The Laker/Lutz News

Sims Park

Charity aims to put food on the table for kids

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The featured charity for the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office in September will be One Community Now’s annual Hunger Walk.

“I applaud One Community Now and the organizers of the Hunger Walk for their commitment to fighting hunger and food insecurity for students in our county,” said Tax Collector Mike Fasano, in a news release.

“Since its inception, we’ve been blessed to field a large team of staff and friends of our office to be a part of ‘Team Tax Collector’ to raise funds for this important charity. We encourage members of the community, who are already so generous in their giving to our charitable programs, to consider donating to this important program as well,” Fasano said.

The Hunger Walk is scheduled for Oct. 2 at 10 a.m., at Sims Park in New Port Richey, and directly funds The Pack-a-Sack 4 Kids Program — the keystone of the food relief efforts of the One Community Now organization.

Children who live in danger of not having food on their dining room table are given a backpack full of healthy meals each Friday, to ensure that they have food to eat over the weekend.

The students return the empty backpack to their school on Monday, at which time it is then refilled for the following weekend.

It is estimated the Pack-a-Sack 4 Kids Program feeds more than 1,600 children each weekend. Since the advent of Covid, the number of kids in need has grown to the point where one out of four Pasco children does not have enough to eat, according to the release.

A majority of those students also qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch program.

To donate to the Hunger Walk or to join Team Tax Collector, visit OneCommunityNowHungerWalk.org/taxcollector.

For more information about the charitable giving programs at the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office, call Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

For details about One Community Now’s Pack-a-Sack 4 Kids Program, call Executive Director Patti Templeton at 727-900-6280, or visit OneCommunityNow.com.

Published September 01, 2021

There’s no shortage of holiday cheer here

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The Thanksgiving turkey and all of the fixins’ — and all of the leftovers — are gone.

The lighted entryway at the Florida Botanical Gardens sums up the sentiment of many holiday events in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area and the Tampa Bay region. (File Photo)
The lighted entryway at the Florida Botanical Gardens sums up the sentiment of many holiday events in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area and the Tampa Bay region.
(File Photo)

Lucky for you, you’ve got a whole month of holiday happenings available for your enjoyment.

Here’s a look at just some of the free and low-cost options being offered in the The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, with a few other regional events tossed in that we thought would give you some holiday pleasure.

 

Lutz

  • 37th annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show, on Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Keystone Preparatory High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa. The event is free, but there will be a $5 parking charge to benefit the school. Event organizers expect about 355 vendors, and between 30,000 to 40,000 festival-goers.
  • 20th annual Christmas at the Old Lutz School, on select evenings from Dec. 8 through Dec. 27 at the school, 18819 N. US 41 in Lutz. Hours are 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on Dec. 8, Dec. 10, Dec. 11, Dec. 13, Dec. 15, Dec. 17, Dec. 18, Dec. 20, Dec. 22, Dec. 26 and Dec. 27. Admission is free, but there will be barrels to collect nonperishable food items and toys for families that are less fortunate. The building is decked out for the holidays, and there will be entertainment, too.
  • Breakfast with Santa at the Old Lutz School, on Dec. 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the school, 18819 N. US 41. There is a $4 charge for breakfast, and a visit from Santa Claus.
  • Handbells & Friends, a free holiday concert on Dec. 14 from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., at First United Methodist of Lutz at 960 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road. The public is welcome to this concert which will feature handbells, vocals and other instruments.
  • Tampa Bay Tour De Clay, a free family friendly, self-guided tour of four local pottery studios, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour includes: Pottery Boys Studio, 30 Bogle Lane in Palm Harbor; Hidden Lake Pottery, 16705 Hutchinson Road in Odessa; Wellman & Welsch Pottery, 17202 Wirley Road in Lutz; and, San Antonio Pottery, 11903 Curley St., in San Antonio. (San Antonio Pottery will be open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 10). For more information, visit TampaTourDeClay.com.

