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Learning more about the Moore you know

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Bob Moore is the kind of guy that likes to stay out of the way in the Paradise Lakes home he shares with wife Nancy. He paints, he sculpts. He collects stamps. And he makes regular trips back home to Canada to see his family.

Bob Moore, who retired to Paradise Lakes years ago, shows off a coat of arms he designed for the Regional Cadet Instructor School in Ontario, where he was a commander. This particular copy was signed off and approved by Queen Elizabeth II. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Bob Moore, who retired to Paradise Lakes years ago, shows off a coat of arms he designed for the Regional Cadet Instructor School in Ontario, where he was a commander. This particular copy was signed off and approved by Queen Elizabeth II.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

But Moore, however, has had a tough time staying out of the way of history. He served 39 years with the Canadian armed forces, signing up when he was just 17 just a few years after World War II. And along the way he ensured one Olympic Games in Montreal was properly supplied, and he designed a coat of arms for a military school that was personally signed off by Queen Elizabeth II.

Oh, and he won the Nobel Peace prize, too.

“I was part of one of the first peacekeeping operations in history,” Moore said, not minding at all that he’s shared this story many times before. “We were told that we would join a force of U.N. soldiers three days before Christmas. I barely had time to spend the holidays with my family.”

It was 1956, and Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser had taken control of the Suez Canal, a 120-mile artificial waterway that allows ships to travel between Europe and eastern Asia without having to sail around Africa.

The United Kingdom and France didn’t take the naturalization well, since they had a 100-year lease, and they joined forces with Israel to try and take back the waterway.

The United Nations knew something had to be done to prevent all-out war in the Middle East. So it pulled together military troops from nations that weren’t directly involved in the conflict, like Canada, and sent them in to help calm the situation down.

“We got to Halifax, and we boarded the HMCS Magnificent,” Moore said. “It was an aircraft carrier, but there was no aircraft for this voyage. Instead, the deck was strewn with all this equipment, and about 6,000 soldiers from 11 different countries.”

When the Magnificent arrived at the Suez Canal, Moore said he was shocked at what soldiers found. Nasser had blocked access to the canal by sinking a large number of ships at the entrance.

“I got there and looked from the deck of the aircraft carrier, and counted 36 sunken ships,” Moore said.

He was part of a contingent of troops that made their way across the Sinai Desert, following retreating Israeli forces. The trip was hard through the desert, especially since Israel was destroying roads and buildings on its way back.

The Israelis spared an old British air force base, which Moore camped out in for some time. It was riddled with bullet holes, and did not have much of a roof. At night, it would get cold, so they would use debris from the building to keep the fire going.

“When we ran out of wood there, we ended up burning the chairs we were sitting in,” Moore said.

In 1988, the Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to give its Peace Prize to U.N. Peacekeeping forces. As part of that initial force, Moore received a small medallion celebrating the honor, which was later pinned to him in a ceremony that included Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri.

In his time traveling around the world, Moore picked up five languages, including Swahili, although he still doesn’t feel completely comfortable with French. He raised two sons on his own after his first wife died. Dwayne became a scientist and is now part owner of an environmental company in Maine, while Michael followed his father into the military, and is still there today.

Moore retired in 1991 when he was 57, and almost immediately found a home in Pasco County.

“I was always a nudist, and I was looking for some place where people lived who believed in the same,” Moore said.

He met Nancy while visiting Paradise Lakes from his then New Port Richey home, and they settled into their own condo at Paradise Lakes in 1998.

Moore may have accomplished a lot in his life, but he’s even prouder of what his children and grandchildren have accomplished, including one who just graduated from college.

“You’re nothing without education,” Moore said. “You got to have it, or you’ll be out there digging ditches and painting buildings. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with being a tradesman if that’s what you want to do, but it shouldn’t be what you have to do.”

He doesn’t actively sell his artwork, but if people want it, he’s willing to hear a price. Moore comes from a family with a strong artistic background; many of his siblings are artists, as well. In fact, a portrait painted by his brother featuring his mother and father, that had been on public display for years in Canada, hangs in his front foyer.

“Doing art was just a no-brainer for me,” he said. “It’s a way to express myself, and to share the beauty of the world with the world.”

Getting to know Bob Moore

Who was the world’s most influential military commander?
Alexander the Great was one of the most successful and innovative military leaders of our time. His strategies always surprised his opponents, especially where he was out-numbered and out-gunned.

What song will make you turn up the radio?
Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” or really anything from George Gershwin. But opera always moves me to tears, where I have them splashing down my face.

