The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Riders revved up to fight diabetes at Cycle-a-Thon

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Pura Cycling Studio is taking aim in the fight against diabetes by hosting a Cycle-a-Thon on Nov. 9.

The ride will take place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., with giveaways every hour.

Riders will participate in 45-minute heart-pumping rides to do their bit in the movement to stop diabetes, said Stephanie Farquhar, who co-owns the cycling studio along with Alfio Carroccetto.

The event, being held in conjunction with the cycling studio’s first anniversary, will feature chance drawings, goodie bags and T-shirts, and will offer information to help reduce the risk of diabetes.

Fresh Healthy Café At Wiregrass will cater the event, and chance tickets will be sold on prizes donated by Nutrition S’Mart of Wesley Chapel, Massage Envy Wesley Chapel, Tampa Bay MatchMakers, Polar USA, Fitniche Wiregrass and others.

Those taking part in the fundraiser will donate $25 for each session on the stationery bicycles at the studio. Some of the studio’s regulars have already signed up to do two sessions, Farquhar said.

All of the proceeds from the event will benefit the American Diabetes Association.

The business was motivated to do the fundraiser because the diabetes organization reached out, asking for help and because the owners know people who have the disease. Farquhar said she was surprised to learn that the disease affects so many people and that it has such far-reaching health and medical cost implications.

Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes, and another 79 million are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Recent estimates project that as many as one in three American adults will have diabetes by 2050 unless steps are taken to stop the disease, the organization said.

Two out of three people who have diabetes die from heart disease or stroke, according to the diabetes association. It is also the leading cause of new blindness among adults, and people who have the disease are 10 times more likely to undergo an amputation than those without it.

It’s also a very expensive health problem, with the average medical expenditure for people with diabetes being 2.3 times higher than without it, the association reports.

Anyone wishing to participate in the fundraiser can reserve a spot, call (813) 501-2124.

Dale Mabry roadwork comes with new sidewalks

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There typically aren’t a lot of pedestrians making their way along North Dale Mabry Highway just south of County Line Road. But that doesn’t mean there might not be someday.

Work is starting to wrap up on a sidewalk construction project along both sides of the highway between Van Dyke and County Line roads that has created delays on North Dale Mabry for weeks. It’s part of an overall road-resurfacing project designed to make the drive smoother for traffic coming into — and out of — Pasco County.

The new sidewalks and boardwalks along North Dale Mabry Highway will span nearly four miles on both sides, and should help lower pedestrian accidents in the area. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
The new sidewalks and boardwalks along North Dale Mabry Highway will span nearly four miles on both sides, and should help lower pedestrian accidents in the area. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

“It’s pretty much our policy that when we go in and resurface a road, where applicable, we’ll put in sidewalks and we’ll put in bike lanes where needed,” said Florida Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kris Carson. “The Florida area, especially Tampa Bay, has been hit really hard with pedestrian fatalities and bicycle fatalities. This is one way to help prevent that.”

The overall project costs $5 million over 3.6 miles. The sidewalks account for $590,000 of that total, while boardwalks in certain places are just under $390,000.

Although some subdivisions exist along North Dale Mabry, the primary residents along the road are actually businesses. That includes a shopping center on the corner of North Dale Mabry and Lutz Lake Fern Road.

The businesses along the route typically have their own parking, and pedestrian traffic isn’t exactly encouraged. But building sidewalks might attract more people to go by foot, especially now that there’s solid ground away from fast-moving traffic, Carson said.

In 2011, 4,432 pedestrians and 677 cyclists were killed across the country, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The numbers are slowly dropping, thanks in part to a bigger focus on pedestrian safety along roads, Carson said. That’s especially true for cyclists, where annual fatalities were well more than 800 during the 1990s.

In a nine-year span last decade, cars and trucks in the Tampa Bay area killed more than 900 pedestrians and cyclists, according to a 2011 study from the group Transportation for America. The region trailed only Orlando in total deaths during that time.

The North Dale Mabry project started in July, and should be done by spring. For more information on the project, call (813) 612-3300, or email .

County must find ways to work with cities, ULI says

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“Just say no” is the mantra Pasco County officials have been told to adopt when it comes to new development. That is, until they get to the eastern side of the county.

