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Kiwanis Club

Honor recognizes decades of service, dedication

November 3, 2020 By Mary Rathman

Tim Baldwin, the recently retired president and CEO of San Antonio Credit Union, has been singled out by The League of Southeastern Credit Unions for his outstanding service.

Tim Baldwin was honored by the League of Southeastern Credit Unions for his distinguished service. (Courtesy of San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union)

The League of Southeastern Credit Unions recognized Baldwin’s important contributions to the credit union movement by awarding to him the 2019 Distinguished Service Award.

The award is conferred on one credit union professional each year who exemplifies lifelong service to the credit union movement, service that reaches beyond the person’s credit union itself.

Baldwin spent his entire credit union career – more than 30 years – as the leader of San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, which is based in San Antonio.

During that time, he expanded the institution from:

  • $22 million in assets to $258 million in assets
  • One branch to five branches
  • 4,263 members to 16,668 members

Baldwin also expanded the credit union’s field of membership twice, allowing all residents of eastern Pasco and Hernando counties to join.

During more than 30 years at the helm of the credit union, Baldwin’s leadership was acknowledged  in the field when he served as the Tampa Chapter of Credit Unions Board as president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, and on the board’s Governmental Affairs Committee from 1991 to 2006.

Baldwin also served as a director on the board of the Florida Credit Union League from 2000 to 2009, and advocated for the passage of the bill, HR 1151, The Credit Union Membership Access Act.

In  addition to these accomplishments, he mentored a child from eighth grade to graduation, and has served his community in other ways, including these:

  • Florida Hospital/AdventHealth Foundation Board from 2006 to present
  • Kiwanis Club from 1995 until present
  • Board of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Florida
  • Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church choir member

Published November 04, 2020

Filed Under: Local News, People Profiles Tagged With: Board of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Florida, Florida Credit Union League, Florida Hospital/AdventHealth Foundation Board, Kiwanis Club, Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, San Antonio Credit Union, Tampa Chapter of Credit Unions Board, The Credit Union Membership Access Act, The League of Southeastern Credit Unions, Tim Baldwin

If you want to help kids, Kiwanis Club wants you

September 8, 2020 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

A new Kiwanis Club in Wesley Chapel is looking for civic-minded people who want to help build leadership-related activities for school-age children.

“If I asked you, ‘Would you like to be part of an organization that gives all of its money to children and the development of children’s programs,’ how can you say no?’’ said Joe Meyer, a Sarasota-based Kiwanis member who specializes in building and maintaining clubs.

The Kiwanis Club has four new Tampa Bay clubs forming, including one in Wesley Chapel. Florida has 240 adult chapters with approximately 6,900 members.

In the United States, the organization raises more than $100 million annually and dedicates it to 150,000 community service projects, which translates into 18.5-million service hours.

Kiwanis Club in Wesley Chapel is seeking new members.

The clubs are involved in all sorts of public service works.

They have built all-access playgrounds, restocked libraries, created food pantries, bought medical equipment, hosted diversity fairs, and stuffed backpacks with school supplies.

Ed Anderson, a Wesley Chapel realtor and Kiwanis member since 1977, is serving as advisor for the new Wesley Chapel club.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most of its organizational meetings to be held via Zoom video conferencing, but Anderson is encouraged by the initial response.

“Wesley Chapel is such a fast-growing area, one of the fastest-growing places in Florida, that it just seems like a natural to establish a club that could really grow,’’ said Anderson, who has most recently served as secretary of the Kiwanis Club of Carrollwood. “Even though Wesley Chapel is a fairly affluent area, there are still folks who need things.

“Once you’re a Kiwanian, it becomes part of your life. Once a Kiwanian, always a Kiwanian. You’re able to impact the community and make a difference. There are many networking groups and business groups. They are great, but their purpose is to build businesses. In Kiwanis, your sole objective is giving back to the community — specifically kids.’’

What are some of the Kiwanis projects?

The Terrific Kids bumper stickers, as in “I have a Terrific Kid at Wesley Chapel High School,’’ is a Kiwanis project.

The Key Clubs that exist in most high schools, emphasizing leadership, character development and service? That’s Kiwanis.

The BUG (Bring Up Grades) programs that recognize students who raise their grade to an acceptable range and offer certificates, buttons and parties? That’s Kiwanis, too.

