The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Having a grand time, at the ‘prom’

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The dancers came in all ages, sporting various styles.

Some did solo numbers, while others danced in pairs. Some formed a conga line and danced around the floor at the recreation center at Wesley Chapel District Park.

Participants at the Dance your Dream party seemed to be having a great time, as they snaked around the Wesley Chapel District Park gymnasium. (Fred Bellet)

All in all, about 100 people were there to move to the music, have some refreshments and simply enjoy themselves at  “Dance your Dream,” a free event on June 11. The gathering was sponsored by HOPE Services, a vocational service organization.

The two-hour event brought people living with disabilities together for a chance to look great and groove to the music. They came from as close as Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and Tampa to as far away as Seffner and Brandon.

Those attending were encouraged to wear their “prom attire” and to get on the dance floor to show off their moves.

Besides dancing, there were refreshments provided by Chick-fil-A and a chance to meet the Chick-fil-A mascot.

In addition to providing the opportunity for a good time, the event doubled as a fundraiser for HOPE Services’ new Life Skills Center, which is expected to open this year.

Event-goers could bid on silent auction items and try their luck in some raffles.

The new Life Skills Center will assist people living with disabilities with everyday life skills and employable skills in food services, construction, hospitality, retail, and computer skills.

Published June 22, 2022

Cerebral palsy did not stop 36-year-old Jason Wenner, of Wesley Chapel, from rocking out in his wheelchair, as he delights to the music at the Dance your Dream party. Jason’s mother, Linda Wenner, left, said Jason was born premature and weighed just 12 ounces at birth. She described him as the family’s ‘miracle baby.’
If anyone was having a great time at the Dance your Dream party, it was clearly 39-year-old Josh Goldsmith, as he gets in on a group photo with 32-year-old Kim Gordon and 44-year-old Steven Moran, all of Tampa. About 100 people who live with disabilities attended a free prom attire dance party at the Wesley Chapel District Park gymnasium and activity rooms.
Early-arriver Brandon Wheeler, a 21-year-old from Seffner, got everything started at the party — showing off his dance moves on the floor, and concluding with a spectacular finish.
Thirty-six-year-old Keishawn Tolberg, left, is led on to the dance floor by her mother, Felicia McCardy, right, of Seffner. Keishawn’s smile lit up the dance floor at the Dance your Dream prom attire dance party.
Thirty-two-year-old Kim Gordon and 44-year-old Steven Moran dance the night away.
Twenty-two-year-old Joshua Tapia, of Wesley Chapel, shows off some fancy footwork, as he dances with his friend, Race Herron, of Lutz.
Dancing solo, Kimberly Watkins, 45, of Brandon, shows her dance technique, as she and others dance to the sounds of music from the DJs of Sandwich F.M.

Lions Club bingo donates $2,500 kids food program

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The Zephyrhills Lions Club bingo players have a 50/50 raffle every Tuesday, of which half the proceeds go to local charities.

Recently, $2,500 was raised to donate to the Zephyrhills Elks Lodge No. 2731 Feed the Kids Summer Program.

Anyone with children can participate in the program. Meals can be picked up at the Elks Lodge, 6851 Wire Road, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., during the summer. The program begins on June 6 and ends on Aug. 5.

Every other Wednesday the giveaway also will include a craft package with various projects for holidays, as well as anti-bullying and drug awareness.

Park & Play will be featured on the alternate Wednesdays, where kids can play games, get books to read, receive a dictionary and school supplies in backpacks.

From left Gwen Klamer, volunteer; David Moyer, Elks leading knight; Donna Moyer, Elks program chairperson; John DiLorenzo, Lions president; Jay Klamer, Elks exalted ruler; Anne MacDonald, volunteer; and Wayne Page, Elks trustee. From left: Gwen Klamer, volunteer; David Moyer, Elks leading knight; Donna Moyer, Elks program chairperson; John DiLorenzo, Lions president; Jay Klamer, Elks exalted ruler; Anne MacDonald, volunteer; and Wayne Page, Elks trustee. (Courtesy of Susan Slater)

Avalon Applauds Rescue Pets of Florida

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Congratulations to Rescue Pets of Florida for being applauded by Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

Rescue Pets of Florida’s mission is to rescue, vaccinate, spay/neuter, and find loving adoptive homes for stray, abandoned and neglected cats and dogs. The nonprofit also wants to increase public awareness of the companion animal overpopulation issue, and provide solutions to end the killing of adoptable animals in the Tampa Bay area.