If you could sit anyone in history for a portrait, who would you pick?
Charles Darwin, because he created an area of science that actually answered all kinds of questions that people never could figure out before.

Published July 16, 2014

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When it comes to helping the homeless, she’s not too proud to beg

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In her previous role, Carol Scheckler delivered warm greetings to people when they dropped in at the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

But she stepped away from her job as administrative assistant at the chamber in May, and has since become president of The Samaritan Project, based in Zephyrhills.

Carol Scheckler, president of The Samaritan Project, said helping the homeless is her passion and mission. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Carol Scheckler, president of The Samaritan Project, said helping the homeless is her passion and mission.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The chamber job, she said, was her paycheck. The Samaritan job doesn’t pay Scheckler a dime.

“Now, I don’t have a paycheck, just a passion and a mission,” Scheckler told members of the East Pasco Networking Group at its July 8 breakfast meeting.

In fact, there are no paid positions in The Samaritan Project organization, she said.

“None of us get anything other than the reward of knowing we are helping some people,” said Scheckler, who became acquainted with the charitable organization when she was working for the chamber.

She learned about it through Tim Mitchell, who was president of the Zephyrhills chamber at the time, and president of The Samaritan Project as well.

“I met a lot of unique people, coming into the office, applying for assistance,” Scheckler said.

She felt compelled to get involved.

“My dad is a minister. I was raised that we were to help those less fortunate,” Scheckler said. “Not to turn our backs on them, not to stereotype them, but to help them.”

The Zephyrhills woman understands how it feels to struggle.

“When my husband and I moved up in 1982, we did it for a reason. We were losing everything,” she said.

Her husband, a semitrailer driver had been through two major gas wars.

“This was our fresh start,” Scheckler said. “That’s why this project is so important to me. I have been there. I know firsthand what it is to lose everything.”

The Samaritan Project has been helping people since 2008. It operates on donations and fundraisers.

“We assist people with past due rent and utilities,” Scheckler said.

The organization keeps its operational costs low.

“We do not pay rent. We have one overhead (cost), that is our Internet, because as you know in this day of technology, everything relies on the Internet.”

The project has spent more than two years in the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Education Building in Zephyrhills in 500 square feet of space, including the bathroom and air-conditioning room.

“My private office is the bathroom,” she said, noting whenever she has to make a private call to a landlord or utility company or somewhere else, she steps into the bathroom to do it.

But the organization is moving to much larger quarters at 5722 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills. Last week, the Samaritan Project signed a two-year lease, rent-free lease for the 1,400-square-foot home, thanks to the generosity of a local couple.

In addition to its own fundraising efforts, the organization received a $76,000 Emergency Solutions Grant earlier this year from the Florida Department of Children and Families and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“With this grant, we are able to get them into housing,” Scheckler said. “We can pay their first month’s rent, we can pay their electric deposit, water deposit, the security deposit.”

There is a drawback, though. The organization must raise matching funds for the grant money it spends, Scheckler said. The grant also requires applicants to fill out a form that’s about 20 pages long.

“We don’t make the rules. We strictly abide by the rules,” she said.

Still, the project is thrilled to be able to help more people, Scheckler said. The grant is aimed at preventing homelessness and getting people without housing back into homes.

Sixty percent of the grant is earmarked for getting people back into housing, she said, and the need is great.

“We had 151 homeless, registered students, just in Zephyrhills,” Scheckler said. At any given time, there are 1,500 to 2,000 registered homeless students in Pasco County.

One of the biggest challenges is finding a place for these people to live thanks to past evictions and credit issues, she said. “Landlords won’t step up.”

“If you know landlords who own property, ask them to trust us,” Scheckler said. “Our organization is backing these people. We follow them for six months. I do a case management every 30 days on everyone that we assist.”

Despite challenges, Scheckler said her volunteer work has moments of sheer joy.

“The biggest thing is, when you walk up to this client and you go, ‘Here’s your lease,’” she said, with her voice breaking and tears in her eyes, “I do get real emotional.”

A couple of weeks ago, the organization moved a young woman and her father into an apartment. The woman has special needs and the pair had been living in a truck.

“Habitat for Humanity stepped up and donated the furniture,” Scheckler said. “When I walked them in the apartment, I told (them), ‘This is yours. This is all yours. The furniture. The TV. Everything.’ How do you put a price on something like that?”

While many youths are couch-surfing to keep a roof over their heads, there also are elderly people who are in desperate need, Scheckler added.

“We have an 87-year-old woman who couldn’t pay her water bill. She was living off of pool water, drinking water out of a pool,” she said. “Did we step up and help her? Absolutely.”