Kiwanis also is about people such as Alex Dang, a Wiregrass Ranch High School graduate and a University of South Florida freshman who’s majoring in bio-medical sciences. He has designs on medical school and becoming a pediatrician.

In his sophomore year at Wiregrass Ranch, Dang joined the Key Club.

“The comparison of myself from the beginning of high school compared to now is so dramatic,’’ said Dang, 18. “I’ve learned about social networking, communication skills and public speaking. I was a Key Club board member, so I had to speak and become a leader.

“Before, I didn’t really pursue any of those skills. Key Club gave me a push in that direction and really put my life on a different course.’’

Dang has joined the Kiwanis Club of Wesley Chapel.

“Wesley Chapel is such a tight-knit community, so I really think a lot of people are going to join and participate in the activities and sponsorships,’’ Dang said. “The best thing about Kiwanis Club is anyone can join, no matter what skill set you have. In fact, it’s even better if you have a different skill set because that makes the club more diverse and strong.’’

Meyer, a membership-building specialist, said all walks of life are welcome.

“We get bankers, real estate professionals, insurance people, automotive repair, sales people, retailers, school employees … you name it,’’ Meyer said. “It’s all about getting people to work together and helping children in the community. You have to have a big heart and the desire to help kids. There’s great camaraderie in the club and the rewards are immense.’’

For any men or women interested in the opportunity, the Kiwanis Club of Wesley Chapel’s Facebook page summed it up:

“Kids are curious, lovable and hilarious. They are also wild, impatient and vulnerable. Help us look out for kids in Wesley Chapel and around the globe.’’

For more information on the Kiwanis Club of Wesley Chapel, contact Ed Anderson at (813) 841-2773 or .

By Joey Johnston

Published September 09, 2020

Filed Under: Local News, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: Alex Dang, Ed Anderson, Key Club, Kiwanis Club, Kiwanis Club of Carrollwood, University of South Florida, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel High School, Wiregrass Ranch High School

Dade City Police gets a new K-9 team

June 22, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

The Dade City Police Department has a new K-9 team — with Officer Kevin Burns and his new partner Tyke.

Burns is a 12-year veteran of the Dade City Police Department. He hit the streets with Tyke on June 5.

The city had operated nearly 15 months without a K-9 team.

The team was introduced to the public at the Dade City Commission meeting on June 13.

The tandem is fresh off a demanding 16-week training course in patrol procedures and tracking, sponsored by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Tyke is a 16-month-old German shepherd. Officer Kevin Burns, a 12-year veteran of the agency, is his partner. They hit the streets together on June 5, after a demanding 16-week training course.
(Courtesy of Dade City Police Department)

During the course, K-9s are trained to ascend obstacles, negotiate water bodies and follow their handler’s commands, among other tasks.

“It was a long 16 weeks of school — four months, 10-hour days, four days a week,” Burns said.

Tyke, a 16-month-old German shepherd, passed the state exam “with flying colors,” according to Dade City police chief Ray Velboom.

The new unit will become an integral part of the police department and the community, acting as a “force multiplier” capable of searching buildings and tracking suspects, missing children and vulnerable adults.

After a year on the beat, the K-9 unit will be sent to a narcotic detection school to receive dual-certification from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

“Overall, he’s going to be a good tracking dog. He’s going to be good for the city here,” Burns said.

The K-9 unit also offers protection and safety assurances for the police force, Velboom said.

“I had somebody ask me why we needed a dog, and we happened to be in a bank building, and I said, ‘Well, put yourself in an officer’s shoes when it comes to this bank building at 3 a.m., and that door is wide open and the alarm is going off. Do you want to go in by yourself, or do you want to send something in that’s got a better sense of smell?”

Tyke, imported from Slovakia, cost about $9,000. Supplies and equipment costs — kennel, vests and leashes, among other items — totaled another $1,500.

Since a police dog wasn’t included in last year’s budget, the agency sought outside assistance.

The department received several thousand dollars in donations from a number of local organizations and businesses, including the Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club and many private donors. It also led to the formation of the Dade City Police Foundation, a private 501c3 nonprofit organization.

“Because this dog was purchased through the generosity of the community, I want him to be much more visible to everyday citizens than teams in the past. He will not only be used on patrol, but will be seen interacting downtown and in the schools,” the police chief said.

