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Kelly Mothershead

Girl Scouts rejuvenate Karina’s Garden

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Step into the garden behind the administrative offices of Sunrise of Pasco, in Dade City, and you’ll find a place where flowers, plants, butterflies and statuary offer a place of repose and refreshment.

You’ve arrived at Karina’s Garden.

Those visiting Sunrise of Pasco’s office in Dade City have a chance to spend a little time behind the building in Karina’s Garden, which has been rejuvenated by Girl Scout Troop 1263. (B.C. Manion)

The garden initially was established in 2008 to honor Karina Abdul, a former shelter director for Sunrise of Pasco who died unexpectedly at the age of 29.

Over the years, plants became sparse and weeds took over.

So, when Troop No. 1263, of Wesley Chapel, was looking for a way to complete the requirements for a Girl Scout Silver Award, giving new life to the garden seemed to be an ideal project.

The trio of Girl Scouts — Paige and Kaitlin Traboulay, and Alyssa Duran — heard about Karina’s Garden from Kelly Mothershead, of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, who has worked with the girls on other projects.

“They decided they wanted to come in and transform this space. That’s what they did,” said Vicki Wiggins, director of development for Sunrise.

Follow the mulched path to find a relaxing seat on a newly installed bench, in Karina’s Garden. (B.C. Manion)

The Girl Scouts, their parents and other volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got busy. They ripped out weeds, built mulch paths, added pavers, painted fences, installed benches and added plants.

They celebrated the garden’s completion at a gathering in August. Besides the volunteers, friends and Sunrise staff members, local members of Karina’s family were there, too.

“The family was thrilled,” Wiggins said.

Wiggins is impressed by the volunteers’ commitment.

“They’ve been raising money for about a year. They came out. They took pictures and designed it all,” she said.

“Apparently, Karina loved butterflies, so they made sure they incorporated a lot of plants (that attract butterflies),” Wiggins said.

“They did a really great job picking out things. I think the parents worked as hard as the kids.

Paige Traboulay paints some of the detail work on a door, which creates an inviting focal point in the garden. (Courtesy of Roger Traboulay)

“They started the weekend after July Fourth,” Wiggins said. “Everything that you can see that’s not a weed, they’ve added.

“They put the pavers in. They put this structure here that has the birdhouse on it. They added the fencing here. They repainted the wall. They added the butterflies (decorations).”

Local artist Lisa Tesla volunteered her talents to give a new look to a dilapidated wooden door in the garden that had been covered in weeds and vines. Her artistry transformed the door into an inviting focal point.

Chris Wirt, of A All Animal Control of Tampa Bay, cleared the garden of two black racer snakes before the trio of scouts got to work.

Sunil Mohammed, of Totally Blu H2O, stepped up to provide garden tools.

A colorful birdhouse invites feathered friends to drop by and stay awhile in Karina’s Garden. (B.C. Manion)

Another volunteer, Karen Weiss, made the sign that credits the people who helped on the project.

Paige Traboulay said the girls began planning the project at the end of last year.

“We walked in the garden, and we saw how big it was and how much needed to be done,” said the 12-year-old, who attends John Long Middle School.

“We asked them what Karina liked. They said she liked butterflies, so we tried to focus on that. So, there’s a butterfly on the door, and there are butterflies on the fences.”

There are butterfly plants in the garden, as well.

Kaitlin Traboulay, who attends Land O’ Lakes High School, said the work was mostly done by her family and Alyssa’s family over the course of two weekends.

Thirteen-year-old Alyssa, who attends John Long Middle School, said it was hard work, and it was hot.

When they finished, she said, “I was especially happy because that meant no more bug bites.”

Alyssa Duran works on a planter in a garden at Sunrise of Pasco in Dade City. (Courtesy of Roger Traboulay)

Paige added: “After the project was done, there was these butterflies flying around to each station. We thought it was her (Karina).”

The garden now provides a place to take a break and enjoy nature, Wiggins said.

“Sometimes the office can generate anxiety and a lot of stress for folks. This is a place where they can de-stress. They can just sit and watch the butterflies, and relax.

“It’s beautiful. I’m so happy they did this. They brought it back to life,” Wiggins said.

 

Garden Restoration and beautification
Girl Scout Troop 1263 Silver Award Project July 2017
Troop members: Kaitlin and Paige Traboulay, and Alyssa Duran

Made possible with the help of:

  • Andrew Abdul, donor
  • Suni Mohammed of Totally Blue H20
  • Chris Wirt of A All Animal Control of Tampa Bay
  • Lisa Tesla, artist
  • Families and close friends
  • T’Weiss as Nice

Published September 6, 2017

Commission on Status of Women elects officers

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The Commission on the Status of Women met recently to elect officers and begin exploring issues that they want to pursue in coming months.

