Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Zephyrhills to pay $500k more for library

December 25, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The Zephyrhills City Council got an unwelcome lump of coal in their Christmas stocking after finding out the stately brick and stone library they were expecting was going to cost them a lot more money.

And none of them were very happy about it.

Harvard Jolly and A.D. Morgan had originally presented the idea of building a brick and stone library for $1.7 million, using primarily Penny for Pasco money. However, after discovering the reality of the market, they realized it would cost more than 30 percent more to build, and proposed a cheaper stucco building. The City Council opted for the more expensive option instead. (Image courtesy of Harvard Jolly)

The council hired the architectural firm Harvard Jolly and contractor A.D. Morgan after they presented an 8,500-square-foot facility next to the library’s current location on Eighth Street for $1.7 million. However, after going out into the market to look at materials and supplies, the two companies came back with a new price tag: $2.5 million, a 47 percent jump.

The options? Either go with a cheaper, stucco version of the library, or pay more money.

“One of my reasons for picking your company is your guarantees that we were going to be in budget,” Councilman Charles Proctor said. “I run several companies of my own, and being in budget is very important to me.”

Yet, as Proctor pointed out, there was a larger issue.

“The prior councils made promises to the city to build a beautiful library,” he said. “The brick building is going to be a much more substantial, better built, longer-lasting building. We really needed to come in on budget on this.”

Harvard Jolly and A.D. Morgan were able to reduce the overall cost to $2.26 million, but that remained 33 percent over budget. That can be mostly blamed on the existing volatile market for brick and stone, said George Goodspeed, manager of pre-construction services at A.D. Morgan. When the company sought bids on the masonry and concrete, the largest bid was double the smallest bid, and all of them were much more than they anticipated.

The concrete and masonry work, however, would go to Ervin Bishop Construction of Land O’ Lakes.

Councilman Ken Burgess said he felt the architects were practically baiting and switching the city.

“You have two buildings here,” he said. “It’s like giving a kid a shiny penny, but then here’s a dull one. They both do the same thing, but the shiny penny has already been handed to him. It’s a little bit difficult to kind of go back and use the dull penny. It puts us in a bad spot.”

It would, however, bring the library a little closer to what was first proposed nearly a decade ago, said librarian Vicki Elkins. The original plan was to build a 27,000-square-foot library, but that was quickly pared down to an 18,000-square-foot facility for $3.8 million.

Money for it was to come from the Penny for Pasco tax program, with the city making annual contributions to a construction fund.

In 2009, however, a flood at the fire department halted contributions to the library construction fund, and they never returned.

“Had Penny for Pasco funding been added after 2009, the building reserve would have the funds to cover the brick design,” Elkins said. “There is money that is available in the Penny for Pasco reserve to cover the brick design, and that is what we are asking you to consider tonight.”

Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson said if such an overage had happened in the business world, she would’ve been fired. Yet, the library design was intended to help inspire a brick construction style that peeks into the past of Zephyrhills. And the council could not lose sight of that.

“When you go to a place like Dade City and enjoy the country Christmas stroll, and the county hall is lit up, there is a character to that space … that is unmatched,” she said. “For the most part, some of the most beautiful cities in our country have been built with municipal structures being the most enduring, and the highest quality of design.”

With the council reluctantly leaning toward spending more money on the library to maintain its original vision, council president Lance Smith added a stern warning to Harvard Jolly and A.D. Morgan.

“Please don’t come back” for more money after this increase, Smith said, “because it’s not going to be successful.”

Ground should be broken in March for the new library, with an anticipated opening in spring of 2015.

Some angels, like this volunteer, don’t have wings

December 25, 2013 By B.C. Manion

When 77-year-old Jeanette Tatro heard her name being called as the Volunteer of the Year for Gulfside Regional Hospice, the Zephyrhills woman couldn’t believe her ears.

