The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Lutz News

This community servant knew how to find life’s silver lining

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Rosie Heim — a former Honorary Mayor of Land O’ Lakes, and a former president of the board of the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club — has succumbed to her battle with cancer.

She will be remembered in a celebration of life service on April 13 at 10:30 a.m., at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road in Lutz. A reception will follow.

Rosie Heim was widely known in Central Pasco. She belonged to several organizations and generously shared her smiles and goodwill. (File)

Rosie was widely known around Central Pasco for her willingness to serve local organizations, and as an Avon representative — who always dispensed her brand of good cheer, while delivering her customer’s orders.

Mary Rathman, editorial assistant at The Laker/Lutz News, a regular customer, developed a deep affection for Rosie.

“I’ll miss her smiles and hugs,” said Rathman, who admired Rosie’s ability to remain upbeat, despite her grim prognosis.

“She just had such an amazing attitude throughout her ordeal and she was always happy,” Rathman said.

When Rosie decided to toss her hat into the ring for a run at honorary mayor of Land O’ Lakes, she did so with the intention of raising the profile of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club. The club is already widely known in Lutz, but she wanted more people in Land O’ Lakes to become familiar with the club and its good works.

In a 2017 interview, she told The Laker/Lutz News she wanted the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s club to become “a household name in Land O’ Lakes.”

Pat Serio, a member of the woman’s club, considered Rosie to be a dear friend.

“We’ve worked together on more projects and issues than I could possibly count,” Serio said.

She had a “unique insight and fun personality,” Serio added, and “she loved glitz and glamour.”

“All our (club members) hearts are very heavy with our loss of this wonderful woman after her very valiant battle with cancer,” she added.

In Rosie’s quest to win the Land O’ Lakes title, she hosted eight events.

For Rosie, it was never about being a member of a particular clique — she believed in reaching out to everyone.

Gloria Dale and Rosie Heim worked a booth at Land O’ Lakes Music Festival in 2017, as Heim made an effort to drum up support for her bid to become the new Honorary Mayor of Land O’ Lakes. Dale is the deputy honorary mayor, a title she’s been given for life.

She was involved with Women-N-Charge, a women’s networking group. She was also involved with AARP and with other groups.

She was always looking to recruit more members to the woman’s club because she saw a need to help with community services.

She also saw the need to develop reinforcements, as members of the woman’s club grow older and are unable to do as much volunteering as they did in the past.

In a previous interview, she explained: “Not all of the ladies are physically able to move tables and set up crafts. We would love younger people with better backs.”

She also was a cheerleader for the Central Pasco Chamber, too.

She looked forward to presiding at ribbon cuttings and representing the chamber in the Lutz Fourth of July Parade.

Before she retired, she was a special needs school assistant at Denham Oaks Elementary.

Elayne Bassinger, who was Rosie’s friend for 15 years, but particularly close to her during the last five years, said Rosie’s passing has left a hole in her heart.

“She had a remarkable, caring, giving, dynamic spirit — with a bit of spitfire thrown in,” Bassinger said.

“She was an inspiration to those who were fortunate enough to know her, and I was blessed to call her my friend,” Bassinger added.

Rosie possessed a can-do spirit and a great sense of humor, Bassinger said.

“Her heart was true community service,” Bassinger said.

Rosie enjoyed being involved, and was thrilled when some of that goodwill was returned during a pasta dinner fundraiser she held when she was campaigning to become honorary mayor.

She described the pasta dinner, in a 2017 interview.

Ninety-six people turned out.

“I was just so honored and overwhelmed by the love shown in that room,” she said. “They were chanting my name, ‘Rosie. Rosie.’”

It was incredible, she recalled.

“When you give, it’s always returned to you 10-fold,” she said

Rosie is survived by her husband, Charlie; her son, Daniel; her daughters, Sharon and Dawn, and her grandchildren.

Published April 03, 2019

Hobby Lobby opens at Cypress Creek Town Center

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About two dozen shoppers were waiting when the Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., held its grand-opening celebration of its newest store, in Lutz.

They joined store employees and members of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce for the 9 a.m., ribbon cutting ceremony on March 18.

Brooke Pancoast, manager of the new Hobby Lobby in Lutz, does the honors of cutting the ribbon during the grand opening festivities. (Diane Kortus)

The store, at 25675 Sierra Center Drive, is Hobby Lobby’s 865th store. It is located in the Cypress Creek Town Center, which is west of Interstate 75, off State Road 56.

