The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Dogs trot out a few new tricks on their day in Dade City

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Dogs were lapping up good times during Dogs’ Day in Dade City, on a beautiful Saturday at Agnes Lamb Park.

Dr. Jayapriya Raj of Florida Hospital, Zephyrhills’ Critical Care Office in Dade City, holds Mario and Kylo next to her son, Danny Moses, 9. They live in Wesley Chapel.
(Richard K. Riley)

Fifty-one dogs joined the dog parade at 10 a.m., and nearly two dozen competed in individual contests.

Dogs’ Day in Dade City, now in its eighth year, is an event that’s aimed at giving dogs a chance to have fun, while their owners have a good time, too.

Dogs, and their owners, could take part in an assortment of activities, and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

It was an event that attracted Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez, Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom, pageant queens, high school volunteers and pet owners from all sorts of places, including St. Petersburg and Boston.

There were also a variety of goodies on sale, both for pets and for their human companions.

Published March 22, 2017

Using the written word to help process grief

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While the journey through grief is a singular experience for those who have suffered a loss, there are tools that can help, said Tiffany Kring, a bereavement counselor at Gulfside Hospice.

One approach uses the power of the written word to work through the grieving process, said Kring, who will be leading a free workshop called “Journaling Through Grief.”

The session is scheduled for March 23 at 2 p.m., at the Gulfside Center for Hospice Care in Zephyrhills, at 5760 Dean Dairy Road.

It is open to the public, but the session is limited to 10 participants, so the seats will be given, based on the order of those signing up.

“Generally, it’s about a one- to two-hour workshop. It’s using some different writing and journaling techniques to help process thoughts, feelings and things associated with the grieving process,” Kring said.

“It’s especially helpful for people who have a hard time verbalizing, or sharing feelings,” said Kring, who has been a counselor for about 25 years and has used writing as one of her counseling tools throughout her career.

“I think it’s a very effective tool,” she said. “A lot of people don’t realize how beneficial it really is.”

Some exercises involve free-flow writing, others are more structured, such as asking participants to do some writing based on a writing prompt, or writing about a specific topic, she explained.

There’s something about the writing process that frees thoughts and feelings, she said.

“Sometimes when they just sit down with pen and paper … they’ll find that it helps to release what’s going on,” she said.

“Even if they are in counseling for it (grief) or have friends, or someone, they’re talking to, it’s still a good way to get those things out, especially because it’s something people can use when they’re alone, or in those late-night hours when they get up,” Kring said.

Kring said if more than 10 people call in to sign up, she’ll keep a list of those she can’t accommodate, and she’ll reach out to them when she has her next “Journaling through Grief” workshop.

The deadline for signing up is March 17. Those interested should call Kring at (727) 247-7510.

Published March 15, 2017

This event gets dogs’ tails waggin’

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Dogs’ Day in Dade City, now in its eighth year, is an event that’s aimed at giving dogs a chance to have fun, while their owners have a good time, too.

Dog owners bring decked-out wagons, so their dogs can ride in style during the Dog Wagon Parade at Dogs’ Day in Dade City. This year the event is March 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(Courtesy of Lucy Avila)

Rain put a damper on last year’s festivities, but event organizer, Lucy Avila, hopes this year’s Dogs’ Days will enjoy better weather.

The event is scheduled for March 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Agnes Lamb Park, at Meridian Avenue and Ninth Street in downtown Dade City.

Those attending the event typically come from Dade City and the nearby communities, such as Zephyrhills and Brooksville, but also from Tampa, Wesley Chapel, New Port Richey and other communities.

Dogs must be kept on a leash.

There are all sorts of activities planned, including a dog wagon parade, a dog costume contest, a K-9 challenge, a Canine Got Talent contest and an ice cream/yogurt eating contest.

In the ice cream/yogurt eating contest, Avila said, “The dog gets the dog yogurt, the human gets the ice cream. When they say, ‘On your mark, get set, go,’ they take the lids off of their containers and the humans hold the one for the dog, and the humans hold their own, and they can only use their mouth, their tongue.

“It’s great. It is so much fun,” Avila said.

The K-9 challenge has been very popular, too, she said. Dogs compete in the small, medium and large categories.

