The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

GoFundMe

Benefit to support Lutz cancer patient

By

Bill Myers, of Lutz, has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer — and the community has come together to try to help him.

A benefit has been planned for Nov. 23 from noon to 6 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

There’s no admission charge for the event, which will feature musical performances, a variety of vendors and food vendors.

Several eateries will provide catered dishes that will be sold for voluntary donations.

Patrons, along with Bill, also can enjoy some cake, in recognition of Bill’s birthday – the previous day.

“He is a wonderful father and grandpa, and a good friend – to those lucky few – who get close enough to earn his trust and loyalty,” said Liz Myers, Bill’s wife.

There also will be T-shirts for sale and a silent auction.

Other highlights include a Zumba class and a bounce house, both being offered free of charge.

Paula O’ Neil, Pasco County’s former Circuit Court Clerk and Comptroller — who is a cancer survivor, will be the guest speaker for the fundraiser.

Santa Claus will be there, too, giving people a chance to have their photo taken with the jolly old fellow, for a voluntary donation.

Funds collected will go toward offsetting Bill’s medical expenses.

A GoFundMe page also eventually will be opened for contributions.

Anyone who would like to become a vendor, donate to the silent auction or have any inquiries, please contact Lillian Fontanez at (813) 551-7351 or .

Bill Myers’ cancer benefit
Where: Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
When: Nov. 23 from noon to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Details: A fundraiser will be held to offset the expenses for cancer patient, Bill Myers of Lutz.
Info: Contact Lillian Fontanez at (813) 551-7351 or .

Published November 20, 2019

Land O’ Lakes students strive for ‘green’ community

By

For several years the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library has been plagued with massive energy consumption and a sizable electric bill.

A group of high schoolers is looking to change that.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Green Club, which addresses environmental issues in the community, wants to help the library achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status — the most widely used ‘green’ building rating system in the world.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Green Club has started a fundraiser to help the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library to reach LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status and significantly reduce its utility bill. Among the desired upgrades are UV window shading, LED lighting, motion sensing light switches, and programmable timers, to help decrease the library’s carbon footprint. From left: Green Club co-founder Sparsha Muralidhara, Green Club founder Camellia Moors and faculty club sponsor Michelle Starr. (Kevin Weiss)

To do so, the Green Club has partnered with Friends of the Pasco Library System on a fundraiser to purchase and install several energy-saving capital improvements to reduce the library’s carbon footprint.

The library’s annual electric bill is $48,500, according to a Duke Energy audit performed last year.

The goal is to eventually cut that figure in half.

Initial desired upgrades include UV window shading, LED lighting, motion sensing light switches, and programmable timers.

The Green Club has set a fundraising goal of $25,000 by May 1. As of Feb. 9, $220 has been raised. In addition to organizing a GoFundMe page, the club also plans to apply for local, state and federal grants.

If enough cash is raised, the group will then look to tackle more expensive tasks such as air-conditioning upgrades, solar panels and added insulation at the library.

Duke Energy recommended many of those upgrades in its audit as a measure to improve the overall efficiency of the facility and decrease overall energy consumption.

County funds cover the library’s maintenance each year. However, there’s been little in the way of large-scale improvements to save on electricity since it opened on Collier Parkway in 1999.

Green Club founder and senior IB (International Baccalaureate) student Camellia Moors is the driving force behind the library energy-savings initiative.

She created the student organization during her junior year believing there wasn’t strong enough awareness on pressing environmental issues — including climate change and conservation — at the school or community level.

Moors decided a high-trafficked, public space — such as the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library — was the best place to start.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. According to the United States Green Building Council, LEED ‘provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings.’ (Courtesy of the United States Green Building Council)

“I figured that if you were going to do some sort of environmental change where you wanted people to see the change, you need to do it where they’re going to see it,” Moors said.

A longtime patron of the library, Moors correctly guessed it had a sizable electricity bill after noticing its fluorescent lights, untinted windows and outdated air conditioning system. “If you walk in the library, it’s pretty evident…they’re constantly running and having a huge energy consumption rate,” Moors said.

The Green Club, which has a handful of active members, has facilitated other activities, including recycling drives and environment-based educational classes. They’ve also planted a garden in front of the high school’s Academy of Culinary Arts building.