Pasco County commissioners established the 15-member commission in September 2016 as an advisory board. The commission will make periodic reports and recommendations on matters that promote women’s issues.

Members of the Commission on the Status of Women elected their officers at a recent meeting. Amanda Colon, president of the Women Lawyers of Pasco Inc., left, is chairwoman; Krista Covey, SMARTstart Business Incubator director with the Pasco Economic Development Council, is vice chairwoman; and, Kelly Mothershead, communications assistant at Pepin Academies in Pasco, is secretary.
(Courtesy of Amanda Colon)

Amanda Colon, president of the Women Lawyers of Pasco Inc., will serve as chairwoman; Krista Covey, SMARTstart Business Incubator director with the Pasco Economic Development Council, as vice chairwoman; and Kelly Mothershead, communications assistant at Pepin Academies in Pasco, as secretary.

Meetings are open to the public.

The next meeting will be June 5 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the county’s Utilities Administration Office, at 19420 Central Blvd., off U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes.

“The more public support we have in the community, the more it’s going to help us,” said Colon.

Commission members opted to focus on three umbrella issues of health and safety; education; and, economic prosperity and promotion.

Among health and safety topics are domestic and sexual violence, mental health, women’s health, veteran’s services, and the epidemic of drugs, pills and alcohol.

Education also will focus on drugs and alcohol, but also topics such as financial literacy, and the challenges facing single mothers and grandparents who are caregivers for their grandchildren.

Under economic prosperity and promotion, homelessness, affordable housing, affordable daycare, and promoting women in the political and government arenas are on the list.

Going forward, the commission will decide on priorities and set up committees.

The commission must meet at least six times annually, but can meet more frequently. Meeting dates are scheduled into February 2018, though no meetings are planned for July, September and January.

Efforts to create the commission began more than two years ago with discussions between Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and Land O’ Lakes attorney Michele Hintson.

More women joined the conversation and took the matter to the county commission.

Research turned up an ordinance from 1979 that had established a women’s commission. But, it is unclear if its members ever met.

The county’s legal staff updated that ordinance to create the current commission.

County commissioners appointed five of the commission members, with 10 selected from area agencies, schools and nonprofits. They are African-American Club of Pasco County Inc.; Hispanic Professional Women’s Association Inc.; Metropolitan Ministries; Pasco Economic Development Council; Pasco-Hernando State College; Saint Leo University; Sunrise of Pasco County Inc.; United Way of Pasco County Inc.; and Women Lawyers of Pasco Inc.

Published May 10, 2017

New commission on women forms in Pasco

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Two years ago Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey and attorney Michele Hintson met by chance at a symposium on empowering women in politics and leadership.

They were the only two women at WeWill Tampa Bay from Pasco, but quickly bonded around a singular goal: To form a Commission on the Status of Women.

Hintson joined county staff members on Aug. 23 in presenting a plan to launch the commission.

The Pasco County Commission unanimously approved the concept.

“This is a historical day for women in Pasco County,” Starkey said.

The final vote and nominations to the 15-member commission are expected on Sept. 13.

Each county commissioner will appoint a member to the women’s commission.

Other community organizations, mostly nonprofits, will recommend nominees to fill out the remaining 10 slots. The county commission will make the final selections.

Participating organizations include Metropolitan Ministries, Sunrise of Pasco, Pasco-Hernando State College and Saint Leo University.

“The commission hopefully will be able to provide research and resources to develop opinions and make recommendations to (Pasco County) commissioners about certain needs in the community for women,” said Hintson, a Land O’ Lakes resident and an attorney with the Tampa-based law firm, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick.

Issues might include equal pay, human trafficking, affordable housing, women’s health care and the needs of children.

Research by Pasco County’s legal staff revealed that the commission organizers aren’t reinventing the wheel.

An ordinance establishing a commission on women’s status won the approval of county commissioners on Oct. 16, 1979.

However, except for that one document, there is scant evidence of what happened afterward. It appears the commission was never fully activated, Hintson said.

Hintson said many women participated in two years of meetings to finalize plans to reactivate the Pasco women’s commission.

They included community activists, educators, county staff and business leaders, such as Rosie Paulson, Kelly Mothershead, Suzanne Legg, Elizabeth Blair, Krista Covey and Stephanie Pontlitz.

More than 200 commissions on the status of women are operating nationally. About 20 such commissions are in Florida, including one in Hillsborough County that began in the 1990s, and a Florida Commission on the Status of Women.

President John F. Kennedy formed the first women’s commission in 1961, with former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt as chairwoman.

