Local News

Company shares secrets behind festive Christmas lights

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Every year, sometime around July, Melissa Christensen will start fielding inquiries from businesses seeking estimates on decking out their businesses with holiday lights.

Melissa Christensen holds a ball of holiday lights, which is easier to wrap around trees. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The Lutz woman, who calls herself “The Christmas Light Girl,” works with a crew of up to eight guys, all who have holiday light installations down to a science. The company consists of Christensen, her fiancé Jarrett Lane, his relatives and a friend. They’re busy each year from early November through mid-December.

Christensen can quote jobs ranging from small homes to mansions, from the St. Pete Museum of Fine Arts to Bartow Ford — anywhere around the Tampa Bay area, including Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Over the years, the installers have learned the tricks of the trade. When planning a lighting display, for example, it’s important to think about the scale of the job, Christensen said. A big tree, for instance, requires more lights, decorations and extension cords.

When figuring out how many lights are needed for a roofline, it’s important to keep in mind the various setbacks on the roof, she said.

It’s also essential to have enough extension cords and timers for each job. It’s easy to underestimate the number of timers that are needed to achieve the desired effect, she said.

At a house the company decks out each year in Odessa, for instance, the job requires nine timers.

While some people use multicolored lights, others prefer clear ones. One winning look involves clear lights, combined with splashes of color for effect, Christensen said.

Her company uses that approach on palm trees. It wraps the trunks in clear lights and then uses a green band of lights at the top of trunk, just below the fronds.

The average tree requires 150 feet to 200 feet of lights. Trying to deck out the fronds can get a bit pricey, Christensen explained.

“Fronds tend to get expensive because you usually have to have a lift. So, the green band on top is a good alternative to getting your color on your palms,” she said.

It’s a good idea to shop around for lights because prices can vary widely, Christensen said. Decorating trees can go anywhere from $50 to $250, depending on the type and size of tree.

Commercial light strands are available at places like Lowe’s and Home Depot, but also can be purchased online. The strands are typically 132 feet for incandescent lights, and 67 feet for light-emitting diodes.

“LEDs are just a spot of light,” Christensen said. “They do not glow or illuminate. If you really want illumination, then you need to stick with the incandescents.”

However, the LEDs do have one big advantage: They last longer.

It’s also important to expect lights to fail.

“It’s usually one of two things: Either you’re missing a bulb, or the squirrel chewed through the wire,” she said. To help spot outages, Christensen’s company uses “stay lits.” If a light goes out, she loses half of the strand, which helps her identify the problem spot.

To help prevent failures, she recommends taping over extension cord plugs to keep water from seeping in. She also said it’s advisable to alert landscaping crews, so they turn off the sprinklers and avoid running equipment over cords.

It’s also a good idea to tape down any cords that are running across walkways, to prevent a tripping hazard.

For those decorating a tree, Christensen does offer a tip: Roll the strand of lights into a ball. Then unroll it as the tree is wrapped the tree.

“It saves a lot of time. It makes it a lot more manageable,” she said. “It allows you to keep your lines tight. It makes it easier than trying to pull the wire through each time you go around.”

Installing lights keeps the company busy for about six solid weeks, Christensen said, but she enjoys the work.

She also delights in seeing a finished job.

“Lights are awesome,” she said.

Contempo students ready to dance for Rockettes

December 4, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The Rockettes have high-kicked their way on dance stages around the world since 1925. And for the first time in seven years, they’ll bring their famous precision dance moves to Tampa’s Straz Center.

Contempo School of Dance instructor Kathleen Beach runs the dancers through the routine planned for their Rockettes performance on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28. Joining her are Omar Brito, Madison Blocher, Sydney Bruen, Caleigh Hayes and Kelsey Bognar. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Before they take the stage Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, however, they’ll have an opening act filled with faces many should recognize: a team from Contempo School of Dance on State Road 54 in Lutz.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance for us to dance,” said school founder Lani Gunn.

