Local News

Pasco County’s namesake led an interesting life

September 30, 2015 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Some of us may know a bit about where the names for Collier and Flagler counties came from.

But for those who don’t, it was Barron Collier who constructed the Tamiami Trail through the Everglades, connecting the two coasts of Florida.

And, Henry Flagler was a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida as the founder of the Florida East Coast Railway.

But how much do we know about where Pasco County got its name?

The historic courthouse in Dade City was named for Samuel W. Pasco. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — The historic courthouse in Dade City was named for Samuel W. Pasco.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The county is named after Samuel W. Pasco, who was born in London, when Charles Dickens was still a young newspaper reporter for The Morning Chronicle.

Pasco was born in a family of Cornish ancestry on June 28, 1834, some 200 feet from St. Paul’s Cathedral.

He immigrated to the United States with his family and settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1846.

A strong student, Pasco graduated from Harvard College in 1858. He was recommended to a group of Southern Planters in Jefferson County, Florida. They wanted to educate their children with Pasco as the Principal of the Waukeenah Academy.

But that appointment didn’t last long.

When Fort Sumter was bombarded at the start of the Civil War three years later, Pasco closed the academy and, he along with 15 of his older students, enlisted in the Confederate army on August 10, 1861.

They served in the Third Florida Volunteers.

One former student, Pvt. Tom Pettus, was wounded during a heavy exchange of fire in July 1863 near Jackson, Mississippi.

According to Clarence Smith’s wartime diary “Camp Fires of the Confederacy,” Pasco searched and found Pettus among the wounded during the heat of battle. Although Pettus died the next day, Pasco received a commendation from the vice president of the Confederacy.

He also spent a week in January 1863 in Brooksville to get some stragglers to return to fight.

In the fall of that year, Pasco was left on the field with his legs shattered by a lead “minnie” bullet during the battle of Chickamauga, near Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Pasco was taken prisoner and spent nearly six months in different hospitals before being transferred to a Union Army prisoner-of-war camp in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Despite having Northern friends who tried to persuade him to take an oath of allegiance to the Union, Pasco did not and was held captive for 14 months, when he was released in March 1865, as part of an exchange of prisoners.

He was paroled with the rank of sergeant.

In 1869, he married Jessie Denham of Monticello, Florida. They had two daughters and three sons. His son, William Denham Pasco, was a lieutenant in the Spanish-American War, when he was killed on Oct. 29, 1900.

Pasco was a Baptist and a prominent Mason. He was elected president of Florida’s Constitutional Convention in 1885. He also served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives in 1887.

During the 1880s, the southern part of Hernando County was filling rapidly with settlers.

“We all were weary of traveling the sand trails of Brooksville, the county seat, to attend court, or transact other business of varied nature,” Dr. Richard C. Bankston recalled, in a letter dated Nov. 25, 1927.

As a local member of the State Legislature, Bankston’s recollections described the need for a new county. He also noted there was opposition to the proposed name of “Banner County.”

At that time the Florida House and Senate were in joint session, voting for a United States Senator and they unanimously elected Pasco.

Bankston saw his opportunity.

“I immediately went to the committee room,” he wrote, “where I had a desk and changed our bill making the name Pasco instead of Banner,” he wrote.

Within four hours on June 2, 1887, Gov. E. A. Perry signed into law a bill to divide Hernando County and to create Citrus and Pasco counties.

On June 9, 1899, President William McKinley appointed Pasco as a member of the Isthmian Canal Commission, the presidential committee that laid the groundwork for construction of the Panama Canal.

Pasco made his first recorded visit to the county bearing his name during the State Farmer’s Alliance meeting in Dade City on Oct. 28, 1891.

One newspaper reported: “Senator Pasco, who was not barred from the meeting because of being a lawyer, went on record against the sub-treasury plan.”

Seven years later, Pasco appeared again in Dade City to attend a Democratic rally that “was fairly well attended, considering the late hour at which it was held,” according to an account by another newspaper.

There are no records that Samuel W. Pasco ever lived in Pasco County.

But, for Pasco’s descendants, who attended the Pasco County Centennial in 1987, it must have been a proud occasion, to see the name of their ancestry on government offices, county vehicles and other local landmarks.

Doug Sanders can be reached at .

Descendants of Samuel Pasco and Jessie Denham
• John, b. Sept. 20, 1880, Monticello, Florida; d. May 5, 1961, Richmond, Virginia. Graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1900 (General George Marshall’s class)
• Col. Hansell Merrill Pasco, b. October 1915, Thomasville, Georgia; d. November 2008, Richmond, Virginia. He was Secretary of the Army General Staff during World War II.
• Attending the Pasco County Centennial in 1987: Mallory Pasco

Sources
Samuel Pasco at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Jonathan C. Sheppard, “By the Noble Daring of Her Sons“: The Florida Brigade of the Army of Tennessee, ProQuest, 2008.
Publications of the Florida Historical Society, 1908. Page 33.
Bill Dayton, member and former chairman, Dade City Historic Preservation Advisory Board.
Madonna Jervis Wise, author; “Images of America: Dade City” (2014). Arcadia publishing.

