Reasons To Smile

Larkin Mainwaring is a 15-year-old ninth-grader at Pasco eSchool and lives in Dade City. She recently was crowned Miss Pasco County Outstanding Teen. Larkin is passionate about singing and performing, and has been with Showstoppers Performing Arts since she was 8 years old. She also is passionate about raising awareness for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a genetic disease that she lives with. Larkin is excited to represent and serve Pasco County for the next year.

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club donates hundreds of books for the community over the course of every year, to two Little Free Libraries and other outlets that the club supports. Recently, the Nye Park little library was damaged beyond repair, and a gentleman from a Lutz woodworkers group promptly stepped forward and handcrafted and installed a colorful box (shown here) filled with club-provided reading material for local children and adults. Faith Sincich regularly restocks the two boxes and has said that they are well-used by readers.

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club assembled hundreds of Valentine’s Day cards and treats for homebound seniors, to be delivered by Meals on Wheels along with the client’s meals. Each packet contains a Valentine with a handwritten message and a chocolate heart confection, to help raise the seniors’ spirits and bring them cheer. From left: Helen Fornino, Dorrien Zilavetz, Lois Cohen, Judie McHenry, Aniko Solomonson and Sandi Giddens.

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club donated copies of the children’s book entitled, ‘Twenty-One Steps,’ to Lutz, Miles and Connerton elementary schools. The book chronicles the little-known history of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery, in Washington D.C., and pays homage to America’s fallen, telling the story of the soldiers who guard the tomb. The book also illustrates the history of the ‘unknowns,’ marking the 100th anniversary of the first burial of an unknown World War I veteran. Dee Knerr, left, and Faith Sincich delivered the books.

Meet Eliana Rose Jones — the first baby born at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in 2022. Baby Jones was born at 4:53 p.m., New Year’s Day, weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Her proud parents are Sheree and Ian of Land O’ Lakes. The hospital gifted the family a basket of goodies to start the year off in an amazing way. Congratulations to the family and the St. Joseph’s Hospital-North maternity teams.

Retired Buccaneers teamates Oddie Harris and Donnie Elders delivered an early Christmas gift to some football-loving veterans, when they visited Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes, with pictures to sign for autographs. The visit came about after Harris met the wife of a veterans home resident on a flight back to Tampa.

The activities committee at Morningside RV Estates in Dade City recently hosted its annual food drive for the local St. Vincent de Paul Society pantry. Volunteers picked up a total of 194 bags of food from the residents of Morningside and then delivered the donations to St. Vincent’s, where the food was sorted. Mike and Theresa Hosmer started this bi-annual event in 2012. Since then, 3,497 bags of nonperishable food items have been donated to the pantry. From left: Dave Swinson, Lucky Kosto, Wayne Chase, Karen Violette, Ted Trzebiatowski, Don Handel, Ron Suski, Ann O’Brien, Gary Crandlemire, Lynn Swinson, Dave Gwinner, Gene Schmersal, Bill Dupras, Dick Friday, Bill Schulte and Shirley Majeskie.

San Antonio Elementary School student Vin Sanchez is 7 years old, and he has always loved baking and sweets, according to his mom, Amberlee. Recently, Vin decided to make some (hot) cocoa ‘bombs’ for his family and neighbors, and sold them to make money to spend at his school’s book fair. Since a neighbor shared the young boy’s creations on Facebook, he has made more than $500. Vin continues to bake and makes all the sweets himself — from start to finish — while his parents supervise and help to make up the packages. He already is looking forward to creating more treats for Valentine’s Day, and would someday like to own his own bakery shop. The cocoa treats are priced at $3 apiece. Visit Vin’s Chocolate Shop on Facebook for more information.

Staff at The Laker/Lutz News hosted an office potluck for a bit of camaraderie, cheer, and a white elephant exchange, to ring in the holidays.