The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Photos of the Week

Bring on the quilts, draft horses and antique cars

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Quilt lovers had a chance to enjoy a wide assortment of artistic creations, and those who enjoy seeing draft horses pull heavy loads, each had a reason to head to the Farm Fest & Quilt Show at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Heritage Village. There were also plenty of activities for the kids, vendors selling goods and concessions to enjoy.

The crowd closely eyes this team of horses during the horse pull competition. (Fred Bellet)
Artist Debbi Pappas, of Brooksville, arranges the heads in her vendor booth display of character-themed headbands. She was one of many vendors and exhibitors.

Rain didn’t deter beauty at Suncoast Arts Fest

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More than 100 artists turned out for the Suncoast Arts Fest, which also featured live music and activities during the weekend of Jan. 19 and Jan.  20 at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel.

Light rain and gusty wind, at times, made for less than ideal weather conditions, but artists offered plenty of choices for patrons who ventured out. Proceeds from the event support the ‘Art for Kids’ grant that supports arts education in Pasco County schools.

Shannon Macklin, of Flagstaff, Arizona, sits among his cedar wood and copper water fountains at the Suncoast Arts Fest. (Christine Holtzman)
Steve McLeod, of Wesley Chapel, looks over a large canvas painting created with high-end acrylic paints. The painting was called ‘The Sun Garden’ by artist Jim Tucker, of Kansas City, Kansas.
Making their way down Paseo Drive, the Emmel family from Minnesota, Kate, left, Tom and 18-month-old Grace head toward the stage area where the musician, Mr. Harley, was performing a show geared toward children. The Emmels were in town visiting cousins in Lutz.

Washing cars, to help Zack

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Members of the National Honor Society at Zephyrhills High School, under the supervision of science teacher and cross-country coach Vincent Baez, had a car wash fundraiser on Jan. 12 to benefit 18-year-old Zack Springfield, a member of the school’s cross-country team. Springfield is battling Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. The car wash was held at Coney Island Drive-In, at 5327 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Zephyrhills High junior Abigail Boyko has a little fun, in between car washes, by blowing suds bubbles toward her friends, 15-year-old Samantha Wilkes, left, and 17-year-old Angel Bicknell. The young women are members of the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. (Christine Holtzman)
Seventeen-year-old Ethan Vest, a senior at Zephyrhills High School, washes and dries the back window of a sedan. The group washed dozens of cars in the quest to help Zack Springfield and his family.
Zephyrhills High School National Honor Society students scrub a car during the ‘Carwash for Zack’ fundraiser on Jan. 12 at Coney Island Drive-In, 5327 Gall Blvd.

Wrestlers test their mettle at tournament

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Wrestlers from several Tampa Bay area schools took part in the Bill Combs JV Invitational wrestling tournament on Jan. 15, at Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Both female and male wrestlers competed. The tournament is sponsored by Bill Combs, of Brooksville, who is a National Wrestling Hall of Famer and Florida wrestling advocate. The competition is in its third year, and Sergio Matos, Sunlake’s wrestling coach and former student of Combs, is the event’s organizer.

Fourteen-year-old Cole Henderson, from Land O’ Lakes High School, is in the top position while wrestling 14-year-old Garrett Hoss from Tampa’s Jesuit High School. They were competing in the 106-pound weight class. (Christine Holtzman)
Fourteen-year-old Caitlyn Davis, a freshman at Land O’ Lakes High School, left, and her 16-year-old teammate Natalie Hall, do stretches before the wrestling tournament begins. Davis and Hall were among several females competing, often against members of the opposite sex. Wrestling requires athletes to prove themselves, Davis said. ‘It’s a lot of hard work.’
Seventeen-year-old Leo Lopez, from Wiregrass High School in Wesley Chapel, in front, shoots in for the takedown of 14-year-old Austin Black who wrestles for Sunlake High School.