The nonprofit did an outstanding 3,500+ adoptions last year. It routinely works with local shelters and the Humane Society, who are usually always at capacity (or over).

“It’s the fulfillment one feels when doing it, that makes it all worthwhile,” says Jeanine Cohen, founder of Rescue Pets of Florida.

Adoption is so important to the nonprofit that last year they spent over $150,000 just on vet care, which ensures each furry friend is healthy and ready to be adopted.

“I am super proud of how this rescue is able to fundraise to pay for life-saving operations that most people wouldn’t be able to afford,” says Cohen.

One of the nonprofits’ cats, DoSiDo, is a perfect example of this. DoSiDo had to have a Pectus Excavatum, which ran close to $4,000. Another cat, Sidney, recently had to have a liver shunt repair that cost $3,750.

“When you donate to us, every penny counts. We are committed to saving animals that may have otherwise been euthanized due to their high cost of care,” says Cohen.

According to Cohen, the two main ways you can help support Rescue Pets of Florida is by becoming a volunteer, or fostering a pet in need.

Cohen and her team will make sure to provide a foster parent with all the support and materials they will need, which includes a supportive group chat that will answer any questions and provide emotional support to help with the process.

The community can also help support Rescue Pets of Florida by sending monetary donations through its Paypal, Venmo, Facebook Page or by purchasing items on its Amazon wishlist, which you can also drop off at any of the nonprofit’s adoption center locations. Some of the nonprofit’s most needed items are wet cat food and pee pads.

Rescue Pets of Florida’s adoption centers, which are open seven days a week, are located at five PetSmarts in the Tampa Bay area. One of them is right here at the PetSmart at The Grove in Wesley Chapel.

“We would not be successful with our adoptions without PetSmart Charities,” says Cohen, “We show cats and kittens seven days a week at each of our locations. PetSmart donates a free bag of food, and coupons galore to each adopter.”

For more information, go to www.rescuecatsofflorida.org. To check out the nonprofit’s Amazon Wishlist, go to tinyurl.com/2s3u2fcs.

‘Bad Water Quality is Costing You Money’ says Cornerstone Pros

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Your tap water may not be as clean as it looks. If your house has a hard water system, odds are it’s filled with impurities, including microbes, lead, fluoride, disinfectants and other toxins.

The answer? Water softeners. Home piping extends far beyond just the sink. It’s our dishwashers, showers and washing machines. Hard water has minerals that can corrode all of these appliances over time. Water softeners relieve this by getting rid of those minerals and extending their shelf life.

“Addressing your home’s water quality problems is a must-do; everything takes water,” said Miguel Silva of Cornerstone Pros Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical in Land O’ Lakes. Miguel has been in the business for years and has seen firsthand the improvement that water softeners have brought to families.

The benefits of saving money with soft water extend even further. Over time, you’ll spend less on products such as soaps and detergents. Soft water creates more suds and a quicker lather by not being exposed to compounds.

Softer skin and hair is an added bonus and can help you save money on personal care products like conditioner and hair masks.

“The quality of your water can have a direct effect on your health,” said Silva. “Don’t save it for a rainy day. When you choose us, we can help you achieve the right-as-rain H2O you deserve.”

Cornerstone Pros also offers bundles with their AC units. You can get a water treatment or a tankless water heater and an AC unit at a discounted rate.

Tankless water heating gets rid of that large tank in your garage or closet, saving you space. Going tankless also saves you money by lowering your energy bill, since you’re no longer paying for hot water 24 hours a day, only when you need it. With today’s technology, you can download apps that monitor your hot water consumption and manually turn the heater on and off, all from the convenience of your phone.

“Tankless heaters were engineered with safety in mind; their designs incorporate numerous user-friendly features along with technologies like dry-fire defense, freeze protection, smart-grid capabilities and leak detection that prevent product failure,” said James Reese, plumbing service manager at Cornerstone Pros.

