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Chasco Middle School

Panelists share insights on youth issues in Pasco

August 18, 2020 By Kevin Weiss

Each summer, a panel of Pasco County teenagers share their perspectives on substance abuse and other problems facing youths, both in the community and in the school system.

Typically, the event is held at the community center at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

But, this time, panelists shared their insights again in a July 28 forum held virtually, in light of COVID-19.

The new format didn’t affect the substance: The panelists — who make up Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) — still got their points across.

Pasco County youth from Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) voiced their perspective on substance abuse, and other community and school issues, during a July 28 virtual meeting hosted by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). (File)

The forum was arranged by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). This the fifth year that STAND members addressed numerous community stakeholder groups.

They shared their views on various health and safety issues facing Pasco youths.

The group of youth leaders who make up STAND are working to end youth substance abuse in Pasco County by sharing their observations and knowledge with teachers, police, business owners and other community members.

Besides helping to build understanding, they also suggest solutions.

During the hour-long online discussion, STAND speakers warned that vaping, or the use of e-cigarettes, is a growing problem among youth countywide.

Anclote High School student Iker Dorta went so far as to label it “the biggest drug-related issue” in local high schools and middle schools.

Besides vaping nicotine, kids also vape THC (the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana), and other illicit substances that can be smoked, he said.

Iker noted that vaping has become more popular among teens because it’s “easy to hide in your pocket and go to the bathroom and use it.”

Fellow STAND members agreed.

“Vaping is a huge problem in schools and such,” said Chasco Middle School student Alyssa Saldana. “I’ve had some of my friends tell me that one of their older friends offered them a vape, so it’s definitely a big problem that we need to start looking at more.”

Maddie Horn underscored the issue by recalling an incident during a Chasco Middle School pep rally when a student was caught vaping.

“I think it’s a very common thing that’s happening in all our schools,” said Horn, a rising freshman at Gulf High School.

Many teens get roped into substance use through peer pressure and they use substances to become popular, Horn said.

“It’s very much a popularity thing. So, like if one person does it and they become popular, everyone else will want to do it because they want that ‘fame’ in the school,” Horn said.

Besides vaping, marijuana use continues to be “a big issue,” said Land O’ Lakes High School student Jocelyn Meriwether.

“We have a lot of kids who think it’s a cool thing to do, and you have to, like, join the club of high school that way, through smoking weed in bathrooms and trying not to get caught.”

Greater focus needed on mental health
Using substances to become more popular is just one issue, panelists said.

Youths also turn to substances as a way to escape from dysfunctional home life, or to cope with inner feelings, they said.

They urged an increase in mental health services.

“Mental health is the key to everything right now,” Dorta said. “For a 15- or 16-year-old to go through trauma and leave it unchecked…really impales society as a whole, because that’s what’s going to make up our next generation as a whole, so the very next step before overcoming drugs and vaping, first, is taking hold of our minds.”

Panelists said that mental health must be taken more seriously by the Pasco County Schools —  from guidance counselors to teachers and administrators.

They advocate greater funding for staffing at schools to give students quick access to help, when they need to talk to someone about their problems.

As it stands now, instead of an open door policy, a student must make an appointment of sorts by placing a notecard in a counselor’s mailbox, Meriwether said.

Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) is a program facilitated by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). The group of youth leaders who make up STAND strive to end youth substance abuse in Pasco County by educating teachers, police, business owners and other community members by sharing their observations, and suggesting solutions. (Courtesy of Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention)

“They’ll get to you when they get to you,” she said.

That can be problematic, she added.

“Some kids can’t wait. They need to talk and if they don’t have someone to talk to they’re going to go to drugs and skip over using their resources.

“We have those situations where we want to talk to somebody about this, but no one’s available,” Meriwether said.

Piggybacking off that thought, Horn mentioned some counselors won’t take a particular student’s mental health issues seriously. Instead, they write it off as teen angst.

Other times, she said, counselors just focus on a student’s grades — instead of talking to them about what has been bothering them at school, or outside of it.

Horn put it all like this: “Let’s say you’re being bullied. Like, you’ll go in talking about that issue, but then they’ll change to subject to, ‘Oh, how are your grades doing?’”

That, she added, “doesn’t make the bullying situation or whatever your situation is, any better.