Jeanette Tatro, Gulfside Regional Hospice’s Volunteer of the Year, has a long record of serving others through the organization. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

After all, she had received the award two other times in the past, and she also is the sole winner of the organization’s Spirit of Hospice Award.

It didn’t surprise her when her name was announced as one of the organization’s volunteers who had clocked more than 500 hours of service that year. But when the presenter began describing the winner of the volunteer of the year, the petite, silver-haired woman, Tatro thought the speaker was talking about someone else.

“When I heard my name announced, I was actually dumbfounded,” Tatro said. “It was unbelievable. I couldn’t move. I was shocked.”

In just a year, Tatro racked up 541 volunteer hours. She cashiered at the organization’s Zephyrhills Thrift Shoppe. She visited hospice patients. She called families through Gulfside’s bereavement program.

She helped promote the organization by working at information booths at fairs and festivals throughout Pasco County.

Kelly Milner, director of volunteer services, characterized the volunteer as “a very loving and compassionate person” who is always willing to pitch in, wherever needed.

Tatro said she became a hospice volunteer 11 years ago, a year after her husband, Edmund, died from lung cancer.

“He was actually under hospice care for one week,” Tatro said.

Her husband wanted to die at home, but he was a large man and Tatro lacked the strength to manage his care on her own. Tatro also was caring for her ill sister at the same time.

So, her husband went to Hospice House for his final days. After he died and Tatro’s sister died, the Zephyrhills woman stepped up to volunteer.

“I felt that no one should die alone,” she said. “I felt that I could help the family out in that transition, due to the fact that I had gone through it.”

Tatro said another personal loss she experienced also prepared her to help others work through their grief.

“I lost a child, and I think that’s another reason that I can relate,” Tatro said. “It was a miscarriage at five-and-a-half months,” she said. “That’s been over 55 years” ago, she said. To this day, she feels sad on the anniversary of that baby’s death.

Besides having the desire to support others through their grief and loss, Tatro has another motivation for volunteering: “It’s a give back,” she said. “I think I’ve been very blessed by the Lord and I feel I should give back. I can reach out in so many different ways. Not everybody can.”

Beyond helping others, volunteering brings her great joy.

“It’s very rewarding,” Tatro said. “You meet so many different people. There are so many stories that they have.”

Besides suffering through personal losses, Tatro has spent time with many others who have experienced a death in the family. She has been with patients as they took their final breath, and has been with families as they experienced the loss.

“Grief is different for each person,” Tatro said. Hospice is there to help — not only during the time of a loved one’s death, but also through ongoing bereavement support.

She encourages anyone who wants to be of service to consider becoming a hospice volunteer.

“We can do so much for the families,” Tatro said. “We can give them time, either to go to the store or, they might want to go out on an outing for a couple of hours. We can give them a break. They need a break.”

Not everyone is able to sit with someone who is facing the final stage of life, Tatro said. But there are plenty of other ways to help. They can volunteer at the thrift store, or help in the kitchen, or deliver meals, or work at information booths at festival and fairs.

Donating items to the thrift shop is another way to help, Tatro said. If someone has an interest in volunteering, she encourages them to give it a try.

“It is a great experience and the only way they’re going to find out is to experience it for themselves,” Tatro said.

New pet pantry to help feed Fido and Sylvester, too

December 18, 2013 By B.C. Manion

When families struggling to make ends meet, they aren’t the only ones who suffer. Sometimes the dog bowl and cat dish go empty, too.

A new effort is under way in Dade City to collect donations of pet food that can be distributed to families in need. Those wishing to contribute dog food, cat food, pet toys, leashes, collars and other pet items can bring them to Dog-Mania & Cats Pet Boutique and Pet Lovers Gift Shop, 14012 Seventh St., Suite A, in Dade City.

The sponsors of Dogs Day in Dade City decided to set up the Dogs Day Pet Pantry because they want to help people keep their pets.

Donations can be dropped off Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., said shop owner Suzanne Gagliolo.

