The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Lutz News

Lutz musician keeps busy with multiple instruments, bands

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Fred Chandler relishes a good musical challenge.

It is why he’s seemingly always working on the craft — whether it be playing in solo and band shows, tinkering with a new instrument, or laying down new tracks in a recording studio.

Sometimes, when he wakes up, he has locked, bloody fingers and a hoarse voice — following a busy week of performances.

Chandler regularly performs at venues all throughout Lutz and Land O’ Lakes, including Ukulele Brand’s, Craft Life Brewing, Whiskey Willy’s and In the Loop Brewing. One of his bands, The Band 4X, will compete in the Battle of the Bands at Harley Davidson New Port Richey on Sept. 29. (Courtesy of Randy Underhill)

His creativity, however, is never the worse for wear.

“If my imagination gets burnt out, then you may as well just throw me to the coroner, because, that’s the most enduring part,” Chandler said.

Music means just about everything to the 58-year-old Lutz resident.

He’s been playing guitar and writing songs for more than 40 years, dating back to when he was living in Bennington, Vermont and Saratoga Springs, New York.

And, he has no plans of stopping anytime soon.

“I’ll probably be like Tiny Tim — die twice doing your show,” Chandler jokingly says, referencing the multiple heart attacks the well-known ukulele player suffered during live performances that led to his passing in 1996.

Since moving to Florida 17 years ago, Chandler has become a familiar name in the local music scene— primarily as a rock-and-roll guitar player who’s also gained popularity as a violinist.

He regularly performs at venues all throughout Lutz and Land O’ Lakes, such as Ukulele Brand’s, Craft Life Brewing, Whiskey Willy’s and In the Loop Brewing.

He also hosts a weekly open mic night each Wednesday at Uncle Fats 2, in Tampa.

Over the years, he has opened for such acts as Foreigner, Blake Shelton, Willie Nelson, Blue Oyster Cult, Phish, and many others.

Career highlights include working on stage with Buddy Cage, the pedal-steel player for the country rock band New Riders of the Purple Sage; playing violin for the Woodstock 25th Reunion in New York’s Catskill Mountains; and, performing on stage at Nashville’s famous 3rd & Lindsley venue.

Now  a member of two bands — Magnum Opus and The Band 4X — Chandler can be seen at venues throughout the greater Tampa Bay area, including Jannus Live and Skipper’s Smokehouse. And, they play everywhere in between Englewood and Crystal River.

Chandler, pictured far left, is the bandleader of The Band 4X, one of six Florida-based bands invited to compete in the Battle of the Bands at Harley Davidson New Port Richey on Sept. 29. Other 4X band members pictured are Kevin McNary, Leah Ordetx and Doug Cecil.

Chandler’s groups perform a wide range of original tunes, as well as covers of hit classic and alternative rock songs, plus some modern pop.

Basically, their repertoire includes everything from Kansas to Queen to 21 Pilots.

Often, he performs five or six gigs a week, and no two shows are alike, Chandler said.

He said he tries to put a twist on each performance, with his improvisational skills and deep catalog of songs.

“I like to keep it fresh. That’s why I constantly learn new material,” the musician explained. “I’m not one to just learn a solo from a record and play it at you. I want to play to you. I want you to go, ‘Wow, he was totally on that night. He had something going on.’ The people that come to see our shows get that because they know we’re all just going to kind of play from the hip, from the heart a bit and change it up,” he said.

Chandler’s knack for learning a wide array of instruments has also made him a local fixture.

In fact, it takes two hands to list them all —viola, cello, mandolin, dobro, lap steel, banjo, bass, ukulele and most recently, the saxophone.

“If I own it, I can play it, at least to some degree,” Chandler said.

“String instruments are fast for me because I understand the mechanism. I understand the geometry that goes along with them,” he explained. “Every stringed instrument is a hall of mirrors because of the way they’re tuned.”

A rock-and-roll guitarist by trade, Lutz’s Fred Chandler has also gained local popularity as a violinist. In total, he plays about a dozen other instruments.

Chandler also takes pride in his lyrics and songwriting. His subject matter spans everything from love to nature.