By Doug Sanders

Published September 30, 2015

A ride through history, with rare and exotic cars

September 30, 2015 By B.C. Manion

It’s not located on a busy thoroughfare, but people who enjoy exotic cars, or who have a penchant for innovation, will find much to enjoy at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum.

This is a place where history comes to life through vehicles.

The museum houses the private collection of Alain Cerf, owner of Polypack, a business located next door.

Polypack, which began outside of Paris, is a manufacturer of automatic packaging machinery.

As visitors approach The Tampa Bay Auto Museum, they may wonder what awaits them inside. Once they walk in, they’ll find a collection of vehicles that, beyond being visually appealing, also help tell the story of automobile design. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — As visitors approach The Tampa Bay Auto Museum, they may wonder what awaits them inside. Once they walk in, they’ll find a collection of vehicles that, beyond being visually appealing, also help tell the story of automobile design.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

Cerf opened the museum on March 19, 2005, to share his unique collection with the general public.

“The founder of the business was born and raised in France and actually began the business in France, had a factory just outside of Paris,” said John Perodeau, a museum employee.

“They started doing work in the United States and in the mid-1970s, he moved his business and his family from Paris, France, to Pinellas Park, Florida.

“When they moved, they brought not only the business and the family, but they brought what were then the family cars.

“The first three cars in here, and then a couple of more that are in the back, are the cars that came with them across the Atlantic.

“The rest of the cars in the collection have been selected because they display some sort of innovative engineering or technology, something that was new, different and pioneering for its time,” Perodeau said.

“We’re not a typical classic car museum. We don’t have Duesenbergs and Packards and Pierce-Arrows. They’re very nice cars, but their engineering was conventional, and we focus on the unconventional.

“We focus on engineering innovations in automobiles,” Perodeau added.

Something else that’s unusual?

This is the first impression you’ll get when you walk into the Tampa Bay Auto Museum in Pinellas Park. Besides offering scores of visual treats, the museum tells a story of creativity and ingenuity, as expressed through vehicles.

The cars in this museum sometimes can be seen tooling down the road.

“They all have Florida license plates. They’re registered and insured. They may get taken home at the end of the day after work. They go out on weekends. They go to parades and car shows. They don’t just sit here in the museum,” Perodeau said.

The collection has a total of 63 cars.

Visitors are free to get close to them and take as many photos as they want.

They are asked not to touch the cars, but if they’d like to look under the hood or inside the car, they can ask the museum staff to give them that closer look.

Staff members are knowledgeable about the history of automobiles and new developments.

Perodeau and Gary Lasasso, another museum staffer, welcome queries.

“If you have a question on any of the cars, one of us will get you an answer,” Perodeau said.

During a recent visit, Lasasso pointed out innovations of various vehicles, talked about the people who designed and manufactured them, and offered historical context, too.

The 12,000-square-foot gallery space includes examples of some of the finest early approaches to aerodynamic shapes and packaging, front wheel drive, unibody construction, and pioneering uses of materials such as cast aluminum and pressed steel.

Designed by the young Jacques Gerin, the 1925 Gerin Aerodyne is a prototype mid-engined saloon car which marked a significant departure from other vehicles of its day.

The innovation of engineers such as Paul Jaray (the designer of the Zeppelin airships), Gabriel Voisin (aircraft from World War I and beyond), Edmund Rumpler (aircraft from World War I and beyond) and Jean Albert Gregoire (Tracta front wheel drive) are present in automobiles throughout the collection.

There are also examples that celebrate the work of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, Hans Ledwinka and others.

Lasasso is a huge fan of Gregoire.

In fact, he admires Gregoire’s innovations so much that he created a sculpture – displayed on a museum wall — to honor him.

The display includes automobiles from France, Germany, England, Ireland, the United States and the former Czechoslovakia.

There are so many interesting vehicles on display, and there is so much to learn about them, that visitors can easily spend a few hours there and have plenty of reasons to come back again.

If you go
What: The Tampa Bay Auto Museum is a collection of rare and exotic cars
Where: 3301 Gateway Centre Blvd., in Pinellas Park
How much: Admission: $8 per person, $6 for seniors, and $5 for students and for those in groups of 12 or more. Children under 6 are free. (Guided tours are available, if arranged in advance.)
When: The museum is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., on Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays. It is open noon until 4 p.m., on Sundays. It is closed on Tuesdays and holidays.
More information: Call (727) 579-8226, or visit TBAuto.org.

Published September 30, 2015

Golf may be back in play at Plantation Palms

September 23, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Plantation Palms Golf Course could reopen within coming months, according to posts on a Facebook page and an online blog created by a residents’ group, Project Bring Back Our Course.

A potential buyer, Rocky Morgan of GSP Business Alliance, is nearing a deadline to buy the closed golf course, located within Plantation Palms subdivision, off Collier Parkway.

In a telephone interview, Rob Rochlin of Dennis Realty told The Laker/Lutz News that Morgan has until the end of September to complete “due diligence” on the purchase.