Often overlooked in favor of the coastal side of the county, and more recently the southern tier, Zephyrhills and Dade City have a lot going for them. And county commissioners need to pay close attention to make it work right.

That was the advice of the Urban Land Institute, the independent growth and development analytical group that have explored the ins and outs of the county. Experts from the group made their first major presentation to commissioners earlier this month, telling them they have to work much closer with the communities, both incorporated and not.

“The regional plan of the county and the plans of the towns need to be bought forward and aligned,” said Dan Slone, a ULI representative from Richmond, Va. “Towns need to participate. They need to develop standards that align with the surrounding area.”

That means even cities like Zephyrhills and Dade City will have to plan not just for the growth of those in those municipalities, but also for the county as a whole. County commissioners and city leaders have to work together as one team to promote progress in Pasco.

Ways to do that include matching design standards, for instance. Right now, Zephyrhills may prefer new buildings constructed in one way that’s different from Dade City, which in turn may be different from Port Richey. And all may be much different from what Pasco County is doing.

Both the towns and the county need to find common ground on areas that could affect overall growth, and then stay on that same page moving forward.

“You can’t separate the towns from your development area, but they will have to harmonize,” Slone said. “They don’t have to say the same thing, as with any song, you’re weaker if everyone is the same. They need to be different notes, but they need to work together.”

That would then expand city issues into countywide ones. Like how Zephyrhills may deal with brownfields, for example. Brownfields are open land that was once used for something else, typically contaminating the soil underneath.

Yet, while many think of chemical contamination from factories and the like, Zephyrhills City Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson says her community deals more with contamination caused by high-density agriculture. And now, Zephyrhills is looking at how they can convert that land for future use.

“There are several thousand acres that are assembled in this corridor around the Zephyrhills industrial area,” Wilkeson said, pointing out the city’s municipal airport area off Chancey Road. “There really is a very focused target there for big users, but there is going to need to be some incentives available to get those big users.”

City officials already are working on a plan to widen runways at the Zephyrhills airport to 100 feet from the current 75, which they hope will accommodate larger planes. And while they may have missed out on opportunities to lure in companies like Amazon.com in recent months, there could be other possibilities.

Michele Baker, Pasco’s county administrator, agrees that more collaboration is needed.

“We cannot do it alone,” she said. “It requires better dialogue between us and the cities, and us and the development community to seek out the opportunities for us to take advantage of.”

Obstacles facing Pasco County
The Urban Land Institute outlined the key areas that are holding Pasco County back. They include:
• Absorption and Projections — Approved growth far exceeds the county’s absorption capacity, meaning it will take decades for all the approved developments to actually be built.
• Sustainable Site Systems — Pasco needs to increase the priority for quality of life services, like affordable housing and transportation.
• Transportation Planning and Funding — Pasco needs to collaborate on regional transportation services, working with other counties to make everything connect.
• Economic Development — The biggest focus here must be on the medical industry as well as ecotourism.
• Shaping Strategies — County planners have to think further out with more effective plans to make future growth work.
• Leadership — Get rid of old habits. It’s holding the county back.
• Fiscal — The overall vision needs funding. That means reconsidering the gas tax, and possibly increasing the tourism room tax.

Kids rise to challenge: Former principal gets slimed

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Dallas Jackson, the former principal at Martinez Middle School in Lutz, recently got his just desserts when two teachers poured 12 gallons of slime onto the administrator — soaking him with the sticky green Jell-O substance.

Chorus teacher Chad DeLoach and civics teacher Michael Carballo had the honors of sliming Jackson because their homerooms sold the most discount cards in a school fundraiser to generate money for covered walkways.

Dallas Jackson, former principal at Martinez Middle School, gets slimed in a school event to celebrate surpassing a fundraising goal at the Lutz school. (Photos courtesy of the Martinez Middle School Parent Teacher Student Association)
Dallas Jackson, former principal at Martinez Middle School, gets slimed in a school event to celebrate surpassing a fundraising goal at the Lutz school. (Photos courtesy of the Martinez Middle School Parent Teacher Student Association)

The school’s Parent Teacher Student Association took the lead on the moneymaking quest by devising a card with 40 discount stickers that can be redeemed at local businesses. The goal was to raise $22,500 this year, with $10,000 going toward the covered walkway project.

