Local News

Pasco seeking to fill openings on its jobs committee

January 10, 2023 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco County is seeking to fill openings on its voluntary Jobs and Economic Opportunities Committee (JEOC).

The committee oversees the use of the Jobs and Economic Opportunities Trust Fund (JEOTF) portion of Penny for Pasco, according to a county news release.

Responsibilities of JEOC members include ensuring Penny for Pasco spending meets the requirements of promoting projects, to creating new jobs and economic growth.

Applications are being accepted online through Feb. 6 at MyPas.co/AdvisoryBoardApp.

The JEOC consists of up to nine members, appointed by the Pasco County Commission.

Members are being sought who represent diverse knowledge and expertise from one of the following areas:

Finance/Banking
Agriculture
Real Estate
Manufacturing
Other Private Industries

The JEOC meets, at minimum, on a quarterly basis and presents annual updates to the county board.

Members serve for one-year or two-year terms, depending upon the industry they represent.

The Penny for Pasco has been approved by voters three times, with the most recent approval extending the government infrastructure surtax for 15 years, beginning in January 2025 through December 2039.

The Penny for Pasco provides funding for Pasco County, Pasco County Schools and Pasco’s six municipalities.

The JEOTF portion from the renewal adopted in 2015 is estimated to generate more than $70 million in revenue to be used for target industry job creation and economic development projects designed to improve the local economy, according to the county’s news release.

Published January 11, 2023

Dade City looks to renovations, redesigns in 2023

January 3, 2023 By Mike Camunas

As 2023 gets started, Dade City is looking toward the future.

And while Pasco County’s oldest city plans to keep its history and small-town feel as vibrant and forefront as possible, officials are excited about its various plans and upcoming projects in store for the ever-changing town.

“Absolutely, it is an exciting time to be in Dade City and for our residents,” City Manager Leslie Porter said. “We have a number of projects in development and it would be hard to pick just one we are most excited about.”

However, Porter acknowledged she is perhaps most enthused about the Seventh Street Streetscaping Improvement Project the city is about to undergo, which is “basically going to change to a whole new look” in the downtown Dade City area, Porter said.

Dade City has some big plans for 2023, from adding a splash pad near the Hardy Trail to streetscaping Seventh Street in downtown, in a move to reduce traffic speeds and reinvigorate the shopping and entertainment district. (Mike Camunas)

“The feedback and concern we always get is that Seventh Street is like a raceway,” Porter added. “The usual concern is cars driving too fast, so the streetscaping will not only be safer, but it will also give downtown’s main intersection and roads a whole new look and feel.

“So we’re on the cusp of doing something very big.”

Porter said the city worked with Johnson Engineering, which is preparing renderings on what streetscaping would do to downtown. Not only would this reconfiguration calm traffic, it also would bring about new sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping and lighting.

Porter says the city is expecting the renderings this month and there will be more workshops then to prepare for actual design.

Also in the works is the development of a splash pad and all-inclusive playground on the land next to The Spoke: Dade City’s Market Place and Visitors Center on Church Avenue at the start of the Hardy Trail. The $1-million project funded by the Community Development Block Grant would include restrooms and is out to bid now for a project management team.

“The playground would be the first one of its kind in Dade City,” Porter said. “We know we are starting to have younger families, so the splash park and new playground are going to be even more amenities for people to enjoy.”

Additional projects mentioned by Porter that are in planning phases include:

Morningside Drive Extension
The city is currently in the design phase to take Morningside Drive from U.S. 301 and extend it west to connect to State Road 52. It’s a long-range project, but one that City Manager Leslie Porter says will create a new traffic route, and allow direct and quicker access to AdventHealth Dade City with a whole new access point.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Design
This project is still a few years out, but a contract was awarded to design a new wastewater treatment plant. It will replace the current plant near the Mickens-Harper neighborhood, which officials hope to remove by 2026.

New Civic Center
The city is about to undertake a study to determine exactly what type of new building will be built at the James Irvin Civic Center, 38122 Martin Luther King Blvd. It has already been determined that the current building was beyond renovation.

Dade City, with a nearly $41-million budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, 64% higher than the previous year, is growing and expanding rapidly, and Porter recognizes this.