Suzanne Beauchaine, executive director of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, welcomed Manager Brooke Pancoast and her team to the chamber, which has a 44-year history of promoting the interests of businesses and supporting community organizations.

“Our new location is great for many of our customers, who have been driving to our stores in Zephyrhills and New Port Richey,” Pancoast said.

“While we expect to keep many of our loyal store customers in Zephyrhills, many will now shop at the new Lutz store because it is closer and more convenient,” said Kevin Ross, Hobby Lobby’s Zephyrhills store manager.

Monica Salter, right, and her daughter-in-law, Jennifer Salter, measure a ‘distressed’ end table that caught their eye during Hobby Lobby’s grand opening in Lutz.

Shoppers were eager to check out the new store.

“We love the home accessories and art supply areas of the store,” said Monica Salter, who attended the Lutz grand opening with her daughter-in-law, Jennifer Salter. “Plus, Hobby Lobby has wonderful discounts on holiday items that we always appreciate.”

Both women reside in Wesley Chapel, and have also shopped Hobby Lobby stores in Zephyrhills, North Carolina and Colorado.

Shopper Lynn Eberhart said, “I’m learning to quilt, and we came by to see what Hobby Lobby has for quilters.”

She came to the grand opening with her  husband, Joey, who said he enjoys looking at the memorable and clever signs Hobby Lobby stocks.

Hobby Lobby is a privately held national retain chain of craft and home décor stores.

Each store offers more than 70,000 crafting and home décor products, including floral, fabric, needle art, custom framing, baskets, home accents, wearable art, arts and crafts, jewelry making, scrapbooking and paper crafting supplies, according to a company news release.

The Oklahoma City-based private corporation got its start in 1970 as Greco, a miniature picture frame company. Store hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The store is closed on Sundays.

Published March 20, 2019

Century-old bell stolen from Lutz church

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Members of Christ Cumberland Presbyterian Church are in disbelief as part of their identity has been stolen – a signature bell that has accompanied the church, throughout its history, as it moved from one location to the next.

The Lutz church became aware the bell was missing in mid-February, and officials still don’t know exactly which day the theft occurred.

This bell stand looks strange to members of the Christ Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Lutz, who are accustomed to seeing it with the church’s 116-year-old bell. The historic bell was stolen in February. (Brian Fernandes)

“We were stunned,” said Penny Knight, the church secretary. “It was so heavy and so securely placed, that we couldn’t believe it.”

A bicyclist who frequently rides around the church’s neighborhood, first noticed the bell missing from its metal frame.

He brought it to the attention of the church maintenance man and the authorities were informed.

With the bell taken, the only remnants left behind were a wrench and a foam cushion.

“They took a long pipe wrench,” speculated Cumberland Elder Sidney Swindle. “They unscrewed some nuts up on the top that held it to the frame.”

Swindle added that he thinks the cushion may have been used to delicately lower the bell to the surface.

Given how heavy the bell is – several hundred pounds – the theft was likely a team effort, the church elder reasoned.

Knight, who has attended the church since age 12, said the iconic bell has “been a long part of our history.”

In the late 1950s, Christ Cumberland Presbyterian Church was relocated to the Seminole Heights community in Tampa. Outside the sanctuary, the church’s bell was displayed upon a pedestal. (Courtesy of Sidney Swindle)

The bell was created in 1903 and has been a trademark of the church ever since.

Christ Cumberland was first established in Lakeland. By the late 1950s, the church’s wooden structure was uprooted from its foundation and relocated to the Seminole Heights community in Tampa.

“It was literally moved here by trucks and trailers,” the secretary recalled – and so too moved the bell.

After the church was torn down and rebuilt, the bell was displayed outside on a pedestal.

By the early 1990s, both the church and bell moved to another area of Tampa before settling in Lutz in 2002.

There the bell hung from a frame, stationed on the ground, between the sanctuary and the church’s adjacent building.

“In order to preserve it, we had it mounted on a concrete slab,” Swindle explained. “It was welded to the point that it would not move.”

This was done, in part, as a precaution to prevent kids from swinging the heavy object.

The theory is that it may have been stolen because the thieves think it has value, but Swindle notes that there is an engraving on the bell that identifies its original  home at the Lakeland Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

“The bell is very sentimental to us,” Swindle said.