For Burns, joining the K-9 unit and handling Tyke has been “life-changing.”

“We still have a lot to go and a lot further to see and do, but just in the four months that we’ve had training, he’s not only my partner, he’s an officer of Dade City and he’s a family member, too,” Burns explained.

“When he comes to work, he works. When he comes home, he’s a house dog — he lies down, relaxes, plays, whatever he needs to do. But, when he comes to work, he knows what to do,” the police officer said.

Even in a decade-plus law enforcement career as a patrol officer, Burns didn’t realize the undertaking of a K-9 team — from intensive training to daily tasks.

“Mentally, it’s challenging,” he said, “because you have to be able to read him.

Tyke gets up close and personal with Dade City council members. Tyke and his handler, Officer Kevin Burns, were formally introduced to the public on June 13.
(Kevin Weiss)

“He’s the one doing the work, we just train him. Learning how to read him, (the job) is probably 80 percent mental and probably 20 percent physical.”

Choosing Burns as Tyke’s partner was likewise arduous.

The police chief received a handful of applicants inside the department, and collaborated with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office to conduct interviews, along with background checks, performance reviews, physical assessments and home assessments.

“It was a long, exhausting process,” Velboom said. “We wanted to make sure we had the right fit.”

“We sent a team out to his house…to make sure the family’s okay with it and the house is okay,” he added.

For over a year, the Dade City Police Department operated without its own K-9 unit.

Chris Stone, a 14-year law enforcement officer, and his K-9 partner, Ryko, worked together for eight years before retiring as a team in March 2016; Stone now works for Pasco County Fire Rescue.

Meantime, the agency received K-9 assistance from both the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the Zephyrhills Police Department.

“The county provided a K-9 service for us whenever we needed it, but it’s always nice to have your own dog,” Velboom said.

Velboom acknowledged a second police dog could be added at some point, dependent on budget and fundraising efforts.

Police dogs are typically retired after nine or 10 years, due to hip issues.

“It’s a tough job — riding in a car for 12 hours a day, jumping out and running,” Velboom said.

Published June 21, 2017

Filed Under: Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: Chris Stone, Dade City Commission, Dade City Police Department, Dade City Police Foundation, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, K-9, Kevin Burns, Kiwanis Club, Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Ray Velboom, Rotary Club, Zephyrhills Police Department

She tends to much more than cuts and bruises

March 29, 2017 By B.C. Manion

When Margaret Polk became a school nurse more than a quarter-century ago, there were full-time nurses in all of Pasco County’s public high schools funded by a grant.

Those days and that funding are long gone.

Now, “most of us have at least two or three schools,” Polk said. She divides her time between Pasco High School and the James Ervin Education Center, and recently picked up a third school because the nurse there resigned.

Margaret Polk, a school nurse who works at Pasco High School and two other schools, was selected by the Florida Association of School Nurses as the 2017 School Nurse of the Year. The photos on the bulletin board behind her are just some of the students she’s interacted with over the years.
(B.C. Manion)

It’s a challenging job, with wide-ranging demands, but Polk — who was named the Florida Association of School Nurses’ 2017 School Nurse of the Year — loves it.

Although she’s picked up additional duties, Polk has always been at Pasco High, and that longevity in one place has its advantages, she said.

She not only knows the school’s current students, in many cases, she knows their parents from when they were students, too.

Polk is deeply familiar with help available through community organizations or government agencies that can provide assistance beyond the school’s resources.

Sometimes, for instance, a student screening will reveal a problem, but parents have no clue where to go from there. And, even when they know where to turn, money can be a problem, Polk said.

So, she turns to a network of community partnerships — including the West Pasco Dental Association, Kiwanis Club, and the Cattleman’s Association — to try to bridge the gap.

“My husband (Ray Polk) was born and raised here (in Dade City). He knows people from way back. I use those connections,” she said.

She also taps into resources available through other agencies and organizations.

She works closely with a nurse practitioner, provided through the Pasco Health Department, who gives onsite support at Pasco High.

Polk also is credited for spearheading an initiative for bringing mental health services directly to students at Pasco High.

“Most people, when they think of school nurse, they actually think of what our clinic assistants do,” Polk said.

