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Naples

Creating an outdoor place to pray the rosary

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When Gabe Vega was a little boy, he was not the slightest bit interested in joining the Cub Scouts.

However, once he did it didn’t take long to overcome that initial resistance.

This is what the Blessed Mary’s garden looks like, at the completion of phase one of Gabe Vega’s Eagle Project. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

And now, the 16-year-old can’t wait to earn the rank of Eagle Scout — the highest honor a member of the Boy Scouts of America can achieve.

The completion of an Eagle project is one of the requirements necessary to earn that distinction.

And, Gabe — who belongs to Troop 33 based at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church — is well on his way to accomplishing that.

After conferring with various groups at the Land O’ Lakes church, Gabe decided to build a Rosary Garden.

His garden features a garden, with a statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as its centerpiece, and a seashell path surrounding that garden, which will have engraved pavers, representing the beads of a rosary.

In the Roman Catholic Church, a rosary is a set of beads that are used in a form of devotion, during which five (or 15) decades of the Hail Mary are recited, preceded by an Our Father, and followed by a Glory Be.

Stones line the border of the path, which will be covered with seashells before pavers will be installed to signify rosary beads. Shown here, Spencer Huffman bends over to place a rock on the edge of the path, while a number of other volunteers help, too. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

To get started on the project, Gabe and his father, Edwin, visited a rosary garden at St. Paul Catholic Church, 12708 N. Dale Mabry Highway, for some ideas. That visit came at the suggestion of Leo Gendreau, who recommended Gabe check out that garden and consider creating one for Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Land O’ Lakes High School junior also talked things over with Rich Thibeau, of Natural Designs Landscaping, who is the teenager’s coach for the Eagle Scout project.

“He helped me map everything out. The kind of rocks we needed. The kind of flowers we were going to plant in the garden,” Gabe said. “I went with the idea of having the rocks and the crushed shell, then selling the pavers to have the beads.”

The project has involved help from many sources, said Gabe, who lives with his parents, Edwin and Sheila, and his twin sisters, Rosie and GiGi, in Land O’ Lakes.

The Rev. Ron Aubin, pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary, gave the project his blessing and his support. The monsignor allowed Gabe to run an article in the parish bulletin explaining the project and announcing the sale of pavers.

The pavers that will represent Hail Marys, and will be used as stepping stones on the shell pathway, sell for $100 each.

A set of four smaller pavers will be joined together to represent each Our Father and Glory Be. Each of those pavers goes for $75.

Edwin is delighted by how well the project is being received, and supported.

A group loads rocks in a pickup truck to carry them closer to the Rosary Garden being created at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. Working here, from left, are Sean Smith, Jim Pasek, Clayton Hagel, Matthew Thibeau and Tommy Ploor. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

“Everybody has been so nice and responsive,” he said.

“For me, this has taken on a life of its own, all of the support at the church. They’re spreading the word. They’re backing it up,” he said.

People have helped in all sorts of ways, Gabe and Edwin said.

The physical work has been done mostly by Gabe, his Scout friends and a few men from the church.

Contributions have come in through the sale of pavers, but also in many other forms, Edwin said.

For instance, the sod cutter needed to put down the seashell path was provided for free by Dot Geho, of West Coast Events and Rentals, and Joseph and Casie Lynn Holloway, of Holloway Farm Store, provided a free cement bench.

The statue of Mary, which now serves as the centerpiece of phase one of the project, was donated by Hal and Betty Montgomery.

“We had the Blessed Mother here (in the family’s family room) for months,” said Sheila Vega, Gabe’s mom.

Paver sales have been going well.

Sean Smith, left, and Gabe Vega carry a very large rock, with Evan Hernandez in the background. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

“This past Saturday is when we built the path. One gentleman came down and said he was going to buy one for each of his children, and he has six children,” Gabe said.

A woman called to say she would be buying a paver to honor the memory of her nephew, who was killed by a drunk driver.

Another woman, who initially thought she could only swing a $20 contribution had second thoughts and decided to go ahead and buy a $100 paver.

Building the first phase of the project — Mary’s garden — took two days.

“Day One was putting the boulders in and filling the hole with dirt. Day Two was putting all of the plants in,” he said, as well as installing the statue of Mary.

That part of the project involved help from a dozen scouts, and four or five adults, Edwin said.

“Those were big boulders we were moving,” he said. “We had to have a special cart. No one could lift it. It was so heavy.”

Gabe said that after a while, they came up with a better plan.

“Eventually, we just lifted them into the back of a pickup truck,” he said, and moved them closer to the site.

Building the seashell path, the next phase, took another day.

Eight scouts and a few adults helped that day.

All of the scouts, Gabe said, are close friends who he’s known since he was a Cub Scout.