Green Club co-founder and member Sparsha Muralidhara said every little bit helps when it comes to preserving the environment.

“Change doesn’t have to be a national sweeping movement in one go. You can start in your own backyard and then work it up to your neighbors, and then your communities and from there,” she said.

Muralidhara’s passion for environmentalism harkens back to her family’s Indian roots and learning about rapid urbanization of the South Asian country. “Seeing a lot of our own natural parks and everything torn down to make way for urban blight and development was always disheartening,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library ‘greening’ project was embraced by library officials from the start, said Bob Harrison, public communications specialist for the Pasco County libraries, adding he’s been impressed by Moors’ activism and involvement.

“Anything that we can come up with obviously to reduce not only our carbon footprint but also to get that electric bill down is a win-win for everybody. We try to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money, and if we can cut expenses on something like a giant utility bill then we’re definitely all for that,” Harrison said.

If the fundraiser’s successful, Land O’ Lakes would become the first Pasco branch library to earn LEED status. The county may also explore energy-saving upgrades to its six other branches, Harrison said.

Moors hopes the project will inspire other environmentalists at the grassroots level.

“It’s up to everybody who does have some basic awareness of the environment — and knows the importance of the environment — to continue that and stretch it out further and actually apply that knowledge more,” Moors said.

Want to help?
To donate, visit GoFundMe.com/land-o-lakes-library-greening. For information on the club, email .

Published February 14, 2018

Mother of twins dies after casino boat fire; donations sought

By

A GoFundMe account has been set up to aid the children of Carrie Dempsey.

The 42-year-old woman, who lived in Lutz, died Jan. 14, hours after a fire engulfed a casino shuttle boat ferrying about 50 passengers to a casino ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

She was the sole fatality among about 15 passengers who needed medical attention, according to news reports.

Carrie Dempsey
(Facebook.com)

Dempsey leaves behind 12-year-old twins, Chad and Megan. Dempsey’s husband, Joseph Dempsey II, died in 2011, at the age of 33, according to an obituary.

The children are being cared for by their grandparents.

“We are reaching out to raise funds for Chad and Megan’s care and education, that their grandparents may not have been financially prepared for,” according to a written statement on the GoFundMe page. “Chad and Megan are two kind-hearted, athletic and academically gifted children who deserve a bright future. They have incurred so much loss and heartache in their short lives.”

Bridget Verrecchia is listed as the fund’s organizer. She is vice president of the ways and means committee of the PTA executive board for McKitrick Elementary School, according to the school’s website.

Segal Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.

According to an obituary, Dempsey moved to the Tampa Bay area in 1985 from Cleveland, Ohio.

She will be “remembered for her sense of humor, quick wit and infectious laugh, but mostly as a devoted and loving mother,” the obituary states.

Graveside services are scheduled for Jan. 25 at 2 p.m., at Gan Shalom Cemetery, 3527 E. County Line Road in Lutz. In lieu of flowers, a college fund will be established for Dempsey’s children.

The cause of the fire aboard the Island Lady is under investigation, according to a spokesman with the U.S. Coast Guard.

About 50 people were aboard as the shuttle, operated by Tropical Breeze Casino, steered toward the gulf, and a casino ship in international waters.

The boat’s captain noticed the engine was overheating, and prepared to return to shore when a fire broke out, according to news reports.

The reports said the captain ran the shuttle aground in the Pithlachascotee River, about 100 yards from shore in Port Richey.

Passengers and crew had to jump into chilly waters. Rescuers included nearby neighbors, Port Richey police, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Fire Rescue, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The boat burned down to its hull, reports added.

For information, visit GoFundMe.com/the-dempsey-family.

An online guestbook is available at SegalFuneralHome.com.

Published January 24, 2018

Family seeks help for their 5-year-old son

By

Priscilla Avila-Posey knew early on her son, Julian, was unique from others.

He looks like a typical 5-year-old, but suffers from many severe developmental and medical issues.

He has a rare micro-chromosome deletion that has been diagnosed as autism.

He is stuck mentally at the level of a toddler. He suffers from mixed expressive receptive language disorder, auditory processing disorder, sensory processing disorder and severe anxiety.