With the influx of new businesses downtown, the renovation of the Hugh Embry Library, several projects on the horizon and a population nearing 8,000, Dade City is looking to beyond 2023 and into the future.

“We’re getting new businesses all the time and thanks to things like First Friday and The Block, I think it’s getting realized that there is a nightlife now,” Porter said. “We’ve got a wine bar downtown, and the brewery and restaurants, and there’s a whole new crowd of people in Dade City. We even have an indoor mini golf place!

“And you can see that new crowd especially when the Art Walk was a great success, so with everything going on in this town and where we’re headed, it’s a very exciting time to be in Dade City.”

Published January 04, 2023

Advisory council promotes expanded local food sources

January 3, 2023 By B.C. Manion

When Pasco County initiated its Food Policy Advisory Council, it was among the first in the state to create such a council, Dell DeChant, the council’s chairman said, during an annual report to the Pasco County Commission.

The advisory council was formed on May 19, 2015, DeChant said, “which makes us one of the oldest Food Policy Councils in the state.

“When we were originally established, we were only the second one in the state, so that’s a point of pride for this county,” DeChant added, during the county board’s Dec. 6 meeting.

But he noted that much work remains to achieve the council’s goals.

“We are very interested in developing resiliency within the county, which, as of right now, with all due respect, we don’t have,” DeChant said.

“We are also working to cultivate a local food system, which, again, with all due respect, is something that we don’t have,” he added.

“The vast majorities of food that is consumed in Pasco County is imported. It’s imported from other parts of the country, it’s imported from other parts of the state, and imported from overseas.

“To the degree we can localize the food system, we’re all better off and we’re stronger for it.

“To the degree that we begin to produce more of the food that we consume here, in the county, the better off we are,” DeChant said.

He reminded the county board that the advisory council’s purpose is to support an equitable, resilient and local food system in Pasco.

The council also aims to “provide credible, well-conceived community food policy advice that can dramatically reduce instances of chronic disease and obesity, preserve agricultural lands, promote agricultural uses throughout the county and assists in the development of new businesses in the food sector,” according to a slide in a presentation to the board.

DeChant and Sonide Simon, a planner II for Pasco and staff liaison to the advisory council, made the presentation.

DeChant was complimentary of Simon’s efforts to help the council.

“Whatever we’ve accomplished, the achievements that we’ve had, are largely the result of Sonide’s great work. We’re very appreciative of her and her leadership and caring,” he said.

The council seeks to connect economic development, food security efforts, preservation and enhancement of agriculture and environmental concerns, according to the presentation.

It also aims to:

Support the development and expansion of locally produced foods
Review proposed legislation and regulations that affect the food system
Make recommendations to government bodies

It also seeks to inform others by gathering, synthesizing and sharing information regarding community food systems.

The council has had some influence, with the backing of both the Pasco County Commission and City of New Port Richey, DeChant said.

Those government boards supported the food council’s recommendation to the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council to include an item in its resiliency plan relating to local food systems, DeChant said.

The advisory food council is made up of members representing academia, farmers, farmers markets, health departments, and the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Science.

The food council also is participating with efforts to update the Pasco County Comprehensive Plan.

It also is recommending that the county include fruit trees among the list of trees that would be acceptable to meet the requirements of the county’s landscaping ordinance, DeChant said.

“That would make a big difference. If we planted fruit trees, that would also be a ready source of food,” he said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey told DeChant and Simon: “I’m so proud of the work you’re doing.”

She noted that she’s also interested in the possibility of tying agriculture and tourism together, and in doing more to market products that are produced locally.

“I think agritourism has a place in our county,” Starkey said.

For his part, DeChant would love to see the county provide a budget for the council, to enable the volunteer group to expand its efforts.

Published January 04, 2023

SMARTstart aims to help entrepreneurs thrive

January 3, 2023 By B.C. Manion

When Dan Mitchell sees entrepreneurs coming through SMARTstart programs in Pasco County, he says there’s one factor that gives him a good idea of whether or not that business creator is going to succeed or fail.

That ingredient, he said, is the individual’s level of grit.

“Are they willing to either figure out how to do it themselves, ask for help, pay for help?” asked Mitchell, program director for the Pasco Economic Development Council’s SMARTstart program.

