Lutz News

Woman’s club loses one of its brightest stars

January 8, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club is grieving the loss of one of its most cherished members.

Mary Martin, a longtime member of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, lost her battle with cancer on Jan. 1.

Mary Martin, a club member who served for 35 years in nearly every capacity, lost her battle with cancer on New Year’s Day. She was 85.

She fought courageously to overcome two bouts of cancer and again tolerated heavy treatments, but sadly lost her third battle.

Mary was a lovely and petite American of Japanese-English descent, known for her quiet dignity, kindness and meticulous style. Wherever she went she always was perfectly turned out and made up.

She was a talented artist and crafts woman, and for many years, played tennis with a Tampa Bay area group.

She was a woman of great faith and a longtime member of First United Methodist Church of Lutz. Her faith sustained her and gave her the strength to bear the heavy burdens she faced, especially during the last few years.

Mary recently spoke of wanting to “go home to the Lord” and rejoin her beloved Duane in their Father’s House. She suffered the loss of her husband of 48 years, Duane Martin, a few months ago.

She is at peace, now.

Mary is survived by three sons and two daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Woman’s Club members mourn the loss of their dear friend, but are consoled in knowing the heavenly skies burn more brightly now, with her twinkling glow.

“As gentle as a snowflake, may peace come to your heart.”

-Japanese proverb

By Patricia Serio

Local men set off on worldwide sailing adventure

January 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Brian Fox, of Odessa, was preparing last week to push off on a sailing trip that will take him around the world. Joel Heyne, of St. Petersburg, is joining him for this grand adventure.

Brian Fox and Joel Heyne look over the first chart for a sailing trip that will take them around the world. The men planned to set sail from Boca Ciega Yacht Club on Jan. 4.

The two men will cruise on a 40-foot sailboat called American Spirit II, setting sail from the Boca Ciega Yacht Club in Gulfport on Jan. 4. They’ll begin circumnavigating the globe when they join 35 other sailboats taking part in the World Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.

Fox and Heyne plan to join the Round the World Rally, which includes sailors from all over the world, when it makes its first stop in the San Blas Islands.

“”The largest contingent will be United Kingdom,” Fox said, noting that’s where the organizers of the rally are from. “There will be French. There will be Russian. There will be American. There will be Germans. There will be South African. There will be Norwegian.”

They will travel around the globe, sailing on the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. They’ll complete 17 legs, covering 26,000 nautical miles, in 15 months. Along the way, they’ll encounter natural wonders and stop to sample cultural offerings at exotic and historic locales.

The itinerary includes exploring the Galapagos, checking out Napoleon’s prison, witnessing Carnival, visiting the Great Barrier Reef, and on and on.

Along the way, they’ll restock provisions, repair breakdowns and follow the route that sailing vessels took hundreds of years ago to come to America, Fox said. The route, however, avoids areas of political instability, piracy and the storm seasons in both hemispheres.

Fox has been preparing for the voyage for about 18 months. During that time, he and Heyne have made sure to outfit the boat with equipment and technology that will keep them safe, will allow them to stay in touch with others, and will enable them to make repairs.

Fox is ready.

“When I was young, I wanted to sail around the world,” he said. “In middle age, I didn’t.”

As he grew older, however, the idea regained its appeal.

“In 2010, I had a couple of health challenges, both which could have been terminal,” Fox said. “I decided after that — you know what, if you’re going to do something like this, you need to do it.”

Heyne is excited, but he doesn’t expect nonstop adventure.

He knows better.

Sailors have an axiom, said Heyne, who at 62 has been sailing for five decades. “Sailing is hours of boredom, followed by moments of sheer panic.”

When equipment fails or the vessel is damaged, the sailors must react quickly. “Everybody is hustling and hustling and hustling until you have that problem taken care of,” Heyne said.

Whales pose a real danger, Fox said.

“Moby Dick lives,” Fox said. “If you hit a whale, it’s bad.”

Whales have been known to attack sailboats and sink them.

“Sometimes a sailboat will sail into a sleeping whale and it’s like hitting a side of a house,” Fox said. “You’ll suffer hull damage, and in all likelihood, you’ll be leaking. It’s just a question of whether or not you have the time and the resources to stem the leak and stop the boat from sinking.”

Fox expects the first part of the trip to be the most difficult.