The team had just five weeks to learn their routine, which lasts a little more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds, using music provided by The Rockettes. It will involve 32 dancers in all, who will not only take the stage to tease The Rockettes’ performance — but they will have front row seats for the main attraction as well.

Most, if not all, of the students performing that holiday weekend will watch The Rockettes for the first time. And that includes Gunn.

“I have their DVD. I’ve just never seen them in person,” she said.

The school caught the attention of the New York City Dance Alliance, a dance convention group founded in 1993, through its success at various competitions. The alliance will earn a portion of the ticket proceeds for its scholarship fund to help get dancers into school by anyone who purchases their ticket with the promotional code “NYCDA9.”

The teams get just one hour a week to practice together, but they’re also spending a few good hours each week practicing on their own at home.

“The steps that they are learning, they have learned over the years,” Gunn said. “It’s not like they can just learn it in five practices.”

Which means for all the dancers, this was a performance years in the making. Erika Hanzelka has danced at Contempo since 2007.

“My friend just told me to start coming here, and I loved it so much, I started to take more and more classes every year,” the 11-year-old said.

Other members of her team have been dancing even longer, like Whitney Herd, 12, who started at Contempo when she was 2 years old as part of the studios’ “Mommy and Me” program.

“I always find myself doing tap dances around my house,” Herd said. “With dance, you can express your emotions and kind of let go. And (Contempo) is a place where you can dance and have fun.”

Dancers just get addicted to it, Gunn said.

“When they are 3, they go once a week,” she said. “And then after that, they want to try some other form, and some other one after that. Many of these kids take between 8 to 10 classes a week.”

The Rockettes are performing as part of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular running from Dec. 12 through Dec. 29 at the center’s Carol Morsani Hall. This is the highest-profile venue yet for Gunn’s studio, which has operated in Lutz for the last 19 years.

“We do competitions, and dance at Busch Gardens and Disney, but never at that big stage at the Straz,” Gunn said.

For more information on The Rockettes show, visit StrazCenter.org. To learn more about Contempo, visit ContempoDance.com.

Prize-winning writer draws on diverse experiences

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Jeff Wilson never pictured himself as a novelist.

An avid reader and writer for his entire life, the New Tampa man viewed himself as a short story writer. As someone who has pursued many different career paths in life, Wilson honestly didn’t think he had the attention span to develop an idea into a full-length novel.

He knows now — as he launches into his sixth novel — that, for him, writing a book is actually easier than writing a short story. A novel gives him more time and space to develop the characters he creates, he explained.

Recently, his novel “The Donors” received a Gold Medal in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror category in the Military Writers Society of America’s Book Awards. His 246-page book fuses elements of horror, medical suspense and the supernatural.

The award is especially meaningful because it comes from authors who have an appreciation for the sacrifices and dedication that the men and women in the military demonstrate through their service, Wilson said. That’s even more meaningful for him after two tours of duty in Iraq, with the U.S. Marines and with the Joint Special Operations Task Force.

Wilson’s writing draws on his diverse life experiences. He has worked as an actor, a firefighter, a paramedic, a diving instructor and a vascular surgeon.

He was in the Navy from 1998 until 2012 and was deployed to Iraq in 2005 with the 2nd Marine expeditionary force as part of a forward surgical team supporting combat operations in Western Iraq.

After that, he was recruited to Naval Special Warfare, where he made multiple deployments as part of a Joint Special Operations Task Force. He transitioned to the reserves in 2008 and remained a reserve until leaving the Navy four years later.

Wilson’s other published books are “The Traiteur’s Ring” and “Fade to Black.” The publisher is Journalstone Publishing of San Francisco, an independent book publisher that specializes in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres.

Wilson now hopes a major publishing house will pick up his work.

His agent, Talcott Notch Literary Services president Gina Panettieri, is now shopping his book, “Julian’s Numbers,” to various publishers.

Meanwhile, Wilson continues to write. He recently wrapped up his fifth book, “War Torn.” Unlike Wilson’s other books, “War Torn,” has no supernatural element.