For more information on how you can start saving space and money in your home, visit CornerstonePros.com, or call 813-909-0345.

Published May 25, 2022

New addition planned at Starkey K-8

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The Pasco County School Board has approved an architectural services contract with Harvard Jolly Architecture for a new classroom wing at Starkey K-8, a school in the Starkey development, at 12200 Lake Blanche Drive, in Odessa.

Residential growth has been booming and Pasco County Schools anticipates adding new schools in a number of locations to accommodate the growth.

Several schools are included in the school district’s plan for how it would spend proceeds from the extension of the Penny for Pasco 1-cent surtax, should voters approve the 15-year tax extension in November. This project is not on that list.

Starkey K-8, which is in Central Pasco, opened in the 2021-2022 school year.

The agreement with Harvard Jolly, adopted by the school board as part of its consent agenda, calls for reusing a design for a two-story classroom building addition the architecture firm designed for Sumner High School in Hillsborough County.

The planned classroom wing, estimated at $9.5 million, will involve adding 20 classrooms.

Starkey K-8 is the district’s first school designed to serve as a kindergarten through eighth grade school. It is within a public-private partnership project which includes a public library, with shared use by the public and Starkey Ranch K-8 students, a cultural arts theater and an adjacent district park.

Published June 15, 2022

Health News 06/08/2022

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Alyssa Smith, AdventHealth community health liaison, trained Rotary Club members on how to perform hands-only CPR. (COURTESY OF ADVENTHEALTH WEST FLORIDA DIVISION)

CPR CAN HELP SAVE LIVES

AdventHealth is getting “hands on” to help Pasco County save lives.

Alyssa Smith, AdventHealth community health liaison, spent a day training members of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel on how to perform hands-only CPR.

According to the American Heart Association, about 90 percent of people suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

Hands-only CPR can be as effective in the

first few minutes as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest at home, at work, or in public, and if performed immediately, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

AdventHealth’s ongoing hands-only CPR training is part of the hospital’s commitment to not only care for the community when they are sick, but also to keep them well.

CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION

AdventHealth Zephyrhills will host a free child- birth and newborn care class on June 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at AdventHealth Wellness Center.

The guest speaker will be Natalie Farrell, registered nurse and childbirth educator.

For information and to register, call 877-534- 3108, or visit AHZephyrhills.com.

MEDICARE FRAUD

Fraud costs Medicare an estimated $60 billion per year, and costs its beneficiaries in time, stress, their medical identities, and even their health. It costs families, friends and caregivers in worry and lost work when helping their loved ones recover from falling victim to Medicare fraud, according to an AAAPP (Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas) news release.

Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones by joining the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) and its partners for the first-ever Medicare Fraud Prevention Week, June 5 to June 11, in conjunction with the SMP program’s 25th anniversary.

The week kicked off on June 5, or “6-5,” be- cause most people become eligible for Medicare when they turn 65 years old.

Senior Medicare Patrol helps to educate and empower Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers to prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse, through out- reach, counseling and education.

An SMP can answer questions, concerns or complaints about potential fraud and abuse issues. To volunteer for the program, contact Geralyn Fortney at 727-570-9696, ext. 234, or .

MEDICARE SESSIONS

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas.

Volunteers can assist with Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance questions, through one-on- one counseling and information. Services are free, unbiased and confidential.

Upcoming Zoom sessions are scheduled for:

• June 15 at 10 a.m.: Medical Financial Assistance

• June 15 at noon: Lunch & Learn, Medicare Part C Advantage Plans

• June 21 at noon: Lunch & Learn, Medicare Long Term Care

• June 22 at 10 a.m.: Medicare Part C Advantage Plans

• June 22 at noon: Lunch & Learn, Medicare Part D Drug Plan

• June 29 at 10 a.m.: Medicare Basics

• June 29 at noon: Lunch & Learn, Medicare Financial Assistance

For more information and access to meetings, please contact Geralyn Fortney at , or call 727-570-9696, ext. 234.

BREAST-FEEDING BASICS

AdventHealth Zephyrhills will offer a class on breast-feeding basics on June 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at AdventHealth Wellness Center Zephyrhills.

The guest speaker will be registered nurse Janna Hardiman.

