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Land O' Lakes News

Academy at the Lakes builds toward its long-term vision

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Academy at the Lakes is fulfilling a master plan it envisioned more than a decade ago.

Shovels in hand, school officials, students and their family members recently broke ground on an 18,000-square-foot building that signals the start of the academy’s long-planned expansion.

The two-story building will house classrooms with leading-edge technology. It will have innovation hubs for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and will have an emphasis on the arts.

The Academy at the Lakes Wildcats’ mascot puts a paw to the shovel and digs in for the groundbreaking of a new education building at the private, independent school, which flanks both sides of Collier Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes. (Kathy Steele)

Community spaces, including a black box theater, will showcase performances and encourage collaborative projects to engage students, teachers and staff.

The campus redesign also includes a plaza for community gatherings. Other features include decorative fencing and new parking areas.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year, at an estimated cost of more than $7 million.

Significant progress has been made on raising the money needed to cover the project’s costs and additional community events are planned to continue those fundraising efforts.

“We’re breaking ground on a project that will transform the educational experience of thousands of students over the lifetime of the brick-and-mortars we will soon see rising on this very spot,” Mark Heller, head of school, said during the recent celebration.

Academy at the Lakes, at 2331 Collier Parkway, is a private, independent school with campuses on both sides of the road.

The recent groundbreaking marks the beginning of a significant expansion that is planned during the next five to seven years.

The ceremony to celebrate the beginning of the new education building also was the opening act for an afternoon of upbeat, school spirit. 

Students, faculty and staff enjoyed Friday Night Fanfare, the academy’s annual winter homecoming.

This rendering depicts Academy at the Lake’s planned 18,000-square-foot education building, which includes a black box theater, a maker space, an audio/video study, a computer lab, an office and conference spaces. The expansion also includes a plaza for community gatherings, and attractive fencing. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)

Middle school and high school students played a series of basketball games inside the school’s gymnasium. Meanwhile, lines formed outside for food trucks, games, and face-painting at the academy’s McCormick Campus.

Blue and white frosted cupcakes, popcorn and school T-shirts were available.

Kinjal Patel enrolled her students in Academy at the Lakes, and later became one of the school’s first-grade teachers.

“We are one huge family,” Patel said. “Everyone looks after each other.”

She believes the school’s expansion will “solidify” that community strength.

Next phase includes athletic fields
The new education building on the McCormick Campus marks the first phase of construction.

In the next phase, new athletic fields will be added as part of the long-awaited goal of creating an East Campus on 47 acres acquired from the MacManus family in 2013.

Development beyond the athletic fields at the East Campus will be determined by the academy’s future needs.

The fields will support a range of sports including soccer, football, baseball, softball, tennis, and track and field.

Cupcakes with blue and white frosting, and popcorn, were refreshments at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new education building at Academy at the Lakes. The school band entertained the crowd. (Kathy Steele)

The school’s FORWARD! expansion vision will evolve over the next few years as the McCormick campus expands and the East Campus is developed.

“Academy at the Lakes is one of the strongest independent schools in the state of Florida,” said John Faith, chair of the Board of Trustees, and one of the speakers at the ceremony.

“We are ready to take the next step into our bright future,” the board chair said.

Growing enrollment is a major reason for the expansion, Heller said.

“We are bursting at the seams,” he said.

The school attracts students from all over, including Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Zephyrhills, Trinity, and other Tampa Bay communities.

As Pasco County has grown, so has Academy at the Lakes, Heller said. He also noted the county’s new residents include employees of the hospitals and health care centers that are popping up across Pasco.

“We have so many medical people who are in our community,” Heller said. “We want Pasco to be a great place not just to live and work but to go to school. We have a really strong independent school that is competitive with anything in Hillsborough (County), and a great school culture. We’re working to make our facilities match that great program.”

