The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Photos of the Week

Making moves, enjoying tunes at the Summer Sock Hop

By

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., in Lutz. The senior center is open to people age 50 and older, and in addition to hosting special events each quarter, the center offers an array of classes and other programs, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Lutz resident John Gallucci and his wife, Marta, dance to an upbeat number at the Summer Sock Hop. The Galluccis, originally from Argentina, were childhood sweethearts and have been married for 48 years. (Christine Holtzman)
Barbara Westling, of New Tampa, left, is excited as she accepts a door prize that she won, presented to her by Belkys Poueriet, of Lutz.
Dulmary Sabater, of Tampa, left, and Ken Yie, of Lutz, dance to the Chris De Burgh song ‘Lady in Red.’ Yie, an avid dancer, plans to begin teaching a ballroom dancing class at the center soon.

Colorful ballet captivates audience in Wesley Chapel performance

By

Dancers wearing intricate costumes moved with precision during a compelling performance from the famous Kuchipudi Ballet, ‘Kalyana Srinivasam,’ on Aug. 25 at the Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel, 30651 Wells Road. This was the first time the ballet was performed in the Tampa Bay area. The free event featured detailed choreography, storytelling, singing, music, and the classical Indian dance form known as Kuchipudi.

Portraying Lord Shiva, Rujutha Kansara, left, and Jiya Patel, who is portraying the Goddess Parvathi, perform a scene from the famous Kuchipudi Ballet, ‘Kalyana Srinivasam.’ The performers are part of the Srishti Dance Academy, in Tampa. (Christine Holtzman)
Meghna Manjith, a member of the Srishti Dance Academy, dances with two cows, as she portrays Ghollabhama in the Wesley Chapel performance.
Lahari Sadineni, left, portrays Vishnu/Srinivasa, while Swapna Komarraju, portrays Lakshmi/Pasmavathi, as they begin a scene from the ballet that depicts the wedding of the Hindu Lord Venkateswara and the Goddess Padmavathi.

 

 

Grand opening ‘Pawty’ of the Beach House Bark Park

By

Residents at Beach House at Wiregrass Assisted Living & Memory Care, at 30070 State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel, now have ‘Bark Park,’ a fenced area outdoors, where they can take their favorite four-legged companions. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves at Bark Park’s grand opening ‘Pawty.’ The facility is pet-friendly. Staff members there believe in the value of pet therapy and frequently bring in their dogs for visits, which the residents seem to enjoy.

Penny, a Maltese mix, listens as her owner, Business Office Director Chelsea Rice, speaks lovingly to her during the grand opening ‘Pawty’ of the Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care’s Bark Park in Wesley Chapel. (Christine Holtzman)
Anthony Staiano, of Riverview (center), joins his mother, Pauline, a resident of the Beach House along with his greyhound, Ralph, during a celebration of the new Bark Park. Anthony says he visits his mother frequently and often brings Ralph along because his mom enjoys the pooch’s company, and they’re happy to have a fenced area where Ralph can play while they relax outdoors.
Niko, a boxer, cools off in a pool of water after chasing the other dogs around the brand-new Bark Park at the Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care in Wesley Chapel. Callie Sears, director of community relations for Beach House, owns Niko and says he loves to swim, and will jump into water wherever he sees it to have fun.

School’s back in session

By

A new academic year has begun and the students at Sanders Memorial School, a STEAM Magnet School, at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes, seemed eager to get back to learning. Kids streamed out of buses and up the sidewalks, as they made their way to start the 2018-2019 school year.

Kelly Edwards, assistant principal at Sanders Memorial Elementary, greets children as they step off yellow buses and head off to classes. It was only Day 2 of school, and the children seemed to have a good handle on the routine, Edwards said. (Christine Holtzman)
Sanders Memorial Elementary School Principal Jason Petry gets high-fives from several students as he makes his way down a hall. Petry had just visited Morgan Crume’s kindergarten class when he encountered the high-fiving students on his way to see some fifth-graders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hector Colón spends a few minutes with his children before they head off to class at Sanders Memorial Elementary School. Five-year-old Simeon, left, is in kindergarten, and 9-year-old Naomi is in fourth grade.
Steve LaVare, an armed school safety guard, monitors the parking lot area as parents are dropping off their kids on the second day of school. LaVare, a retired police captain from upstate New York, is one of the new armed guards the school district hired to comply with a new state law in response to the Valentine Day’s shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Kids get new looks as they head back to school

