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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes News

Special needs recreational classes struggling to stay afloat

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Megan Burgess loves to paint and sing.

She looks forward to her weekly art and music class, designed for people with special needs, which are Thursday evenings at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on Collier Parkway. But if it doesn’t get more support, she might lose that opportunity.

Megan Burgess paints at her weekly art class at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex with art teacher Angela Dickerson looking on. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Megan Burgess paints at her weekly art class at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex with art teacher Angela Dickerson looking on.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

And that loss would be felt by both Megan and her mother.

“It would be horrible. You want the kids to be socializing,” Violetta Burgess said.

Her daughter Megan, 21, has low-functioning autism. She has trouble communicating verbally, but her enthusiasm for the class is clear: When Violetta tells her it’s time for art or music, Megan goes to find her shoes. She knows where she’s going that night, and has a fun time singing, using percussion instruments, painting and participating with everyone else in the class.

The problem is that “everyone” was just five students this past session. And for VSA Florida, the state branch of Very Special Arts — an international nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding art opportunities for people with disabilities — five is simply not enough.

“It does put the program in jeopardy, because if we don’t keep our numbers up, we’re not able to keep it going,” said Wendy Finklea, VSA Florida’s director of programs. “We aren’t at the point where the class is sustaining itself.”

The class requires at least seven students to break even, but really needs a steady roster of 10 or more students to be financially viable long-term. The $40 per month that participants pay not only compensates the teachers who direct the classes, but also covers a nominal fee the organization pays the recreation complex.

Since classes moved from the University of South Florida to Land O’ Lakes in January, attendance has ranged from four to eight students. Those figures have required VSA Florida to keep it going with other funds, Finklea said. They also provide scholarships based on need for families who cannot afford the monthly cost.

While the class is caught in a numbers game, Finklea said the benefits go way beyond the balance sheet.

“They learn self confidence, they learn teamwork, collaboration, tolerance, understanding,” she said.

And since the students are often asked to describe or explain their art, they learn to express themselves in a variety of ways.

While the Land O’ Lakes class attendance is troubling, that location isn’t alone. Many of their locations struggle with attendance, Finklea said. She believes there are several reasons why the programs don’t always gain traction, from a lack of societal emphasis on the arts, to scheduling conflicts, to parents not even knowing the classes exist.

But the ones who attend appreciate the program, and Finklea said the training the teachers receive to work with special needs students contributes to the positive feedback.

While Finklea and VSA Florida are disappointed with the turnout so far, they aren’t giving up. VSA Florida will continue advertising and promoting the classes, and is working with a consultant to find other opportunities to get the word out to the community.

After a scheduled summer break in August, the classes will begin again in September, and Finklea said they’ll have roughly six months to get the program running at a higher capacity before some tough decisions have to be made.

Right now she believes many people with special needs are missing out on the benefits of the class, and if it has to be cancelled or relocated, the existing students will join them.

“They’re probably missing out on a huge chance for creative expression and probably a chance to enhance their cognitive and social outcomes, which ultimately develops a stronger quality of life,” Finklea said.

That outcome would disappoint Megan, and her mother would have a tough time replacing the activity and the enjoyment she gets out of it.

“My daughter would lose out because I don’t know what I would do,” Violetta said. “She’s older, and it’s hard to find something for her that’s close.”

Siblings of special needs students also are encouraged to join and participate with them in the classes. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information about VSA Florida, call (813) 974-0715, or visit VSAFl.org.

Published July 30, 2014

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Forget Comic-Con, Pasco welcomes LAMECon this weekend

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Just last weekend, tens of thousands of fans converged on San Diego for its annual Comic-Con event, paying obscene amounts of money for travel, hotel and tickets just to get inside.

But this weekend, local residents can get their geek on. And they don’t even have to spend a dime.

Stephanie Stonebridge and Jessica Samuelson show off their costumes during last year’s LAMECon in Land O’ Lakes. The event returns this weekend at both the Land O’ Lakes library and the recreation center on Collier Parkway. (Courtesy of Paul Stonebridge)
Stephanie Stonebridge and Jessica Samuelson show off their costumes during last year’s LAMECon in Land O’ Lakes. The event returns this weekend at both the Land O’ Lakes library and the recreation center on Collier Parkway.
(Courtesy of Paul Stonebridge)

The Library Anime and Manga Enthusiast Convention, more affectionately known as LAMECon, kicks off Aug. 2 at the Land O’ Lakes Library and at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center on Collier Parkway. The free event attracted more than 700 people last year, and organizer Paul Stonebridge says his goal is to top 1,000 this year.

