New Tampa Neighborhood News October Issue

Volume 21 Issue 21

Inside: Celebrating Wolf’s Den & Mobile Meals!

October 12, 2013

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Bruce B. Downs ‘Segment D’ Widening Could Begin In 2017

By Matt Wiley The previously unfunded final segment of the widening of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in New Tampa could begin sometime in 2017.

According to the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), BBD “Segment D,” which will widen the road from four to eight lanes from Pebble Creek Dr. to County Line Rd. and is estimated to cost more than $11 million, is ranked second on the MPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan and is part of the MPO’s 2014-15 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Adopted on September 3, the TIP is used by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to identify where to implement funding for the list of transportation priority projects throughout the county.

Spokesperson Kris Carson explains that FDOT will be using funds from its Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP funds) to help the county pay for the project, matching what Hillsborough will pay with its own local funding.

FDOT has set aside $2,638,918 for fiscal year 2017 to match the county’s amount in that agreement, but the county is then responsible for the rest of the cost, approximately $5.7 million.

“FDOT currently is in the process of creating the ‘tentative’ work program,” Carson says. “The county has asked if we can advance this project, if possible.

(FDOT) may be able to provide additional funding, but that is still being reviewed.”

Hillsborough Public Works Department spokesman Steve Valdez says that the county still is working out cooperative funding with FDOT. The final segment of the BBD widening project has been funded for design, Valdez says, but the right-of-way acquisition and construction phases remain unfunded.

Valdez explains that more county funds might be available for the final segment, depending upon the bids that are received from contractors for the next segment of BBD widening — from Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms 3.58 miles south to Bearss Ave., also known as Segment C, which is estimated to cost $30 mil-

lion and which could begin construction as soon as the spring of 2014.

Valdez says that the Request for Proposals (RFP) for that segment should go out late in the fall of this year. Depending upon how much of the cost of construction is paid for by the contractor that is awarded the project, Valdez says that the county could then have more funds available for Segment D. Valdez also explains that the delay in funding for the final segment of BBD widening has in part been due to a lack of resources and a high demand for road improvement projects throughout the The portion of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in yellow county. (aka “Segment D”) above is the last phase of BBD to Currently, when driving north be widened. The project likely won’t begin before 2017. on BBD, the recently completed eight lanes of widened roadway from Dona in Tampa Palms), which won’t be widened Michelle Dr. north to Pebble Creek Dr. until the widening of the interstate overfunnel back down to four lanes (two in each passes is completed, which still is expected direction) approaching Regents Park Dr., to be by the end of the year. Pasco County similar to the area of BBD under I-75 (from has widened BBD to six lanes from County Doña Michelle Dr. to in front of the 7-11 Line Rd. to S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel.

Leukemia Society Fund Raiser For Marlana Draws A Crowd At The Palms

By Gary Nager It was a great night for Peabody’s Palms Lounge in Tampa Palms, and an amazing feeling that still lingers today, as the Deacon Blues Band performed for nearly three hours at a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Tampa Bay fund raiser in honor of Marlana Lacivita, the Busch Gardens dance captain who refuses to let her own year-long battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma keep her from dancing — or enjoying an amazing evening with great friends,

some of whom she had never met before the event on Sept. 28.

Organized by my friend and Deacon Blues keyboard player Bernie Desrosiers, the Leukemia Society fund raiser in honor of Marlana was attended by nearly 200 people, who each gladly made a $5 donation to hear and see one of the New Tampa area’s most beloved local bands.

The highlight of the evening was surely the appearance of Marlana herself, See “Marlana” on page 54.

Also Inside This Issue!

Pages 47-60

ECRWSS

Pages 1-46

Busch Gardens Tampa dance captain Marlana Lacivita (above) was on hand to enjoy the Leukemia Society fund raiser held in her honor at Peabody’s Palms Lounge on Sept. 28. (Right) Marlana is greeted by Deacon Blues keyboardist & event organizer Bernie Desrosiers.