Lines formed outside food trucks for Friday Family Fanfare, a winter ‘homecoming’ event that coincided with a groundbreaking ceremony for a long-awaited building expansion at Academy at the Lakes. (Kathy Steele)

A history spanning more than three decades
Academy at the Lakes opened in Land O’ Lakes 31 years ago with 32 students. Enrollment for prekindergarten at age 3 through high school has increased year by year, with current enrollment topping 500. The school anticipates that more than 600 students will be learning at academy within the next two years, Heller said.

The school’s early childhood and high school classes are at capacity, said Sue Gunther, director of admissions.

The new building will have four large classrooms, she said. Their uses will be determined based on student needs when the new facility opens.

She enthusiastically described the technology “shed” for STEM projects, and the black box theater. A balcony in the new building will overlook the lobby, and provide a gallery for student art. The school also will gain meeting spaces and workspaces for teachers, which now are in short supply, Gunther added.

Heller said the plaza will be central to giving the school a “signature visual Image.”

Lou MacManus, daughter of Lutz pioneers Cameron and Elizabeth Riegler MacManus, was among the audience members who attended the festivities.

The MacManus property will be central to the school’s future, and a legacy for MacManus’ parents.

“They’ve consistently done things that are very forward-thinking and visionary,” MacManus said, of the school. “We’re thrilled. We grew up here, so it’s wonderful to see this develop.”

Published January 31, 2024

Students in store for real-world experience

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It’s not uncommon for high school students to get a part-time job.

They may work at the mall or a fast-food restaurant or Publix, but not every teen finds themselves in the workforce.

Angeline Academy of Innovation students Davina Horowitz, left, Michael Colon, center, and business instructor and teacher Chad Mallo, right, work the counter at the Bullseye Corner Store at the first-year school in Land O’ Lakes. The store, which opened in December, will be fully student run, with Mallo’s students gaining real-world experience in retail, customer service, marketing and advertising, managerial fields and more. The store will feature fun items for students, as well as school-branded gear. (Mike Camunas)

Angeline Academy of Innovation, the first-year magnet school in Land O’ Lakes, is looking to change that.

In December, the school opened Bullseye Corner Store, which will be run by students, many of them taking business and other like-minded classes. They’ll be unpaid “employees,” but still do everything an employee might do at, say, Gap or American Eagle, all from sales, customer service, managerial skills, marketing, advertising, social media promotion, ordering, quality control, stocking and even housekeeping.

“We’re going to operate this like a real-world store,” Angeline business instructor and teacher Chad Mallo said. “So it’s similar to the real-world experience, not a cookie-cutter class or experience, that way they know what to do whether here or at their first real job or next job.”

Mallo thought having a student fully run store would be beneficial to them, especially beyond what he can teach or talk about in a classroom. Which is why whoever is hired at Bullseye will be required to apply with a resume and have a sit-down interview.

Angeline Academy of Innovation business instructor and teacher Chad Mallo will guide and educate his students to run Bullseye Corner Store at the first-year school in Land O’ Lakes, where they’ll learn real-life skills on how to work in customer service, as well as build a resume and apply for jobs.

“I want them to go through the whole real-world process,” Mallo added. “It won’t just be sales. They’re going to have job titles and responsibilities like they would at any other store or business and they’ll all have to do their jobs.”

Bullseye Corner Store will actually have two sides to it. 

One side of the store will feature items like pens, stickers, toys, candy and other school supplies that students can obtain once they have enough Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) points to cash in. These items will be donated by parents.

On the other side of the store, it will actually sell, for money, school-branded gear with the school logo and mascot, The Archers. These will range from shirts, sweatshirts, hats and more, however, as part of their jobs, the students will market and research the store and see what items are their best sellers or in demand.

The monies made from these sales will go back into the school, usually to help fund field trips or other projects.

“All that stuff, we’re learning in class,” freshman shop worker Davina Horowitz said. “We’re learning how to fill out applications, resumes, interview techniques — all of which were used to work at the school store, but also for more jobs. … We’re given the opportunity to run (the store), to have the responsibility to run it because usually admin or staff volunteers run a school store.