“It’s about a young man and a young woman and the effects that war has on them,” Wilson said. “He’s a member of the National Guard. They’re in their mid-20s. She’s very active in her church. He and his best friend are in this guard unit that’s deployed to Afghanistan.”

The soldier becomes passionate about religion, through the influence of his best friend who becomes his spiritual mentor. When his friend is subsequently killed in front of him, he begins to question everything, Wilson said.

“So he comes home, like most of us, a mess. He doesn’t know if he even believes in God anymore. His marriage is strained,” Wilson said.

The book recounts the soldier’s journey back from war.

“Like all of my books, there’s a lot of me in that book,” Wilson said.

Now, Wilson is working on his sixth book, a collaborative project with another author, Brian Andrews.

Wilson said much of what he has learned about writing has come through trial and error and from being a voracious reader. He doesn’t map out his books in advance.

“When I write, it’s like watching a movie. I can’t wait to write again because I want to find out what’s going to happen.” Wilson said. “As I write, I’ll write a chapter at a time.”

As he finishes one chapter, he includes brief descriptions at the bottom summarizing elements of future chapters. The more the book progresses, the more future chapter summaries Wilson will include.

“I generally don’t know how the book ends until maybe the last 50 pages,” he said.

Wilson doesn’t devote full time to writing. He works part-time in medicine and also does contract work for the U.S. Department of Defense.

He typically writes five days a week, for a couple hours at a stretch. He said he’s found that his writing is more effective when he works in concentrated bursts.

And, even though he has a room in his home that was specifically set aside for his writing, Wilson tends to do most of his work at Starbucks or Barnes & Noble. He does that to discipline himself. If he’s at home and his kids — Jack, Emma and Connor — are there, he would rather spend time with them than work on his writing, Wilson said. He is married to Wendy, an adjunct faculty member at the University of Tampa.

Wilson isn’t the only one who enjoys writing. His son Connor told him one day that he would like to write a story. Wilson said he encouraged him to do so, and much to his surprise, his son wrote a 45-page book, which was picked up by a publisher in Chicago.

Since then, Connor, now 13, has made appearances with his book, “A Giant Pencil,” and has even made joint book signings with his dad.

For more information about Jeffrey Wilson, visit www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com. To learn more about Connor Wilson, visit www.thegiantpencil.com.

‘First Friday’ food truck rally debuts this week

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

People who want to grab a bite to eat can check out a new option this Friday at the Lutz First Friday Food Truck Rally.

The event will be he first Friday of every month, said Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition.

Food trucks like this will gather on the first Friday of each month at the Lutz First Friday Food Truck Rally. The idea is to provide a community gathering spot, while raising money for the Lutz Citizens Coalition and Lutz Preparatory School. (Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally)

The coalition and Lutz Preparatory have partnered to put on the event, which will raise money for the school and the citizens coalition. It runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 6, at Lutz Preparatory School, 17951 N. U.S. 41.

“It’s just going to be a good time,” White said. “Come enjoy some good company and relax. It’s no cooking. No dishes. No hassles.”

He thinks the food truck rally will become part of a local tradition, as families who are headed to football games, ballet recitals and other events will stop to grab a bite to eat. The money raised from the event will go to support the U.S. 41 tree project, cleanups on Sunset Lane, and other efforts by the coalition to help protect the quality of life in Lutz, White said.

The food truck rally will offer patrons plenty of choices, said Michael Blasco, chief executive officer of Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally. It will feature a dozen food trucks offering such options as gourmet hot dogs, Cajun food, flatbread, cheesesteaks, pressed sandwiches, South American and Italian fusion, and, of course, desserts.

“It’s like traveling the world,” Blasco said.

The food truck rally is just one of the events happening in Lutz this month. The community will also have its final celebration to mark its 100th year: The Lutz Centennial Christmas Card Lane.

That is set to run from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 17 on the Train Depot grounds at the corner of U.S. 41 and Lutz Lake Fern Road.

Lutz and Maniscalco elementary schools will provide entertainment with Lutz Guv’na Suzin Carr acting as emcee.