North Tampa

  • CABA tree lighting, Dec. 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Elmcroft at Carrollwood, 2626 W. Bearss Ave.
  • Build a Toy with Santa at the Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa. Children will be able to come to the museum’s Idea Zone creativity lab to make a toy to take home. Santa Claus will drop by the workshop to share pointers on holiday cheer. The workshop will be open through Jan. 3. It is included in the normal museum admission charge. For more information, visit MOSI.org.
  • Christmas in Song, free concert on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m., in the sanctuary at Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church, 2902 W. Fletcher Ave., Tampa. This free, family friendly concert features the church’s chancel choir, orchestra and handbells.
  • “Simply Christmas,” Christmas Eve services at Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church, 2902 W. Fletcher Ave. The evening will include a Spontaneous Christmas Pageant at 5 p.m.; a contemporary Christmas service at 6:30 p.m.; lessons and carols at 8 p.m.; and, traditional communion services at 11 p.m.

Land O’ Lakes

  • Christmas Holiday Bazaar at Harvester United Methodist Church, 2432 Collier Parkway, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free to this event, which features a free photo with Santa, a bounce house village, a candy trail, holiday shopping, food trucks, giveaways and games. Those attending also will have a chance to meet the Mascot “Blue” from the Tampa Yankees. Plus, there will be resources for families affected by autism, including sensory-friendly activities for children.
  • Heritage Holiday Card Walk, sponsored by the Wesley Chapel Land O’ Lakes Satellite Rotary, from Dec. 3 to Jan. 7 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The event will have around 30 full-size cards on display, ranging in size from 6 feet by 4 feet to 8 feet by 4 feet. Cards can be placed on Dec. 3 between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. For information, call (813) 996-3011.

  • 23rd annual Flapjack 5k and 1-mile run, on Dec. 11, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway. The 5k starts at 8 a.m., and the 1-mile starts at 8:45 a.m. A flapjack breakfast follows the race for each runner; non-runners can donate $5 for breakfast. Santa will be there for photos, too.

Wesley Chapel

  • CalAtlantic Homes presents Symphony in Lights, with shows on the hour between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., through Dec. 31 at The Shops at Wiregrass, at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Wesley Chapel. The show features snow, sparkle and sounds of the season. For more information, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.
  • Movies under the stars, Holiday Movie Marathon at Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive in Lutz. See TampaPremiumOutlets.com for dates and times. The outlet center also will have community holiday entertainment, on select days and times through Dec. 24, and also will have a Community Gift Wrap through Dec. 24, with local organizations benefiting from donations.

Dade City

  • Country Christmas Open House, at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, on Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event offers free admission to the attraction, with the donation of an unwrapped toy that will be given to a local Dade City charity. The event starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. This is a great opportunity to come out and visit the museum’s charming history, do some holiday shopping with its vendors, listen to some Christmas music and hear the Solid Gold Barbershop Quartet. Bring the kiddos out to see Mr. Tommy Presents. He will have two performances at 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. Santa & Mrs. Claus will be here from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and we will offer complimentary photos by photographer Christina Strong. The barrel train also will give rides, and there will be a train show in the Mable Jordan Barn. The museum will serve punch and cookies, and hot dogs and hamburgers will be available at the concession stand. For more information, call (352) 567-0262 or (352) 206-8889, or visit PioneerFloridaMuseum.org.
  • Country Crafters third annual Arts and Crafts Fair, Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Country Aire Manor Clubhouse, 10249 U.S. 19 in Dade City. This event features a wide assortment of locally produced items, which are available for purchase.
  • The Market Place, on Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Seventh Street and Bougainvillea Avenue in downtown Dade City. The market will feature unique holiday presents, the jazz band from Pasco High School and musician Derrick Tucker. Vendors will be offer homemade cookies, honey, jams, handmade soaps, jewelry, garden accessories, fresh produce, Scentsy, Thirty-One, handmade baskets/gourds, hand-designed coasters, artwork and more. The Market Place is free and pet friendly. It is sponsored by the Dade City Youth Council.