“Our central audience is teens and 20-somethings, so it’s like the 14 to 30 crowd,” Stonebridge said. “But it’s really open for everybody. We have stuff for kids, and even a ‘Game of Thrones’ panel for adults. We’ve really doubled our convention size this year.”

LAMECon got its start six years ago in Hudson before moving to Land O’ Lakes in later years. It provides a way for young people to celebrate their love of anime and manga — more or less Japanese comics and animation — without spending the kind of money expected at larger conventions like Metrocon, held earlier this month in downtown Tampa.

“We’re pretty far from the conventions in South Tampa and Orlando, and there are a lot of people in Pasco who simply can’t afford it,” Stonebridge said. “These are mainly high schoolers and college kids, and they desperately wanted to go. And now they have something they can go to.”

Although food and games are one way to attract people to conventions, Stonebridge says it’s the panels hitting popular topics among fans that draw the most attention. This year, LAMECon will have two tracts that will include discussions like the aforementioned Emmy-nominated HBO series “Game of Thrones,” as well as trivia, Asian horror and Japanese culture.

There will even be a panel featuring readings from bad fan-fiction — stories set in the universe of popular television shows, movies and even anime and games, written exclusively by fans.

One feature this year is an achievement system designed to encourage attendees to participate as much as possible. More than 50 achievement badges are available, which can be earned from attending panels, asking questions, visiting vendors, and simply just showing up.

Hosting a convention is not cheap, and LAMECon doesn’t earn any money from the typical ways conventions generate revenue like ticket sales or vendor rental fees. In fact, local businesses can set up and offer wares for free.

LAMECon is funded through grants and donations, as well as sponsors like Publix Super Markets and the DeBartolo Family Foundation, Stonebridge said. The convention also offers premium memberships for a small donation, which can include food, T-shirts and other offers.

Conventions like this have earned a lot of new respect over the years, growing from the early days of Star Trek conventions that were typically ridiculed in the mainstream. The success of shows like “Game of Thrones” and the “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy has helped that, Stonebridge said.

But it’s the comics entertainment company Marvel that deserves a lot of the credit, he said.

“Marvel has had a huge hand in all of this, more than anyone else,” Stonebridge said. “All the comic boom movies, those have been in the mainstream. And so it’s OK to like comics and video games now.”

WHAT: LAMECon 2014, Library Anime and Manga Enthusiast Convention
WHEN: Aug. 2 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway on Saturday; Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center, 3032 Collier Parkway on Sunday
COST: Free
INFO: LAMECon.com

Published July 30, 2014

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Interest sparks in electric car conversions

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When Steve Azzoli pulls his bright blue car into an auto parts store and pops open his hood, he invariably draws a crowd.

That’s because the retired Land O’ Lakes man is tooling around in an all-electric car, and people want to take a look.

Steve Azzoli said his electric car creates a buzz when people take a look under its hood. He invested about $23,000 on the car, but gets 110 miles to 120 miles per battery charge, and doesn’t have to spend a dime on gasoline. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Steve Azzoli said his electric car creates a buzz when people take a look under its hood. He invested about $23,000 on the car, but gets 110 miles to 120 miles per battery charge, and doesn’t have to spend a dime on gasoline.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Azzoli got the car for his project in 2011, and didn’t get the parts to convert it into an electric vehicle until the middle of 2012.

It took six months to restore the car and another 18 months to convert it.

Rebirth Auto of St. Petersburg helped Azzoli get the right battery system and motor controller, while Diamond Auto Works Inc., in Lutz did the bodywork, welding and fabrication work, and car painting.

Diamond Auto’s Bobby Boles said when Azzoli first told him what he was planning to do, he thought he was crazy. But Boles figured if Azzoli was willing to invest so much in the electric car project, Azzoli must know what he was talking about.

The bodywork made the car more aerodynamic, Azzoli said.

Since completing the project, Azzoli has driven 5,700 miles without using a drop of gas. He estimates he saves about $300 a month with his electric car.

Beyond saving money on fuel, he’s also spending less on maintenance.

The project cost about $23,000, but Azzoli said that is less than what it would cost for a Chevrolet Volt, a popular gas and electric hybrid car. He also notes his car gets more mileage per charge than a Nissan Leaf, another popular electric car.

Before a recent upgrade that reduced the weight of his car, Azzoli said he was getting about 110 miles to 120 miles a charge. Azzoli recently removed about 150 pounds of steel, and changed his battery boxes from steel to aluminum. Once he does some more testing, he’ll know how much the mileage between charges has improved.