After telling the group about The Samaritan Project’s mission, Scheckler went into her fundraising mode.

“Any of you women in here wear jewelry?” she asked, to set up a pitch for a fundraiser planned for Aug. 10. She also urged them to get involved in the Harvest Festival, another fundraiser on Nov. 1, or to hit the links on Feb. 7, at its annual golf benefit.

Scheckler frequently speaks at churches and civic organizations to drum up support for the cause.

“What we really, really, really need is support of the community,” she said. “Our motto is ‘Working together to make a better community.’ That’s what we want to do.”

And Scheckler said she’ll do whatever she can to make that happen.

“I am not too proud to beg,” she said. “I can cry. I can do whatever it takes.”

For more information
To help The Samaritan Project, based in Zephyrhills, or to get help from the organization, call (813) 810-8670.

Published July 16, 2014

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Pies, cakes raise $1,100 for local Lutz charities

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Picture, if you will, patriotic table settings spread neatly beneath rows of baked pies and cakes in the Lutz Senior Center.

The scent of these treats permeates the building as the contest’s judges and former Lutz Guv’na Suzin Carr bite into the delicious array of desserts.

This pie, baked by Tracy Gaschler, is a 5-pound apple pie from last year’s Centennial celebration in Lutz. She was back again this year, with another 5-pound apple pie. (File Photo)
This pie, baked by Tracy Gaschler, is a 5-pound apple pie from last year’s Centennial celebration in Lutz. She was back again this year, with another 5-pound apple pie.
(File Photo)

That was the scene on the Fourth of July as 44 entries competed in the annual cake and pie contest during the community’s Independence Day celebration.

This year, the auction for the culinary delights raised $1,100 — more than in recent years, said contest coordinator Marilyn Wannamaker.

“I think the contest this year was a success,” Wannamaker said.

Danny Neeley, winner of the men’s only category in the adult division, baked a pineapple upside down cake to honor his father.

Wannamaker didn’t sample any of the sweets, but she had her eye on a couple.

“I would’ve wanted to take a bite out of the chocolate cake or Tracy Gaschler’s apple pie,” Wannamaker said.

She was impressed by the detail of some of the entries. Cate Hancock used white Kit Kats, ribbons and sparklers to create an effect that captured the most patriotic category in the youth division. She also was the Guv’na’s and judge’s favorite.

Wannamaker believes a change this year to create a new category to split younger kids from older kids gave the younger kids a better chance to capture a ribbon.

Wannamaker, who plans to step down from her role as contest coordinator, said she enjoyed this year’s competition.

“I was very honored to have hosted the contest this year,” she said. But Wannamaker hinted that while she may be stepping away for now, it might not be forever.

And the winners are …

Adult Division
Debbie May, best decorated
Wilma Lewis, most patriotic
Shirley Simmons, best tasting
Danny Neeley, men’s only
Tracy Gaschler, best pie tasting
Sharon Brant, Guv’na’s favorite
Wilma Lewis, judge’s favorite

Youth Division
Abigail Brazier, best decorated
Catelyn Payne, best tasting
Cate Hancock, Guv’na’s favorite, judge’s favorite, most patriotic

Children’s Division
Sarah Robison, best decorated, judge’s favorite
Alexander Pramsberger, most patriotic
Lucy Bazin, best tasting

– Ashley Schrader

Published July 16, 2014

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Seeking seniors: Sports group offers fun times, friendship

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Seniors might live a less-active lifestyle than they did when they were younger, but Walt Bockmiller thinks they still have time for softball, golf, tennis, bowling and maybe volleyball.

If not all of those activities, maybe one or two of them.

Whatever sport a senior might enjoy, Walt Bockmiller probably has something on the schedule for them. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Whatever sport a senior might enjoy, Walt Bockmiller probably has something on the schedule for them.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Bockmiller, a Land O’ Lakes resident, started Senior Sports in 2011, and he organizes regular events for older residents that include a wide variety of activities. Whatever people choose to do, there are plenty of benefits in getting out and being active, he said.

“It’s an opportunity for them to get out and start doing something rather than just being home shopping or watching TV,” Bockmiller said. ”It gives them an opportunity to meet people in a different kind of environment.”

Bockmiller began Senior Sports by setting up softball leagues, since many people have some experience with baseball or softball in their youth. That starting point proved extremely popular, and he now has around 90 participants for those games. Counting tennis, bowling and golf, Senior Sports boasts more than 150 participants, and he said that tennis could prove to be the most popular of them all.

While softball is designed for men and women ages 60 and older, the other sports don’t have an age limit. He said players could be in their 40s through their 80s. The oldest softball player turned 90-years-old last month.