“I really want them to say something,” Chandler said of the songs he composes. “I don’t just want to jot down something, just because the music’s good. If I’m going to put lyrics, then it’s got to be dead on.”

Chandler, curiously, draws much of his musical inspiration from his Maltese dog, Olivia Marie, whom he describes as “the best listener in the world.”

He put it this way: “She doesn’t care if it’s disco or it’s a pop tune or if it’s country, she just likes whatever I’m doing. I love that.”

Meanwhile, Chandler’s next big performance is happening later this month.

On Sept. 29, The Band 4X will compete in the Battle of the Bands at Harley Davidson New Port Richey.

It was one of just six bands to earn an invitation. The winner goes on to perform at the Cotee River Bike Fest in October.

For information on Chandler’s music and future shows, visit FredChandlerMusic.com.

Published September 19, 2018

Local companies pitch in to help Boy Scouts in Lutz

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It was just 9 a.m., but the humidity was already oppressive, as Jake Smith and Ralph Rodriguez began unloading their truck filled with supplies.

The constant pulling and shifting, however, was not just the sound of a typical construction job, it was also the sound of a generous act.

Terrell King, left, of Westchase Roofing, and assistant scoutmaster Dan Romesburg were at the site of Troop 12’s roof installation on Sept. 7. (Brian Fernandes)

On the morning of Sept. 7, the men were among a number of workers giving back to an organization that gives so much – the Lutz Boy Scout Troop 12.

The scouts’ clubhouse was in need of serious roofing repairs.

Both of its buildings – the main facility and the storage unit – had lost many shingles through the years.

“They (shingles) have a life expectancy of 20 years here in Florida, less maybe,” said Dan Romesburg. “These have gone beyond that.”

There also were soft spots along the roofs, and the sheathing beneath the shingles, that had gone bad.

Ralph Rodriguez, right, sends up new shingles on a conveyor belt to Jake Smith for the roof of Troop 12’s storage unit.

Romesburg, the troop’s assistant scoutmaster, along with his colleagues, decided it was time for new roofs to be installed.

Earlier this year, the 54-member troop set out with a challenge to collect donations from the community.

They reached out to various organizations and finally found two willing participants – Gulfeagle Supply and Westchase Roofing.

Gulfeagle would provide all necessary roofing material on site and Westchase would install it – everything free of charge.

With a project that would have typically cost $9,000 to $10,000, Troop 12 now had two companies volunteering their time and service.

“There’s just not a lot of people these days willing to give up that kind of monetary nut,” said Romesburg. “That’s a lot for a company to take on.”

Gulfeagle Supply workers Ralph Rodriguez, left, and Jake Smith use a conveyor belt to load supplies on Troop 12’s main building.

The staff of Gulfeagle and Westchase both worked hand-in-hand to get the project underway. The roof was stripped to bare wood, and its frame was gradually re-layered with new shingles.

The job in total took several hours and was completed by afternoon.

Despite the intensive labor required, the workers performing the charitable act considered it a simple gesture.

“I was excited when they told me I was coming here,” said Smith, a Gulfeagle associate. “Not many people will give out generosity such as this.”

Terrell King, operations manager for Westchase, was on site to oversee the work.

“We try to do some community outreach. If somebody needs a little help and we can help, then we’re going to try,” King said.

Upon hearing that the companies had stepped forward to handle the job, the scouts were ecstatic.

The news also came at an opportune time, as Sept. 15 marks the troop’s 85th anniversary, and a celebration is planned to mark that occasion.

While the volunteer help lifted the boys’ spirits, Romesburg said he wanted the scouts to take away a deeper lesson from the experience.

“They need to see as they grow older and become responsible adults, that they need to learn to give back,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Lutz Boy Scout 85th Anniversary
Where: 205 Second Ave. S.E., Lutz
When: Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to former scouts, as well as scout sponsors
Details: Celebrating Troop 12’s longevity of 85 years. Refreshments will be served.
Info: Contact Paul Evans at (813) 679-2195 or .

Published September 12, 2018

Townhomes approved off Willow Bend Parkway

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The Pasco County Commission has approved a rezoning to allow a townhome development on the north side of Willow Bend Parkway, about a half-mile east of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, in Lutz.

The rezoning allows up to 70 units.