Azzoli’s next project will be to change the 14-inch tires to 16-inch tires, improving  highway mileage, he said.

The Land O’ Lakes man isn’t the only one drawn to electric vehicles. Jose Barriga of New Tampa said he became fascinated with the notion of converting a gasoline-powered car into an electric vehicle once he found out it was possible.

He has converted a 2004 Nissan Sentra into an electric car. At first, he was able to get 50 miles per charge.

However, he’s in the midst of upgrading the batteries and expects to be able to get 80 miles per charge once that project is done.

Barriga is sold on the concept of electric cars. He likes the idea of using a car that doesn’t use gasoline or oil, and which doesn’t directly cause pollution.

His second car is a hybrid, which requires him to fill his gas tank about twice a month.

Barriga said he’d like to do another car conversion project, but simply doesn’t have the time.

Steve Messerschmidt, who’s associated with two vehicle companies in St. Petersburg — Rebirth Auto and Evnetics — sells electric vehicle conversion kits to customers around the globe.

There’s a big demand to convert gasoline-powered cars into electric cars, Messerschmidt said.

Some people want to save money on gas. Others enjoy do-it-yourself projects.

Some people want to reduce the carbon footprint. Some people like to show off their cars and they want to have a unique vehicle.

Others want electric cars, but don’t want to be limited to what’s available commercially. They want to choose the make and model of their electric car.

And there are those who want to make a business out of it, Messerschmidt said. “They want to do conversions for other people,” he added.

Edward R. Monfort, chief executive and president of electric driveshaft manufacturer Adomani Inc., is one of those people. He’s looking to convert school buses and trucks into electric vehicles to make money for his company and to save money for school districts and private businesses.

The Tampa man said he’s also exploring the possibility of working with the U.S. Postal Service to provide a fleet of vehicles for its use.

Monfort drives around a Ford F-150 truck that’s been converted to an electric vehicle. His interest in electric vehicles began in 2008 when he was getting into the car business and built an all-electric Mustang.

The car was popular at car shows, but never developed a strong market, Monfort said.

Now, he’s focusing his efforts on finding customers in the fleet market for trucks and buses.

Electric vehicles offer a wise economic choice, Monfort said, noting they can cost less than half as much as a gasoline-powered vehicle over 10 years, considering the purchasing and operating costs.

“There’s a demand for the product,” Messerschmidt said. “Municipalities, as time goes on, they’re going to demand that the carbon footprint go down. This business, in general, is really in its infancy.”

Published July 23, 2014

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Land O’ Lakes resident wants return of Flapjack Festival

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For nearly 30 years, Mark Ballard had a routine when it came to the Land O’ Lakes Flapjack Festival.

“The kids would go to eat the pancakes in the morning, then we would go and spend pretty much all day on the rides,” he said. “Then we could go home and come back again at night.”

The Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest doesn’t have a parade, but it does have rides, games and entertainment for area residents, as well as providing fundraising opportunities for local organizations. (File Photo)
The Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest doesn’t have a parade, but it does have rides, games and entertainment for area residents, as well as providing fundraising opportunities for local organizations.
(File Photo)

Ballard lives on what was once the festival’s parade route, and he would take his children — and later his grandchildren — outside with chairs to see it every year.

For more than three decades, even before Ballard moved to Land O’ Lakes, the Flapjack Festival was a community event that included a parade, pageant and rides. Businesses had booths, food trucks served customers, and children played games.

And everyone ate flapjacks.

Over the years it became an annual staple in the community and was a popular destination for area residents. In a way, it was too popular: The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce decided to move the festival from the Land O’ Lakes Community Center on U.S. 41 instead to a place that could accommodate its growth and parking needs. In 2008, the Flapjack Festival flipped over to the Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City.

But the public didn’t support the festival at the new location. A year later, it shut down for good. And Ballard still isn’t happy about the move that ended an annual tradition.

“If somebody came down there and took the Gasparilla parade away from Tampa and said they were going to move it to New Orleans, people would say ‘what’s going on there?’“ he said.

The Flapjack Festival was more than a community event. It was a community fundraiser, with local schools and churches benefiting financially.

The year after the festival left Land O’ Lakes, one of the recipients of those funds decided to fill that gap in the schedule. The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club began an event that’s now known as the Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest, held at the same location and also with rides, games and an opportunity for local organizations to make some money.