“In the winter time, the trade winds in the Caribbean blow very strong, east-to-west,” he said. “We’re going to have to contend with those rounding Cuba to get to Panama. When I say blow strongly, I mean 25 to 30 knots, quite a wind. Complicating matters more is that you’ve probably noticed about a week or 10 days ago, we started getting really large cold fronts. We have one coming up.”

That means some adjustments to the travel plans. Originally, the two were going to leave Tampa and head to the western tip of Cuba. Now, however, they’ll have to travel to the Dry Tortugas and wait there a few days for a weather window that will allow them to cross the Gulf Stream and around Cuba.

“The waves are only forecast at about 15 feet,” Fox said. “Because we have to cross the Gulf Stream, typically the waves are double. So you could have 25- to 30-foot seas, if you follow a front across the Gulf Stream. So, we’re going to have to wait until the front clears and go after that.”

Still, he’s confident that he and Heyne are up to challenges they’ll encounter.

The sailboat has an autopilot, which is far easier than steering by hand. It also has equipment that can make fresh water from salt water. The boat can take advantage of solar power and hydropower.

It also has a kitchen, bathroom, shower, two bedrooms and a flat-screen television below deck. The men also will take hundreds of DVDs along them to entertain them when things get slow.

They also are taking advantage of the latest technology to protect them and the boat. The vessel is equipped with devices that notify either the boat or authorities that a person has left the boat.

“Most people don’t have the kind of safety equipment we’re talking about,” said Fox, who owned a security guard business before he sold it and retired in 2008.

The boat also has a life raft, buoys and flares to use during emergencies.

As they prepared to head off, both men were looking forward to the people they’ll meet, the places they’ll visit, the sites they’ll see and whatever adventures they’ll encounter.

“I think sailing around the world, to sailors, is like climbing Mount Everest, to climbers,” Heyne said.

Revival of Christmas Card Lane draws a big crowd

December 25, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Children played drums, rang hand bells, sang, clapped rhythmically and even did a little dancing to entertain the crowd that gathered for the Christmas Card Lane celebration in downtown Lutz.

If there’s a community event in Lutz, you can bet that the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club will have a hand in it. This group raises money with various events, and uses the funds to support numerous community causes. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Hundreds gathered for the event, which also featured a visit from Santa, a few remarks by the community’s honorary Lutz Guv’na, and the ceremonial flipping of the switch to illuminate 16 giant holiday cards.

The 8-by-4-foot cards are posted along the edge of Memorial Park, across the street from the Lutz Depot Building, where the crowd watched the children from Lutz Elementary School perform.

The event marked the revival of the old Christmas Card Lane tradition in Lutz. The tradition ceased some years back, but a special edition of the event was done this year to mark the community’s 100th birthday.

The Christmas Card Lane celebration was the fourth and final event to mark the community’s centennial.

Ligia Grams was there to watch her son Dakota, 8, perform.

She gave the event high marks.

“It’s a good community outing for everyone,” Grams said. “It just brings everyone together. The kids will have a blast.”

Diane DeMarco and her husband, Dan, also came out to watch the Lutz Elementary children perform, which included their son, Joseph, 8. DeMarco also thought the event would be a good way to get into the Christmas spirit.

Her family moved to Lutz three years ago because of the community’s reputation for having a small-town feel.

Indeed, as chronicled in local history books written by Eliabeth Riegler MacManus and her daughter, Susan A. MacManus, community gatherings have long been the social glue for Lutz.

So, when the Lutz Centennial Committee was planning how to celebrate the community’s 100th birthday, they reasoned that community gatherings would be the way to go.

The first centennial event was a food truck rally in March. Next came the community’s massive Fourth of July Celebration, with its many traditions. Like always, it drew thousands of spectators.

After that, the committee had a chili cook-off and classic car show.

Suzin Carr, honorary Lutz Guv’na, was delighted by the turnout at the Christmas Card Lane event. Indeed, all of the celebrations have been well received by community residents and businesses, she said.

“We had fun during all of them,” said Bob Moore, chairman of the Lutz Centennial Committee.

The chili cook-off and classic car show had to contend with morning downpours, causing Moore to nickname it “Rain Fest.” But even that turned out to be a good event, he said.