Published September 7, 2016

Rubber ducks create a splashing success

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The crowd cheered.

The loudspeaker broadcast a quacking-good tune – “Disco, Disco Duck.”

And, with a quick dumping of about 2,000 rubber ducks into Lake Padgett, the flock of ducks floated off, with a push from a high-pressure fire hose squirted into the water.

The rubber ducks, numbered on their underside, were adopted through donations. The owner of the duck that floated to first-place also won a bonus of $2,500. Some 68 prizes were awarded to the first ducks that floated to the finish line, out of a field of more than 2,000. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
The rubber ducks, numbered on their underside, were adopted through donations. The owner of the duck that floated to first-place also won a bonus of $2,500. Some 68 prizes were awarded to the first ducks that floated to the finish line, out of a field of more than 2,000.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

Prizes went to donors whose ducks were among the first 68 to hit the finish line. But, the true winners were the community organizations that will receive donations from the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon.

More than 100 people came to the service club’s Duck Derby on May 21. Held for the first time this year, it is intended to become an annual event.

The all-day affair brought out families that shared shady spots on the lawn behind Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que, off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

They enjoyed live music and dined from a buffet of Hungry Harry’s barbecue, beans, chicken, and macaroni and cheese.

Ducks could be adopted at prices ranging from $5 for a single duck to $100 for a flock of 25.

The inflatable Rotary International sign is reflected in the sunglasses of Geoff Kranich, a member of the Rotary Club of Trinity. Kranich helped Erin Meyer, president of the Wesley Chapel Rotary, install the inflatable sign at the entrance to the Duck Derby.
The inflatable Rotary International sign is reflected in the sunglasses of Geoff Kranich, a member of the Rotary Club of Trinity. Kranich helped Erin Meyer, president of the Wesley Chapel Rotary, install the inflatable sign at the entrance to the Duck Derby.

Marcey Knight, 16, and Abri Woods, 17, worked at a drink table, taking tickets and handing out cool refreshments.

The Wiregrass Ranch High School students are members of Interact, a school-sponsored club that provides opportunities for community service.

Children bounced in the bouncy house, slid down an inflated slide or played carnival-like games for prizes.

Sales of the rubber ducks, barbecue and drinks went toward community projects, organizations or student scholarships.

“We support a variety of charities every year,” said Erin Meyer, club president.

Local and international projects and groups that receive the club’s donations include Pasco Education Foundation, Everyday Blessings, Farmworkers Self-Help, Habitat for Humanity, Sunrise Women’s Shelter and installation of water filters in third-world countries.

Jimmy Mason, in the foreground, of the Wesley Chapel Rotary goes after an errant rubber duck that jumped the floating lane during the Duck Derby.
Jimmy Mason, in the foreground, of the Wesley Chapel Rotary goes after an errant rubber duck that jumped the floating lane during the Duck Derby.

In all, 68 prizes were handed out including a $2,500 grand prize to Brian and Isabelle Dunleavy. Other prizes included a fishing trip for five with a charter boat captain, two nights at Saddlebrook Resort, a $250 certificate for automobile repairs from TWA Firestone, a wine basket, pet grooming, and bowling games from Royal Lanes.

Derby sponsors included Fun Services of Land O’ Lakes, Sam’s Club, Cash 4 Gold, The Laker/Lutz News, and Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que.

The Wesley Chapel Rotary Club Noon hosts fundraising events annually to aid local community organizations or projects. The duck derby is expected to become a yearly tradition.

“Things like this allow us to have fellowship as a club and also to give back to the community,” said Kelly Mothershead, past president of the club.

Mike McDonald, of Trinity, was one of the performers at the Duck Derby held behind Hungry Harry’s Bar Family Bar-B-Que on U.S. 41. Held for the first time in Land O’ Lakes, it is expected to be an annual event.
Mike McDonald, of Trinity, was one of the performers at the Duck Derby held behind Hungry Harry’s Bar Family Bar-B-Que on U.S. 41. Held for the first time in Land O’ Lakes, it is expected to be an annual event.

Events like the duck derby create a presence in the community, said Rebecca Smith, chairwoman of the club’s foundation.

“We kind of touch everybody, and the more the merrier,” Smith said.

The Webelos of Cub Scout Pack No. 149 in Wesley Chapel helped build the duck derby course. They practiced their skills in tying square knots to link together the colorful noodles that marked the course’s boundaries.

“It was fun,” said 6-year-old Andrew Holliday.

His family bought a few ducks the day of the race, and enjoyed a picnic lunch.

“We just wanted to see what it was like,” said Brian Holliday, Andrew’s father.