The evening also includes the lighting of the Christmas tree and an appearance by Santa.

Organizers are encouraging attendees to bring a blanket and lawn chairs.

Any Lutz resident, business, club or organization that wants to display a Christmas card can make one using either a quarter-inch plywood or 10mm Corex, the material that is used to make white yard sale signs.

Anyone who would like to participate should bring the card to Lutz Memorial Park, which is across the street from the Train Depot, between 8:30 a.m. and noon on Dec. 14. Boy Scout Troop 12 will set up the card.

For more information about Centennial Christmas Card Lane, call (813) 949-1937.

For more information about the food truck rally, call Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally at (813) 464-5600.

Food pantry ‘blessed’ to provide for those in need

December 4, 2013 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The big red building on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard might not fetch more than a causal glance from some passersby, but many who step through the doors say it’s a place where blessings are granted regularly.

The nonprofit food pantry located just south of Ehren Cutoff has been helping feed area families in need since 1987. Although not always situated in its current 5514 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., home, the agency has grown through the years to meet the needs of the community.

Mike Head packs grocery bags for clients of Christian Social Services. (Photo by Sherri Lonon)

Holding true to its Christian roots, the pantry has very few rules for those who receive assistance. Individuals or families in need just need to stop by during regular hours to receive emergency food staples. Help is given on an honor system, explained Jacquie Petet, the agency’s executive director.

While tons of food goes out of the agency’s doors each month to hundreds of families in need, Petet said the community always steps up to make sure the food doesn’t run out.

“We are blessed,” she said, noting that 12 area churches and their congregations assist in keeping the pantry’s shelves stocked. Area residents also lend a hand by donating nonperishable food items, money and extras, such as presents for children during the holidays and backpacks at back-to-school time.

Christian Social Services also is partially self-supporting thanks to an onsite thrift store that’s open to the public.

Even though support for the mission is strong, Petet said additional help is always welcomed and needed. The last few years especially have been difficult with the economy down and donations to regular food drives, such as the postal carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger drive, down with it.

Before the economy turned a few years ago, the postal drive brought enough food into the pantry to handle demand for months. That’s no longer the case, Petet said.

“The last few years, it’s been substantially down,” she said.

There are many ways area residents can help out, said Llurah Utt, a longtime volunteer at Christian Social Services. Not only can they donate food, money or even items for the thrift store, but volunteers are always needed as well.

“We always welcome people that want to volunteer,” Utt said.

Christian Social Services operates its pantry and community thrift store with the help of three full-time employees — including Petet — and two part-time workers. About 20 volunteers fill in the gaps to make sure shelves are stocked, items are sorted, and bags of food are prepared for those in need.

“Our volunteers are a hundred times better than most people’s employees,” Petet said.

Employee Mike Head said the agency has been a godsend to his family and he’s been “blessed” to help others in return. Head began working at Christian Social Services several years ago after he was laid off from a full-time cable installer job.

While Mike now works at the agency, his wife Bobbi and two children, Bianka, 8, and Bryan, 10, are often at his side volunteering to help other families facing difficult times.

“It’s nice to be able to instill that,” Head said of giving back.

Christian Social Services’ pantry and thrift store are open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit CSS-HelpingHands.org, or call (813) 995-0088.

— Sherri Lonon

Thousands expected at arts and crafts festival at Lake Park

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Every year, for the past three decades, the Lutz Arts & Crafts Festival has attracted thousands to this community north of Tampa.

Vendors display their wares at the annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Festival. (Photo courtesy of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club)

The event, Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 at Lake Park, 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, features nearly 250 vendors offering paintings, photography, jewelry, woodcarving, ceramics, pottery, stained glass, quilts and food.

The event, co-sponsored by the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, is free after a $2 per vehicle parking charge.

The art show is juried, with cash prizes awarded by the Woman’s Club.

A variety of foods will be available, with the Woman’s Club booth offering breakfast items, hot dogs and the club’s peach cobbler. Other food booths will offer barbecue, Cuban selections sausages, funnel cakes and other items.