Julian Posey is pictured with his father, Mike, and mother, Priscilla. The 5-year-old suffers from many severe developmental and medical issues, including a rare micro-chromosome deletion that has been diagnosed as autism.
(Kevin Weiss)

He cannot talk, potty train, dress himself or brush his teeth.

He cannot attend school, either.

For treatment, Julian sees multiple therapists — speech, occupational, physical and applied behavioral analysis — totaling about 46 hours each week.

But, that’s not enough.

To develop the skills he needs for a normal life, additional therapy is needed at the family’s Zephyrhills home, his mother said.

However, the family’s insurance plan won’t cover the therapeutic equipment that’s needed.

Avila-Posey was forced to quit her part-time job in 2014 in order to care for Julian. Her husband, Mike, works full-time.

To help with the family’s financial needs, Avila-Posey created a GoFundMe page in May.

She set a goal of $3,000 to purchase eight items, ranging from a sensory pod to a therapeutic listening program.

She didn’t expect any donations.

But, by June 30, more than $1,300 had been raised.

Donations have poured in from friends, family members, and former teachers at Zephyrhills High School.

Even perfect strangers have pitched in.

“It was very nice to see the reaction we got, and to see that people cared,” Avila-Posey said. “It makes me happy, because I know somebody is taking time out of their day to think about him.”

Already, the Posey family has used funds to purchase a Yogibo, for deep sensory input; a platform swing and stand, for sensory integration; and, a bubble column, used as a calming mechanism during therapy.

“We didn’t want people to think that we’re just asking for money,” Avila-Posey said. “We’re fine with donations, second-hand — if anybody even wanted to have us purchase them at like a cheaper rate or reused, we’re all for that.”

Besides cognitive handicaps, Julian also has numerous health problems.

Perhaps the worst is erythromelalgia, a rare condition characterized by episodes of pain, redness and swelling in various parts of the body, particularly the hands and feet.

The episodes are usually triggered by increased body temperature, which may be caused by exercise or entering a warm room.

In the Florida heat, especially the summer, Julian can only be outside for a few minutes at a time before symptoms arise.

“He has to play somewhere where there’s A/C, in order to be physically active,” Avila-Posey explained.

Julian also suffers from asthma, acid reflux, chronic constipation, chronic sinusitis, allergies, an immune system deficiency and gait disturbance.

All told, Julian sees over eight specialists for his health issues, and has already undergone six surgeries.

He goes to doctor’s appointments all over the place — from Zephyrhills to Odessa, to St. Petersburg and Orlando.

“If it’s not one thing, it’s literally the other,” Avila-Posey said.

“It’s been like nonstop. He almost doesn’t catch a break.”

Avila-Posey acknowledges there are “bad days,” when her son screams and cries endlessly — with no solution to console him.

“It’s so sad,” she said, “because it almost makes you think you’re not doing something right because you can’t fix it.”

Formerly a childcare day care professional, Avila-Posey had experience working with special needs adolescents.

That, she said, has made caring for her son “a lot less scary.”

Still, it breaks her heart to see him struggle.

The hardest obstacle, she said, is Julian’s limited understanding.

“Some days he doesn’t know what you’re saying to him,” she said.

Forming a bond with Julian wasn’t automatic from birth.

“I had to earn that,” Avila-Posey explained. “It took years to form that bond, and it’s super strong now.

“I feel like that makes it even more special, because I had to work for it. It wasn’t unconditional. It is now, but I had to establish that.”

For the most part, Julian is a happy, fun-loving boy.

It’s evident when he visits entertainment centers like Chuck E. Cheese’s, Bangin’ Bungee Kidz Zone and 2Infinity Extreme Air Sports.

He also gets a kick out of movie monsters, dinosaurs, minions and superheroes, Avila-Posey said.

“He’s got a cute little sense of humor,” she said, joyfully. “He’s got like 20 different laughs.”

Meanwhile, her son’s various obstacles create a whole new perspective on life.

“It almost humbles you a little bit,” Avila-Posey said. “It makes you step back and take a check at your attitude, like, ‘Really, what are you complaining about today? Is your day that hard?’”