For information or to register, call 877-534- 3108, or visit AHZephyrhills.com.

CARDIAC SURGERY RANKING

HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital has ranked No. 3 in Florida for Cardiac Surgery, according to a new analysis released by Healthgrades, a resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems.

For state ranking, Healthgrades evaluated clinical performance for nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide focusing on eight key specialties across a mix of chronic, urgent, and planned clinical areas, a news release said.

“Being recognized as a top Cardiac Surgery hospital in Florida is a huge honor for our team at Bayonet Point Hospital,” said CEO, Gina Temple, in the release.

“I’m extremely proud of our Cardiac Surgical Team, and all of our caregivers who support our multiple Cardiac Programs,” said Temple.

Hospitals recognized as among the top ranked in their state by Healthgrades are providing patients with measurably superior clinical outcomes.

Access to quality information can inform and empower consumers in their decision-making process, and direct them to the best care.

Consumers can visit Healthgrades.com, to learn more on how Healthgrades measures hospital quality.

MEN’S HEALTH SEMINAR

A free talk on men’s health will be presented on June 16 at 2 p.m., at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center, 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills.

The guest speakers will be Dr. Matthew Moralle, Dr. Patrick Guthrie, Dr. Jason Abdallah and Dr.FarhanRehman.

Register online at AHZephyrhills.com, or call 877-534-3108.

KNEE REPLACEMENTS

A free health talk on knee replacements will be presented on June 29 at noon, at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center, 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills.

The guest speaker will be Dr. Gerald “Trey” Alexander.

Register online at AHZephyrhills.com, or call 877-534-3108.

Help Conserve Wildlife

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A gopher tortoise in Jay B. Starkey Park in New Port Richey. (MIKE CAMUNAS)

The Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding residents and visitors how to help conserve native species and reduce conflicts with them.

As the weather warms, many species begin to migrate, mate, feed and nest, which means people are more likely to encounter wildlife and should take precautions to avoid disrupting these natural behaviors and prevent conflicts, according to a news release.

The FWC offers these tips on how to enjoy and help conserve Florida wildlife:

• Sea Turtles: These reptiles start to nest in the spring. Keep beaches dark at night and free of obstacles during nesting season (through October). Artificial light can disturb nesting sea turtles and disorient hatchlings.Avoid using flash- lights and cellphones on the beach, too.Turn out lights or close curtains and shades in buildings along the beach after dark. Clear away boats and beach furniture; fill in holes in the sand that could entrap turtles.

• Manatees: For boaters, spring is a critical time to be on the lookout for manatees, to avoid collisions with these mammals, at a time when manatees travel the coastal waterways along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and other inland waters. Boaters should follow posted speed limits; many areas have seasonal zones that reflect manatee migration patterns.

• Gopher Tortoises: This native tortoise be- comes more active in the spring, foraging for food and searching for a mate. If you see gopher tortoises or their half-moon shaped burrow entrances, leave them alone. If you find a tortoise crossing a road, pick it up and place it in a safe location along the roadside in the direction it was heading. Never attempt to put the tortoise into water.

• Nesting birds: Keep your distance from shorebirds and seabirds on the beach, and wading birds nesting on mangrove and tree islands. Disturbance can cause birds to flush from their breeding sites, which exposes their eggs and chicks to predators and extreme heat. Shorebirds and seabirds nest in shallow scrapes in the sand, and their eggs and chicks are well-camouflaged. People should look out to avoid stepping on them and avoid walking through flocks of birds.

• Bears: During the spring, females teach their cubs what to eat and the skills necessary to survive. Make sure bears cannot find food in the garbage, or pet food or bird seed in your yard.

• Bats: Bat maternity season runs from April through Aug. 15. During this time, it is illegal to block bats from their roosts, as flightless young can be trapped inside a structure and die. Exclusion devices that allow bats to exit a structure but block them from returning are the only legal and appropriate method to remove bats from your home or building.

• Snakes: If you come across a snake in your yard or on a hike, stand back and observe it. Snakes do not purposefully position themselves to frighten people, but would rather avoid encounters and usually will flee.

• Injured and orphaned wildlife: If you find a baby animal, it is best to leave it alone. Baby animals rarely are orphaned; a parent may be nearby searching for food or observing its young. Instead, report wildlife that you think may be injured or orphaned to the nearest FWC office.