But, school nurses handle more than kids with headaches, stomach aches, twisted ankles or symptoms of the flu.

“We are seeing more and more kids come in with chronic illnesses,” Polk said. “I’m seeing a lot more diabetes, a lot more asthma, severe allergies.

“We have so many kids with mental health issues,” she said.

There are students who have special needs and require care plans.

“We need to figure out what we need to do to keep them safe at school, to get them the services they need,” she said.

She also noted that sometimes a school nurse is the first to recognize what could turn out to be a serious health problem.

For instance, a student who has been losing a lot of weight may come into the clinic and require more help than the nurse can provide.

“You call the parent and they don’t have insurance, and they don’t know where to go,” Polk said.

“I can start with my nurse practitioner. We do an evaluation,” she said. If a student needs blood work, she has some funding she can use to pay for it.

“You do get to know the families, and you know what resources they have, or don’t have,” she said.

“Maybe you go out to do a home visit because you can’t get a hold of the parents. You just need to face-to-face talk sometimes,” Polk said.

Sometimes, during those visits, she’ll find that another child in the family has health problems. In some cases, she may end up helping an entire family.

Generally, people are receptive — but not always, she said.

She recalled an instance when a student had severe scoliosis.

The parent was not inclined to seek help. The parent reasoned: “This is what she was given.”

But, Polk reminded the parent there are also people who are given skills to treat the condition.

As for her own foray into nursing, Polk isn’t precisely sure when she made the decision to pursue that career.

But, she thinks the seed was likely planted early.

“My dad was a doctor. My mom was a nurse,” Polk said.

She belonged to the high school health education club and was a Candy Striper during high school, helping out at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, where she grew up.

“I used to go with my dad to the hospital.

He was at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Bay Pines Hospital in St. Petersburg.

“He was in nuclear medicine when it was first coming out. I got to watch them develop programs for it. It just fascinated me,” Polk said.

She also remembers gravitating toward medical topics, when she did science projects.

“I always ended up doing things on blood, and the heart, those types of things,” Polk said.

She wound up working at Pasco High School because her husband, Ray, grew up in the community. He’s now director of Academy at the Farm, a public charter school.

Over the years, as Polk has watched students she has served grow up and have families of their own, she and Ray’s children have done the same.

The couple now has three grown children who are married, and they have eight grandchildren.

Polk said she knew she was being nominated for the statewide honor, but didn’t expect to win.

So, when she received a call from the Florida Association of School Nurses informing her that she’d won the award, she was dumbfounded.

“I sat there, sort of stunned,” she said.

Even though the award was given in January, and Polk has been honored at gatherings in Orlando, and in Gainesville, she’s still somewhat in awe of the distinction.

So many school nurses do such good work, she said, it’s hard to imagine being singled out.

“I am amazed. It’s such an honor,” she said.

Published March 29, 2017

Filed Under: Health, Local News, People Profiles, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: Academy at the Farm, All Children's Hospital, Bay Pines Hospital, Cattleman's Association, Dade City, Florida Association of School Nurses, James Ervin Education Center, Kiwanis Club, Margaret Polk, Pasco Health Department, Pasco High School, Ray Polk, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, West Pasco Dental Association

Dade City Police seeks new K-9 team

June 29, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

The Dade City Police Department is still searching for a new K-9 team after a recent departure.

Chris Stone, a 14-year law enforcement officer, and his K-9 partner, Ryko, worked together for eight years before retiring as a team about three months ago.

Stone now works for the Pasco County Fire Department.

“We knew (Ryko’s retirement) was coming, but we didn’t know it was coming this fast,” Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom said.

Chris Stone, a 14-year law enforcement officer, and his K-9 partner, Ryko, worked together for eight years before retiring as a team about three months ago. (Courtesy of Dade City Police Department)
Chris Stone, a 14-year law enforcement officer, and his K-9 partner, Ryko, worked together for eight years before retiring as a team about three months ago.
(Courtesy of Dade City Police Department)

“The dog was of the age that you really couldn’t have assigned it to another handler being nine years old, and it was starting to have some hip issues,” the police chief added.

“It’s a tough job—riding in a car for 12 hours a day, jumping out and running, so you tend to retire them around nine or 10 years; he was due to retire pretty soon anyway, whether Stone left or not,” Velboom continued.

