KEEPING THE NEWS LOCAL & THE COMMUNITY CONNECTED.
FEBRUARY 2024
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VOLUME 5 EDITION 2
Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming Joins Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel on page 4 of this edition. is eagerly anticipating the arrival of Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming, set to join ISI Elite Training, Rita’s Italian Ice, Prime Barbershop, Rudraksh Indian Cuisine, and The Flats at Avalon Park. This exciting addition aims to transform the community into a vibrant hub, emphasizing entertainment and fostering diversity, making it a dynamic center for modern
ISI Elite Training is poised to offer state-ofthe-art fitness facilities and expert trainers, catering to residents seeking a healthconscious lifestyle. The addition of Rita’s Italian Ice will introduce frozen treats, enhancing the culinary landscape. Prime Barbershop, also on the horizon, plans to living. provide grooming services with a touch of More than just a pet store, Woof Gang Bakery sophistication, elevating the community’s and Grooming is a loving community lifestyle offerings. dedicated to the happiness and well-being of pets and their parents. This new addition Rudraksh Indian Cuisine is set to contribute to the community is gearing up to offer a diverse flavors to the dining scene, enriching new pet-centric establishment, providing the cultural tapestry of the area. In tandem, high-quality products and grooming The Flats at Avalon Park is gearing up to services. Read the complete press release offer modern apartment living, blending contemporary design with convenience. Only a limited number of spots of commercial space in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel remain available. Visit us at https://avalonparkwesleychapel. com/work/ to learn more.
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A Heart for History
I have always been fond of history in grade school, high school, and beyond. From a point of global history, America is a “young country,” and I always smile when in Central Florida a business advertises with “25th anniversary, “indicating they have been in business for a long time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud being of being more than a quarter of a century in business, APG is among those as well. However, being considered an “old business” is relative. In Switzerland, 25 years is commendable, but nothing compared with some private banks in Zurich or Geneva, who have been in business since the 16th century.
These days (on this or the other side of the Atlantic), I am quite often told “This is the most challenging time in History….” Well, after just celebrating my 60th birthday last month, I disagree.
I think all of us born in the last 60 years in the USA or Western Europe, have had the best time ever in history. Compared to somebody born around 1880 in Germany, the last 60 years have been awesome. If you were born in 1880 in Germany, during your life you had to go through 2 World Wars, and likely lost many of your family members and friends in those wars. Even if you were working hard, and saving money, hyperinflation wiped out all your savings, not once, but twice. While inflation these days is higher than usual, it does not compare with the days around 100 years ago in Germany. Yes, this was the time when a loaf of bread would cost 1 Reichsmark and during hyperinflation 1 billion Reichsmark or more. Retirees who had worked hard their entire lives could buy nothing on their monthly pension if they even had one. In contrast, Switzerland was founded in 1291 and will celebrate most of us in America or Switzerland have little fear its 733rd birthday this August 1st. Compare that that our life needs will not be satisfied tomorrow. to the US, which was founded in 1776 and will be celebrating its 248th birthday this July 4th. Going back to the last 25 years of history in Switzerland and the US have by and large the Avalon Park the population in the 3-mile radius same governmental structure with a House and surrounding today’s downtown Avalon Park Senate, independent states, and an independent was just cows. Today, approximately 30,000 men, court system. However, it was not the US copying women and children call the same radius home. Switzerland, it was Switzerland which in 1848 We all have been a part of making history over the reorganized its political system “borrowing” last 25 years in Pasco County, Florida. It always the concept from the US, which since has been reminds me that while companies come and go unchanged in both countries. Both countries never (although some can stay in business for a long had a King, which makes them unique in the time), a town like Avalon Park will be around forever. Western world. PUBLISHER Beat Kahli EDITOR Stephanie Lerret MANAGING EDITOR Marielle Fernandez ART DIRECTOR Kenzie Farrish
The Avalon Park Sun is published by Avalon Park Group. Interested in Advertising with us? Email Marketing@AvalonParkGroup.com or call 407.658.6565. 3801 Avalon Park East Blvd. #400 Orlando, FL 32828 www.AvalonParkSun.com
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Avalon Park Wesley Chapel Progress
For more information on leasing in Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, email: Marketing@AvalonParkGroup.com.
Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming Joins Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel Avalon Park Group/sitEX is excited to announce the newest addition to Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming. More than just a pet store, Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming is a loving community dedicated to the happiness and well-being of pets and their parents. At Woof Gang Bakery, personalized grooming services are complemented by a unique retail experience. The store features a gourmet bakery filled with all-natural treats made with love, along with the highest quality pet food options. With a boutique feel, Woof Gang Bakery ensures personalized services, treating every pet as if they were their very own. As part of the Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming family, the mission is to create the world’s largest network of neighborhood pet stores, touching the lives of pets and their communities with happiness and joy.
a joyful space aligns perfectly with our Live, Learn, Work, and Play vision. We believe that Woof Gang Bakery will become a cherished destination for pet owners and contribute to the overall vibrancy of our community.” Woof Gang Bakery’s commitment goes beyond exceptional products; their boutique store offers a warm and welcoming neighborhood experience where every pet is showered with love and attention. The foundation is built on quality, providing only the finest all-natural treats and gourmet food options, completely free of harmful ingredients. For more information about Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming and their services, please visit https://woofgangbakery.com or on social media with the handle @WoofGangBakery.
For more information on Avalon Park Wesley Chapel visit https://avalonparkwesleychapel. “We are committed to creating a safe and com or on social media with the handle @ joyful space for pets and pet lovers to come AvalonParkWesleyChapel. together, share stories, and make unforgettable memories,” shared Avi Nannival, the proud franchise owner. Beat Kahli, President and CEO of Avalon Park Group, shared his enthusiasm for Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming becoming part of the community: “We are delighted to welcome Woof Gang Bakery to Downtown Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. Their commitment to creating
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Tax Collector Mike Fasano Receives “2023 National Animal Care and Control Association’s Bill Lehman Memorial Award” On January 23, 2024, the Pasco Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution honoring Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano for receiving the “2023 National Animal Care and Control Association’s Bill Lehman Memorial Award.” In a presentation ceremony at the county commission chambers in New Port Richey, Tax Collector Mike Fasano was given the resolution by the county commission as well as the national award by Pasco’s Director of Animal Services Mike Shumate. The resolution lists many of his accomplishments in the field of animal welfare and protection including legislation he filed as a State Senator known as “Dexter’s Law,” which would have created a statewide animal abuse registry. While this bill did not pass, Pasco County and several other counties in Florida based their own registries on the language in Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s legislation. Additionally, the resolution mentions fundraisers held at the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office to support Pasco County’s
Animal Services department. In addition to county run programs, Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s charitable giving arm Pasco TC Gives has raised for and donated to over two-hundred thousand dollars to such diverse animal services organizations as the Pasco Sheriff’s K-9 Foundation, the Humane Society of Pasco County, the SPCA of the Suncoast, Southeastern Guide Dogs, Cindy’s Pets, CARES Pet Project and the Runaways Animal Shelter. “I was honored to be given the 2023 National Animal Care and Control Association’s Bill Lehman Memorial Award,” commented Tax Collector Mike Fasano following receipt of the award and resolution. “I accepted this National Award on behalf of all our employees at the Pasco Tax Collectors Office. Through their help, we have raised over $200,000 to help Pasco’s animals and their owners along with encouraging adoption and spreading public awareness of shelter and animal welfare initiatives.”
Pasco EDC Recognizes Employee Accomplishments Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) is excited to announce the promotion of two team members. Mr. Mike Bishop, previously Director of Stakeholder Engagement, now holds the position of Senior Vice President and Mr. Tom Ryan, previously Director of Business Development, now holds the position of Vice President of Business Development.
recruitment, but also helped him spearhead the creation of the Ready Sites Program in 2015. The Ready Sites program assesses and evaluates properties for industrial development and has recently seen great success with the sale of two properties to both an Amazon Robotic Sortation Center and a Bauducco Foods manufacturing facility.
Bishop is an entrepreneur at heart and founded Big Storm Brewing Co. in 2012 and has always had a passion for non-profits. During his tenure as CEO of Big Storm, he became an investor with Pasco EDC in 2015 and engaged in multiple committees over the years. In 2020 he made the switch and officially joined the Pasco EDC team. Bishop’s role focuses on fostering relationships with Pasco EDC investors and the business community through community engagements such as well-known events like NetFest and the Annual Awards. In his role as Senior Vice President, he will oversee all Business Development efforts including Business Recruitment as well as Business Retention and Expansion.
“I am proud of our entire team and honored to recognize Mike and Tom now as key leaders. We are a team of 13 and we are continuing to grow, with this growth it is important to have strong leadership,” shared Bill Cronin, President/CEO, Pasco EDC. “Mike and Tom provide valuable insight to our business development team to continue our work of promoting Pasco County to businesses as a place to start, move, and grow.”