A potential buyer for the Plantation Palms Golf Course plans to refurbish the clubhouse and golf course, which have been closed since 2014. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — A potential buyer for the Plantation Palms Golf Course plans to refurbish the clubhouse and golf course, which have been closed since 2014.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

According to the online blog in a posting on Sept. 13, a closing could happen no later than Nov. 3, and possibly sooner.

The driving range, clubhouse, restaurant and bar could reopen by the end of the year, with the course opening in early-to-mid-2016. Full and social club memberships would be offered to people living in the subdivision, as well as to people outside of Plantation Palms, according to the blog.

The goal of the Bring Back Our Course group, the blog states, “is to protect Plantation Palms’ property values.”

According to a Sept. 19 blog posting, Morgan has enlisted professional golfer Jimmy Wright to join his team as president and chief executive officer of “Golf Operations.”

No sales price is available, but the real estate firm in the past has listed the property as a short sale for $1.2 million.

Native American Bank in Denver backed the mortgage for the 156-acre property, when MJS Golf Group bought the golf course in 2011 for about $2.2 million. Mitchell Osceola, Jayson Ray and Steven McDonald own the company.

No one with the company could be reached for comment.

Financial challenges in recent years have plagued the course’s operations. It was shut down for one week in 2013, then, re-opened before shutting down again in May 2014.

In recent weeks, landscapers have mowed the grass and cleared undergrowth on the Plantation Palms Golf Course

Court records show debts have been a problem as at least two companies, John Deere Landscaping and Lake Master Aquatic Weed Control, filed lawsuits for nonpayment of services. Courts awarded judgments against MSJ.

There also was at least one lien from the Florida Department of Revenue, since paid off.

In prior interviews with The Laker/Lutz News, Ray told a reporter that the recession and bad weather limited the rounds of golf and hurt efforts to make the course a success.

County records show TLGFY, LLC- Capital One filed a tax deed for one of two parcels for the golf course on June 30. The application covers tax years 2012 through 2014. However, the tax deed likely won’t be sent to the Pasco County Clerk’s office until early 2016.

A second golf course parcel has delinquent taxes, also for 2012 through 2014. Tax certificates were issued, but county officials say if the 2012 taxes are paid, that would delay a potential filing of a tax deed on that parcel.

Those issues would be cleared away with the sale. “A new buyer can’t have clear title without that,” Rochlin said.

Surveys are posted on the website showing about 90 percent approval from residents who favor the sale. A meet-and-greet with Plantation Palms’ residents took place at Hampton Inn on Sept. 2. The Bring Back Our Course members met separately with residents of The Reserve, which has its own homeowners’ association.

Media reports highlight past unsuccessful efforts by Morgan to buy Waterville Golf Course in Cleveland, Tennessee, and Turkey Greek Golf Course in Gainesville. But according to the blog, Morgan addressed questions related to those ventures at the residents’ meeting.

In recent weeks, Morgan has hired landscapers to spruce up the course, mowing grass and clearing undergrowth.

Part of his management program for the course is to provide lawn services that would generate revenues to help with golf course operations.

Residents would choose a landscaper from a “preferred provider” list of companies that would work for Morgan, according to the blog.

“The primary focus is on selling landscaping services bundled with club memberships both inside and outside of Plantation Palms,” the blog states.

Published September 23, 2015

Jewish community reflects, atones on Yom Kippur

September 23, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Congregation Mekor Shalom, 14005A N. Dale Mabry Highway, has grown to more than 100 households since it was founded a little more than two years ago.

Members come from Lutz, from Land O’ Lakes, from Wesley Chapel, from Zephyrhills, and many other parts of Tampa Bay.

And most of those households, if not all, will be stopping in on Wednesday, during the one time on the calendar where everyone comes together.

“I call it tax season for clergy,” said Hazzan Jodi Sered-Lever.

As Hazzan, she’s Mekor Shalom’s clergy who leads them in prayer. She’s also their founding spiritual leader.

Hazzan Jodi Sered-Lever prepares Zachary Marlow for his Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Mekor Shalom. Like all Jewish synagogues, the congregation is also preparing for Yom Kippur services Sept. 23. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo) — Hazzan Jodi Sered-Lever prepares Zachary Marlow for his Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Mekor Shalom. Like all Jewish synagogues, the congregation is also preparing for Yom Kippur services Sept. 23.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

The occasion is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which is Sept. 23 this year. Part of the High Holy Days, along with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it’s considered by many to be the most significant date on the Jewish calendar.

While it’s a time for reflection and forgiveness, it’s definitely not a time for judging the congregation at Mekor Shalom.

Sered-Lever knows the seats will be filled more than during the weekly Sabbath services on Friday nights and Saturday mornings. Whether it’s a treasured family tradition or a sense of obligation to participate in the High Holidays, many members who don’t attend services regularly are looking for a seat at Yom Kippur.

And that’s fine for Sered-Lever. Whether someone attends every weekend, or hasn’t been there since the last Yom Kippur service, she wants everyone to feel welcomed and valued.

“I don’t use guilt in any of my religious practices. I meet people where they’re at,” she said. “I’m glad to see you when you’re here. I’m glad to have your involvement; I’m glad to have your gifts. Because each person’s gifts are appreciated, and they’re not just monetary, and they’re not just numbers showing up.”