A new K-9 costs about $10,000, including new supplies and equipment.

Since a police dog wasn’t included in this year’s budget, the department sought outside assistance.

The department already has received several thousand dollars in donations from a number of local organizations and businesses, including the Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club and the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union.

“The community has just been phenomenal,” Velboom said about the support for a new K-9. “I can’t say enough about how people were sending me checks anywhere from $25 to a $1,000. It’s really been a rallying point.”

As it searches for a new K-9 unit, the police department has been receiving K-9 assistance from both the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the Zephyrhills Police Department.

Despite the logistical obstacles of not having its own K-9 unit, Velboom said the arrangement has been beneficial, for the time being.

“It’s working really excellent,” Velboom said. “Pasco is here whenever we need them, especially now since we’re on their same radio channel; they hear when we need a dog, and a dog just shows up.”

Velboom noted the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office also has agreed to help his department select a new German Shepherd from a police K-9 vendor once $10,000 is raised.

“They have a lot of experience in buying dogs, so we’re going to work with some of the experts,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police chief is looking to appoint a new handler from within his department.

“We’ve had three officers apply to be considered, and we’re working on the process to figure out which one is best suited for the job,” he said.

Ideally, Velboom would like to have a new K-9 unit in place “sometime in August,” so the dog and its handler can undergo a 16-week, state-mandated K-9 training course, which begins in September.

Once complete, Velboom said the K-9 unit will be sent to a narcotic detection school to receive dual-certification from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Throughout both patrol and narcotics work, the unit’s duties will include tracking wanted or missing persons, conducting building searches, and conducting drug searches in structures and vehicles.

Published June 29, 2016

Filed Under: Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: Chris Stone, Dade City Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Kiwanis Club, Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Ray Velboom, Rotary Club, San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, Zephyrhills Police Department

Stadium projects reveal sense of connection to Pasco High

October 23, 2014 By B.C. Manion

It’s a familiar scene in movies and in television shows about high school football teams in small towns.

The stands are filled with the locals.

Pasco High School principal Kari Kadlub, center, joins, from left, Mark Fox, Bobby Correia, Tom Lameau and Wilton Simpson, inside the window of the new concession stand at Pasco High School’s football stadium.  (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Pasco High School principal Kari Kadlub, center, joins, from left, Mark Fox, Bobby Correia, Tom Lameau and Wilton Simpson, inside the window of the new concession stand at Pasco High School’s football stadium. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

A lot of the spectators there don’t have a player on the team from their family — but it’s their team anyway because they attended the high school or live in the community.

“You know the movies, when you see Texas football? It’s like that,” said Pasco High School principal Kari Kadlub. “The community support is amazing.”

The stadium is the place to be when Pasco High has a football game, Pasco County Schools planning director Chris Williams said.

“I didn’t realize it until I moved to Dade City, but the Friday night game, everybody goes there,” he said. “It’s a community event. It’s not one of these things where only the parents go.”

“It’s a culture,” agreed state Sen. Wilton Simpson, who graduated from Pasco High in 1984. His mother also is a graduate of the school, as are his wife and daughter. His son will graduate from there next year.

“All of the Simpsons have come through here,” he said.

Some spectators have been regulars at the games for decades, Kadlub said. One group of sisters has been Pasco High fans for about a half-century.

“They literally sit on the track with their lawn chairs,” she said.

Part of the attraction is the team itself, said Simpson, who recently spearheaded a community effort to help build a concession stand and add new restrooms at the stadium.

“We’ve got good coaching and a good program,” he said.

Many Pasco High graduates still feel a deep connection with the school, said John Petrashek, director of construction services for Pasco County Schools.

“It’s a real identification and association,” he said. “That’s where they went to school. That’s where they graduated. That’s their school.”

“There’s a lot of pride here,” Simpson agreed. “If you come out here (to the concession stand) and look at the boosters cooking, most of them graduated from this school. Some of them (graduated) in the ’70s, and some in the ’80s.”

The community and Pasco County Schools came together to make the improvements happen. The concession stand — built to last for at least 30 years — replaces a shed. The stand’s professional restaurant-style equipment replaces a portable grill.

“I helped raise the funds for the project and was general contractor,” said Simpson, who also is head of Simpson Environmental Services, which specializes in asbestos removal, mold remediation, duct cleaning, lead-paint abatement, general contracting and demolition work.