By

My Salon Suite, at 20707 Center Oak Dr., in Tampa, partnered with Dr. Bou Pediatrics and Young Chef’s Academy to give kids a chance to get their hair cut, just in time to head back to school. Those donating school supplies could get free haircuts. The event also featured face painting, frozen treats and a bouncy house. The donations collected will benefit Metropolitan Ministries and Quail Hollow Elementary. My Salon Suite franchise owner Heather Tomasello plans to make this an annual community event.

Linette Gonzalez-Fuentes, owner of Fuentes Fantabulous Fun, holds a mirror up so that 6-year-old Nicole Panepinto, of Land O’ Lakes, can see how the design turned out. The youngster’s smile communicates her approval. (Christine Holtzman)
After getting their faces painted, 8-year-old Ankhilan Munkherdene, of Tampa, left, and 6-year-old Lewis Lynn, of Brandon, beat the afternoon heat and sit inside the lobby of My Salon Suite to eat their frozen treats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eight-year-old K.C. Jao, of Wesley Chapel, gets a new hairdo for back to school by stylist Wislynn Cosmay, of Hair By Wyss. Cosmay was one of the stylists who donated time to an event to provide free haircuts to children, with a donation of school supplies. My Salon Suite partnered with their plaza neighbors, Dr. Bou Pediatrics and Young Chef’s Academy, for the Back to School event.

Creating beauty through artistic expression

By

Jaime’s Adult Day Care, at 18950 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, gives seniors who have memory impairments a place where they can make new friends and have fun with a variety of activities. In addition to their Expressive Arts program, the center provides numerous weekly activities, such as live musical acts, exercise programs, games to stimulate the mind, therapeutic endeavors, and more. The center has been recognized for the quality of its Expressive Arts program.

Jaime’s Adult Day Care member Katherine McCloskey pays careful attention to the lines while painting in a hibiscus leaf. (Christine Holtzman)
Several members, deep in concentration, channel their inner artist during one of the recent Expressive Arts programs at the center. They are painting a hibiscus flower that had been drawn on fabric, which will later become a small pillow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kay Manka, the activities coordinator for Jaime’s Adult Day Care, left, helps Betty Barnes, of Tampa, to paint a leaf that will become part of a hibiscus flower pillow she is making during the Expressive Arts program at the center. Jaime’s Adult Day Care, at 18950 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, provides seniors with memory impairments a place where they can make new friends and have fun with many stimulating activities throughout the day.

Hundreds show their enthusiasm for ‘Hamiltunes’

By

The popularity of the Broadway musical hit “Hamilton: An American Musical” displayed itself at a local event aimed at bringing together “Hamilfans” of all ages. Hundreds turned up at the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library on July 28 to watch or participate in “Hamiltunes.” The officially sanctioned sing- and rap-along gives singers a chance to supply their vocals to accompany the musical’s instrumental soundtrack. Besides the sing-along, there were craft tables where people could make Alexander Hamilton-inspired crafts. Those attending also could attempt ‘escaping’ from a Hamilton-themed escape room. The fasted group to solve riddles and discover clues won a prize. The library is at 2902 W. Bearss Ave., in Tampa.

Taking a break from coloring her Hamilton-themed picture at one of the craft tables, 2 ½-year-old Lilly Smith, of Riverview, looks around the room and enjoys the music. She was there with her mom, Angel Borths, a huge fan of the musical. (Christine Holtzman)
Fourteen-year-old Asher Montgomery, of Tampa, and her 12-year-old sister Morissey, perform a duet to the song ‘Right Hand Man.’ The sisters are super fans, and recently have organized and performed in their own ‘Hamilton’ neighborhood production in Seminole Heights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wearing a King George cape, 12-year-old Annabella McTigue, of Lutz, gives an energetic performance of the song ‘You’ll Be Back.’

