The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Reasons To Smile

Dignity bags presented to family program

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(Courtesy of Becky Bennett, Pasco Kids First)

The Elevation Church Outreach group in Zephyrhills recently collected, organized and donated 100 Dignity Bags to Pasco Kids First’s Healthy Families Program. The bags were filled with personal hygiene products for women and girls. Last year, Healthy Families Pasco- Hernando served 262 families who were expecting or had a newborn, through positive-parenting home visit services to assist with resources and increase self-sufficiency.

Another Gronk for Tampa Bay

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(Courtesy of ZooTampa at Lowry Park)

ZooTampa announced that its baby Indian rhino will be sharing its name with Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ tight end Rob Gronkowski, also known as ‘Gronk.’ The announcement came from Gronkowski himself, via video chat, to help welcome baby Gronk to the Tampa Bay area. ZooTampa celebrated by hosting a baby shower at the Indian Rhino habitat. The shower included football ice cakes, a Bucs-themed boomer ball, Bucs decorations, and a watermelon Gronk Smash.

Safe Autumn activities

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Seven-year-old Noah Claridge and his 2-year-old sister, Ava, pose for a family photo at the scarecrow-themed hay bale display. The siblings visited the Connerton pumpkin patch with their parents, Jennifer and Matthew. (Christine Holtzman)

Club Connerton previously has hosted several autumn events for residents in the Land O’ Lakes community — but this year, because of COVID-19, the activities were reimagined, to follow social distancing guidelines.

Instead of the adult beer garden and costume contests, Gregg Svendgard, Club Connerton’s general manager, and his staff, came up with some new activities.

There was the annual Monster Mash Dash Costume 5K Run, a pumpkin patch and a scarecrow-themed hay bale to give families a backdrop for photos.

Staff members disinfected pumpkins regularly, and plastic gloves were supplied to those picking out their perfect pumpkin.

The pumpkins were free, and each children received a bag with candy and a craft-to-go, while supplies lasted.

Seven-year-old Sophia Husby and her 5-year-old sister, Chloe, select their perfect pumpkins from the patch on the lawn of Club Connerton. The girls were there their parents, Juliana and Eric.
Four-year-old Kendall Smith is all smiles, as she proudly shows her mother, Tia, the pumpkin that she chose.
These costumed characters are getting ready to take off at Connerton’s annual Monster Mash Dash 5K. The participants, who live in Connerton, were disguised as superheroes and Harry Potter characters. From left: Chelsea Frati, Nicole Jarvis, Izzy Pettey, Marina Lowe, Adysson Lowe and Elyssa Lowe.

1,000+ crowd at Scarecrow Festival

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There were plenty of fun activities to do at the Scarecrow Festival, held on Oct. 10, at the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village. Guests could make their own scarecrow, participate in costume contests, enjoy live entertainment and so much more. (Kelli Carmack)

The Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, in Dade City, held its annual Scarecrow Festival on Oct. 10.

With the purchase of a $5 admission ticket, attendees could participate in games, costume contests and petting zoos, as well as enjoy watching performances from soccer-playing dogs and a bubble balloon magician.

The most popular activity was “Make Your Own Scarecrow,” where guests could create life-sized scarecrows by stuffing them with loads of hay.

The Scarecrow Festival was sponsored by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union.

Published October 21, 2020

This scarecrow seems to enjoy hanging out near the livestock.
Over 72 vendors were at the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village’s annual Scarecrow Festival. Guests were able to purchase Fall-themed items, such as tin pumpkins, candles, home décor and more. The item featured here was created by Karen Gaskin, member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
The main activity at the Scarecrow Festival, held on Oct. 10 at the Pioneer Florida Museum, was creating your own life-sized scarecrow to take home.
The Soccer Collies brought lots of fun to the Scarecrow Festival when they played soccer in front of a captivated crowd. The Soccer Collies are the entertainment side of the Soccer Dogs organization, whose goal is to locate and assist in the training and placement of rescue and shelter dogs that show potential to become soccer playing dogs. Shown with the Soccer Collies is Mark Lukas, founder of Soccer Dogs

Pumpkin patch photo op!

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(Courtesy of Brock Communications)

Bearss Groves, 14316 Lake Magdalene Blvd., in North Tampa, is home to a gigantic pumpkin weighing 989 pounds that Bearss Groves purchased at auction in Michigan. The pumpkin is on display in front of the farmer’s market. Visitors are encouraged to take photos in front of the pumpkin display, free of charge. Pets also are welcome. Bearss Groves also has a large pumpkin patch open through the end of October. Explore the market’s pumpkin patch, take photos, and relax under Bearss Groves very own 400-year-old Oak Tree. Fall attire is welcome!

 

Soaking in a Stanley Cup win

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Mary, David and Kimberly Eberhard joined the ‘Distant Thunder’ on Sept. 28 to cheer on the Tampa Bay Lightning during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. When the Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars, Kimberly declared the win was an early present for her, since her birthday was the next day.

In fact, Kim is such a big fan of the Bolts that her best friend, Ashley Cretcher, arranged a surprise visit by Thunderbug, the team’s mascot, to Kim’s school on her birthday. Plus, Kim joined in festivities when the Bolts returned to Tampa by riding on the Sticks of Fire boat and joining her parents at the celebration at Raymond James stadium.

The Eberhards aren’t wearing masks in this photo, but once the photo was taken, they put their masks back on to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

The Eberhards are from Wesley Chapel, and Mary is in charge of accounting at The Laker/Lutz News.

Here, the family poses with an inflatable Stanley Cup, soaking in the joy of the moment, after the Tampa Bay Lightning capture the real Stanley Cup by defeating the Dallas Stars.

Sea turtle makes it to new home

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Pistachio (shown), an endangered female Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, was brought to The Florida Aquarium in 2012, after being injured by a boat strike off the coast of Cedar Key.

The turtle was rescued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and was transported to the aquarium’s rescue and rehabilitation program. Pistachio arrived with wounds to her skull and the front of her carpace (top shell), and as a result, she is partially blind in her left eye, has some partial rear flipper paralysis, and has experienced conformational changes to her shell. Pistachio’s injuries also left her with eating difficulties.

After years of care by the aquarium’s animal care and health experts, Pistachio is now swimming in her new home at the Chicago Zoological Society’s Brookfield Zoo.

Turtles Fly Too is a national nonprofit organization that engages general aviation pilots who donate their expertise, aircraft, fuel and labor in support of endangered species rescue efforts.

Turtle flier team member pilot Brenda Tibbs navigated the special mission of flying Pistachio from Tampa International Airport to Midway Airport in Chicago, on Sept. 9.

A tradition, with some new twists

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Five-year-old Connor Mathes and his 3-year-old brother, Zachary, get ready for the first day of preschool at Xavier Elementary School in Appleton, Wisconsin. (Courtesy of Erin Mathes)

Getting ready for the First Day of School typically means new back-to-school clothes, shoes and a backpack. This year — during the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic— it means a mask, too. Five-year-old Connor and 3-year-old Zachary Mathes, grandsons of Diane Kortus, publisher of The Laker/Lutz News, were among the millions of children across the country beginning the 2020-2021 school year. The boys attend preschool at Xavier Elementary School, in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Movie-goers share laughter, and a sense of normalcy

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Floodgates Church hosted a drive-in theater night on Aug. 15 at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. “We wanted to give some love and outreach to our community, and give people who have been cooped up in their homes a chance to get out,” said Pastor Kenton Brake, who leads the Lutz church. Families of all ages came out to watch the film.

Cannan Allen and his sister, Hayley, grab front row seats and settle in to watch the movie, ‘Up.’ (Kelli Carmack)