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ODESSA – The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club drew large crowds at its 46th annual Arts and Crafts Show on Dec. 6 and 7 at Keystone Prep High School.

More than 150 vendors showcased a wide variety of handmade goods, art and holiday gifts.

The club’s own “Green Shirt Ladies” were busy at their popular craft booth, offering items made and donated by club members. Shoppers also enjoyed lunch from the hot dog tent, which kept both customers and vendors fed throughout the two-day event.

As part of the club’s ongoing commitment to civic service, the Civic Engagement Community Service Program operated a Tombola tent, with proceeds benefiting the Baldomero Lopez Veterans Home.

A panel of judges awarded prizes to participating artists, highlighting the creativity and craftsmanship on display.

The Arts and Crafts Show serves as the club’s largest annual fundraiser, supporting the many charitable projects and service initiatives carried out year-round. 

Club leaders emphasized that the event’s continued success is made possible through the dedication, teamwork and many volunteer hours contributed by members and their families.

On the web: gfwclutzlandolakeswomansclub.org 

 

 

CLEARWATER – Four local people without insurance received a life-changing holiday gift. They will start 2026 by regaining their mobility with a new knee or hip replacement.

BayCare’s Orthopedic Institute partnered with the Clearwater Free Clinic, the St. Pete Free Clinic and Operation Walk USA to provide the four with free joint replacement surgeries.  

The surgeries were performed by orthopedic surgeons Dr. Duane Belongie, Dr. Christopher Grayson, Dr. Christopher James and Dr. David Whiddon. They donated their services Dec. 6 at BayCare’s Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor. Also donating their services were anesthesiology physicians Dr. Jay Epstein, Dr. Jacob Ludin and Dr. Hope Sprunger. 

Operation Walk USA is a medical charitable organization that addresses the needs of uninsured patients in the United States who require a hip or knee replacement surgery.

BayCare worked with the clinics to obtain a list of patients consistently in need of joint replacements. 2025 marks BayCare’s third consecutive year participating in Operation Walk. 

“At BayCare, we have a mission to improve the health of those that we serve,” said Gina Rowland, director of BayCare’s Orthopedic Institute. “This includes those facing difficult circumstances, where health care may not be easily accessible. Operation Walk allows for us to support our community and make a positive impact to those in need.”    

To qualify for the free surgeries, patients had to meet specific federal income requirements and be uninsured. 

Rowland said BayCare covered the cost of every aspect of these uninsured patients’ surgical journeys. This included presurgical testing, surgery, hospitalization, prescriptions, medical equipment, home health care and outpatient rehabilitation. She added that hip and knee implants were donated by orthopedic vendors. All pre- and post-surgery medical visits were also covered. 

Melissa Monforte, 53, of Hudson, had her right hip replaced. Monforte learned about Operation Walk USA by doing her own research on charitable surgeries. She said her family was initially skeptical. 

“They told me, ‘Don’t bet on it, Mom,’” Monforte said. “They just thought I was some old lady going on a whim.”

Her family’s doubts faded as the Operation Walk USA process advanced through BayCare and Monforte was confirmed for the hip replacement. Monforte showed her family emails and correspondence as evidence that she was going to get a free hip replacement. Monforte said her daughter started crying when it became a reality that her mom was going to get the help she needed.

“I cried too,” Monforte said.  

Before the surgery, Monforte said she was unable to walk 200 feet without excruciating pain and needed a motorized cart when shopping. Monforte said she’s looking forward to walking pain-free again and doing things with her grandchildren.  

“I couldn’t go trick-or-treating with my 4-year-old granddaughter,” Monforte said. “I need to go back to work again, I just want to live.”

The work with Operation Walk USA is just one example of BayCare supporting the region’s health through community benefit. BayCare spent $107 million last year in unreimbursed costs for patients without insurance.  

 

NEW PORT RICHEY – Pasco-Hernando State College will host winter commencement on Dec. 10 in the Physical Fitness Center at the West Campus. 

Approximately 300 degrees and certificates will be conferred, with more than 960 summer and fall graduates estimated to be eligible to participate.

Two commencement ceremonies will honor graduates earning bachelor’s and associate degrees and certificates. The morning ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. The afternoon commencement will begin at 3:30 p.m. 

The event live stream link will be available at phsc.edu/grad.