Dan Mitchell manages the Pasco Economic Development Council’s SMARTstart program. (File)

“What doesn’t work is either making an excuse, or deeming it impossible, or saying that the circumstances are beyond their control,” Mitchell added.

Having a successful business isn’t just a matter of having an idea and figuring out a way to finance it, he said.

Businesses that survive and thrive have faced adversity and overcome obstacles, Mitchell said.

SMARTstart, created in 2012, has a suite of programs intended to benefit companies of all sizes, from start-up to established businesses.

The program offers low-cost workspaces, educational resources, guidance, a collaborative environment for area entrepreneurs, and microloans to help businesses that can’t secure traditional financing.

The Pasco EDC program got its start with seed funding from the Florida High Tech Corridor, and then four years later received a boost when Pasco County dedicated a portion of its Penny for Pasco proceeds to support it.

“One of the missions of the Pasco EDC is to build a diversified economy. We take that to heart, with how we’ve organized SMARTstart,” Mitchell said.

“We have not pigeon-holed ourselves. We’ve listened to the communities and we’ve changed how we deliver, and the spirit in how we deliver it, and the style in how we deliver it — while still maintaining the original objectives we set out,” he said.

“We just listen to the people we’re serving and see what they need.

“We don’t think we’re the arbiters of ‘Know-it-All-ness,” Mitchell added.

When he meets someone new to SMARTstart, Mitchell will ask: “What’s holding you back?’

“It’s usually the workspace, funding, education, guidance or collaboration.

“Those are the five areas that we offer support in,” he said.

SMARTstart schedules classes based on what people say they want and need.

Learning sessions it offers can cover topics such as cybersecurity, crowdfunding, YouTube and social media marketing.

It also provides an array of ways for people to learn.

“We recognize that not everybody necessarily learns well from the same voice. That’s why we offer so many different voices,” Mitchell said.

“They have the one-on-one coaching with us. Or they have the SCORE mentoring. Or they can work with our entrepreneurial residents. Or they can do a class or workshop. Or they can lean on each other at a roundtable,” Mitchell said.

The roundtables give entrepreneurs a chance to discuss business challenges and learn from each other.

SMARTstart also offers microloans to businesses that qualify but are unable to secure a traditional loan. But Mitchell is quick to point out that it takes more than an idea and financing to create a successful business.

“Funding definitely comes into play, but a lot of people aren’t ready for the funding until they have a working proof of concept. You might want to open a coffee shop, but have you sold a cup of coffee yet?”

He advised: “Talk to some potential customers. See if there’s really a demand there.”

One of SMARTstart’s programs, called CO.STARTERS, provides both seasoned and aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights and tools they need to turn ideas into action in the pursuit of a sustainable and thriving endeavor.

Mitchell said that SMARTstart, itself, also is open to learning and evolving.

When it launched its East Pasco location, for instance, it began with a professional office, co-working space — much like the one it has established at the Grove in Wesley Chapel, he said.

But after learning more about the Dade City community, he said, it became clear that the primary interest of entrepreneurs was in food-related businesses.

That led to the SMARTstart commercial kitchen at its East Pasco Entrepreneur Center, 15029 14th St., in Dade City.

The commercial kitchen initiative is a result of a partnership between the Pasco Extension Office, which is part of the University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences, Pasco County and Pasco County Economic Development Council Inc., with assistance from Welbilt, an industrial kitchen company.

SMARTstart at the Grove, another incubator location, is at 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 202; and, there’s a new center under construction, as part of the AmSkills Innovation Center, in Holiday, at Darlington Road and U.S. 19.

Besides the other resources it offers, SMARTstart also opens the door to more business-to-business connections for its participants, Mitchell said.

Some of that networking occurs through entrepreneurs meeting each other in SMARTstart programs, but other connections may be made through Pasco EDC, which has ongoing partnerships with local chambers of commerce, colleges and universities, CareerSource and other organizations throughout the region.

NOTE: SMARTstart, a program which aims to help entrepreneurs succeed at every level, is offered through the Pasco Economic Development Council. The Pasco EDC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes countywide economic development. Funding for Pasco EDC comes from corporate and public investors who are focused on the economic vitality of Pasco County.
To find out about Pasco EDC, visit PascoEDC.com. To learn more about SMARTstart’s specific programs, visit SmartStartPasco.com.

