Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Mandy (right) is a 7-year-old Shih-Tzu. She is the Patient Greeter for CG-1 Chiropractic, located at 1930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 16, in Lutz. Mandy’s proud owner is Dorothy Todd, office manager for CG-1 Chiropractic

Buttons  is a Chihuah (below)  that weighs only four pounds but has the attitude of a 40-pound dog. She was adopted from the local rescue C.A.R.E.S. of Odessa. She is very active and loves to play with all types of toys and balls. Buttons loves to run like the wind with her friends at the

dog park and is a member of a local Chihuahua meet-up group. She and her older brother, Baby, keep each other happy, active and healthy. Buttons asks for everyone who wants a new friend, to please consider adopting a rescue. Buttons’ proud owners are Lynne and Fred Tonte, of Wesley Chapel.

LUTZ — Wal-Mart has announced that its newest location at the apex of US 41 and Dale Mabry Highway is scheduled to open to customers in November.

Construction on the building is complete, and the retailer will spend the next few weeks transforming the new building, stocking shelves and preparing for the grand opening.

The new store is replacing the old Wal-Mart at 21703 Village Lakes Shopping Center, which originally opened in 1987.

After the move, the store plans to employ approximately 380 associates, including 240 positions created by the relocation. Many of the newly hired associates are now reporting to work to help prepare the store for its grand opening.

“We are excited about the new products and services we will be able to offer our customers,” said store manager Brandie Guderjahn. “We’ve been fortunate to have a loyal customer base and we look forward to providing an improved shopping experience.”

The store is still hiring full- and part-time associates to work in all areas. Interested applicants should go to the existing store at 21703 Village Lakes Shopping Center or apply online at http://walmartstores.com/Careers/7745.aspx.

All in the family at Britten dentistry

Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

LUTZ — It is a family tradition for the Britten’s to become dentists.

Leonard Britten started his practice in 1979 in Tampa, and his twins have followed in his footsteps. However, it was not clear at first if Nick and Todd wanted to go into dentistry.

“It’s not like they both always wanted to be dentists,” Leonard said. “Both didn’t even decide to go into dentistry until college. So I guess it just became a family thing without being planned.”

Born in East Tampa, Britten attended Hillsborough High. He went to the University of South Florida and then Emory Dental School in Atlanta.

Britten’s practice came to Lutz about 20 years ago, and he moved into the current location at 213 Crystal Grove Blvd. in 2001. When Nick graduated from the University of Florida in May with a Doctor of Dental Medicine it took him less than a month to join his father’s practice.

“My first day here was June 9, and it is kind of funny that my first business cards were wrong,” Nick said.

“I got the cards as kind of a graduation gift, but on them it said I had a D.D.S. D.M.D. is a newer term for the degree that dentists get, so it is kind of confusing sometimes when people hear that I have a D.M.D. and my father has a D.D.S. There isn’t much of a difference, but I had to use those business cards for about the first month.”

That was not the only time a Britten had to deal with someone misunderstanding those abbreviations.

“When I still had my practice in Tampa, one time a woman called me and asked if we were a doctor’s delivery service because she saw D.D.S. on our building,” Leonard said. “The woman said she was ready to deliver a baby. You get people who are confused by the terms sometimes.”

Nick’ twin, Todd, is finishing his residency at Florida to be a periodontist, which is a dentist that specializes in the treatment of gum disease. While the twins have chosen to enter the same basic profession, they are far from identical in how they act.

“Todd always seemed to have a plan and know exactly how to get there,” Leonard said. “Todd didn’t usually stray off-course, while Nick tends to look around and survey the area. Sometimes I had to drag Nick out the door when we were going places, but it has worked out for him.”

“I like to think that I kicked him out,” said Nick, born three minutes after his brother. “He was cramping my style, so I had all the room for three minutes.”

Nick and Todd shared a home for most of their lives, including for much of their time in college.

“It is kind of weird, because this is the first time we have ever lived in different cities,” Nick said. “It is strange because as a twin you are used to seeing your twin all the time, but I got over that pretty quickly.”

Leonard said Todd will not likely Todd join his practice.

“It wouldn’t be in his interest to be here because people usually go and find a periodontist when they have a gum problem,” Leonard said. “But he’ll probably stay in Tampa.”

Leonard has another son, Matt, who is 19 months older than Nick and Todd, and has nothing to do with dentistry.

“Matt is kind of the black sheep of the family in this respect, I guess,” Leonard said. “Matt is into electrical contracting. My father, Dale, was a utilities contractor, so I guess he was following in his footsteps.”

What it comes down to is patients of Britten Dental Associates can choose from either Britten.

“It really is great to be able to stay here in Lutz, because this town is where I was born and raised,” Nick said. “I get to work on family and friends that I grew up with.

“I even worked on my old principal at Maniscalco Elementary, Mr. (Anthony) Scolaro, and I didn’t know whether to call him by his first or last name. Really, it has been a dream and I couldn’t have asked for more.”

Group that has been spreading joy looks for new members

By Kyle LoJacono

Staff Writer

LAND O’ LAKES — Joseph R. Berling, of Wesley Chapel, has been a bass signer in the Friendship Singers for more than two years because of how the group brightens people’s days.

“I actually heard about the band through an ad in The Laker,” Berling said. “My wife and I both wanted to do some kind of community service, so we thought the group would be a fun way to give back. We were right and it has been a blast.

“It is really great to be able to bring some joy to the residents because many of them can’t get outside to often.”