Technically, the new zoning classification would allow apartments, said Denise B. Hernandez, zoning administrator/special projects manager for Pasco County.

However, that won’t occur in this case because, Hernandez said, “the applicant is proposing single-family attached homes that will be on fee-simple lots,” and “the applicant has agreed to record a deed restriction on the property for that to be the only principal permitted use on the property.”

The zoning change will not take effect until that deed restriction is recorded, the zoning administrator said.

Two area residents spoke against the request.

They cited concerns about adding traffic to Willow Bend Parkway, which they said already has so much traffic that it’s hard to get onto or off of the road.

They also objected to allowing townhomes to be built in an area where the predominant development pattern is single-family homes on single lots.

Commissioner Mike Moore said he’d heard from opponents to the project, but said they thought that apartments were being proposed on the site. He said he would have opposed apartments.

Michael Horner, a planning and land use consultant, represented the applicant, Dorothy Dahm Bard Trust, and the contract purchaser, Town Homes of Willow Bend LLC.

“My client wants to build high-end, single-family attached townhomes. These are three-bedroom, two-bath, two-story, 2,000 square feet, high-end furnishing,” Horner told commissioners.

The site has fragmented wetlands, providing the ideal opportunity to have clustered single-family homes with individual views of the wetlands, Horner said. The townhomes are expected to start at $300,000.

“They want views. They want the double-car garage. They want the tray ceilings. They want the quartz countertops,” Horner told commissioners. “They do not want to cut grass, maintain lots, on the weekend.”

Moore noted that the current zoning allows 70 homes to be built, and the rezoning will allow 70 townhomes. “It’s a wash,” he said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, agreed, noting the rezoning is not “a big change.”

Starkey made a motion for approval, which carried unanimously.

Published September 5, 2018

Proposed rezoning for Ballantrae office park raises questions

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The Pasco County Commission has continued a request to rezone the Ballantrae Professional Center until Sept. 17, to sort out issues relating to the center’s current uses, the proposed zoning and who has authority to request the proposed zoning.

The center, on the south side of State Road 54 at the intersection of Hunting Bow Circle, in Lutz, is currently zoned as a PO-1 Professional Office District.

The request, by the Ballantrae Center Owners Association, is to change the designation to a PO-2 Professional Office District, which allows a wider array of uses, said Denise B. Hernandez, zoning administrator/special project manager for the county.

The county planning department and the Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning.

However, during the County Commission’s public hearing on Aug. 21, an owner of a condo office building within the development objected to the proposed rezoning.

And, that objection prompted a reaction from Commissioner Mike Moore.

“He owns the building. That’s not what he bought into. That’s not what he purchased. Who am I to tell him that he’s got to change his zoning for something he doesn’t want. I’m not going to back this,” Moore added.

Hernandez said the rezoning request is aimed at bringing uses on the property into conformance with PO2.

“Going PO2 allows them to do every single use in PO1 and then add some additional uses, including private schools, post office, government buildings, barbershop, beauty salons, flower shops, those type of things,” she explained.

A number of current uses on the property already fall under the PO2 designation, she added.

“We think it’s consistent with the character of the area, the existing area, and we’re recommending approval of the zoning amendment,” Hernandez said.

However, there is confusion over who has the authority to request the rezoning, and also about the site’s current zoning.

The office park is condo-platted.

A real estate agent working on a parcel came in and told the county that the development needed to be PO2 because there are PO2 uses there, Hernandez said.

Stacie Mixon, speaking on behalf of the management company for the office development, said “this property, in essence, was originally a PO1, then it was changed to a PO2 years ago.

“If you looked at the property appraiser’s website, all of these properties are zoned PO2 according to the website.

“One of the builders went to build and they were told by building permitting that it’s PO1,” Mixon said.

“A lot of the owners purchased under the assumption that it’s PO2,” she said. “Tenants are in there that are supposed to be in PO2.

“Now, we’re at a standstill,” Mixon said.

County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder said the issue wouldn’t be before the County Commission if the current zoning wasn’t PO1.

“The property appraiser is not the one who is in charge of zoning,” Steinsnyder said. “This board is.”

