The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Reasons To Smile

From one friend to another

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(Courtesy of Pasco County Animal Services)

Pasco County Animal Services’ (PCAS) buddy Dane stopped by with a special gift for the shelter’s furry friends. Dane and his grandfather, Gary, started saving their change in a coin jar, and after a year, they had collected $150! Dane wanted the money to go to an animal shelter, so he and his family chose PCAS. Friends of Animal Services Inc., will put this money to good use for the dogs and cats. Thank you, Dane and family, for your awesome donation!

Couple saves baby raccoons

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(Courtesy of Owl’s Nest Facebook page)

It’s ‘raining’ raccoons here at Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife in Odessa. These five babies found themselves in the care of Owl’s Nest after some Good Samaritans rescued them from the eves of their home. The adult, female mother raccoon had unfortunately been hit by a car. The couple that found the babies gave them names: Rudy, Alayna, Darina, Lyla and Mari.

Celebrating a new baby, from a distance

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(Mary Rathman)

Toni and Jack Swoboda, of Land O’ Lakes, decided against a small-gathering baby shower for their son, Cody, and his wife, Brittany, of New Tampa, due to the spike in COVID-19 numbers after the holidays. Instead, the celebration was arranged, complete with decorations and party favors, on the Swoboda’s front lawn, for family and friends that wanted to ‘drive by’ to chat with the couple, if only for a short time. Cody and Brittany stand behind the celebratory yard sign to welcome well-wishers.

A salute to Barbara Booth

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club has named Barbara Booth as its Clubwoman of the Year. Booth is a longtime resident of Lutz, the mother of five, and the grandmother to 10. She has chaired several club committees, and works tirelessly to provide comfort to those in need through her organizational skills and sewing talents. During the pandemic, Booth assembled a great team of members who have produced more than 600 masks for the club members and the community, including schoolchildren. Her list of community service accomplishments and personal generosity is very long, as she quietly works through her many volunteer tasks.

A donation of necessities

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club president Annette Bellingar delivered 75 Christmas crackers, donated by club members, to a Tampa assisted living facility. Each cracker contained two pairs of socks for each facility resident. Bellingar also presented boxes of new shoes, accessories and toiletries provided by a generous donor friend of the woman’s club. Maryvette DeLeon, administrator of the assisted living facility, left, accepts the gifts from Bellingar.

A little comfort can go a long way

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

On behalf of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, member Beth Nevel-Rader (right) delivered 17 stuffed animals to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Station 40 in Lutz. The animals are intended to bring comfort and calm to children when the Fire Rescue team arrives at a home during a time of emergency, and/or stress and anxiety for the family. Firefighter EMT Tarel Peralta accepted the donations. For information on the woman’s club, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org.

Helping hands, caring hearts

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Tish Kunath, right, and her three granddaughters, from left: Katelyn, Jocelyn and Madelyn, load up the car with soup packages. (Courtesy of Pasco Kids First Inc.)

The Labonte sisters from left: Katie, 13, and twins Jocie and Madie, 9, are being home-schooled by their grandmother, Tish Kunath, while their mother is an essential worker at Oak Hill Hospital. Due to the pandemic, the sisters have not been able to socialize with other kids, so they started a project to build packages of 8-Can Chicken Soup to help families in need. Each package contains all of the ingredients and a printed out recipe to make an easy and nutritious dinner in less than 20 minutes, for up to eight people. In early November, the sisters ordered, compiled and donated 100 bags of the soup packages to Pasco Kids First, to be distributed.

Elfers Cafe reopens, with a gift

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Victor Attard (Courtesy of The Greater Dade CIty Chamber of Commerce)

Community Aging and Retirement Services Inc. (CARES) reached out to the public requesting an in-kind donation for the CARES Elfers Center. The organization was looking for an electric stove for the reopening of the Elfers Cafe.

Victor Attard, of Finishing Touches Collision, Auto Body Repair & Painting stepped up to the plate. With the delivery assistance of Mark Kenyon, the center received a brand new electric stove.

CARES cannot help save critical resources in demand from vulnerable and at-risk seniors without the help of donors.