A few of the winter graduates shared their thoughts on achieving their goals. 

 

Tyson Branstetter

Tyson Branstetter, of the Instructional Performing Arts Center, is set to graduate with an associate in science in digital media/multimedia technology. 

Branstetter began his higher education in high school as a Dual Enrollment student with PHSC, coming to the college after graduation and pursuing different options. 

Branstetter has enjoyed helping with PHSC’s upcoming student podcast, “The Bobcat Banter,” where he has gained hands-on experience in production with the support of Assistant Professor Jonathan Tietz. 

He encourages high school students to take advantage of Dual Enrollment, which he believes makes completing an associate degree much more manageable. 

As he graduates, Branstetter is excited to begin his new photography job at Busch Gardens in Tampa. He hopes to move further into professional video work while pursuing his bachelor’s degree.

 

Noelle Wilkins

Noelle Wilkins, of the Spring Hill Campus, is set to graduate with an associate in arts degree, with a plan to pursue elementary education. 

“I’ve always loved learning, and pursuing higher education has felt natural to me since a young age,” Wilkins said. “My time in PHSC gave me a chance to be a part of something bigger – to connect, build a community, lead and grow alongside others who share my passion for making a difference. As I continue my journey with Florida College System Student Government Association and work toward my bachelor’s, I hope to inspire my future students to believe in themselves and reach for greater things.”

After graduation, her next steps include guiding fellow students toward leadership and self-growth and becoming an educator who helps students to their full potential.

 

Emma Dunsmore

Emma Dunsmore, of the West Campus, is graduating with an associate in arts degree with a plan to pursue political science. 

“My academic journey has been rich with experiences that have gotten me to deepen my love for my community and hometown,” Dunsmore said. “By being a PHSC student, I was able to find my way back to myself and find what makes me who I am, at my core. I fell in love with being a student again and became even more passionate about higher education. For that, I’m entirely grateful for PHSC.”

Moving forward after graduation, she is excited to expand her horizons at the University of South Florida and meet new people.

“PHSC has taught me patience (with myself), empathy and what taking initiative really means,” she said. “I have gotten the opportunity to see leaders that I look up to in my local community and be inspired by their work.”

 

Kenton Emerson

Kenton Emerson, of the East Campus, is graduating with a certificate in welding technology. 

Initially torn between plumbing, truck driving and welding, Emerson ultimately chose the path that sparked his creativity, welding. 

Emerson said choosing PHSC was an easy decision; it’s close to home, offers the hands-on experience he was looking for and is affordable. Emerson plans to one day build his own gym equipment and turn his passion into a business he truly enjoys.

 

 

ST. LEO – Close to 1,000 students, faculty and staff came together Nov. 19 to welcome Jim Burkee as Saint Leo University’s 12th president. The welcome coincided with a Day of Service, which mobilized volunteers across campus, throughout the Tampa Bay region and into communities nationwide.

“We are a university of service. But service is just the beginning. Service is the foundation on which we stand, not the ceiling to which we aspire,” Burkee said. “Today, at this moment in history, Saint Leo stands on the threshold of something remarkable.”

 

Service across the region

Local volunteers took part in hands-on projects at 30 locations across the Tampa Bay region and on Saint Leo University’s residential campus, while online students and those at the university’s five education centers served in their own communities. Projects ranged from environmental stewardship and campus beautification to supporting nonprofits, schools and care centers.

Burkee joined in throughout the day, beginning with gardening and light grounds work alongside the Benedictine Sisters of Florida at Holy Name Monastery. He later assisted with playground cleanup at the Sacred Heart Early Childhood Center and visited residents at Elevated Estates at The Edwinola in Dade City. On campus, he spent time supporting volunteer efforts at Saint Leo Abbey and other locations.

For Lucinda O’Quinn, director of the Sacred Heart Early Childhood Center, Saint Leo’s help was deeply appreciated. 

“The staff and I feel truly blessed by the work that the volunteer team accomplished,” she said.

 

A community celebration

The Day of Service concluded with a community reception at Saint Leo University’s Wellness Center Gym. Hundreds gathered to welcome Burkee, hear his vision for the university’s future and recognize the collective impact of the day’s work.

Bryan DePoy, Saint Leo’s interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, opened the program by expressing his confidence in the leadership Burkee brings to the university.