Those who do attend will arrive in a different state than usual. Yom Kippur observers fast from the previous sundown until that day’s sundown (with medical exceptions), refrain from working or wearing leather shoes, do not bathe and do not anoint themselves in perfume or cologne. They forego many daily comforts and rituals in order to focus more on asking for forgiveness, not only to God, but to other people their actions may have affected over the past year. Much of the day is spent in prayer and reflection.

And they’ll not only pray, but hear the Hazzan speak on a special topic. She didn’t reveal this year’s subject, but previously she’s focused on the concept of a proper apology. Instead of a half-hearted “I’m sorry you feel that way” statement, she encouraged her congregation to take ownership in their apologies, and to deliver them with authenticity.

Whether they come to pray on Yom Kippur out of a sense of tradition once a year, or always attend weekly services, Sered-Lever wants every member to get the most out of the experience. She believes that true reflection on actions and behaviors, and an earnest desire to improve oneself, can have great benefits for an individual even after Yom Kippur ends.

“You get out of it what you put into it,” Sered-Lever said. “If you take this time and really use it for this purpose, you have the greatest chance of being able to evolve as a person, and develop your relationships and connections, and be the best person you can be.”

While it might be the one time of year that every seat is filled (during some busy times, events might also be held at the nearby Carrollwood Country Club), Sered-Lever doesn’t approach her job differently because there might be more of the congregation listening. She’s still grateful for the attendees, appreciates their participation, and strives to give them a welcoming experience from the moment they walk in the door.

Her schedule doesn’t change much, either. In the days leading up to Yom Kippur, the Hazzan spent time instructing Zachary Marlow, 13, as he prepared for his Bar Mitzvah, the ceremony that celebrates a Jewish boy taking on the religious obligations and observances of a man. A Jewish girl taking part in the same ceremony is known as a Bat Mitzvah.

Zachary’s mother, Susan, serves on the congregation’s board of trustees. She believes that even in Jewish households where they don’t attend regular services, the need to connect with the community during the High Holidays is strong.

“Even if you weren’t in a religious household, you always went on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. You always do. That’s just what Jews do, for the most part. It’s a very cultural thing. It’s a way of life for us, and we take that into adulthood,” she said.

Both adults and children attend Mekor Shalom, ranging in ages from infants to those in their 90s. And whatever their reasons for attending Yom Kippur or any other service, Sered-Lever will keep working to make it a positive experience each time they step into the synagogue.

“It’s all about creating a safe and nurturing environment for people to be. This is a sanctuary,” she said. “It’s a safe community and people should feel comfortable, and people should feel that there is a message with which they can connect.”

The Yom Kippur service will begin at 9 a.m. The final service will begin at 6 p.m. For information, call (813) 963-1818 or visit MekorShalom.org.

Chabad at Wiregrass, 2124 Ashley Oaks Circle in Wesley Chapel, will also have Yom Kippur services. They begin with a morning service at 10 a.m., with the final service beginning at 6 p.m. For information, call (813) 642-3244 or visit ChabadAtWiregrass.com.

Published September 23, 2015

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expeditions reveal Florida’s wild side

September 23, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Motorists zipping along Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando can’t see from their ribbon of asphalt how close they are to the wild side of Florida.

But the Green Swamp is all around.

Bear biologist Joe Guthrie snorkels at the Manatee Springs Park. In winter, manatees come to the spring in large numbers to enjoy its warm waters. (Photos courtesy of Carlton Ward Jr.) — Bear biologist Joe Guthrie snorkels at the Manatee Springs Park. In winter, manatees come to the spring in large numbers to enjoy its warm waters.
(Photos courtesy of Carlton Ward Jr.)

Often called the “liquid heart” of the state, the swamp is headwaters for four major rivers: Peace, Withlacoochee, Ocklawaha and Hillsborough.

Natural habitat, hiking trails, blueways and wildlife corridors spread across Polk, Lake, Sumter, Hernando and Pasco counties.

“This is wild Florida history in plain site,” said Carlton Ward Jr., a conservation photojournalist whose photographic art captures the beauty of the state’s wild side and its Cracker history of cowboys and ranches.

On Sept. 15, more than 100 people filled the Selby Auditorium on the campus of Saint Leo University for a presentation on the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expeditions, in 2012 and 2015.

Saint Leo’s School of Arts and Sciences, departments of Language Studies and the Arts, and Mathematics and Science sponsored the event.

Expedition members set up camp along the Apalachicola River, under a clear, star-studded night.

“He is a very accomplished speaker, combining words and pictures that allow us to hear clearly the importance of conservation,” said Mary Spoto, the dean of Arts and Sciences. “It’s something good for our students to hear and also the public.”

The first expedition of 1,000 miles in 100 days traversed peninsular Florida from the Everglades National Park to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southern Georgia.

The most recent expedition of 1,000 miles in 70 days began in January, following a path from central Florida, across the Panhandle to Alabama, ending at the Gulf Island National Seashore. Along the way “trail mixers” were held to invite the public to join in the trek.