“We’re from Lutz, we can party in the rain,” he quipped. “We can party under any conditions.”

The collection of giant cards on Christmas Card Lane reflects the community’s stalwart organizations and some local businesses. The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club’s card, for example, depicts Santa riding in a train — a tribute to the community’s deep history involving the movement of goods through it by rail cars.

Troop 12 of the Boy Scouts, and Pack 12 of the Cub Scouts also created cards. There’s also a card from the Civil Air Patrol – North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron.

The Citizens for the Old Lutz School also posted a card, as did Lutz Elementary, Maniscalco Elementary and Learning Gate Community schools.

The cards show varied artistic styles and holiday themes.

One sign that seems perfect for a Florida Christmas depicts a pink flamingo wearing a Santa’s hat, while hanging out under a palm tree at the beach.

There’s a bucket on the sand nearby, chock full of paintbrushes. That card, fittingly enough, was sponsored by The Florida Suncoast Decorative Artists.

Old Lutz School turns into Christmas House for holidays

December 25, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Jason and Jessica Smith have a holiday tradition with their three young children.

The Land O’ Lakes couple brings the youngsters to the Christmas House at Old Lutz School where the kids get a giant serving of holiday cheer. As they make their way through the historic building, Maddy, 6; Amelia, 5; and Elliot, 2, have plenty to see.

Do you love nutcrackers? Then you’ll enjoy the giant collection on display at the Christmas House at Old Lutz School. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

One room in the school at 18819 N. U.S. 41 is filled with Christmas trees, decked out in all sorts of themes. One of those trees is decked out with paper ornaments colored by kindergarten children at Lutz Elementary School.

In another room, visitors can check out a huge assortment of nutcrackers. There are also rooms with miniature trains that make their way through towns and villages.

Outside there are other decorations.

Lights spell out “Season’s Greetings” in front of the historic building, and windows are illuminated by lighted decorations. There’s an old-fashioned Nativity scene on the south side of the school, and lighted sculptural figures include deer and an angel.

After enjoying the decorations, visitors are invited to have a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie or two

“For kids their age, this is great,” said Jessica Smith, noting her kids just love it. “We usually come on multiple nights.”

Admission is free, but donations are accepted to help pay for the upkeep of the building, which opened in the 1926-27 school year. The building, which has a Georgian architectural style, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The schoolhouse is an icon in this community, which has a long history of protecting its quality of life. At one point, there were plans to knock down the building as part of a plan to widen U.S. 41.

Those plans were tossed out, however, after the community galvanized to save the old school, which has a special place in the collective memories of generations to Lutz residents.

The Citizens for the Old Lutz School puts on the annual Christmas display as a way to share the building with the community and raise funds to support its upkeep. Group member Marilyn Wannamaker has volunteered at the Christmas House for years. She was there last week, serving up hot chocolate and cookies.

People of all ages enjoy the annual tradition, Wannamaker said.

“There’s mothers, dads, grandparents and children — most of them come back year after year,” she said.

“You see families return every year,” said Helen Cantrell, another volunteer.

For many, it’s a chance to run into old friends — something quite easy to do in Lutz — where many residents have lived for generations.

Maxine Conway, of Land O’ Lakes, came out to Christmas House to help Wannamaker pass out goodies.

“I appreciate the work that goes into it,” Conway said.

Christmas House organizers realize that people are often frazzled before Christmas, so they keep the house open for a couple of days after Dec. 25. Besides accommodating busy parents, it also gives out-of-town visitors a chance to savor the season.

Annie Fernandez, whose family has deep roots in Lutz, enjoys volunteering at Christmas House. She gets a kick out of watching the children’s reactions as they go through the decorated rooms. The youngsters tend to gravitate to a collection of elves, Fernandez said.

At first, Fernandez didn’t understand the children’s fascination. But now, she knows.

It turns out that they know all about the “Elf on A Shelf” — a special scout sent from the North Pole to help Santa manage his nice and naughty lists, said Fernandez, who reminds the children that these elves also are Santa’s Helpers.

WHAT: Christmas House at the Old Lutz School, featuring decorated trees, miniature trains, angels, Santas, nutcrackers and other holiday décor
WHERE: Old Lutz School, 18819 N. U.S. 41.
WHEN: Dec. 26 and Dec. 27, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
COST: Admission is free. Donations are accepted to support the upkeep of the Old Lutz School, a building on the National Register of Historic Places.