At 71 years old himself, Bockmiller might be expected to ease up on his schedule, but it’s simply not in his nature. He worked in recreation and leisure services management, and over his 47-year career, Bockmiller organized several activities, both with and without sports themes.

While he expected the participants to enjoy Senior Sports, he didn’t expect them to have quite as much fun as they’re having. He said people are “finding their smile,” and area residents who normally didn’t get out much are making friends and planning get-togethers off the field or court. Participants often go out to dinner, plan outings to see the Tampa Bay Rays, and even go on cruises together, Bockmiller said.

Senior Sports is about sports, naturally, but without a focus on the competitive side. Instead, Bockmiller keeps the focus on having fun, giving out awards that are earned by good sportsmanship instead of athletic skill. Softball might appeal to more physically fit participants, while bowling is available for those who might not have that level of ability. Or, people can simply sign up to play whatever appeals to them.

The activities are designed to be inexpensive and occur during various dates and times, allowing more seniors to participate. But whether a person plays every available activity or selects their favorite, or simply wants to meet new people, Bockmiller said they’ll come away with some fun memories and good people to share them.

“There are a lot of friends that come out of this stuff. Some of my friends in tennis and golf, especially tennis, are friends for life,” he said. ”There’s a commonality that you have, and because of that you have a lot of laughs over the years. It’s just a lot of fun.”

Co-ed slow-pitch softball is played from September through December, and again from mid-January through mid-April. Golf is played on a variety of courses year-round on Wednesdays. Bowling is played year-round in Lutz on Thursdays. Tennis and volleyball are new to the schedule.

For more information about Senior Sports, contact Bockmiller at (813) 527-8211.

Published July 16, 2014

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Business Digest 07-16-14

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Kaufman joins father’s practice
Dr. Jon Kaufman has joined the Kaufman Eye Institute, which has offices located in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Sun City Center and Bushnell.

He is the son of Stuart Kaufman, the medical director and founder of the institute, and is a Cornell fellowship-trained surgeon.

The younger Kaufman grew up in Tampa, and is a graduate of Berkeley Preparatory School. He earned his bachelor’s degree in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Michigan, and his medical training at Rush Medical College in Chicago.

For information, call (855) 733-2378.

Dental office opens in Wesley Chapel
Drs. Johella Liguori and Sarina Bhole have opened a new dental office, Wiregrass Family Dental Care.

It’s a new full-service dental practice at 2066 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

For information, visit WiregrassFamilyDentalCare.com, or call (813) 528-8797.

Williams moving to Carrollwood
Gary Williams has become the market manager for the Carrollwood office of Bay Cities Bank, ending a long tenure in the Lutz and Land O’ Lakes area.

“My years at the Lutz office have been very rewarding, and I will miss seeing my clients on a weekly basis,” Williams said, in a release. “However, I will continue to be involved in helping the Lutz/Land O’ Lakes communities grow.”

Amy Underwood has been promoted to assistant vice president and market manager. She has been with the bank since 2003.

Nancy Gordon, who has worked both as a manager and a commercial lender, will also turn her focus full-time on commercial lending.

Williams will be based at 14877 N. Dale Mabry Highway, and can be reached at (813) 637-2420.

Dash to speak at Women-n-Charge meeting
Women-n-Charge will meet Aug. 1 at 11:30 a.m. at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive, in Tampa.

The meeting will feature guest speaker Kellye Dash, owner of The Busy Buddy, talking about how to manage email.

Cost is $15 for members who RSVP the Tuesday before the meeting, and $18 for all guests and after the deadline for members.

To register, visit Women-n-Charge.com, or call (813) 600-9848.

Grand opening for CareerSource
CareerSource Pasco Hernando will have a grand opening and ribbon cutting July 16 beginning at 10 a.m. at its new location, 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 303, in Dade City.

It is hosted by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

For information, visit CareerSourcePascoHernando.com.

New builder at Silverado Ranch
Highland Homes has started to offer homes in the Zephyrhills community of Silverado Ranch off Eiland Boulevard.

The homes, which start at $170,000, range in size from 1,508 to 3,315 square feet, between three to five bedrooms, and two to three bathrooms.

For information, visit HighlandHomes.org.

Ribbon-cutting for Nana Jo’s
Nana Jo’s Café, 14748 U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City, will have a grand opening and ribbon cutting July 26 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., hosted by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

The event will include live music by DC Country, barbecue chicken and more.

Cost is $8 for adults, $6 for children.

