The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Photos of the Week

Celebrating National Night Out with the Zephyrhills Police

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Seven-year-old Gabriella Gaskins, of Zephyrhills, far right, scowls after seeing ink on her fingers. The girl was fingerprinted by Terry Rodenfels, a volunteer for the Zephyrhills Police Department. The volunteer was taking fingerprints during the National Night Out event Oct. 2 at the police department, at 6118 Eighth St. Gabriella, along with her siblings, 4-year-old Emily Chambers, center left, and 6-year-old Michael Gaskins, center right, were fingerprinted as part of a child safety campaign offered during the event. (Christine Holtzman)
Zephyrhills Police Det. John Oleson sported a false mustache and sunglasses during National Night Out. Shown here, he is soaking wet after being ‘dunked’ in the dunk tank. He was dunked repeatedly during the two-hour event, which aims to promote goodwill between the police department and the community.
Officer Rafael Rodriguez, left, and K-9 Officer Lorenzo Limoges demonstrate the bite sleeve with K-9 Bolt during the National Night Out event, hosted by Main Street Zephyrhills at the Zephyrhills Police Department. Besides the dunk tank and fingerprinting, there was food, music, station tours, balloons, and the chance to meet police officers and firefighters, as well as other activities.

Latin Festival offers fun for children and adults, alike

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Avalon Park West’s Latin Festival featured dancing to Salsa music, food trucks, bouncy houses, vendors and children’s activities on Sept. 29 at the Wesley Chapel community.

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. (Christine Holtzman)
Showing off her freshly painted cat face design, 6-year-old Jazzybella Matos paints a picture depicting herself standing in front of her Nokomis home at the Pinot’s Palette booth. The painting booth was one of the activities geared towards children attending the Avalon Park West community’s Latin Festival. Jazzybella was at the festival with her grandmother, Milagros Morales.
Five-year-old Gabby Soto, left, and her 6-year-old friend, Zoe McElla, both of Wesley Chapel, enjoy a frozen treat and a sidewalk seat while watching the grown-ups dance. The girls’ families have been friends for decades and many were at the festival to enjoy the evening together.

 

 

‘Whodunit’ raises money to nurture business women

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There was a ‘Murder in Margaritaville,’ and women at this gathering were trying to unravel who did it during the annual fundraiser for Women-N-Charge at the Groves Golf & Country Club, 7924 Melogold Circle in Land O’ Lakes. About 160 women attended the lunch, presented by the networking group for professional women. Lucas Magazine was the main sponsor. Funds raised from the event support grants awarded to three local business women, to use in their business or advance their careers. In addition to the lunch, the group also had a dinner program, with a ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ theme, which also sold out. About 150 people, including couples, attended the dinner.

For more information about the nonprofit group Women-N-Charge, visit their website at Women-n-charge.com.

The ladies at the Flamingo-designed table sponsored by Jackie Bennett, a financial advisor, pose together wearing their glittery flamingo sunglasses before the murder mystery begins. Back row, from left: Suzanne Beauchaine, Paula O’ Neil, Jackie Bennett and Benea Masella. Seated, from left: Susan Robinson, Wendy Scolaro and Rachel Powers. (Christine Holtzman)
Charity Chics North Tampa/Pasco co-founder Jodi Perez, of Odessa, left, poses with her table’s centerpiece designer, Diane Escalera, of Lutz, at the table that Charity Chics NTP sponsored during ‘Murder in Margaritaville.’ It took Escalera about a week to design the centerpiece.
Tee Time Ladies director Pat Franco, of Land O’ Lakes, left, and Patti Gooberman, of Lutz, show off their Parrothead hats before the start of the hat parade portion of the event.

Perfecting the art of curling 

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Olympic competitions aren’t the only place where athletes hit the ice to test their curling skills. They also can do it at Florida Hospital Center Ice, at 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Those wanting to pick up the sport can take ‘Learn to Curl’ classes at the Center Ice venue. Equipment is provided for the four-week sessions held on Wednesday mornings throughout the year. There are also lessons available after league play on Saturday evenings. Curling is fun for people of all ages and ability  levels, according to John Drysdale, who teaches people how to curl.