Bullseye Corner Store co-workers Davina Horowitz, left, and Michael Colon go over some housekeeping and customer service items for their ‘jobs’ at the store at Angeline Academy of Innovation in Land O’ Lakes, which will be fully run by students.

“I think that makes it more of a school store because having students run it, that really not only gives us the experience, but really makes a school store — and it’ll be great that students are running it.”

“We have to go through the roles and learn the responsibilities,” sophomore co-worker Michael Colon added. “We will learn what a manager really does and what they go through. It’ll be interesting because we’ll be learning about it on the job, both at the store and in class.

“We’re a school store, but run by the students — that’s what makes us different from other school stores.”

Mallo’s classes also collaborated with the school’s Career Technical & Agricultural Education team — Michael Marchesano, Nichole Matthews, Loc Hoang and Lisa Witfoth — to include those students as part of running the store. The students combined to pick the name of the store and work out all the details.

Angeline Academy of Innovation Business Instructor and teacher Chad Mallo, right, speaks with four of his students, from left to right: Davina Horowitz, Lianna Gonzalez, Michael Colon and Brandon Miller, at the school’s newest business, Bullseye Corner Store.

They also approved store designs and builds that came from Mark Fox, director of maintenance services, and Jimmy Witfoth, senior crew chief, who would eventually install the cabinets. They also approved the neon sign, which was built and installed by Kelvin Valle of Transonic Laser Engraving.

And the store is already seeing anxious customers.

“Hey, if you build (it), they will come (laughs),” Mallo added.

But the real excitement is coming from, believe it or not, the student employees, who are ready to get their hands on the real-life experience. They’re ready to sell and even deal with customers.

“This is going to give us a lot of experience for other jobs,” Horowitz said. “We may not get paid, but it will pay off.”

“I’m excited to get it up and running,” Colon said. “No, I’m not getting paid, but the experience is great, which I think we’re all looking forward to, especially finally having customers.”

Mallo agrees.

“We’re covering everything,” Mallo said. “I tell the students to have a smiling face, even if customers are rude, but don’t be confrontational. If there is a ‘situation,’ try to de-escalate it, just like you would teach an employee in the real world.

“And to keep a smile, and if all else fails, come get Mr. Mallo (laughs).”

Published January 03, 2024

County changes name of Fern Park Place to Wiregrass Road

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The Pasco County Commission has renamed Fern Park Place to Wiregrass Road, beginning at its southern end, extending north to Starkey Boulevard.

The road currently known as Fern Park Place, in Land O’ Lakes, will be extended to existing Wiregrass Road, according to the county board’s Dec. 5 agenda backup materials.

The extension will create one contiguous road.

The street will need the same name for 911 purposes.

Wiregrass Road has existing addresses, so keeping that name instead of changing the street name to Fern Park Place alleviates the need to change addresses.

The name change was approved as part of the county board’s consent agenda. Items on that agenda are considered non-controversial and are approved in a single action, unless someone pulls an item from consent for discussion.

Published January 03, 2024

Development agreement stalled on Land O’ Lakes project

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The Pasco County Commission is expected to discuss a proposed amendment to a development agreement involving a 108-home subdivision planned in Land O’ Lakes.

The development plans call for the housing development to be built on 50 acres on the south side of Bexley Road, about a mile west of the intersection of U.S. 41 and Wisteria Loop.

Board members continued the request during their Dec. 5 meeting, after Commissioner Kathryn Starkey refused to agree to proposed changes involving a trail near the project.

County planner William Vermillion told the board that a modification is needed because at the time when the development agreement was approved, it wasn’t yet known whether the trail was feasible because the engineering work had not yet been completed.

Since then, Vermillion said, it has been determined that the original plan can’t be pursued because of insufficient right of way.