At one point, a portion of the office development was temporarily zoned PO2, with explicit provision that the zoning was temporary and was exclusively for Imagine Charter School, Hernandez said. That zoning was initially granted in 2008 and expired in 2012.

Imagine Charter School now has a permanent location on Sunlake Boulevard.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey asked whether an individual office condo building owner could decide if they want PO1 or PO2.

“We don’t want to shut down all of those businesses,” Starkey said.

Mixon said owners in the office park voted on whether to seek a rezoning to a PO2 and the majority agreed, but she did not have specific information about the vote at the public hearing.

Steinsnyder recommended continuing the hearing until Sept. 17.

“Without looking at the condominium documents, I don’t know who the legal authority to rezone this property really would be,” Steinsnyder said.

By delaying the vote, county staff will have a chance to get additional information from the opponent to the rezoning and from the applicants, commissioners said in voting for the delay.

Published September 5, 2018

Storeright Self Storage to open in Lutz

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Construction workers are clearing land and building mini-warehouses for a new Storeright Self Storage facility in Lutz.

The project, at Crystal Grove Boulevard and U.S. 41, comes nearly 18 years after the Hillsborough County Commission approved a plan to allow about 75,000 square feet of offices, restaurants, drugstores and child care centers. Big box retail was banned.

However, in October 2017, county commissioners agreed that a second option for self-storage also would be allowed.

Representatives for Storeright proposed a project of up to 92,000 square feet of mini-warehouses, with space also available for boat and RV storage.

In June, county commissioners approved a request for a minor modification to the site plan that permits a septic tank system on the site.

Storeright representatives weren’t available for comment.

According to the company website, the family owned company, based in Lakeland, was founded in 2010, and has 14 self-storage locations in Florida.

Storeright’s facilities have both non-climate controlled and climate-controlled storage options, and many accommodate boat, automobile and RV storage.

The approximately 14-acre site is across from Walgreen’s drugstore on U.S. 41, and opposite the McDonald’s restaurant, off Crystal Grove Boulevard. The CSX rail line runs past the property, along the state highway.

The Florida Department of Transportation owns a small parcel, with a fenced-off retention pond, adjacent to the self-storage site.

According to county records from land use hearings, the site proved difficult to market due to nearly 5 acres of wetlands.

Hillsborough County records show Storeright Lutz XV LLC purchased the property in April for $725,000.

At a 2017 public hearing before a Hillsborough County land use hearing officer, four area residents objected to the project.

According to county records, they expressed concerns about drainage, traffic and decreased property values.

The hearing officer recommended approval of the project, with conditions.

Published August 15, 2018

MOD Pizza sets up shop off State Road 56

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MOD Pizza is expected to open soon in a mini-retail center along restaurant row, in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56 in Lutz.

The pizza chain’s sign is in place outside, as workers complete the interior build-out for the restaurant.

The Pasco County Commission on Aug. 7 approved an application from Cypress Creek NVH LLC for an alcohol license that would allow sale of beer and wine only for on-site consumption.

A site plan on file with Pasco County shows a shell building of about 7,800 square feet, with space for multiple tenants.

Workers are completing the interior build-out of MOD Pizza, a new restaurant by Tampa Premium Outlets. (Kathy Steele)

MOD Pizza, at 2227 Sun Vista Drive, will occupy about 2,800 square feet at a storefront on an outer corner of the building, near Starbucks.

An outdoor patio of about 280 square feet also is planned.

In addition to the pizza restaurant, work is ongoing for an eye vision center, according to county permits.

MOD Pizza would be the latest restaurant along an already busy row of sit-down and fast-food restaurants, off State Road 56, close to the outlet mall entrance.

Other restaurants include Chick-Fil-A, Culver’s and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen.

Commercial and residential development continues at a fast clip at an intersection that ties in with Interstate 75, Wesley Chapel Boulevard, Grand Cypress Drive, State Road 54 and State Road 56.

More restaurants and shops are coming to outparcels surrounding the outlet mall, Cypress Creek Town Center and Brightwork Crossing.

Burger King is open, and El Dorado Furniture Store is expected to open next year at Brightwork Crossing.

At Home Décor Superstore is under construction on an outparcel at the outlet mall.

Construction also is underway for several shops at Cypress Creek Town Center including Burlington, Earth Fare, Home Goods and Five Below.