It is illegal to disturb or harm wildlife; if you en- counter someone who is not following the rules, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404- 3922, or #FWC or *FWC on a cellphone.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com/news and click on Spring Wildlife News.

Published on June 8, 2022.

A star-spangled show: benefit featured patriotism, pups

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Flags flap in the wind, as members of the Color Guard from Zephyrhills High School’s U.S. Army JROTC present the colors during the Star-Spangled Banner and the Pledge of Allegiance. The guard was part of a Memorial Day weekend event at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Let Us Do Good Village. (FRED BELLET)

A benefit was held over Memorial Day weekend to honor those who have served in the U.S. armed forces and to help the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

The May 28 event featured a presentation of the colors by the Color Guard from Zephyrhills High School’s U.S.Army JROTC.

There were musical acts, vendors, special guests and activities.

Kevin Wright and Chandler Entertainment LLC organized the event, which served as a fundraiser for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

During the benefit, U.S.Army veteran Staff Sgt. Steven Daily thanked Corsos for Heroes, as he received a dog named Six from the organization that provides service dogs for disabled veterans and first responders in need. Daily served in Afghanistan and Iraq and sustained injuries during his military service.

Tunnel to Towers is building the Let Us Do Good Village, off Parkway Boulevard, about one- half-mile east of Ehren Cutoff, in Land O’ Lakes.

The subdivision of more than 100 homes is planned on 75 acres donated by the Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation to the Stephen Siller Tunnel toTowers Foundation.

Three of the Cane Corsos who came along for the ride to the benefit for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Let Us Do Good Village check things out from the back of a donated school bus. (FRED BELLET)

The Tunnel to Towers Let Us Do Good Village will be the first of its kind community of mort- gage-free homes for the nation’s fallen first responder families, Gold Star families and catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.

Ground for the village broke back in December, with the first of 110 houses estimated to be completed and given to a veteran by December.

The neighborhood also will feature amenities, including an indoor basketball court, pool, tennis court, an ADA-accessible gym, a theater, an outdoor playground, a game room and more.

The foundation is named after Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter who had finished his shift and was on his way home when the Sept. 11 attacks occurred at the Twin Towers.

With 60 pounds of gear strapped to his back, he raced by foot through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he was one of 343 firefighters who perished that day.

Four-year old Hudson Kirby, of Lutz, plants an American Flag into the ground near the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park stage. Hudson was at the benefit event for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Let Us Do Good Village with his grandmother, Jewel Brown, of Lutz. (Fred Bellet)

He left behind five young children.

In another local story related to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the Wesley Chapel home of fallen U.S.Army Sgt. First Class Benjamin Bitner, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2011, was paid off by the foundation, according to a news release from the organization.

In observance of Memorial Day, the foundation paid off the mortgage on the homes of 21 Gold Star families in 16 states across the country.

Bitner left behind his wife,April, and two children, Rogue and Gunnar.

 

U.S. Army veteran Staff Sgt. Steven Daily, right, served in Afghanistan and Iraq and sustained injuries. He discussed his experiences during the event and expressed his gratitude to Corsos for Heroes. The 28-year-old St. Petersburg man received a Corsos for Heroes dog. The veteran was at the event with his wife, Rachael, an active member of the U.S. Air Force. Harry Toro, at left, a breeder from Lutz, was there to hand over the leash to Daily. (FRED BELLET)

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has set a goal to reach 1,000 mortgage-free homes delivered across the country to our nation’s military and first responders, by the end of the year, the release says.

Published on June 8, 2022.

Part of Chancey Road is closed for repairs

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Chancey Road — between Sixth Avenue and Copeland Drive — is closed for repairs.

The project was scheduled to begin on May 1 and is expected to take about 30 days to complete depending on weather conditions, according to a news release.

The Pasco County public works project is addressing an area of the roadway where a hole formed. Crews will fill in the area and resurface the road.

Signs along Chancey Road will direct drivers to detour routes.

The construction crews will be working from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., on weekdays, with some week- end work possible.

Southern Road & Bridge LLC is the contractor on the job.

Published on June 8, 2022.