Starkey balked.

“So, board members, we had quite a few meetings on this and I went out there with our county engineers and their engineers and Ray Gadd (an area resident),” Starkey said.

Chris Nocco, Jeremy Crouch and Gadd had appeared before the board at a public hearing when the rezoning was being discussed, pointing out issues regarding the need for a better road network before the request should be approved.

Starkey noted: “Part of this road is designed as an urban section and part of this road is a rural section. The multi-use trail is supposed to be on the north side of the road.”

She said an adjacent master-planned development had pledged to donate land to the county, which provided plenty of room for a multi-use trail, a trailhead and even a park.

“So, where is that land donation?” Starkey asked.

“If I’m hearing you right, we’re just getting little bits and pieces of the multi-use trail?

“And that was how this neighborhood was going to be able to get out on this trail,” Starkey said.

Vermillion responded: “Unfortunately they just don’t own or control any of the land.”

Starkey: “But we do because that was given to us. Where’s the bottom piece along Wisteria that was given to the county?”

Shelly Johnson, attorney representing the Renner developer, told Starkey that the engineers went and looked at it and discovered that the right of way is insufficient.

She said they have consulted with Gadd and Crouch and they don’t have objections with the current plan and she said she thinks Nocco is aware of it.

“Everybody has met out there and they discussed exactly what we’re proposing in these exhibits … And, everybody is in agreement with the changes,” she said.

The county’s staff also recommended approval.

But Starkey wouldn’t budge.

“Someone has dropped the ball on this because there’s plenty of room for a multi-use trail to go on that piece of land,” Starkey said.

Johnson responded: “As of right now, there’s not.”

Starkey: “No. There’s acres and acres. That piece was given to us, or pledged to us … I am 100% positive that they (nearby master-planned development) said that we could have that piece. So, I’m not buying that we can’t put the trail there. So, this is going to have to be continued. I won’t go for that one, when we have plenty of room for the trail.”

Johnson told Starkey: “We’ll be happy to go back and look at it. But I’m being told there’s insufficient right of way, currently. My understanding is the area you’re looking at now is being used for their stormwater, so what they gave us is what they could give us and there’s not any additional right of way there.”

The attorney also noted that the developer of the other master-planned development agreed to work with her client as a condition of their approval, but it did not result in sufficient land being provided for the trail.

Starkey responded: “Well, there’s a problem if they didn’t give us enough to fit the trail. We’re going to have to dig into this a little bit more. This is really important for that community because there’s no room on that road, and that’s going to be a busy road to ride anywhere. And, this is how they’re going to get over to the Orange Belt Trail.

“It was a whole condition of approval for me.”

“I went out there and met with Jeremy and Ray and our engineering staff and their engineers  and we walked it. There was plenty of room for the multi-use path and it didn’t have to be smushed up against the road.

“So, something has happened here,” Starkey said.

”I agree with Commissioner Starkey 100%. It shouldn’t be a problem and if that means we’ve got to bring the other developer in to have that conversation with them, it’s going to have to be our staff that’s going to have to lead that conversation,” said Commissioner Jack Mariano.

Starkey declared: “We can play the tape. We can roll back the tape.”

The request has been continued to the board’s Jan. 23 meeting.

Published December 27, 2023

Holiday lights aim to generate joy, generosity

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Putting up holiday decorations can be a chore.

But doing it with neighbors, with friends who live on your street — well, it can bring a small community together. That’s just what it’s done in the Wilderness Lake Preserve neighborhood.

Residents of Blue Spring Drive, a road in the Wilderness Lake Preserve community in Land O’ Lakes, had an idea: How about joining together to create a ‘Dazzling Light Display’ but at the same time, seek to give back to those who are really in need during this holiday season? (Mike Camunas)

Residents at about two dozen homes have combined their talents to create a Dazzling Light Display at Blue Spring Drive, a residential street in the Land O’ Lakes community. Their handiwork features lighted decor on most of the homes, as well as strung lights from tree to tree.

