Reasons To Smile

After nearly 30,000 votes were cast online, Busch Gardens of Tampa Bay has unveiled the winning name for its baby orangutan. The critically endangered Bornean orangutan, delivered on April 14, will be named Stella. The total number of votes cast for the name was 27,000. Stella was born via c-section to the park’s resident Bornean orangutan, Luna. Stella weighed in at 3.4 pounds.

After five months of care at The Florida Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center, a juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle named Sergeant is ready to return to its ocean home. Sergeant was stranded in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, and suffered from cold stunning — prolonged exposure to the cold that left the turtle with a serious bone infection in a front flipper.

Sergeant’s recovery is a collaborative effort among partners including the New England Aquarium, Turtles Fly Too, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Florida Aquarium’s rehabilitation center currently is rehabilitating 27 green sea turtles and at the peak of the season has 55 animals in its program.

Nykolus Di Roma, of Lutz, celebrates his fifth-grade graduation from Denham Oaks Elementary in style. The last day of school for Pasco County students was May 24.

Seaman Cierra Kenney, a Spring Hill native serving in the U.S. Navy, wishes her mother, Meagan Loomis, of Spring Hill, a Happy Mother’s Day from afar. Sailors help maintain America’s advantage at sea and this means they do not always get to celebrate holidays with their loved ones. Kenney wants her mother to know she is missed on Mother’s Day. “Thank you for all you do for me,” said Kenney, in a news release. “I love you and I’m grateful to have someone like you in my life.”

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club enjoyed a fun, exuberant 65^th Birthday Bash to commemorate GFWC Florida Federation Day, to which Federation the club has belonged since 1960.  A wonderful buffet was served, along with beautiful cake centerpieces handcrafted by club member Aniko Solomonson. For more information on this community service organization and membership opportunities, visit gfwclutzlandolakeswomansclub.org or its Facebook page.

 

Longtime GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club member Elaine Pittman, aka The Plant Lady, once again has donated $500 to Christian Social Services (CSS) in Land O’ Lakes, an organization that provides goods and services to the area’s unhoused and food insecure population. For decades, Pittman has raised funds by propagating, potting and selling plants for funds she dedicates to CSS. At age 94, she shows no signs of slowing down her efforts. Here, Pittman presents a check to CSS staffers.

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club handcrafted Easter favors for recipients of the Meals on Wheels (MOW) program. Darryln Caudill, right, delivered 200 bunnies to MOW Executive Director Steve King for distribution to the elderly, disabled and shut-ins. The woman’s club also hosted a kickoff luncheon to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign, another cause the club supports. For more information, visit LutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

National Sibling(s) Day is celebrated on April 10 to honor brothers and sisters. At times, siblings can provide us with our biggest competition, strongest encouragement and remind us of our most embarrassing moments. They can be our best friends, or our worst enemies. Here are ways to observe this special day:

• Celebrate your siblings and all the times you’ve had together.

• Laugh at the awkward and ill-spent time in your youth.

• Catch up with your sibling(s). Enjoy looking at photos and videos of time spent together.

• Play or song or two.

• Share photos of you and your siblings.

• Use #NationalSiblings Day to post on social media.