The church remains optimistic for its return — even hoping that those responsible will have second thoughts.

Anyone with pertinent information is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8000.

Published March 20, 2019

Lutz Elementary prepares to add seventh grade

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Lutz Elementary launched a middle school program at the beginning of the school year and, now, it is gearing up to add seventh grade in the fall.

Lori Branham, principal at Lutz Elementary, is trying to get the word out about the school’s middle school program, which began with sixth grade this year and will add seventh next year. (B.C. Manion)

The school, at 202 Fifth Ave., S.E., in Lutz, began by adding sixth grade in the fall of 2018, and will add seventh grade in the fall of 2019. It will add eighth grade in 2020.

Each class has space for 110 students.

Its inaugural sixth-grade class had 67 students, meaning there are slots available in the seventh-grade class and will likely have some spots available in the incoming sixth-grade class, as well.

Parents who are interested in learning more about the program are invited to a parent information night on March 12, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., said Principal Lori Branham. The session will be in the school’s multipurpose room.

Branham said she believes that many people were not aware of the middle school program when it was time to decide where their children would attend middle school.

Noah Song, Georgia Crim and Gage Holeman participate in Ancient Olympic games.

“It was very quick. We started this process in February of last year. A lot of people had already made their choice as to where they were going to go,” she said.

She expects to have more students in the coming year’s sixth-grade class.

“I have 104 fifth-graders. Not all of them will come. Some of them are in Pasco County and they’ll go to middle school in their neighborhood.

“For the most part, most of our kids are coming back. So, we’ll have a much larger population next year, for our sixth grade,” she said.

Parker Jones said he enjoys being a sixth-grader at Lutz Elementary. Besides liking his classes, he also has enjoyed the school’s intramural program and not having to start over making friends at a new school.

Teacher Jennifer Shaffer, who has taught at the school for 17 years, is glad Lutz Elementary has added a middle school.

“I was all for it,” she said.  “My three children went here. They would have continued through eighth, if we had it.

“The community has always wanted a middle school. They’re a close-knit community. They wanted to have their children stay in the community,” she said.

Shaffer said the school’s middle school program features small classes.

“We know them (students) really well. We can help them meet their goals,” she said.

Students also have opportunities to do hands-on learning, she said. They switch classes and they have the chance to operate more independently than elementary students.

Plus, the middle-schoolers can serve as mentors to younger students, she added.

Jennifer Shaffer enjoys teaching middle school students at Lutz Elementary. She says the teachers and students know each other well, and they are able to do many hands-on activities.

“We’ve done things with other classes throughout the school,” she said.

For example, “I just sent a student — she did an oral interpretation of a story — so, I just sent her down to a first-grade class to do it,” she said.

“For the students, it was an easy transition, moving up to sixth grade,” Shaffer said. “One of our biggest challenges was having them feel like sixth-graders.”

The students switch classes and are allowed more freedom on campus, such as not having to walk in line to lunch, she said.

They also are involved in community service projects.

The day before Christmas break, we split our sixth grade, and half went to the senior center and half went to Feeding America, Shaffer said.

Eleven-year-old Parker Jones is glad that Lutz Elementary added a middle school program.

For one thing, he didn’t have to get to know a new group of friends, and he already knows teachers, there, too.

He enjoys school.

“I feel like the teachers really make what you do in class fun,” he said.

Katie Holeman, the president of the Lutz Elementary School PTA, is thrilled that the school added a middle school program that began this year. She thinks it’s great for family life, for families with multiple children. Plus, she said, the classes are small, and the teachers and students know each other well.

That’s even true in Spanish, which he didn’t think would be fun, he said.

He also enjoys the school’s intramural program, noting that he played flag football and volleyball, and plans to play basketball.

The sixth-grader also is president of the school’s Junior Civitan club.

Katie Holeman, president of Lutz PTA, has three children at the school — one in sixth grade, one in fourth grade and one in first grade.

“We’ve been here for seven years,” she said. “We were so excited when we found out last year that we were transitioning to K-8 (kindergarten through eighth grade).

“It’s great for family life, for people with multiple children,” she said.

Lutz Elementary offers a sense of community and a neighborhood feel, she said.

“All of the teachers know the kids. The kids know the teachers,” she said.

Branham observed: “The Lutz community, to me, is different from any other community in this county.”