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‘Imagine’ Hillsborough In 2040, Make Strides FHWC Hosts Inaugural Women’s Health Day At Against Breast Cancer At Wiregrass Mall On Saddlebrook, Our 2013 Dining Survey & Oct. 19, Texting & Driving Ban In Full Effect, Contest, Mobile Meals Brings The Restaurant To Lots Of Local Business Features & More!

You, Plus Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes!

Dated Material Please Rush!

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NEWS, BUSINESS, SPORTS & EDUCATION UPDATES

Celebrating With Two Of My Most Politically Active Friends I’ve always said that the people in this community who get involved in causes — whether it’s to help their favorite nonprofit organization, serve as a volunteer Board member of a PTA or Chamber of Commerce or run for political office — are people I appreciate, even when/if I disagree with them.

To me, being involved is better than sitting at home complaining about what is or isn’t happening in our community.

Two of the people I have appreciated a lot over the nearly 20 years I have been the owner and editor of this publication have a lot in common, despite their different ages and backgrounds.

Both Joseph Caetano and former State Rep. Shawn Harrison have been extremely politically active people who are former chairs of the Tampa Palms Community Development District Board of Supervisors, as well as former District 7 (which includes all of the incororated areas of New Tampa) representatives on the Tampa City Council. Both men also have lost elections — Harrison for a citywide City Council seat and for the State Legislative district which includes New Tampa (now known as District 63) and Caetano for both the Hillsborough County Commission and the Hillsborough School Board.

Both also are long-time friends of not only mine, but of the entire New Tampa area — and both recently held celebrations that I attended.

Harrison (R-New Tampa) has announced that he is running again for the

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Publisher & Editor Gary Nager General Manager Nikki Bennett Assistant Editor / Photographer Matt Wiley Correspondents Benjamin Carter • Bonnie Mason Lauren Saslow • Kathleen Schiop Senior Graphic Designer Porsha Lemos Advertising Sales Rep Taylor Gardner

The ‘Mayor Of New Tampa’ Turns 80!

Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist recently attended Shawn Harrison’s campaign kickoff (left) & Joseph Caetano’s birthday party.

yours truly, Crist, Caetano and his daughters Caron and Jacquie (as well as a few other family members) at the Bonefish Grill in Carrollwood.

Caetano, who is still fighting the good fight by trying to get another fire station built along County Line Rd. (a station that is in the city’s long-range plans, but not currently funded) and other improvements for our area, also is, of course, the long-time former owner of the Bostonian Hair Studios in New Tampa.

Joseph and I have had some ups and downs over these 20 years, but the bottom line is that he’s been a good friend, so I simply couldn’t ignore him reaching such an important milestone.

Looking good, too, Joseph!

Happy Birthday, J-Man!

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention another major milestone, this one involving a member of my family.

My older son Jared recently turned 25 and I’m proud that my kid (and fellow University of Florida alum) has continued to grow, both as a man and as a sales and marketing professional. We could sure use his talents here at the New Tampa Neighborhood News. Just saying.

Unfortunately, my younger son Jake wasn’t available to celebrate Jared’s birthday with us because he was at that other state university in Tallahassee (which Jared and I try to not hold against him), where Jake, 21, is completing his senior year.

Caetano was among those in attendance at Harrison’s kickoff event and although Caetano’s not currently running for political office himself, the man who once led a campaign to de-annex New Tampa from the City of Tampa and incorporate as Hillsborough County’s fourth municipality (Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace are the others) did celebrate a major milestone last week.

“The ‘Mayor of New Tampa’ turns 80!,” exclaimed District 2 Hillsborough County Commission member Victor Crist during the small celebration that included

Table of Contents

LOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS, EDUCATION & SPORTS UPDATES..............................Pages 1-42

‘Imagine’ Hillsborough County In 2040..............................................4 New Tampa News Briefs...................................................................6 Make Strides Against Breast Cancer On Oct. 19 At Wiregrass Mall Texting & Driving Banned On Florida Roads Zephyrhills Woman Dies In New Tampa Crash New Tampa Community Calendar.....................................8

Local Business Updates.................................10-46

Nothing that appears in New Tampa Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by New Tampa Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisements for Volume 21, Issue 23, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, October 28, 2013.