The goal is to bring awareness about the need to protect and connect Florida’s rural lands, its waterways and the natural paths to habitats traveled by Florida’s diverse wildlife, including the Florida black bear and the Florida panther.

Ward sees his photographs as a way to connect art’s inspiration with science’s knowledge.

He collaborated with bear biologist Joe Guthrie and environmentalist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt on the “Florida Wildlife Expedition Corridor,” a book chronicling the 2012 expedition. A second book on the 2015 expedition will be published in November.

“I’ve always had a connection to conservation,” Ward said.

But he didn’t think of Florida first as his focus.

As a graduate student, he traveled on the first of nine trips to central and western Africa. But each time he came home, he noticed Florida’s changing landscape.

“There was a part of Florida that I knew was missing,” Ward said.

He began photographically to tell the story of Florida’s conservation through its cattle ranches, handed down through generations. He published “Florida Cowboys: Keepers of the Last Frontier” in 2009.

That multigenerational stewardship kept some of Florida’s wildlife habitats intact, said Ward, an eighth-generation Floridian.

“Some of the ranchers I’ve met are some of the best conservationists I know,” Ward said.

It was once possible, he said, to hike and camp for two to three nights without seeing a fence. But Florida’s population, which numbered about 2 million in the 1940s, is now about 20 million. Pressures from development are increasing, Ward said.

Early on the 10th day of the expedition, Carlton Ward Jr., set up his camera on shore and paddled along the Chassahowitzka River.

Research on the Florida black bear in 2010 revealed the disconnects along the wildlife corridors and the vast distances that are traveled during a life cycle.

A black bear, tagged with a GPS tracking collar and known as M34, went on a 500-mile walkabout through Florida from Sebring to nearly the Green Swamp in the Orlando area. The bear halted at I-4, in a location, where other species ended up as road kill trying to cross over to what should be natural habitat for bears.

But Ward said, “That bear couldn’t find a safe path to get there.”

Instead, it retreated southward somewhere near Fort Myers, where the collar automatically dropped off.

Ward remains optimistic, however, about the future.

“It doesn’t have to be this way,” Ward said. “We can accommodate a lot of people and sustain natural corridors.”

Wildlife underpasses and overpasses, for example, can preserve natural pathways and keep corridors connected.

“It’s not just about buying land,” he said. “It’s about incentivizing compatible land uses.”

His optimism springs also from the heroes he has met on the expeditions.

The Aucilla River flows from Georgia on the east side of Red Hills between Thomasville, Georgia, and Tallahassee.

M.C. Davis, who died recently, created the Nokuse Plantation, which contains the largest pine leaf forest in the southeastern United States. Davis acquired more than 50,000 acres for his pine leaf restoration project, which borders Eglin Air Force Base in the Panhandle.

Davis partnered with Eglin and the Florida Department of Transportation to build three wildlife underpasses on U.S. 331.

Another hero is Kendall Schoelles, a third-generation oysterman. “That man is committed to a life from generations past,” Ward said.

In 2016, Ward said he would continue to focus efforts on preserving the wildlife corridor. One issue for Ward and other environmentalists is Amendment 1, which voters overwhelmingly approved in 2014. The constitutional amendment potentially could bring $700 million in real estate taxes into the state’s coffers to acquire conservation land.

However, lawmakers stirred controversy when they approved a budget with $88 million earmarked for land purchases.

“We have to stay loud about it for sure,” Ward said.

For information on the expeditions and the Florida Wildlife Corridor, visit FloridaWildlifeCorridor.org.

Published September 23, 2015

This cafeteria serves up more than food

September 23, 2015 By B.C. Manion

The cafeteria at Zephyrhills High is a busy place — serving more than 300 breakfasts, 850 lunches and about 100 a la carte items each day.

But beyond delivering daily meals, this cafeteria is also a place that helps students make their dreams come true.

There’s a storage space, in the kitchen, where there are scores of gowns, dresses, shirts, dress pants, sports jackets and shoes.

It’s a place where young women and men can be outfitted to go to prom, or homecoming, a wedding or graduation.

Suellen Smith shows off one of the gowns in the clothing closet in the kitchen at Zephyrhills High School. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Suellen Smith shows off one of the gowns in the clothing closet in the kitchen at Zephyrhills High School.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The closet was set up about five years ago, and hundreds of students have used it.

“The kids come in during their lunch and try them on,” said Suellen Smith, cafeteria manager at Zephyrhills High.

“We stay back there with them, and we make them have a fashion show,” she said.

The students change in a bathroom next to the supply closet, and then they come out to show how they look.

“Even through it’s in a kitchen, and it’s in the middle of lunch, and we’re running around with hot pans … I make a couple of my co-workers stop and try to make it nice for the girls,” she said.

As they model the clothing, Smith responds.

“I tell them how pretty they look,” she said.

Or, she might mention: “I saw another one in there that you might like better.”

Smith said she wants to make sure the students leave with clothes that put them in their best light.

“We make sure it fits. I don’t want them going out with something that doesn’t look appropriate,” she said.