Jackson, who was recently promoted to a district position outside the school, promised he would allow himself to be slimed and would give students an upside-down uniform day if they exceeded the $22,500 fundraising goal. In the upside-down uniform day, teachers and staff wore school uniforms, while kids dressed in regular attire.

Apparently, the idea of seeing the principal slimed proved motivational. The PTSA raised nearly $30,000 through the discount card sales.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that the cards, which sold for $20, had a wide variety of discounts on local goods and services. There are discounts on frozen yogurt, cupcakes, pizza, hot dogs, restaurant meals, Sunday brunch, pet grooming, tutoring, car washes, golf outings, personal training and other deals.

This year’s discount card was an expanded version of a fundraiser the school had last year, which they called “Pizza Palooza.” That promotion was so successful the pizza places said they couldn’t afford to offer such deep discounts again, said PTSA president Monique Dailey.

So, the PTSA came up with a new plan. Fellow PTSA member Charmane DelBrocco suggested they expand on the theme.

In the words of Dailey: “They decided to take it and 2.0 it.”

“It definitely took hard work. There was a lot of cold calling,” said Dailey, crediting DelBrocco and Terri Ansel, another PTSA member, for hitting the pavement and using persistence to secure 40 discount deals.

By putting together their own discount card, the PTSA is able to direct the money to school projects and activities instead of paying a professional fundraising company, Dailey noted. Some of those companies want at least 60 percent of the proceeds.

Dailey said she’s not surprised by the generosity of area businesses, but she is gratified.

“It’s reassuring because we stepped out on faith that they would be there, that we would be able to fill 40 coupons,” she said.

To help entice students to sell the discount cards, the PTSA offered a $250 prize to the top seller. Seventh-grader Jordyn Schramm, who sold 18 discount cards, took home that reward.

Schramm said she walked around her Lutz neighborhood, pitching the discount cards to friends and neighbors.

“All I did was put a smile on my face and ask for their help,” she said.

It helped that the discount card had lots of good deals at nearby businesses, she said. “It’s for all of the places around our local neighborhood.”

Raising money to help the school provide more covered walkways is a good cause, Dailey said.

It’s a definite need, Schramm agreed, noting on rainy days all of the school’s 1,000-plus students use the same hallway.

“It’s almost like human bumper-to-bumper traffic,” she said.

By next year, the PTSA ladies said, they hope more kids will be able to walk under covered walkways across campus.

And, in the end, the former principal took a soaking — so students at the middle school won’t have to, on those rainy days.

‘Li’l Abner’ brings comic strip laughs to local stage

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Musical theater lovers are invited to take a trip back in comic strip time as a group of young performers bring the antics of Dogpatch, Ark. to life on the Pasco Middle School stage.

Arts in Motion’s production of the musical comedy “Li’l Abner” begins its run Nov. 8, featuring a cast of student performers from all over central and eastern Pasco County.

‘Li’l Abner’ director Capria Pichette, left, reads through some lines with actors in the play set to premiere Nov. 8 at Pasco Middle School. (Photo courtesy of Arts in Motion)
‘Li’l Abner’ director Capria Pichette, left, reads through some lines with actors in the play set to premiere Nov. 8 at Pasco Middle School. (Photo courtesy of Arts in Motion)

Inspired by Al Capp’s famous comic strip that was syndicated throughout the United States from 1934 to 1977, the musical comedy is focused on the lives of Li’l Abner Yokum, Daisy Mae Scragg Yokum, and other residents of the fictional mountain town of Dogpatch.

Two Pasco teens are sharing the responsibility of portraying Daisy Mae in the Arts in Motion production. Kailey Holyoke, 16, a junior at Wiregrass Ranch High School, and Melanie Kender, 17, a junior at Pasco High School, will take turns on the stage during the show’s two-week run.

Sharing a leading role can be tricky, the girls said. But, split time in the spotlight does have its perks.

“We help each other learn lines and get to work on teamwork skills,” Holyoke said.

“When you share a lead role, you get different perspectives,” Kender added.

Theater is a passion for both girls. Holyoke, who has been performing with Arts In Motion off and on since she was in elementary school, hopes to pursue the arts as a career.