But there’s no parade and no flapjack theme. It’s a smaller event as well. But according to coordinator Doug Hutchinson, that’s the way they want it.

“Swamp Fest is more like a community fair, more so than the Flapjack Festival,” he said.

Hutchinson believes that a smaller event can still be a fun destination for residents, but not get so big that it might grow out of its current location. Hutchinson, a member of the booster club for decades, was also a coordinator with the Flapjack Festival during its heyday. And like Ballard and others, he didn’t want to see it moved to Dade City back in 2008.

“In my opinion, you can’t have a community event and not have it in the community,” he said.

But now that it’s gone, Hutchinson feels Swamp Fest maintains a strong area presence like its predecessor.

Ballard believes that others share his desire to see the Flapjack Festival return, even if it means just seeing the name and theme make a comeback. But Hutchinson said they’ve worked to create something the community could embrace, the event is growing, and they never considered adopting the Flapjack Festival name.

“Flapjack was Flapjack. We wanted our own identity and our own little event,” he said.

Ironically, Swamp Fest itself is in jeopardy this year, and the venue is again the issue. Scheduled to begin Oct. 31, that timeframe could coincide with much-needed improvements to the Land O’ Lakes Community Center the county has budgeted and planned.

While the upgrade should be good for Swamp Fest and other area events in the future, Hutchinson isn’t sure if it will go on as planned this year, possibly facing cancellation until the work is completed. His organization should have a clearer picture of the county’s plans next month, he said.

Ballard has attended Swamp Fest, and said many elements of the Flapjack Festival are still there. But it’s not the same to him, and even though it’s been several years and a replacement is in place, the loss of the Flapjack Festival has left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“It just seems like the identity was stolen from the community,” he said.

Published July 23, 2014

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Connecting Overpass Road to I-75 now up to county

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Seven months might seem like a long time to await a decision. But when it comes to building major roads, time isn’t always on your side.

Florida Department of Transportation District 7 secretary Paul Steinman announced to Pasco County commissioners last week that the Federal Highway Administration has approved a new interchange that will connect Interstate 75 with Overpass Road.

Overpass Road will finally get its connection with Interstate 75, the first step toward what could be Pasco County’s new hot spot with sports fields, schools and a massive community that could help fuel growth over the next 50 years. (File Photo)
Overpass Road will finally get its connection with Interstate 75, the first step toward what could be Pasco County’s new hot spot with sports fields, schools and a massive community that could help fuel growth over the next 50 years.
(File Photo)

The project will add yet another entry into the county in an area where Wesley Chapel District Park already exists and a new high school is planned, and could even alleviate current and future congestion on State Road 52 to the north, and State Road 54 to the south.

“The exciting part of that is that it does open up the east side of the county for you once it gets developed,” Steinman said at the meeting.

The Overpass Road interchange will provide additional access in the Wesley Chapel area as well as East Pasco County, where several developments have been approved, or are in various stages of planning or construction, such as Pasadena Hills.

That is a 22,000-acre project that will create more than a dozen high-density villages that could help the area manage growth for that region over the next few decades.

To build the interchange, that portion of Overpass Road near I-75 will be expanded to four lanes with the possibility of expanding into six in the future. Eventually, the plans are to extend Overpass to connect Old Pasco Road and U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

The cost for the project will be more than $55 million, and while federal money will eventually be available to the county, officials have to show initially they’re able to fund the overall work on their own. Funds could come from an expanded gas tax, Penny for Pasco funds, and even mobility fees.

“Whether the state or federal government will put in any money, you can’t depend on that,” county transportation planning manager James Edwards told The Laker last January.

But the clock is ticking, county planning and development director Richard Gehring told commissioners.

“Whenever you get this finally inked and approved, you have eight years to construct,” he said. If the county fails to do that, federal approval of the project is withdrawn, and both the county and the state would have to apply all over again.

Population studies have shown the number of people who live in the area Overpass would serve will explode 400 percent to 218,000 people by 2035. Right now, just fewer than 60,000 people live in the area.

Capacity on I-75 also will increase through that area from the current 51,000 vehicles daily between State Roads 52 and 54, to 165,800 in 2040. That kind of volume would create traffic nightmares for existing interchanges in San Antonio to the north and Wesley Chapel to the south. It could even back up State Road 56 just north of the Hillsborough County line.

The county may have been waiting for months to hear back from Washington, D.C., but plans to improve Overpass Road have been afoot for more than a decade.

In 2003, county officials first looked at how the road could be improved between Old Pasco and Fort King roads, without looking at any potential connection with I-75. That changed with a new study in 2006 that gained favorable reviews from FDOT and federal highway officials.