The event gives shoppers a chance to peruse booths to find holiday gifts and décor. It also raises money for the Woman’s Club, which uses the proceeds to support many local organizations, said Phyllis Hoedt, co-chairwoman of the festival.

It’s a popular event, attracting as many as 30,000 visitors.

The show enjoys a good reputation, and vendor booths sell out shortly after applications become available each March, Hoedt said. Many of the event’s vendors come from other states to set up their tents at the festival.

Pulling off the annual event requires an army of volunteers, Hoedt said. The Civil Air Patrol, the Boy Scouts and the Woman’s Club itself provide dozens of helpers, and community volunteers pitch in, too.

For additional information, call Hoedt at (813) 949-1937, or her co-chairwoman, Shirley Simmons at (813) 949-7060.

Music icon Charlie Daniels making fundraising stop in Pasco

December 4, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Charlie Daniels may play a mean fiddle, but how is he with a shotgun?

The Grand Ole Opry legend is making his annual trip back to the Tampa Bay area, once again to raise money for The Angelus — a group home in Hudson. But this time, his fundraising tour is going to include Land O’ Lakes.

Country music star Charlie Daniels stops to visit a moment with Gene, one of the residents of The Angelus. Daniels is making a stop in Land O’ Lakes this weekend to help raise money for the nonprofit. (Photo courtesy of The Angelus)

The Charlie Daniels Sporting Clay Shootout is scheduled for Dec. 7 at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays, 10514 Ehren Cutoff. It will not only include Daniels, but some of his other celebrity friends like the stars of Discovery’s “The Deadliest Catch,” as well as R.J. Molinere Jr., and Jay Paul Molinere from “Swamp People” on History.

And a former Tampa Bay Buccaneer player or two could show up as well.

“It’s just going to be a lot of fun,” said Tammy Williams, who has helped organize events like this for The Angelus for more years than she cares to share. “All of this is for an amazing cause, as we can use every dollar we raise this weekend.”

The residential facility set on 17 wooded acres in Pasco County was designed for the severely handicapped — all 32 of its residents are wheelchair-bound. It has five group homes, a day program, a wood shop, a pool, miniature horses, and even a rustic log cabin known as “Charlie’s Lodge” after Daniels himself.

“Everyone has a different story,” Williams said. “We have quite a few whose parents are just too old to take care of them anymore, and others who just need specialized care they couldn’t get anywhere else.”

The facility has operated on some government subsidies, but that has dwindled over the years to where private donations are more crucial than ever. And while the number of residents might seem low, it takes up to 80 employees to keep The Angelus functioning, providing much-needed around-the-clock care.

“While the state is cutting your money, they are continually raising their standards on what you have to do as a facility,” Williams said. “We have no problem giving our residents the best care, but all of it costs money.”

Daniels, who is probably best known for his songs like “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” first learned about The Angelus 23 years ago. He was asked to help raise a little bit of money for the facility, and he just never stopped.

Skip Schaer had the same problem. He owns Schaer Development of Central Florida Inc., a site development company located on Hunt Road, just off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes. It started with his son volunteering for the organization more than 16 years ago, and the next thing he knew, Schaer himself had become involved — working his way right up into the organization’s board of directors.

While it was always nice to know Daniels would make the trip to Florida to help The Angelus each year, it wasn’t until Schaer saw him in action during a Sunday service on one of his visits that he truly understood the singer’s devotion to the organization.

“He brought some of the celebrities with him, and everyone was waiting for him at Charlie’s Lodge,” Schaer said. “He walked in the door, and without saying a word to anybody, he went to each one of the kids to speak with them. They would take his face into their hands, and he would just continue, one after another, talking with every single one of them.”

Charlie’s Lodge was built in 1999 with the help of more than 600 volunteers, and has been a quiet refuge for residents and employees alike at The Angelus.

Although the Charlie Daniels event originated in Pasco County, in recent years it has moved south to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa. That’s where Daniels and others will perform Saturday night.