After pet food and other pet items are collected, they will be distributed through a network established by Love One Another, a program that helps people in need, Gagliolo said.

“Because of the economic conditions we’re in, people have had to give up their pets,” Gagliolo said.

Pet owners typically want to keep their animals. They typically don’t give them up, unless they simply can’t afford to keep them, she said.

“For many people, these (pets) are their children,” Gagliolo said.

When pets are taken to shelters, they often end up being euthanized.

The Dogs Day Pet Pantry aims to help pet owners keep their pets and prevent animals from being destroyed.

“We can get them in touch with someone who can help them,” Gagliolo said.

The shop can be reached at (352) 457-9616. To find out more about Dogs Day in Dade City, go to DogsDayInDadeCity.com.

Seniors once again find hundreds of Santas in community

December 18, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Wednesday is the last day that gifts can be collected for the Be a Santa to a Senior program, but there’s still lots of work to do before now and Christmas.

Home Instead Senior Care local franchise owners Lynelle Bonneville and mother Michele Bonneville look at ornaments listing needs from senior citizens in nursing homes with Sweet Darling Quilts owner Cathleene Tokish, right. Tokish’s store was one of several in Pasco County that hosted trees, collecting gifts for senior citizens in nursing homes as part of the Be a Santa to a Senior program. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

The annual program, hosted by Home Instead Senior Care, brings gifts to senior citizens for the holiday season — a large segment of the population that is many times left out when it comes to Christmas.

“There are a lot of charities out there for the kids, and Christmas is for the kids, but far too often, so many are forgotten,” said Cathleene Tokish, owner of Sweet Darling Quilts on Wesley Chapel Boulevard, who hosted one of the gift-giving trees. “When I do my spreadsheet, I cry, because they ask for so little.”

Tokish’s store is one of the only non-chain stores participating in the program, run locally by Home Instead franchise owners Lynelle Bonneville and mother Michele Bonneville. Yet, she is one of the highest-producing, with many of her customers asking about what they should get for the nursing home residents as early as September.

Christmas trees go up in November at the Be a Santa to a Senior collection sites, with ornaments available displaying the wish list of an individual resident of facilities like the Edwinola Retirement Community and Heritage Park in Dade City, as well as the West Winds Assisted Living Facility in Zephyrhills.

Some of the ornaments handed out at Tokish’s store included a pack of cards, a package of batteries, and one that asked for just one snack.

“Once they hit the nursing home level, Medicaid only gives them $35 a month to spend on incidentals,” Michele Bonneville said. “And that’s why just the little things matter so much for them.”

And when someone gets an ornament with a request of something like just one snack, they usually come back with so much more, the Bonnevilles said. Usually, they’re filling an entire gift bag.

This year, the local Home Instead franchise hopes to hand out 1,000 wrapped gifts to senior citizens in assisted living facilities on Dec. 21. While nearly all the donations are provided unwrapped, volunteers will get together Dec. 20 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the home office of Home Instead, 29149 Chapel Park Drive in Wesley Chapel, to wrap gifts.

Home Instead’s clientele are typically still living in their own houses and apartments, and are usually doing what they can to stay out of an assisted living facility as long as possible. But the program targets those who are no longer in their own homes, and many times missing the companionship and family so many others take for granted on the holidays.

“When you take gifts to them and see their eyes light up, it can be very special,” Michele Bonneville said. “There are people who haven’t spoken in a month who will suddenly get so excited, and they will start talking.”

Be a Santa to a Senior is a nationwide program through Home Instead that has attracted more than 60,000 volunteers, and provided 1.2 million gifts to 700,000 senior citizens over the last six years, according to the organization’s website.

Collection sites were set up around the area, including the Florida Medical Clinic Foundation, T.J. Maxx, Bealls Outlet, the Pasco County Tax Collector’s office, and Village Inn restaurant in Land O’ Lakes.

For more information on how to volunteer or donate, visit BeASantaToASenior.com, or call (813) 991-7524.