Brother Connor, 5, sat in a lawn chair, with a plate piled high with his favorite food – mac n’ cheese.

At the shoreline, children waded into the lake, splashing and tossing small pebbles into the water. Or, they wandered over to climb inside the cab of the fire truck parked nearby. Pasco County Fire Rescue provided the hose and water to get the duck derby moving along.

At the derby’s finish line, club members plucked the winning ducks from the water and popped them into plastic bags for identification. Each duck had a number printed on its belly.

The disco dance tune “Disco, Disco, Duck” kept the festivities bouncing along.

“Wasn’t that adorable?” said Smith, who is already ready to join in the fun next year.

Published May 25, 2016

Tackling problems of opioid abuse

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A panel of local people working on the frontlines to reduce the problem of opioid drug abuse gained access to the nation’s drug czar last week in a Pasco County roundtable session initiated by Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis, of Palm Harbor.

No certain solutions were offered during the May 3 discussion with for Michael Botticelli, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

But panelists and people in the audience identified several areas needing improvement

They said:

  • The stigma surrounding drug addiction must be reduced
  • Parents need education to help prevent their children from becoming addicts
  • More tools and better access to care are needed to help people overcome addiction
  • Residential treatment programs should not be limited to 28 days
  • Innovative and creative approaches should be encouraged and shared
  • More community support is needed to help those who have completed treatment programs to avoid a relapse

Panelists said they appreciated the opportunity to talk directly with Botticelli.

Gus Bilirakis
Gus Bilirakis

Doug Leonardo, executive director of BayCare Behavioral Health put it like this: “I feel like I’m sitting next to a rock star. For folks in the field, this is the individual who has the president’s ear on policies related to substance abuse for this country. So, it’s really a big deal.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that opioids – a class of drugs that includes heroin and prescription pain medications – were involved in 28,648 deaths in 2014.

“We don’t have our arms around addiction and it continues to get worse,” Leonardo said. “It feels like two steps forward, one step back, sometimes.”

Part of the answer lies in changing the perception about people with addiction problems, speakers said.

“We’re talking about a brain disease,” Leonardo said. “We don’t put people in jail for having diabetes.”

Reducing that stigma can help lead to earlier intervention.

“We all tend to look the other way,” said Kelly Mothershead, a panelist who lost her only son to a prescription pill overdose. “You don’t want people to think you have a child addicted to drugs.”

Decision-makers often don’t understand the scope of the problem, said Nancy Hamilton, president and CEO of Operation PAR, an agency that screens about 30,000 people a year in seven counties.

“We admit about 14,000 into our continuum of care and we have over 4,000 people who are medicated-assisted treatment,” she said.

She hears decision-makers say, “They had their chance at treatment.”

They don’t realize that people addicted to opioids relapse most often, Hamilton said. “So, they may need two or more bites of the apple to put all of their act together.”

Dr. Laura Bajor, a psychiatrist at North Tampa Behavioral Health, said she came to a clearer understanding of the problem when she was working in Boston.

Michael Botticelli
Michael Botticelli

“We had a lot of clean-cut kids coming back (from the war). Guys who had joined the Marine Corps out of Catholic school and had been Eagle Scouts and football players, coming back getting paper bags full of opioids at Walter Reed (National Military Medical Center), showing back up in Dorchester and Southie (South Boston) and as soon as they ran out of the opioids, were targeted by heroin dealers that they had gone to high school with.

“It was a bit of an eye-opener to see such clean-cut guys overdosing and seeing their boot camp pictures in their obits and at their funerals.

“It really taught me that this is not a character issue or a class issue, it’s a human issue,” Bajor said.

The problem must addressed through enforcement and treatment, Botticelli said.

The Pasco County’s Sheriff’s Office agrees.

The law enforcement agency takes aim at the supply side, but also recognizes that it can’t arrest its way out of the problem.

It deals daily with problems caused by addiction.

The county jail is “probably the largest detox facility in the county,” said Capt. Chris Beaman, of the sheriff’s office.

It is working with BayCare to increase intervention.

When responding to a call, sheriff’s deputies sometimes encounter people who have hit rock bottom, Beaman said. “Maybe, at that time, we can get them to make the decision to get treatment.”

Parents need to learn what to look for and need advice on prevention strategies, and it should be offered at work places, so parents have a chance to receive it, Mothershead said.

“We have to educate before it happens,” Mothershead said.

More education is needed, agreed Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

“Right now, if there is any parent who doesn’t understand what SPICE is, and they think it’s something in their cabinet, we’re in trouble,” Nocco said. Abuse of SPICE, which are synethetic drugs, is growing.

Botticelli asked Leonardo to describe what he sees “as critical ingredients to get people to long-term recovery.”