Creating art, using everyday objects

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A class at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, recently had a chance to learn how to transform an ordinary wine glass or bottle into a work of art. Helen McDaniel, who taught the class, demonstrated how to paint designs on glass. The teacher, who is a snowbird from Ohio and a part-time Land O’ Lakes resident, collects bottles in Ohio for the class, and her daughter, Diana, flattens them out — using the intense heat from a kiln. The library offers classes and activities appealing to people with all sorts of interests.

Instructor Helen McDaniel, left, offers first time flattened glass bottle painter Yvonne DeFant, of Land O’ Lakes, a few pointers on painting flower petals. (Christine Holtzman)
Genevieve Khan, of Pennsylvania, right, shows her completed artwork to her daughter, Anisa Khalil, of Land O’ Lakes. Khan accompanied her daughter to several classes at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library and the Foundry Makerspace.
Susan Breakiron-Lowe, of Lutz, paints a series of small flowers on her flattened piece of glass. She frequently takes part in classes at the library.

A sweet and spicy event

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The Pioneer Florida Museum & Village hosted Raising Cane, a Sweet and Spicy Event, held on Jan. 12 — offering event-goers a chance to watch syrup being made, to sample chili and to check out goods offered by a variety of vendors. Shown here, George Craciun, of Thonotosassa, center, plays banjo with some members of the Barking Dogs Band. Jim Strickland, show host of 88.5 WMNF, is on the left, and, guitarist Bill Dudley, of Dade City, is on the right. The group, which consists of six men, performed ‘Old Time’ music throughout the day.

(Christine Holtzman)

Practice makes perfect

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Thirteen-year-old Ayberk Babacan, of Wesley Chapel, brought in the New Year by practicing some soccer moves with his father, Ercan, at Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road.

 

Ayberk Babacan, 13, used some of his winter break to polish up his soccer skills. He’s shown here practicing a soccer move known as a chest trap. He plays the striker position for a Wesley Chapel U14 team. (Christine Holtzman)
After performing a soccer move known as a chest trap, 13-year-old Ayberk Babacan, of Wesley Chapel, strikes the ball in the air using his head.
Thirteen-year-old Ayberk Babacan, of Wesley Chapel, juggles a soccer ball at Wesley Chapel District Park.

Doing a little ‘one-on-one’ training

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Basketball trainer Bruce Price, of Tampa, left, and Ty Webster, of Land O’ Lakes, took advantage of the winter break to do a little basketball training on one of the outdoor courts at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway.

The 11-year-old Webster was picking up some pointers during a training session with Price, who has played pro ball in the states, as well as Europe, and has been a trainer for 4 years.

Basketball trainer Bruce Price, of Tampa, left, runs through an exercise called a ‘dummy defense’ with 11-year-old Ty Webster, of Land O’ Lakes. Price, a former professional player, offered the benefit of his experience during the training session. (Christine Holtzman)
Trainer Bruce Price, of Tampa, left, watches as Ty Webster, of Land O’ Lakes, dribbles up to the basketball hoop to take a shot. Webster plays both the guard and forward for a summer league team in Odessa.
Eleven-year-old Ty Webster, of Land O’Lakes, left, drives in for a ‘lay-up’ while his trainer Bruce Price, of Tampa, shouts words of encouragement. Webster’s father, Ty Sr., said that his son enjoys basketball and wanted to get one-on-one training to up his game.

2018: A great year for photos

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Editor’s note: Here is a look at some of the moments of community life captured during 2018 by Christine Holtzman, a regular contributor to The Laker/Lutz News. We love to share your stories through photos, so please feel free to let us know about upcoming events that can help us record life’s big and small moments, by sending an email to .