Kender began working with the nonprofit youth community theater group in 2009, and has been involved in every production ever since. She hopes to become a linguist down the road, but says theater will remain a part of her life.

As for “Li’l Abner,” both girls say the show is a “must-see.”

“It’s fabulous,” Holyoke said. “It’s a really fun show. It’s catchy and it has really great dance numbers.”

Director Capria Pichette agrees, and points out those who attend the show not only get to enjoy live theater, but they gain an additional benefit as well.

“It’s a great way to support your local community as well as support children and the arts,” she said.

Arts in Motion provides students in kindergarten through 12th grade an opportunity to learn about the performing arts. Its mission is to make sure youngsters have access to the educational opportunities theater can provide, said the group’s president, Patti Corjay.

The nonprofit got its start back in 1995 as public schools began to cut arts funding. Since it’s geared toward theater education, Arts in Motion makes sure every child who auditions for a production receives a role, Corjay said.

Donations, sponsors, ticket sales and a small fee charged for participation funds the group. Children whose families cannot afford the fees are provided with scholarships.

The next production for Arts in Motion is “High School Musical,” with auditions for the spring show set to begin in January, Corjay said.

For more information on how to join Arts in Motion, and how adults can support the mission, visit the group’s website at ArtsInMotionPasco.com. The group stages two productions each year, one in the spring and the other in the fall.

If you go
Arts in Motion will present ‘Li’l Abner’ at Pasco Middle School, 37350 Florida Ave., Dade City.
Shows are at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8, Nov. 9, Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 10 and Nov. 17.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens, and $7 for students.
For tickets and more information, visit ArtsInMotionPasco.com.

By Sherri Lonon

Returning to Grand Horizons in November with a bang

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The month of October rolled on at Grand Horizons with new activities and old. This community certainly can keep people busy as much they want to be.

We have our old reliable fun things to do like card playing, mahjong, shuffleboard, exercises, bingo, dominoes and so much more. That’s in addition to new and exciting things like the movies that Rich Wagner is showing in his home and other things to come.

A train rolls through on the Essex Steam Railroad. (Photo by Marty Rubenstein)
A train rolls through on the Essex Steam Railroad. (Photo by Marty Rubenstein)

From what I understand, “Fun with Art” with Luella Wheeling, and other activities that were put on hold during the summer, will start shortly.

In the meantime, Grand Horizons had its monthly connoisseur luncheon on Oct. 11. This month the connoisseur lunch was at Golden Corral.

“We had 50 people and we filled the Tuttle Room,” said Sandy Lindke, who hosted this event along with her husband, Al Lindke. “It took us a good hour to get our fill of food and friendship.”

Denise Stewart and Pidge Elliott found smiley face stickers on their chairs, indicating that they had won the thank you prizes of $10 gift cards for Walmart. After the luncheon, about 20 people gathered together in the Lindke carport to spend the rest of the afternoon with drinks and laughter.

There also was something that we never had before, and it was taco night on Oct. 16 in the community center. It was hosted by Andy and Margaret Castonguay. Helping out in the kitchen to do the cooking and serving were Annmarie and Chick Shackewyc. There was additional help, as almost everyone helped out in several different ways.

I spoke to Andy and he told me that they served 91 people and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. They had taco bowls with toppings made from scratch.

These bowls were made in a deep fryer and for toppings they had lettuce, diced tomatoes and onions, salsa, cheese, black olives, and sour cream. The toppings on the meat created a nice meal.

After the main meal, they had cake and coffee or iced tea. Later in the evening they had poker, plus hand and foot. So it was a day to be remembered.

Marty and I will join our friends at Grand Horizon shortly, but in the meantime, on Oct. 13, we took a day trip which was a 1.5-hour cruise from Haddam, Conn. We took this ride on the River Quest and experienced the lower Connecticut River.

It was a lovely crisp day, and we passed by the Goodspeed Opera House that was built in 1870 and has terrific plays and musicals like “Annie” and “The Sound of Music,” and so much more. We saw a swinging bridge that is 100 years old and is the fifth oldest swing bridge. We also saw on this trip the Gillette Castle and several yacht clubs.

On the river we saw many canoes and speedboats with people fishing, and we saw some beautiful homes and some schools, plus some inns that were converted into apartment buildings.