Leonardo said ingredients leading to long-term recovery include some element of support, either family or someone like family; access to appropriate type of treatment for the individual; and, a supportive environment after treatment, he said.

Botticelli agreed: “We want a continuum of care, not just short-term treatment. This is a chronic disease and people need long-term care

“We have to make our communities safe and supportive for people in recovery,” said Botticelli, who has been in recovery himself for more than two decades.

Innovation and creativity are important, too, Leonardo said.

“Creativity is key because nobody is going to throw money at this problem,” Bajor said.

Closer collaboration would help, Bajor said. “We would love to network with other providers in the area to close some of the gaps that our clients tend to fall into.”

Botticelli asked Judge Shawn Crane: “What do you see as kind of the unique needs of veterans?”

Crane replied: “What we have really learned is that veterans respond better in groups of veterans.”

That’s because veterans have a unique set of experiences and a lingo that’s all their own, Crane said.

“When you are a Marine recon sniper, there’s not much of a job for you when you come back out of the service,” the judge said.

“I took people who were in Drug Court and put them into Veterans Court and into Veterans groups and they just flourished. They just felt so much at ease,” Crane said.

“We do need to look at these guys as being a little bit unique,” agreed Bajor, who was a Navy pilot. The North Tampa Behavioral Center has a program designed specifically for veterans.

“They push each other more than we push them,” Bajor said.

Published May 11, 2016

Putting the spotlight on substance abuse

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Taking aim at substance abuse requires a new mindset, if efforts are to succeed, speakers said at the fifth annual Substance Abuse Prevention Conference on April 29.

The biggest crisis hitting Florida today is the heroin and opioid epidemic, but the issue isn’t treated that way, said Mark Fontaine, executive director of Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.

“We have 13 cases of Zika virus and we write all about the 13 cases of Zika virus.

“We have people dying every day in this state from heroin and from other drugs — we have more deaths in Florida than from auto accidents or from firearms, from addiction. That is not on the front page every day.

“In the city of Delray, there were 163 overdoses from January through the end of March,” Fontaine added. “We need a higher profile around this issue.”

His remarks came during a panel discussion at a conference that drew about 400 people to the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel. The conference was presented by BayCare Behavioral Health and the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP).

The panel was just one of many ways that conference-goers could learn more about substance abuse issues and ways to tackle the problem. There were vendors there and numerous breakout sessions during the afternoon.

During the panel discussion, Fontaine said it’s not enough to merely focus attention on the problem of substance abuse, there’s also a need to shift society’s attitude about addressing it.

“This is a health condition. This is not a criminal justice condition. People have drug problems and they are addicted to drugs. We need to change the conversation to this being a condition that needs help, it needs assistance, it needs information, we need to make treatment available,” Fontaine said.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco characterized the issue as a community problem, requiring a united response.

“Our jail is probably the largest hospital in the county because we’re dealing with so much addiction,” Nocco said.
“Our role is to break up the criminal enterprise. But law enforcement alone cannot win the war on drugs,” he said.

People with substance abuse will find a way to fuel their addiction, he said. “That’s a mental health issue. That’s a healthcare issue.”

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said the issue hits close to home because she has a relative who has struggled. She said the county has taken aim at drug houses, through the county’s code enforcement efforts.

Michael J. Napier, administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County, said a more coordinated approach is needed, tied to specific goals.

“We’re really at a point where we need to be able to do an assessment of — what is the status of Pasco County?” Napier said.

He suggests that it’s time to “put a stake in the ground, set some measures and then hold ourselves each accountable that we accomplish that measure.

“It isn’t always about dollars. It’s about organizations and aligning resources,” Napier said.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning agreed with both Nocco and Napier.

““It is a community problem. We are in this together. We have to get it fixed together,” Browning said. “We need to have a coordinated effort. We need to have a plan. We need to be committed to it.”

The substance abuse problem is widespread, Browning said. “We deal with affluent families and we deal with families in poverty. What I find is that substance abuse issues cut across all socioeconomics.”

It’s a problem that can affect any family, agreed Kelly Mothershead, owner of A Focus on Fitness, based in Wesley Chapel.

“I’m actually a parent of an only child who died from a prescription drug overdose five years ago. It was devastating,” Mothershead said. “None of us thinks our child will be a prescription drug addict.”

Her son was in culinary school and was injured at work. He was prescribed Oxycontin, and it snowballed from there. He went through rehab, was injured at work again, and once again received a prescription for Oxycontin – despite Motherhead’s objections. He died of an overdose three days later.

She decided to get involved.