This pup was having fun showing off a few moves at a previous Dogs’ Day in Dade City. The event, now in its eighth year, aims at bringing dogs and dog-lovers together to have some fun

They have to complete a course, which is timed. But, there are things along the way to sidetrack them, including treats, a ball and other distractions.

“That has been a hit,” she said.

“We are just really proud of our community to be able to put this on,” she said.

Another highlight of the event will be a 1 p.m. presentation by a speaker from Canine Partners for Patriots, of Brooksville.

“We are so proud to have them come to our event,” she said.

In that program, dogs and veterans are connected. The speaker will be sharing stories of those special connections.

“The dogs mean so much to these people. They just have made a better quality of life for them,” she said.

The “‘Canine Got Talent” portion of the event is always a big hit, as people show off dogs who can jump through hoops, bark along with music and do other fun pet tricks, Avila said.

Dogs’ Day in Dade City
Where: Agnes Lamb Park, at Meridian Avenue and Ninth Street in downtown Dade City (Across from the Edwinola on Meridian)
When: March 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free admission, free parking
Details: People and dogs can both have fun at this shindig. There will be a dog wagon parade, dog costume contest, a K-9 challenge, a Canine Got Talent contest, as well as vendors selling items meant for dogs and for humans.

Published March 15, 2017

Paulie Palooza rocks out at new venue

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When people gather this year to check out the music at the fifth annual Paulie Palooza, they’ll be arriving at a new event venue.

This year, the bands will be performing at the Zephyrhills Community Event Venue, at 5200 Airport Road.

Paulie Palooza will be playing at a new venue this year. The event is scheduled for March 18 at the Zephyrhills Community Event Venue. It will feature live bands, vendors, a silent auction and more. Proceeds benefit Gulfside Hospice.
(Courtesy of Gulfside Hospice)

The bands will start playing March 18 at 10 a.m., and performances will continue throughout the day, until 5 p.m.

The musical lineup includes:

  • Cold Iron
  • The Dade City Connection
  • David Teague
  • Backwaters Own
  • The Jase Randall Band
  • Ralph’s RV
  • White RV

But, there’s more than music at Paulie Palooza. The event also features local vendors, silent auctions, a car show, food and drawings, said Kirsty Churchill, of Gulfside Hospice.

The cost for admission is $5, and those attending are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.

Event proceeds support hospice patient care in Pasco County through Gulfside Hospice.

The event all began with Paul Correia’s desire to do something for Gulfside Hospice, which provided care for his father as he was approaching his death.

It started out as a birthday party, which has turned into an annual fundraiser, Churchill said.

Gulfside Hospice appreciates Correia’s work and generosity, Churchill said.

Paul Correia launched Paulie Palooza to raise money for Gulfside Hospice, who provided care to Correia’s father before his death. Since its inception in 2012, Paulie Palooza has raised more than $20,000 to support Gulfside Hospice.

Every penny helps, she said, noting that no patient is ever turned away from Gulfside Hospice because of an inability to pay.

Churchill said it’s not known yet how the new venue will affect attendance, but the venue is large — enabling the event to have more options for things to do for event-goers.

When the venue was used this year for the first time for the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Festival, it drew an estimated 11,000 — the festival’s largest crowd ever.

The 14-acre site has a 20-by-40-foot stage and enough stalls, equipped with water and electricity, to accommodate 48 vendors.

Gulfside Hospice serves patients living in Pasco County who are facing end-of-life illnesses.

The interdisciplinary care team provides medical care focusing on symptom management and pain control. It also offers emotional and spiritual care from social workers, chaplains and volunteers.

For more information about Gulfside Hospice, call (800) 561-4883, or visit GHPPC.org.

Paulie Palooza
Where: Zephyrhills Community Event Venue, at 5200 Airport Road
When: March 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $5 admission, free parking; proceeds go to Gulfside Hospice
Details: Live music, local vendors, car show, food and more
Info: To find out more, contact Ashley Thibedeau, special events coordinator, at (727) 845-5707 or , or visit Facebook.com/GHPPC.

Published March 15, 2017

Home Depot offers jobs in spring hiring spree

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Home Depot is looking to fill 1,350 jobs in an estimated 30 stores across the Tampa Bay region, including in Pasco County.