In caring for Julian, Avila-Posey takes one day at a time, finding ways to make his life easier.

She also maintains her faith in him, regardless what others may say.

“Sometimes you’re your only child’s advocate and cheerleader,” she said. “Always be their voice.”

To donate, visit GoFundMe.com/supportbabyjulian.
The Posey family will also accept second-hand items, including an adaptive stroller, tablet, therapeutic listening program, climb and slide, sensory pod, crash pad and abilitation jigglers.

Published July 5, 2017

Local student finds freedom, opportunity in U.S.

By

Wiregrass Ranch High School senior Luis Pereira doesn’t take his freedom for granted.

Less than two years ago, his family arrived in Wesley Chapel — after emigrating from Venezuela to seek political asylum in the United States.

Since that time, the 19-year-old has managed to be inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars, has won the TEDX Talk competition at Wiregrass and has been awarded a scholarship to Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

Wiregrass Ranch High senior Luis Pereira has been inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars. His family left Venezuela 18 months ago to seek political asylum in the United States.
(B.C. Manion)

The scholars society was established in 2002 by James W. Lewis and Claes Nobel. Nobel is the senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes.

The society recognizes “top scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship and community commitment,” according to a news release announcing Pereira’s induction. The society helps to advance the goals and aspirations of high-achieving students through learning experiences, scholarships, internships, international study and peer networks.

Despite his achievements, it hasn’t been an easy road for Pereira.

His family moved to Wiregrass Ranch because of the difficult political situation in Venezuela.

“I was part of an opposition group, since I was 14. I was active in protests and demonstrations against the government.

“It wasn’t good for my family. We started receiving threats,” Pereira said.

His dad received calls about the family being watched.

“They said: ‘I saw your wife, picking up the kids. You should look out for them. You should take care of them,’” Pereira said. “Imagine living everyday knowing that there is someone who wants to hurt you.

“A year and a half ago, we decided this is too dangerous for us,” he said.

Besides his parents, Luis Sr. and Madelin, Pereira has two little brothers, Guillermo, 12, and Santiago, 10.

Initially, the family moved in with relatives in the Wiregrass Ranch area, but that didn’t work out.

“At one point, we were homeless,” he said.

Luis Pereira was a keynote speaker during Pasco County Schools’ 2016 Leadership Kickoff.

“When the people at Wiregrass (Ranch High School) found out, it was amazing. The community got together and found out ways to help my family. They gave us food. They gave us money. They found us a place to stay. They’ve been helping us through this process of trying to settle in a new country. I had a lot of support from my teachers, from the staff at Wiregrass,” he said.

The communities of John Long Middle School and Double Branch Elementary School also were incredibly kind, Pereira said. His brother, Guillermo, attends John Long, and his other brother, Santiago, attends Double Branch.

Education is important to the family.

Pereira scored a 1340 on the SAT, and carries a 3.87 grade point on a scale of 4.0.  He’s taking Advanced Placement Chemistry, Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Advancement Placement English Literature, among his other classes.

“I’m very interested in speech and debate. I really like the fact that by speaking out you can influence people, to change their outlook on things. I think that’s really amazing,” he said.

One of things he enjoys most about being in the United States is being able to freely share his thoughts and beliefs.

“Just being able to express myself here, to be able to say what I believe is right. That’s amazing. It’s a right that I’ve never had in my life,” Pereira said.

Pereira aspires to become a brain surgeon.

“It is different from psychology, in that you are investigating what drives human behavior, but you are investigating it from a biological point. You want to know the process that makes people do stuff,” he said.

Pereira said his interest in medicine was influenced by his father, who was a pharmacist in Venezuela. His mom taught elementary school there.

Now, his mom cleans homes and his dad works in a retail store. Pereira recently landed a job at McDonald’s.

He plans to continue his education, and at the moment his primary choice for college is Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

He applied there after seeing a flier that noted the architectural similarity between the campus and Hogwarts University in the Harry Potter novels.

“I did some research about the school, and I liked it,” he said.

He applied in November, and they called him to let him know he’d been accepted in January.

And, they invited him to the college’s scholarship weekend.

He qualified to compete in the Civic Engagement scholarship category.