“We need to talk about it. We don’t talk about drug addiction because there’s a stigma attached to it. We don’t want anyone to know that our child is addicted to drugs. We don’t want anyone to know that there’s someone in our family that’s a recovering addict,” Mothershead said.

That has to change, she added.

“It’s a disease and we need to come together to fix it.

“We have to educate ourselves, our businesses, our communities — not just our kids,” Mothershead said. She suggests delivering some of this education in the work place, to give working parents access to the information.

Involvement is exactly what’s needed, said Lt. Commander Michael Muni, who served on President Barack Obama’s National Heroin Task Force and was one of the event’s keynote speakers.

It’s difficult work, Muni said.

“There’s not very much recognition for doing this work. There is no fame. There is no fortune in this work,” he said.

But it’s essential to have goals, in order to make progress, he said.

He encouraged conference-goers to be inspired and to step up their efforts.

“The time will never be right. The place will never be right. The situation will never be right. You have to make the opportunity. You have to make the conscious decision that you want to do something great.

“Greatness is a lot of small things, done well. And, it’s done at a local level,” Muni said.

 

Published on May 5, 2016

 

 

Sharing strategies to prevent substance abuse

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While there are no easy ways to stop substance abuse, there are steps that can be taken to reduce it.

Those strategies will be the focus of discussion during the fifth annual Substance Abuse Prevention Conference planned for April 29 at Saddlebrook Resort.

The event is being presented by BayCare Behavioral Health and Pasco ASAP. The conference is from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 5700 Saddlebrook Way in Wesley Chapel.

Lt. Commander Michael Muni, who served on President Obama’s Task Force on Heroin, will address the need for local heroes to help reduce substance abuse. (Photos courtesy of PascoAsap.com)
Lt. Commander Michael Muni, who served on President Obama’s Task Force on Heroin, will address the need for local heroes to help reduce substance abuse.
(Photos courtesy of PascoAsap.com)

“It’s a community conference, so it’s really our opportunity to get new people to take a stake in the coalition and the work of the coalition,” said Monica Rousseau, Pasco County ASAP Coordinator and conference co-chair.

The conference theme is “Strengthening Our Community: Creating Healthy Solutions.”

Throughout the day, speakers and presenters will share their expertise, solutions and tools. There also will be more than 20 vendors representing behavioral health providers and businesses. There will be panel discussions and breakout sessions, as well as keynote speakers.

“From my perspective, the main goal is to get people pumped about tackling substance abuse disorders and substance misuse in Pasco County, and getting people to realize that everybody has a stake in this, and everybody can do something,” Rousseau said.

Substance abuse is a problem that has wide-ranging impacts and can’t simply be left to “others” to resolve, she said.

“These are not just issues that need to be solved by politicians. They’re not just issues that need to be solved by community leaders. Regular, everyday, community members — parents, teachers, people without kids. Everybody has a role,” Rousseau said.

“It’s not just people that are abusing or misusing drugs that are affected. Everybody is affected,” she added.

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano, a former Florida lawmaker who spearheaded the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, will open the conference.

BayCare Health System’s CEO Stephen R. Mason will talk about wellness and health care integration at the conference.
BayCare Health System’s CEO Stephen R. Mason will talk about wellness and health care integration at the conference.

Other speakers include BayCare Healthcare System’s CEO Stephen R. Mason, who will talk about wellness and health care integration and Lt. Commander Michael Muni, who served on President Obama’s Task Force on Heroin.

“The real takeaway from this conference is that people will learn strategies,” Rousseau said.

“You will come and be inspired to take home solutions to apply to where you live, work and play,” she added.

One panel will feature Kurt Browning, superintendent, Pasco County Schools; Doug Leonardo, executive director, BayCare Behavioral Health; Kelly Mothershead, owner, A Focus on Fitness Transformation Studio and Salon; Michael J. Napier, administrator, Florida Department of Health Pasco County; Chris Nocco, Pasco County Sheriff, and Kathryn Starkey, Pasco County Commissioner. Panelists will address the community’s response to substance abuse in Pasco County.

“Each of them are tackling substance abuse, in one way or another,” Rousseau said.

Young people will be moderating the Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s panel, and will be raising questions on a number of issues, Rousseau said.

The conference also will address an effort that’s underway to respond to substance abuse differently than in the past, she said.

Previously, she said, “substance abuse has been treated as a separate entity. We’re really trying to move toward integrating it into general health and wellness conversations.

“By treating it as something separate, we’re only facilitating that stigma,” she said.

Rousseau said the community also needs to change its mindset about the issue.

“When I moved here, people asked me: ‘Why would you move here? This is the pill capital of the world, and it’s never going to change.’ And, I would look at them and go, ‘No, I’m here to change that.’’’