This is the Rosary Garden, after the completion of the shell path. The final phase will be to install pavers, which represent the beads of a rosary. (Courtesy of Edwin Vega)

“It made it easy being the leader of them. The dynamic of it all was easy,” said Gabe, who is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program at Land O’ Lakes High.

The last phase will be to install the pavers.

Polar Engraving, which is engraving the pavers, is based in Naples. It was hit by Hurricane Irma, which has affected its schedule, Edwin said.

Overall, Edwin estimates the cost of the project to be about $10,000.

But, the value to the community, he said, far exceeds that.

Edwin expects the pavers to be ready before Thanksgiving, so they can be installed. Meanwhile, orders are still being taken for the pavers not yet sold.

Want to help?

If you’re interested in purchasing a ‘rosary bead’ paver engraved with your personal message, visit PolarEngraving.com/BoyScoutTroop33. If you have questions, call Edwin Vega, (813) 838-2400, or email .

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Steinbrenner’s band needs big bucks for bowl trip

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The Steinbrenner High School Band is planning a trip to perform at a college bowl game later this year. To get there, they’ll need hard work and determination.

They’ll also need more than $70,000.

When the Steinbrenner High School band isn’t performing, they’re practicing. And when they’re not practicing, they’re raising money for their trip to the Liberty Bowl later this year. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
When the Steinbrenner High School band isn’t performing, they’re practicing. And when they’re not practicing, they’re raising money for their trip to the Liberty Bowl later this year. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

That’s the cost to accommodate more than 90 people traveling to Memphis, Tennessee, for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, on Dec. 29.

“It is a lot of money,” admitted band director Nicole Conte. “We’ve done some smaller trips that have cost about half that, but this is a pretty big one.”

It’s so big that the band is getting creative about raising funds. They’ll host a casino night on Nov. 8 at Cheval Golf and Country Club, 4312 Cheval Blvd., in Lutz, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. On Nov. 16, they’ll have a mattress sale at the school’s gymnasium from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Current fundraising and early payments have helped the band get close to half of their goal, leaving plenty more money that needs to be raised. But from personal experience, Conte feels it’s worth it.

“We did several things like that when I was in high school band, too, and those are memories that I’ve carried with me all my life, and some of the most exciting things I’ve ever done,” she said.

When Conte was going to school in Naples, her high school band performed at a Miami Dolphins game. She was excited to play in front of such a large group, and wants her band to share that kind of experience.

That doesn’t mean the entire trip will simply be a vacation for the band. There are competitive elements to the event as well. In addition to participating in the halftime show with other bands from different states, they’ll also be part of a field competition before the event. The winning band gets to perform solo as part of the pre-game ceremony.

Conte wants to win that competition, and continue the tradition of success she’s established at Steinbrenner. She’s been with the school since it opened in 2009, and has 17 years of experience leading bands. They consistently earn a rating of “superior” in their assessments, and they won their division at the Lion’s Pride band competition this year at King High School in Temple Terrace.

Three years ago, Steinbrenner also was named grand champion of that event.

To stay focused for their upcoming performance and prepare to face some tough competition, Conte is putting the band through their paces in practices and going over segments of their musical routines repeatedly to ensure their playing is sharp and their timing is right.

In her experience, that’s the only way to achieve the kind of success she wants.

“It’s practice and hard work. I think talent really has little to do with success,” she said. “It really boils down to determination and willingness to work hard to get the job done.”

Band members have displayed a willingness to work hard because of Conte’s leadership. Sam Goldstein, who plays tuba among other instruments, said the band has seen Conte’s experience in action, and knows that her decisions lead to good outcomes.

“She’s done it for 17 years, and she doesn’t have to think about anything that she does,” he said of Conte. “She tells us what to do and somehow everything works out. I look up to her as a third parent, almost.”

As a result, band members believe Conte when she says the practices and the fundraising will be worth the effort once they set foot in Tennessee for the school’s first band trip to a college bowl game.

“This is our first one,” Conte said. “I’ve never done one before, either. I’m very excited, and the kids are very excited.”

For more information about the Steinbrenner High School Band and its fundraising efforts, call Steinbrenner at (813) 792-5131, or visit SteinbrennerBand.com.

Published November 5, 2014

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Exotic pets looking for homes, too, through amnesty program

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Ever wanted to replace the traditional dog or cat, with a blue-tongued skink, or a green anaconda?

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is looking for qualified people willing to adopt exotic pets through its Exotic Pet Amnesty Program.

These pets need new homes because owners who can no longer care for them have surrendered them to the state. New owners will need to understand the costs associated with taking care of such an animal, as well as the natural history, care and safe caging requirements for the pets.