“I had to do a presentation about how I participated in civic engagement and leadership in my everyday life. And, out of 102, they selected two people, and I was one of them,” he said.

Still, attending the university is no sure thing.

“The main problem — everything takes money,” he said.

“I haven’t committed yet. I don’t have the money. It’s $300 to pay the deposit,” he said, noting the scholarship covers tuition, but not housing.

He has a job now, and that will help, but he still needs to raise money for housing and other college expenses.

He recently set up a GoFundMe account at GoFundMe.com/kharmcdc, in case anyone wants to help.

Pereira is not sure where he will end up, but he wants to continue his education.

“I feel a responsibility to give back to the community that’s helped me. That’s one of my main goals of going to college, to be able to come back and help the community that gave my family so much,” Pereira said.

Published March 29, 2017

Burglars can’t steal softball league’s spirit

By

Lutz Softball Inc., formerly known as the Lutz Leaguerettes, isn’t going to let a recent burglary ruin its season.

While still picking up the pieces from a March 8 break-in, the league is moving forward with practices and games, as usual.

“We are not going to have the girls suffer,” said Mike Cook, president of Lutz Softball.
“We’re still going to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off, and try to spin it in a positive direction, someway, somehow.”

Two suspects burglarized the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex in the early morning hours of March 8, causing losses in excess of $5,000.

While Hillsborough County owns the park, Lutz Softball has a field-usage agreement, working closely with the county’s parks and recreation department.

The hooded suspects stole approximately $1,000 in cash, $1,000 worth of sporting equipment, $1,500 in food, and caused $2,000 in property damage, according to information from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Lutz Softball Inc., is having several fundraisers after a burglary at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex caused about $5,000 in losses for the organization. The recreational fast pitch league caters to girls, ages 5 to 18.
(Courtesy of Lutz Softball Inc.)

Released video surveillance footage shows the suspects used pry bars to break into the concession stand, office and equipment storage areas.
“They took whatever they could get their hands on,” the league president said.
The footage also shows the suspects loading the items into an unknown vehicle parked on the west side of Crooked Lane, just south of West Lutz Lake Fern Road.
Pilfered items included an 80-pound safe, safe shields, shin guards and softballs.

“It’s unfortunate they got into the equipment room,” Cook said. “I’m guessing it’s probably just stuff they can sell quick, and get a couple of bucks for.”
Bulk quantities of various concession items also were swiped by the burglars, the league president said.
“They took everything in the freezer,” Cook said. “They took the hot dogs, the buns, the cheese, the chicken tenders, the mozzarella sticks, the onion rings, the bacon —everything.”

The recreational fast pitch organization has created a GoFundMe page to recoup the thousands of dollars in losses.

So far, more than $1,000 has been raised, including numerous donations from players’ families.
“We’re a strong unit, a strong network,” Cook said, “and everybody’s come together on this.”

There will also be another major fundraising opportunity on April 1, when the league hosts its annual Super Saturday event.
Described as a “fun-filled day,” the event will feature a parent softball tournament, along with various games, a bounce house and dunk tank. There’s also a silent auction and basket raffles.
“It’s a huge day for us,” Cook said. “It’ll certainly help in recovering and recouping from (the burglary).”

To Cook, the hardest part to grasp from the incident is the impact on the league’s young players, who range from 5 to 18 years old.
“You’re not stealing from the parents there. You’re not stealing from the executive board. You’re stealing from these girls, who just want to go to a place where they’re not playing video games or hanging out on the street corner,” Cook said.

Besides raising money to replace lost items, the league is working with Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation to repair the broken locks and doors, and one of the damaged fields.
Cook noted the sports complex was last burglarized about three years ago.
Additional security measures to prevent a similar instance are being discussed with the league’s executive board, he said.
“We’re trying to figure out what the best route is, but we certainly want to upgrade our current surveillance system, with some other precautionary measures,” he said.

Besides the burglary, it’s been an eventful year-plus for the softball organization.
In January 2016, Lutz Softball announced it would offer a recreational fast-pitch league for the first time in its 37-year history.
Just six months later, the league discontinued its slow-pitch leagues altogether, citing dwindling registration figures and an overwhelming preference for fast-pitch.
Cook said the league now has about 200 girls (ages 5 to 18), the highest number since he joined the organization four years ago.
“The transition to fast pitch is going really, really well,” he said.
The Leaguerettes are a PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) Softball affiliate.