Starkey Ranch park moves forward while others still struggle

December 25, 2013 By Michael Hinman

With 18 sports fields, eight total courts for basketball and tennis, more than a mile of trails, and a library, Starkey Ranch District Park is aiming to become a centralized recreational location for the entire county.

Developers of the Starkey Ranch District Park showed the proposed layout of its massive recreational offerings within the community just off State Road 54 past Trinity. The first phase of the district park is expected to open in 2015, with the county expected to take over the full estimated $285,000 in maintenance and operations costs a decade from now. (Image courtesy of Pasco County Commission)

And while Pasco County’s financial commitment is minimal compared to that of the school board and the private developer of the project just off State Road 54 past Trinity, commission chairman Jack Mariano wanted to make it clear that his approval comes with conditions: start fully funding the rest of the county parks.

“We cut libraries back tremendously, and cut parks back tremendously,” he said, adding that by the time Starkey Ranch District Park moves forward, “if we haven’t addressed getting rid of the park fees and putting more money back into the parks, I am not going to be comfortable moving forward.”

The problem, Mariano said, is that the county already is struggling to maintain the recreation areas it already has. Adding the Starkey Ranch project could make it even more difficult for the county, which is already charging $2 parking fees for those who visit various parks in the county. Those fees were designed to stave off further funding cuts from parks following a fall in overall tax revenue after the housing market collapse.

If the fees were still in place by the time parts of Starkey Ranch opened up, visitors also would pay the parking fee there, county administrator Michele Baker said.

“We cut back parks over 30 percent, and we’re going to add another liability for more parks and libraries,” Mariano said.

Starkey Ranch, however, is planned to become much less of a liability. The county would not be responsible for taking over part of the maintenance fees until 2017 when it would take on 15 percent of the costs — estimated at $42,700. The county wouldn’t fully take over maintenance of the park until 2023, where it’s estimated to cost just under $285,000.

By then, the existence of the park should spark more residential growth in and around Starkey Ranch, and those additional taxpaying rooftops should more than offset the costs incurred by the county, Baker said.

“The developer has stepped forward and he is taking the risk, eating that operation cost, but bringing that quality,” Baker said. “They are stimulating growth in the area, and stimulating property value.”

Pasco County Schools will work directly with the developer on most of the district park project, funding its share, and even providing a small loan to the county to help it fund its contribution.

The first phase of the project would include five baseball and softball fields, six multi-purpose fields, two concession stands, a pavilion with picnic tables, a playground, a maintenance building and just a little less than a mile of trails. The price tag to build that portion is $9 million.

The second phase would be built when the $1.9 million in funds become available, and will include three more large multi-purpose fields, an additional playground and concession stand, and nearly 2,000 feet more of trails.

The first phase is expected to open in 2015, carrying an annual operating and maintenance cost of $285,000, which will be fully paid for by the developer over the first two years, before the county responsibility is phased in.

The overall project will include a lot more, as well. With the plans to build a three-story elementary and middle school near the project, the developer and the school district also are planning a 20,000-square-foot library, a 6,000-square-foot “black box” theater, a gymnasium, four tennis and four basketball courts, and a track among other amenities.

The county and school district also have the chance to generate revenue from the park from things like ticket surcharges, rent from private users, facility fees, advertising, and even naming rights.

Paying to name something in the park is an experimental concept the county and school board are trying, although no one can buy the rights to name the entire district park or the school. Under the program, the school district would bid out such an offering, and it would need the county’s approval.

Any name that is chosen would have to contain the phrase “at Starkey Ranch” at the end. Among the examples the county provided were “Raymond James Theatre at Starkey Ranch” or “Coastal Caisson Field at Starkey Ranch.”

Naming rights for major facilities, like Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg generate millions of dollars in revenue. However, naming shared-use facilities at Starkey Park is expected to go for much less.

The commission green-lit the project unanimously. Commissioner Kathryn Starkey abstained, citing a conflict of interest.

Son’s death becomes catalyst for couple’s life work

December 18, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Deb Gilbert never pictured herself as a missionary in Africa, but she also never imagined the immense pain she would experience when her son Sean died at 18.

“Your perspective on life changes a whole lot when something like that happens,” she said.

