The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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WAVE Wellness Center — Tampa Bay’s Most Advanced Upper Cervical Spinal Care

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Tampa Bay welcomes WAVE Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art spinal care clinic founded by Dr. Ryan LaChance. WAVE Wellness specializes in Upper Cervical spinal care, a strict discipline of Chiropractic focusing on the most vital area of the spine — C1 and C2, or the Atlas and Axis bones — to ensure it is structurally and neurologically sound.

“Just about every nerve in your body meets at the base of the skull, forms the brainstem, and is protected by these upper-most vertebrae in the spine,” Dr. LaChance explains. “The brainstem is the control center of the body’s nervous system, and is responsible for regulating every single organ, tissue, cell, function, system, and process in the entire body. If those upper-most vertebrae are misaligned, it can put pressure on the brainstem and interfere with the normal neurologic signals and proper nervous system communication between the brain and body.”

Upper Cervical Chiropractors aren’t focused on “back pain,” or the treatment of any disease for that matter, but rather, restoring function throughout the body. They believe our bodies are capable of healing themselves when given the opportunity to do so — and that begins by having a properly functioning nervous system.

Dr. Ryan LaChance

Dr. LaChance didn’t set out to specialize in Upper Cervical spinal care. It wasn’t until he experienced this type of care himself that he decided to pursue it.

“I fell in love with it after receiving consistent Upper Cervical care myself. Over time, I noticed that I no longer had headaches, no longer had feelings of anxiety or depression, my gut health problems resolved, my allergies went away, I could sleep better, and I never experienced any symptoms of my Lyme Disease again.  Since I was feeling better than I had in over a decade, I knew that I had to become an Upper Cervical Chiropractor.”

Only about 0.1% of Chiropractors are Upper Cervical specific. And WAVE Wellness uses the most advanced nervous system scanning and 3D imaging technology with every new client.

Based on those images, they will determine if and how a client needs adjusted, and administer their incredibly safe and gentle technique that involves no popping, cracking, twisting, or pulling of the spine.

It is important to understand that WAVE Wellness does not diagnose disease, but provides wellness care, which everyone can benefit from, from newborns to parents, and students to athletes. Since health insurance does not cover this type of service, WAVE Wellness strives to make care as affordable as possible. They offer family packages, so your entire household can experience the benefits of Upper Cervical Chiropractic.  Some of the most common conditions people first seek care for are migraines, anxiety and depression, gut health, neurological disorders, and autoimmune conditions.

Dr. LaChance had a final word — “I want you to know that WAVE Wellness has something for you. You are unique. You are different. And so are we.”

For more information, visit WaveWellnessCenter.com.

Published September 06, 2023

Thrive Over 55 Senior Expo coming April 4

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Area seniors who attended last year’s Thrive Over 55 Expo were able to enjoy a free breakfast and lunch, as well as gather a variety of information geared toward their age group. (Courtesy of Adrian Garson)

Local residents over the age of 55 are invited to the third Thrive Over 55 Senior Expo on April 4 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at B&B Theatres Wesley Chapel – The Grove 16, 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The Laker/Lutz News will host the free event with more than 40 vendors and hundreds of seniors throughout the morning. Guests will be provided with a free breakfast and lunch, along with an informative morning filled with games and raffles.

Vendors range from medicare providers, home improvement specialists, retirement communities and travel agencies.

The title sponsors are Gulfside Healthcare Services and Vertos Medical, both of which will present a 30-minute breakout session during the expo.

Tickets are free, but are required. To register, visit http://tinyurl.com/thrive55expo.

There also are a few vendor opportunities left. Please email for more information.

Published March 06, 2024

A Closer Look: Everglades Equipment Group — Central and South Florida’s Home for John Deere

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The Tampa area is home to Everglades Equipment Group, central and south Florida’s premiere dealership of farm equipment, with a total of 18 locations, including in Largo, Odessa, Plant City, Palmetto, and the newest in the area, Brooksville.

Starting as a farming operation in 1963, Everglades has blossomed into the go-to source for John Deere, STIHL, Honda and farm equipment from dozens of manufacturers,

And the reviews are true — Everglades is consistently rated one of the top dealers nationwide for customer satisfaction, due to their highly-trained staff’s relentless commitment to customer service, which was ingrained in the company by its founders John and Eleanor Schlechter.

We spoke with Rick Miller, site manager of the Brooksville location, about his Everglades journey and what sets his company apart.