Touching is encouraged at this event

By

Kids are accustomed to hearing the expression, ‘Don’t Touch,’ but at ‘Touch-A-Truck – Saturday in the Square,’ they were encouraged to climb into or onto a variety of vehicles that provide public services and emergency help. Children checked out the controls of an excavator, sat in the driver’s seat of a police car and waved from the interior of a school bus, among other things, on a recent morning in downtown Zephyrhills. The free event was hosted by Main Street Zephyrhills. A portion of Fifth Avenue was closed to traffic to give families and children to get close to the vehicles, and have a chance to meet the people who operate them.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, 5-year-old Macoy Hall, of New Tampa, checks out the details inside of a Zephyrhills Police car belonging to Officer Monroe Ownby. The boy’s mom, Gloria, left, looks on as her son interacts with the officer, who allowed the 5-year-old to turn on the police cruiser’s siren. (Christine Holtzman)
Four-year-old Wesson Swisher, of Zephyrhills, left, and 5-year-old Parker Lindsay, of Lutz, peek out the windows of a school bus to see if their dads are watching. The boys, along with their families, are very close and get together often because their fathers have been lifelong friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These children pose inside the blade of a front loader during the ‘Touch-A-Truck’ event in downtown Zephyrhills. They are, from left: 7-year-old Jayden Landis, of Illinois; 5-year-old Owen DeAngelis, of New Tampa; 4-year-old Camden Landis and 7-year-old Tristan DeAngelis.
The Landis family was in town visiting the DeAngelis family. The children’s mothers have been friends since their college days at the University of South Florida.
Ten-year-old Jonathan Provins, visiting Zephyrhills from Pittsburgh, was excited to be at the controls of a real excavator while operator Kenneth Carriveau watches. The event featured a police car, an ambulance, fire trucks, garbage trucks, bulldozers, cranes and a school bus. There was also live music, local vendors and food stands.

 

A little competition between friends

By

Some friends got together to shoot some hoops in a friendly competition at Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel.

At left, 14-year-old Zay Garraway, of Zephyrhills, dribbles trying to keep the ball away from 14-year-old Machis Baldwin, of Wesley Chapel. (Christine Holtzman)
Fourteen-year-old Zay Garraway, of Zephyrhills, right, drives toward the basket, attempting a lay-up, but his friend 15-year-old Phillip Nicholson, Wesley Chapel, on defense, forces him to miss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From left, brothers Remanza and Phillip Nicholson, Machis Baldwin, Zay Garraway and Blaze White all take a break from the hoops action to pose for a photo at Wesley Chapel District Park. These long-time friends enjoyed being outdoors, soaking in the sun, sharing a few laughs and playing basketball.

 

There’s more than books to check out at this library

By

While others were perusing the stacks at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, this group was involved in a class delving into the ins and outs of woodworking. The class, Woodworking 101: Toy Making-Clown Drop Toy was offered in the The Foundry Makerspace at the library. The space features a variety of hands-on classes and activities for visitors, which include crocheting, sewing, jewelry making, and drawing.

Kelly Tremblay of Hudson, left, uses a template to mark where she will drill holes for the pegs of her clown drop toy as volunteer helper, Ray Penn of Land O’Lakes, watches and provides advice. (Christine Holtzman)
Chantel Mijo, of Land O’ Lakes, uses a drill press to drill the holes that will eventually house numerous small pegs for her clown drop toy. She’s interested in making furniture someday, but wanted to take this class to gain some experience in working with wood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workshop volunteer Ray Penn, of Land O’ Lakes, left, tests out the nearly completed wood toy made by Nancy McKeon, of Land O’ Lakes, right, with Ruth Hunt, of Land O’Lakes, looking on.
The class made clown drop toys under the instruction of teacher Chip Brockman. Brockman, a retired law enforcement officer, learned how to work with wood several years ago when he began volunteering for the nonprofit group The Toymakers in Hudson.
Using a template on a block of wood, Ruth Hunt, of Land O’ Lakes, marks where she will need to cut in order to make the base of her toy. She took the class with her husband, Wayne, and said taking the class was to honor her mother’s recent 85th birthday. She said when her mother was young, she was the only girl in the woodshop class, during an era when women didn’t take those types of courses.