The young man’s death was the catalyst for Deb Gilbert and her husband, Mike, to close the family business, sell their Lutz home, liquidate their belongings and move to Africa to establish One City Ministries.

Before her son died, he was entrenched in a cycle of addiction, Deb Gilbert said. He would attempt to step away from his self-destructive lifestyle, but would be easily drawn back into it by his friends. Once the Gilberts knew their son had a serious problem, they tried to get him help. But Sean wasn’t ready to make a change.

He finally had some close calls that even scared him and had reached a point when he realized he had to change, Deb Gilbert said. Sean talked to his parents about it on a Friday evening.

“He knew he had to stop seeing certain people. Everything seemed to be going in the right direction,” she said. “On that Sunday evening, he was with some friends. And he said, ‘This is the last time I’m going to party with you like this.’ And, in fact, it was.”

The Gilberts’ son’s partying that night led to his death, and about six months after her son died, Deb Gilbert said she was in his room and having a conversation with God.

She said she was looking at Sean’s ashes and telling God: “This is all I have left of my son.”

In response, she said she heard God say: “Everything here is ashes, that’s not the important thing.”

Next, God told her to go to Africa, she said.

“I walked out of Sean’s room and said to Mike, ‘We’re moving to Africa.’”

At the time, Deb Gilbert said she knew almost nothing about the continent.

The death of their son was a pivotal moment, causing the couple to reevaluate their lives, Mike Gilbert said. They felt compelled to answer God’s call: “God gave us distinctive marching orders.”

Before moving to Uganda, however, they did some research on Africa and they visited another ministry that had operations there. Although that ministry didn’t feel like the right fit for them, Uganda did, Mike Gilbert said.

So, they started One City Ministries, and moved to Africa.

That was six years ago.

The ministry they’ve established uses a holistic approach.

“We deal with the economic issues, we deal with the health issues, we deal with the spiritual issues,” Mike Gilbert said. “You can’t go in and pick one weed and feel like you’ve weeded the garden. I liken it to building a house. You have to first build the foundation. The foundation to me is opportunity, which brings empowerment, which will help whittle away at injustices.”

When they arrived at the village, they did not give any handouts, Deb Gilbert said.

“We didn’t have enough to hand out,” she said.

A woman came to them with baskets she had made, and Deb Gilbert bought them.

“Her reaction, I think just stuck with us forever,” Deb Gilbert said. “She went to her knees and thanked us. She was able to buy for her family to eat that night.”

The word started to get out that Mike and Deb were buying, and people would bring them things they were making. Some were beautiful, others not so much.

The idea, initially, was to bring the artworks to America to sell them and to help raise awareness of the little opportunity these villagers had.

“Our first year, we wanted to bring the stories back. We ended up having 16 giant boxes of things people had made. And, all had a story,” Deb Gilbert said.

They brought those items to Grace Family Church in Lutz, where she previously worked, and set up an African marketplace in the sanctuary.

Over time, the program has evolved. Artists produce crafts, which the ministry buys and then ships to America to sell. The money raised from the program covers the ministry’s administrative costs, and is reinvested to provide new services. It’s also reinvested back into the village’s economy, which is how economy gets created, Mike Gilbert said.

This year, the program shipped two tons of goods to be sold, he added.

The Africa TrAID Marketplace last November at the Museum of Science & Industry featured thousands of unique items made by more than 200 artists. They included woodcarvings, recycled metal sculptures, hand-painted cards and colorful textiles.

Besides helping the artisans, the ministry is also teaching farmers more effective methods for growing coffee. The ministry wants to create a co-op to help farmers get a better return on their crops by streamlining the processing, shipping and selling of the coffee.

Besides helping people become economically self-sufficient, the ministry aims to set a good example by refusing to pay bribes to local officials — a very common practice in Africa, Mike Gilbert said.

It also is working to create Light Village, an economically self-sustaining community that can serve as a model for others.

Although they live in Uganda, the couple comes back for about a month each year, staying with local families to defray their expenses. When they come back, they sell goods and share stories about the work of One City Ministries, which help generate support to expand its programs.

“What drives me there is just the injustices they have to endure,” Deb Gilbert said. She and her husband want to help the villagers have greater opportunities, so they can build better lives for themselves.