She also recommends that students choose classic looks, rather than trendy attire.

I tell them: “You can take that to college with you. You can wear this to a New Year’s Eve party.

“When we make a match, I cry. I openly weep. I’m actually feeling like they’re my own daughter,” said Smith, who has been managing the cafeteria at Zephyrhills High for 15 years.

The clothing comes from all sorts of sources — people in the community who know about the closet, former students, staff members.

“Sometimes, I struggle with larger sizes,” Smith said, and when that happens, she puts a post on Facebook.

“Then, miraculously, two days later, I get some dresses,” Smith said.

“The day before yesterday, somebody brought up a whole bin of dresses and shoes. A dress came in the courier Friday,” she added.

While she can’t recall the precise particulars of how the clothes closet began, she believes it started the year the county’s Cinderella Project moved to a location in Trinity.

“That’s a long way to drive for my kids to go, to Trinity. They don’t know how to get there, and some of them wouldn’t have a ride,” Smith said.

So, Smith said, “I just have my own event, all of the time.”

While girls are more likely to come to the closet, it is also intended for boys, Smith said.

Sometimes the boys are reluctant to come to the closet, so their girlfriends will come pick something up for them, Smith said.

The clothes closet is just one of the ways that Smith reaches beyond her daily cafeteria duties to touch lives.

She’s also heavily involved in Relay for Life activities, has been involved in homecoming festivities, pitches in at school events and has served as a mentor.

Earlier this year, she was honored for her many contributions.

She received the Community Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Florida School Nutrition Association in May, and also received the district’s “Best Behind the Scenes” award.

While gratified by the honors, Smith quickly credits her family and staff for enabling her to do the things that she does.

Published September 23, 2015

Carrollwood Day School may soon have home-field advantage

September 23, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Phase II of Carrollwood Day School’s Patriot Pride campaign includes a multipurpose sports complex on the private school’s campus at 1515 W. Bearss Ave., in Tampa.

It includes space for football, baseball and soccer games, and will allow the school’s athletic teams to finally play home games at home.

It will also cost a couple million dollars.

The school has raised about 25 percent of that cost.

And while $500,000 is a significant number, it still leaves a lot of ground to cover.

This rendering depicts a view of the proposed $2 million multipurpose sports complex at Carrollwood Day School. It will include space for football, baseball and soccer. (Image courtesy of Carrollwood Day School) — This rendering depicts a view of the proposed $2 million multipurpose sports complex at Carrollwood Day School. It will include space for football, baseball and soccer.
(Image courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

Thanks to a $1 million matching pledge by Todd and Kari Wagner — who have children attending the school — the home fields are very close to becoming a reality.

“It’s a game-changer for Carrollwood Day School,” said Head of School Ryan Kelly. “It’s the largest donation that we have ever received. And it just is going to allow us to do something that I’ve dreamt of doing, and that is having our own sports complex.”

Kelly made the announcement about the donation at the football team’s home game on Aug. 28 against Admiral Farragut.

Like other sports at Carrollwood Day School, the home football games aren’t actually played at home. They play football at Skyway in Tampa, baseball at Citrus Park and soccer on a leased parcel of land.

That’s all going to change by next season, according to Kelly. That $500,000 now puts Carrollwood Day School halfway to accessing the $1 million match and funding the complex.

When it’s finished, the complex will include turf fields that will be used for outdoor sports, dugouts and batting cages for baseball, a press box, bleachers that will seat 600 to 1,000 fans and a concession area.

High school football, baseball and soccer are the primary beneficiaries, but the complex also will be used by the middle-schoolers, physical education activities and possibly lacrosse, at some point.

That accessibility will be a dramatic change from what the school deals with today, and Kelly is well aware of the challenges and hard work that goes into making it work.

“The athletic director, Baker Mabry, does an outstanding job. But it is a nightmare,” Kelly said, describing the scheduling and logistics of constantly going off-site for games and practices.

“We cannot wait until we don’t have to do that any longer,” Kelly added.

Head of School Ryan Kelly announced the $1 million matching donation at halftime of the school's Aug. 28 football game. (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School) — Head of School Ryan Kelly announced the $1 million matching donation at halftime of the school’s Aug. 28 football game.
(Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School)

They won’t have to wait long. With current cash on hand and the pledge secured, Kelly expects to see the project started in December and to be completed as early as late spring of 2016.

If that timetable holds, next year’s home games will be at the new complex.

Todd Wagner, along with fellow entrepreneur Mark Cuban, founded Broadcast.com, a pioneer Internet radio company that was purchased by Yahoo! in 1999. He and Cuban also co-own the media group 2929 Entertainment.

Kelly said he laid out his vision for the school to the Wagners, and being down-to-earth people, they were receptive and eager to help. For him, the hard part was making the public announcement once the deal was done.

“To be honest, I was probably more nervous about that than meeting with the Wagners,” Kelly explained. “Just because I knew it was such a big announcement for the school, and I really wanted to make sure people were excited.”

When he took the field at halftime with a row of cheerleaders behind him, his words were met with plenty of excitement and loud applause from fans. And, in perhaps another good sign, Kelly’s Patriots won the game, 22-18. They’re currently 3-0 on the season.