Wesley Chapel chamber heading to Tuscany
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is planning a nine-day trip to Tuscany, Italy.

The trip is planned to begin Oct. 20, and space is limited.

For information, call (813) 994-8534, or email .

Marketing summit in Tampa
The Tampa Bay Marketing Summit will take place Aug. 8 beginning at 8:45 a.m., at Mainsail Conference Center, 5108 Eisenhower Blvd., in Tampa.

The event is hosted by EMSI in Wesley Chapel, which provides news content for print and online news outlets, as well as television and radio talk shows.

For information, visit TampaBayMarketingSummit.com, or call Marsha Friedman at (727) 443-7115, Ext. 201.

Sheriff: This year’s budget hikes are just the beginning

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Sheriff Chris Nocco knows the additional $6 million he’s asking for to fund the Pasco County Sheriff’s office this year isn’t a small amount. But it’s just the beginning as local law enforcement starts to fall behind neighbors like Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, and even the much smaller Hernando County.

Cpl. Mary Guyer shares some recent crime statistics with Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco. The sheriff has requested an additional $6 million this year, but could be asking for more in coming years, especially as he sets sights on a new district office in the Wesley Chapel/Land O’ Lakes area. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Cpl. Mary Guyer shares some recent crime statistics with Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco. The sheriff has requested an additional $6 million this year, but could be asking for more in coming years, especially as he sets sights on a new district office in the Wesley Chapel/Land O’ Lakes area.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Nocco would prefer his additional funds not be part of any property tax increase, but no matter how the money is raised, his department desperately needs it.

“We’re already preparing for next year, like how many more deputies we’re going to need out on the street,” Nocco told The Laker last week. “Our biggest thing right now is that we have to stop losing members. It’s hurting us, and it’s coming at a very high cost.”

In a workshop last month with the Pasco County Commission, which sets his budget, Nocco said many of his veteran deputies and managers are leaving for better salaries and benefits with neighboring counties. Despite the commission’s attempt to raise salaries in recent years, there just hasn’t been enough money to stop the talent bleed.

Even worse, he said, the technology used by the sheriff’s office is quite outdated, and it’s preventing deputies from providing the level of service Nocco says residents in neighboring counties receive. For instance, a homeowner who has a mailbox knocked over could easily make a report using an online form — if that technology was available to Pasco County residents. Instead, a deputy has to physically go out and make a report, costing valuable time that could be saved otherwise.

Even if the salary and technology problems are addressed, the county still has another problem. Many counties average around 1.3 deputies per every 1,000 residents. In Pasco, that number is below one deputy per thousand. Just to catch up with current populations, Nocco needs 150 new deputies.

With new deputies, he will need a new district office, too, right where the population is growing the most.

“We are going to need many more deputies, and we’re going to need a fourth district in the (State Road) 54 corridor,” Nocco said. “We need to have a stronger presence in the Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel area. Deputies who serve that area right now are based out of Dade City, and there has to be something much closer to serve those needs.”

Many of these issues aren’t even a part of this year’s proposed budget increase, which would bring the sheriff’s office budget close to $100 million.

And elected officials are listening. During a recent workshop, commissioners admitted taxes in Pasco were far too low, affecting the government’s ability to serve its people. With proposed budget increases from other departments needed as well, it seems impossible to keep taxes at the same level they were last year.

“I am for having a better-funded county government,” Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said recently. “Local government is not the same as our federal government, where I think there is a lot of waste. We have no hidden money, we have no extra money. We are all scraping by barely.”

But how much of those extra funds should go into the sheriff’s office is still a question for the commission, which has been weighing Nocco’s request carefully. Public safety may be a key measure to stimulate growth, but so is having a building department that can maintain a seamless working relationship with developers so that major projects, like a new Amazon.com facility, are not lost to neighboring counties, Commissioner Ted Schrader said.

“We want to continue to support public safety, but a lot of our other departments have suffered because of the financial constraints that we have been under,” Schrader said during a workshop last month.

Nocco is convinced the commission will help him with most, if not all, of his budget requests this year. But if the increase was tough to swallow this year, future requests might be even more difficult.

Yet, the sheriff’s office is willing to help in those areas, too, Nocco said. For instance, the call for more code enforcement can actually be handled by a group of volunteers trained and managed by the sheriff’s office.

“We will train them and provide them the tools they need to start writing code enforcement violations and target high-crime areas,” Nocco said. “This will let us focus on areas where abandoned or neglected structures are used over and over again for drug houses and other crime.”

In all, there is a lot more the sheriff’s office can do to help other departments, Nocco said, and soften the impact of potentially higher taxes to residents.