For more information about One City Ministries, visit OneCityMinistries.org.

Teen wins $50,000 after memorizing 766 Bible verses

December 18, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy …

Many remember their childhood Sunday school classes when memorizing the books of the Bible was a necessary step into spiritual adulthood.

The goal of the National Bible Bee is to join families together to learn more about the Bible — not just memorizing passages, but understanding what the passages mean. Katherine Forster, 14, learned more than 750 Bible verses with the help of long study times as well as her family, which includes, from left, mother Sue Forster, and brothers Samuel, 12, and Ben, 9. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

But anyone who thought that was hard never had to compete at the level Katherine Forster has.

The 14-year-old Lutz girl recently won a $50,000 scholarship for being the best in the country in her age division in memorizing Bible verses. And not a dozen, or 50, or even 100. Forster learned 766 verses — the equivalent of learning all of 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians with a touch of Malachi — on her way to winning the National Bible Bee in Sevierville, Tenn.

“To some extent, I had a system where I figured out that I would need to memorize 60 verses a week over 10 weeks, and then have a week and a half to review,” Forster said. “Even on our way up to Tennessee, we drilled most of the way there.”

The National Bible Bee is a rather new concept, developed just five years ago by the Shelby Kennedy Foundation, a nonprofit ministry established in the name of a young woman who died of cancer in 2005 at the age of 23. The organization’s goal, according to its website, is to encourage parents “as they disciple their children through in-depth study” of the Bible, memorizing verses and prayer.

Katherine’s mom, Sue Forster, first learned about the program in 2009 through a home-school group she’s a part of.

“I thought it would be a great thing to do,” she said. “If you think about it, you have spelling bees, which are fun and the kids learn a lot. But I would much rather have them memorizing God’s word than how to spell all these different words.”

Katherine Forster had to memorize each verse perfectly. Any missed word would deduct points from her overall score.

This was her third trip to the national competition, and she earned her way there through Cornerstone Baptist Church’s Kids Bee in June in Brandon. There, Katherine memorized just 24 Bible passages and studied the book of 1 John in depth.

At the finals in Tennessee, Katherine competed against 60 other teenagers from across the country, and was just one of five representing Cornerstone.

Katherine already is planning on another trip to nationals next year, where she will compete at the seniors level (and a much bigger prize of $100,000).

However, studying the verses did open her eyes to some aspects of life she hadn’t realized before.

“1 John has a huge emphasis on sacrificial love,” she said. “That’s what sums up all the commandments, the love of God to keep his commandments, and these commandments are all summed up by loving God and loving others.”

Katherine spent most of November studying the verses to focus on the bee, and spent December catching up on her other studies. On Sundays, they are regulars at Keystone Bible Church in Odessa, and that has fueled Katherine’s desire to some day do mission work, either in person — or through words.

“I love to write stories,” she said. “I have a book that I am writing, but I don’t have time to write much right now. There might be something with writing, but I’ll do whatever the Lord wants.”

By memorizing verses, Katherine is learning how to organize a major project, and execute it, her mother said. But there’s more to it than just that, Katherine added.

“You have to be motivated to study,” she said. “Bible Bee for me is almost like my life at times, and it’s what I’m doing all day long.”

Her brothers — Samuel, 12, and Ben, 9 — also participate in the regional bees, but are still looking for that way to bring all the work together.

“They have other stuff they like to do, so (memorizing) is not their big thing,” Katherine said.

Also competing from the Tampa area Cornerstone group were Thomas Walter, Rutledge Dixon, Ellie Borah and Kevin Cravens.

Goodbye Lutz Little League, Hello Lutz Baseball

December 18, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The baseball diamond at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex is empty of ballplayers right now. But when it reopens in 2014, it will no longer be Little League players on the field, but instead members of the Babe Ruth League. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Last month, the national Little League organization released new rules for the 2014 baseball season that adjusted eligibility requirements and compensation for traveling expenses.

What was missing from the list is what irked Lutz baseball organizers the most — changes in Little League playing style that could help better develop young players, and give them the skills they need to advance in the sport. Skills like stealing bases, leading off of base, bunting, and what players can gain from more tournament play.

But Little League isn’t budging from its decades-old style, and after more than a half century of affiliation, Lutz will break away from Little League on Jan. 1, and join Babe Ruth League.