“Beginning his presidency with service rather than ceremony sets a tone that aligns with who Jim is and who we strive to be as a university,” DePoy said.

The Benedictine Sisters of Florida at Holy Name Monastery and the Monks of Saint Leo Abbey then offered a Blessing and Laying on of Hands, a Benedictine tradition symbolizing unity in faith and community.

Burkee followed with his presidential address, sharing his vision for Saint Leo’s next chapter.

“Imagine Saint Leo known not for wealth or prestige, but for sending a wave of servant-leaders into a world desperate for them, as we did today,” Burkee said. “This is our calling. This is our responsibility. This is our destiny. And that is why this Day of Service is more than symbolic. It is a declaration.”

 

WESLEY CHAPEL – About 200 people gathered Nov. 20 to mark another major milestone in AdventHealth Wesley Chapel’s multi-year expansion project. 

Hospital leaders, government officials and community members participated in a ribbon cutting for the fully completed sixth floor of the new North Tower.

Pasco County commissioners Seth Weightman, Ron Oakley, Jack Mariano and others were able to tour the fully built sixth floor with 24 patient beds. 

The remaining two floors are reserved for future growth and will eventually add an additional 48 beds.

Over the past year, the hospital has added more than 80,000 square feet of new space and renovated nearly 9,000 square feet. The expanded Graduate Medical Education program space opened in August for its Family Medicine Residency, and in October the courtyard infill project added an MRI, two CT machines and a new procedure room.  

“It’s truly a privilege to celebrate another exciting milestone in the life of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel which has grown right alongside our incredible community,” said Ryan Quattlebaum, president and CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. “Since opening our doors in 2012, our mission has been the same: to extend the healing ministry of Christ through compassionate, whole-person care. This hospital was designed from the ground up to maximize healing, patient care and wellness.”

The new tower was scheduled to open to the community on Dec. 1.

Project partners include the AdventHealth Office of Design & Construction, HuntonBrady Architects, Smith Seckman Reid, Atwell and Batson-Cook.

TAMPA – A couple celebrating a delayed honeymoon in Montego Bay, Jamaica, was evacuated with about 340 Americans Oct. 31 by Grey Bull Rescue, a veteran-led operation out of Tampa.

The couple survived the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa with winds in excess of 185 miles per hour by sheltering in the shower of their room at the hotel resort.

Carissa Lefley-McCauley and David McCauley, of Charlotte, arrived in Jamaica on Oct. 21 planning to enjoy some special time away together as a young, married couple – a time that had been interrupted for more than a year after their wedding vows on June 10, 2023. 

The couple’s honeymoon phase was cut short when Lefley-McCauley lost her ability to walk when her original spinal cord stimulator failed and it was forced to be surgically extracted shortly after their wedding. Lefley-McCauley has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a debilitating connective tissue disorder that affects joints, muscles, skin and blood vessels. 

It would take 12 months for McCauley, who works for the City of Charlotte, to shift roles into a caregiver; and for the couple to battle red tape to receive a new stimulator in May 2024.

The McCauleys were trying to make the most of their five-day, all-inclusive honeymoon trip to Montego Bay when their plans changed drastically and concern for Lefley-McCauley’s medical condition began to grow along with the approaching storm. They worried a prolonged power outage may interfere with the charging of her spinal cord device, making it difficult, if not impossible to walk.

Predictions as to the path of the hurricane were vague and based on past movement of other Caribbean storms. Many local sources and reports expected Melissa to turn north and move away from their small island. At that time, there was not a sense of urgency. Some of the catamaran excursions were canceled earlier in the week due to choppy waters but other guest activities continued up until Oct. 25.

When the couple received notice that their flight was canceled on Oct. 24, they, along with the 25,000 other visitors on the island, were left scrambling trying every option to re-book and get off the island.

“It was definitely not our choice to stay or be stranded as we’ve seen posted on social media,” McCauley said. “It was very misleading that some flights that were listed as available, were actually not even physically in Jamaica. They had been rerouted earlier but were still showing up on airline websites as departing outbound.”

Hopes of leaving early, however, faded Oct. 24 when the last two flights left the island for Toronto, Canada and London, England. All incoming flights were diverted. When the official hurricane warning was issued for Jamaica on Oct. 26, the airport officially closed.

McCauley said the couple took every precaution, completing all forms for the U.S. Embassy and ensuring Carissa had enough medications to ride out the storm.