One organizer, Dominic Dominguez, said initially the intent was just to have a festive display, but they opted to do more. He and residents are inviting anyone to come see the lights and, on Thursdays through Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., if they are willing, to bring some canned foods to donate.

No donations are required, but those opting to bring them can drop them off into a bin under a street light in the middle of the display. All donations will then be taken to Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church’s food pantry in Land O’ Lakes.

“It all kind of came from an idea at the Halloween (street) party,” Dominguez said. “We just basically yelled to each other across the street and said what if we all did our decorations together. And then we decided to add the food drive because we know it’s been a rough year for a lot of families.

“If we can keep a couple of families from going hungry, it’ll be worth it, so that’s really the motivation behind it.”

Local neighbors and residents are welcomed, and encouraged, to come out and see the Dazzling Light Display on Blue Spring Drive. Homeowners on the residential street in the Wilderness Lake Preserve community in Land O’ Lakes collaborated to create a festive display, which they hope will attract visitors – and they hope the visitors are willing to donate canned goods for a nearby food pantry.

This is the first time the residents have combined for a street-long display, as well as working to get any kind of donations. Decorating has taken a couple of weeks, as residents worked on their homes and on stringing lights across the street by using ladders or climbing trees to hang the decorations.

“No one was using any lifts, so I think, from the climbing (up ladders and trees), we’re really feeling (sore) now,” Dominguez said, with a laugh.

Dominguez and the residents figured having a light display was a great way to bring the neighborhood and the nearby communities together for the holiday season. But they put the display together just to be festive and went in with zero expectations on the amount of cans they might collect.

Their hope is the display inspires visitors to give back.

“This ZIP code (here in Land O’ Lakes) has more than 10,000 people, so it’s always growing,” Dominguez said. “We just want anyone to enjoy the lights and, if you can bring food, please do — we would love it, but we have no expectations.

“And if we get no cans, well, at least we tried, and anyone or everyone can take some leisure time and enjoy the lights this season.”

Dazzling Light Display at Blue Spring Drive
Where: Blue Spring Drive, a residential road in the Wilderness Lake Preserve community in Land O’ Lakes
Details: A couple dozen houses and its residents worked together, on a lark, to create a festive light display on their short road. Most of the houses are decorated, plus there are lighted strings across the street. The Blue Spring Drive group hopes that locals will come to see the display and will donate canned goods, which will be collected and delivered to the food pantry at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes. While the light display can be seen any evening, a bin will be out in the middle of the display, underneath a street light, on Thursdays through Sundays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., throughout the month of December.

Published December 13, 2023

Local nonprofit gives — with grace and gratitude

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Michelle Bergeron has been down on her luck. 

She’s been stuck between a rock and a hard place, so she knows just what it’s like to need assistance — and to humbly ask for help.

That’s why the Land O’ Lakes resident wants to help, in any way she can.

Grace, Gratitude & Giving founder Michelle Bergeron, left, and Kelli Copeland, wife of fellow board member Jessie Copeland, work on building blessing bags, which includes essential items such as toothbrushes, soap and more as part of one of the nonprofit’s initiatives. Bergeron started the Land’ O Lakes-based nonprofit in January to create a community of giving help to those who are going through a hard time — such as an inability to pay for groceries — but who make “too much” to qualify for assistance. (Courtesy of Michelle Bergeron)

“I was going through struggles as a single parent, and working, with not a lot of benefits and just couldn’t get assistance (because I made too much money),” Bergeron said. “During that time, I had friends help, but not everyone has someone to turn to for help — or have a hard time even asking or getting past the humiliation of being in that situation.

“I had wanted to start a nonprofit for years because I really just wanted to help people in the community.”

In January, Bergeron founded Grace, Gratitude & Giving — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit creating a community of giving help to those going through a hard time, such as being unable to pay rent or buy groceries, but also making “too” much money to qualify for assistance. The charity helps people during hard times, in-between paydays or if emergencies arise. 