“It’s a great way to help prevent the release of non-natives, while providing these pets a home where they will be properly cared for and safely caged,” said Liz Barraco, coordinator of the amnesty program, in a release.

Without the amnesty program, many of these animals would be released into the wild. And because they are not part of the existing natural food chain, they could disrupt habitats, and even pose a danger to people.

The application process to adopt is done in two parts — the first will help someone become an approved adopter, while the second identifies that person’s experience and knowledge regarding a specific type of exotic pet.

“People considering taking one of these animals home need to think about the level of responsibility and long-term commitment involved,” Barraco said. “Many exotic pets live for a long time, and some get quite big.”

The amnesty days allow current exotic pet owners to bring in their animals without a fee or penalty. Those wanting to adopt don’t have to pay a fee, either, but they would need to be pre-qualified before attending one of three upcoming events around the state.

The first is Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Dreher Park Garden Club, 4800 Dreher Trail North, in West Palm Beach. The second is Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at North Collier Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Road, in Naples.

The third is April 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Wickham Park Pavilion, 3845 N. Wickham Road, in Melbourne.

Veterinarians examine each surrendered pet, and every attempt is made to place healthy animals with qualified adopters, officials said. Also, live animals will be on display at the events, which are open to the public, and experts will be available to talk to people about proper care of the pets.

Those who can’t attend an amnesty event, but would like to join the ongoing registry to become a potential new owner of an exotic pet, can visit MyFWC.com/Nonnatives to learn more about the program, and how to become an exotic pet owner.

Housing market up, condo sales down locally

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Nearly 15,000 existing homes and condominiums changed hands in the greater Tampa Bay area during April, May and June, showing promising housing market trends despite a drop in overall condo sales.

The region — which includes Pasco, Hillsborough, Hernando and Pinellas counties — sold 3,733 condos in the second quarter, down more than 5 percent from the year before. The median sales price, however, rose more than 12 percent to $110,000.

That volume was second only to the greater Miami and Fort Lauderdale area, where nearly 13,000 condos were sold, according to a new report from Florida Realtors. Sales there, however were down more than 6 percent.

The lower volume is actually good news for the market, Florida Realtors chief economist John Tuccillo said, because that means foreclosure-related short sales are on the decline.

“The second quarter numbers show that Florida’s real estate market is settling in,” Tuccillo said, in a release. “While prices throughout the state tend to be up, sales are mixed with single-family sales growing, and condos and townhouses declining.”

Some of the reasons for that include the reduced role of bulk investors — buyers who pick up multiple units at a time in hopes to rent or flip — and many families who are having trouble getting mortgage credit because of flat income.

“This market is sustainable, but either or both of these roadblocks must be removed if it’s to take off again,” Tuccillo said.

Just a little more than 10,800 single-family homes were sold in the quarter, up 3 percent from a year ago. Median prices, however, were much more flat at $156,000, an increase of 1.3 percent.

Statewide, single-family sales were up more than 7 percent, while median sales prices rose just above 5 percent at $180,000.

Of the regions Florida Realtors track, Ocala in Marion County still had the lowest median price for a home at $105,000, despite a 6 percent increase in price. The most expensive homes remained in the Naples and Marco Island area of Collier County, were the median price rose nearly 16 percent to $405,000.

The interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 4.23 percent for the second quarter, up from 3.69 percent the year before, according to Freddie Mac.

Local construction jobs continuing slow climb

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New homes, apartment buildings and even commercial structures are in construction mode … and with that comes an influx of well-paying construction jobs.

The number of jobs available in the greater Tampa Bay market rose 3 percent in June compared to what it was a year ago to 58,600 workers.Yet, when compared to the rest of the state, that growth is below average, according to a new report by Associated General Contractors of America.

“Contractors have been expanding their work force in about two-thirds of the country for several months in a row,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, in a release. “Some metro areas are adding workers at a strong clip, but the gains remain modest and sporadic in many localities.”

The Fort Walton Beach and Naples area had the largest growth in the state with a 16 percent increase in workers. However, those two areas combined have just a little more than 16,000 construction jobs, a fraction of the Tampa Bay region.

The greater Orlando area, which has the second highest number of construction jobs with 54,900, had an 8 percent increase year over year.

The state added 44,500 construction jobs since June 2013, an increase of 12 percent.

Builders are facing a challenge where some federal infrastructure and construction programs could be in jeopardy. AGCA members are asking Congress to pass a continuing resolution that would set federal spending levels for next year, and to enact long-term surface transportation legislation. Having these measures, they say, would make it easier for many construction firms to make hiring, purchasing and expansion plans.

“It is hard to make sound business decisions when you don’t know how much work will be available in the near future,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s chief executive, in a release.