“I don’t think there are enough people in our schools to help us going through our issues. Like the teachers say they can help, but they can only help when it’s convenient for them,” Horn said.

COVID-19’s far-reaching impacts
The unintended consequences of COVID-19 on school-age youth was another deep talking point among panelists.

With a lack of school structure, boredom at home and few extracurricular or athletic activities available — because of the pandemic — panelists said they’re not surprised if fellow teens are currently experimenting with new substances, or abusing them more frequently than they did before the pandemic hit.

Meriwether observed: “Kids now are at home and don’t have a lot to lose, so they’re trying new things. Parents will have stuff at home that kids can just get into, because it’s not being locked up, because everyone’s home all day.”

Safer-at-home orders also have allowed youth to hide side effects that otherwise might’ve been caught if they were in school or school-related activities, she added.

Because of that and other reasons, panelists generally seemed in favor of having some sort of option to return to brick-and-mortar schools.

Horn summed it up like this: “I get a little depressed because I’m not able to go and see my friends, and school was something I enjoyed. It’s very isolating to do online school for such a long time when you don’t have groups to attend and you don’t make friends outside of online school, so like I found peace in going to school. Like, the fact that I can’t go to school is very sad, because I like going to school, I like being around other people and seeing new faces, and it’s just easier to learn.”

Dorta, meantime, expressed worry for youth who’ve had to handle online learning in the face of troubling home or family environments.

Traditional schooling usually offers “a dip from harsh reality” for those kids,” he said.

“You can’t push online school onto a lot of people, especially when those kids have trouble at home. …Imagine if you’re bringing school to their house, which they can’t even feel safe or concentrate in,” he said.

Dorta wants to see schools reopen. But, he added: “Seeing how (COVID-19) is going on, I don’t know how it’d work and I don’t really know if it’s the best option, but knowing a lot of kids that are struggling, at least have them refer to a source that they can go to outside of their house.”

Others, including Gulf Middle School’s Yahkaira Barbosa, expressed hesitation about returning to school at the moment.

“I’m dying to go back to school, but the way things are, it’s probably best not to because it’s going to be awhile until a vaccine comes out,” Barbosa said.

Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) is a program facilitated by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP).
STAND members include Iker Dorta, Anclote High School; Alyssa Saldana, Chasco Middle School; Jocelyn Meriwether, Land O’ Lakes High School; Maddie Horn, Gulf High School; Jakob Horn, Bayonet Point Middle School; Billy Kritsotakis, Harry Schwettmann Education Center; Joel Meriwether, Sunlake High School; Jeromy Vaughn, Gulf Middle School; Austin Vaughn, Chasco Middle School; and Cheyenne Howard, of Dade City.

STAND’s mission is to:

  • Change youth perspectives of drugs
  • Reduce accessibility of drugs
  • Reduce marketing of drugs to young people
  • Create an environment where young people in recovery can thrive

To learn more about STAND, contact ">.

Published August 19, 2020

Filed Under: Education, Health, Local News Tagged With: Alyssa Saldana, Anclote High School, ASAP, Chasco Middle School, COVID-19, Gulf High school, Iker Dorta, Jocelyn Meriwether, Land O' Lakes Heritage Park, Land O' Lakes High School, Maddie Horn, Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, Safe Teens Against Drugs, STAND, Yahkaira Barbosa

Debate continues over best response to Parkland killings

February 28, 2018 By B.C. Manion

Students, faculty and staff are expected to begin the long journey back toward normalcy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School this week in Parkland.

But, the debate over the best response to the Valentine Day’s slaying of 14 students and three teachers remains embroiled in controversy.

Audience members bow their heads as a prayer is given for the 17 students of Parkland Florida and local student, Christian Robinson, who were killed due to gun violence. (Randy Underhill)

In the aftermath of the shooting spree, conducted by a lone gunman using an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, thousands of angry students descended on Tallahassee demanding that lawmakers take action, to prevent a future tragedy.

There was a lie-in in Washington D.C., walkouts at schools across Florida and almost nonstop coverage of the issues on cable television networks.

Student survivors of the massacre have led the charge in demanding action from lawmakers.

Some are demanding a ban on the sale of AR-15s, which so far does not appear to be making headway.