Dade Oaks on way to new home, location

December 11, 2013 By Michael Hinman

From 14th Street in Dade City, it’s hard to imagine the site that has been home to Dade Oaks Apartments since 1977 was once a lakebed.

Yet, there are some parts of the property, maintained by the Pasco County Housing Authority, that drop as much as 55 feet, and flooding has been an issue there for decades.

A good portion of Dade Oaks Apartments remains empty after continuous flooding over the decades made some units uninhabitable. A new Dade Oaks further up on 14th Street could be under construction by next summer. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

That’s why when the time came to do something about the aging buildings, Pasco County decided to tear it all down and start from scratch — somewhere else.

Pasco County Commissioners has set into motion the final days for the 69-unit, single-level complex, eyeing a 12.8-acre site up the road.

“There has been flooding continually at this apartment complex, and HUD has continually threatened to take back all the vouchers there,” said George Romagnoli, the county community development manager.

Not that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would have a lot of vouchers to take back. Flooding and other issues have created unsuitable living conditions there, and with it a high vacancy rate. That means people looking to get housing assistance help have even more limited options than they already had because of the state of Dade Oaks.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri said she’s seen flooding firsthand at the apartment complex.

“There were many times we had our mobile medical unit, and we had this great event with a pig roast, and then because of all the flooding, it had to be discontinued,” she said. “Flooding is a known factor there.”

Razing the complex has been on the table for more than a year, but putting plans and funding together to fix the situation has not been easy.

Now, however, a new Dade Oaks could rise through the Florida Housing Finance Corp. efforts to pick up federal funds. It will take $12 million to build a new complex to house 69 units, along with nearly $330,000 to purchase the new property.

Commissioners approved making a deposit of $13,000 through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership for the land that will allow the housing authority to complete its purchase by the end of February.

Commissioners also approved a local match to federal funds, pulling $1.25 million from its county Home funds as well as from Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2. HUD’s Home Investment Partnerships Program provides grants to states and localities (like cities and counties) that help buy, build or rehabilitate affordable housing. The program allocates $2 billion each year to states.

“It is true that this is a large portion of our budget,” Romagnoli said. “That’s 15 percent of our funds right now,” but because of the dilapidated condition of the complex, something needs to be done soon.

The new site, as proposed, would include some duplexes among its 69 units, and could be under construction as early as next summer, said Dianne Morris, executive director of the Pasco County Housing Authority.

Commissioners approved the measure unanimously, with Ted Schrader abstaining since he had a family member involved in the deal.

Burgess eyes Tallahassee, but path may not be easy

December 11, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Although there always was a chance he could run for re-election, Danny Burgess knew he had just a short time as mayor of Zephyrhills when he was elected unopposed earlier this year.

He will step down from that office in April with an eye on a much bigger prize: replacing Will Weatherford as the area’s state representative in Tallahassee.

Burgess has all the qualities of a strong candidate — a solid government service background, the ability to connect with just about anyone, and a winning smile that will look good on campaign posters — as well as the same youthful vigor Weatherford had when he was first elected to the House.

But the badge of the Republican Party, typically so strong that anyone who wore it could practically start picking office furniture at The Capitol soon after they win their primary, may not be what it once was.

And it might mean an uphill battle for Burgess, a registered Republican who has practically lived in the local public spotlight his entire adult life.

“I don’t concern myself with polls and how the federal government is doing,” Burgess said. “I’m going to focus on the election, getting to meet people, and to hear what those people are concerned about.”

Yet, what the federal government is doing could come back to haunt candidates, even ones at the state level.

“This is going to be a very nationalized election from the top of the ballot all the way down,” said Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida, who grew up in Land O’ Lakes. “People’s images of politicians at this moment are based on what’s happening in Washington, specifically the President and Congress, but most basically Congress.”

Weatherford originally won his House seat by more than 20 points in 2006, and despite raising more than $1.7 million through all of his elections, didn’t have to put up too much of a fight.

