has a 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son.

Aum Pharmacy is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located at 2646 Narnia Way, Suite 101, Land O’ Lakes 34638. Phone is (813) 388-6875 and fax is (813) 388-6871. Patel can also be reached by e-mail at .

Foundation helps thousands each year

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

PASCO COUNTY — Bob Loring is known as the head elf for Toys for Tots of East Pasco.

“It’ll ruin my Christmas if we can’t help these needy children,” Loring said. “One year we ran out of toys and had to turn some parents away in Dade City. That crushed me to watch those parents not have presents for their kids. I don’t want that to ever happen again.”

Loring has been the EPTFT coordinator since 1999. He moved to Zephyrhills from Miami in 1996 after retiring from Florida International University.

The Toys for Tots Foundation was founded by the U.S. Marine Corps in 1948 to collect unwrapped presents and distribute them to needy children during the holidays.

EPTFT was founded in the early 1990s. Last year, it distributed presents to 3,300 children and wants to do the same this year.

While EPTFT focuses on Pasco County children, Loring said families in north Hillsborough County zip codes that cross into Pasco are not turned away.

All toys will be distributed on Dec. 19 at five locations, one of which is at Wesley Chapel Elementary. Anna Fulk is the captain for the Wesley Chapel distribution.

“After parents register with us they get to go shopping for their children at our tables,” Fulk said. “The tables are set up in a circle I call ‘the circle of life.’ Each table has toys for different ages of children.”

Fulk said the distribution will be from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parents will be able to select one large and two small presents, plus all the stocking-stuffers and stuffed animals they want.

“Barns & Noble has given us a cases of books donated by customers for parents to pick from, and Bob Williams with Support Our Troops donated about 1,000 toothbrushes to give out too,” Fulk said. “We tell the parents that it’s just like shopping, but there is no cashier at the end. That always surprises them because unfortunately many people in need are used to having things just shoved at them without getting to pick. We let them have their choice of the toys.”

EPTFT collects toys all year, but sets up extra drop-off locations in east and central Pasco in November to increase donations during the holidays. J.Joseph Salon in Land O’ Lakes was one of those locations this year.

“We had a good year in a recession and wanted to find a way to give back to the community,” said Roy Naccour, J.Joseph owner. “Lots of people have been bringing in presents and asking us about the program. The community reaction has been great, and I want to thank them for it. It’s important that every kid has something special at this time of year.”

Loring said EPTFT will be collecting toys until Dec. 18 for this year.

“When I started with Toys for Tots I was told that half the kids in Pasco are on some sort of assistance, like free or reduced lunches at school,” Loring said. “I don’t know the exact numbers, but it must be higher after the economy went bad. My phones are ringing off the hook with parents wanting to register for toys.”

To qualify for help from EPTFT a child must be receiving some financial assistance. To help the most underprivileged children, Loring asks the public schools to select the students that are most in need.

“What is great to me is we are as grass roots as it gets,” Loring said. “Each community in Pasco takes ownership of the needy kids in their area and the great thing is any community can get in on the program. When I started we had just one distribution location. Now we have five.”

For more information on EPTFT, e-mail Loring at , call him at (352) 588-4230 or visit www.toysfortotspasco.org.

Distribution Locations for Toys for Tots of East Pasco

• Alice B. Hall Community Center, 38116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills
• Wesley Chapel Elementary, 30243 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
• Pasco-Hernando Community College, 36727 Blanton Road, Dade City
• New Life Assembly, 38012 Trilby Road, Trilby
• Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes