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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Plantation Palms

Plantation Palms celebrates North Canal project completion

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Plantation Palms had a ribbon cutting last week to celebrate the completion of a project to address an erosion problem in the community.

The $2.99 million project — approximately 1,700 feet long — involved stabilizing the community’s North Canal. The work included installing Gabion baskets along the ditch sides, and a rip-rap lining the bottom, according to a Pasco County document.

A project to address erosion concerns has been completed in the Plantation Palms community in Land O’ Lakes. (B.C. Manion)

The community worked with the county to establish the Municipal Service Benefits Unit to pay for the project. The construction costs will be covered through annual payments on property tax bills of the residences of the 821 members of Plantation Palms Homeowners Association Inc.

The homeowners association owns the ditch, but needed the county’s help to fund the project.

At the ribbon cutting, Jim Hammond, president of the Plantation Palms Homeowners Association, said “I’m proud of the fact that in the last three years, the golf course is open, we’ve solved an enormous problem in the North Canal — and both of these were huge projects, that had a major impact on our community.”

“Both these success stories improved our safety, financial well-being and property values.

The project “saved our community substantial future costs and liability,” Hammond said.

“Both of these were collaborative efforts,” Hammond said. “We accomplished what’s best for 821 homeowners.

“We’ll forever be grateful to Pasco County, who partnered with us to make all of this happen,” Hammond added.

A celebration was held in Plantation Palms to mark the completion of a $2.99 million project aimed at improving safety and reducing potential liability. The project was done through a partnership between the community and Pasco County.

He also expressed gratitude to Bio-Mass Tech, the construction company; Coastal Design Engineering; the Southwest Florida Water Management District; the Plantation Palms Homeowner Association’s board; the association’s attorney; and county staff for their efforts in bringing the North Canal project to fruition.

Hammond handed out a number of awards, too.

In one case, he declared Amanda Haulk, the Plantation Palms Homeowner of the Year. She lives adjacent to the improvement project.

“She had a ringside seat for all of the construction,” Hammond said.

“Right now, it looks all cleaned up. For those that were here during the construction, this whole area was mounded with dirt and stone, and trucks all over the place.

“She had some challenges. They cut off the water multiple times. They cut off the electricity multiple times. They cut off the cable box a couple of times. And, you can’t see it now, but most of her pool pump and gear alongside the garage were hanging over the side of the construction site.

“And yet, she stuck it out. She was a real champ,” Hammond said.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore also was among the award recipients.

Hammond said: “Commissioner Moore was instrumental in getting our golf club open. We went to him when we needed Collier Parkway resurfaced. He was there when we needed the MSBU approved. He was there again when we needed construction contracts awarded. He’s been there for us.”

Moore said Hammond should be receiving an award.

“Jim, you’ve just been instrumental in everything that happens here at Plantation Palms,” Moore said.

The commission chairman also complimented Bill Place, for the progress that’s been made at Plantation Palms Golf Course.

“I know the golf course (reopening) was obviously a big part in helping the property values out,” Moore said.

Plantation Palms closed in 2014 as MJS Golf Group – the previous owner – struggled to survive recurring financial losses and debts.

A “Bring Back Our Course” campaign, led by Hammond, sought to save the course, but struggled to find a potential buyer with a viable financial plan.

Place, and his wife Su Lee, bought the course in May 2016 in a short sale approved by the federal government.

Describing Plantation Palms as an “amazing community,” Moore said he’s pleased to see it continue to progress.

Pasco Commissioner Jack Mariano also was there to celebrate the completion of the canal project. He, too, offered complimentary remarks about the golf course.

Published December 11, 2019

Use precautions to prevent crimes

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If you want to avoid becoming a victim of crime — you can never be too careful.

At least that’s how Bryan Roquemore, a retired criminal justice professor, sees it.

Roquemore now leads the Crime Prevention Task Force of Florida, a community service organization developed by former law enforcement officers.

The group seeks to expand public awareness on criminal threats in today’s society and to show effective measures to counter them.

Bryan Roquemore was the featured guest speaker at the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon in Plantation Palms in Land O’ Lakes. The retired criminal justice professor is a member of the Crime Prevention Task Force of Florida, a community service organization developed by former law enforcement officers that seeks to expand public awareness on criminal threats in today’s society and to show effective measures to counter that threat. (Kevin Weiss)

The criminal justice expert was the featured guest speaker at the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon at Plantation Palms in Land O’ Lakes.

He started off by saying the No. 1 crime in the Tampa Bay area is identity theft — which involves someone using your personal or financial information to make purchases, get benefits, file taxes or commit fraud.

Anyone is susceptible to becoming a victim, Roquemore warned. Even him.

In fact, it happened to him eight years ago when fraudsters racked up charges of over $120,000 and compromised his 401K.

There were also six warrants for his arrest, as his identity was being used in illicit activities.

All that occurred within a single month.

“When somebody steals your identity, they’re being you in another part of the country. That changes everything,” Roquemore said.

Turns out, Roquemore’s personal information was stolen from old mail in his garbage can — otherwise known as dumpster diving.

Dumpster divers often rummage through trash searching for pre-approved credit card offers and used prescription pill bottles, from which they can steal large amounts of personal information.

“Your garbage is one of the most important things that (people) never keep safe,” he said.

Roquemore noted many people tend to rip up forms with their personal information and toss them in the garbage.

But, that’s not enough.

Instead, anything with your personal information should to be shredded first, he advised.

“You need to destroy that return to sender envelope with everything pre-approved. It has all your credit card information on it,” Roquemore warned.

To keep tabs on any possible instances of identity theft, Roquemore urged people, especially seniors, to sign up for credit monitoring and annual crime reports.

Identity theft is just the tip of the crime iceberg, however.

Roquemore also informed the crowd that there are more than 47 active scams occurring locally.

The biggest scam is what’s known as the “grandkid scam.”

This scheme involves an imposter calling — pretending to be your grandchild and claiming to need money for something urgent, such as money for bail or medical bills.

To make the scam seem legitimate, callers often gather information about people off the Internet and social media sites so they can know nicknames and other details about their potential victims, Roquemore said.

His key piece of advice? Ignore any incoming phone calls, emails or texts that appear strange or out of the ordinary.

“If it comes into you, just hang it up,” he advised.

The IRS isn’t calling
Another prominent scam is known as the “IRS imposter scam,” he said.

That’s when someone calls saying they’re from the IRS and claims you owe “back taxes” or payments to the government. The caller then threatens to sue, arrest, deport, or revoke your license, in lieu of immediate payment.

It’s important to know that when the IRS initially contacts you, they do it by mail, not telephone. The actual IRS also will not ask for a credit card over the telephone.

Roquemore noted that young adults are most at risk for being victimized by the IRS scam.

“Eighteen-to-25-year-olds have not had a history of dealing with the IRS, so that’s who gets attacked most,” he said.

Besides identity theft and various scams, the speaker mentioned auto theft is one of the region’s top crimes.

He also said that it’s more common during this time of year because of the influx of snowbirds and out-of-state visitors.

He talked about a group called “sliders,” who pull up alongside a car getting fuel at a convenience store gas station and steal whatever they can.

Sometimes it’s a purse or an electronic device.

Sometimes it’s the entire car.

“They do it in 3 (seconds) to 4 seconds,” the speaker said.

To avoid sliders, Roquemore said when you exit your car, you should lock the doors and then be sure to have key fob panic alarm handy.

“Your key fob is a weapon. Instead of somebody rolling up on you, you scare them (with the alarm),” he said.

Roquemore also offered up other personal safety and self-defense tips during the presentation.

Women, he said, should have all their belongings ready by the time they step out of the car. They also should carry their purse or bag in their hand — and not around their neck (to avoid being dragged) — to reduce the risk of a purse snatching.

Men, he said, should carry two wallets. They should keep one in their front pocket and the other in their back pocket, in case a robber approaches demanding money.

It’s also a good idea for everyone to carry police-strength pepper spray at all times, he said.

In a situation where pepper spray must be used, Roquemore said it’s best to aim for the stomach area, as its strong enough to pass through three layers of clothing.

Said Roquemore: “If you want to use weaponry that’s not lethal, pepper spray is most effective. “Every single police officer has what? Pepper spray. It works. One shot incapacitates a person.…

“Once it hits a person’s skin, they’re going to want to scream.”

He also offered this piece of advice: “If you carry a gun, keep carrying a gun.”

Published January 16, 2019

$90,000 makeover gives public pool a fresh look

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Swimmers were splashing around the pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, enjoying the facility which recently received a $90,000 makeover.

Some adult swimmers swam laps, while some kids received instruction from Coach Robin Hilgenberg.

Lifeguard Jordan Wheeler, 19, of Land O’ Lakes, keeps a close watch on the swimmers in the pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. This is his third season at the pool. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
Lifeguard Jordan Wheeler, 19, of Land O’ Lakes, keeps a close watch on the swimmers in the pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. This is his third season at the pool.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

A little while later, others joined in, taking a refreshing dip on a scorching hot day.

Normally, the pool is open in time for Memorial Day holiday, but this year it wasn’t, because of delays on the project to upgrade the pool.

Besides resurfacing the pool, and repainting the deck, the pool’s shower facilities were improved, too.

The last time the pool had been resurfaced was during the 1990s.

Jordan Wheeler, a head lifeguard at the pool, said the improvements are noticeable.

“If you go in there, it feels a lot better on your feet. There were some holes on the backside over there, that got completely mended,” he said.

It looks better, too, he said.

“The water, now, is a lot more blue,” said Wheeler, who is working at the pool for his third season.

Coach Robin Hilgenberg, with the Florida Elite Swim Team, teaches a group in her swim class the importance of being able to float on one’s back.
Coach Robin Hilgenberg, with the Florida Elite Swim Team, teaches a group in her swim class the importance of being able to float on one’s back.

The pool has a capacity for 150 guests, but typically doesn’t get that crowded, he said, noting the most he’s seen there at one time was about 120.

A number of summer camps visit the pool, and the kids seem to enjoy themselves.

“It gets rowdy, that’s for sure,” he said.

The pool’s upgrades were done primarily in the off-season, he said.

“We were only closed for about a week and a half in the time that we’d normally be open,” Wheeler said. “It was less than optimal that we didn’t get to open on Memorial Day. Usually, a lot of people want to come by. It’s practically the first day of summer. People want to go out and spend their day out at the pool.”

“We’re really excited to have this facility cleaned up a little bit, because last year it was kind of in sad shape,” said Kristany Fitzthum, supervisor at the site.

With the repair work completed, Fitzthum hopes people will take advantage of the pool.

Like a synchronized swimmer, Marie Berghoefer, of Land O’ Lakes, works on her backstroke as she sweeps through a lane in the recently reopened swimming pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. Berghoefer has been a regular at the pool for 10 years.
Like a synchronized swimmer, Marie Berghoefer, of Land O’ Lakes, works on her backstroke as she sweeps through a lane in the recently reopened swimming pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. Berghoefer has been a regular at the pool for 10 years.

“I don’t think many people know that we’re open. Our first day, we had four people here. Yesterday, we had 12 or 13,” she said.

To make matters worse, there was lightning on both afternoons, which meant they had to clear the pool.

When lightning is within a 10-mile radius of the pool, it is cleared for a half-hour before swimmers can return, Fitzthum said.

The price of admission is reasonable, Fitzthum noted. The daily charge for swimming is $4 for adults and $3 for children. Passes also are available. A family of four, with two adults and two children, is $120; an adult pass is $80, and a child’s pass is $60.

“The New Port Richey Recreation Center, it’s $7 to get in and swim, per person,” Fitzthum said.

Another advantage at the Land O’ Lakes complex is that there’s an adults’ only hour from 11 a.m. to noon, she said.

The pool temperature is kept at 80 degrees to 83 degrees.

“Most of the people who come here are really local. Most of our people who come are regulars. So, we can form really good relationships with them. We know all of them by name,” Fitzthum said.

Nancy and Bernie Guss, who live in Plantation Palms, are both retired from Pasco County Schools.

Lifeguard, Zachary Daniels, 19, of Hudson keeps a close eye on swimmers from his chair, high above the pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. Daniels recently joined the pool’s staff.
Lifeguard, Zachary Daniels, 19, of Hudson keeps a close eye on swimmers from his chair, high above the pool at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. Daniels recently joined the pool’s staff.

They began using the pool when it opened, and their now-grown daughter was a member of a swim team there.

“We can do our yard work in the morning, and then just come over here in the afternoon and relax,” Nancy Guss said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of classes they offer. I hope they have a variety of classes,” she said.

Marie Berghoefer, who was doing laps, said she’s been swimming at the pool for 10 years. A lifelong swimmer, she said she enjoys coming to the pool and will be there as often as she can be this summer.

Carrie Kukuda, also of Land O’ Lakes, was swimming laps, too.

She said she appreciates the convenience of the pool, not only for herself but for members of the triathlon team from Get A Grip Total Fitness, where she is the owner, trainer and head coach.

As Coach Hilgenberg taught her class, some parents looked on.

Debbie Fisher has two kids — 13-year-old Tyler Esenberg and 11-year-old Kayla Esenberg — in the class, and Larisa Curbelo’s son, Nick, is taking it, too.

“This is their first day,” said Fisher, who lives in Lake Padgett. “They want to try out for high school swim. They want to be ready,” Fisher said. Tyler is going into eighth grade, and Kayla will be in seventh.

“They learned how to swim in Coach Robin’s backyard when they were young,” Fisher said, but they don’t swim competitively, and they want to learn the proper techniques.

She was glad they were there.

“They look happy,” Fisher said.

Curbelo, who lives in Wilderness Lake Preserve, said her 12-year-old son is “big into fitness now.”

She’s impressed by the pool at the Land O’ Lakes complex.

“It’s a beautiful pool,” she said.

“It’s great that they have somewhere to go,” Curbelo added.

The pool is open Tuesdays through Sunday. It opens at 11 a.m. on weekdays, and closes at 6 p.m. It opens at 11 a.m. on weekends, and closes at 7 p.m.

Week day hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Weekend hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Adults swim only, 11 a.m. to noon
Closed on Mondays, except for holidays
Daily admission: $4 adults, $3 children. (Passes: Family, $120; adult, $80; child, $60)

Published June 15, 2016

In Print: Duke turns neighbors into tree-huggers

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Trees are something we take for granted. There are millions of them out there, and we see them virtually everywhere.

But what happens when those trees go away? Debbie Lane Goodman has lived on 10 acres off 20 Mile Level Road in Land O’ Lakes long before she was joined by the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on one side, and the Plantation Palms community on the other. The family’s land was once orange groves, which were cleared out after a 1984 freeze.

Neighbors Debbie Lane Goodman and Eddie Midili survey tree trimming work Duke Energy has performed along a line route that crosses 20 Mile Level Road in Land O’ Lakes. The oak tree behind them is slated to come down next, which has riled up Goodman, Midili and other neighbors. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Neighbors Debbie Lane Goodman and Eddie Midili survey tree trimming work Duke Energy has performed along a line route that crosses 20 Mile Level Road in Land O’ Lakes. The oak tree behind them is slated to come down next, which has riled up Goodman, Midili and other neighbors. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Recovering financially from such a loss was tough, but emotionally it was even harder. So when her family planted an oak tree a couple years later, it helped start the healing process.

Yet, that tree will soon be no more. It’s within 50 feet of power lines recently upgraded by Duke Energy, and they are set to take the majestic tree — along with more than two dozen others nearby — down.

“They just came out four years ago and shaved the trees, and told us that’s all they were going to do,” Goodman told reporter Michael Hinman. “They said they didn’t need to cut any trees, and that it’s not even on their line. But then they came back and said we’re going to cut them all down.”

Duke, however, says it has no choice. It’s required by law to protect lines from trees and other vegetation, especially during a storm. Fines for allowing trees and such to bring down power lines and cut power to residents are huge.

But what can Goodman and her neighbors do? Find out in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, available now. Or, if you don’t want to go out in the rain, you can read our free online e-edition by clicking here.

God may take away one place, but it looks like he is giving in other places. The Benedictine Sisters of Florida opened the doors of their new monastery in St. Leo to reporter B.C. Manion recently, and what they had to show was impressive — at least as far as a monastery goes.

The new 28,000-square-foot structure replaces a larger 100,000-square-foot facility the nuns had across State Road 52. However, they sold that campus to Saint Leo University, and used those funds, plus a $500,000 capital campaign, to build their new home.

Want to learn more about it, and see what it looks like? It’s on the front page of our B Section this week in The Laker/Lutz News. Check out our print edition right now, or read all about it in our free online e-edition, which you can find right here.

And finally, Dean Patterson is making his fifth trip to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. And the 12-year-old can’t wait.

“I get kind of nervous and freaked out,” Patterson told reporter Michael Murillo. “But as the days (get closer), I normally just get all excited and happy.”

Patterson lives in Lutz and attends Martinez Middle School, but he also plays football for the South Pasco Predators Pop Warner team. Football has been his life for eight years, and he started getting attention on his skills when he was 7. And while he works hard on the gridiron, he’s had a great support network in his father and coach, Robert Patterson.

“I’ve been working with at-risk youth for 20 years, helping kids get back on track or stay out of trouble with the law,” the older Patterson said. “So to be able to do that with your kid, and see him flourish on the football field as well as the classroom, it’s a special deal.”

Read more about what both Pattersons have to look forward to in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or check out our e-edition by clicking here.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

In Print: Is living in Pasco but working in Hillsborough all that bad?

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It’s something it seems people hear all the time. There are a lot of places to live in Pasco County, but not really a lot of places to work.

That’s why so many people head south on Interstate 75, U.S. 41 and the Suncoast Parkway every morning, and local leaders are working hard to try and reverse that trend and lower commute times.

But not everyone thinks the daily commute is all that bad. Ken Littlefield, a former state representative who is now in a primary race for a spot on the Pasco County Commission, told an audience during a recent candidate forum that he’s not losing any sleep over the fact that Pasco residents typically work outside the county.

“A lot of people see 60,000 to 80,000 people leaving Pasco to go to work in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties as a negative. But I’m not sure about that,” Littlefield said. “It’s like they are working in the mine. They are bringing the gold back to Pasco, and they are spending that money here. When that money is spent here, there is economic growth that is taking place.”

How did county government and business leaders respond to Littlefield’s position? Find out in this week’s print edition of The Laker, now available in your driveway, at various places around the area, or in our free online e-edition by clicking here.

If that morning traffic jam is too much for you, then maybe that morning commute can be done by air.

Tom Warren piloted a hot air balloon from American Balloons over New Tampa on a recent Thursday morning. In the distance, another balloon company is giving passengers a ride. Neither balloon traveled far that day because there was very little wind. (Photo by B.C. Manion)
Tom Warren piloted a hot air balloon from American Balloons over New Tampa on a recent Thursday morning. In the distance, another balloon company is giving passengers a ride. Neither balloon traveled far that day because there was very little wind. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The Land O’ Lakes company American Balloons offers near-daily trips into the skies above Pasco and Hillsborough counties, providing a breathtaking view that, well, can only be seen by riding in a hot air balloon.

Reporter B.C. Manion was soaring on a recent trip, where she learned a lot about what motivates others to take to the skies.

“It was so calm,” said Kathy Rizzo of Wesley Chapel. “I’m afraid of heights, and I wasn’t afraid at all. It wasn’t at all frightening. It was a very smooth landing.”

Get the full story on a voyage through the skies in the print edition of this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, leading off our brand new B Section. That’s right, your community paper is not only bigger in physical size this week, but it now has two sections.

Go get that paper right now, or if you can’t wait to run to the driveway, read our free online e-edition right here.

Finally, it’s been three months since the golf course at Plantation Palms in Land O’ Lakes shut down. Golfers are missing out on acres and acres of links, but homeowners that live in Plantation Palms are feeling the pinch as the once popular spot now begins to rot.

No one involved with the property — the owners, the bank who financed it, not even the homeowners association — is talking. But neighbors are, and they’re not happy.

“If you’re a golfer, it affects your way of life,” resident Patty Stach told reporter Michael Hinman. “But even if you’re not a golfer, it affects the value of your home. Who would want to buy into a community where the golf course looks like this?”

What does the future hold for the Plantation Palms Golf Club? Find out in the print edition of this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, or read it right now in our online e-edition by clicking here.

Oh, and are you ready for some football? We continue our preview of all the local gridiron teams this week from reporter Michael Murillo with the Sunlake Seahawks and the Zephyrhills Bulldogs.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

And see The Laker XL with our brand-new video!

In Print: Golf course closes again, authors gather, and ‘Oklahoma!’

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The gates to the Plantation Palms community are now closed to the general public after the struggling Plantation Palms Golf Club has shuttered once again. And no one knows when it might be back.

The homeowners association there says that while the golf course is private property and not their responsibility, what happens to it could affect the value of the 875 homes there.

“Many of our residents purchased their homes here because of the excellent golf course,” the HOA board, led by president David Gunsteens, said in a prepared statement to reporter Michael Hinman. “So when the golf course is impacted negatively, it has a detrimental effect on all of us.”

The golf course had closed down before in August, but reopened within a week. This time, however, the ownership group is not talking, and a few vendors are going as far as to filing liens against the property.

Get all the details in the print edition of this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, or in our online e-edition by clicking here.

If you like books, then you’ll be more than interested to learn that 17 local authors will be on hand during a special event at The Shops at Wiregrass’ Barnes & Noble store on May 17.

“It’s Barnes & Noble’s way to recognize the community,” assistant store manager Paul Brouillard told reporter B.C. Manion. “Our customers are readers. A lot of them aspire to be authors and have their books for sale in our store. So this is a great way to get the authors who are local to our store.”

Some of the authors participating include Leigh Kenyon, Madonna Jervis Wise, Evelyn Johnson-Taylor and Janet Watson.

Find out what has the book community buzzing in this week’s print edition, or read the free e-edition here.

Lutz resident Ryan Santello takes on the lead role of Curly in ‘Oklahoma!,’ which wraps up its run this week at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts. His sister, Victoria, is a featured dancer in the play. (Courtesy of the Patel Conservatory)
Lutz resident Ryan Santello takes on the lead role of Curly in ‘Oklahoma!,’ which wraps up its run this week at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts. His sister, Victoria, is a featured dancer in the play. (Courtesy of the Patel Conservatory)

Finally, Lutz resident Ryan Santello has taken the stage as Curly in the popular musical “Oklahoma!,” which is now showing at the David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa.

Santello appears in the play along with his sister, Victoria Santello. And both of them are still in high school.

“When you’re an actor, you have to do your homework,” stage manager Kara Goldberg told reporter Michael Murillo. “You have to look up words you don’t know in the script, and you have to study your lines really well. I can tell that (Ryan) is doing his homework.”

You can read the story in print right now with our e-edition by clicking here.

All of these complete stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

Young Virginia cancer patient inspired Plantation Palms fundraiser

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Christina Jenks recently had her head shaved for a cause. She’s trying to help put an end to pediatric cancer.

Jenks and her husband Eric are behind a fundraiser planned for Nov. 9 at Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes. The event combines a golf tournament, head shavings and fun activities for kids and adults, aimed at raising money for St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation to support pediatric cancer research.

Christina Jenks shaved her head to battle pediatric cancer. Will you? There are other ways to help, as well, of course. A fundraiser is set for Saturday at Plantation Palms to help fight pediatric cancer. (Photo courtesy of Christina Jenks)
Christina Jenks shaved her head to battle pediatric cancer. Will you? There are other ways to help, as well, of course. A fundraiser is set for Saturday at Plantation Palms to help fight pediatric cancer. (Photo courtesy of Christina Jenks)

The Jenks, who are the founders of Big Heroes 4 Little Warriors, began their crusade against childhood cancer a couple of years ago. It began when Christina Jenks read about a 6-year-old boy in Virginia who was fighting for his life.

One of the things that the little boy, Nathan Norman, said he most wanted for Christmas was cards from his heroes — police officers, firefighters and rescue personnel.

The young boy’s plea touched Jenks’ heart.

She approached her husband, a firefighter with Pasco Fire Rescue, and suggested they get the boy a card and ask firefighters at various stations to sign it.

The simple gesture snowballed into an avalanche of love as word spread. Fire and rescue folks from Orlando to Pinellas County began calling, expressing their desire to get involved.

“The response ended up being overwhelming,” Jenks said. “They wanted to donate helmets, they wanted to donate uniforms. They were making gifts for him. We had stuff coming from everywhere.”

They got so much, in fact, they wound up loading up their Chevy pickup and driving 700 miles to the Normans’ home in Lynchburg, Va., to deliver the loot to the young boy.

That was in December 2012.

When they arrived, the boy’s parents talked to them about the need to help children who have cancer. The Normans had launched their own fundraising organization and wound up giving the Jenks 110 gift bags to bring back to children at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and All Children’s Hospital.

The Jenks later decided to create Big Heroes 4 Little Warriors to help children in the Tampa Bay area who, like Nathan, are fighting for their lives.

The couple said they felt called to get involved.

“For me, I’ve been in fire rescue for more than 20 years, and helping people is something I love to do,” Eric Jenks said.

“All you have to do is meet one of these children and that’s all it takes – to see the battle they’re fighting, you just want to fight it for them,” his wife added. “That’s what we’re doing, we’re fighting for a need that needs to be filled. These kids need someone to fight for them. That’s what we’re doing.”

If you go
When: Saturday, Nov. 9; Opening ceremony 11:30 a.m., shot gun start for the golf tournament as well as head shaving and family event at noon.
Where; Plantation Palms Golf Club, 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
What: Golf tournament, chance drawings, face painting, bounce houses, head shaving, games, arts and crafts, DJs and other activities.
Plantation Palms will donate 10 percent of all restaurant proceeds.
For more information, call Eric or Christina Jenks at (727) 641-6075.