The “Jobs in Bloom” hiring spree anticipates adding 80,000 jobs at stores and distribution centers nationwide. There are full-time, part-time and spring seasonal jobs available, according to a news release from the Atlanta-based Home Depot.

More than half of Home Depot’s seasonal hires move on to permanent positions, the release said.

The largest number of available jobs, at an estimate of 3,000, is in Chicago. Other targeted cities include Dallas, Philadelphia and Sacramento.

According to the Home Depot website, jobs are available at the Zephyrhills location, at 32715 Eiland Blvd.; and, in New Tampa, at 17601 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. In Hillsborough County, the Carrollwood store at 16121 N. Dale Mabry Highway also has job openings.

Home Depot has retooled its online application process.

Applications take about 15 minutes on any type of electronic device – computer or mobile, the news release states.

“We want everyone to have an easy and convenient experience with The Home Depot, whether they’re shopping with us or applying for a position,” Tim Crow, executive vice president of the company’s human resources department, said in the news release.

To personalize the application process, Home Depot also is highlighting job experiences of current employees in video and photo essays. These are available at the store’s digital content site, “Built from Scratch.”

Other links are available at the online Careers site and #HomeDepotHiring.

Nationwide, jobs are available at nearly 2,000 stores and 75 distribution centers. Jobs include customer service and sales, lot associates, freight and receiving, store support and cashiers. Job availability varies from store to store.

For information, visit Careers.homedepot.com/jobs-in-bloom/.

Published March 8, 2017

Zephyrhills chamber ‘pays it forward’

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The seventh annual Pigz and Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest is over, but its community impact lingers on.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce earmarked more than $19,000 in scholarships and donations during its annual “Pay it Forward” dinner on Feb. 23, at the Silverado Golf and Country Club.

Evan McBride, part of a grilling group called Peachy Boys, from Mount Dora, turns some meat on the grill during the seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest on Jan. 21. Revenue from the event allowed The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce to earmark more than $19,000 in donations and scholarships to civic clubs, youth groups and graduating seniors from Zephyrhills High School.
(File)

The post-barbecue banquet celebrates volunteers’ efforts during the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest, which just wrapped its seventh year on Jan. 21. More than 100 sponsors, participants and volunteers attended the celebration.

Throughout the banquet, the chamber handed out $14,500 in donations to 11 civic clubs and youth groups, from money raised through the barbecue event.

Those donations ranged from $250 to $1,900.

The chamber also announced $5,000 in scholarships to graduating Zephyrhills High School students in May. Among those are a $1,000 performing arts scholarship, a $1,000 culinary arts scholarship and a $1,000 scholarship to a student “who may not have started well, but has made a turnaround in his or her scholastic life.”

Organizations receiving donations were the Pasco County Sheriff’s Posse, Zephyrhills Civil Air Patrol, Zephyrhills Noon Rotary, Zephyrhills Museum of Military History, Zephyrhills/Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association, Relay 4 Life committee, and the Resurrection House Mission.

Several groups from Zephyrhills High School also were rewarded, including Army JRTOC, Interact Club and Drama Club.

Each organization, which contributed the bulk of the festival’s 3,000 volunteer hours, was also presented with various certificates, plaques and other prizes.

The seventh annual Pigz in Z’Hills festival, meanwhile, was its most successful to date, chamber officials say.

Net revenue from the event totaled more than $50,000 — the highest mark yet, according to Melonie Monson, executive director of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Moreover, the economic impact for the city of Zephyrhills from this year’s barbecue fest was estimated at about $500,000, Monson said.

Pigz in Z’Hills, now a mainstay for east Pasco, drew somewhere between 11,000 and 14,000 attendees.

It also featured 54 teams, and more than 140 vendors.
In a release, Monson credits some of the event’s success — both financial and turnout — to the new festival venue, which was completed just prior to the barbecue shindig.

The $70,000-plus venue spans 14 acres, and includes amenities such as a 20-by-40 stage, and 50 spaces equipped with water and electric.
It was constructed via a public-private partnership, with contributions from Florida Hospital Zephyrhills and the City of Zephyrhills. Additionally, John Kinsman, of Martin Electric, and Paul Correia, of Sunstate Aluminum, contributed labor and expertise in electrical, plumbing and construction.

