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San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival

Hitting all the right notes — together

May 16, 2018 By B.C. Manion

It’s a Monday evening at the Dade City Woman’s Club and vocal coach Alison Graham sits at a small round table, near a bank of windows.

Girls are sitting around her on the floor, listening as Graham reads through judges’ comments from their most recent competition.

It’s a routine the girls know well.

The singers, who are members of Graham Music Studios, are accustomed to performing, and also to being judged.

Alison Graham, of Graham Music Studios, uses a blend of constructive criticism, humor and kindness to help the singers under her direction to develop their voices. (B.C. Manion)

They make frequent appearances at local events, such as the Pasco County Fair, the Kumquat Festival, Church Street Christmas, the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, the Dade City Christmas Stroll, and the holiday show at The Shops at Wiregrass.

They compete at Spotlight on Talent, a local showcase and also every year at Access Broadway in Orlando, which has regional and national contests.

Graham’s groups have been competing in Orlando for about 10 years.

Last summer, her middle group won the national competition and this spring, her oldest group took the top prize in regionals.

Graham’s groups compete in regionals every year in Orlando, and at nationals when they’re held there. The nationals rotate between Orlando, New York and Las Vegas.

While her groups and individual members in the groups have a good track record at competitions, Graham said that’s not her focus.

“It’s not about the trophy,” she said.

She’s far more interested in the individual development of each of her singers.

Amelia Collins awaits her part during a practice on a Monday evening at the Dade City Woman’s Club.

Her groups also aim to foster teamwork and camaraderie.

After a singer performs, Graham said she tries to talk to her before the awards are announced.

She wants to know how the singer felt about the performance. Sometimes the singer will acknowledge that she hadn’t prepared enough; other times, she’ll say she gave it her all.

“I don’t care what place you got. I care about: ‘Did you do well for you?’ Did you do your best?’,” said Graham, who has been coaching vocal groups and giving private voice lessons for more than 20 years.

Striving to reach their potential
She wants her singers to make the most of their ability and to continue the quest to improve.

“One of the things I say all of the time is, ‘Good is the enemy of great.’ If you’re OK with good, you are not going to be great,” she said.

Sometimes, the judges won’t see a performance the same way that Graham sees it.

When, for instance, the judge gets it wrong in Graham’s opinion, she’ll tell the singer: “We both know you got ripped off.”

Georgia Piersall dons an apron for a practice session of ‘Opening Up,’ from the Broadway show, ‘The Waitress.’

In the same breath, though, she’ll remind them: “You can’t control the judges. You have to focus on what you can control.”

Graham has three singing groups.

In general, Showtime is made up of elementary students; Showbiz is made up of middle school students; and Showstoppers is made up of high school students. Occasionally, a younger girl may be part of an older group.

And, because there are three different age groups, Graham has set up a system: “There’s a big sister, a middle sister and a little sister, and they look out for each other,” she said.

They bond with each other and validate each other, too, she said.

“If a girl kills it and still comes in fifth, the other girls will support her,” the vocal coach explained.

Graham’s weekly group lessons are 45 minutes long, beginning at 6 p.m., for the youngest singers; then at 7 p.m., for the middle group; and at 8 p.m., for the oldest group.

It costs $50 a month for the group lessons, but that doesn’t include expenses for costumes or entry fees for competitions. Most of her older singers also take private voice lessons with her.

Graham began her career as a music teacher at Hunter’s Green Elementary School, but decided to offer private lessons when her son was born, more than two decades ago.

The waiting list for her private lessons grew so long that she decided to form groups.

Most of the singers at Graham Music Studios come from Dade City, but some come from other areas, including Zephyrhills and Sumter County.

Graham said the success of her program is a result of the dedication of her singers, and the support of both their parents and the community, at large.

“I have a lot of people say, ‘Is your job like Dance Moms? I bet it is.’

“Honestly, it’s the opposite of Dance Moms.

“When I came to Access Broadway, one of the moms had Starbucks for me. Another mom ran and got my lunch for me.

Showbiz, the middle group from Graham Music Studio, rehearses a number from ‘Wicked.’

“They are just: ‘Whatever those girls need.’

“That’s why they’re successful,” Graham said.

Occasionally, though, something will come up, and she’ll have to have a chat with a parent.

She’ll say: “My job is to do what’s best for the group, and your job is to what’s best for your kid. Sometimes, those things don’t overlap.”

Ultimately, though, “they all have to understand that I’m the one who is going to pull the trigger in the end,” the vocal coach said.

The community of Dade City provides welcome support, Graham added.

“If we were from a large town, like Tampa, you just don’t know them. But in Dade City, people know these girls,” she said.

Having the girls look out for each other is essential when they are performing at a large event, Graham said.

At The Shops of Wiregrass, during the holidays, for instance, “when those little girls come off the stage, the big girls are waiting there for them,” she said.

The girls grow attached to each other and to Graham, and the vocal coach also bonds with the singers.

There’s a lot of affection and laughter, but a good deal of focus and effort, too.

Offering criticism and kindness
Catherine Beard, a relatively new singer in the oldest group, said belonging to the group requires commitment. “It takes a lot of hard work. We all have to practice over and over, until we get it right,” she said.

She thinks the singers are in good hands.

“Mrs. Alison is absolutely wonderful. She’s kind and supportive. She’s experienced. She knows what she’s doing,” Beard said.

Some girls in the oldest group have been singing with Graham for a dozen years.

Megan Phillips joined Graham’s group 11 years ago.

She was delighted when Showstoppers received the top honor at Access Broadway’s spring regional competition. The group put in extra practices to prepare and faced quality competitors, she said.

Phillips appreciates Graham.

Members of Showstoppers rehearse ‘Opening Up,’ a song from the Broadway show, ‘Waitress.’

“Mrs. Alison is a second mom. I’ve known her almost my entire life, and she’s a great person. She’s supportive and nice, but she’s not afraid to tell us what we’re doing wrong and what we need to improve ourselves,” Phillips said.

She values the other girls in her group, too.

“We really are a family here, and I love everything about Showstoppers,” Phillips said.

Mikayla Mauradian, a member in the middle group, appreciates Graham’s candor and high standards.

“Miss Allison is truly a great teacher and we love her, and she always pushes us to do better, no matter the rating,” Mauradian said.

Georgia Piersall, a member of the oldest group, said the bond between the singers helps them perform well together.

“It definitely helps to have a group of girls who are as close as sisters to work with,” Piersall said.

Plus, she added: “Mrs. Allison is so incredibly dedicated to what she does, it amazes me. She treats us like her own and is always proud of us, no matter what.”

Graham feels connected to the girls, too.

It’s always emotional when one of her singers graduates and moves on, Graham said. “I cry every year. I just sit there, and bawl and bawl.”

The girls may leave, but they tend to come back to visit.

Many show up at the end-of-year performance and pitch in backstage, Graham said.

The vocal coach believes that being part of the group gives the girls something they wouldn’t have independently.

“Something, at some point, is going to go wrong for you,” Graham said.

The friendship and support the girls get from one another, helps cushion them for life’s blows.

“It’s having a safe place to land,” Graham said.

Members of Showstoppers: Catherine Beard, Mackenzie Ferrell, Analiese Gallagher, Maitlin Hart, Chase Hemphill, Kiersten Herman, Megan Phillips, Georgia Piersall, Shelby Surratt and Haley Sanders.

 

Members of Showbiz: Bailey Bardin, Amelia Collins, Haley Collins, Isabella Como, Emma Crist, Lyndsey Furtado, Lyra Lacson, Emily Loyed, Mikayla Mauradian, Kassie Miller, Mackenzie Robinson, Payton Rodgers, Emma Shireman, Analee Tomkow, Marlee Tomkow and Macy Whisnant.

 

Members of Showtime: Carly Bowling, Katarina Carroll, Ellie DeLoyed, Sally Harper, Larkin Mainwaring, Lacey Miltner, Emeley Poblick, Sophia Poblick, Shyleigh Reeher, Mackenzie Trenkle and Keaton Ward.

Published May 16, 2018

Let the good times roll

January 3, 2018 By B.C. Manion

Part of the secret to having fun is knowing where to find it.

And, then once you have figured out some options, it’s good to know early enough so you can do what you need to do, to maximize your enjoyment.

That’s the idea behind this master calendar: It’s a list of fun stuff to do in 2018 — giving readers plenty of time to consider their choices and make some plans.

So, as New Year gets underway, get ready to enjoy yourselves.

January

Raising Cane, a sweet & spicy event
When: Jan. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City

Cost: $5 per person, children under 5 free

Details: Syrup-tasting contest; cane grinding; sugar cane pole tossin’; iron skillet tossin’; chili cook-off, chili verde and salsa competition; entertainment; and, vendors

Eighth annual Pigz in Z’ Hills BBQ & Blues
When: Jan 20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Zephyrhills Community Venue, 5200 Airport Road

Cost: Free admission; $10 parking. Benefiting local youth and education programs.

Details: Mouth-watering barbecue, blues music, swine and shine car show, aircraft displays, World War II museum, beer and wine, gift vendors, business expo, kids zone and more. No coolers, limited seating, so bring chairs.

Information: Call (813) 782-1913, or visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org.

13th annual Suncoast Arts Fest
When: Jan. 20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Jan. 21, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel

Cost: Free admission and parking

Details: More than 125 fine artists and craftsmen; live entertainment; emerging artist booth, featuring work of area middle and high school students; street painting; roaming entertainers; and, free art projects for the kids; kids arts garden and maker space, and more

(File)

Dade City’s annual Kumquat Festival
When: Jan. 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Downtown Dade City

Cost: Admission and parking are free; free shuttles for satellite lots

Details: Local entertainment, antique cars, arts and crafts, activities for kids, vendors, health and wellness, kumquat pies, kumquat products, quilt challenge and more. Several events are held leading up to the festival.

Information: DadeCityChamber.org

Shabby Chic Vintage Market & Artisan Day
When: Jan. 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: The Grove at Wesley Chapel, 6105 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel

Cost: Free admission and parking

Details: Artisans, live music, original art, painted furniture, antique vendors, shabby style and cottage glam

February

Farm Fest & Quilt Show
When: Feb. 3, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Feb. 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Florida Pioneer Museum & Village,15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City

Cost: $10 for adults on Feb. 3; $5 for adults on Feb. 4; $5 for children ages 6 through 12 either day; free for children age 5 and under

Details: Southern Draft Horse Pulling Competition on Feb. 3 at noon; Hoffman Challenge Quilt Collection Show of Quilts and Clothing; Quilt Appraisal and Trunk Show, concessions and food trucks, antique car show, children’s activities, live entertainment on Feb. 4. (Limited seating, lawn chairs welcome for horse pull).

Information: PioneerFloridaMuseum.org

Florida Ranch Days
When: Feb. 10 and Feb. 11

Where: Little Everglades Ranch, 17951 Hamilton Road (U.S. 301 and Gould Road), Dade City

Cost: Free admission; parking, $10 for cars and $25 for RVs

Details: Live entertainment on two stages; strolling performers; swamp buggy rides; guided ranch tours; face painting; petting farm; games and rides; arts and crafts; food and drink

Information: RanchDays.com

Fourth annual Snowbird Palooza
When: Feb. 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills

Cost: Free parking and free admission

Details: Free coffee and doughnut mingle hour, fun family activities, free health checks, card games and tournaments, live entertainment and other activities.

Information: Email .

Pasco County Fair
When: Feb. 19 to Feb. 25

Where: Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City

Cost: $10 for adults; $5 for children ages 6 through 12; free for children age 5 and under

Details: Midway, fair food, entertainment, competitions

Information and schedule: PascoCountyFair.com

Living History and Civil War
When: Feb. 24 and Feb. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Pioneer Florida Museum & Village,15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City

Cost: $5 admission, children age 5 and under are free

Details: Civil War Reenactments and Living History Encampment. Visitors can tour authentic confederate and union camps, and get a glimpse of what life was like during the U.S. Civil War. There will be battles each day at 2 p.m.

March

Big Flea Market at the Old Lutz School
When: March 2 and March 3, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: The Old Lutz School, 18819 U.S. 41 N.

Cost: Free admission

Details: Thousands of items for sale to generate funds for causes supported by the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club

108th Founders’ Day Parade & Heritage Festival
When: March 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (historic downtown Zephyrhills), parade begins at 10 a.m.

Details: Moonshine, Turpentine and Timber is the theme of the parade; as well as a local art display, food vendors, petting zoo, kids’ carnival games and more.

Also, festivities are planned at a second venue.

When: 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Zephyrhills Community Venue, 5200 Airport Road

Details: Live concert, food and merchandise vendors, Busch Gardens penguins and fireworks at 9 p.m.

Information: MainStreetZephyrhills.org, or call (813) 780-1414.

Savage Race
When: March 17 and March 18

Where: 17951 Hamilton Road, Dade City

Cost: Parking $10 for cars; $25 for RVs; spectators, $15 in advance; $25 at the door

Details: Twenty-five obstacles, mud in your underwear, chip timing, T-shirt, beer, action photos, camaraderie, memories

Information: SavageRace.com

Dogs Day in Dade City
When: March 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Agnes Lamb Park, in downtown Dade City

Details: Dog wagon parade, dog costume contest, canine got talent, ice cream/yogurt eating contest and more

Third annual Land O’ Lakes Music Fest
When: March 24, noon to 8 p.m.

Where: Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park (formerly the Land O’ Lakes Community Center), 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Cost: Free admission; $10 parking (Bring a lawn chair or blanket)

Details: This Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce event is presented by Ierna’s Heating & Cooling. It features live music, arts and crafts vendors, other booths and more.

Information: Call (813) 909-2722.

Summer Camp Expo
When: March 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Florida Hospital Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., in Wesley Chapel

Cost: Free admission

Details: Families get a chance to find out about summer camps and activities in the area and businesses get a chance to reach their target audience. There will be entertainment, bounce houses, activity zones, a photo booth, giveaways, character visits and more.

Information: FamilyFriendlyTampaBay.com

Gran Fondo Florida
When: March 24

Where: San Antonio

Details: Bicycle road race through the rolling hills of Dade City and San Antonio. Cyclists can choose to ride three distances: 35 miles, 55 miles or 100 miles, and are timed on certain stretches of the race.

Information: GranFondoNationalChampionshipSeries.com

Jelly Bean Fling
When: March 31, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City

Cost: $5 admission, free parking

Details: Mr. Tommy will join in the Easter Parade, kids will make Easter bonnets, there will be Easter egg hunts for different age groups; and there will be games, a bounce house, face painting and more.

Information: PioneerFloridaMuseum.org

April

Easter Sunrise Service
Where: Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, 7050 Gall Blvd., Zephyrhills

When: April 1, 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., rain or shine

Cost: Free admission

Details: Live Christian music, an inspirational message, a live dove release and free refreshments. Seating is limited and lawn chairs are encouraged.

Information: Call Jane Freeman at (813) 783-6192.

Wesley Chapel Boat Show
When: April 20 to April 22

Where: The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel

What: Event showcases boats, boating accessories, fishing gear, apparel and other items.

Information: TheShopsatWiregrass.com

June

Zephyrhills Summerfest
When: June 23, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills

Details: Dance and watermelon eating contests, food vendors, bounce houses, family games, crafters, family activities. Event concludes with fireworks.

Information: Email

July

Lutz Fourth of July Parade and festivities
Where: Downtown Lutz, near the Train Depot

When: July 4, parade starts at 10 a.m.

Cost: Free admission and parking

Details: There’s a race and other festivities before and after the parade. The winner of the honorary Lutz Guv’na race is announced following the parade. Additional details will be available closer to the time of the event.

September

A salute to Sept. 11
Where: In front of the Old Lutz School, 18819 U.S. 41, in Lutz

When: Sept. 11, 10 a.m. to noon

Cost: Free admission, free parking

Details: The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club honors those lost on Sept. 11 by waving flags in front of the Old Lutz School.

Information: GFWCLutzLandoLakesWomansClub.org

October

San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival
When: Traditionally held the third weekend of October

Where: City Park, 12202 Main St., San Antonio

Cost: Admission and parking are free

Details: This event typically features music, gopher tortoise races, handmade arts and crafts, children’s rides and games, pumpkin patch, farmer’s market, farm animals, food trucks, beer garden, pioneer village and more.

Shabby Chic Vintage Market and Artisan Day
When: Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: The Grove at Wesley Chapel, 6105 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel

Details: Artisans, live music, original art, painted furniture, antique vendors, shabby style and cottage glam

14th annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival
When: Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: The Grove at Wesley Chapel, 6105 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel

Details: Simply Events and The Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce have partnered to bring the community to present the 14th Annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival, which will include a carnival with rides and games, live music, delicious fall foods, beverages, arts and craft area with pumpkin painting, local business expo, Pumpkin Patch, Halloween celebration on Oct. 27.

Information: WesleyChapelChamber.com

November

30th annual Florida Bug Jam
When: Nov. 10 and Nov. 11

Where: Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City

Information: FloridaBugJam.com

December

Lutz Arts & Crafts Show
When: Dec. 1 and Dec. 2

Where: Keystone Preparatory High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa

Details: Hundreds of arts and crafts vendors and food booths in an annual show that draws tens of thousands of shoppers

34th annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration
Where: Florida Hospital Zephyrhills front lawn, 7050 Gall Blvd.

When: Dec. 2, noon to 7 p.m., rain or shine

Details: Tree decorating begins at noon. There’s an evening program from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., with musical entertainment, a Christmas message, the lighting of the trees and fireworks.

Information: Call Jane Freeman at (813) 783-6192.

Christmas in the Park
When: Traditionally the first Sunday in December

Where: City Park, 12202 Main St., in downtown San Antonio

Cost: Free admission, free refreshments

Details: Annual lighting of giant Christmas cards, old-fashioned carol singing and other nostalgic touches

11th annual Tampa Tour de Clay
When: Dec. 8 and Dec. 9

Where: Stops at area pottery studios

Cost: The tour is free.

Details: Those making the tour will have the chance to watch kiln openings, talk with nationally known ceramic artists and perhaps do a bit of shopping.

Information: TampaTourDeClay.com

Festival of Lights on Main Street
When: Traditionally held on the first Saturday in December  

Where: On Fifth Avenue, from Seventh to 10th streets, in downtown Zephyrhills

Cost: Admission is free

Details: The event includes food, entertainment, holiday activities and a Christmas parade.

Old Lutz School Christmas House
When: Traditionally held on select dates in December.

Where: 18819 U.S. 41 N., Lutz

Cost: Free admission; donations of toys and nonperishable foods encouraged

For details closer to the time of the event, visit OldLutzSchool.com.

Published January 3, 2018

Eddie Herrmann, a pillar in San Antonio, was an original

November 1, 2017 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Edward Joseph Herrmann, known as “Eddie” to most everyone in San Antonio, was an original, and with his passing on Oct. 21, the community paused to reminisce about a pillar of the community.

Eddie wore many hats. He was a father, a son, a husband, an uncle, a former Mayor of San Antonio, an award-winning winemaker, a writer and a respected historian.

His death came on the evening of the 51st annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, an event which he co-founded with Deputy Sheriff Willy Post, as a project of the Jaycees.

Edward ‘Eddie’ Joseph Herrmann died on Oct. 21, on the first evening of the 51st annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, an event he co-founded in the town of San Antonio, in East Pasco County. (Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

To know Eddie was to appreciate a man who revered his community, and valued the facts and lessons of history.

Local history buffs and museums regularly consulted with Eddie.

“Eddie gave me many photos to use on the Fivay.org website, and he was able to provide information about a number of old photos,” said Jeff Miller, who operates the website and is a respected local historian.

“Eddie knew of the existence of a large collection of high-quality vintage photos of Dade City, San Antonio and surrounding towns. Most of the photos were taken by the Dade City Chamber of Commerce in the late 1920s, and before. He asked Oliver and Barbara DeWitt of Dade City, who are now in possession of the photos, to allow me to scan the photos, which are known as the Helen Eck Sparkman Collection. They can be viewed and downloaded in high resolution on the Fivay.org website,” Miller said.

These photos of public places and historic homes are indicative of Eddie’s zeal to capture accurate information and to share his knowledge, often through anecdotes, about the culture and flavor of a specific time or event.

Herrmann co-authored “The Historic Places of Pasco County,” commonly called “the orange book,” with James J. Horgan and Alice Hall in 1992.

The volume traces the history of the county from 1887 to a hundred years later, in 1987, describing 264 buildings, sites, and homes that were designated as historic. The book also provides a map and guide to the county’s cemeteries.

Compiling the information was a gargantuan task.

And, Eddie told others about a time he once spent 24 hours, without a break, conducting research for the book, along with his great friend, the iconic Zephyrhills activist Alice Hall.

“We spent the night together at the Zephyrhills City Hall poring through records, and they just left us there all night,” Eddie said.

Eddie was a charter member of the Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee, formed in 1977 by the Pasco County Commission.

In his role on the committee, he was involved in the placement of historical markers throughout Pasco County.

His work was valuable in protecting landmarks, said Scott Black, another local historian and a member of the Dade City Commission.

Eddie identified “important sites around the county that were in danger of being forgotten,” Black said, via email.

“I particularly remember how often he would talk about his quest for the ‘26-Mile House,’ which was a stagecoach stop 26 miles south of Chocochattee (present-day Brooksville) on the old road to Tampa,” Black said.

Eddie pinpointed the location so well that he was able to persuade the county to require Lennar Homes to fund an historical marker at the entrance of the Stagecoach Village housing development in Land O’Lakes — as one of the permitting conditions for the development, Black recalled.

Pat Mulieri, a member of the Pasco County Commission at the time, recognized Eddie’s contributions in a proclamation he received in 2014 on the steps of the Pasco County Historic Courthouse in Dade City.

Edward ‘Eddie’ Joseph Herrmann is in the front row on the far left, in this photograph taken at one of scores of historic marker dedications he took part in, throughout Pasco County.

Eddie rarely missed a meeting of the Pasco County Historical Society, and he served the organization in every capacity, from president to board member to program chairman, for many years.

He provided a wealth of information, and was always ready to help others unearth historic facts.

For example, he delved into assisting Eva Martha Knapp and Hernando High School students with documenting the 1944 German POW Camp No. 7 that was operated in Dade City during World War II. During the course of that work, Eddie forged friendships with several former soldiers — hosting them at his home and then visiting them in Germany.

Eddie had the knack of seeing both the forest, and the trees.

He recognized the interweaving of the economy, resources and changing political issues.

For instance, he had extensive knowledge about Florida horticulture, and proved to be an invaluable resource for me, when I was conducting my research for local history books about Dade City and Wesley Chapel.

As an example, he encouraged me to include the impact of a cactus farmer, Anthony Tuzzolino of Wesley Chapel, who raised 15 acres of cacti and imported cacti, and other produce, from Wesley Chapel to Ybor City during the early 1940s.

Beyond merely telling me that, Eddie researched the issue, contacting the Pasco County Cooperative Extension Office, as well as the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences on Opuntia Cactus, and then he passed along several citations to me.

Thus, I wasn’t surprised when I later learned that Eddie himself was an accomplished gardener and grower. As a matter of fact, he won the Florida Grape Growers Association’s first winemaking competition in 1974, and then went on to spend years continuing to hone his skills in growing grapes and making wine.

When gopher tortoises were declared a “species of special concern,” Eddie embraced the opportunity to protect the tortoises — which had been used in races at the Rattlesnake Festival. He spearheaded the design of a large wooden version of a toy that resembled a gopher tortoise to be used instead.

Eddie’s research also helped correct the record on one of Dade City’s most iconic buildings, Miller said.

“It had long been thought that the historic 1909 courthouse in Dade City was designed by a local man, Artemus Roberts, but Eddie discovered that it was actually designed by Edward Columbus Hosford, an architect who designed many courthouses and other buildings in the South,” the local historian explained.

“Eddie’s discovery came about after his brother Gregory moved to Mason, Texas, and told Eddie that the courthouse there looked almost exactly like the one in Dade City, but that it was designed by Hosford. Eddie looked through the old minutes of the Pasco County Commission and found that Hosford did indeed design the Pasco courthouse, and that Roberts was the Superintendent of Construction,” Miller added.

In addition to his public life, Eddie was a man who treasured his faith and family.

Every Sunday, he could be found kneeling in his pew in church at his parish of St. Anthony of Padua in San Antonio. Then, the family gathered for a pancake breakfast at his parents’ home.

He also was an active member of the St. Leo community and participated in St. Leo Abbey events. Articles he wrote about Father Felix Ullrich, former pastor of Saint Anthony Church, and about the history of San Antonio can be found on Miller’s website, Fivay.org.
With Eddie’s passing, San Antonio has lost a man who worked tenaciously for the community’s good.

Those of us who were lucky enough to know him, will miss Eddie’s optimistic outlook and energy.

In his final email to me, he signed off in customary way: “Keep smiling. It looks good on you!”

It was the same kind of upbeat sentiment that he conveyed, in so many different ways, during a life well-spent in San Antonio.

Edward “Eddie” Joseph Herrmann

  • Edward Joseph Herrmann, widely known as ‘Eddie,’ was born to Joe Herrmann and Rose Ullrich Herrmann on July 25, 1936 in the Jovita Building in San Antonio.
  • Eddie grew up in the Jovita Building that was built by his grandfather, Lucius Herrmann, a baker by trade, and Tony Rachel, with help from his father, Joe, and his aunt, Margaret Herrmann Kirch, who were teenagers at the time. The family lived upstairs, with businesses downstairs.
  • Eddie had several siblings: Margaret Herrmann Beaumont, Paul Herrmann, Rosemary Herrmann, Joseph Herrmann, Barbara Herrmann Sessa, John Herrmann, Mary Sue Herrmann Keenan and Gregory Lucius Herrmann.
  • Eddie started school a year early at St. Anthony School and skipped a grade. He graduated when he was 16 from St. Leo College Prep School.
  • Eddie married Mary Patricia “Patsy” Miller on Oct. 19, 1955. Their 62nd anniversary was just two days before Eddie died. The couple’s five children are: Michael Joseph Herrmann, Amy Herrmann Greif, Larry Herrmann, Laura Herrmann Bailey and Eric Herrmann.
  • After finishing high school, Eddie worked for his dad’s Saf-T-Gas Company, but eventually bought the Culligan Soft Water Business from his dad and raised his kids in ‘Culligan Kindergarten,’ with the children riding around with him for years in his big truck, as he serviced his route. His wife, Patsy, was the bookkeeper.

This biographical information was supplied by Margaret Herrmann Beaumont, Eddie’s sister.

By Madonna Jervis Wise

Published November 1, 2017

San Antonio gears up for 51st Rattlesnake Fest

October 18, 2017 By B.C. Manion

The 51st annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival, slated for this coming weekend, is borrowing from old traditions and introducing new activities, too, according to organizers of the event.

Children enjoy riding around in a barrel train during a previous San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival. The barrel train rides are just one of many fun activities available for children during this year’s event. (File)

The two-day event is set for Oct. 21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

As in the past, the festival will have a snake show, wooden gopher tortoise races, a pumpkin patch and live entertainment.

And, like before, admission is free.

In addition to the rides, food, music and other activities, the festival also has a 1-mile and 5-mile run.

Children’s activities planned for this year’s event include children’s games and crafts, inflatables, pony rides, a farm animal exhibit, barrel train rides and entertainers, according to the event’s website.

The Town of St. Leo will sponsor a pumpkin patch, offering photo opportunities, and pumpkins, of course.

The festival began in 1967 as a Jaycee project.

Later, The Rattlesnake and Gopher Enthusiasts (R.A.G.E., Inc.) took over and expanded the festival, managing it until 2012.

The following year, six of the Eastside Pasco County Rotary Clubs operated the event as a fundraiser for local charities, and then The Rotary Club of San Antonio assumed leadership of the event.

This year, the Thomas Promise Foundation has stepped in to continue the community festival. Thomas Promise is a charitable organization that provides food in backpacks to help children who would otherwise go hungry over the weekend when school meals are not available.

51st annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival
Where: San Antonio City Park, 12202 Main St., San Antonio

When: Oct. 21, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Oct. 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: Free admission

Details: Food and craft vendors, live entertainment, a snake show, wooden gopher tortoise races, a beer garden, a pumpkin patch and more.

Information: Call (813) 782-0000 or visit RattlesnakeFestival.com

Published Oct. 18, 2017

2016 marked by rapid growth, touching moments

December 28, 2016 By B.C. Manion

The national election captured headlines and attention, but 2016 was an eventful year in many other ways, as well, across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The big story is the region’s growth.

Eighty-eight-year-old Angel Torres, center, a veteran from Puerto Rico and a resident of the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home, is being positioned to have his photograph taken by Mark Fosket, of Valrico, during the ‘Honor Flight’ ceremony at the nursing home. Gabrielle Perrella, a volunteer from Baltimore, Maryland, who is dressed in a uniform costume, posed with each veteran for their portrait.
(File Photos)

New houses are popping up all over the place, with developments such as Long Lake Ranch, Estancia at Wiregrass Ranch, Connerton, Bexley and Asturia, just some of the residential communities beckoning to buyers.

Pasco County is on the move in many other ways, too.

A futuristic, technology-based network of communities across 7,800 acres in northeast Pasco County is in its planning stages.

Raymond James Financial has closed on a deal to buy 65 acres across from Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, with the financial services giant expected to have hundreds of workers in Pasco County at some point.

Florida Hospital Center Ice — a new 150,000-square-foot hockey arena and sports complex — is nearly set to open, and that is expected to be a big draw for both tournaments and tourists.

And then, there’s the commercial development that continues to transform the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor, especially near the Interstate75/State Road 56 interchange.

Just in that vicinity alone, there’s Tampa Premium Outlets, Longhorn Steakhouse, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Chick-fil-A and Culver’s.

A 186,000-square-foot Costco Wholesale is expected to open in February, with an estimated 200 employees.

A historic photo of a baptism of members of the First Baptist Church of Lutz.

Just across the road, on the north side of State Road 56, Cypress Creek Town Center — another shopping development — is being built.

There are also plans for a new cinema, grocery store, apartments, shops and restaurants next to The Shops at Wiregrass, off State Road 56.

Of course, all of this growth is compounding traffic problems on area roads — and numerous projects are underway or are expected to begin work in coming years.

Improvements are expected to begin near the I-75/State Road 56 interchange. Wesley Chapel Boulevard is slated to be widened. An extension of State Road 56 is planned between Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills, and discussion continues about the best solution for reducing congestion at U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

Growth is putting the squeeze on schools, too.

Pasco County Schools can’t keep pace with growing enrollments.

The district opened Wiregrass Elementary School, in Wesley Chapel, in August, to reduce crowding at area schools.

In the coming school year, it plans to open Bexley Elementary and Cypress Creek Middle/High.

Bexley is being built in a new subdivision off State Road 54. Cypress Creek Middle/High is going up on Old Pasco Road.

School board members gave preliminary approval for boundaries for Bexley and Cypress Creek at a contentious public hearing on Dec. 20. A final vote is expected on Jan. 17.

But, school board members and Superintendent Kurt Browning said the new schools fall far short of addressing district needs. They want the Pasco County Commission to require new residential construction to pay higher impact fees to support school construction.

Paramedic John Ward helps Sister Helen Lange blow out the candles that lit up her 103rd birthday cake at a party at Heritage Park in Dade City.