Because the interstate is a federal road, any connections to it would have to be approved by the federal government. To show the viability of such a plan, the county produced a project development and environment study and a preliminary interchange justification report, officials said.

The county already has started to put some funds aside for this particular project to the tune of $15 million. Additional money could come from the renewed Penny for Pasco when those funds start to come in next January.

Published July 16, 2014

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Giving the gift of vision, one pair of eyeglasses at a time

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Charley Chaney has been an optician for decades, helping others get a clearer view of the world.

Besides providing services to local customers, the owner of The Optical Shop and Showroom at 24444 State Road 54 in Lutz, also volunteers his skills to Living in Faith Ministry.

Lutz optician Charley Chaney has fabricated thousands of pairs of eyeglasses for poor people living in Haiti and Cuba. He volunteers his skills to a ministry called Living in Faith, based in North Tampa. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Lutz optician Charley Chaney has fabricated thousands of pairs of eyeglasses for poor people living in Haiti and Cuba. He volunteers his skills to a ministry called Living in Faith, based in North Tampa.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Rev. Russ Montgomery, president of Living in Faith Ministry, also is an optician. He met Chaney in 2006 through Professional Opticians of Florida.

Montgomery said Living in Faith began after he had visited Cuba in the mid-1990s and was handed some eyeglass prescriptions and asked if he could help.

“So, I went and paid full retail price to have the glasses made, and I said, ‘Lord, if this is what you want me to do, make it affordable,’” he said. “About six phone calls later, I was in touch with an optician up in Maryland and we started making glasses through him.”

During the past two decades, the ministry has branched into Haiti and has conducted eye exams and distributed more than 20,000 pairs of eyeglasses.

The ministry also tests for glaucoma and arranges cataract surgeries to be done by volunteer American-trained ophthalmologists. Montgomery trained so he could conduct eye exams and do glaucoma testing.

“When my friend in Maryland passed away, we used few other people (to make glasses), but our volume was too high for them,” he said. “And then I met Charley, and he’s been a huge blessing.”

When Chaney found out what Montgomery was doing, he got involved.

“It seemed worthwhile,” Chaney said. “When you hear the stories about how people can’t afford glasses, and you hear that they are sometimes led in by their arms. They’re 50 years old and they haven’t had an eye exam in their whole lives. Some of these people literally cannot see their hand in front of their face.”

The Lutz optician does the lab work, fabricating glasses from the orders Montgomery delivers.

“Out of all of the optical shops in the (Tampa) Bay area, this is the only one that’s helped us consistently,” Montgomery said. “We had one in Pinellas County that maybe made 20 glasses and they said, ‘That’s it.’ A couple of other ones might make 10 or 12 and that’s it.”

But Chaney will stay after hours to work on the ministry’s glasses, Montgomery added. Chaney’s experience and technical skills enable him to resolve difficult cases.

The ministry uses frames that are donated by various distributors, Montgomery said, noting, “we’ll get frames with price tags on them anywhere from $200 to $500.”

The ministry sells its eyeglasses in Haiti for $30 a pair, but will provide eyeglasses for free when someone simply has no means of paying, Montgomery said.

“We’re trying to give them something that’s functional and practical at a reasonable price,” Chaney said.

The need for vision assistance is enormous, Montgomery said.

“We’re seeing people who have extremely strong prescriptions. We’re getting a lot of people in that are 20/200,” he said, compared to normal vision, which is 20/20.

“We have people in Haiti that have not seen the night stars for years. With their glasses, they can see the beauty,” Montgomery said. “We’re a mile away from a mountain down there. We’ve got people who haven’t seen the mountain for years.”

Montgomery plans to travel to the mountains of Haiti, at 5,300 feet, specifically searching for people who have mature cataracts.

“We know they’re there. They’re probably stuck in their homes,” he said. “They can’t get out. Cataract surgery is a 20-minute surgery and it gives them new life.”

He believes Living in Faith is a ministry that offers people a chance to see God’s love in action.

“In the book of John, it talks about the blind man,” Montgomery said. “He’s been blind since birth. The Pharisees were asking, ‘Whose sin was it, the man or the parents?’

“Jesus said, ‘Neither, but his condition was such that when he was healed, the people would see the hand of God at work,” Montgomery said.

Published July 16, 2014

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Extra money coming to help Land O’ Lakes center

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After years of hard work and lobbying, the Pasco County Commission has taken the final step to expand and improve the Land O’ Lakes Community Center.