“The sound was unimaginable as Melissa slammed into us on late Tuesday morning. It was so loud that it felt like my ears were splitting,” Lefley-McCauley described as they tried to keep calm on the shower floor. “We had the mattresses and furniture barricaded against the balcony sliding-glass doors and windows. We could see the frames and walls actually being sucked in and out with the gusts.”

The couple was able to notify family and friends on Oct. 29, in spite of no electricity, spotty cellular service and off-and-on again WiFi. The McCauleys described themselves as being safe but shaken. They, along with tourists from other countries, all faced yet another epic challenge as Jamaica began to assess the devastation. McCauley said they could see from the resort that the Sangster International Airport was severely damaged.

“The reality being in a foreign country and getting all of people like ourselves out before the hurricane made landfall was impossible no matter what people may think,” McCauley said. 

The Grey Bull Rescue team mobilized a complex rescue mission that landed in Jamaica on Oct. 29. They gathered approximately 340 Americans who were stranded at nearby resorts, used five buses to transport them from Montego Bay to Kingston, and finally chartered two aircraft.

The first aircraft carried about 170 passengers and the second one, carrying another 170 passengers, off the island for Tampa. Both flights arrived close to midnight Oct. 31.  

Grey Bull Rescue is a nonprofit that is experienced in mobilizing rescue missions around the world.

“Arriving in Charlotte Saturday morning, our hearts are with the Jamaicans whose lives and homes were lost so violently,” Lefley-McCauley added. “David and I had shelter, some communication and enough electrical power that enabled me to walk away stronger from the experience.”

 

TAMPA – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers turned teamwork on the field into life-changing impact in their community Nov. 18 by donning hard hats with Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough to build two new affordable, hurricane-resilient homes for Brandon families in need.

For Habitat’s third annual Holiday Home Build with the Bucs, rookie cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish kicked off the first volunteer shift that morning, with veteran players defensive lineman CJ Brewer, offensive lineman Lorenz Metz, safety Rashad Wisdom and tight end Devin Culp continuing construction into the afternoon.  

Rolling up their sleeves alongside the players were Buccaneers staff, members of the Player Community Impact Board, season ticket holders known as the Krewe and future homeowners themselves. 

“Tampa Bay’s team has always believed deeply in our community,” said Kourtney Sanchez, chief impact officer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “We’re proud to partner with Habitat of Tampa Bay Hillsborough to make a real and lasting impact for these families who deserve safe, stable homes.”

Future homeowner Raul Johnson, who works in food service, said without Habitat and the continued community spirit of the Bucs, there was little chance his family would have ever seen their dream of homeownership come true. 

“Thank you for volunteering to make someone else’s life better,” Johnson said.  

Nichol Faber, a financial counselor, said the new home will mean peace and stability for her three children. 

“I will forever be grateful,” Faber said.

The new homes are part of the Windhorst Commons community in Brandon, a Habitat neighborhood with 23 hurricane-resilient homes.  

 

TAMPA – The Cowboy Boots & Community Roots Helping Hands Happy Hour, hosted by the Centre Club in Tampa, recently raised $8,151 for Better Together.

The western-themed event on Oct. 9 brought together community supporters and Centre Club members to learn about Better Together’s mission and how the nonprofit provides a safety net to help families in need. The evening consisted of cocktails, games and prize drawings.

Better Together works to prevent the need for foster care by building strong families and communities. When a parent needs support due to homelessness, a medical emergency or other crisis, Better Together volunteer host families provide a safe, loving home for the children short-term, while staff and mentors empower the parents to secure employment, housing and other needs. 

Because job loss is at the root of most family crises, Better Together’s workforce program provides opportunities for all job seekers through relational job fairs and volunteer job coaches.

“If you had a medical emergency right this minute and you opened your phone’s contact list, is there one person that you could call that would drop everything?” asked Isis LaRose, vice president of strategic partnerships and market development. “All of us have emergencies, but not all of us have someone to call. The heart of our mission is to help families build that support network so that they can thrive well into the future.”

To date, Better Together has served more than 15,000 children, and 98% of children served through mentoring and hosting remain out of the foster care system. 

The nonprofit has also connected more than 46,000 job seekers to employment opportunities through church-based job fairs across 24 states.

On the web: BetterTogetherUS.org