To find out more, call Drysdale at (813) 618-9889. Curling also is a popular sport here. The Tampa Bay Curling Club, founded in 2017 by Bernie Skerkowski, is the largest curling club in the Southeast and currently boasts more than 140 active members. To find out more about the club, call Bernie Skerkowski at (813) 758-2279.

Rink instructor and Tampa Bay Curling Club member John Drysdale, left, talks about broom technique during a ‘Learn to Curl’ session at Florida Hospital Center Ice. Equipment is provided for the four-week sessions held on Wednesday mornings throughout the year. There are also lessons available after league play on Saturday evenings. (Christine Holtzman)
Leaning on the stabilizer bar for support, Laia Bové-Imhoff, of Wesley Chapel, gets set to release the rock so that it can glide down the ice sheet. Bové-Imhoff, a native of Spain, had never curled before, but fell in love with after giving it a try.
Pauline Snyder, of Land O’ Lakes, left, practices her ‘sweeping’ skills, while curling instructor John Drysdale looks on. Snyder is the rink’s guest services manager. Sweeping the ice helps smooth and remove debris from the ice, which prevents the ‘rock’ from slowing down as it travels over the sheet of ice.

Benefit supports Future Farmers of America, 4H, high school scholarships

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About 100 people turned out to the Boots and Roots Bash, at Al’s Famous Pizza, 11929 Curley St., in San Antonio, despite the stormy weather during the early part of the evening, said R.J. Huss, president of The Boots and Roots Foundation.The fundraiser was hosted by the nonprofit foundation, as well as Al’s Famous Pizza and Charlie’s St. Joe Market. Tickets were $25 for all you can eat pizza, non-alcoholic beverages, kiddie land attractions and the chance to win an all-weather Bluetooth speaker. Tickets also were sold for chances to win a variety of gift baskets and prizes donated by local businesses. The event benefits the local Future Farmers of America, 4H and high school scholarships.

Nine-year-old Wyatt Dorr, of Dade City, left, and his cousin, 9-year-old Kailyn Ostovich, also of Dade City, played a game called ‘The Flip N Fish Contest’ during the Boots and Roots Bash. (Christine Holtzman)
Wearing her cool sunglasses in the rain, 4-year-old Audrey Sachs, of Dade City, gets ready to play a very large game of Velcro soccer darts inside the kiddie land area of the Boots and Roots Bash fundraiser.
Three-year-old Raylan Paoli, of Wesley Chapel, right, runs through the grass with his 1-year-old little brother, Gavin, as they play a game of chase during the Boots and Roots Bash. The boys were there with their parents, Heather and Jason.
Dana Maggard, left, and her husband, Matthew, of Dade City, pose for a picture holding their twin 14-month-old daughters, Morgan, left, and Paige. Matthew serves on the Boots and Roots board.

 

Clinic offer kids a chance to learn tennis techniques

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The youth tennis clinics at the Land O’ Lakes Recreational Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, give players a chance to work on the basics and improve their skills.

The clinics are being taught by Karen Turman, a United States Pro Tennis Association instructor. The instructor also coaches tennis at Land O’ Lakes High School and has been the recreation complex’s instructor for the past 20 years. For more information, contact Turman at (813) 468-1047.

Coach Karen Turman, far left, has her two volunteers and students do a fun tennis ball toss in the air at the end of a recent tennis clinic she was teaching at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. (Christine Holtzman)
Eight-year-old Haliegh Rhymer, of Land O’ Lakes, participates in a drill. The clinics are offered on Tuesdays, for ages 8 through high school, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, throughout the school year and cost $38 for a four-week session. Starting on Oct. 25, Thursday sessions will be added. This was Haliegh’s first time on a tennis court.
Eight-year-old Christian Quandt, of Land O’ Lakes, decided to give tennis a try, and is shown here jumping to hit a ball back to Lauren Hallauer, a Charles S. Rushe Middle School student. Hallauer is helping at the clinics to earn volunteer hours for the National Junior Honor Society. Coach Karen Turman can be seen on the far left.