The Phase II field project will get underway while Phase I is still under construction. The first project, a $3.5 gymnasium and facility, is currently on schedule and should be completed by early March of next year. It will include space for the athletic director, a weight room, three volleyball courts, two basketball courts and seating for 500 fans.

There’s also the business of raising the final $500,000 for Phase II, and Kelly is very confident about the school’s prospects in that area.

Kelly said the Wagners’ gift will encourage other families to be involved, and he expects to see increased interest in others being part of the project.

For now, entering his eighth year at Carrollwood Day School and third in the role of head of school, Kelly can finally look forward to a true home-field advantage for his teams next year.

“It’s outstanding. It’s even hard to put into words how exciting it is,” he said.

Published September 23, 2015

The Laker/Lutz News wins 15 awards

September 23, 2015 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Laker/Lutz News received 15 awards for advertising design and photography at the annual conference of Community Papers of Florida in Orlando Sept. 18 and Sept. 19.

This photograph of an elementary school student, taken by Fred Bellet, recently received an award from Community Papers of Florida at its conference in Orlando. (Fred Bellet/Photos) — This photograph of an elementary school student, taken by Fred Bellet, recently received an award from Community Papers of Florida at its conference in Orlando.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

The advertising design and production team of Stefanie Burlingame and Diane Kortus teamed up to receive one award; Burlingame and Carolyn Bennett paired up to receive two awards; Burlingame snared four awards on her own; an agency-produced ad was honored and The Laker/Lutz News received an award for a holiday theme page with multiple ads. All together, the newspaper received three first-place, four second-place and two third-place advertising awards. Advertisers from local businesses whose ads were recognized include J. Joseph’s Salon, ME Hobbies, Harder Law Group, City Grill Sports Bar, Jan’s Wine and Boos II, Victory Lane Motorcars and Connerton.

The photography and layout team of Fred Bellet and Matt Mistretta received four awards and Bellet snared two more. The awards included three for first place, two for second place and one for third place.

This photograph was part of a photo spread taken by Fred Bellet that was honored by Community Papers of Florida. It was taken at Pasco-Hernando State College.

Winning photo spreads included a profile of Tibetan Monks at Pasco-Hernando State College and World War II veterans at a Memorial Day event in Zephyrhills. Individual photos honored were of a skydiver competition in Zephyrhills, an elementary school student and a WWII plane.

There were 573 entries submitted in the 2015 Awards of Excellence competition sponsored by Community Papers of Florida, an industry association made up of free community newspapers and magazines.

Published September 23, 2015

Land O’ Lakes revives Rotary Club

September 23, 2015 By B.C. Manion

The Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes used to operate independently.

Then, the club merged with the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon, and now the Land O’ Lakes group has become a satellite club of the Wesley Chapel group.

As the Land O’ Lakes group gains strength, it plans to become a stand-alone club again, said Terri Dusek, who chairs the committee for the current satellite group.

Jodie Sullivan and Colleen Beaudoin are having a good time at the kick off celebration of the Land O’ Lakes satellite club of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club. (Photos courtesy of Terri Dusek) — Jodie Sullivan and Colleen Beaudoin are having a good time at the kick off celebration of the Land O’ Lakes satellite club of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club.
(Photos courtesy of Terri Dusek)

The group wants to function as a Land O’ Lakes club because it recognizes needs within the Land O’ Lakes community, and it wants to play a role in helping to meet them, Dusek said.

For instance, one idea is to provide some outdoor musical instruments that can be used by both children and adults at the new playground at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, said Sandy Graves, a member of the satellite club.

That’s just an idea at this point, but it could become one of the club’s projects in the future, she said.

The Land O’ Lakes group also would like to take over the duties of serving a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day at the Keystone Community Church, on State Road 54 near U.S. 41, Dusek said.

“The reason it’s a ‘Why now’ to be quite honest with you is because when I joined the Rotary, I thought I was joining the Land O’ Lakes Rotary, and then I found out I was joining the Wesley Chapel Rotary because they had merged,” Dusek said.

She didn’t have a problem with it, but she realized that the service projects the club was doing were in Wesley Chapel, she said.

Harry Wright, also known as Hungry Harry, is ready to greet people at the Land O’ Lakes satellite Rotary Club gathering on Sept. 18.

That made sense, because that’s where the club met, but she felt there were needs in Land O’ Lakes that a Land O’ Lakes club could address.

“We feel there’s plenty to do in Land O’ Lakes,” Graves agreed.

As the economy improves, the women thought it made sense to revive the service club.

“I think we needed to re-energize,” Graves said.

So far, the group has about 20 members, but it hopes to attract more, Dusek said.

Joining the group costs about $1,000 each year. That covers the weekly breakfasts, and a portion goes the Rotary Foundation and to Rotary International, she said.

The group’s goals are still being formulated.

And, while it builds strength, it will continue to be a satellite of the Wesley Chapel Rotary, Dusek said.

“We have the support of the Wesley Chapel group, which has a little bit over 100 members now. If we need assistance, or we need help from them, they’re like our mother club, and they will give us assistance,” Dusek said.