It’s a tightknit place, with a strong sense of tradition, she said.

When the school did a fundraiser with engraved bricks, there was one brick representing the sixth generation of a family with Lutz roots, she said.

Parent Information Night
What: Parents can learn about the middle school program at Lutz Elementary School
Where: In the multipurpose room at Lutz Elementary School, 202 Fifth Ave., S.E.
When: March 12 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Info: (813) 949-1452

Published March 06, 2019

Marilyn Wannamaker leaves a legacy of service

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She was a fixture for years at Independence Day celebrations in Lutz, overseeing the annual Cake Bake Contest.

She was a regular, too,  at the Christmas House at the Old Lutz School, serving up hot chocolate and doling out cookies.

But, those are just a couple of the many, many ways that Marilyn Wannamaker served the community of Lutz.

Marilyn Wannamaker was known for her steadfast service to the community of Lutz, and her kind, caring ways. (Courtesy of Pat Serio)

She was deeply involved in the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, occupying nearly every office, including president for two terms.

She was devoted to helping young girls develop a heart for community work, as well as leadership skills, through her role as adviser to the Little Women of Lutz.

Marilyn Wannamaker’s life was remembered on Feb. 23, during a Memorial Eucharist at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Tampa.

During the religious ceremony, she was eulogized by her sons, Mark and Scott Peterson; and by Annette Bellinger, a first vice president of the Woman’s Club, and Jane Mason, current adviser for the Little Women of Lutz. Her son, Mark, also shared some thoughts provided by his wife, Val Peterson.

Bellinger recalls feeling a little bit intimidated when she met Wannamaker, who was president of the woman’s club at the time — and had total command of club protocol.

But, Bellinger said her initial concerns were quickly erased, as she witnessed Wannamaker’s incredible warmth.

Wannamaker paid attention to people, and became aware of not only details in their lives, but in their loved ones’ lives, as well, Bellinger said.

Wannamaker led by example.

“She was always willing to work,” Bellinger said. “Even when she didn’t feel that great, she still turned up.”

Mason, who now works with The Little Women of Lutz, recalled Wannamaker’s passion for that group.

During Wannamaker’s tenure as its advisor, The Little Women of Lutz cooked dinner at the Ronald McDonald House, helped at the Lutz Branch Library, kept a stretch of road clear of trash; and helped a family at Christmas, and performed other acts of community service.

Working with the girls was a source of joy to Wannamaker.

“To me it’s wonderful to watch them grow and develop into wonderful young women,” she told The Laker/Lutz News, in a feature story about the group.

Wannamaker’s sons — Mark and Scott — were unabashed in expressing their affection at her memorial.

“Mom never missed an event,” Mark said. “She graded our homework.

“She was our life coach.

We have so many fond memories of our mom,” he said.

“Our mom volunteered for everything,” Mark added.

Over the years, she was active on the board of the Lutz Volunteer Fire Department, held the honorary title of Lutz Guv’na, was head of the St. Clement’s Altar Guild, and was a Salvation Army bell ringer, among other things.

Mark said her calendar was so crowded that he would have to call her weeks in advance to get a date to take her out to dinner.

He wasn’t complaining: He was proud.

Her son, Scott, said his mom was a good sport.

When he was playing Little League baseball, she’d put on a glove to go outside to play catch with him. And, she stepped up to become the official scorekeeper.

“She had immaculate penmanship,” he marveled.

She encouraged his love of music, even to the point of allowing his bands to practice at their house.

“I don’t know how many times that poor woman had to hear ‘Gloria,’” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Wannamaker enjoyed traveling and had the chance to visit such places as Scotland, Australia and the Far East.

She enjoyed those trips, but she was always happy to return to Lutz, where she spent much of her time and energy working to improve community life.

After the service, her friend Pat Serio, another member of the Woman’s Club, described Wannamaker as “a very, very involved friend, and a dear, caring person.

“Marilyn will definitely leave a large void in my life, as well as in our club and the Lutz community,” Serio said.

Wannamaker was always thinking of others, even to the end, her sons said.

One of her final requests was that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Little Women of Lutz, c/o Lutz Land O’ Lakes Women’s Club, P.O. Box 656, Lutz, Florida 33548-0656.

Published February 27, 2019

Locals invited to get involved with Lutz Fourth of July

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A planning committee preparing for the Lutz 4th of July Parade will have its first meeting on March 12 at 7 p.m.