To donate, visit GoFundMe.com/eyqzb-lutz-softball.
Anyone with any information on the burglary is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8200.

Published March 15, 2017

 

Technology, band march to new fundraising beat

By

Bake sales, car washes, spaghetti dinners. There’s so many traditional ways to raise money for a good cause.

But when the Wiregrass Ranch High School percussion program decided it was time to transform from a strong winter drum line to a premier one, they realized their efforts to raise $25,000 would have to be far from traditional.

The Wiregrass Ranch High School marching band’s drum line practices after school with players like, from left, Alex Dabrow, Robert Rodriguez, Ashleigh Hans and Sam Ryan. The line is raising $25,000, so that they can keep playing after marching season ends in November. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
The Wiregrass Ranch High School marching band’s drum line practices after school with players like, from left, Alex Dabrow, Robert Rodriguez, Ashleigh Hans and Sam Ryan. The line is raising $25,000, so that they can keep playing after marching season ends in November.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“I had to recreate our fundraising strategy a little bit,” said second-year band director Patrick Duncan. “Our families were just selling to each other, and it didn’t do us any good when mom and dad were just looking for the same coworkers all the time, asking if they can buy this, or if they can buy that. At a certain point, they are not going to buy, and parents get really turned off from fundraising.”

A lot of money nowadays is being raised online, through crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter or Indiegogo. Duncan and his team, however, chose GoFundMe, a site that has raised more than $400 million for various fundraisers since its launch.

Unlike Kickstarter, GoFundMe will fund a campaign, even if the financial goal is not met. And unlike Indiegogo, the band would not have to wait for a campaign to end before they can start withdrawing money.

That means once Wiregrass Ranch’s band raises $900, for example, it could buy a set of low-octave crotales. A little more than $5,000 would be just enough to pay for a studio vibraphone.

“They don’t penalize you for taking out money early,” Duncan said. “And if you don’t meet your goal, you can keep the money raised, and continue to try and raise more funds until you get what you need.”

The money will purchase 14 sets of instruments including three vibraphones, a marimba, two crotales, a snare drum, and four pairs of marching cymbals. These instruments will let the percussion line expand from its current 15 to 18 during marching season, to more than 30 in the wintertime as part of an indoor percussion line.

It would be the area’s second indoor percussion line, joining the existing one at Sunlake High School.

“Our percussionists basically don’t have a performance avenue after marching season ends” in November, Duncan said. “By doing this line, we have something that can join with our winter guard, and it’s very musically engaging. There are some really fast-moving lines, and it’s always based on some kind of concept, some kind of story. It’s like something you might see in a performing arts center.”

Duncan already has percussionists ready to join the line once the instruments are bought, and some of his other band members — even those in the wind instruments like trumpets and tubas — have expressed an interest in broadening their musical horizons.

The indoor drum line would perform at area events, including competitions in Plant City and Daytona Beach — the latter an event that typically draws more than 3,000 people.

Duncan wants the new line to start this school year, but to make it happen, he would have to have auditions right after the Thanksgiving break, with first rehearsals set for just after Christmas. While he could get the line together with just half the money he wants to raise, Duncan is really hoping the community will pull through and help put Wiregrass Ranch’s musical program on the map.

“We have too many percussionists right now, which is a good problem to have,” he said. “You have them going in and out during performances so that they can all get a chance to play, and sometimes you even double up parts so you can include more people. But that doesn’t always much musical sense, as that’s not the way the composer intended for it to be played.”

As of Monday, the band has raised a little more than $400 in the campaign. Most of the donations have been in the $25 range, although GoFundMe is capable of accepting larger contributions.

“We started this in hopes that we can find some people who are interested in giving back, and giving to a cause,” Duncan said. “This will give a lot of students the opportunity to get that performance time in their spring semester, and it’s something audiences will not want to miss.”

Donate right now to the Wiregrass Ranch High School percussion program. Visit GoFundMe.com/WiregrassPercussion.

Published August 27, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here