People need to realize: “You’re making it worse by saying that,” Rousseau said.

She hopes the conference will help inspire more people to get involved in her coalition, which is made up of volunteers.

“We know anecdotally that teachers really need help. They don’t know how to de-escalate the situation. They don’t know what to do with students who are presenting with behavioral problems. And, it’s burning them out.

“We need to teach them (teachers) strategies. We need to teach parents strategies.

“In order to do that and have a big impact, we need community members who are interested enough and passionate enough to learn this information, and share it,” Rousseau said.

Fifth annual Substance Abuse Conference
Speakers will talk about strategies to reduce substance abuse
When: April 29, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Saddlebrook Resort, 5700 Saddlebrook Way in Wesley Chapel
Cost: $15 until April 20; $25 after that. Lunch is included.
To learn more about the conference and to register, visit PascoAsap.com.

Published April 20, 2016

Halloween happenings fill upcoming calendar

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Many people call it Halloween. For others, it’s a fall festival. Whatever you call it, it’s a time for special events and things to do in your area.

Some are a bit frightening and geared toward adults. Others are fun and feature activities for children. There might be games, treats and maybe a few scares, but there’s something for everyone.

And while Halloween is at the end of October, many events start much sooner. You have a whole month to find fun activities for the entire family.

Here’s a rundown of treats (no tricks) happening this month:

Fall Family Festival at Saint Leo University. The university, 33701 State Road 52, will host a number of activities Oct. 9 through Oct. 11. There are free and low-cost athletic events, like volleyball and soccer. But the real treats start Oct. 10 at 11 a.m., when Saint Leo will host a free fair at The Bowl area (behind the Student Community Center) with plenty of family-oriented things to do. Children can enjoy an animal show, petting zoo, water races, a swing ride and other activities. It runs until 3 p.m.

Another fun event takes place on campus Oct. 10 at 9:30 p.m. There will be a fireworks grand finale at The Bowl to cap off a weekend of events. And it’s free to attend.

Technically, the last event occurs Oct. 11 at 11 a.m., also at The Bowl. The university will host a 5K walk/run to benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation.

For more information about the race and a list of events for the Family Fall Festival, visit SaintLeo.edu/FallFamily.

Scarecrow Festival at Florida Pioneer Museum. The museum, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, hosts this scarecrow-themed event on Oct. 10 for the third year in a row, after taking it over from Downtown Dade City Main Street. Thousands of people attend each October, and they expect this year’s event to be no different.

Pumpkins and scarecrows go together at the annual Scarecrow Festival at the Florida Pioneer Museum. (Richard Riley/Photo)
Pumpkins and scarecrows go together at the annual Scarecrow Festival at the Florida Pioneer Museum.
(Richard Riley/Photo)

Crafts, community booths and food vendors will be on hand, but there’s a lot more to the Scarecrow Festival than that. Like making scarecrows, for example. For $3, children can use hay and clothing, provided by the museum, to make a scarecrow to take home.

There will also be a Touch-a-Truck area, where children can climb on firetrucks and TECO trucks, and see police and sheriff’s cars, and ambulances. A petting zoo, train rides, face painting, obstacle course and games with prizes are all part of the event, too.

But since this is the Scarecrow Festival, do you need more scarecrows? How about a scarecrow costume contest? There will be categories for best dressed scarecrow, cutest scarecrow and scariest scarecrow. So you can make one and be one at this event.

The Scarecrow Festival runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $5 with children younger than five years old admitted free. For more information, call (352) 567-0262, or visit PioneerFloridaMuseum.org.

Mr. Tommy’s Halloween Special at The Shops At Wiregrass. The Shops at Wiregrass, at 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel, has a Halloween theme for its regular Kids Club event. On Oct. 28, it will have a “Princess & Pirate Party” at its parking structure. There will be bounce houses, a photo booth, cookie decorating and a costume parade. It’s a quick event, but a good way to take in a family-oriented celebration on a weekday morning.

Even the entertainers and staff at The Shops at Wiregrass get into the Halloween spirit at Mr. Tommy's Halloween Special. From top, Tommy Girvin (Mr. Tommy), Sarah Rasheid, Debbie Detweiler, Cyndi Clausen, Dani Maree Stoughtenger and Emily Setz show off their costumes. (Courtesy of Cloud9 Studios)
Even the entertainers and staff at The Shops at Wiregrass get into the Halloween spirit at Mr. Tommy’s Halloween Special. From top, Tommy Girvin (Mr. Tommy), Sarah Rasheid, Debbie Detweiler, Cyndi Clausen, Dani Maree Stoughtenger and Emily Setz show off their costumes.
(Courtesy of Cloud9 Studios)

Mr. Tommy’s Halloween Special runs from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. For more information and to join the free Kids Club, call (813) 994-2242, or visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

Family Friendly Fun Day at Cobb Theatres. If you want to celebrate on Halloween without making a late night of it, consider the event at Cobb Theatres Grove 16, at 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. Cobb is hosting a Family Friendly Fun Day on Oct. 31 from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Children are encouraged to wear costumes (no masks) and enjoy treats, prizes and games. And for those with a Halloween hunger, the CineBistro, located upstairs, will have a special holiday-themed menu.