President Donald R. Trump met with parents of school shooting victims and with student survivors for a listening session.

And, Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature have developed school safety proposals.

The specifics are expected to be fiercely debated, but Scott and legislative leaders expect school safety legislation to be passed before the session ends, which is scheduled for March 9.

At the local level, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis met in a school safety workshop session with Pasco County School Board members and school district staff.

Nicholas Ketterer, age 15, and Ethan Laws, age 15, both students at Sunlake High School, react to what is being read at the candlelight vigil for the students killed in Parkland, Florida and Port Richey.

Bilirakis asked the district to weigh in on what’s needed to improve school safety and how Washington can help.

“We’re going to have congressional hearings on this issue, the safe school issue. I wanted to hear from our school board,” Bilirakis said.

Assistant Superintendent Betsy Kuhn said the district needs more funding to pay for additional school resource officers, to improve mental health services and to upgrade safety features on school campuses.

Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman concurred that those seem to be the three things at the top of the list, based on conversations he had during visits to nine schools over the course of three days, following the killings in Parkland.

School board member Alison Crumbley said there needs to be “extremely limited access” to military-style weapons.

“I am very concerned that a 19-year-old can purchase military-style weaponry, and has no training for this weaponry. We require training and licensing to drive a car, but not this. I think that’s a huge problem,” she said.

But, Crumbley also made it clear that she supports the 2nd Amendment: “My husband is a sportsman. He hunts. I’m not talking about those types of weapons, or guns.”

She’s against the idea of arming teachers, a suggestion that has been made by some.

Karen Hoffman, of Lutz, sits by herself, silently grieving 17 students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, and local student Christian Robinson, of Chasco Middle School, recently killed in Florida due to gun violence.

“I don’t want that responsibility put on our teachers,” Crumbley said.

Another part of the problem is distinguishing real threats from false information.

Pasco County Sheriff’s Lt. Troy Ferguson told those gathered: “Since Feb. 14, tips are coming in by the hour about suspicious activities, conversations heard online.

“Often, it’s been repeats of stories heard on the news that have been misconstrued as a threat in Pasco County,” he said.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said the district has been swamped with calls and emails since the tragedy in Parkland. Some of the emails have been about threats, others with suggestions to help solve the problem, he said.

Social media exacerbates the problem of false information, Browning said.

“Kids are being reckless on social media,” he said.

“I don’t know how many times they have posted something stupid out on social media and then, when the sheriff’s office shows up at their door, it’s ‘Oh, I was only joking.’ Well, guess what, it is too late,” Browning said.

Browning urged parents to pay attention to what their children are doing on social media.

“There’s consequences. We’re talking about a second-degree felony. Kids don’t get it,” he said.

In the wake of the Parkland deaths, Browning has requested and has received regular patrols from the Sheriff’s Office at all district schools. He also has directed all principals to keep all gates locked and has directed teachers to keep all classroom doors locked.

Browning urges principals, students and staff to maintain a high vigilance regarding who is on their school’s campus.

After listening to the suggestions, Bilirakis said additional funding for school resource officers seems like a “no-brainer.” He also pledges to work on the possibility of seeking a federal grant to improve mental health care services.

To help promote healing in the aftermath of the Parkland shootings, the Pasco County Council PTA held three candlelight vigils across Pasco County.

Brandon Bracciale, principal at Chasco Middle School, attended the one at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

While the Parkland community was grieving the deaths of 17 people, Chasco Middle has been grieving the loss of Christian Robinson, a 14-year-old who has died, after a gunshot wound to the head on Valentine’s Day. He was in a car in Port Richey when he was shot.

“He was a very popular student,” Bracciale said.

Bracciale said the Parkland slayings have had a local impact.

He said his wife, an art teacher at Sunlake High School, noticed that her students were somber in the days following the Parkland deaths.

And, his middle school daughter, who attends Rushe Middle School, plans to participate in a nationwide school walkout, set for March 14.

As an educator, he believes that bulletproof windows and doors would help make schools safer. He also believes that restricting access to assault weapons and improved mental health care would help.