“What’s been happening is a decline in membership and an increase in costs,” said Rick Parker, a board member and coach for both the current Lutz Little League organization and the upcoming Lutz Baseball operation. “The evolution of the youth leagues have been more toward traveling teams, and that’s where many are going. And during all this, Little League has been akin to the Vatican — they don’t move, and they don’t want to change their doctrine.”

Little League and Babe Ruth have a lot of similarities. Both were born during the golden era of baseball, targeting youth to participate in America’s Pastime. The Little League World Series is one of the best-known youth athletic events in the world, taking place every year in the league’s birthplace of Williamsport, Pa., while Babe Ruth has its annual championship games in various parts of the country.

Where the two leagues split, however, is how they play the game. Little League holds on to its basic game style first established in the 1940s that focus intently on batting and fielding, but not running.

Yet, thanks to its growth at the professional levels, the running game — base stealing, leading off, fighting for extra bases — has become a key part of the sport. Running game skills are necessary not just at the professional and collegiate level, but even at the high school level, which puts Little League players at a disadvantage.

“Kids want to play baseball, they want to have fun,” Parker said. “But when you get to ages of 7, 8 and 9, these are key development years. High school baseball is very competitive, and if you want a chance to potentially open the doors, you’re going to have to know the broader nuances of baseball.”

The Babe Ruth League, named after one of the sport’s most famous players, has two divisions: Babe Ruth Baseball for teenagers, and Cal Ripken Baseball for younger ages.

Lutz joins New Tampa, Bloomingdale, North Brandon and other local communities to make the switch to Babe Ruth, and the decision was virtually unanimous among not only the Lutz board, but its parents and players as well.

“It was not an easy decision,” said Dave Crawford, the president of Lutz Baseball, and formerly of Lutz Little League. “Little League has been good to us, but it’s just a different way of doing business from Cal Ripken. Little League has been around for a long time, and been able to grow and evolve. And just with any business model, they have to do what they need to do.”

Little League officials in Pennsylvania would not comment on the status of its Lutz operation, but did say they would welcome the league back if it ever changed its mind.

“Little League is constantly changing to adapt to today’s standards,” spokesman Brian McClintock told The Laker/Lutz News in an email statement. “As the world’s largest and most respected youth sports organization, we will continue to provide a positive, safe baseball and softball experience for every child in our programs.”

McClintock added that Little League did amend its rules this year to allow for children to play for a Little League in the same boundaries their school is located. They also added an intermediate baseball division this past year for children 11 to 13.

But it was still difficult for the organization to bring in players that with other youth leagues, they’d be able to attract otherwise, Crawford said.

“The Little League boundary policy is the one they are set on. They do that for the protection of the local leagues, and that is very honorable,” he said. “With Cal Ripken, we have a little more latitude, to expand our boundaries for our continued growth, and it seemed very appropriate for us.”

The new league will have much wider boundaries, allowing them to bring in players from parts of central Pasco County and northern Hillsborough County.

Although Ruth and Ripken are popular names in baseball, the Lutz program still has some work to do introducing the program locally, and moving people away from its Little League attachment at Oscar Cooler Park.

“Little League is similar to Kleenex,” Parker said. “Everyone uses the phrase ‘Little League,’ but a larger percentage of them don’t understand that Little League is kids baseball. That as you get to the older groups, the Little League brand is not necessary.”

Registration costs for players will actually be less than last year, typically by $10, Parker said. And the hope is that bringing in more tournaments through the new league will help generate more revenue, and defray even more costs in the future.

To learn more about the new league, how it will complement travel teams, and to register, visit LutzBaseball.com.

“There’s no hard feelings on our end,” Crawford said. “We just did some research on some options, and chose the one that was the best for our teams and our future.”

McBride writes about ‘miracle’ in Lutz

December 11, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Karen McBride recalls the moment as if it were yesterday.

She was heading home from a computer class she was teaching in Tampa and had a million things on her mind. She was wondering how she could make the class better for her students. She was thinking about what she would make for dinner. And, McBride knew she’d have to make dinner fast because she needed to get her daughters to karate.

Karen McBride of Lutz shares her story of ‘Listening to our Angels,’ in ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven.’ (Photo by B.C. Manion)

So, the Lutz woman wasn’t especially in the mood to wait for a long traffic light at the end of the Veterans Expressway, where it intersects with North Dale Mabry Highway.