For more information, call (813) 948-5444, or visit CobbTheatres.com.

Fall Festival at The Grove. The Grove, 6105 Wesley Grove Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, has a full weekend of activities scheduled for Oct. 10 and Oct. 11. Live music, arts and crafts and free outdoor movies make up just part of the schedule.

Children’s activities include face painting and bounce houses, as well as screenings of “Frozen” and “Cars.” There also will be a pumpkin patch, a pet parade and pet adoptions as well.

One of the highlights will occur Oct. 11 at noon, when the “Little Miss and Mr. Pumpkin Patch Pageant” will take place. Contestants will wear fall-inspired or pumpkin-themed costumes or outfits. Semifinalists will be chosen across three age groups, with one boy and one girl named Little Miss and Mr. Pumpkin Patch. The winners will receive $100, a sash and a trophy. Semifinalists will receive a trophy, and all participants will receive a goodie bag.

The Fall Festival runs Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., and Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The pageant is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel and costs $20 per entry. For a full Fall Festival schedule, visit the Wesley Chapel Fall Festival Facebook page. For information about the pageant or to sign up, call (813) 843-2354, or email Kelly Mothershead at .

Scream-A-Geddon. This one isn’t for the faint of heart. While many events have a little spookiness wrapped up in family fun, this is an all-out fright fest. Located at 27839 Saint Joe Road in Dade City, the attractions have names like “Cursed Hayride,” “Dead Woods” and “Infected.” The goal is to be as ghoulish and scary as possible.

Scream-A-Geddon runs through Nov. 1, and delivers serious scares with an assortment of attractions. It begins at 7:30 each night, and lasts until 11 p.m.-1 a.m. depending on the evening. (Courtesy of Scream-a-Geddon)
Scream-A-Geddon runs through Nov. 1, and delivers serious scares with an assortment of attractions. It begins at 7:30 each night, and lasts until 11 p.m.-1 a.m. depending on the evening.
(Courtesy of Scream-a-Geddon)

But wait; there’s more. Like most haunted attractions, the actors don’t actually touch you. But if you participate in “Pandemic” and choose the interactive portion, it’s a different story. You might actually be grabbed and sent into a cell. That option takes things beyond the level of established attractions like “Howl-O-Scream” at Busch Gardens or “Halloween Horror Nights” and Universal Studios in Orlando.

You don’t have to choose that route, of course. You can decide to simply observe, which means you’re hands-off to the monsters inside. But, it’s still a scary event with five separate haunted attractions.

And that doesn’t count the Monster Midway, which includes games, food, beer, fire pits and tarot card readings. This is Halloween fun for people who like to be scared. But just in case, each attraction has emergency exits if things get a little too intense.

This might be the scariest event in the area, so they’re expecting big crowds. Enter at your own risk.

Scream-A-Geddon is open Thursdays through Sundays until Nov. 1. The cost ranges from $34.95 to $51.95 if you purchase online, depending on when you go. Tickets cost an additional $5 at the gate. Parking is $10, and fast passes, which allow you to spend less time in line, are available at an extra cost.

For more information, call (813) 452-5412, or visit ScreamAGeddon.com.

Published September 30, 2015

Wesley Chapel chamber honors businesses, leaders

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The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce honored its top businesses and leaders during its annual banquet last week at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

The awards, according to chamber officials, acknowledge the accomplishments of small businesses, large businesses, volunteers, civic organizations, and business leaders, for the contributions they make to the regional economy.

The business awards were reviewed and scored by a panel of peers based on their demonstrated commitment to the advancement of the business community.

Winners included:

• Business Leader of the Year — Stanley Giannet, Pasco-Hernando State College.
• Large Business of the Year — Parks Ford of Wesley Chapel
• Small Business of the Year — The New Tampa/Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News
• Civic Group of the Year — American Cancer Society
• Volunteer of the Year — Kelly Mothershead, A Focus on Fitness

In addition those awards, Wendy Bechtelheimer was presented the president’s award for her contribution to the organization, while Jeff Novotny of American Consulting Engineers was named the board member of the year.

The event was presented by Parks Ford of Wesley Chapel.