Zephyrhills

•   Festival of Lights on Dec. 3 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., in downtown Zephyrhills. Free photos with Santa will be offered at 38439 Fifth Ave., courtesy of Goin’ Postal. Santa will take a brief break at 6 p.m., to appear in the lighted nighttime parade.

  • Jingle Bell Boutique & Bake Sale, on Dec. 3 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the GFWC Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills Clubhouse, 38545 Fifth Ave., in downtown Zephyrhills. In addition to the customary bake sale, this will be the first year for the Jingle Bell Boutique, which will feature several women’s home-based businesses or showcase their handiwork of hobbies gone wild, and will give shoppers a chance to buy local. Proceeds from the bake sale and vendor fees will support the woman’s club’s projects.
  • Tampa Bay Tour De Clay, a free family friendly, self-guided tour of four local pottery studios, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour includes: Pottery Boys Studio, 30 Bogle Lane in Palm Harbor; Hidden Lake Pottery, 16705 Hutchinson Road in Odessa; Wellman & Welsch Pottery, 17202 Wirley Road in Lutz; and, San Antonio Pottery, 11903 Curley St., in San Antonio. (San Antonio Pottery will be open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 10). For more information, visit TampaTourDeClay.com.

Downtown Tampa

  • Free screening of the movie “Elf” at Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin St., in downtown Tampa on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m., for a cocoa and cookies social in the theater’s lobby. A big announcement will be made at 7 p.m., followed by the movie. Admission is free and open to the public; however, guests are asked to visit TampaTheatre.org/events/Elf and click on the “Buy Tickets” link to print their complimentary Eventbrite ticket for guaranteed entry.

West Pasco

  • River Lights Boat Parade and holiday festival. The West Pasco Business Association is joining New Port Richey Main Street on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 in Sims Park, near downtown New Port Richey, for the free “River Lights Boat Parade” and a holiday festival. The movie “Polar Express” will be screened on Dec. 2 in the park. The boat parade begins at 7 p.m., on Dec. 3.
  • Sixth annual “How the Grinch Saved Christmas” will be on Dec. 9 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., at the Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey. The West Pasco Business Association is hosting this event, which includes members of the association and the community.

Tickets are available online at WPBA.biz for $45. For more information contact Maria Johnson at (727) 934-0940 or "> .

Largo
More than than 750,000 lights have transformed the Florida Botanical Gardens, at 1250 Ulmerton Road in Largo, into a holiday wonderland. Visitors can stroll through the gardens from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., nightly through Dec. 31. A donation of $4 is suggested for those 13 and older, while children 12 and under, and parking, are free.

For more information, call (727) 582-2117 or visit, FBG.Org.

Published November 30, 2016

Helping homeless people reclaim sense of dignity

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In the spiritual realm, preachers often talk about being cleansed by the healing power of Jesus.

But, members of Vine Church in Zephyrhills, also want to share their love of the Lord in a more practical, down-to-earth way.

Members of the church at 4743 Allen Road already routinely feed the homeless.

Their latest quest has been a fundraising campaign to raise money for a mobile shower unit.

The idea came while sharing food with the hungry, said Pastor Carlos Santana.

Santana said some of his “homeless brothers and sisters” told him what they would really like is a nice, hot shower.

Initially he thought a shower could be built in someone’s barn.

But, then he realized that homeless people would have a hard time getting to the shower.

So, then he thought: “Why don’t we make it mobile?”

“Through a lot of prayer, we found out that FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) uses these mobile showers every time they have a disaster.”

So, now the church is raising money to buy a mobile unit with four shower stalls.

To help things along, it is planning a movie night behind the church on Feb. 26. Donations of $10 are requested, but people are welcome if they can’t afford to pay, Santana said. And, donations exceeding $10 would be gratefully accepted, he said.

The church needs $30,000. So far, it has raised about $4,000.

Vine Church, which began about two years ago, is a nondenominational Christian church, with about 45 members, ranging in age from infants to around age 70.