Delivering an expression of appreciation

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When terrorists attacked the United States on the morning of Sept. 11, first responders rushed to the scenes of the attack, with many first responders losing their lives in the quest to save others. The Land O’ Lakes Rotary Club marked the anniversary of those terrorist attacks this year by delivering breakfast to first responders at a fire station in Lutz and to a fire station in Land O’ Lakes. This was the second year in a row that the service club showed its appreciation for first responders by presenting a breakfast on Sept. 11, and it intends to expand its efforts by including additional fire stations in the future.

Personnel from Fire Rescue Station 23 pose for a picture next to a fire truck with the members of the Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes that delivered breakfast to the station to show appreciation for the first responders’ service. This is the second year that the Rotary Club has presented a breakfast to commemorate 9/11. They delivered breakfast to Station 22 and Station 23, and plan to include additional stations in the future. (Christine Holtzman)
Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 23 Capt. Larry Whitten, left, shakes hands with Rotarian Terry Dusek, right, as she thanks him for his service, as fellow Rotarians Larry Giannone, Jim Engelmann and Chris Poole look on. The Rotary Club delivered breakfast to Station 23 as well as Station 22 in Land O’ Lakes on the morning of Sept. 11.

A memorial to honor the victims of 9/11

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A 9/11 Memorial Service was held at Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills, on the morning of Sept. 11 honored the memory of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The event included local elected leaders and dignitaries, as well as the Zephyrhills High School JROTC Honor Guard and the Marine Corps League Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Curtain Detachment 1124, based in Zephyrhills. About 100 people gathered at the event.

The VFW Post 8154 Honor Guard perform a rifle salute to the fallen during the 9/11 Memorial Service at Zephyr Park on the morning of Sept. 11. (Christine Holtzman)
Guest speaker Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield speaks to the crowd of about 100 people that attended the program. After his speech, he introduced the Keynote speaker, State Rep. Danny Burgess.
Under the direction of Senior Army Instructor 1st Sgt. Jimmy McAuley, Zephyrhills High School JROTC Honor Guard members from left: Cadet 1st Sgt. Jorlyanys Suarez, Cadet Cpt. Justine Smith, Cadet 1st Sgt. Olivia Laginess and Cadet Cpt. Shelby Howell retire the colors at the close of the 9/11 Memorial Service.
Under the American Flag set at half-mast, the Zephyrhills High School JROTC Honor Guard presents the colors during the invocation of the memorial service to honor the victims of 9/11.

This group stitches together a bit of camaraderie

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Members of the Knitting Plus More group come together on Tuesday afternoons at the Hugh Embry Library in Dade City to work on their personal projects, chit chat, discuss ideas and share useful information. Occasionally, they work on projects together, such as making hats for infants in the hospital. There is no cost to join and people of all skill levels — even those with no experience —are welcome.

Rita Noble, of Dade City, left, knits a baby blanket for her niece in Tennessee, while the ‘unofficial leader’ of the group, Mary Pearson, of Dade City, knits a green dish scrubby. (Christine Holtzman)
Using a pattern called ‘Teal Gingham,’ Carol St. Amour, of Zephyrhills, uses an aluminum crochet hook to crochet her yarn into what will eventually become a blanket. She is a member of Knitting Plus More, a group that meets on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m., at the Hugh Embry Branch Library, at 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City.
Lori Cooper, of Zephyrhills, works on her ‘Siamese Kittens’ needlepoint pattern by designer Jean Day during a recent meeting of her group Knitting Plus More. The group meets every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m., at the Hugh Embry Branch Library in Dade City. Members bring in whatever project they are working on and share in conversation while they stitch.

Hundreds battle it out, using color as their weapon of choice

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Usually, kids aren’t encouraged to throw paint at each other, but that’s the whole point of the annual Color War at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz. Hundreds of kids turned out and their enthusiasm for the activity was obvious.

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 in their Color War behind him. 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. (Christine Holtzman)
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.
A group of high school freshmen engage in ‘battle’ during the Idlewild Student Ministry’s annual Color War on Sept. 5. This year’s event attracted an estimated 750 participants from middle and high schools around the area.