But with The Angelus and the weekend fundraiser roots in Pasco, Schaer looked for an opportunity to bring it back. And shooting clays in Land O’ Lakes seemed like the perfect opportunity.

“We are hoping that we have a lot of local folks who will come out and support us here in their own backyard,” Schaer said. “Charlie and everyone else will be there, and they are all very hands-on. They never have a problem posing for pictures or signing autographs.”

But shooting slots are already filling up, even at $150 for an individual or $600 for a four-person team.

For more information on the shootout or any of the other events planned around Daniels’ visit, go to TheAngelus.com, or call Tammy Williams at (727) 243-8293.

East Pasco students to have more educational options

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Students on the county’s east side will have a broader range of educational options beginning next school year as Pasco County Schools initiates Cambridge education programs at Pasco Middle and Pasco High schools.

An international program that offers students the opportunity to earn college credits is being introduced at Pasco Middle and Pasco High schools next year. A large crowd of parents and students turned out to find out more about the program at a recent information meeting. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The programs, which are known for their academic rigor, will be housed at those two schools, but will also be open through school choice to students from Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel high schools, and also to students from Centennial, Stewart and Weightman middle schools.

Students who successfully pass the examinations attached to the Cambridge program can earn up to 45 college credits at Florida public universities. Those achieving the Cambridge diploma will qualify for the highest award available in the state’s Bright Futures Scholarship program.

Pasco educators believe that students who complete the Cambridge course of study will be better prepared to succeed in college.

The University of Cambridge launched the program more than 150 years ago, beginning with 370 candidates in seven British cities. Now it has more than 8 million diploma candidates in more than 160 countries.

A large crowd of parents and students attended a recent information session at Pasco Middle to find out more about the programs.

“We wanted to bring a rigorous program to these kids in the east side of the county,” Pasco Schools superintendent Kurt Browning said. “This is an established program.”

Students have the opportunity to earn college credits that will result in substantial savings in tuition costs, but they’ll have to apply themselves to make that happen, Browning said.

“They’re going to have to work. They’re going to have to work hard,” he said.

Another information session about the Cambridge option is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 6 p.m., in the media center at Wesley Chapel High, 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

The program, known formally as Cambridge International Examinations, offers the opportunity to earn an Advanced International Certificate of Education. It is offered through the University of Cambridge International Examinations, a division of the Cambridge, England, school.

The program seeks to develop learners who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged.

To apply for the Pasco programs, students must:

• Have a score of Level 3 or above on reading and math on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

• Submit two teacher recommendations.

• Have an unweighted grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

• Complete a 300- to 500-word essay.

The application deadline is Jan. 31.

Pasco Middle will house the Lower Secondary Program, which is designed to prepare students to continue onto Cambridge course work at Pasco High.

“We were very impressed with the Cambridge schools that we went to go see,” Kim Anderson, principal at Pasco Middle, told the audience at the recent information session. “The students that we saw in these programs were outstanding. They were thinking, at times, far above some of the adults in the room.”

The program offers academic rigor, much like the district’s International Baccalaureate program offered at Land O’ Lakes and Gulf high schools, but offers students more flexibility, district officials said. The program requires students to pass six exams to receive a diploma. Three of those exams must be in each of the program’s study areas, but the student gets to choose the other three.

In the IB program, five of the six required exams must be taken in specific study areas.

Because of its flexibility, students should have no problem taking electives and participating in extracurricular activities, such as band, officials said.

Students are also able to get college credits for single courses, if they pass the exams, even if they do not take enough of the courses to get a diploma.

The program will begin next year, with students entering sixth grade through 10th grade eligible to take part. The district will provide transportation to students in participating schools.

District officials said they’re going to wait until the applications are in before determining how large the programs will be.

To learn more about the Cambridge program, contact:
Jenny Borders at Pasco Middle School:

Business Digest 12-04-13

December 4, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Sponsors sought for barbecue event
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is still seeking sponsors for January’s Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues event, which raises money for local youth leadership and education programs.
The event itself takes place at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave., in Zephyrhills, Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It includes food, music, a car and motorcycle show, a business expo, and more.
For more information on how to sponsor by Dec. 5, call the chamber at (813) 782-1913.