At one point on our cruise we observed, from the water, the Essex Steam Railroad. This was a beauty of a train with many cars.

We also saw the Chester Ferry that took passengers across the river, and we actually got to see another tour boat called the Betty Thatcher. We just waved and hooted to one another as we passed. We observed many birds such as the tree swallows and several nests being built by the birds. Some were completed, and we actually saw a bald eagle in one.

One thing in particular that was something to see was a helicopter taking off. It was some site, and the airport had several more planes and gliders.

We enjoyed the ride and that it was fully narrated. All in all, it was a relaxing day.

By Helene Rubenstein

Swamp Fest gears up, still needs volunteers

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Organizers of the Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest have a mantra: “It takes a community to make a festival.”

In keeping with that theme, Swamp Fest 2013 welcomes additional volunteers to step forward and help with the variety of chores that have to be done to make any festival a success, Swamp Fest coordinator Doug Hutchinson said.

Students who are older than 16 can pitch in at the event to earn some community service hours, Hutchinson said, and any other civic-minded volunteer who wants to help out would be appreciated.

Cheryl Carreno and her grandson, Colton Bettis, ride the carousel at the Swamp Fest last year. (File photo)
Cheryl Carreno and her grandson, Colton Bettis, ride the carousel at the Swamp Fest last year. (File photo)

The annual festival — Friday through Sunday this year — will be in its usual place at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Booster Club hosts the event, which aims to bring the community together for a good time, while raising money for area schools, nonprofit organizations, community groups and area businesses.

The event generally attracts around 5,000 to 6,000 people, Hutchinson said.

Tickets purchased in advance are $15, a sizable discount from the $22 ticket price at the event, Hutchinson said. Various ticket outlets help sell the tickets and receive a portion of the proceeds, he said. Event parking is $5.

The midway is handled by W.G. Wade Shows, the same company that has participated since the festival’s inception five years ago.

The midway will feature up to 25 rides. Stands will be selling food and candy, and soft drinks will be available from local groups.

The event also features a Miss and Mr. Swampfest pageant, which will be on Saturday.

Swamp Fest began as a fundraiser at Land O’ Lakes High School, home of the Gators, and that’s what inspired the festival’s name. It is always on the first weekend of November.

Besides rides, games and food, the event also features live performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Anyone who would like to volunteer at the event should call Hutchinson at (813) 293-3684, or sign up on the festival’s website, www.LOLSwampFest.com.

If you go
Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest 2013
When: Nov. 1-3, Friday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday noon to 11 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
Where: Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
What: Rides, games, entertainment, food, business and community organization booths
For more information, visit www.LOLSwampFest.com

 

Buy your tickets
These are the presale ticket outlets:
• Connerton Elementary School, 9300 Flourish Drive in Land O’ Lakes
• Lake Myrtle Elementary School, 22844 Weeks Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes
• Rushe Middle School, 18654 Mentmore Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes
• Land O’ Lakes High School, 20325 Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes
• Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes
• Kids Stuff Daycare, 21360 Lake Floyd Drive in Land O’ Lakes
• Sugar & Spice, 3508 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes
• All Kids Academy, 1910 Livingston Road in Lutz
• Beef O’ Brady’s — Wilderness, 7040 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 108 in Land O’ Lakes; Sunlake, 18835 State Road 54 in Lutz; and Village Lakes, 21539 Village Lakes Shopping Center Drive in Land O’ Lakes.

 

Friends of young cancer victim told to ‘focus on positive things’

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He was described as a “young man who has the heart of gold,” and his diagnosis of a rare brain cancer at the age of 15 rallied a community behind him in the fight against such afflictions.

For Jordan Harris, that gallant battle ended in the early morning hours of Oct. 16. He was 18.

“We miss and love Jordan,” a statement read on his Facebook page, Snapback Against Cancer. “We have forever his footprints in our hearts. He has touched our lives, and we can’t describe the impact he has had.”

Friends speak on behalf of Jordan Harris during a candlelight vigil and balloon release in his memory Oct. 16 on the football field of Freedom High School. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Friends speak on behalf of Jordan Harris during a candlelight vigil and balloon release in his memory Oct. 16 on the football field of Freedom High School. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

A memorial service for Harris is scheduled for Oct. 25 at 3:30 p.m. at Cypress Point Community Church, 15820 Morris Bridge Road in Tampa. A funeral service also is slated there the next day, beginning at 11 a.m.