Published January 04, 2023

Back again, Pigz in Z’Hills looks to be bigger, better

January 3, 2023 By Mike Camunas

Even though the annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Festival has never missed a year — even from COVID — organizers are still excited for the event to be back.

And, organizers hope this year’s festival will be bigger and better than ever.

Entering its 13th year, the barbecue and blues fest is looking to get back to pre-COVID attendance numbers, bring in an influx of tourism into Zephyrhills and make even more money for the local nonprofits and scholarship funds.

Lamar Marshall, of Lakeland, pitmaster for the Smoke Shack BBQ team, prepares ribs and sausage to feed hungry patrons during the 2022 Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival. (File)

“We are pretty excited,” said Vicki Wiggins, director of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce that hosts the annual festival. “We’re hoping for about 10 (10,000) to 13,000 in attendance, which is pre-COVID numbers for us. But we’re also just hoping to make some money, which we turn around and donate to several of the nonprofits in the community.”

Pigz in Z’Hills has helped The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce to provide $48,000 in scholarships for local Zephyrhills area students since the event began.

Students aren’t the only ones benefiting.

Many local 501(c)3 youth groups and charities volunteer their time at the event. Its success has allowed the chamber to “Pay it Forward” with donations to scholarships, youth leadership programs and children’s charities every year.

“(The festival) really does have an impact on everyone in the (Zephyrhills) community,” Wiggins said. “Folks come over and spend the night, then they eat and shop downtown and in Zephyrhills, so we expect everything and everyone to be very busy that weekend. I know that all the hotels are full and that the restaurants will get full — if you bring 13,000 into the community, everyone gets super busy.

“But that makes for a huge economic impact on this area.”

The festival will once again include its Kidz Grillin’ Competition. Through community donations and sponsorships from Sonny’s BBQ, Bahr’s Propane Gas & AC, Home Depot and Chick-fil-A Zephyrhills, 30 barbecuing youths will compete while being mentored by local Pitmasters.

“We’re really looking forward to that (competition),” Wiggins said. “We’ll have the judges going over their food, but we love the kids cooking and grilling just like mini adults. Watching them in their aprons using grills is just so cute!”

Additionally, there will be a cornhole tourney on both days of the event, a Kidz Zone with various activities and the Zephyrhills Museum of Military History also will be open for visitors to see its unique collection of memorabilia.

Patrons patiently waited in line to pick up some ribs, chicken and sausage from the ‘Off the Bone’ vendor’s tent. The grilling crew was one of many vendors serving up barbecue during the 2022 Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival. The tent is adorned with flags from some of the team’s past BBQ competition wins. (File)

There will be plenty of Blues music, too, featuring numerous bands, with music playing both days. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to enjoy music starting at 11 a.m. on Jan. 14.

“I think that the only thing that is different this year is that we’re really focused on the food and the bands,” Wiggins said. “We’ll continue the cornhole tournament and the Kidz Zone and can’t wait for the Kidz Grillin’ but we’re focused on food, bands and, of course, fun.

“We love that this event is in January because we like to use it to kick off the year right — and we all want to have a really good 2023!”

13th Annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Festival
When: Jan. 13, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and Jan. 14, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39421 South Ave., Zephyrhills
Cost: $5 entrance fee, free parking
Music acts: Friday – Chuck Riley’s All-Stars; Paul Correia and The Sandspurs. Saturday – Mark Shane, Snake Farm Band, R.J. Howson, Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones
Details: In addition to the barbecue, vendors and live blues music, the Kidz Zone will feature face painting, arts & crafts and games provided by the East Pasco Family YMCA. There also will be a Kidz Grillin’ Competition on Jan. 13, with up to 30 youth in a cookout competition, and a cornhole tourney on both days.
Info: Visit tinyurl.com/mebb43t7, or the event’s Facebook page.

Published January 04, 2023

Pasco County steps closer to creating a regional park in Two Rivers

January 3, 2023 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Commission has approved a contract with Coastal Design Consultants Inc., involving work associated with the co-location of a county park and Pasco County school sites, within the Two Rivers master-planned unit development (MPUD).