But next November is an election where many will use the ballot box to share their opinions of Washington, D.C. Although a lot can change in 11 months, current polls have rated the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives at some of its lowest levels in history. And there could be a real blowback on state-level races, including ones like Weatherford’s legislative seat.

“Americans right now don’t like either party,” MacManus said, meaning two things could happen at local races. “Some of the independent candidates, like a Libertarian candidate, could get a lot of protest votes, which can drain from both parties.

“The second is more frightful — turnout drops,” she said.

In Pasco County, independents have a real shot of tipping the political scale one way or the other. They make up more than 27 percent of the electorate, leaving just 39 percent for Republicans, and 34 percent for Democrats.

Two other candidates have already filed to seek Weatherford’s seat, including Republican Minerva Diaz and Democrat Beverly Anne Ledbetter. Diaz made news earlier this year when she told Pasco County Commissioners she wanted to see more stringent background checks on firearm buyers. Ledbetter is a former public school teacher who currently works at Saint Leo University, according to published reports.

Diaz has raised $1,960 in cash so far in the young election, with Ledbetter scheduled to file her first campaign finance report this week. New candidates have until July 28, just before the Aug. 26 primary, to file their paperwork if they want to run.

But judging by past elections in this district, the successful candidate is going to have to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars — far more than Burgess has ever needed running for city council or mayor in Zephyrhills. Yet, he feels that city-level experience gives him a significant leg up over anyone who might run against him.

“Having the opportunity to serve at a local level as a councilman has given me a keen understanding of municipalities and local government,” Burgess said. “And local governments are exactly what encompasses your district as a state representative. I am currently the mayor of the largest city in the district, and I feel like I have the opportunity and the understanding of what the district means to help make it better.”

While he wouldn’t get into specifics, Burgess said he is ready to serve, even if the governor after the next election isn’t Republican.

“I’m a team player, and I look forward to working with people on both sides of the aisle,” Burgess said. “I do what I am elected to do, but I also understand that there’s much stuff that gets done up there for whatever reason, so I hope to be a good positive change in Tallahassee, and hopefully, to get some good things accomplished.”

Timeline of Danny Burgess
2004 — Graduates from Zephyrhills High School.
2005 — Becomes youngest member of the Zephyrhills City Council in history at 18.
2006 — Faces scrutiny when it’s believed he spends more time living on campus at the University of South Florida. However, city attorney confirms his permanent residence remains in Zephyrhills, which is needed to remain on the council.
2007 — Re-elected to city council.
2008 — Graduates from USF and is elected council president; later resigns to attend law school in Orlando.
2011 — Graduates from Barry University School of Law, and later passes the Florida Bar examination to become a lawyer.
2013 — Elected unopposed as youngest mayor of Zephyrhills; joins Johnson Auvil Pratico & Chane P.A. of Dade City, practicing in commercial litigation; Announces run to replace Will Weatherford for the state House seat in District 38.

Tubas, euphoniums invade Zephyrhills for Christmas

December 11, 2013 By Michael Hinman

In a holiday world where trumpets and hand bells reign supreme, it’s about time tubas and euphoniums get their due.

And they will Dec. 21 when TubaChristmas returns to Times Square on Fifth Avenue in Zephyrhills.

The low brass instrumentalists will perform Christmas favorites from the gazebo, made up of players both locally and regionally. And all of them will play together as a single unit for the first time, just hours after their one and only practice.

You know it’s Christmas in downtown Zephyrhills when TubaChristmas — a national effort to bring tuba and euphonium players together for public performances — takes over downtown’s Times Square. (Photo courtesy of John Wheeler)

That just adds to the fun, said John Wheeler, a longtime TubaChristmas performer, who is organizing the Zephyrhills event for the seventh year.

“They tend to be musicians who have a good time,” Wheeler said. “They are low-key, and this is a bit of a come-as-you-are party.”