“Our basic mission as a church is to love God fully and people unconditionally. That’s our mission. That’s our vision. To love people unconditionally,” Santana said.

“We started feeding the homeless. Some of them in Zephyrhills,” he said.

They also feed the hungry at Sims Park in New Port Richey.

“We go out there every Saturday, and we feed them breakfast. And then, one Saturday a month, we also do lunch,” he said.

“Now, we’re collecting clothing. So, we’re also giving clothing and toiletries,” he said.

Eventually, Santana hopes the church can buy several of the portable shower units.

“When people look at homeless people, for some reason, they look at them like they’re not people, they’re not human,” he said.

A hot shower may seem like a simple thing, Santana said. But, a hot shower, a meal and clean clothing can go along way toward helping to restore someone’s sense of dignity.

He hopes other churches follow Vine’s lead.

“I really would like for this to be something that all churches would pick up on. If we all just come together, we could make a real difference.

“It’s really God’s church. It’s one church. One body,” he said.

He said his church feels called to get out and help others in need. When they see the love of Christ in action, they will come to see that it’s true, Santana added.

“We’re not called to sit in a church and warm up pews,” Santana said.

“He (Jesus) told his disciples, ‘Get up and go.’

“That’s what we’re doing,” Santana said.

Shower fundraiser
What: A showing of ‘The War Room,’ a movie about prayer, to raise money to purchase a portable shower unit to help the homeless.
When: Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
Where: Behind Vine Church, 4743 Allen Road in Zephyrhills
How much: A donation of $10 is suggested. Less will be accepted, and more will be appreciated.
Details: Popcorn and hotdogs and other refreshments will be available for purchase. Movie-goers should bring their own chairs.

Published February 24, 2016

 

Did President Calvin Coolidge have lunch in Dade City?

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That’s a local legend, but the facts dispute that claim

Not a single historic marker — among more than 50 posted across Pasco County — refers to it, but there’s a longstanding legend that President Calvin Coolidge had lunch at the Gray Moss Inn in Dade City, during his visit to Florida to dedicate Bok Tower Gardens in Polk County.

Numerous sources document Dade City’s 126-year history.

Edward Bok and his wife, Mary Louise, are shown here with President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, on Feb. 1, 1929, the day that Coolidge spoke at the dedication ceremony at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. (Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)
Edward Bok and his wife, Mary Louise, are shown here with President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, on Feb. 1, 1929, the day that Coolidge spoke at the dedication ceremony at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales.
(Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)

Those accounts detail the world’s largest citrus processing plant (formerly Lykes Pasco Packing); Bill Larkin’s patented cattle underpass; and namesake Major Francis Langhorne Dade, who died on Dec. 28, 1835, when he and 100 of his men were ambushed, resulting in the first battle of the Second Seminole War.

But there is no record to substantiate Coolidge’s reputed visit to Dade City.

Here are facts that can be documented about Coolidge’s visit to Central Florida.

On Feb. 1, 1929, some 60 miles from Dade City, Coolidge dedicated Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida.

According to published reports, he had spent the previous evening at a private dinner party hosted by the Godfrey family, close relatives to First Lady Grace Anna Coolidge. The President departed on the morning of the dedication from 335 Ponce de Leon Place in Orlando.

Legend has it that President Calvin Coolidge ate lunch at the Gray Moss Inn in Dade City, but no documentation can be found to verify that claim (Courtesy of Helen Eck Sparkman Collection)
Legend has it that President Calvin Coolidge ate lunch at the Gray Moss Inn in Dade City, but no documentation can be found to verify that claim
(Courtesy of Helen Eck Sparkman Collection)

Known in the press as “Silent Cal,” a Commander-in-Chief of few words, the President told reporters: “(Bok) is dedicating it as a bird sanctuary and putting up these bells to interest the birds in music.”

Large crowds stopped the Presidential Train in Sanford to present gifts of citrus, and in Winter Park to present floral arrangements, according to published accounts.