Two Rivers is a new community in Wesley Chapel, off State Road 56 and Morris Road. Plans for the development envision a 3,405-acre community that offers a mixture of housing types, work opportunities, shopping, recreation and schools.

Pasco County Schools was out on winter break, but in previous interviews, Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district has said the school district likely would co-locate a future school site in Two Rivers with a regional park.

During that discussion, Williams said the district had identified a potential site, but had not purchased it.

Co-locating the facilities would allow sharing of athletic fields and parking, Williams said.

The county’s contract with Coastal Design indicates the proposed site for the co-location of the school and park facilities is at the future intersection of State Road 56 and Coats Road.

The contract with Coastal, in the amount of $75,900, was approved as part of the county board’s Dec. 6 consent agenda. Items on that agenda are approved in a single motion, without discussion, unless someone pulls an item to be placed on the board’s regular agenda.

The board previously approved a professional services agreement for architectural, engineering and related services for improvements to parks and recreation facilities, with Coastal for environmental engineering and consulting services.

The recently approved task order involves grading and drainage master planning services that are needed for the co-location project. The site is approximately 180 acres, with the school site making up 73 acres and the county park making up 107 acres, according to the agenda materials.

The services being provided will aid in preparation of a mass grading plan to calculate the cut/fill quantities to determine if the site will provide excess fill, balance out or require fill.

The school board has agreed to reimburse the county for 50% of the task order amount after the work is completed, the agenda materials say.

The completion date for the project is set for 120 days from when the notice to proceed is issued.

Published January 04, 2023

Winter Storm Elliott causes disruptions here; deaths elsewhere

January 3, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Winter Storm Elliott spared Florida from its brutally frigid temperatures, whiteout conditions, massive power outages and major vehicle pileups on slippery roads — experienced in many parts of the nation.

The precise death toll resulting from the unrelenting cold, snow and dangerous conditions was uncertain, as The Laker/Lutz News went to press. But the number of dead continued to mount in the days following Christmas, based on national news reports.

Tampa escaped the harshest effects but it experienced one of its coldest Christmases in recent memory. Temperatures of 31 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded on both Christmas Eve and Christmas mornings, according to the Tampa Bay Office of the National Weather Service.

Those temperatures were much higher than the 20 degrees recorded in Tampa on Christmas Day in 1983. The weather also was chillier on Christmas Eve in 1989, when the low reached 24 degrees and there were snow flurries, according to the weather service.

Still, by Tampa standards, it was cold.

National television news reports showed images of airports across the country crowded with people waiting for their flights to be rescheduled, as well as a huge backlog of luggage at Tampa International Airport (TPA).

Initially, the harsh weather caused cancellations at major hubs, creating a domino effect at other airports around the country.

Tampa’s airport experienced a significant number of flight cancellations and delays around the holiday weekend because of deteriorated weather conditions around the country, according to Emily Nipps, director of communications at TPA.

After the weather improved, however, Southwest has continued canceling flights. Thousands have been canceled around the country, including hundreds at TPA.

For instance, of TPA’s 115 canceled flights on Dec. 28, all but eight were Southwest flights, Nipps said.

“All of the airlines are now back on track, for the most part, except for Southwest,” she said.

The massive disruptions caused by Southwest cancellations across the country enraged passengers, many expressing their anger and frustration in television interviews.

Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded by telling NBC News that his department will be looking into Southwest’s scheduling system.

Buttigieg told NBC: “This has clearly crossed the line from what’s an uncontrollable weather situation into something that is the airline’s direct responsibility.”

In a video, Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan apologized for the disruptions and said “we’re doing everything we can to return to normal operation.”

Jordan also pledged that improvements would be made to prevent this from happening again.

Aside from travel disruptions, the cold weather also prompted local governments to open shelters to help those in need to stay warm.

Both Pasco and Hillsborough counties responded to chilly conditions by opening cold weather shelters to provide a warm place for people to spend the night.

Pasco County’s shelters were open on Dec. 23, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, and Hillsborough’s partners provided shelter on Dec. 23, Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Dec. 26.