Published August 15, 2018

Upscale townhomes proposed in Lutz

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A project to build upscale townhomes, off Willow Bend Parkway, won the approval of the Pasco County Planning Commission.

The favorable vote for the project is a recommendation. The Pasco County Commission has the final say.

Two residents spoke against the project, largely based on concerns about traffic. There also was concern due to speculation that the developer wanted to build an apartment complex with about 71 units.

Instead, plans call for upscale, two-story townhomes, with attached two-car garages.

The homes would be built in clusters to provide each homeowner with a view of the wetlands area that covers about 5 acres of the property.

Also, because of the wetlands, the number of townhomes likely will be in the range of 58 to 60, with the maximum number pegged at about 68 townhomes.

The minimum sales price of the town homes is expected to be $300,000.

“This site has very limited upland area. Townhomes is the perfect idea,” said Michael Horner, a planning and land use consultant representing the applicant, Dorothy Dahm Bard Trust. “My client has a good product.”

Although not a condition of the rezoning, Horner said the developer would agree to deed restrictions for the homeowners.

Resident Dennis Derbes, who lives near the proposed site, spoke during public comment on behalf of residents in his neighborhood.

They were opposed to a project for apartments, he said, adding he wasn’t sure how they would feel about the townhomes, instead.

But, Derbes noted: “One of our big concerns is traffic density. Willow Bend Parkway is an extension of County Line Road and is in horrific condition at the present time. The road wasn’t designed for the volume of traffic it has.”

Resident Sheryl Bowman lives adjacent to the property site. She also worried about traffic. She submitted letters of objection from other neighbors.

“Right now, it’s real hard for me to come in and out (off Willow Bend) because through traffic is so fast,” she said.

The parkway has a “blind curve” that adds to the road’s lack of safety, Bowman said.

County officials determined that the project would generate fewer than 50 additional vehicle trips per day at morning and evening rush hours.

One condition of the approval requires a wildlife survey to identify plants and animals that might be endangered or threatened.

Issues of concern brought by neighbors could be addressed as the plan goes through further review, Horner said.

“We want to be good neighbors,” he said.

Published August 15, 2018

Former radio programmer launches new musical venture

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In his former days as a music radio program director, Rick Schmidt helped launched the careers of such hit bands as Sister Hazel, Creed, and Shinedown.

His next venture: A music school in Lutz.

Schmidt is the new franchise owner of Bach to Rock, which offers a progressive music education for all ages.

The school, slated to open in October, will be located in the Van Dyke Commons shopping plaza, at 17463 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

Former 98 Rock program director Rick Schmidt is the new franchise owner of Bach to Rock Tampa music school, in Lutz. The school, scheduled to open in October, will be located in the Van Dyke Commons shopping plaza, at 17463 N. Dale Mabry Highway. (Courtesy of Bach to Rock)

The Bach to Rock franchise calls itself “the music school kids would have designed for themselves.”

Schmidt describes it as “a music school on steroids.”

Before taking on the franchise, the Odessa resident said he’d been searching for music lessons for his four children for the past few years.

Uninspired by local offerings, he caught wind of Bach to Rock — and figured he’d open his own.

“As a parent, it sort of worked that I just got the most expensive music lessons ever,” Schmidt jokes about opening a music school.

It marks the Tampa area’s first Bach to Rock franchise. Nationally, there are more than 30 locations of the franchise that first opened in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2007.

Bach to Rock Tampa will offer individual and group lessons in piano, voice, guitar, drum and DJ/EDM production. It also offers music programs for preschoolers and toddlers, and beginning piano for children in kindergarten through second grade.

Students at the school will quickly be able to form bands once they learn the basics of music theory and how to read music. The school will have between six and eight music instructors to start.

Weekly ensemble instruction and band formations will lead to public concerts, Battle of the Bands and recording sessions in the school’s professional recording studios.

Schmidt explained: “The goal is to get you into a band and get you playing out on a stage within a couple of months, and get you comfortable being out and getting practice on your songs.”

Students will be free to learn various instruments and play music of all genres, whether it be alternative, country, pop, classic rock or jazz.