Approximately 75,000 people came out to hear Coolidge dedicate Bok Tower Gardens, a gift to the American people from Edward Bok, the editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his autobiography.

The evening of the dedication, Florida Gov. Doyle E. Carlton attended a dinner in honor of the President and First Lady at Bok’s home.

Hours later, Coolidge and his wife headed back overnight to Washington on an Atlantic Coast Railway special.

Despite exhaustive research, it appears there are no records to prove that Coolidge ever set foot in Dade City.

Mittie Roberts Sumner with family members seated on the family porch, around 1908. (Courtesy of Susan Sumner Shelton)
Mittie Roberts Sumner with family members seated on the family porch, around 1908.
(Courtesy of Susan Sumner Shelton)

Julie Bartlett Nelson is the archivist for a collection of Coolidge documents and memorabilia, kept at Forbes Library in Northampton, Massachusetts. She was unable to find any travel logs or newspaper clippings about Dade City or the Gray Moss Inn in her archives.

Eve Bacon, who is now deceased, was a Central Florida historian who owned and edited her own newspaper during the 1950s in Orange County.

She published extensive documentation of Coolidge’s visit, tracking him from the Godfrey home in Orlando, to his departure from Bok’s home for a return trip to the nation’s capital.

That account is included in Bacon’s two-volume book, “Orlando, A Centennial History.” She describes everything from frontier gun battles to Cracker underworld kings to gators and buffaloes on Orange Avenue. But, there’s no mention of Coolidge visiting Dade City.

There are references to Coolidge’s visit in a book compiled for the Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee in 1992, and also a reference by Madonna Wise that was published in 2014.

Yet local newspaper accounts — in the Tampa Morning Tribune and the Dade City Banner — that were published during the period of Coolidge’s trip to Bok Tower do not mention the President making a detour to Dade City.

There also were unconfirmed “tips” that proved interesting.

This photograph is believed to be from the dedication day of Bok Tower Gardens on Feb. 1, 1929. (Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)
This photograph is believed to be from the dedication day of Bok Tower Gardens on Feb. 1, 1929.
(Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)

One was that the old guest registry of the Gray Moss Inn, purportedly signed by Coolidge, wound up in the hands of Dr. R. D. Sistrunk, who lived next door.

Another was that Coolidge had befriended the Dudley family and secretly made a trip to visit with them as the owners of the Gray Moss Inn.

But those could not be verified.

Interestingly enough, though, there was another link between Dade City and Edward Bok.

LeHeup Hill, south of Dade City, was one of the early sites considered by Bok along Fort King Road. At 240 feet above sea level, the hill named for the family that moved there in 1911, was among the leading candidates.

But negotiations with Bok broke down.

Fred T. Himmelwright proceeded with plans for an observation tower at LeHeup Hill. He spent nearly $8,000 in 1926 to erect his structure, which he opened as a public attraction.

Tourists enjoyed “a comfortable room, all glassed in, for cool or stormy weather,” the Dade City Banner reported. The room was “fitted up with chairs so that visitors may enjoy rest and the glorious scenery at the same time,” according to the newspaper.

And, tourists could purchase orange juice at “5 cents a glass,” the newspaper says.

While the rumor of a Coolidge visit persists, Gordon and Phyllis Gill, who have been managers of the Gray Moss Inn since the 1990s, have found no record of “Silent Cal” visiting there.

Before he died in 1933, Coolidge did return to Florida to spend a month at the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora.

As it turns out, George W. Bush is the only confirmed President who visited Pasco County during his presidency.

Bush was running for re-election and made a campaign stop in New Port Richey in October 2004. “W” shared the stage at Sims Park with his younger brother, then Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

By Doug Sanders

Local Sources
June Booth Farmer, now 83, was a little girl when her father worked as a citrus grove planter for Fred T. Himmelwright. She still has memories of Edward Bok ending his negotiations for LeHeup Hill.