Published January 04, 2023

Pasco County ranks 25th on 2022 Florida Child Well-Being Index

January 3, 2023 By B.C. Manion

The results are in for the Florida Policy Institute’s 2022 Florida Child Well-Being Index, and Pasco County is ranked 25th out of the state’s 67 counties.

Hillsborough County ranked 18th.

Florida Policy Institute (FPI), which is the state’s KIDS COUNT partner, provides the index to measure performance across 16 indicators, in four major categories: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community.

Pasco ranked 23rd in economic well-being; 13th in education; 43rd in health; and 28th in family and community, according to the index.

The rankings for Hillsborough were: 12th in economic well-being; 28th in education; 13th in health; and 35th in family and community.

“These snapshots of Florida counties can help us pinpoint which areas of the state are in greatest need of resources,” Sadaf Knight, CEO of FPI, said in a release from the organization.

FPI is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing state policies and budgets that improve the economic mobility and quality of life for all Floridians.

“Fostering strong public schools, bolstering the state’s safety net, and investing in a Working Floridians Tax Rebate to help boost income for Sunshine State families are all ways to reduce county-to-county child well-being disparities. We look forward to working with lawmakers to prioritize Florida children in the upcoming legislative session,” Knight added.

According to the index, St. Johns, Seminole and Broward were ranked highest overall for child well-being, while Hendry, DeSoto and Madison were ranked lowest.

However, Hendry, DeSoto and Madison did see improved graduation rates and fewer children living in poverty, the index shows.

“Counties with higher rankings are generally well-resourced places, where families can afford to invest in things like high-quality child care, education, and other opportunities for their children,” according to the FPI news release.

“Counties with lower rankings are regions that have borne the brunt of the state’s disinvestment in public services and where people face historic barriers to economic opportunity,” the release added.

“We want to recognize counties that are making the investment in their children and communities. The ultimate purpose of the Child Well-Being Index is to inspire all counties to ensure that children are able to grow and thrive,” Norín Dollard, PhD, senior policy analyst and KIDS COUNT director at FPI, said in the release.

The rankings were developed using KIDS COUNT data.

KIDS COUNT is a registered trademark of The Annie E. Casey Foundation in the United States and/or other countries and is used with permission of the Foundation.

Published January 04, 2023

Fishing for a better quality of life

December 27, 2022 By Mike Camunas

Out on the water, they’re just anglers.

While battling waves and some big fish, there is no talk of injuries or paralysis or other medical issues, or even the grueling but essential rehabilitative therapy.

This is their therapy.

Recipients of Tighten The Drag Foundation, a Lutz-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that helps better the quality of life for those with spinal cord injuries, get a fully-paid fishing weekend through the foundation’s annual fishing tournament in Safety Harbor.

Robert Tramontana, right, seen here out fishing with his brother, Matt, suffered a spinal cord injury in 2012 and has been wheelchair-bound since. Through Tighten The Drag Foundation, a Lutz-based nonprofit that helps improve the quality of life for those that have suffered a spinal cord injury, he and several others are afforded a yearly fishing tournament, as well as money to pay for rehabilitation therapy, which is not covered by any insurance. (Courtesy of Sheila Tramontana)

But, it’s more. The foundation helps those that have come for assistance participate in adaptive sports and enjoy recreational activities. It also raises money that will help pay for that therapy, which, shockingly, is not covered by any insurance.

“A lot of people don’t know that,” the foundation’s lead volunteer, Sheila Tramontana, said. “A spinal cord injury, it’s like your thumbprint, in that every injury is specific to that person. … So, there’s not one special treatment. It’s a special treatment per patient because every injury affects everyone differently.

“So, insurance companies don’t cover therapy because, most likely, someone with a spinal cord injury won’t walk again. While this therapy is necessary and worthwhile, it’s deemed this way by insurance companies because you just don’t know what kind of recovery each person will have.

“And my family, and son, quickly realized this the hard way.”

Sheila’s son, Robert Tramontana, was paralyzed 10 years ago, suffering a spinal cord injury while out on Crystal River. Robert, now 40, was scalloping with friends and decided to dive into the water to cool off. Robert isn’t sure what he hit — possibly a manatee — but his head hit it first and he became one of the 17,500 people in this country who suffer a spinal cord injury every year.