While growth and its ripple effects clearly dominated the news, there were plenty of other notable moments within the region during 2016.

For instance, there were heroics in everyday life.

On June 3, a fire claimed the life of a tiny black Chihuahua named Peanut, but not until after the dog’s persistent barking saved the life of three generations of a Lutz family.

Later that same week, quick actions by a student at Saddlebrook Preparatory School in Wesley Chapel averted potential tragedy at the international boarding school for aspiring golf and tennis players.

A student smelled smoke, investigated, pulled the alarm and help to ensure that all 28 students and two adults got out of the dorm safely.

It took 55 firefighters more than 1 ½ hours to put out the blaze.

This past year also was one of milestones and celebrations.

The First Baptist Church in Lutz celebrated its 75th anniversary, The San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival turned a half-century, Cox Elementary School turned 90 and the Town of St. Leo marked its 125th anniversary.

On a more personal note, Sister Helen Lange, of Dade City, received a surprise cake to mark her 103rd year on Sept. 28 in Dade City, and Nellie and Gain Hughs Bailey Sr., of Lutz, celebrated 70 years of married life on March 31.

There were inspiring moments, too.

Hundreds of people turned out for the “Honor Flight” celebration on Aug. 20, at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Home in Land O’ Lakes. The event provided a virtual tour of the nation’s war monuments because these veterans are unable to make the trip to Washington D.C.

The stands were also filled at Ron Allen Field at Gaither High School, in North Tampa, to attend the June 15 vigil to honor Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, one of 49 people killed during a mass shooting on June 12 at Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

There was the inspiring message, too, from Immaculee Ilibagiza, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, who spoke at two days of gatherings at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz.

Ilibagiza’s family, friends and other members of her tribe were brutally murdered in Rwanda, but through her faith, she was able to forgive the killers.

Forgiveness, the genocide survivor said, brings freedom.

Published December 28, 2016

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05/26/2022 – Food distribution

Farm Share, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sheriff Charities, the Pasco County NAACP, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay will partner for a free food distribution on May 26 starting at 9 a.m., at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., in Dade City. Food will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. The event is a drive-thru, rain or shine. … [Read More...] about 05/26/2022 – Food distribution

05/28/2022 – Memorial Day Concert

The “Let’s Do Good Memorial Day Concert” is scheduled for May 28 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Tunnel to Towers provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, and builds custom-designed smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. The foundation is committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and aiding the victims of major U.S. disasters. The event will include vendors, gifts, a Forget-Me-Not Garden, and more. Entertainment will be provided by Fred Chandler, Charles Goodwin, Cruz Er Mac, Mike Henderson, and Travis White. Special guests include Congressman Gus Bilirakis and State Sen. Danny Burgess. Rain date is Sept. 10. … [Read More...] about 05/28/2022 – Memorial Day Concert

05/28/2022 – Pet supply drive

Munchies Natural Pet Foods, 1722 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will host a Pet Supply Drive on May 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to benefit the Pet Peace of Mind Program at Gulfside Hospice. Gulfside team members will be on site to offer information about the program and to collect donated supplies, such as pet food, cat litter, treats, basic supplies and other items. The donations will be distributed to hospice patients, to help provide care for their pets. For information about the Peace of Mind program, visit Gulfside.org, or call 727-845-5707. … [Read More...] about 05/28/2022 – Pet supply drive

05/28/2022 – Seafood Festival-CANCELLED

The North Tampa Bay Chamber’s Summer Seafood Festival is scheduled for May 28 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive in Lutz, between the outlets and At Home. There will be seafood, crab races, a kids zone, live bands, craft beer, a local market, a Nautical Art Show, and a crab claw-eating contest. For information, call 727-674-1464. … [Read More...] about 05/28/2022 – Seafood Festival-CANCELLED

06/04/2022 – D-Day reenactment

The Zephyrhills Museum of Military History, 39444 South Ave., in Zephyrhills, will present “D-Day, Invasion of Normandy” on June 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be an opening ceremony at 11 a.m. The event will include skydivers, reenactors, World War II veterans, and WWII vehicles/aircraft on display. Visit zmmh.org/events, for additional information. … [Read More...] about 06/04/2022 – D-Day reenactment

06/11/2022 – Community cleanup

Save the date: A Dade City Community Cleanup is scheduled for June 11 from 8 a.m. to noon. The city will provide two garbage trucks and one roll-off to dispose of household waste. Residents will be able to drop off unwanted items at three locations. Volunteers also are needed and can register online at DadeCityFl.com. More information will be forthcoming. … [Read More...] about 06/11/2022 – Community cleanup

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