Ryland Tampa named Builder of the Year
The Tampa Bay Builders Association recently honored the Tampa division of Ryland Homes with its Homebuilder of the Year award.
The award is based on sales and marketing practices, as well as year-round civic, community and charitable work. The winner is selected from the TBBA’s membership.
Ryland Homes in Tampa currently builds new homes in 15 communities around Tampa Bay.

Wesley Chapel chiropractor partners with Gainesville MC
Gainesville Medical Centers is now working with Cypress Creek Chiropractic & Wellness in Wesley Chapel, adding the local venue to other locations around the state.
The medical centers test for Florida’s top 60 environmental allergens, as well as up to 300 items, including food, chemicals, pesticides and medicines. They also offer immunotherapy, which helps desensitize patients from environmental allergens.
For more information, call (386) 283-4991, or (352) 505-9355.

Grand opening for Suncoast Schools
Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union recently hosted its grand opening of what it’s describing as an environmentally friendly branch at 32745 Eiland Blvd., in Zephyrhills.
It is the second branch to focus on being environmentally friendly, including light-emitting diode lighting throughout, high-efficiency windows and insulation, geothermal air-conditioning and heating, and 40-kilowatt solar power panels to offset electricity.
The Zephyrhills branch also is expected to use half the electricity of other branches, and the exterior is outfitted with drought-resistant landscaping with drip irrigation where possible.
This is the credit union’s second branch in East Pasco County, joining the one at 12510 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Women-n-Charge meets in December
Women-n-Charge will meet Dec. 6 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.
The meeting includes lunch, a feature speaker, and networking.
Cost is $15 for members in advance, and $18 for guests and any member not buying in advance.
Register at www.Women-n-Charge.com.
For more information, call (813) 600-9848, or email .

KNOW luncheon in Dade City
The Knowledgeable Network of Women from the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will host its next KNOW luncheon Dec. 4 beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Guest speaker is Joy Hampton, district legislative assistant to Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.
The luncheon will take place at Scotland Yard Golf & Country Club, 8900 Wire Road, in Dade City. Cost is $15 for members, and $20 for guests.
For more information, call (813) 782-1913, or email .

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months. The group meets every other week at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.
Here’s the group’s slate of upcoming speakers:
• Dec. 10: Rev. Scott-Eric Lindner, pastor of Atonement Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel
• Jan. 14: Christopher Payne, managing partner of Ryder Payne Capital Inc.
• Jan. 28: Carol Johns, president and chief executive of GIM Associates LLC
• Feb. 11: Cheryl Pollock, business development director for Premier Community HealthCare Group Inc.
• Feb. 25: Regina Etheridge, retired IRS revenue officer

Christmas celebration at East-West Animal Hospital
East-West Animal Hospital, 1524 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Lutz, will host its Christmas celebration Dec. 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The hospital’s mascot, Barley the Opossum, will pose for photos as “Barley Claus.”
A calendar and T-shirts featuring Barley will be sold to help local animal rescue organizations. There also will be food and giveaways.
Barley was the only survivor of a car accident when he was just two weeks old. A former employee of the animal hospital rescued him, and tube-fed him until he could eat on his own.
For more information on the event, visit EastWestAnimalHospital.com, or call (813) 948-6534.

Donations earn spa time
The Planet Beat Contempo Spas in New Tampa, Seven Oaks and Westchase are celebrating the holidays by offering “12 Days of Spa” certificates to anyone who donates a toy valued at more than $10, or canned goods for families in need for Christmas.
Current members will receive a free lotion sample or spa service for their donation.
The “12 Days of Spa” certificate is valued at more than $129, and entitles the bearer to 12 consecutive days of spa services through Jan. 31. The certificates are transferable.
For more information, call (813) 971-9337, or (813) 991-4433.