“I was sitting at the red light,” McBride said. “I was getting impatient because it seemed like the light was never going to turn green.”

She couldn’t figure out what was taking so long.

“There was nobody coming,” she said. “As soon as the light turned green, I saw my grandmother sitting next to me. Right in the passenger seat. She said, ‘Wait. Just wait.’ And so, I waited. I did what my grandmother told me to do.”

Not a second later, a car speeded down Dale Mabry and roared through the intersection, running the red light.

“I had no idea how fast he was going,” she said.

McBride is sure she would have been in the path of the car, had she not followed her grandmother’s instruction. The thing is, her grandmother — Margaret Wilson of Cohoes, N.Y. — died in 1989, 13 years before this incident occurred.

Initially McBride didn’t tell anyone about her experience.

“Even now, I don’t know if people are going to believe me. Or, they’ll just think I’m crazy,” McBride said.

McBride, who is married and has three daughters, said she decided to share her story during a family reunion in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

“Somehow, somebody brought up the subject of guardian angels,” McBride said. “So, I told them my story.”

Since then, she has shared her story with her family and with friends in her Bible studies at Grace Family Church. And now it can be found under the heading of “Listening to our Angels” in the book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven.”

McBride, who said she was honored to have the story published, said it gives her comfort to know that others can watch out for us even after their death — and she hopes that her experience can help others feel that same sense of comfort, too.

‘Barley Claus’ is coming to town

December 11, 2013 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Move over Santa. There’s a new jolly elf in town.

That’s the message the folks at East-West Animal Hospital in Lutz are trying to get out as the date draws near for “A Very Barley Christmas Party.”

Barley and his ‘mom,’ Lea Murray, will make an appearance at ‘A Very Barley Christmas Party’ Dec. 14. (Photo courtesy of Lea Murray)

The holiday-themed celebration is a fundraiser with a twist. Proceeds will benefit a variety of animal rescue groups, including Second Chance Boxer Rescue, Kitty City and the National Opossum Society. Instead of a visit from St. Nick, attendees can meet “Barley Claus,” an opossum that’s become quite a local celebrity since he was rescued and nursed back to health nearly two years ago.

Barley was involved in a car accident as a baby. That accident killed his mother and siblings, explained hospital spokesman Dennis Costantino. With some tender, loving care from East-West’s staff and his new “mom,” Lea Murray, Barley survived.

Since his rescue, Barley has become the hospital’s mascot of sorts, but more importantly he’s “an ambassador for these very misunderstood animals,” Costantino said. While some people think opossums are mean and others brand them nuisances, Costantino said those perceptions are false.

“They are very solitary and quiet,” he said.

Opossums tend to avoid people and only hiss when they’re cornered and scared. They don’t carry rabies, but they do play an important role in Florida’s ecosystem.

“They’re basically the garbage men,” surviving off carrion and bugs, Costantino explained.

Opossums are highly resistant to poisonous snake and spider bites, and tend to keep areas where they live free of such pests as roaches, Costantino said.

They’re also quite photogenic — or at least Barley is. That’s why the locally famous marsupial plans to pay a visit to the hospital’s celebration dressed as “Barley Claus.” Attendees can get their holiday pictures taken with him during the event for a donation to the animal rescue groups.

Proceeds from the photos and chance drawings will be split among numerous rescue groups, explained Jade Sceusa, the hospital’s office manager. Fifty percent will go directly to the opossum society, while the other half will benefit a host of other groups.

Although the celebration is meant for fun, it does have a serious purpose.

“We wanted to do more for the species,” Sceusa said. “We are so passionate about rescue.”

Why has Barley become such a celebrity?

“Everyone has just fallen in love with Barley,” Sceusa said. “He’s the cutest little guy.”

A Very Barley Christmas Party takes place Dec. 14 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., at East-West Animal Hospital, 1524 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The event features food from Uptown Pizza & Subs, Panera Bread, Publix and The Breakfast Nook.

There will also be a variety of local vendors present, goodie bags given away and opossum fans can pick up their Barley calendars and T-shirts.

For more information, visit www.EastWestAnimalHospital.com.

By Sherri Lonon