  • Jeff Miller has maintained a website for the history of Pasco County at Fivay.org since 2001. He has scanned more than 1,500 articles from the Dade City Banner.
  • Susan Sumner Shelton is one of many descendants of the Sumner family. She is currently a board member of the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village in Dade City.

Coolidge facts
President Calvin “Silent Cal” Coolidge was the first sitting president to:

  • Fly in an airplane
  • Visit Cuba
  • Give a speech broadcast over the radio

 

Gray Moss Inn
The Gray Moss Inn, built in 1905, was initially a five-room cottage for Jefferson Davis “J.D.” Sumner and his family of nine children. One of that family’s descendants was Robert D. Sumner, a former county attorney. The structure, which is located in what is now the historic Church Street District in Dade City, still has its original stucco version of the Mediterranean Revival Style.

 

Bok Tower Gardens facts
Located in Lake Wales, Bok Tower Gardens is deemed one of America’s finest gardens. Its 205-foot Singing Tower, the architectural centerpiece of the gardens, offers daily carillon music concerts. Visitors can meander through spacious grounds of oaks, palms, azaleas, irises and camellias. The gardens and carillon tower are situated on Iron Mountain, which is one of the highest points in Florida at an estimated 295 feet above sea level.

Doug Sanders has a penchant for unearthing interesting stories about local history. His sleuthing skills have been developed through his experiences in newspaper and government work. If you have an idea for a future history column, contact Doug at .

 

Published August 19, 2015

 

EcoFest offers chance to learn, shop, eat, play

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Learn about making herbal salves, cleaning without chemicals or creating a butterfly garden.

Take part in a “Swamp Tromp,” or do a Wetland Wonder Walk.

Check out some live music, take a ride in a kayak, or grab a bite to eat.

Kayak rides are just some of the many offerings this weekend at Pasco EcoFest 2013. (Photo courtesy of Pasco EcoFest 2013)
Kayak rides are just some of the many offerings this weekend at Pasco EcoFest 2013. (Photo courtesy of Pasco EcoFest 2013)

Those are just a few of the myriad festivities that will be offered at Pasco EcoFest 2013. Thousands of people are expected to turn out for the three-day festival that begins Friday evening and runs through Sunday (Nov. 8-10).

This year’s festival is at two locations: Sims Park in downtown New Port Richey, and J. B. Starkey Park off State Road 54.

EcoFest, now in its third year, focuses on helping people learn how to live sustainable lives, said Kacey Atkinson, of the event organizers. To that end, it offers a wide array of free workshops.

There’s also plenty of fun for kids, including arts and crafts, recycling games, stargazing and geocaching.

Geocaching, which is a modern twist on an old-fashioned scavenger hunt, is a big draw. “It’s a huge deal,” Atkinson said, noting organizers expect 300 to 400 people to take part in that activity.

New this year is the Trash-n-Fashion Photo Shoot and the VW Show and Swap Meet. The Florida Modeling Network will host the Trash-n-Fashion photo shoot on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. Models and photographers will work out of Peace Hall, along with costumers, body painters, make-up and hair artists.

Costumes for the photo shoots will be fashioned out of recycled materials.

The LocalVolks on the Lake vintage Volkswagen show and swap meet, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature funky, vintage VWs. On Saturday night, Volkswagen enthusiasts are invited to cruise over to Dade City for a pre-jam party, in anticipation of Sunday’s Bug Jam.

Other highlights of Pasco EcoFest include an Eco Market, food trucks and locally brewed beer. Eco Market offers shoppers a chance to purchase locally made, grown and handcrafted items. A variety of food trucks will be on hand, and the Big Storm Brewing Co. will be serving its locally brewed microbrew.

EcoFest also is having a food drive in partnership with the Rec Center’s Youth Advisory Board and the Wellness Worship Center. The food drive will be in conjunction with the VW show.

Canned goods may be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the VW show registration tent located on Grand Boulevard near Bank Street.

Find the full schedule of events at www.PascoEcoFest.com.