Victims of the Valentine’s Day shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland: Alyssa Alhadeff, 14; Scott Beigel, 35; Martin Duque Anguiana, 14; Nicholas Dworet, 17; Aaron Feis, 37; Jaime Guttenberg, 14; Chris Hixon, 49; Luke Hoyer, 15; Cara Loughran, 15; Gina Montalto, 15; Joaquin Oliver, 17; Alaina Petty, 14; Meadow Pollack, 18; Helena Ramsey, 17; Alex Schachter, 14; Carmen Schentrup, 16; Peter Wang, 15

Source: CNN

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Alison Crumbley, Allen Altman, AR-15, Betsy Kuhn, Brandon Bracciale, Chasco Middle School, Christian Robinson, Donald Trump, Gus Bilirakis, Kurt Browning, Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Pasco County School Board, Rick Scott, Rushe Middle School, Sunlake High School, Troy Ferguson

Suncoast Arts Fest getting ready for really, really big show

January 17, 2018 By B.C. Manion

Fine Arts of the Suncoast Inc., is getting ready for this 13th annual Suncoast Arts Fest — featuring 110 artists from across the country and Canada.

Photographer Thomas Styczynski is from Santa Barbara, California. (Courtesy of Jennifer Douglas, Suncoast Arts Fest festival manager)

The event, held at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, is scheduled for Jan. 20 and Jan. 21.

When the weather is good, the two-day event has drawn up to 80,000 visitors, said Jennifer Douglas, the festival manager.

She noted that “the quality of the art continues to grow, along with the reputation of the festival.”

The festival manager added that she’s “particularly proud of the live entertainment we’ve lined up for the Mainstage.

“I think our visitors will be blown away by the talent and diversity featured this year,” Douglas said.

Beyond a wide array of art to see and purchase, the free public event also offers live entertainment, chalk art murals, kids’ art projects and other highlights.

Mr. Harley will be providing an interactive show for children during the Suncoast Arts Fest, being held this weekend at The Shops at Wiregrass. He is slated to perform on Jan. 21.

Artists must compete for a place in the show, and this year there were 166 applicants vying for a spot. Categories at the show include ceramics/clay, digital, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and wood.

The juried arts competition will award $14,000 in cash prizes.

Live entertainment will be featured on the Mainstage at Center Court, located at the festival midpoint across from Macy’s.

The festival will kick off on Jan. 20 with performances by The Richey Suncoast Kid’s Theatre and The Wesley Chapel Wind Ensemble.

At noon, Gypsy Wind, will share its unique blend of bluegrass, folk and old jazz favorites. Other performers in the afternoon will include The Frankie Raye Trio, and at 3:40 p.m., headliners Violectric, with its passionate fusion of classical string instruments and cutting-edge technology and effects.

Glass artist Rollin Karg is from Kechi, Kansas.

As the current Artists-in-Residence at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Violectric has opened for Sting, Adam Levine, Ne-Yo, David Foster, Kristen Chenoweth, Katherine McPhee, Sia, Twenty-One Pilots, Rascal Flatts, and Huey Lewis and the News.

On Jan. 21, Suncoast Arts Fest radio sponsor, WGHR Hits 106, will be broadcasting live with performances on the Mainstage by children’s musician, Mr. Harley; followed by classical world guitarist Nikola Baltic, and Pasco favorites Barefoot Bob and the Hope. Tampa blues legend Sarasota Slim will close out the festival.

The event also has plenty of activities for kids.

The Kids’ Art Garden, presented by Suncoast Credit Union, has free Picasso-themed art projects, face painting and a scavenger hunt.

The Art Makerspace, sponsored by Chasco Middle School, will demonstrate its mobile 3D printer, and the festival’s Emerging Artist Exhibit will be back, featuring the talent of Pasco County elementary, middle and high school students.

This drawing is by artist Marie Rust, of Bitely, Michigan.

Other highlights will include chalk artists and strolling entertainment by the Bay Area Renaissance Festival.

Suncoast Arts Fest is produced by Fine Arts of the Suncoast Inc., a charitable organization dedicated to developing a community culture that embraces the arts.

All proceeds from the Suncoast Arts Fest benefit “Arts for Education,” a grant fund created by the festival’s parent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Fine Arts of the Suncoast Inc. This mini-grant program provides project support to supplement arts education funding in public, private and charter schools in Pasco County.