“They help us get off the ground, until we’re solid. Then we can charter our own new club, if we so choose to at that time,” she added.

“It’s just a great organization,” Dusek said.

“If you are looking to feel good by spreading the love and helping other people, that’s really what Rotary is all about. ‘Service above self.’ That’s our motto,” she said.

The Land O’ Lakes group meets on Fridays at 8 a.m., at the Lake Padgett Estates East Clubhouse, at 4533 Savanah Way. It is right off Collier Parkway in Lake Padgett Estates East.

The meetings include breakfast served by Lake Padgett Bistro.

For more information, contact Dusek at (813) 340-7973 or .

Published September 23, 2015

Cheval Cares 5K battles pediatric cancer

September 23, 2015 By Michael Murillo

When the Peck family joined the Cheval Athletic Club, their daughter Callie was 2.

They took an immediate interest in the community’s Cheval Cares 5K event to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

It wasn’t just a good cause. It was personal.

Callie Peck survived leukemia, and her entire family participates in Cheval's annual 5K to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. (Courtesy of Vividivity) — Callie Peck survived leukemia, and her entire family participates in Cheval’s annual 5K to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
(Photos courtesy of Vividivity)

“When we joined there a few years back, (Callie) was bald. It was no surprise to anybody that she had cancer,” recalled Callie’s mother, Amber Peck.

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Callie had to endure frequent trips to hospitals, spinal taps and surgeries. For lengthy periods, she endured chemotherapy treatments daily.

Just a toddler, she received treatment for more than two years. And despite the challenges, the Pecks consider themselves fortunate.

“We were actually very lucky in the fact that the cure rate for her type of leukemia was greater than 90 percent,” Peck explained. “Seeing the other children in the hospital, their diagnoses were a lot more devastating. We had everything quickly put in perspective for us. All of a sudden, we felt fortunate.”

Callie is now well past her treatments. Her chemotherapy ended last April, and she now just has monthly blood tests to check for recurrences or side effects. But her family is still active in the community’s 5K event. The Fourth Annual Cheval Cares 5K will be on Sept. 26 at 8 a.m., at the Cheval Athletic Club, 4142 Cheval Blvd., in Lutz.

Callie, now 6, will be part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony to begin the race, while her brothers, Gavin and Cole, and her parents, Amber and Scott, participate in the 5K.

Lindsay Whitney helped create the 5K and used to work at the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The Cheval resident still serves as event director for the event, which raised around $25,000 last year. Her time at the foundation put her in close touch with families going through the emotional challenges of childhood cancer.

“It’s been a big passion of mine, knowing the families that have been affected and being part of their lives,” Whitney said. “I’ve been on many hospital visits and funerals, but also end-of-chemotherapy parties, graduation parties and birthday parties.”

For the Peck family-- Amber, Scott, Gavin, Cole and Callie -- the 5K is an annual tradition. — For the Peck family– Amber, Scott, Gavin, Cole and Callie — the 5K is an annual tradition.

She hopes the money raised for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s research will lead to more of the happier occasions. The foundation focuses on research, fast-tracking treatments and launching clinical trials in the hopes of developing effective options quickly.

Speeding up the process of finding effective treatments helps with more than just the obvious health concerns. Families dealing with childhood cancer face other stresses and challenges the public might not consider, Whitney said.

So much time is spent on appointments and treatments that parents sometimes have to quit their jobs to manage care properly. That adds financial and emotional strain to an already difficult process.

The race itself has a cap of 450 runners due to the logistics of having the event at Cheval.

So, they’ve come up with some new ways to raise money. On Sept. 23, an Italian buffet dinner will be served at the Cheval Golf and Country Club, 4312 Cheval Blvd., from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. The cost is $16.99 for adults, with $5 of that amount going to Cheval Cares.

The event has set a goal of nearly $30,000 for this year, Whitney said. And, she hopes they’ll reach both their runner cap and fundraising goal, because childhood cancer is something that thousands of families face each year.

According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, nearly 16,000 people between the ages of birth and 19 years old are diagnosed with cancer in the United States each year. One in every 285 people will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20.

And cancer isn’t picky about who it attacks, Whitney said.

“That’s the thing that we always say: Cancer knows no bounds in terms of money, ethnicity, race, gender, whatever it is. It doesn’t seem to matter,” she said.

The annual 5K race matters to many people in Cheval and in the surrounding areas, including the Pecks. While Callie participates every year, Amber would love to see her join the rest of the family and actually take part in the 5K at a future event.

“The day that she’s actually running will be very meaningful for us,” she said.

The cost for the race is $30 for adults, and $20 for children 12 and younger. Each participant receives a T-shirt and goodie bag.

Registration for the race is available on the website through Sept. 24. After that, those not living in Cheval can register in person at the Cheval Athletic Club on Sept. 25 from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. On the day of the race, registration is only open to Cheval residents, but donations can still be made on the website.

The 5K event also will include an activity area for children, with a bounce house, face painting and balloon animals.

For more information, visit ChevalCares5K.com, or email .

Published September 23, 2015