Ryan previously worked in real estate for 16 years before joining Pasco EDC in 2012. In 2022, he obtained his Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), which is one of the highest achievements in the economic development profession. Ryan’s role focuses Learn more about Learn more about on project management and recruitment of new and Mike Bishop, here. Tom Ryan, here. expanding businesses in Pasco County’s target industry sectors. His experience in real estate not only plays a pivotal role in working with site selectors during project Meet the entire Pasco EDC team on our website, here.
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ISI Elite Training Wesley Chapel Coming Together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is success. At ISI Elite Training our goal is to push you to be the best version of yourself while working with others alongside you. There are 6 essential benefits for joining ISI Elite Training:
strength, endurance, and confidence. Each day of the week focuses on a different muscle group to allow your muscles to recover while still working out. Our muscle group for the day of the week will change each quarter to keep you on your toes. Workouts will never be the same back to back to keep the body guessing and optimize your results. We expect to open April/ May 2024! Be the first to know about our founding membership rates, grand opening details, and enter our raffle for Free Buddy Passes here: www.isielitetrainingwesleychapel. com! If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to: wesleychapel.fl@isielitetraining.com.
Follow us on all social media Instagram: @isi.wesleychapel WE ARE DIFFERENT! Our workout consists of 50 Tik Tok: @isi.wesleychapl minutes to burn up to 1,000 calories while gaining Facebook: ISI Wesley Chapel
Tax Collector Mike Fasano Announces an Exciting New Service for Customers! “It is my pleasure to announce that our staff and the state have been working together to make a vehicle registration renewal kiosk available to our customers,” Tax Collector Mike Fasano announces as Pasco’s first-ever self-serve kiosk for processing vehicle registration renewals becomes operational. “We understand that many times the only transaction a customer may have is the annual renewal of their vehicle registration. The kiosk will allow them to dash into the grocery store either during a regular shopping trip or just while out running errands, thus saving the time of driving, and waiting at one of our offices. It is exciting that this new service may save our customers time, gasoline and potentially the inconvenience of travelling far to one of our full-service locations.” The kiosk is in the Publix Supermarket at Collier Commons, 2121 Collier Parkway, Land O’Lakes FL 34639. We have placed the kiosk inside the Publix Supermarket at the entrance near the customer service counter and the pharmacy to make the transaction safe and secure. The kiosk is available to the public during store hours. Vehicle registration renewals are the only transaction the kiosk is currently designed to complete, saving customers a visit to their local tax collector’s office. If you are interested in renewing your vehicle’s registration at the kiosk you must bring the following information with you:
• National Guard license plate renewals. • Autonomous vehicles • Government vehicles • IRP Registrations Accepted form of payment: American Express, Discover, Mastercard, & Visa. **Debit/Credit Card ONLY** The new registration and decal will be printed at the kiosk once the customer has entered their information. If there is a driver license stop, toll stop, or insurance stop, the customer will receive a message from the kiosk. If the kiosk is unable to process the transaction and the registration is not able to be issued, the kiosk will notify the customer. The kiosk charges a 2.3% fee for use of a credit card AND a $3.95 flat fee for renewing at the kiosk. Customers can still make a voluntary donation to one of the many authorized charities just as they are listed on the back of the renewal notice. The kiosk does ask the customer to verify the vehicle and plate they are renewing as well as the fees before the transaction is completed. It also asks the customer if there are any address changes, if they answer yes, the transaction cannot be completed. If they answer no, it continues. If the registration qualifies, the kiosk does offer a 1-year or 2-year renewal to the customer.
• PIN from registration renewal notice or license plate number If a customer has a and first Registrant’s date of birth. • Registrations in a business name can only be renewed with question or problem, the PIN since there is not a date of birth linked to the record. they may contact the Kiosk Customer Care IMPORTANT: The following registrations are NOT eligible to Number which is: 1-833939-1572. be renewed at the kiosk: • Registration renewals that require an address change. • Registration renewals that replace a license plate. • Registration renewals that have insurance, driver license, or toll suspensions. • Vessel(boat)registration renewals. • Mobile home registration renewals. • Heavy trucks that require a Florida Certificate of Insurance or IRS Heavy Vehicle Use Tax “2290”. • Personalized plate reservations. • Parking permit or placard renewals.
“It is our hope that for those interested in using this service,” comments Tax Collector Mike Fasano, “that the kiosk will prove to be an easy and efficient way to complete this necessary task in a quick and convenient manner.”