In 2017, more than $6,000 in mini-grants was awarded, bringing the grand total distributed to nearly $100,000 since the organization’s inception.

Suncoast Arts Fest
Where: The Shops at Wiregrass
When: Jan. 20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Jan. 21, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free admission and parking
Details: A juried show featuring works by 110 fine arts and crafts artists from across the nation and Canada. The event also features live entertainment and children’s activities.
Info: SuncoastArtsFest.com

Published January 17, 2018

Filed Under: Local News, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: Barefoot Bob, Bay Area Renaissance Festival, Chasco Middle School, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Fine Arts of the Suncoast Inc., Gypsy Wind, Jennifer Douglas, Macy's, Nikola Baltic, Sarasota Slim, Suncoast Arts Fest, Suncoast Credit Union, The Frankie Raye Trio, The Richey Suncoast Kid's Theatre, The Shops at Wiregrass, The Wesley Chapel Wind Ensemble, Violectric, Wesley Chapel, WGHR Hits 106

New coach named for Wesley Chapel High softball

October 4, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

The Wesley Chapel High School varsity softball program, coming off its best season in school history, will look to continue its recent string of success under new leadership.

Bill Hoopes, who runs the Tampa Bay-based Florida Firecrackers U16 travel softball team, was recently named head coach of Wesley Chapel High School’s varsity softball program. (Courtesy of Florida Firecrackers)

Bill Hoopes, who runs the Tampa Bay-based Florida Firecrackers U16 travel softball team, last month was named the program’s head coach, replacing first-year coach Steve Mumaw.

In a public Facebook post dated Sept. 21, Hoopes wrote:

“This is an amazing school with a strong program that I look forward to building up even more over the years to come.

“Could not be more excited for this chance and opportunity to continue to make an impact on the game I love and helping these young ladies chase and achieve their dreams…”

A well-known name in the travel ball scene, Hoopes, also a teacher at Chasco Middle School in Port Richey, this past season guided the U16 Florida Firecrackers to a No. 3 ranking in the state and No. 67 in the nation, according to U.S. Softball Club rankings. Additionally, several of Hoopes’ travel players have landed scholarships and committed to Division I softball programs, including River Ridge High’s Jessica Bryson (University of Louisiana-Monroe) and Teah Steel (Alabama State University), and Mitchell High’s Alex Hare (Alabama State University).

Mumaw, meanwhile, guided the historically struggling Wildcats program to surprising feats in his lone season as head coach.

The 2017 Wesley Chapel varsity softball team achieved the program’s first winning season, going 19-7, with a 7-3 mark in district play. (File)

In 2017, the Wildcats achieved its first winning season, going 19-7, with a 7-3 mark in district play, and an appearance in the Class 6A regional semifinals.

The breakout campaign also featured a nine-game winning streak, including a shutout regular season victory over Land O’ Lakes High — the eventual Class 6A state champions.

In an email to the The Laker/Lutz News, Mumaw explained he decided to step down as softball coach, citing logistical issues between teaching at one school —Centennial Middle School in Dade City — and organizing practices at another — Wesley Chapel High.

Until Mumaw took over, the Wildcats softball program, which started in 2007, experienced years of futility, due to coaching instability and a dearth of talent.

In the program’s first five years, the Wildcats went 1-15, 2-20, 2-21, 1-22 and 2-21. Ensuing years were likewise taxing, as the program went 5-14, 0-24, 2-22 and 7-17.

Mumaw, also a former athletic director and baseball coach at Wesley Chapel High, credited the team’s rapid turnaround last season on its young, talented nucleus.

“It’s all the girls. When you have talent, it’s tough to mess that up,” Mumaw told The Laker/Lutz News in April.

Outside of one senior, the 2017 roster exclusively featured a collection of promising freshman and sophomores.

In addition to then-freshman ace pitcher/University of Central Florida commit Jordan Almasy (2.59 ERA, 130 strikeouts in 116.1 innings), the 2017 squad consisted of eight .300-or-better hitters.

Though many of those impact players are expected to return, some, however, have been redistricted to Cypress Creek Middle-High, which will force the new coaching staff to find added depth elsewhere.