“I have been in the equipment industry for over 30 years, starting shortly after leaving the U.S. Navy in 1989,” Miller told us. When John Deere wanted a presence in Hernando County, they partnered with Everglades, and soon Miller was on board, helping to open the location in 2019.

We asked Miller what sets Everglades apart from other dealers. “Easy, the employees and the culture ingrained at the very core of the company — we take care of one another, and most importantly, take care of our customers!” he explained. “All our employees have the authority to do whatever it takes to address our customers’ needs and problems as they arise. They do not need to contact a corporate manager to solve a problem, they can get it done themselves. As the saying goes, the buck stops here, at the store.”

And, Miller added, “We also do not charge dealer fees and all the rest of those ridiculous fees you see added on to the price after you decide to purchase it.”

Beyond their world-class reputation as farm suppliers, Everglades is an active member in the community, supporting and donating to a wide range of organizations, including agricultural organizations like the local FFA, and those supporting veterans and first responders including the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Plus they’re always looking for more ways to give back — “Not because it might win us more business, but because it is the right thing to do, and something the Schlechter family is very passionate
about,” Miller added.

Given their sterling reputation as a farm supplier, as well as their commitment to civic health, it’s clear why Everglades has been a valued and integral part of our community for over 60 years.

For more information about Everglades Equipment Group, visit EvergladesFarmEquipment.com.

Get the Word Out: Orange Blossom Women’s Group is a Safe Haven for Women to Address All Their Healthcare Needs

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Orange Blossom Women’s Group, a state-of-the-art medical facility led by Dr. Reut Bardach, M.D. that offers comprehensive women’s health care service, just opened a new office in Land
O’ Lakes, serving the Lutz and Odessa communities.

Orange Blossom opened in March 2018 as a small OB/GYN practice and over the past five years they have grown to three locations. We spoke with Dr. Bardach about her journey and how she’s built Orange Blossom to become a go-to provider for women’s healthcare needs.

“Our growth is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional care in our community,” Dr. Bardach shared.

A native of Florida, Dr. Bardach started her career in Springhill and completed her residency in Detroit, MI in 2012. She knew she wanted to return home to Florida, and she was recruited to the Trinity area in 2015.

Dr. Bardach chose women’s health, and specifically OB/GYN, for two key reasons. The first is her appreciation of primary care management, which allows physicians to establish a relationship with their patients.

“I find it very rewarding to see people throughout the years and grow with them,” said Dr. Bardach. “OB/GYN is very unique in that it allows for that on a very deep level.”

The second aspect is the practice of surgeries and procedures.

“I really love surgeries, but I didn’t want to be a surgeon and give up the interpersonal relationships that I get with primary care,” Dr. Bardach shared. “So OB/GYN is the best of both worlds. Surgery, plus close, personal relationship building with patients.”

Orange Blossom offers services for women of all ages, ranging from adolescents to post-menopausal.

As a healthcare provider, Orange Blossom is unique in that it takes into account all of women’s healthcare needs. You’d be hard pressed to find an OB/GYN practice that offers so many services.

“We look at the patient completely in establishing what women want and need in healthcare and try to deliver as best we can,” said Dr. Bardach. “It’s for this reason that we are able to offer ancillary services such as Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy, Mental Health Counseling, Lactation services, etc. in an OB/GYN office.”

They cover comprehensive women’s care, including fertility, contraception and gynecologic issues. They diagnose and treat many common conditions that affect women, including endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), urinary incontinence, menstrual disorders, infertility, fibroids, prolapse and overactive bladder. They also provide preventive and routine care, such as well-woman exams and menopause management.

Orange Blossom’s comprehensive obstetrics care includes management of routine and high-risk pregnancy, and vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC).

Dedicated to helping women with their family planning needs, Orange Blossom also provides contraception consultations and offers intrauterine device (IUD) placement. And they provide expert care and treatment for women following abnormal Pap smears with state-of-the-art advanced technology. Orange Blossom Womens Group is one of the only practices that offers Dysis Digital Cervical Mapping for the evaluation of abnormal pap smears.

“What really sets us apart is our desire to offer a full service experience,” Dr. Bardach notes.

“We have really tried to create a ‘one-stop-shop,’ and I’m not aware of any other OB/GYN practice that takes women’s care to such a degree of offering comprehensive services.”

The Orange Blossom Aesthetics med spa further extends that concept into beauty and wellness, including bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, medical weight loss, extensive laser treatments, and high-end skin care treatments and products.

There have been countless success stories that have come from Orange Blossom, ranging from diagnosing and treating fertility issues to chronic pelvic pain to helping grow families, and everything in between.