On top of that, he owns and operates Simpson Farms, an egg-laying facility based in Trilby that is home to more than 1 million chickens — supplying eggs to supermarkets throughout Florida.

Tom Lameau, an electrician for Pasco County Schools, did the electrical work on the project. Bobby Correia, also on the district’s staff, did the plumbing. A number of other district employees handled other chores during construction.

The new concession stand and new bathrooms were desperately needed, Simpson said. Construction began a couple of days after the last school year ended, and work was completed a couple of days before the school’s first football game.

One portion of the project remains to be done. It involves renovating the restrooms underneath the stadium, Simpson said. That work will start after football season ends.

“If you go back to the ’80s, the restrooms under the stadium are the same ones as when I was here,” he said.

Besides benefiting the football crowd, the concession stand provides an avenue to generate revenue for booster programs and local civic groups, Simpson said.

“The Kiwanis Club and Rotary Club may use this facility for fundraisers during the year,” he noted.

The project cost about $275,000, with the school district covering about $75,000, and community contributors chipping in the rest.

Simpson was humble about his contributions to the effort.

“There were a lot of very generous people,” he said. “We were just the backstop.”

The school celebrated the new facilities at a dedication ceremony at the Oct. 10 game.

Kadlub marvels at the transformation.

“You see, over there, that shed?” the principal said, pointing at a small shed across the field. “We called it Ted’s Shed.”

There’s no comparison between the old facilities and what’s there now.

Not only is the concession stand larger and better looking, Kadlub said, the equipment is safer and allows food to be cooked more quickly.

“At halftime, there used to be a really, really long line,” she said. Now, patrons can get their food faster.

There’s a lot to be said for creature comforts.

“I was on the fair board for a long time,” Simpson said. “As we upgraded our facilities — cooking facilities and restroom facilities — it was easier to keep a crowd longer.”

Published October 22, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Filed Under: Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: Bobby Correia, Chris Williams, Dade City, Kari Kadlub, Kiwanis Club, Pasco County Schools, Pasco High School, Rotary Club, Simpson Farms, Tom Lameau, Wilton Simpson

Ornaments reveal history, raise money

October 23, 2014 By B.C. Manion

When the Dade City Garden Club began selling an annual holiday ornament to raise money for the club, the decoration was simple: a two-dimensional square.

That didn’t matter.

The ornament’s theme — the Historic Pasco County Courthouse — touched a chord among area residents and quickly sold out, recalled Pat Carver, who was involved in getting the ornament sales off the ground.

The Dade City Garden Club sells a holiday ornament each year to honor a local place or organization. Proceeds help pay to maintain the garden club’s facilities and support its community projects. (Courtesy of Dade City Garden Club)
The Dade City Garden Club sells a holiday ornament each year to honor a local place or organization. Proceeds help pay to maintain the garden club’s facilities and support its community projects. (Courtesy of Dade City Garden Club)

When people bought the ornament, they would say things like, “This was the room where I got married,” or, “this was where my mother was a secretary,” Carver recalled.

The garden club didn’t originate the fundraising idea, but it recognized its potential, Carver said. Jackie Preedom, a fellow garden club member, heard about it when she attended a convention. Since then, the ornaments have been popular with the community.

“There are people who anxiously look forward to what the next ornament is going to be,” Carver said.

That’s because Dade City is a place where people still feel a connection with each other, and with the town’s landmarks and institutions.

“We love our community,” Carver said.

Apparently, the idea of selling an annual ornament to raise money for the club has had staying power – the tradition has been going on for two decades now.

Proceeds help pay expenses to maintain the garden club’s building, grounds and botanical garden to support club projects, according to club member Sally Redden. Those projects include floral, horticultural and environmental programs, flower shows, garden tours, and civic beautification projects.

The entire garden club votes on what the ornament should feature. Each is accompanied by a card stamped with a picture of the ornament on the front and contains a brief historic account on the back.

This year the garden chose to pay homage to the Pasco County Fair. Like the garden club, the fair has deep roots in the county. Both got their start in 1947.

Fairs in Dade City date back to 1915, but there hadn’t been any for a long time. The Pasco County Fair evolved from the Pasco’s participation in the Florida State Fair, according to the ornament’s fact sheet, and was designed to showcase county resources.