Bergeron — along with fellow board members, Lutz resident Jessie Copeland and the Jacksonville-based Michael Mundy — have collected small donations to help others. 

They’ve helped with medical bills for a family whose 12-year-old had cancer. Sadly, they also assisted with funeral expenses when the child passed away a few months later, raising $600 total. The small nonprofit also filled the gap for a single mother when she needed help to pay rent. They partnered with Metropolitan Ministries that gave her $1,000, in addition to the $250 she needed, which the charity provided.

“When there is an emergency, and they have to decide to pay a bill or buy food, we want to be there to assist,” Bergeron said. “They can apply for assistance, but when they say, ‘You make enough money, so we can’t help you,’ that’s where we come in.”

Bergeron says anyone can reach out to the nonprofit.

They won’t turn anyone away, but they will focus on helping those in Land O’ Lakes, Pasco County and Tampa Bay, primarily. They also have extended that reach to assist Feed My Sheep CFL in Lakeland with its homeless mission by providing blessing bags that include essential items. The group also did a shoe drive out of the UPS Store in The Shoppes of Sunlake Centre in Land O’ Lakes.

With Grace, Gratitude & Giving, when someone comes for assistance — whether it be a single parent, a married couple or anyone that just needs help getting through hard times — the group won’t make anyone jump through hoops for help. There’s no filling out endless forms, requiring a background check or having to conduct a home interview and the like.

“If we have the resources to help, we hope to always help them,” Bergeron said. “Maybe they are taking advantage of us, maybe they’re not, but we’re not not going to help them. We’re going to try no matter what.”

The charity relies on donations, as well as getting the word out.

Grace, Gratitude & Giving Jessie Copeland, right, and his wife, Kelli, work on assembling blessing bags, which contain essentials such as toothbrushes, soap and more.

Copeland, who runs a tech company out of Lutz, set up the charity’s online presence and social media channels, but said Bergeron put in the legwork networking and getting the word of mouth out in the community.

“I’m the nerd behind the nonprofit,” Copeland said, jokingly. “I help volunteering with hands-on help, too, but it’s really (Michelle) and she is well aware that it’s so much work to get our name out there. I just gave her a platform to do it online.

“We’ve known each other a long time,” he added, “and I wanted to be a part of it, too. I said, ‘Let me do the nerdy stuff,’ but it was an easy decision to also join up with her so we can help those who really need (help) and just can’t seem to get it.”

Bergeron, who is an Uber driver, says she passes out business cards to each of her passengers and has contacted every resource hub possible to get the word out.

She realizes people who need help may not know where to look or even who to ask.

That’s because Bergeron has been there.

“It is rewarding (helping people), but at the same time, I still get sad,” Bergeron said. “Why do we have so much of this in the world, which is a joy and a blessing, but sometimes not the ability to help someone now? It just can feel like it’s not enough.

“There are so many people that need that help — that’s why I started this nonprofit. Need is need, and we want to help that need.”

Grace, Gratitude & Giving
Details: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit creating a community of giving help to those going through a hard time, such as unable to pay rent or buy groceries, but also make “too” much money to qualify for assistance. It partners with several other charitable organizations, such as Metropolitan Ministries and Feed My Sheep CFL in Lakeland, in which they put together blessing bags that contain essential items.
Info: Visit WeareGraceAndGratitude.comWeareGraceAndGratitude.com. Parties interested in donation can also email or , or call 813-501-7651.

Published November 29, 2023

Land O’ Lakes Boulevard undergoing repaving

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The Florida Department of Transportation began the 3 ¼-mile repaving of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard/U.S. 41, beginning at Bell Lake Road in Land O’ Lakes and heading south to County Line Road/Willow Bend Parkway on Nov. 13. FDOT also will repave a quarter mile of State Road 54, heading west from U.S. 41 until Knight Road. (Mike Camunas)

The Florida Department of Transportation recently announced two projects have been combined to be built under one construction contract, with the new project beginning Nov. 13.