The community is encouraged to attend and to offer fresh ideas for the annual holiday event, which has been a Lutz tradition for years.

The meeting will take place at the Old Lutz School at 18819 U.S. 41.

Future meeting dates will be announced during that initial assembly.

The Independence Day celebration will be hosted by the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club. It will include a parade, which begins on Lutz Lake Fern Road.

For additional information, contact Jennifer Rankin at (813) 240-5492 or at .

Congestion relief on way for 54/41

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A project is set to begin in mid-March that’s aimed to improve traffic flow at the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

Lanes are being modified to provide more room for motorists who are turning left off State Road 54 to head north on U.S. 41, and those turning right off State Road 54 to go south on U.S. 41.

Efforts are underway to lengthen eastbound turning lanes on State Road 54. The project, set for mid-March, will provide more lane room for motorists turning onto U.S. 41. (File)

“There is no widening involved with this project, just lane modification to help alleviate congestion turning north and south onto U.S. 41,” explained David Botello, public information specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation.

Motorists heading east on State Road 54, who intend to turn right or left onto U.S. 41, are sometimes blocked from entering their turning lanes.

That’s because the traffic builds up at the intersection’s traffic signal.

During the first phase of construction, pavement will be removed and new pavement will be installed.

“No lanes will be closed during the day, so traffic should not be significantly impacted,” Botello assured.

No lane closures are expected, but if any do occur, they would be done at night to avoid impacts during peak traffic hours, he said.

Sidewalks and crosswalks are to remain open, and the CSX railway company will provide a railroad crossing flagger at the intersection.

The project also includes reconfiguring the median at State Road 54 and Hunt Road.

The new median will have a separator — which will allow eastbound motorists to turn left onto Hunt Road, and left turns off of Hunt Road onto State Road 54.

U-turns will no longer be permitted for westbound traffic at this median.

The project is expected to cost an estimated $1.1 million, with completion set for this coming summer.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey has been an adamant supporter of the project, which has been in planning for several years.

“This is a temporary solution, but it’s something that won’t take long to implement,” she remarked. “I do believe people will see some relief.”

The commissioner also credits Pasco County Attorney David Goldstein with helping her make the proposal come to fruition – stating it was a team effort.

In addition to being a part of the Metro Planning Organization’s Long Range Transportation Plan, the project is one of the first implementations of Vision 54/56.

The Vision program considers long-term improvements on the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor – spanning from U.S. 19 to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

For current updates and visual schematics, visit tinyurl.com/yyzangk9.

Published February 20, 2019

Treasure-seekers may discover hidden gems at Lutz Flea Market

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Elaine Pittman is looking forward to the annual flea market at the Old Lutz School.

She’s a staple at the annual event, hosted by the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club.

With her handy magnifying glass, Roseanne Lange carefully analyzes donated jewelry items before deciding a price for them. Lange is one of the volunteers from the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club getting ready for the annual flea market, which will be March 1 and March 2 this year. (Brian Fernandes)

Nicknamed the ‘Plant Lady,’ Pittman will have her signature booth displaying an array of plants and flowers outside.

“Plants have always been my hobby,” the 87-year-old explained. “I had my first garden bed when I was about 11 years old living on Long Island.”

Over the years, she has sold African violets, Christmas cactus, amaryllis and kalanchoes plants of different sorts.

Not far from Pittman’s booth will be the woman’s club ‘juniorettes.’

The teenage girls will be selling baked goods to satisfy hungry patrons.

Rooms throughout the school have been stocked with various goods. Each room has its own theme.

One room displays racks of clothes organized by size, while others offer jewelry,

chinaware and electronic appliances, among others.

Outside, there will be tents showcasing furniture, handbags, shoes, toys and seasonal decors.

Pat Serio, another club member, said “you can’t beat our prices.”

Plus, she noted: “Everything is carefully cleaned, organized and well-priced.”

The club is still accepting donations to help raise money to benefit the woman’s club scholarship program and other local causes. The money that Pittman raises through plant sales is used to benefit Christian Social Services, which, among other things, helps feed the hungry.

Donors who have items they’d like to contribute to the flea market are welcome to drop off items at the school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. February 27 is the last day to drop off donations.

This year’s flea market will be March 1 and March 2 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Admission and parking will be free to the public.

For additional information, call Annette Bellingar at (813) 482-8183.