As Robert spent 87 days in the hospital, Sheila soon found out insurance would not cover the rehab therapy. It would have to be paid out of pocket and those sessions can run up to or more than $100 an hour, and, most likely, the therapy’s location is not nearby. Meaning, transportation also factors into this uncovered cost.

“It blew my mind,” Sheila recalls. “Just how little resources there were for helping this kind of injury. There weren’t places to go, nor is there an advocate for someone in a hospital who is looking for help for paralysis.

“Every person has to deal with it themselves, but they need support, and we’ll help. If you need therapy, we’ll pay — just go. If we can help get them through the door, it’s up to them and we’ll help how we can.”

Tighten The Drag doesn’t try to solicit new recipients. Most of the time, it will be through word of mouth because now, 10 years later, Sheila and the foundation have been able to let it be known that they can help those who suffered spinal cord injuries.

There are only two requirements: the person must be a Florida resident and the paralysis was caused by an accident.

Tighten The Drag’s group of volunteers who tirelessly work events and help out behind the scenes year-round. The Lutz-based charity raises funding that helps improve the quality of life for those with spinal-cord injuries.

From there, the foundation supports its recipients, from getting them the fully paid fishing tournament excursion, to other supplies they might need, to doing something special for them on their birthday and other recreational outings.

Sheila says the foundation fronts about nearly $3,000 in the first month and that each person who participates in the fishing tournament can cost up to $2,200. This, of course, all comes from fundraising and donations, such as getting money from the Lutz Guv’na campaign, for example, or the GTE Federal Credit Union in Lutz, which is the fishing tournament’s title sponsor.

“Someone like me, my goal isn’t to walk again,” Land O’ Lakes native and foundation recipient Aaron Lopez said. “That would be nice and great, but $100 an hour is actually on the lower side and it needs to be cash money every week.”

Lopez suffered a spinal cord injury in a motorcycle accident in 2014, but after nearly 10 years of therapy, this is built into his everyday life. He moves enough that the therapy, which the foundation helped him pay for, works in a seamless, but meaningful way.

Tighten The Drag recipient Sam Scribner, left, and his professional guide, Captain Ryan Amaturo, hold up a fish hauled in during the foundation’s Fall 2022 Tournament in Safety Harbor.

“The tournament, and foundation, is fantastic,” Lopez added. “To get injured people back on the water, forget about all the wheelchair and injury stuff for a little bit, and just feel like a person again.

“Insurance … doesn’t cover rehab, and I understand because why pay for something if it doesn’t make you walk again — that’s just the black and white way to put it, but the foundation gets that.”

Even more, the foundation acts like a reunion. It gets anglers back together, as a group of not just paralyzed people, but people still trying to live their best lives.

“It’s sad to see that insurance doesn’t cover it,” said New Smyrna Beach resident and the foundation’s social media manager, Sam Scribner, who fell out of a hammock in a freak accident in 2016 and broke his C5 vertebrae. “People don’t have the money and suffer because they can’t afford it, while the therapy, obviously evidentially, does wonders.

“But the biggest thing people get out of the foundation is getting people with spinal cord injuries together and talking. They exchange the how to’s of figuring out how to live this life that no amount of Googling will get you. We share experiences. … And we get back out on the boat, with the wind on our faces, just forgetting about the everyday life of spinal cord injuries and wheelchairs. It’s feeling like a person again, and I hope others feel the same.”

Tighten The Drag Foundation
Details: A Lutz-based nonprofit foundation helping improve the quality of life for those that have suffered a spinal cord injury. The name comes from competitive tournament anglers using the term “tighten the drag” as a reference to bearing down on a fish to overpower, take control and be successful at achieving the goal of landing the fish. Each year, the foundation hosts a fishing tournament that fully pays for its 25 recipients that have come to the organization to get out on the water and fish. Funds raised through events provide scholarships for Florida residents with spinal cord injuries to attend activity-based exercise therapy rehabilitative and recovery programs either in home with a personal trainer or in licensed facilities, participate in adaptive sports and enjoy recreational activities.
For more information or to donate to the foundation, visit TightenTheDragFoundation.org.

Published December 28, 2022