Rancher D. E. Cannon led the efforts, with the help of Jimmy Higgins, George Nikolai, Bob Williams and Joe Collura. They found a 40-acre tract along State Road 52 and raised $3,500 to purchase the site.

The Kiwanis Club and the Chamber of Commerce were instrumental in helping raise the money from local businesses and the community.

The first documented Pasco County Fair began on Jan. 20, 1948.

Ornaments are available for purchase through garden club members and at the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, 14112 Eighth St., in Dade City.

The ornaments are $22 each, and checks should be made payable to the Dade City Garden Club.

Here are some of the ornaments the Dade City Garden Club has sold over the years:
1994: Pasco County Courthouse
1995: Dade City Grammar School (Cox Elementary)
1996: Dade City Garden Center
1997: First Presbyterian Church of Dade City
1998: Historic Pasco County Courthouse
1999: Dade City Woman’s Club
2000: Pioneer Florida Museum
2001: Edwinola
2002: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
2003: St. Leo Abbey Church
2004: First United Methodist Church of Dade City
2005: National Guard Armory
2006: Atlantic Coastline Railroad Depot
2007: First Baptist Church of Dade City
2008: Williams/Lunch on Limoges
2009: Pasco High School
2010: Lacoochee School House at the Pioneer Museum
2011: Pasco Packing Plant
2012: Pasco County World War II Memorial
2013: 1913 Pasco High School
2014: Pasco County Fair

Published October 22, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Filed Under: Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: Atlantic Coastline Railroad Depot, Bob Williams, Cox Elementary, D.E. Cannon, Dade City, Dade City Garden Center, Dade City Garden Club, Dade City Grammar School, Dade City Woman's Club, Edwinola, First Presbyterian Church of Dade City, First United Methodist Church of Dade City, George Nikolai, Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, Historic Pasco County Courthouse, Jackie Preedom, Jimmy Higgins, Joe Collura, Kiwanis Club, Lacoochee School House, Lunch on Limoges, National Guard Armory, Pasco County Fair, Pasco County World War II Memorial, Pasco Packing Plant, Pat Carver, Pioneer Florida Museum, Sally Redden, St. Leo Abbey Church, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, State Road 52

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01/25/2021 – Fizzy bath bomb

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will offer an adult fizzy bath bomb craft, through curbside pickup only. The kit will include lavender Epsom salt, citric acid, a reusable mold, instructions and more. Pickup is from Jan. 25 through Jan. 30. Registration is required through the calendar feature on the library’s website, or by calling 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 01/25/2021 – Fizzy bath bomb

01/25/2021 – Lego building

Mr. John from Bricks 4 Kidz will show participants how to become a Lego Master Builder with an online class that teaches various building methods and techniques. The program will be presented on Jan. 25 at 4:30 p.m., for ages 5 to 12. Registration is through the calendar feature at HCPLC.org. … [Read More...] about 01/25/2021 – Lego building

01/26/2021 – Crystal snowflakes

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present Virtual STEM Studio: Crystal Snowflakes on Jan. 26 at 4:30 p.m., for grades four to seven. Learn how to create your own crystals with just saltwater. Follow along with the video on the Regency Park Library’s Facebook page. No library card is needed. … [Read More...] about 01/26/2021 – Crystal snowflakes

01/27/2021 – Into the Interstellar

The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will present “Into the Interstellar Unknown” on Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. Natalia Guerreo will present the latest news from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Guerrero works at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research on the MIT-led NASA TESS Mission. The program is for teens and adults. Registration is through the calendar feature at HCPLC.org. … [Read More...] about 01/27/2021 – Into the Interstellar

01/27/2021 – Zentangles

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will host “Stroke of Genius” on Jan. 27. This virtual craft includes an instructional slide show on how to draw Zentangles. View the post, available all day, on the South Holiday Library’s Facebook page. … [Read More...] about 01/27/2021 – Zentangles

01/29/2021 – One Book, One Night

The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will host “One Book, One Night” on Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m., for teens and adults. Participants can start online as the beginning excerpt of the book “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant, is read in English, Spanish and French. For information and to register, visit the calendar feature at HCPLC.org. … [Read More...] about 01/29/2021 – One Book, One Night

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