“We are not wasting taxpayer dollars. Instead, we are very efficient,” he said. “I know our commissioners are being pulled in a thousand different directions, but I also think they realize that public safety is a priority.”

Published July 9, 2014

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Don Porter’s vision for Wiregrass Ranch area lives on

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Don Porter, whose vision helped transform ranch land into an urban center in Wesley Chapel, has died. He was 73.

Porter’s family, which owns the sprawling Wiregrass Ranch, sold the land that is now occupied by The Shops at Wiregrass and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The family also donated 60 acres of land for Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, which now occupies about 6 acres of that land.

Members of the Porter family joined Pasco-Hernando State College president Katherine Johnson at the open house and dedication of Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. From left are J.D. Porter, Bill Porter, Johnson, Don Porter and Quinn Miller. (File Photo)
Members of the Porter family joined Pasco-Hernando State College president Katherine Johnson at the open house and dedication of Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. From left are J.D. Porter, Bill Porter, Johnson, Don Porter and Quinn Miller.
(File Photo)

There’s also a high school in the community named after the Porter’s Wiregrass Ranch.

While Porter had a hand in projects of a regional scale, that is not what meant the most to him, said his son, J.D. Porter.

“Out of all of the accomplishments, I think the thing that he was most proud of was his family,” he said. “He wanted to see everyone do well.”

Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri recalls when her colleagues were considering approval of The Shops at Wiregrass. She and Commissioner Jack Mariano supported the request, but they needed a third vote, which came from Commission Ted Schrader.

“I believe that Don’s generous spirit and clear vision made a difference in the Wesley Chapel area, and set the tone for all future development there,” Mulieri said. “Don will be missed. He was a good steward of the land and a southern gentleman.”

Greg Lenners, general manager of The Shops at Wiregrass, said it was easy to see that Porter was a highly respected man in the community.

“He will truly be missed,” said Lenners, who oversees the main-street style shopping mall at the intersection of State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The mall is a popular gathering spot and pulls shoppers and visitors from across the region, especially during the holidays and for special events.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel also issued a statement paying tribute to Porter’s contributions.

“Don Porter’s vision was to transform the Porter Ranch into a Wesley Chapel community centered around family … a community with quality health care, education, and recreation services for its residents,” hospital officials said. “It was wonderful to work with Don and his family to bring that vision to life. The entire Porter family has been very supportive of the hospital and our programs to improve the health and wellness of the entire community.”

Katherine Johnson, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, recalled the first time she met Porter. It was her first day as the college’s president, and she was being introduced around the community. Those introductions included a lunch with Porter at Saddlebrook Resort.

Porter was approachable and she immediately felt at ease, Johnson recalled.

“We clicked. We just clicked,” she said.

At that very first lunch, Porter told Johnson about his vision for higher educational opportunities for students living in the community. The family’s later contribution of 60 acres for the campus played an instrumental role in making that vision come true, Johnson said.

“Clearly, we would not have been able to have a campus in Wesley Chapel without that family,” she said. Beyond helping to bring that vision to life, Porter became a friend and mentor.

When Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch opened in January, it signaled the first time in Wesley Chapel history that a student could attend preschool through college without leaving the Wesley Chapel community.

When the Porters moved to Wesley Chapel during the 1940s, there wasn’t much development in the area. Over the years, the community has evolved, and Porter had a clear vision for the future, Johnson said.

When plans were being discussed for the Porter Campus, he envisioned a campus with multi-story buildings.

“He wanted an urban, corporate look,” Johnson said.

Porter is survived by son, J.D., daughter, Quinn Miller and her husband, Matthew, as well as three grandchildren, Johannah, Cooper, and Lillian Jane, of Odessa; and his brother, William H. and his wife, Debby, of Dade City.

Don Porter memorial service
A memorial service for Don Porter has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on July 12 at the conference center at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Published July 9, 2014

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County approves middle school site for Learning Gate

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Learning Gate Community School has received Hillsborough County’s blessing to locate its classes for seventh- and eighth-graders in the former Hand-in-Hand Academy building near downtown Lutz.

Learning Gate Community School has gained approval for using buildings located at 207 Lutz Lake Fern Road to house its seventh- and eighth-graders. Even though that hurdle has been cleared, no details are available yet on when or whether the school will make the move to the site. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Learning Gate Community School has gained approval for using buildings located at 207 Lutz Lake Fern Road to house its seventh- and eighth-graders. Even though that hurdle has been cleared, no details are available yet on when or whether the school will make the move to the site.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Land use hearing officer James Scarola approved Learning Gate’s request to use the location at 207 Lutz Lake Fern Road for its middle school-level students. The approval, issued June 29, limits the enrollment, however, at the Lutz Lake Fern Road location to 205 students.