Flea Market
Where: Old Lutz School, 18819 U.S. 41, Lutz
When: March 1 and March 2, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free
Details: The Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club will sell clothes, furniture, kitchen appliances, toys, dishes and other items. Baked goods and drinks will also be available.
Info: Call Annette Bellingar at (813) 482-8183.

Published February 20, 2019

$75 million hospital expansion expected to open in 2020

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Motorists driving near St. Joseph’s Hospital-North may wonder why there’s a massive crane towering over the medical center.

The answer’s simple: The hospital is undergoing a $75 million expansion that will double its capacity and will support additional services.

An aerial view of the $75 million construction expansion underway at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. This photograph was captured by a drone. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Construction crews already have built four additional operating suites in shelled spaces that were included during the original construction, and the work continues on a two-floor expansion.

“We recently celebrated our topping out, which is tradition in the construction world when that final beam of steel goes up,” said Sara Dodds, operations director at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

Each of the new floors in the hospital will have 54 patient rooms, Dodds said.

The expansion is expected to be finished and ready for use in early 2020, roughly a decade after the hospital opened , at 4211 Van Dyke Road in Lutz.

Enlarging the facility was always part of the long-term plan, but area growth prompted the work to be done sooner than originally expected, Dodds said.

And, population growth continues within the hospital’s primary service area, which is within a 5-mile radius.

Between 2018 and 2023, the expected growth within that area is about 7.5 percent, which is more than double the 3.5 expected growth rate of the United States during that period.

Sara Dodds, the operations director at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, is overseeing an expansion that aims to address needs in an area that’s growing at twice the pace of the rest of the United States. (B.C. Manion)

Plus, more than 25 percent of that growth is expected to be people who are 65 and older, and 11.4 percent is ages 55 to 64, age groups which tend to have a greater need for health care services, Dodds said.

The expansion aims to respond to those growing needs.

“We’re doubling our inpatient bed capacity. So, currently we have 108 beds, and we’ll be going to 216 beds,” she said.

Other elements of the expansion include adding to the hospital’s intensive care unit, its progressive care units, and its area for physical and respiratory therapy.

The hospital also will have a dedicated hemodialysis unit, enabling it to expand its outpatient infusions.

When the expansion is completed and the patient rooms are full, the hospital expects to add around 200 positions, including clinical staff and support services.

Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, the competition of the project will roughly coincide with the hospital’s 10-year anniversary.

At the time of its opening, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North was the first new hospital that had been built in Hillsborough County for 30 years. Before that, area residents had to drive for miles to get to the nearest hospital.

In another change, the hospital installed metal detectors in November.

“I often get the question: Did something happen? The answer is no. It’s just our organization’s commitment to add another layer of safety for our patients, our team, our physicians, our visitors,” Dodds said.

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North
By the numbers – 2018
Discharges: 8081 (Inpatient only); 16,498 (discharges with observation patients)
Births: 429
Total Surgeries: 3,953
Total Endoscopies: 3,345
Total Cardiac Catheterizations: 790
Emergency Department Visits: 41,316
Team Members: 809

Published February 06, 2019

Lutz teen and her service dog are off to college

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Leigh Dittman knew she’d need some help when she got to college.

After all, the Lutz resident lives life from her wheelchair.

She was born with a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease.

The disease prevents her body from absorbing needed calcium levels due to a collagen deficiency.

Lutz resident and University of Tampa freshman student Leigh Dittman with her service dog, Nerf. Dittman suffers from a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, which makes her bones weaker than normal and more prone to fractures. Nerf responds to more than 40 commands, including retrieving dropped items for Leigh, pulling her wheelchair, carrying her backpack, and other tasks that enable her to lead a more independent life. (Courtesy of Canine Companions)

Simply put, the condition makes her bones weaker than normal and more prone to fractures.

“It’s like a sponge,” Leigh said. “It doesn’t matter how much milk I drink; my body can only handle so much.”

The number of people affected with osteogenesis imperfecta in the United States is unknown.

Estimates range from as few as 20,000 and as many as 50,000, according to the Osteogenesis Foundation.

Throughout her school years leading to college, Leigh had a one-on-one aide who would help get her to and from class.

As she geared up for her freshman year at the University of Tampa, though, she wanted more independence.

Leigh put it this way: “With college, I’m training to be an adult, and I can’t be a successful adult if I’m relying on another adult.”