FDOT began construction on repaving both directions of 3.25 miles of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard/U.S. 41, beginning at Bell Lake Road in Land O’ Lakes and heading south, ending at County Line Road/Willow Bend Parkway.

Additionally, FDOT also will repave both directions of a quarter-mile stretch of State Road 54, heading west and ending at Knight Road.

(Courtesy of FDOT)

The improvements in this project include milling and resurfacing, pavement reconstruction, pavement markings, drainage improvements, pedestrian/bicyclist enhancements, signage and sidewalk repairs.

According to FDOT, over the construction duration, drivers can expect many nights of lane closures between 7:30 p.m. and 7 a.m. There also will be a few areas with around-the-clock lane closures, but the same number of travel lanes are planned to be maintained by constructing temporary pavement and shifting traffic.

No timeline was provided for completion of the $13 million project,

For weekly scheduled closures, drivers are encouraged to visit the project webpage at https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/759/441659-1-52-01-441658-1-52-01 and sign up to receive free project email alerts.

Published November 22, 2023

Local church celebrates Feast Day

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Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary with an inaugural Family Fest on Oct. 7, on the church grounds. The community event welcomed more than a thousand parishioners and neighbors.

The festival included inflatable games, a dunk booth, food, giveaways from local businesses, and a concert by Dupree. Visitors also had the chance to learn about church groups and activities.

To learn more, visit LadyRosary.org, or stop by at 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ lakes.

Rev. Christian Galvan, Parochial Vicar, welcomed parishioners and visitors to the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary. (Courtesy of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church)
Deacon Ken Anderson put himself in a precarious position in the dunk tank during the church celebration.

Riding around at Swamp Fest

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The 14th annual Swamp Fest, the carnival of rides, games, food, entertainment and more at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. The four-day event is a community-wide fundraiser benefiting area schools, nonprofits and community groups as well as area businesses. It is hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club.

It was a wild, and swampy, weekend as Madison Froelich, left, and Amber Allen, both of Land O’ Lakes, are whipped around on a ride at the 14th annual Swamp Fest. (Mike Camunas)
Land O’ Lakes resident Aaron Hale and his daughter, Mika, laugh their way through bumping other bumper car riders at Swamp Fest, on Nov. 2 at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.
Isabella Sanchez, left, of Wesley Chapel, hopes her ping pong ball drops so she wins a fishy prize at the 14th annual Swamp Fest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Land O’ Lakes youngster dragon rider Clayton Scalise wants the carnival ride to go around again during the 14th annual Swamp Fest at Land O’ Lakes Heritage.
Wesley Chapel residents Chris Teodorsky, left, and Raina Teodorskey, enjoy a spin on the Ferris wheel.
Hundreds of Land O’ Lakes and Central Pasco County residents turned out for the 14th annual Swamp Fest, held Nov. 2 through Nov. 5, at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

Helping make an impact in the community

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Himani Patel just wants to help.

Help the community.

Help people.

Even help her classmates.

So, at the end of her sophomore year at Land O’ Lakes High, Patel founded Impact Service — a volunteering club, run by volunteers for volunteers. The club will help student volunteers connect with meaningful volunteering opportunities that are outside the school, making it easy for members to help the community.

Himani Patel, a senior at Land O’ Lakes High, founded the Impact Service club to serve as a conduit to connect high schoolers with meaningful volunteering opportunities. Since it was founded, it has grown to more than 80 members, who have completed more than 488 service hours. They have helped multiple charities, including Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding Tampa Bay, Akshaya Patra, Mental Health America and American Heart Association. (Mike Camunas)

In less than two years, the club has grown to more than 80 members, who have donated hundreds of service hours to local charity organizations. They have helped Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding Tampa Bay and others.