“Our providers are caring, compassionate and patient centric. Our team of physicians, nurse practitioners and midwives all share a passion for women’s health, and collectively as a team, we all value creating an ideal patient experience while building lasting relationships with the patients in our community. This is the recipe for our success,” Dr. Bardach explained.

In addition to Dr. Bardach, the all-female team at Orange Blossom includes Dr. Monique Monard, M.D., certified nurse midwives and advanced practice registered nurses. Each office also offers full service ultrasonography and phlebotomy.

As skilled surgeons, the board-certified OB/GYNs perform minimally invasive gynecologic surgery while utilizing a cutting edge da Vinci robotic surgical system, in order to reduce scarring, postsurgical pain, and lower infection rates, while improving recovery time.

Orange Blossom offers early-morning and late-evening appointments to accommodate all schedules, and promise care in a serene and peaceful environment.

Dr. Bardach had one last message to our community — “We are thrilled to expand into the Land O’ Lakes, Lutz and Odessa communities, to reach more patients and create more lasting
positive patient experiences.”

Call 727-846-7000 or visit www.orangeblossomwomensgroup.com to schedule your appointment.

Tampa Bay Roofing Services Offers Quality, Experience and Honesty

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Our community is home to Tampa Bay Roofing Services led by Chris Hloska, a roofing industry veteran with over 20 years of experience. Under Hloska’s leadership, Tampa Bay Roofing Services provides the highest quality service and a dedication to honesty and transparency.

Hloska started in the roofing industry at the young age of 16, working his way up from the bottom of his father’s roofing company, eventually installing roofs and learning all aspects of the business. At age 22, he passed the state licensing test and has been a roofing contractor ever since.

We spoke with Hloska to learn about his journey and what sets his company apart from other roofing services.

“I’ve had a lot of failure along the way that has helped me to where I’m at in my career now, I truly believe failure is the best path to success,” Hloska tells us.

After selling another company he successfully built, Hloska launched Tampa Bay Roofing Services in 2018, first as a consulting company for insurance carriers to help fight industry fraud, then becoming a full-fledged roofing company in 2021. His team is filled with veterans of the roofing industry — “My field crews have been with me since 2013, my head supervisor was taught by my father 35 years ago, and my VP is my cousin who has been with me through the ups and downs,” Hloska said.

What sets Tampa Bay Roofing Services apart from the others in the roofing industry is their always honest and customer-first philosophy.

“We are very transparent with our customers, employees and vendors. When we are wrong, we admit it; when we’re correct, we always take the proper approach to explain why, instead of taking the hard-nose approach. We always do what’s right whether people are looking or not.”

They are able to provide very competitive pricing because they are a debt-free company, and always will be.

Above all, Hloska says his company believes that their blessings come above — “our Lord and savior Jesus Christ — when we honor him, he gives us favor as a Christian-based company.”

And as a father of three, Hloska loves giving back, sponsoring three baseball teams.

After all these years, Hloska hasn’t lost sight of what makes his business tick — “We are truly thankful for every customer and appreciate the trust they have given us.”

For more information about Tampa Bay Roofing Services, visit TampaBayRoofing.com, or call 813-797-7663.

World-class Medicine. Hometown Care.

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Founded in 1984, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) has built a national reputation for providing world-class cancer care in community settings. From genetic screening to immunotherapies and access to the latest clinical trials, our top-ranked cancer experts provide the most advanced treatments available – increasing cure rates and extending lives – all in one location, close to home.

In Pasco County, 16 board-certified physicians specializing in medical oncology, hematology, gynecologic oncology and radiation oncology provide personalized care to each of our patients at our state-of-the-art clinics in Hudson, Trinity, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

Supporting patients and families through every step of the cancer journey.
Despite rapid advancements, cancer treatment can be complex and span months and years. That’s why it’s critical for patients to have convenient access to the comprehensive care they need in a single place, close to loved ones, without driving long distances or traveling out of state.

At FCS, every interaction is focused on each patient’s experience and well-being to minimize disruption to daily life. Beginning with your rst appointment through your last round of targeted treatment and survivorship, our dedicated FCS team will provide expert guidance and support. Our highest values are embodied by our outstanding team of highly trained and dedicated physicians, clinicians and staff.

At the forefront of science and research.
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. In fact, the majority of new cancer drugs recently approved for use in the United States were studied in clinical trials with FCS participation prior to approval.

No other community-based oncology practice in Florida matches the clinical trial opportunities we make available to patients.

We take care of the big things in cancer care so you can make the most of the little moments – every step of the way.