One of those players certainly missed is catcher/Colorado State University commit Neely Peterson, arguably the Wildcats’ top all-around hitter last season.

Peterson, now a junior at Cypress Creek, paced the team in batting average (.443) on-base percentage (.566) and slugging percentage (1.207), and tied for the team lead in home runs (three) and RBIs (20).

Besides weathering key personnel losses, the new-look Wildcats have the ever-difficult task of again competing in District 7-6A, made up of perennial powerhouses Land O’ Lakes, coached by Mitch Wilkins, and River Ridge, coached by Kurt Goluba.

And, both programs are expected to compete at a high level again this season, with relatively minimal turnover.

Land O’ Lakes graduated four seniors — outfielder Jessie McCallister (.358 batting average), outfielder Lexi Turner (.293), outfielder/third baseman Justine Daniels (.280) and outfielder Maddie Burgett (.250) — while River Ridge graduated just one — catcher Brooke Vescey (.381).

The new Wildcats coaching staff will have an information meeting on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the school’s media center, for anyone interested in spring softball.

Most of the Wildcats’ 2018 schedule has been set:

Feb. 13: at Academy at the Lakes

Feb. 16: Sunlake High School

Feb. 20: at Land O’ Lakes High School

Feb. 22 River Ridge High School

Feb. 27: at Pasco High School

March 1: Zephyrhills High School

March 5: Mitchell High School

March 6: Anclote High School

March 8: Land O’ Lakes High School

March 13: at River Ridge High School

March 15: Pasco High School

March 20: at Zephyrhills High School

March 23: Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament

March 24: Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament

March 27: Anclote High School

March 28: York High School (Retsof, New York)

April 3: Academy at the Lakes

April 10: Wiregrass Ranch High School

2017 District 7-6A standings

  • Land O’ Lakes High (9-2; 29-3 overall)
  • River Ridge High (8-2; 16-9 overall)
  • Wesley Chapel High (7-3; 19-7 overall)
  • Pasco High (4-7; 7-11 overall)
  • Zephyrhills High (3-7; 6-15 overall)
  • Anclote High (0-19; 0-19 overall)

—Stats and information compiled using Maxpreps.com—

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Filed Under: Local Sports, Sports, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa Sports Tagged With: Academy at the Lakes, Alabama State University, Alex Hare, Anclote High, Bill Hoopes, Brooke Vescey, Centennial Middle School, Chasco Middle School, Class 6A, Colorado State University, Cypress Creek Middle High, Dade City, District 7-6A, Florida Firecrackers, Jessica Bryson, Jessie McCallister, Jordan Almasy, Justine Daniels, Kurt Goluba, Land O' Lakes High, Lexi Turner, Maddie Burgett, Mitch Wilkins, Mitchell High, Neely Peterson, Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament, Pasco High, Port Richey, River Ridge High, Steve Mumaw, Sunlake High, Teah Steel, U.S. Softball Club, University of Central Florida, University of Louisiana-Monroe, Wesley Chapel High School, Wildcats, Wiregrass Ranch High School, York High School, Zephyrhills High

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Support Gulfside Hospice by attending the Charity Festival of Arts on April 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. There will be live entertainment from local talent groups. The arts will be showcased through dance, voice, music, acting, visual art and more, provided by local artists, businesses and organizations. Activities also will include a “take-and-make” project. Admission is $5 per person, for ages 3 and older. For information, contact Leesa Fryer at 727-845-5707 or . … [Read More...] about 04/17/2021 – Arts festival

04/17/2021 – Charity hockey game

The Lakeland Ice Arena and the Tampa Bay Marauders Police Hockey Team will present the Hillsborough vs. Pinellas Police Charity Hockey Game on April 17 at 4:15 p.m., at 3395 W. Memorial Blvd., in Lakeland. Donations will be accepted at the event and throughout the game. All proceeds will directly benefit the families of TPD Master Police Officer Jesse Madsen, PCSO Deputy Michael Magli and HCSO Sergeant Brian LaVigne. Donations also may be made on Venmo: @tampabaypolicehockey or PayPal: . Baked goods and a food truck are scheduled for the event, too. For information, call Tampa police officer Tony Skolarus at 734-564-7643. … [Read More...] about 04/17/2021 – Charity hockey game

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