TubaChristmas has performances all over the country, each performance never conflicting with others so that players can attend as many as they want. In fact, some of the 25 or so musicians that show up for the Zephyrhills event have already done other events, like one last week in Lakeland.

And anyone with a tuba or euphonium, and a $10 registration fee, can join in. Those who would like to watch need only show up with lawn chairs at 7 p.m. to get a free one-hour show.

“The tubas and euphoniums are the lower brass instruments in the band, and it is a mellow rumbling sound that you get from it,” Wheeler said. “It gives people a chance to sing along.”

Euphoniums, which have a sound that’s a step higher than tubas, typically take on the melodic parts. And without the rest of the higher-pitch instruments, it gives these players — usually relegated to the background — a chance to stand out.

“You usually get buried by everybody else, and this is the one chance that we get to star,” Wheeler said.

The rehearsal for this performance will begin at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 38635 Fifth Ave. Players not only get a chance to perform for the community, but they also receive a commemorative TubaChristmas button honoring their participation in the event.

The performers are all ages, and some of them even come from the local high schools, Wheeler said.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity, especially for the younger generations,” he said. “No one is judging them on playing right or wrong notes.”

Some players might just stay local, but others travel quite a bit.

“We have players from all over who’ll participate, and one time we had a guy who showed me on a back of an envelope where he had recorded the dates that he played in TubaChristmases all over the country that year,” Wheeler said. “He attended 84 of them.”

Because players can wait right up until the same-day practice to show up, Wheeler does admit as an organizer it can be a little frightening wondering if enough players will show up to play. The Zephyrhills event, however, has really taken root in the town over the last several years, which means only a little stress for Wheeler leading up to the concert.

“I lost a little sleep the first time out,” he said.

Wheeler has performed with TubaChristmas for 28 years, getting his start in New Hampshire and other parts of New England.

“I remember playing once in Maine with the snowflakes coming down and the valves (on his instrument) tend to freeze up,” he said. “We’re in Florida now, so we don’t have to worry about it. I’ve had the pleasure of playing in a variety of instances, and Zephyrhills is the most enjoyable one.”

For more information, call John Wheeler at (813) 788-7408.

Acts of kindness abound, and not only at the holidays

December 4, 2013 By B.C. Manion

It’s that time of year again when efforts begin revving up to provide holiday meals and gifts for those who need help, and lots of groups and individuals are stepping up to help out.

But the season of giving expands far beyond the holidays in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

On any given day, the newspaper receives emails detailing the good works being done. Requests pour in, too, seeking help to put the word out for a wide array of charity events.

The communications are telling. They paint a picture of a community that cares.

Noah Schultz gets a look under the tire of a 1998 Honda Prelude that he’s helping to repair for Matt Feldhouse, a member of the military who was deployed at that time to Kyrgyzstan. (Photos by B.C. Manion)

Here’s a look at just a few of the dozens of charitable acts performed in recent months, by young and old residents of Central Pasco, East Pasco and Northern Hillsborough counties.

In response to Typhoon Haiyan that killed thousands in the Philippines and rendered others without food or shelter, the Rev. Federico Agnir of Wesley Chapel had a charity benefit on Nov. 24 at Atonement Lutheran Church. The concert was free, but donations were collected for the Pacific Typhoon Response Fund of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

The Zephyrhills Historical Association also had a recent fundraiser at Ruby Tuesday in Zephyrhills. The restaurant donated 20 percent of diner proceeds for the fundraiser to support the Rosemary Trottman Scholarship Fund. The scholarship goes to a qualified Zephyrhills High School graduate.

Other examples of the community’s giving nature abound.

Nearly 600 hikers turned out for Hike for Hospice, on Nov. 10 at the Land O’ Lakes campus of Rasmussen College on State Road 54. The event raised more than $56,000 to support programs at Hospice Houses and bereavement centers from Gulfside Regional Hospice, as well as to help patients and their families facing life-limiting illnesses in Pasco County, according to a news release.