This stage could someday be a part of the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, which is the center of a $2.4 million expansion finalized by the Pasco County Commission. (Courtesy of Sandy Graves)
This stage could someday be a part of the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, which is the center of a $2.4 million expansion finalized by the Pasco County Commission.
(Courtesy of Sandy Graves)

In a unanimous vote last week, commissioners agreed to find an additional $500,000 for the project after bids came in higher than expected. The $2.4 million upgrades include expanding the existing building on the site to include the construction of a restroom, concession area and meeting room, as well as a picnic shelter, a small outdoor amphitheater, two softball fields, a hybrid football and soccer field, a basketball court, a mile-long trail and parking for 250 vehicles.

“Our park has waited a long time for this facelift,” said Sandy Graves, one of the community leaders who have championed improvements at the park, located at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. “Thanks for making that dream become a reality today.”

Last year, commissioners put aside $1.9 million to make the improvements, and put the project out to bid in February. When the bids came back, however, Construction Technology Group Inc. of Plant City had the lowest bid at $2.24 million. Trias Construction LLC of Lutz was not far behind with a bid of $2.27 million, while the highest bid came from Cleveland Construction Inc., of Naples at $2.6 million.

Impact fees collected from parks in the central part of the county were funding the improvements, and commissioners were told no more funds were available to meet the $519,000 shortfall.

Assistant county administrator Heather Grimes recommended through her department that commissioners borrow from the capital improvement fund reserves, and then pay it back with park impact fees over the next two years.

Graves, however, had a different idea.

The county is sitting on $3.7 million of impact fees dedicated to a proposed project for Raymond James Financial. Since that project has yet to move forward, some of those dollars could be directed to the Land O’ Lakes project, Graves said.

Commissioners, however, disagreed.

“I would hate to see us start changing an agreement that we have with Raymond James,” Commissioner Ted Schrader said.

The St. Petersburg financial company announced in 2011 that it planned to build two 100,000-square-foot buildings on Wiregrass Ranch property, bringing 750 jobs to the county by 2024. Although some of those jobs were expected to come as early as this year, no work has begun at the site yet.

In the end, commissioners stuck with their original plan to borrow from reserves, giving the thumbs up to let the work finally begin.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri is grateful for the final vote, as she said it will free up some of her phone time now.

“That Land O’ Lakes group is tenacious,” the retiring commissioner said. “And Sandy, you don’t have to call me anymore.”

Published July 16, 2014

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Learning more about the Moore you know

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Bob Moore is the kind of guy that likes to stay out of the way in the Paradise Lakes home he shares with wife Nancy. He paints, he sculpts. He collects stamps. And he makes regular trips back home to Canada to see his family.

Bob Moore, who retired to Paradise Lakes years ago, shows off a coat of arms he designed for the Regional Cadet Instructor School in Ontario, where he was a commander. This particular copy was signed off and approved by Queen Elizabeth II. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Bob Moore, who retired to Paradise Lakes years ago, shows off a coat of arms he designed for the Regional Cadet Instructor School in Ontario, where he was a commander. This particular copy was signed off and approved by Queen Elizabeth II.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

But Moore, however, has had a tough time staying out of the way of history. He served 39 years with the Canadian armed forces, signing up when he was just 17 just a few years after World War II. And along the way he ensured one Olympic Games in Montreal was properly supplied, and he designed a coat of arms for a military school that was personally signed off by Queen Elizabeth II.

Oh, and he won the Nobel Peace prize, too.

“I was part of one of the first peacekeeping operations in history,” Moore said, not minding at all that he’s shared this story many times before. “We were told that we would join a force of U.N. soldiers three days before Christmas. I barely had time to spend the holidays with my family.”

It was 1956, and Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser had taken control of the Suez Canal, a 120-mile artificial waterway that allows ships to travel between Europe and eastern Asia without having to sail around Africa.

The United Kingdom and France didn’t take the naturalization well, since they had a 100-year lease, and they joined forces with Israel to try and take back the waterway.

The United Nations knew something had to be done to prevent all-out war in the Middle East. So it pulled together military troops from nations that weren’t directly involved in the conflict, like Canada, and sent them in to help calm the situation down.

“We got to Halifax, and we boarded the HMCS Magnificent,” Moore said. “It was an aircraft carrier, but there was no aircraft for this voyage. Instead, the deck was strewn with all this equipment, and about 6,000 soldiers from 11 different countries.”