The venue is now expected to be used for various events and fundraisers organized by nonprofit organizations.

Published March 8, 2017

Zephyrhills collects feedback from residents

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Hundreds of Zephyrhills residents have voiced their sentiments on key emerging issues and opportunities facing the city — both now and in the future.

Last fall, hundreds of residents provided input on key issues facing the city via surveys and roundtable discussions. The exercise was to gather feedback and input for the Zephyrhills 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
(File)

And, several of their thoughts and ideas — collected via a community-wide survey and a series of roundtable discussions — will be used in crafting an update to the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan.

Planning director Todd Vande berg and Tammy Vrana, an urban planning consultant, presented the findings in a summarized report during the Feb. 13 meeting of the Zephyrhills City Council.

The City of Zephyrhills launched a community opinion survey in September to identify the city’s key issues and opportunities across the next 15 years, for the Zephyrhills 2030 Comprehensive Plan.

The survey had more than 700 responses, Vande berg said.

Some of the main themes:

  • The city is rich in assets, and downtown is its greatest asset
  • Downtown has challenges — such as blighted properties
  • The city needs more housing choices
  • Demographics are changing Zephyrhills’ identity — poorer, younger
  • School quality is declining, as is community spirit
  • The city needs to address emerging health trends, including obesity
  • Growth is strong, but happening in places mostly outside the city’s control
  • South of Zephyrhills represents a development opportunity
  • Opportunities for economic development are in place
  • Traffic is growing

The Zephyrhills Comprehensive Plan projects forward 15 years to envision where residents will “live, work, learn, play, socialize, maintain health, and preserve assets for benefits of current and future generations.”

The plan — which should be complete by the end of 2017 — also seeks to address the city’s growth and development priorities and opportunities. Per state law, comprehensive plans must be evaluated every seven years and updated as needed.

Additionally, city consultants and planning department staff conducted interviews of more than 50 people with different backgrounds and interests.

Roundtable discussions were held on a number of issues, including real estate, economic development, culture/leisure, health, education/job training, community quality of life and transportation/mobility.

Approximately 200 ideas were compiled from those exercises, Vande berg said.

A released report summarizes the key points identified from each of those meetings.

“We felt like we…really gathered a lot of data and input from the community to what our issues are, and what we want to identify and address,” Vande berg said.

During roundtable discussions, a questionnaire was distributed asking for “must-haves” in the 2030 comprehensive plan update.

The report shows many stakeholders want the following:

  • More ways for the community to come together via work, play, arts and culture, suitable venues
  • Better communication between the city and its residents
  • Better housing opportunities
  • Better upkeep of the property and an improved public realm
  • Less crime
  • Improved services for homeless people
  • Better quality of education
  • Greater focus on the airport industrial area and corridor
  • Increased attention on south Zephyrhills, and south of downtown

The report also includes what stakeholders think the city “must avoid” in the 2030 plan update:

  • Too much focus on retiree communities, and not enough on youth
  • Too many alcohol events
  • A homeless shelter
  • Unfriendly environments
  • Another high school
  • Low-income housing
  • Becoming a “bedroom community”
  • Growth too quickly
  • Growth without adequate infrastructure, such as traffic
  • Urban sprawl
  • High-speed traffic

Some of the issues involving growth, however, are unavoidable, according to city manager Steve Spina.

“There’s going to be a certain amount of growth,” he said. “There’s going to be a number of those things, whether we want it or not — it’s coming.

“Our role is…to bring it in and control it the way that it meshes with the kind of community that we have right now.”

Council vice president Alan Knight agreed, pointing directly to the city’s growth.

“Some of this is going to be inevitable,” he said. “Some of it’s coming — it’s coming like a freight train.”

The strategy to manage impending growth issues, Vande berg said, is to plan ahead, and still identify and maintain “a sense of place.”

Vande berg said the next task for the planning department is to confirm and prioritize goals for the comprehensive plan, and engage the community again.

The preliminary focus areas are: developing strategies for stabilizing downtown, developing a scope for the master plan of the industrial corridor, and creating a vision for the north and south corridor of U.S. 301.

Those strategies, Vande berg noted, will take a collaborative effort from the city’s planning department, the city council, Pasco County and the state legislature.