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SMARTstart to Host Fourth Annual GROW Pasco Event for Entrepreneurs SMARTstart is hosting GROW Pasco to help educate business owners throughout Pasco County and provide an environment to network with like-minded entrepreneurs. The event will take place on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at the brand-new Saint Leo University Wellness Center in San Antonio, Florida. The event will feature 15 breakout sessions led by over 25 business professionals. The speakers will be covering a wide variety of session topics on areas such as marketing and social media, artificial intelligence, and valuable local resources for businesses. TECO Energy is the Title Sponsor of the event, click here to view all event sponsors.
three Entrepreneur Centers across Pasco County to provide opportunities to best suit their needs. The event is hosted in partnership with the Pasco Enterprise Network (PEN), a group of resource partners involved in the SMARTstart program who provide valuable guidance to entrepreneurs as they navigate the business landscape; there will also be a panel discussion at the event to highlight these PEN Partners. “GROW Pasco provides engaging opportunities for entrepreneurs that are looking to start or grow a business in Pasco County. The session topics are hand-picked from input previous attendees have shared to cover the wants and needs of local businesses,” shared Bill Cronin, Pasco EDC President/CEO. “We are especially excited to host this year’s event at the recently opened Saint Leo University Wellness Center. This state-of-the-art facility is beautiful, and the event is a perfect opportunity for the community to see the facility and learn more about their entrepreneurial journey.” The lunch session will feature keynote speaker Colonel Jay Powers, COO of the Tampa Bay Wave. His presentation is titled “Lead Your Way to Entrepreneurial Success” and will discuss how leadership and self-care underpin organizational growth and success.
The Pasco EDC entrepreneurship program, SMARTstart, is Penny for Pasco supported and features an innovative suite of programs that provides the tools growing businesses need for long-term success in areas like funding, education, guidance, collaboration, and workspace. SMARTstart has helped create over 500 jobs and currently has 54 incubator members. The members’ businesses vary from multiple types of food businesses cooking in the commercial kitchen in Dade City to 3-D printing and technology companies at The Grove in Wesley Chapel. All members have access to the
“GROW Pasco provided me the opportunity to gain knowledge, network, and create meaningful connections in an environment with leaders and decision makers that impact our community,” shared Sandra Daniels, Evolve Enterprises, LLC Owner/Founder and a 2023 GROW Pasco attendee. To learn more about the sessions being offered at GROW Pasco and to register, visit https://pascoedc.com/events/ details/grow-pasco-2024. The cost is $45 per person and includes a continental breakfast and seated lunch.
During the Month of November 2023 Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s Offices Collected Over $6,000 to Support St. Vincent de Paul CARES During the month of November 2023 Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices featured St. Vincent de Paul CARES, an organization dedicated primarily to ending homelessness, especially among the veteran population. A total of $6,050.00 was collected and presented to St. Vincent de Paul CARES following the fundraising drive. These funds will be dedicated to finding homes for veterans who currently do not have a permanent place to live.
with permanent solutions. With many thanks to a very generous community who donated to our efforts, we hope that those who sacrificed their time and safety to keep our nation safe and free will no longer find themselves living in the woods or on the streets.”
For more information about St. Vincent de Paul CARES please contact Merrell Dickey, Chief of Development at (727) 201-9875 or visit www.svdpsp.org. For more information about the promotional and charitable giving “On behalf of the entire staff of St. Vincent de Paul CARES,” programs at the tax collector’s office please contact comments Merrell Dickey, Chief of Development, “thank Assistant Tax Collector Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179 or you so much for the incredibly generous donation to visit www.pascotaxes.com. support ending homelessness, and your partnership, which supports US Veterans, individuals, and families facing the trauma of homelessness with solutions-based programs that set them on the road to long-term success. Together, we are ending homelessness, making it rare, brief, and one-time.” “It was a blessing to feature St. Vincent de Paul CARES as our November Charity-of-the-Month,” remarks Tax Collector Mike Fasano. “It is unacceptable that men and women who put on the uniform of the United States Armed Forces should one day find themselves homeless. Thankfully, organizations such as St. Vincent de Paul CARES are helping to address this problem
PHOTO – Administrative staff from the Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s Office join Merrell Dickey, representing St. Vincent de Paul CARES, for the check presentation. From left to right: Crystal Moore, T.C. Daerda, Michelle VanCuren, Merrell Dickey, Greg Giordano, and Janet Oroz
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Coming together to create a healthy community
COMMUNITY CORNER
Marielle@AvalonParkGroup.com