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club routinely stages events to raise money, which in turn, benefits groups ranging from scout troops, to domestic violence survivors, to the homeless.

Woman’s club members Joan Collins and Pat Serio recently delivered a truckload of infant and toddler clothing to Alpha House of Tampa. It helps homeless pregnant women and mothers with young children by providing a safe place to live and equipping women with tools to become self-sufficient.

Throughout the year, Gloria Dale, another woman’s club member, signs cards that are shipped during the holidays to military personnel overseas, and delivered to residents at local nursing homes.

Other groups also work all year long to show their support for the troops.

Support the Troops in Wesley Chapel ships boxes including microwaves, refrigerators, televisions, snack foods, coffee and other items to military personnel overseas. The Lutz Patriots sends care packages, including snacks, personal hygiene supplies and other items to the troops, too.

Patricia Murphy of Land O’ Lakes enlists local businesses and volunteer groups to help her organization, Books for Troops. The books are distributed to military personnel and at local nursing homes.

Members of the men’s group at Grow Life Church in Wesley Chapel performed a personal act of support for a member of the military. They decided to restore a 1998 Honda Prelude owned by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Matt Feldhouse while he was deployed in Kyrgyzstan.

The car broke down before Feldhouse went overseas. While he was gone, the men’s church group rallied local businesses and others to help support the project and made the needed repairs.

They surprised Feldhouse at an event at The Shops at Wiregrass, a popular venue for many community events, which often are coupled with fundraising efforts for local charities.

In this age of tweets and texts, Gloria Dale uses an old-fashioned way to send holiday cheer to veterans and troops. She writes each of her greeting cards by hand.

For instance, this year The Shops will host a new event called The Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot, with proceeds from the Thanksgiving morning race going to Feeding America Tampa Bay and local charities through New Tampa Rotary Foundation and the New Tampa YMCA.

Local chambers of commerce also commit acts of kindness, often sponsoring student of the month celebrations and scholarships and getting involved in cleanups and other community projects.

The Lutz Civic Association drums up support for community organizations through its annual race for Lutz Guv’na. This year’s candidates raised $12,596, which was distributed to support various community organizations.

The race for honorary mayor in Wesley Chapel also raises funds, which are used to support the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and local causes.

Some networking groups also get into the act.

The Christian Business Connection, a Central Pasco group, hands out a number of checks each year. Recently, the group donated $250 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, using funds from the networking group’s membership dues.

Women-n-Charge, a women’s networking group, presents an annual fundraising tea to raise money to support two $1,000 grants to help women advance their business goals. This year’s fundraiser went so well the group raised extra money, so they also contributed $1,000 to A Woman’s Place, a ministry devoted to providing free help to women facing unplanned pregnancies.

Bigger organizations get involved, too.

For example, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point recently kicked off its “Connected in Times of Need” campaign. This four-week effort is aimed at raising money to provide emergency funds to help Hospital Corporation of America employees and their families when they face extreme financial hardships. Those difficulties can arise from a natural disaster, an extended illness or another kind of tragedy.

More than $15 million has gone to help more than 14,000 employees and their families since the fund was established in 2005, according to a hospital news release.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel also is involved in various community events. In August, for instance, it sponsored a seminar to help educate parents, coaches and athletes about the dangers of concussions, and steps to reduce the risks of concussion injuries.

The list of charitable acts through The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area goes on and on. Perhaps it is best represented, however, by Jack Buttafuoco, 9, who took it upon himself to conduct a summer food drive to help fight hunger locally.

The Seven Oaks resident collected canned foods, pasta, peanut butter and other items from friends, family and neighbors to help stock the pantry at Feeding America Tampa Bay-Suncoast Branch. He even pitched in $26 of his allowance.

Buttafuoco said he decided to do the food drive because it makes him feel sad when he thinks of others who are hungry.

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.