Dealership helps soldiers for the holidays
Parks Ford, 28739 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, recently wrapped up its Support the Troops drive, which collected items for the military between October and November at the dealership.
Once the drive was over, a Parks Ford team delivered all the items collected, volunteered to help pack boxes, and donated $2,500. The funds help the group with its biggest challenge — paying for shipment of donated items overseas. This particular donation will allow Support the Troops to send up to 70 boxes to military personnel this holiday season.
For more information on how to support the troops during the holiday season, visit OurTroopsOnline.com.

Saint Anthony School builds on optimism

November 27, 2013 By B.C. Manion

There was a time, not many years ago, when the future appeared uncertain for Saint Anthony School in San Antonio.

Attendance had dwindled to 153, and there was talk of shutting down the elementary school.

Sister Alice Ottapurackal is the principal of Saint Anthony School. She is optimistic about its future growth. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

“At that point, when the enrollment was really low, a group of parents rolled up their sleeves and went to work in every way they could (to) get the word out about the school,” said Will Plazewski, whose son represents the fourth generation of his family to attend Saint Anthony. “It was amazing that even though the school has been here for 129 years, how many people in East Pasco County had no idea that it existed.”

Parents spread the word, and a 15-second commercial at the Cobb Grove 16 in Wesley Chapel also helped attract students, he said.

Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the school’s principal, attributes the turnaround to a higher power.

“The enrollment went up — God’s special blessing,” she said. “Truly, I believe, it’s the power of prayer.”

Now, enrollment stands at 213, and prospects for future growth are so bright that ground was broken on Nov. 17 for a new building. The new structure will accommodate 270 students.

Instead of lamenting the closure of a school that enjoys a rich heritage, Saint Anthony School is now celebrating a new chapter in its history. About 200 people turned out for the groundbreaking festivities, Plazewski said.

Construction on the new 17,905-square-foot building is expected to begin Dec. 1, and be ready for use by next fall. The new three-story brick structure will be situated on a space now occupied by five portable classrooms.

Even with the new building, the school will continue to emphasize academic excellence while teaching the Catholic faith, the principal said.

“All day long, we are teaching them about Jesus,” Ottapurackal said. “It is so important, especially nowadays, when you don’t see a lot of support in society about faith.”

Helping children form their faith is fundamental, the principal said.

“Once you have God in you, the other things will come,” Ottapurackal said. “Our focus is on whole child education, not only intellectual, but spiritual, moral, social, (and) emotional aspects of the children.”

Teachers know their students well, the principal added.

“Our teachers are well-connected with them because of the family atmosphere we have here,” she said.

Saint Anthony School serves kindergarten through eighth grade. Tuition is $4,375 for practicing Catholics and $5,075 for others. Since 2000, the school has produced 14 valedictorians and salutatorians at area high schools, Plazewski said.

Parents who are interested in pursuing a Catholic education for their children should not be discouraged by the tuition, Ottapurackal said. Assistance is available in various forms.

“Catholic education should be for any group of people, whether they are rich or poor, regardless of race,” the principal added.

Unlike previous buildings that were constructed on the school campus, this one will be an additional building, not a replacement. The existing brick structure, built in 1922, will remain and will be used for some school functions.

The new building will be the fourth in the school’s history. The current building replaced a two-story structure built in 1899. The original building was a 12-by-24-foot structure constructed in November 1884.

Not only is Saint Anthony School the oldest parochial school in the diocese, it’s also one of the oldest Catholic schools in Florida, Plazewski said.

“It is by far the oldest school in Pasco County of any kind,” he said. “The only thing that’s close to it is Saint Leo University.”

San Antonio was founded in 1882 as a Catholic colony. The following year, a widowed woman named Cecilia Morse moved into the community with her six children.

When she inquired about the school, she was told it could wait until there were more settlers, Plazewski said. Morse reportedly responded that the “minds of the children now here, can’t wait.”

With that, the widow began teaching 14 children, including six of her own, in her kitchen.

Today, Saint Anthony School draws students from San Antonio, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Brooksville, Land O’ Lakes, New Tampa and other communities.

And, its new building sends a clear signal that the school intends to be there for many years to come.