That’s 45 fewer students than the school initially requested. The school agreed to reduce its request after Mike White, president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, objected to the higher number.

At a June 2 public hearing, White told Scarola the site was not conducive for that many students. White also said the community has no problems with the school, simply with the proposed enrollment, according to the hearing officer’s June 29 ruling.

During a recent interview, White said the school also agreed to sign a private agreement with the Lutz Citizens Coalition pledging that it would never ask for a variance to allow more students at the site.

The 4-acre site previously had been approved for 175 kindergarten through fifth-grade students. Of those, up to 85 were allowed to be in child care.

The property, which is included in Hillsborough County’s Landmark and Historic Archeological Resources Inventory, contains a church that was built in the 1940s and two educational buildings that were constructed during the 1960s.

No additions or expansions are requested in Learning Gate’s application.

The county’s transportation department reviewed the request and concluded the school will not impact traffic on nearby roads. The school is expected to generate 225 trips during the peak morning hours, and 151 during the afternoon peak hours.

However, the transportation department has determined that a detailed traffic study will be needed and it may show the need for such improvements as paving, widening and construction of a turn lane.

Learning Gate is a nationally recognized charter school that operates at two locations in Tampa. Its campus for kindergarten through sixth grade is at 16215 Hanna Road, and its campus for seventh and eighth grade is at 15316 N. Florida Avenue.

Even though Learning Gate applied for permission to operate a school at the Lutz Lake Fern location, no additional information is available about Learning Gate’s plans.

Brian Erickson, president of Learning Gate’s board, said in an email that “at this time, it would be inappropriate for anyone to comment.

“There are many unanswered questions. We are having ongoing communications with the bank who holds the note, but we are still doing our due diligence on the property,” Erickson wrote.

Published July 9, 2014

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Local soccer teams earn gold in Special Olympics

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While soccer fans around the world are watching the World Cup, two teams from Land O’ Lakes High School already are basking in victory.

Two soccer teams from Land O’ Lakes High School went to Lake Buena Vista to compete in the Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games. Both came home with gold medals. (Courtesy of Land O' Lakes High School)
Two soccer teams from Land O’ Lakes High School went to Lake Buena Vista to compete in the Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games. Both came home with gold medals.
(Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School)

Two squads, the Grey Team and the Gold Team, each claimed the gold medal in their respective divisions at the Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games, May 16-17 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista.

The Grey Team is a Division 2 team with seven players per side, while the Gold Team is a Division 3 team with five players per side. Divisions are set up based on team skill levels.

Each team is unified, meaning athletes play alongside partners to help them and provide support. The Gold Team has four players and three partners playing at one time, while the Grey Team has three players and two partners.

While the players are happy to have achieved their goal, their longtime coach, Vicky King, is equally proud.

“It was a great accomplishment. Our teams have trained really hard this year,” she said.

The Gold Team had little knowledge of soccer before they started playing together a few years ago, King explained. For their first two years playing soccer, they didn’t score a single goal. Now they understand the game, talk about it, and claimed the gold medal in their division.

And the Grey Team has a chance to continue playing at an advanced level. They’re eligible to compete at the World Games, and if selected, they’ll go to Los Angeles to take part next July.

The keys to success are the same as they would be for any championship team, King said. Hard work, a balanced squad, and an emphasis on fitness and skills led the teams to victory.

But the Special Olympics is about more than competition. Land O’ Lakes resident Terry Ahearn said his son, Andrew, truly enjoys being a part of the team and competing in the games.

“He loves it. It’s been really good for him, too,” Ahearn said.

Andrew has participated in Special Olympics for years, and plays soccer for the Grey Team. He has autism, and is high-functioning. His father said that playing has given him more confidence, and even though he can be hard on himself, he always has praise and support for his teammates.

While playing on a unified team allows the athletes to get on-field support, it doesn’t affect the team dynamic. Ahearn said once they start playing, everyone is working toward the same goal.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re playing basketball, if they’re bowling or playing soccer, you really can’t tell the difference between any of the kids,” he said. “They’re just like any other team.”

And like any other athlete, Andrew is happy to have claimed the gold for his team.

“It feels good,” he said. “We did our best.”

The midfielder said participating in various sports — Andrew also competes in bowling, basketball and flag football — and having fun are the best things about the games. He was named Athlete of the Year for Pasco County.

For his father, coaches like King are some of the real highlights of participating in the Special Olympics. The teachers and coaches make the experience more valuable for the participants, he said.