They also will be encouraged to play current hits — everything from Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, to Imagine Dragons, Twenty One Pilots, and so on.

“There’s so many kids nowadays that go from (listening to) a country song to a hip-hop song,” Schmidt said, “so I really like the idea that there’s multiple music genres.”

In addition to music instruction and performances, Bach to Rock Tampa also will host summer camps, birthday parties and corporate events inside its 2,100-square- foot space.

Not everyone has to be a rock star
Schmidt said the goal of the new school isn’t necessarily “to find the next rock star.”

Instead, he wants kids to learn to play music — and have a blast doing it.

“You don’t have to be a rock star to play a song,” Schmidt said. “The goal is to try to get them to play, to get them to have fun and enjoy it.”

For students who exhibit exceptional musical abilities, Schmidt believes he will be able to leverage his music industry experience and connections.

“I have radio ears,” said Schmidt, who spent 20-plus years in the industry before stepping away in 2007. “I can hear a single and go, ‘Hey, let’s tighten this up, let’s do this, let’s move this bridge over here.’”

As a music radio program director, Schmidt ran Tampa’s 98 Rock and DC101, a heritage rock station in Washington D.C., that famously housed Howard Stern’s radio show in the early 1980s.

He also programmed stations in other locations, including Gainesville, Tallahassee and Jacksonville.

With an ability to spot talent, Schmidt gave airplay to rock bands like Sister Hazel, Creed, and Shinedown — well before they were famous and sold millions of records.

One of Schmidt’s favorite tales comes from doing radio in Tallahassee in the 1990s.

When he was helping to record some commercials for a local bar, he was handed a 6 ½-minute song on a cassette.

Schmidt liked the song, but urged the bar owner to tell the band to cut the song’s length for radio play.

That band happened to be Creed, which went on to sell more than 50 million albums worldwide.

Before their massive popularity, Schmidt remembers Creed playing “all these tiny little gigs” such as Tallahassee’s The Mill Bakery, Eatery and Brewery.

While working at 98 Rock a few years later, Schmidt gave early airplay to another band, based out of Jacksonville.

That band was Shinedown. It has since sold more than 10 million records worldwide and produced a dozen No. 1 singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. That is second of all time, behind Van Halen and Three Days Grace, which each have 13.

“It’s neat to see them become that,” said Schmidt, who now works in marketing.

Schmidt hopes to enlighten future Bach to Rock students about the history of Florida’s deep-rooted music scene.

Lesson and performance rooms will be named after those Florida-based artists and groups, as well as others such as Tom Petty and Casting Crowns.

A wide assortment of memorabilia will permeate the school’s hallways and walls, including references to Matchbox 20, NSync, and Lynyrd Skynyrd — who each broke ground in Florida.

“Having that Florida theme is really important for people to just sort of recognize, ‘Wow, there’s so much talent here in this area,’” Schmidt said.

To learn more about Bach to Rock, visit BachToRock.com.

Published August 8, 2018

Summer volunteer job helps teen chase bigger dreams

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At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be much remotely related between a teenager’s ambition to work in forensic nursing and her volunteer role in the Mom/Baby Unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

But, Sherika Edwards has a plan, and her volunteer stint at the hospital in Lutz figures into it.

The 17-year-old, from Lutz, said she’s always been interested in criminal justice and that other members of her family work in medical careers.

Sherika Edwards spent part of her summer vacation working as a volunteer at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. She aspires to become a forensic nurse and said having the opportunity to work at a medical facility while she is still in high school was a valuable experience.
(B.C. Manion)

So, the idea of becoming a forensic nurse and tracing evidence to help bring justice to the victims of crime makes perfect sense to Edwards, entering her senior year at Steinbrenner High School.

She said she eagerly signed on when she had the chance to become a volunteer at the hospital, which enabled her to get some exposure to the life that goes on inside of a medical facility.

She wrapped up her summer commitment last week.

During her volunteer stint, she handled a variety of chores.

She answered call lights to find out what patients needed. Sometimes, they just wanted a snack, or a cup of juice or ice, which Edwards would get for them.

She also helped to organize file cabinets and to assemble information folders for patients at the hospital to deliver babies, or to have surgical procedures, Edwards said.