Learn more or schedule a consultation today: FLCancer.com.

Published October 11, 2023

Only a Few Homes Remain — It’s Your Final Chance to Build Your Home in Del Webb Bexley

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Time is running out on your chance to live at Del Webb Bexley. We’ve built the ideal active adult community to suit your every need, and we are down to only a few homes left.

Our perfectly located community has quality-built homes rich with amenities and plenty of opportunities for residents —discover why so many others have decided to call Del Webb Bexley home.

ABUNDANT AMENITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS
At Del Webb Bexley, community relationships and lifestyle are everything. The community’s expansive 19,000-square-foot amenity campus serves as a standing testament to its residents’ important lifestyle priorities. This all-encompassing social and activity hub is the center of operations that brings the entire community together, focusing on health, inspiration and fitness.

The fittingly named “Meridian” is inspired by a warm, coastal Florida theme. It offers all the joy of seaside living plus convenient access to all Tampa Bay offers. It is here that you can meet for a game of Mahjong, enjoy a snack or watch TV while playing a game of cards and enjoying a glass of wine. The facility is not yet three years old and was designed utilizing Del Webb’s vast experience as the leading active adult community developer in the nation. 

“Your day can be as active or as relaxed as you’d like. Our homeowners have access to clubs and classes designed to meet every interest,” said Sarah Herting, marketing director. There are also scheduled monthly in-person and virtual events, seminars, and programs. “It’s a great way to make friends, explore new interests, or mingle with people who share the same hobbies.”

Staying healthy and active is a huge priority for the Meridian’s activity schedule. Inside the campus, the Maritime Fitness Center features cardio machines, as well as free weights and weight machines. It sits right across from the Floriblanca movement studio that houses fitness classes ranging from spin to boxing and yoga. Outside there are sports courts for tennis, bocce ball, and pickleball. The resort pool sits conveniently around the corner with plenty of shade, a spa and cabanas. The expansive yoga lawn is always available with coinciding classes for residents, and a span of scenic bike and jogging trails interconnects the entirety of the outdoor region. 

“Our residents want to keep moving and keep doing,” said Herting, “They want to stay informed and keep learning. It’s why we’ve implemented our monthly events newsletter to keep everyone in the know about what is happening here.”

High-intensity activity isn’t all of the Meridian’s features. For those looking to relax, the Bellamy Arts and Crafts room offers a variety of classes for the pursuit of knowledge or hobbies. The Soleil Royal Ballroom hosts year-round events and houses demonstration kitchens for cooking clubs and classes. The amphitheater on the event lawn does the same for music performances. At the center of it lies the Crow’s Nest Bistro & Sports Lounge with its selection of beer, wine, specialty meals, trivia nights, games, and Super Bowl parties. 

PREMIUM HOME QUALITY
With over 70 years in homebuilding, let Del Webb put our experience to work for you. We follow strict quality control measures to ensure accuracy and attention to detail. Our signature Build Quality Experience includes communication with you every step of the way. Our Del Webb Construction Standards meet or exceed building code requirements. All are backed by an industry-leading 10-year limited structural warranty and 5-year water intrusion warranty.

Quality review milestones include foundation and frame inspections, followed by a mechanical inspection, a drywall orientation, and a final inspection for a quality sign-off at completion. 

From the foundation to the roof, each stage of the build is executed with precision. The structural integrity of a Del Webb Bexley home is second to none, ensuring longevity and durability. High-quality fixtures, fittings and finishes adorn every corner, creating a sense of luxury and sophistication that surpasses expectations.

For potential residents looking to make Del Webb their home, there is no better time than right now.

“This is a community of friendship, lifelong relationships and connection. Anyone with those values will feel right at home here.”

IDEAL LOCATION
With its prime location, Del Webb Bexley, just off Sunlake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, has made it its mission to transform the idea of “living a fulfilled lifestyle” into an all-encompassing community. Just east of the Gulf Coast beaches and northwest of Tampa, the active adult community of Del Webb Bexley offers easy access to workplaces throughout Tampa Bay and an array of shopping, dining, and entertainment options, including the Tampa Premium Outlets. It is conveniently close to downtown Tampa and the Tampa International Airport. 

This active community has set out to become one of the most fun and engaging atmospheres for 55+ homeowners.

Del Webb believes in life well led in your own quality built home, rich with amenities and opportunities for residents and prime location. The Del Webb Bexley sales office and model park are open seven days a week for tours. For more information and to learn about current incentives, call 813-412-8842.

Published August 30, 2023