“We are the middle man. For the lack of a better term, we’re like customer service for our members, making it as easy as possible for them to volunteer or find a place to volunteer,” Patel said. “We have a lot of clubs at school that do volunteering inside the school, like IB (International Baccalaureate) events and prom and things like that, but not many organizations here that make an impact outside of school.

“We’ve strived to create an environment where everyone is genuinely passionate about helping in the community,” she added. “I didn’t create this group for volunteer hours. I created this club for those who are really passionate about helping others less fortunate.”

Patel, an avid volunteer herself, formed Impact Service, knowing there were many who wanted to give back to the community, not just in her high school.

The response was overwhelming.

At more than 80 members, it is one of the school’s largest clubs, plus more than 488 hours were completed by club members last school year.

The club also raised $635 (the most of any organization within the school for donations) within six months and donated to multiple charities, such as Feeding Tampa Bay, Akshaya Patra, Mental Health America and American Heart Association. The club was even invited by Big Brothers Big Sisters to assist in the Gasparilla Publix Run earlier this year.

“We connect them with the organization because I do want people to experience actually going to the Feeding Tampa Bay warehouse and volunteering,” Patel said. “Then, they are putting in the work, sweat and tears and can collaborate with the same passionate people who genuinely want to help the community.

“With some clubs, you always see numbers dwindle, but not us.”

While volunteer hours aren’t required to graduate from high school in Florida, those hours are required in order to be eligible for Bright Futures Scholarships. But Patel said that’s not really the point of the club, nor are members even using Impact Service to log volunteer hours.

In fact, most times, members already have the required hours to be eligible and are volunteering because they genuinely want to.

“Our club helps facilitate students getting volunteer hours because they know we’re getting them to places that are actually focused on making an impact,” she added. “My main thing was I wanted to help my community, so the hours are a side note. “Impact members genuinely want to be involved with these organizations and volunteering,” she said.

With that kind of dedication from Patel and the members, it makes being the club sponsor an easy job — just ask Dora Gallagher.

“Oh, yes, it is super easy because (Patel) is in charge,” said Gallagher, who teaches Spanish. “She does everything. She looks for the places to volunteer, does the contact, sets up the dates and times and informs all the participants. Honestly, I don’t do that much (laughs).

“She is on top of everything and making sure the club is doing exactly what the goal says it is setting out to do.”

Gallagher tells students Impact Service isn’t like other clubs, in that they actually put in the work and set out to help the community in meaningful ways.

“A lot of clubs are just that — a club or a name or don’t do much,” she added. “This one is actually participating in volunteering in several places that make an impact in the community.

“As a teenager, to see her do that, it’s impressive, and I’m impressed to see that they are actually volunteering. Other clubs I have sponsored, which were student-led, didn’t do much — not this one.”

As Patel heads toward graduation in May 2024, she plans to hand off leadership of the club to very capable hands that will continue it when she heads to college.

But that won’t stop Patel, as she plans to turn the club into a 501(c)3 (when she turns 18), so it can be an organization outside the school. She also plans to get Impact Service a website, all the while creating the same type of on-campus club at whichever college she ends up attending.

“I really just want to help people in the community, especially those who are underprivileged, and really, my ultimate goal is work for a nonprofit for underprivileged kids who can’t afford health care,” the IB student said. “The reason I created Impact Service was to help the community.

“Our whole purpose is to make the world a better place.”

Impact Service Club
Details: Founded by Land O’ Lakes High senior Himani Patel, Impact Service was created to connect high schoolers with meaningful volunteering opportunities. The club has donated time and resources to multiple charities, including Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity and Feeding Tampa Bay. The club only includes  Land O’ Lakes High students now, but Patel wants the club to become a community-wide effort, and others are welcome to join.
Membership cost: $15 for entry and shirt
To learn more about Impact Service or to join, email .

Published November 01, 2023