Meanwhile, key forthcoming city projects include the extension of State Road 56, the transformation of Zephyr Park and the redevelopment of Gall Boulevard.

To view the complete report, visit tinyurl.com/zfezgx6.

Published March 1, 2017

Rattlesnake fest not hiss-tory after all

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New organizers have stepped forward to take over the management of the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival & Run, an event that had appeared to be headed toward extinction.

The Thomas Promise Foundation will be taking over reins of running the festival, that has been a mainstay in the City of San Antonio for a half-century.

A Bay News 9 reporter gets a first-hand feel for this creature at the Croc Encounters’ alligator pen, a popular attraction at the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival & Run.
(File)

The San Antonio Rotary Club had been the festival’s primary organizer and had announced on Feb. 1 that 50th festival, which was held in October, would be its last.

In announcing that decision, Betty Burke, festival chair, said the club decided to step away from the festival because it was too much for the small club to handle.

After that announcement, however, five organizations stepped forward, expressing interest in taking over the event.

Club members talked about those willing to take over the festival during the club’s Feb. 21 meeting, and after discussing the various pros and cons of each of the interested groups, they reached a consensus, deciding that Thomas Promise would be the best fit for the festival’s original mission.

Burke then headed to the San Antonio City Commission meeting to share the news.

This isn’t the first time the festival has had a new organizer.

Burke recapped the festival’s history, in her announcement about the festival’s demise.

The festival originally was conceived by founders Eddie Herrmann and Willy Post, as a rattlesnake roundup — to replace the San Antonio Junior Chamber of Commerce’s Fun Day, which was being discontinued.

The Jaycees presented the first Rattlesnake Roundup on Nov. 4, 1967, in City Park, in San Antonio, according to a history compiled by Burke. Its aim was to entertain and to give funds back to the community.

The event continued for nearly a decade with few changes, until the Jaycees, gave up their chapter. That prompted Herrmann and other members to form the Rattlesnake and Gopher Enthusiasts (R.A.G.E.) group to carry on the tradition.

In 2013, R.A.G.E. announced it could no longer manage the event due to a lack of new volunteers to help.

That’s when the San Antonio, Dade City Sunrise, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel Sunrise, Zephyrhills and Zephyrhills Daybreak Rotary clubs stepped in and assumed leadership, under the banner of the East Pasco Rotary Charities.

After that, the San Antonio Rotary Club took over in 2014, assuming full leadership for the festival.

In choosing to hand the festival off to Thomas Promise Foundation, club members noted that the organization seems in line with the original intent, to help the local community.

Thomas Promise Foundation provides backpacks full of food complete with three meals and snacks for underprivileged children in Pasco County. The meals help feed children through the weekend when they would otherwise go without.

The charity’s Operation Backpack began after Brooke Thomas gave her lunch money to classmates she saw going hungry. When she asked her mom for more lunch money, her mom asked why, and Brooke said she just wanted to help.

Thomas Promise Foundation began with that young girl’s compassion.

Now, the organization will bring new life to the Rattlesnake Festival & Run.

Published March 1, 2017

Zephyrhills plans to buy property next to City Hall

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The conceptual plan of a new City Hall complex in Zephyrhills has taken another step forward.

The city council unanimously authorized city manager Steve Spina and city attorney Matt Maggard to negotiate the purchase of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chapter building, at 5325 Eighth St. The .16-acre property, appraised at $71,200, sits on two lots measuring 50-by-140 feet.

The City of Zephyrhills plans to purchase the Disabled American Veterans property, shown on the left, to use as temporary office space once construction begins on the $6.2 million City Hall project. Post-construction, the DAV property will be used for additional parking and sidewalks, linking the City Hall with the city’s library and fire department.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The action came at the council’s regular Feb. 13 meeting.

In November, the council authorized obtaining an appraisal to determine the value of the property after DAV Chapter 65 announced it was shutting operations.

The now-vacant property — which sits adjacent to the current City Hall along Sixth Avenue — includes a 924-square-foot main building, a 450-square-foot aluminum storage building and a 335-square-foot concrete block building.

Its planned usage is multi-layered.

Initially, it will provide temporary office space — likely for the city’s Building Department, when construction is underway on the new, $6.2 million City Hall complex.