When the Magnificent arrived at the Suez Canal, Moore said he was shocked at what soldiers found. Nasser had blocked access to the canal by sinking a large number of ships at the entrance.

“I got there and looked from the deck of the aircraft carrier, and counted 36 sunken ships,” Moore said.

He was part of a contingent of troops that made their way across the Sinai Desert, following retreating Israeli forces. The trip was hard through the desert, especially since Israel was destroying roads and buildings on its way back.

The Israelis spared an old British air force base, which Moore camped out in for some time. It was riddled with bullet holes, and did not have much of a roof. At night, it would get cold, so they would use debris from the building to keep the fire going.

“When we ran out of wood there, we ended up burning the chairs we were sitting in,” Moore said.

In 1988, the Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to give its Peace Prize to U.N. Peacekeeping forces. As part of that initial force, Moore received a small medallion celebrating the honor, which was later pinned to him in a ceremony that included Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri.

In his time traveling around the world, Moore picked up five languages, including Swahili, although he still doesn’t feel completely comfortable with French. He raised two sons on his own after his first wife died. Dwayne became a scientist and is now part owner of an environmental company in Maine, while Michael followed his father into the military, and is still there today.

Moore retired in 1991 when he was 57, and almost immediately found a home in Pasco County.

“I was always a nudist, and I was looking for some place where people lived who believed in the same,” Moore said.

He met Nancy while visiting Paradise Lakes from his then New Port Richey home, and they settled into their own condo at Paradise Lakes in 1998.

Moore may have accomplished a lot in his life, but he’s even prouder of what his children and grandchildren have accomplished, including one who just graduated from college.

“You’re nothing without education,” Moore said. “You got to have it, or you’ll be out there digging ditches and painting buildings. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with being a tradesman if that’s what you want to do, but it shouldn’t be what you have to do.”

He doesn’t actively sell his artwork, but if people want it, he’s willing to hear a price. Moore comes from a family with a strong artistic background; many of his siblings are artists, as well. In fact, a portrait painted by his brother featuring his mother and father, that had been on public display for years in Canada, hangs in his front foyer.

“Doing art was just a no-brainer for me,” he said. “It’s a way to express myself, and to share the beauty of the world with the world.”

Getting to know Bob Moore

Who was the world’s most influential military commander?
Alexander the Great was one of the most successful and innovative military leaders of our time. His strategies always surprised his opponents, especially where he was out-numbered and out-gunned.

What song will make you turn up the radio?
Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” or really anything from George Gershwin. But opera always moves me to tears, where I have them splashing down my face.

If you could sit anyone in history for a portrait, who would you pick?
Charles Darwin, because he created an area of science that actually answered all kinds of questions that people never could figure out before.

Published July 16, 2014

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Local soccer teams earn gold in Special Olympics

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While soccer fans around the world are watching the World Cup, two teams from Land O’ Lakes High School already are basking in victory.

Two soccer teams from Land O’ Lakes High School went to Lake Buena Vista to compete in the Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games. Both came home with gold medals. (Courtesy of Land O' Lakes High School)
Two soccer teams from Land O’ Lakes High School went to Lake Buena Vista to compete in the Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games. Both came home with gold medals.
(Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School)

Two squads, the Grey Team and the Gold Team, each claimed the gold medal in their respective divisions at the Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games, May 16-17 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista.

The Grey Team is a Division 2 team with seven players per side, while the Gold Team is a Division 3 team with five players per side. Divisions are set up based on team skill levels.

Each team is unified, meaning athletes play alongside partners to help them and provide support. The Gold Team has four players and three partners playing at one time, while the Grey Team has three players and two partners.

While the players are happy to have achieved their goal, their longtime coach, Vicky King, is equally proud.

“It was a great accomplishment. Our teams have trained really hard this year,” she said.

The Gold Team had little knowledge of soccer before they started playing together a few years ago, King explained. For their first two years playing soccer, they didn’t score a single goal. Now they understand the game, talk about it, and claimed the gold medal in their division.

And the Grey Team has a chance to continue playing at an advanced level. They’re eligible to compete at the World Games, and if selected, they’ll go to Los Angeles to take part next July.

The keys to success are the same as they would be for any championship team, King said. Hard work, a balanced squad, and an emphasis on fitness and skills led the teams to victory.

But the Special Olympics is about more than competition. Land O’ Lakes resident Terry Ahearn said his son, Andrew, truly enjoys being a part of the team and competing in the games.

“He loves it. It’s been really good for him, too,” Ahearn said.