“I’m proud of (Andrew) and how he competes and what he’s learned, but I’m also proud of the teachers and the coaches,” Ahearn said. “Because he would not be where he is right now if he didn’t have the teachers and coaches that gave so much of themselves.

“To do what these kids are doing and to reach them takes a special person. I could not say enough good things about them.”

For more information about the Special Olympics, visit SpecialOlympicsFlorida.org.

Published July 9, 2014

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Horse rescue inspires Bavota to write, act in new film

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The fictionalized movie tale of a real dolphin helped make a Clearwater aquarium famous.

Michael Bavota made his career in the seafood business, but has always nurtured a love for writing. The Zephyrhills retiree’s words will finally come to life in a new independent film, ‘The DreamCatcher’s Ranch,’ which he’ll also star in as Grandpa Jim. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Michael Bavota made his career in the seafood business, but has always nurtured a love for writing. The Zephyrhills retiree’s words will finally come to life in a new independent film, ‘The DreamCatcher’s Ranch,’ which he’ll also star in as Grandpa Jim.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

But can another animal-based film do the same for an actual horse rescue ranch near Orlando? Michael Bavota says yes, and he’s not only the primary writer for the film “The DreamCatcher’s Ranch,” but he’s one of the stars as well.

“We were completely inspired by the ranch,” Bavota said of DreamCatcher Horse Ranch and Rescue, a large piece of property in Clermont that boards more than 60 rescued horses. “The director and executive producer, Ricky DiMaio, got this idea that he wanted to do a film about what life would be like on the ranch with fictional characters.”

And DiMaio found Bavota, a retired seafood distributor now living in Zephyrhills, to craft that story. Bavota, in turn, drafted actress and writer Kaylea Grace, and the two spent more than 140 hours writing what would become the story of a family struggling to secure the future of their ranch that’s directly in the way of a major highway project.

“We worked seven 20-hour days doing this,” Bavota said. “We would stay at the director’s house in Orlando, starting in the morning, and not finishing until the next morning at 5. We wrote day and night, and it just came out beautiful.”

Bavota and Grace fell in love with two characters they created, Grandpa Jim and Kelly, and decided the film couldn’t go forward unless they could play those roles — something DiMaio had no hesitation agreeing to. Yet, until a few years ago, Bavota never imagined himself ever working in front of a camera lens.

While he was living in Boston, Bavota learned through a member of his church that a local production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” was casting.

“I had no experience, but I was told I should audition anyway,” he said. Bavota’s work impressed the stage director, who cast him not only as Lt. Rooney, but Mr. Gibbs as well.

It was working in film, however, that really appealed to Bavota. There was a freedom of not having to be at the theater each day, and only being allowed to focus on one project at a time. So he worked closely with the Orlando film school Full Sail University, and has appeared in a number of other productions as well, such as “The Business Card,” which appeared on the Christian Television Network.

The usually clean-cut Bavota is sporting stubble and long hair as he gets ready to start filming “The DreamCatcher’s Ranch” this week. The entire production is budgeted for $50,000, small even by independent film standards. But that’s because the crew not only has full access to DreamCatcher Ranch, but many of the primary people — especially the actors — have different crew jobs as well.

“What we did is kind of unique,” Bavota said. “Everybody on the film got a job to act, and everybody got an extra job to fill in holes wherever we needed it. This is a way to ensure everyone feels they have ownership of what we’re doing here.”

Although the film is fiction, the stories of some of the various rescued horses on the ranch are real. Bavota has fallen in love with one mare, Blac, that the ranch won in an auction for $10 just minutes before Blac was headed off to a meat-packing plant.

Others have heartbreaking stories of abuse or abandonment, finding a home in Clermont when no others were available.

The ranch itself spends $3,000 a year to care for each horse, Bavota said, with most of those funds recouped by riding lessons and donations. The hope is the film will connect with younger audiences, especially girls, who typically have a fondness for horses, and could help champion the cause of caring for rescued animals.

“We want to help the ranch to attract more volunteers and more funds,” Bavota said. “We want to attract people who can help the owners expand the ranch, so that they can take care of even more rescue animals. And we want to give them a story that will make them stop and think.”

The cast and crew of “The DreamCatcher’s Ranch” are still raising money for the production through the online crowdfunding site Indiegogo. And the hope is to have the film completed by winter so that it can start appearing in film festivals as early as Christmas.

To donate to the project, visit tinyurl.com/DreamCatcherRanch. And to learn more about the actual horse rescue ranch in Clermont, visit DreamCatcherHorses.com.

Published July 9, 2014

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