The group was established on Oct. 29, 1994 and has been singing at assisted living facilities and retirement homes ever since.

Many have joined the Friendship Singers to give back as Berling did, while others have joined for different reasons.

“I heard about the group at my husband’s funeral,” said Joice Ruby, who lives in Carrollwood and has been singing alto in the group for three years. “We were big Buccaneers fans, and I was used to doing fun things on Sundays. So, I decided to join the group, and it has really helped me.”

The group sings mainly 1930s and 40s music and encourages the residents of the facilities and homes to sing along with them.

“A lot of the residents we sing to don’t have anyone else to come visit them,” said Delores Gast, director and founder of the group. “If we can just make them smile for a few minutes, then we know we have done a good thing.”

Gast lives in Saint Joseph, located north of San Antonio, and said there are members in the group from Dade City down into Tampa, including Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and New Tampa.

In addition to singing to the residents, the Friendship Singers also give out stuffed animals and other small gifts to them to really make their concerts special.

The group has proven to be long lasting and has 55 members signed up, but many only participate seasonally. Only 25 to 30 are active in the group at any time.

However, several of the members have recently dropped, which has created a need for more.

“We could use all members, but we really could use some male singers,” Berling said. “We’ve got just a couple of men right now. We could use a couple more bass and baritones to even things out a little bit.”

The group practices every other Saturday at the Senior Nutrition Center, located at 6801 Wisteria Loop, just off US 41 in Land O’ Lakes from 10 a.m. to noon. Members usually sing every other Sunday at different local assisted living facilities and retirement homes in the mid-morning to afternoon.

Anyone interested in joining the group should e-mail Berling at . There are no auditions, and no professional experience is needed.

“I can assure you that everyone has forgotten their words at least once,” Berling said. “We goof up all the time, and it is funny when it happens.”

Those who are not the best singers can also help the group by contributing new stuffed animals or other small gifts. To donate, e-mail Berling for details.

“The residents all seem to have such a great time, and I think it really makes their day,” Gast said. “If only everyone could come and see how much it means to them. They would all understand why we do it. The songs and gifts are small things that make a big difference.”

By Steve Lee

Staff Writer

LUTZ — When elected as Lutz Guv’na, Suzin Carr vowed to promote local businesses. Turning her words into action, she came up with the Lutz Shop and Stroll.

That Dec. 12 event coincides with Breakfast with Santa, which takes place from 9 a.m. to noon at the Old Lutz Schoolhouse. The Lutz Shop and Stroll will involve 40 local businesses, including eight anchor stops.

“It’s a win-win for all kinds of people,” Carr said. “There’s a couple of people, when I went to them they said, ‘I always wanted to do this.’”

Like Breakfast with Santa on that second Saturday in December, the Lutz Shop and Stroll is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon. The public is invited to check off a so-called shopping list be visiting Lutz businesses along US 41 and become eligible for what Carr dubbed as the “Grand Basket of Lutz.”

“It’s just going to be a great mix of stuff after people have had breakfast with Santa,” Carr said.

Eight shops have been selected with five local vendors offering products or services at each stop along the way. That list includes: Felicitous, The Old Lutz School, Susan’s Mane Tamers, Castle Furniture, Great Gardens and Gifts, Nancy’s Good and Fast Food, Patio Ways and Caremes Market.

“My role as Guv’na I take very seriously,” she said. “I told these people I would support them. They supported me.”

For further details, e-mail suzin@illuminatedpublishing

By Gary S. Hatrick

The Laker Correspondent

ZEPHYRHILLS — It’s “Snowbird Season” again — you can tell by the signs.

Traffic is a bit more congested than during the summer. Lines at grocery stores are longer. Shuffleboard games are more frequent at park clubhouses.

Zephyrhills has been a retirement community since its inception, and while the median age has reduced some as younger families moved to the area, the snowbird migration continues to be a defining characteristic of the City of Pure Water.

Water department supervisor Tamela Davis reported that there has been an influx of people coming in the office to get their water turned on.

Davis did not say they are all northern residents, but she acknowledged that this is the time of year when there is an increase for water services from city residents. The influx should be even greater when including those who live in the surrounding areas of Zephyrhills.

The Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is a popular destination for snowbirds who want to get the scoop on what is happening and when. Executive Director Jan Slater has seen a recent increase of about 10-15 people visiting the chamber daily.

Fred Fletcher, a year-round resident who has his finger on the pulse of things at Betmar Acres, a 55 and older community, said that about 30 percent of the people who usually come down for the winter have arrived.

“The Canadians are coming this week and next week,” Fletcher said.

Canadians are only allowed to be out-of-country for 180 days, because of that nation’s health care system, Fletcher explained, adding that they typically arrive in mid-October.

Local churches have also reported increase in the pews for recent Sunday services.

While some residents bemoan the arrival of snowbird season, many business owners welcome the yearly migration, if only for the boost it gives to the local economy.

Frank DiGrigoli, manager of the Save-A-Lot Food Store in Zephyrhills, said he can tell that the snowbirds are returning by a full parking lot. DiGrigoli said the customer count has gone up from 700 people per day to between 800 and 900.

Maine-ly New England owner Mike Mira said that traffic coming in the restaurant is an indicator of the season’s start.

“Sales are up 20 to 25 percent over last month already,” Mira said. “We have a lot of loyal customers, a lot of customers come straight here before they even go home. They tell us ‘We just got back.’”