The City Hall project is expected to be complete sometime in mid-2018.

After construction is completed, the main DAV building will be torn down to make way for additional parking and sidewalks along Sixth Avenue.

The property, too, encompasses the city’s vision of a courtyard plaza and walkway, linking the new City Hall and the city’s public library, and fire department on Eighth Street.

“We’re buying it for the big picture,” Spina said. “Part of the appeal of the area is it would be a government complex.”

Zephyrhills city manager Steven Spina
(File)

Council president Kenneth Compton agreed, saying the “location couldn’t really get any better.”

Spina said the DAV building is move-in ready, but additional funds will be set aside to make it a suitable workplace for city employees.

Funds are available to purchase the building in the city’s contingency budget. Likewise, expenses could be billed into the construction of the new City Hall.

Spina advised the council he plans to negotiate an offer several thousand dollars less than the appraised value.

Moreover, the city is eyeing another temporary quarters along Ninth Street and Sixth Avenue. One possibility, Spina said, is the former police station, at 5344 Ninth St.

Meantime, the design of the new City Hall is already in motion.

City staff members have met with engineers and architects to outline project goals and objectives, along with a construction timeline.

The project calls for a two-story building of 19,615 square feet, significantly larger than the current City Hall, which is 13,497 square feet.

With a modern stone and brick exterior, the new City Hall follows an architectural template similar to the Zephyrhills Public Library.

In other action, the council heard an update on the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest, from Melonie Monson, executive director of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Monson told council members that the event drew more than 11,000, its largest turnout ever.

That compares to about 6,000 the previous year.

She estimated the economic impact for the event at about $500,000.

She also shared a few statistics:

  • About 30 percent of attendees were regional; 20 percent were out-of-state.
  • There were 39 sponsors.
  • Fifty-four cook teams took part, and there were 73 judges.
  • There were 140 vendors and expo participants, and there were 180 volunteers who contributed more than 3,000 hours of service.

“With the overwhelming success of the new venue and this year’s barbecue, the economic impact will be felt in our community for some time,” she said.

The chamber’s annual Pay It Forward dinner is Feb. 23 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Silverado Golf & Country Club. There, donations and scholarships will be dished out from money raised during the BBQ fest.

Published February 22, 2017

Zephyrhills police chief applauds award winners

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The Zephyrhills Police Department has recognized its annual award recipients for 2016.

Police Chief David Shears recognized the department’s annual award recipients for 2016 Police Officer of the Year, Civilian of the Year and Volunteer of the Year during the City Council’s Feb. 13 meeting.

The department selected David Wainwright as the William R. Eiland Police Officer of the Year. Wainwright, a field training officer, has been with the department for 13 years.

From left: Mayor Gene Whitfield, Zephyrhills Police Department Field Training Officer David Wainwright and Zephyrhills Police Department Chief David Shears. Wainwright was awarded the department’s 2016 William R. Eiland Police Officer of the Year.
(Kevin Weiss)

Wainwright, who holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Saint Leo University, regularly performs as an acting sergeant.

“His decision-making skills are right on task,” Shears said.

The department also honored Building Maintenance Specialist Gene Rains as the department’s Civilian of the Year. Shears was especially complimentary of Rains, highlighting his “high level of professionalism, courtesy, efficiency and ability to perform his duties at ZPD.”

Shears added: “He brings a higher level of experience and work ethic to his position than would be normally be seen in his job classification, and is a great asset to the department. He is always willing to assist and handle any project, no matter how small or large the task.”

Eleanor Cooley, who’s been with the department since 2009, was selected as the department’s Volunteer of the Year. Cooley volunteered more than 105 hours “with a smile and positive attitude.”

“She interacts well with all age groups and enjoys helping others,” Shears said.

Department volunteers, the chief said, typically assist with fingerprinting, event supervision, public education, bicycle helmet fitting and literature distribution.

The nominations committee is chaired by Capt. Robert McKinney, and selections are signed off by Shears.

“I have to say this year my job was very easy,” Shears said.

Wainwright, Rains and Cooley also were recognized during the department’s annual award ceremony on Jan. 25 at the Elks Lodge.

Published Feb. 22 2017