That’s where Nerf enters the picture.

The 3-year-old, black Labrador/golden retriever mix is a highly-trained service dog that responds to more than 40 commands.

He retrieves dropped items like pencils and water bottles for Leigh. He pulls her wheelchair around campus. He carries her backpack. He can even close doors, and turn light switches on and off.

In certain cases, Nerf doesn’t even need to be told what to do.

“He reads what I need,” said the freshman nursing student.

“At home, I’m notorious for dropping my socks when I put my clothes away, so at this point, I don’t even tell him to pick it up. He just sees it and he’s like, ‘I know what you need.’”

The bond between owner and dog goes beyond helping with everyday tasks.

Nerf is always there, at her side
Besides providing practical support, Nerf adds emotional support and companionship, too, when times are stressful, and when Leigh is feeling overwhelmed from her class load and final exams.

“He’ll curl up right next to me, and he’ll just stay there while I get work done; it’s just nice to reach over and have him sitting there,” she said.

Nerf came to Leigh by way of Canine Companions, a nonprofit organization that breeds, trains, and places assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

The organization provides dogs and related services free of charge.

It presently has more than 2,300 active graduate teams nationwide.

Fourteen of those teams — including Nerf and Leigh— are based in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Leigh came across Canine Companions a few years ago and decided to apply to the organization’s wait list.

Her family had never had a dog, let alone a pet of any kind.

Naturally, it took a bit of persuading to get the go-ahead from her parents for her to apply for the program. But, they eventually relented.

“I was like, ‘It’s a pet, but it’s a helpful pet,’” Leigh joked.

Since they were matched last summer, the two have been inseparable.

Leigh had to wait about three years after applying to be selected for a service dog.

Nerf and Leigh paired following a rigorous two-week training session at Canine Companions Southeast Regional Center in Orlando.

During training, Leigh learned all of Nerf’s commands and how to properly care for him.

She worked with several other dogs during the training stay, but Nerf proved to be the best to meet her unique needs.

Leigh recalls Nerf being goofy and energetic when they first met. At the same time, he was gentle and sweet, she said.

“I loved him from the beginning; he just fit,” Leigh said.

From the outset, even before training began, Canine Companions trainers had an inkling Nerf would be Leigh’s choice, said Jen Hanes, participant program manager at the Canine Companions Southeast Regional Center.

Hanes said Nerf had the ideal temperament and skills for someone with Leigh’s disability.

Nerf is calm, responsive and loves to work, yet isn’t so high energy that he requires more management on Leigh’s part, Hanes explained.

“There’s more than one dog that could work with Leigh, but we felt like Nerf was just the perfect match for her,” Hanes said.

The match has been life changing, Leigh said, noting it’s now impossible to imagine not having Nerf at her side.

Sometimes, the college student will leave Nerf at home to go to a concert or friend’s house. When she’s without him, she feels “very untethered” and “like part of me is missing.”

“It’s weird if don’t have him,” Leigh said. “I mean, it’s like as if I didn’t have my wheelchair; I don’t leave if I don’t have it.”

The bond they share goes both ways
Leigh depends on Nerf and Nerf depends on Leigh.

“He’s so well-trained and he can do so many things, but at the same time he is a pet. He does need to be cared for and loved, and made sure that he is healthy and things like that,” Leigh explained.

Nerf is a magnet for attention when the two are out and about.

People come up “all the time” to try to pet Nerf, as the two of them the University of Tampa campus, she said.

“I definitely had quite a few people in my classes last semester asking me questions,” Leigh said. “It can be a good conversation because it can be a good education for people that don’t have service animals.”

Meanwhile, Leigh doesn’t ask for special treatment from others.

“I never expect people to make accommodations or to treat me differently,” Leigh said. “I just may need to take the ramp instead of the stairs.”

She prides herself on being an achiever; poised to accomplish many of the same goals of able-bodied people.

At Gaither High School, Leigh graduated at the top of her senior class.

She played in the school’s Chamber Orchestra.

She was president of the American Sign Language Club.

She went to football games and enjoyed hanging out with friends.

“I was very active,”  Leigh said. “I had that drive and the attitude of, ‘I’m going to do well, therefore I will do well.’”

She’s taken that same approach with her to college, with a goal of becoming a neonatal intensive care unit nurse.

With Nerf at her side, of course.

Published February 06, 2019