Andrew has participated in Special Olympics for years, and plays soccer for the Grey Team. He has autism, and is high-functioning. His father said that playing has given him more confidence, and even though he can be hard on himself, he always has praise and support for his teammates.

While playing on a unified team allows the athletes to get on-field support, it doesn’t affect the team dynamic. Ahearn said once they start playing, everyone is working toward the same goal.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re playing basketball, if they’re bowling or playing soccer, you really can’t tell the difference between any of the kids,” he said. “They’re just like any other team.”

And like any other athlete, Andrew is happy to have claimed the gold for his team.

“It feels good,” he said. “We did our best.”

The midfielder said participating in various sports — Andrew also competes in bowling, basketball and flag football — and having fun are the best things about the games. He was named Athlete of the Year for Pasco County.

For his father, coaches like King are some of the real highlights of participating in the Special Olympics. The teachers and coaches make the experience more valuable for the participants, he said.

“I’m proud of (Andrew) and how he competes and what he’s learned, but I’m also proud of the teachers and the coaches,” Ahearn said. “Because he would not be where he is right now if he didn’t have the teachers and coaches that gave so much of themselves.

“To do what these kids are doing and to reach them takes a special person. I could not say enough good things about them.”

For more information about the Special Olympics, visit SpecialOlympicsFlorida.org.

Published July 9, 2014

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Little Women take home big service awards

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The Little Women aren’t so little anymore when it comes to statewide awards.

The GFWC Little Women of Lutz, a club for girls ages 12 through 18 sponsored by the GWFC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, earned multiple awards at their Juniorette Annual State Meeting in Lakeland.

The Little Women of Lutz came home from their statewide meeting last month with a number of awards, including Club of the Year. (Courtesy of Janet Hardy)
The Little Women of Lutz came home from their statewide meeting last month with a number of awards, including Club of the Year.
(Courtesy of Janet Hardy)

The event, held June 12-14, is an annual gathering of Florida’s General Federation of Women’s Clubs Junior Clubs.

The Lutz group earned four first-place awards and five second-place awards for its work in the community, taking home Club of the Year honors. In addition, the Little Women won for the second consecutive year the Marcia Bright Award, given to the club that interacts most with its GFWC Woman’s Club sponsor.

Club advisor Janet Hardy said her first interactions with the Little Women of Lutz revealed how organized they were.

“I went to one of their board meetings, and was just shocked at how many events they had scheduled,” she said. “It was really amazing. It really impressed me, honestly.”

While the club collected many awards in the span of a couple of days, they represent a year’s worth of work in the community, both with their sponsors and on their own. In addition to helping clean up Lutz Lake Fern Road three times a year, the Little Women collect books to be placed at laundromats, play bingo at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home, and host fundraisers for breast cancer awareness.

They also pack boxes to send to overseas troops, collect cans for Metropolitan Ministries, and work with both the Ronald McDonald House and the Special Olympics.

Bethany Hanson is president of the Little Women of Lutz. The 15-year-old believes that the hard work of the members pays off both for the club and the area in which they live.

“I think it’s important to be active in the community because it helps so much,” Hanson said. “Even if you do a little bit of work, it makes a big impact. Whenever we volunteer, we get a sense of accomplishment, like we did something great. I always come back smiling because I know I helped someone, and that’s a feeling you can’t beat.”

The Little Women aren’t the only ones smiling. The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club remains proud of their junior club’s accomplishments, and feels very close to its members.

“It’s almost like they’re family members,” said Pat Serio, a woman’s club member and an early advisor to the Little Women more than a decade ago. “We see them as daughters and granddaughters.”

In addition to helping their mentors on a variety of projects, the Little Women are learning valuable skills they can use later in life, Serio said. They get experience in public speaking and organizational leadership, handle funds through their treasury, and gain confidence from taking a hands-on approach to their work at a young age.

She also credits Hardy with encouraging them to implement new ideas and get the word out regarding their activities, making the group stronger and more effective.

“She’s doing a fabulous job,” Serio said of Hardy.

While the Little Women of Lutz boast just 17 members — with nearly half of them set to leave because of age limits — the group beat larger chapters, including some with multiple sponsoring clubs to support them. Hanson attributes their success to working as a group and finding ways to accomplish their tasks on their own, allowing them to grow and succeed together.

“I think our chapter is different because even though we’re small, we do a lot,” she said. “Unlike many of the large chapters, the members do the work themselves and the advisors don’t. The secret to being successful is jut working together, as a team.”

For more information about the Little Women of Lutz, call Hardy at (813) 758-0979.

Published July 9, 2014

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