Dancers at the Summer Sock Hop at the Lutz Senior Center are living proof that age is just a number and you’re only as old as you feel. About 90 people turned out for the dance, on Aug. 25, at the senior center, 112 First Ave., N.W. Lutz residents John Gallucci and his wife, Marta, dance to an upbeat number at the sock hop. The Galluccis, originally from Argentina, were childhood sweethearts and have been married for 48 years.
Roman Sercu, of Wesley Chapel, waits his turn to refill his cup with more paint during the Idlewild Baptist Church’s Student Ministry’s annual Color War on Sept. 5 at the church, 18333 Exciting Idlewild Blvd., in Lutz. The 12-year-old took part in the Color War with his travel baseball team, the Marauders.
Despite the large crowds, 4-year old Kyle Floyd, of Lutz, is able to share a quiet moment in the pumpkin patch with his dad, Jason, while enjoying a frozen treat during the 11th annual Family Fun Festival hosted by the Seal Swim School,19509 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz. Hundreds turned out for the fall event, which also included pumpkin painting, arts and crafts, food, music, a bounce house and a costume parade. Proceeds from pumpkin sales and the festival help promote water safety and the school’s special needs program.
Floating atop a giant and colorful unicorn raft, 6-year-old Harper Gabbard, of Land O’ Lakes, navigates her way across the swimming pool, in the Connerton community. Harper and her family met up with their neighbors for an afternoon of swimming to beat the summer heat.
Covered from head to toe with paint dust, Isaac Cabrera, a student ministry intern from Land O’ Lakes, takes a moment to pose for a picture while the middle school students engage behind him during Idlewild Baptist Church’s Student Ministry’s Color War, in Lutz. Andrew Evans, the church’s middle school pastor, said they stage the event to give people a chance to see who they are, what the student ministry is about and to share the gospel — all while having fun.
Four-year-old Isabella Whitman, of Land O’ Lakes, has some afternoon fun in the sun with bubbles at the Lodge Playground located in the Wilderness Lake Preserve neighborhood.

 

 

 

2018: A great year for photos

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Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, at 37015 Orange Valley Lane in Dade City, had a Blessing of the Animals service on Oct. 7 to commemorate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who was known for his affinity for animals. People brought their animals to be blessed, and shared a potluck meal together. Rio, a Biewer Terrier, gives his attention to Pastor Mark Reiff, left, as the pastor gives the dog a blessing. The canine’s owners Larry Comer, back, and Marcia Alexander look on. Pastor Reiff said that the event is important because the word ‘animal’ comes from the Latin word ‘anima,’ which means ‘spirit.’ ‘Every living thing has the spirit in them,’ he said. ‘We have an obligation to the anima of the Earth to do this.’ (Christine Holtzman)

Nine-year-old Trenton Kienitz, of Zephyrhills, soars through the air on his scooter while practicing his ramp jumping skills at Zephyrhills Skate Park. The park is located at 29th Street and Alston Avenue, and is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
As afternoon temperatures soared, 4-year-old Clence Poe, of Zephyrhills, jumps joyfully on top of a water jet. He was at Waterplay at Zephyr Park, 5039 Fourth St., in Zephyrhills, with his mom, aunt and cousin. They had been playing at the playground and came to cool down under the refreshing water sprays at the park.
Mr. Tommy jokes around by hiding in the crowd at the New River Library, during his introduction before the show began. Mr. Tommy, also known as Tommy Girvin, is a Wesley Chapel resident. He also is known as a longtime lead guitarist and musical director for the rock singer Eddie Money.
Do you think 6-year-old Sam Benson is enjoying his ice cream cone? Here’s a clue: Check out that ear-to-ear smile. Sam, his mother and grandparents went to the ice cream shop to celebrate the last day of school.
Feeling the upbeat vibe, Sandra Gonzalez, left, and her husband Luis Orduz, who live in Town N’ Country, are both originally from Columbia. Here, they are dancing to Salsa music being performed during the Latin Festival on Sept. 29 at the Avalon Park West community, 5227 Autumn Ridge Drive in Wesley Chapel. The festival also included food trucks, bouncy houses, vendors and children’s activities.