Harris was diagnosed with primitive neuroectodermal tumors in 2011. He was attending Freedom High then and played boys soccer during his freshman and sophomore years.

Surgeries and chemotherapy, however, kept him sidelined in games after that. But he never gave up on the sport, even planning to play recreationally in college.

“If nothing happened, I probably would have wanted to play college soccer on a scholarship,” Harris told The Laker/Lutz News last December. “But it’ll all be about fun now.”

The tumor Harris had is rare, typically found only in people under the age of 25, according to medical experts. The cancer is aggressive, yet Harris was able to overcome early obstacles, even getting some test results as late as May that showed no tumor, according to the family’s Facebook page.

He graduated in June from Freedom, and turned 18 soon after. But later that summer, he found out the cancer had returned, and Harris continued his treatment, according to the family.

Friends, family and students came together Oct. 16 at Freedom High School’s football stadium in an impromptu event to release balloons in Harris’ memory. The air was quiet, with an occasional muffled voice or sob breaking through.

As candles were handed out, Freedom social studies teacher Katie Feldman described Harris as a “beacon at the school, but not just because he was sick. Jordan brought a light to all those around him.

“In my experience, it’s those with the hardest struggles who seem to persevere the most, and Jordan was no exception,” she said. “Talk to anyone who knew him, and they would undoubtedly mention his beautiful smile, the way he always wanted to put other people first, and his unyielding sense of perseverance.”

Harris’ father, Phillip Harris, said his son would want his work to spread a positive influence to those around him to continue.

“You all know the history of my son,” he said. “Let’s focus on the positive things. Seeing that he already set the bar, let’s follow suit to do the same or better.”

Both of Jordan Harris’ parents, Phillip and Kim Harris, shared the light of their candle with the more than 400 people in attendance before everyone walked the track and released their balloons.

“Listening to people talk, driven to tell someone they love them in a moment of sorry instead of finding a quiet place to be sad,” Feldman said. “You reached out toward each other, to try and bring each other closer, and to try to make each other feel loved. That’s Jordan.

“It’s our love for him that gives us a better understanding of our love for one another.”

 

PHCC gearing up to talk about Porter Campus

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Three sessions have been scheduled to provide information about Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite campus of Pasco-Hernando Community College that is scheduled to open in January.

The Porter Campus, which is under construction at Mansfield Boulevard and State Road 56, is situated in an area poised to attract major employers and substantial residential growth in coming years. It is directly across State Road 54 from the site where Raymond James, an international financial services company, is expected to build an office park.

A view from State Road 56 of one of the buildings under construction for the new Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a Pasco-Hernando Community College satellite campus scheduled to open in January. (Photo by B.C. Manion)
A view from State Road 56 of one of the buildings under construction for the new Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a Pasco-Hernando Community College satellite campus scheduled to open in January. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The Porter Campus plans include six buildings. One of its structures will stand 122 feet tall, giving the campus the bragging rights of having Pasco County’s highest building.

College officials anticipate attracting students from Pasco, Hernando and Hillsborough counties. One day, the Porter Campus is expected to draw about the same number of students as the college’s West Campus, the main campus in New Port Richey.

The information sessions are designed to provide a wealth of information to potential students.

Three individual sessions are scheduled at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, in the second floor conference room of Wellness Plaza, 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Each session will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and they will be on Nov. 4, Nov. 5 and Nov. 6.

The sessions are intended for prospective, current and returning PHCC students who are interested in attending the new Porter Campus.

College faculty and staff will be on hand to provide information and answer questions about the campus. The sessions will highlight student support services, student activities, programs and courses, prerequisite courses, testing, and admission requirements.

Question-and-answer sessions are also planned, with a panel fielding the questions.

The campus has encountered some construction delays because of weather, but unless a hurricane hits or another natural disaster occurs, college officials expect the campus to open on schedule in early January, said Lucy Miller, PHCC’s executive director of marketing and public relations.