The types of information the patient receives depends on their needs, she explained.

Edwards also helped put together kits containing supplies that a patient might need.

One of the highpoints during her volunteer time at the hospital was having the opportunity to witness a live birth, she said.

Edwards said she was happy to pitch in.

“I like being able to help out the nurses with simple tasks,” she said.

Over the course of the summer Edwards earned 72 volunteer hours toward the community service hours she needs for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

In addition to getting exposure to the variety of jobs that are done within the hospital, the volunteer work gives the youths a chance to be mentored by adults, said Tiffany Scalone, Media Relations Coordinator for St. Joseph’s Hospitals BayCare Health System.

“They’re learning about responsibility, commitment, things like that, as well,” Scalone said.

Edwards was among 21 participants at the hospital’s Volunteen program at St. Joseph’s Hospital–North over the summer. The program on that campus is open only to children of hospital employees at this point, but is expected to be expanded in the future, Scalone said.

Edwards’ mom, Dian Creighton, is a patient care technician in the medical/surgical unit at the hospital in Lutz.

The teen volunteers are well-received by patients and staff, Scalone said.

“All of the team members and the patients just love the Volunteens. They love the energy that they bring, and just the unique perspective that they have. Being fresh and go-getters,” Scalone said.

Edwards said she’s glad she did the volunteer work.

“I think it’s a good opportunity, especially if you want to be in the medical field,” said the young woman, who has not yet decided where she will study nursing.

Published August 8, 2018

Lake Park: It’s a go-to place for fun

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The common lament — ‘there’s nothing to do,’ could not be farther from the truth at Lake Park, a one-stop shop for solitary getaways and fun family activities at 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz.

Fourteen-year-old Dalton Gerbase, No. 9, of Odessa, is leading 14-year-old Evan Hall, No. 111, of Hudson. Trailing in third place is Thomas Flint, age 13, from Palm Harbor, as they race for the finish line at the Tampa BMX Raceway. (Randy Underhill)

For $2 per car, visitors to the 589-acre park will find themselves surrounded by recreational options.

There are pavilions and grills for those wanting to picnic, plus nearby playgrounds for the kids.

There are five lakes, as well as a boat ramp, canoe rentals and kayaking.

There also are places to fish, to watch birds and to go horseback riding.

For people who enjoy fitness activities, there’s a 2-mile path for walkers, joggers, runners and bicyclists.

And, for those who prefer a bit of solitude, there are plenty of spots where you can sit back and relax.

Marsha Johnson, left, and Andrew Johnson, both of Ruskin, fish for brim (bluegill) at one the five lakes at Lake Park. The park also offers a boat and kayak launch, and canoe rentals.

Lake Park also boasts some unique features, too, including the Tampa BMX Raceway, the Gasparilla Bowmen Archery Club and the Hurricane R/C club.

The Tampa BMX Raceway track was established in 1974 and revamped in 1989. It is operated by volunteers and through donations. Competitive racing starts on Fridays at 8 p.m., and on Sundays at 4 p.m.

The track hosts local competitions and larger BMX-sanctioned events. BMX Raceway is open to the public, except when there is an event.

The Hurricane R/C club track, not far from the BMX Raceway, is a dirt track laid out with jumps and tight curves. The challenging terrain requires the radio-control operators to stay focused in order to keep the cars upright and moving. This track also is open to the public, except during events.

David Humphrey gives his 11-year-old son, Meric, some instructions on arrow placement, as Meric prepares for target practice on a Sunday morning at the Lake Park archery range. The father-son duo is from Land O’ Lakes.

The Gasparilla Bowmen Archery Club operates on a range that is tucked away in the woods for safety reasons. Those using the range must follow a trail to the secluded area, where they will find an array of paper targets attached to bales of hay. The targets are stationed at varying distances.

The club holds competitive shooting, along with raffles, and different archery-related events. Gasparilla Bowmen Archery Club, a well-established organization, is widely known throughout Tampa Bay.

So, whether you’re looking for a place to have fun with your family or friends, or merely wanting to enjoy some solitary time, chances are you’ll find what you need at Lake Park.

The park is open during the spring and summer from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and during the fall and winter from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

By Randy Underhill

Published July 25, 2018