The Porter Campus is slated to offer a bachelor of applied science degree in supervision and management, and a bachelor of science in nursing degree beginning in the fall of 2014. It has received permission from the state and is now awaiting action on its application from the board of directors of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The board meets in Atlanta in December.

The college has appointed Stan Giannet to serve as provost of the Porter Campus. Previously, he served in that same capacity at PHCC’s North Campus.

Those wishing to attend the information sessions are encouraged to sign up now.

Space for each session is limited to 50, for a total of 150. The deadline for registering for the free session is Nov. 1.

To sign up, go to www.phcc.edu/rsvp. Call (727) 816-3398 for more information.

Books for Troops offers peaceful respite during challenging times

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Patricia Murphy was delivering magazines to the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, when a young man in a wheelchair approached her.

The man, who had lost his leg in the war, couldn’t have been more than 20 years old, she recalled. But here he was, thanking her for magazines.

The young veteran told her that reading the magazines at the hospital was helping him through a tough time, and he told her he wished he could have had something to read while he was deployed.

He wasn’t living at a base, he explained. He was living in a tent on the outskirts of Iraq. Having something to read, he told her, would have made a difference.

Murphy said she thanked the young man for his service, stepped into the elevator and burst into tears.

The experience inspired the Land O’ Lakes woman to launch Books for Troops. Now, in its third year, the organization has shipped more than 15,000 books to troops overseas and delivered 5,000 books to local veterans.

It has an annual drive in October to collect the books that it sends out all year.

“We are accepting action adventure, suspense, mystery, comedy and comic books,” Murphy said. “The most important thing is that they are in very good condition.”

Besides shipping books to military personnel overseas, some books are delivered to hospitals and nursing homes.

Because of military regulations, the organization cannot accept books about religion, the apocalypse or pornographic materials, Murphy said.

The effort is aided by an army of helpers, Murphy said, noting this year three Girl Scout troops from Land O’ Lakes are helping with the collection drive, and four scout troops from Lutz are helping, too.

“The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts come and they clean them and sort them by genre,” Murphy said.

Local civic groups and businesses also play a huge role in the effort. Many businesses help by putting out collection boxes. Wesley Chapel Kia, she noted, has been there from the beginning.

The storage unit for Books for Troop is at the 54 U Store in Lutz, which is a year-round collection site, Murphy added.

“All of the paperbacks get shipped to the troops,” she said. The hardbacks are delivered to nursing homes.

Any books that can’t be shipped or delivered because of their condition are recycled, so nothing is wasted.

Murphy has been amazed by people’s generosity.

“The first time I did it, I thought maybe I’d get 100 or 200 books,” she said. “But no, I ended up with over 5,000 at the first book drive.”

Murphy said the donation of books has outpaced her ability to raise money to ship them.

It costs $15 to ship a box of 30 books, said Murphy, noting her husband’s company, Psychological Assessment Resources, donates the shipping boxes.

While she can get enough books to satisfy requests, she can’t raise enough money to ship them.

Murphy thinks the books provide an excellent diversion for troops, when they have some down time.

“It is a really good way to get their mind off the heat, the bugs,” she said. When they’re staying in remote places, she added, “they don’t have television.”

The books go to war zones, but she’s also shipped them to such places as Japan, Germany and China. They also go to hospitals all over the country.

If anyone would like to volunteer, host a collection box, or make a tax-deductible donation, email Murphy at .

2013 Books for Troops Collection Sites
Carrollwood
Book Swap at13144 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.

Land O’ Lakes
Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex at 3032 Collier Parkway
Stagecoach Clubhouse at 3632 Mossy Oak Circle
Ballantrae Clubhouse at 17611 Mentmore Blvd.
Oakstead Clubhouse at 3038 Oakstead Blvd.

Wesley Chapel
Country Walk Clubhouse at 30400 Country Point Blvd.
Lexington Oaks at 26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.
Meadow Pointe III Clubhouse at 1500 Meadow Pointe Blvd.
Precision Kia Wesley Chapel at 28555 State Road 54
Saddlebrook Resort Clubhouse at 5700 Saddlebrook Way
Seven Oaks Clubhouse on Ancient Oaks Boulevard in the Seven Oaks subdivision

New Tampa
Grand Hampton Clubhouse at 8301 Dunham Station Drive in Tampa