New Tampa Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. New Tampa Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. New Tampa Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. © 2013 JM2 Communications, Inc.

Neighborhood News

An editorial by Gary Nager District 63 seat in the Florida House, against the man who defeated him — Democrat and current District 63 Rep. (and fellow New Tampa resident) Mark Danish. To that end, Shawn and his wife Susan and their family held a reception for 30-40 supporters and friends at Hunter’s Green Country Club the same day (Sept.

26) as the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo (see page 38) to officially kick off his campaign against Danish, an election being held in 2014.

“I still feel I can do a good job serving in the State Legislature and want a rematch (against Rep. Danish),” Harrison told me that night. “The decisions made in Tallahassee still affect us here on a local level and I feel confident I can build coalitions in the legislature to get some of our problems throughout our District corrected.” More than 20 Republican Florida House members already have thrown Harrison their support, as have State Senators John Legg and Bill Galvano, and Hillsborough County Commision members Victor Crist, Ken Hagan, Mark Sharpe and Sandy Murman.

For more information about Shawn Harrison and his campaign, visit ShawnHarrison.com.

Energia Wellness Studio Offers A Personal Approach To Zen..10 Brighter Days Counseling Can Help Work Out Your Issues....12 St. Andrew Presbyterian Church Puts God First......................16 Dr. Greg At Children’s Dentistry - A New Tampa Original!....20 Land O’Lakes Primary Care & Wellness Center.......................24 New Tampa Eye Institute Helps You See Clearly.....................28 Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube..................................................30 Once Upon A Child Kids Consignment Store.........................34 New Tampa Chamber Hosts Successful Business Expo...........38

Local Sports Updates..........................................42

Wharton Football Sits Atop District

Neighborhood Magazine

FHWC Hosts Inaugural Women’s Health Day...................... 47 Mobile Meals Brings Area Restaurants To Your Door..............48 Wolf’s Den — Our Area’s Favorite Neighborhood Diner!.......50 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes’...............................52 Enter Our 2013 Dining Survey & Contest................55-56

NEW TAMPA COLOR CLASSIFIEDS....................58

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 21 • October 12, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Help The Planning Commission Imagine Hillsborough In 2040

By Matt Wiley More than 25 years from now, Hillsborough County (especially New Tampa) could be hardly recognizable. With abundant growth projected for the region’s future, anything can happen. However, the groups in charge of setting plans in motion to shape the area’s future want to know what you want to see when the calendar reads January 1, 2040. By just filling out an online survey between now and Sunday, October 20, Hillsborough County residents can weigh in on how they want to see the county grow.

During a special presentation at the New Tampa Regional Library on September 16, Tony LaColla, a senior planner for the Hillsborough County Planning Commission (HCPC) gave several New Tampa residents an idea of the different ways that the county could grow, as the HCPC and Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) begin to prepare their long-range plan for 2040, entitled “Imagine 2040.”

In years past, both the HCPC and MPO have updated their respective master and long-range plans every other year.

This year, the two organizations decided to combine the process into one.

“Imagine 2040” puts the county’s residents in charge of deciding how they would like to see the region grow, as the population — which currently sits at about 1.3 million — is expected to rise by another 400,000-600,000 people in the next 25 years, according to HCPC estimates. LaColla said the current growth boundary — an imaginary boundary line that helps determine zoning and land use decisions — only allows for about 67,000 more new homes.

“Twenty-five years ago, there was a lot of scrub brush in New Tampa,” LaColla said. “Now, there are a lot of homes. A lot can change in 25 years.”

LaColla laid out three scenarios for the growing county: the “Suburban Dream,” “Bustling Metro” and “New Corporate Centers.”

In the “Suburban Dream,” LaColla

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Above are artists’ renderings of how the three different Imagine 2040 scenarios (l.-r., “Suburban Dream,” “Bustling Metro” and “New Corporate Centers”) could appear, although the actual growth of the county would likely be some combination of the plans. said that growth will just be business as around the county by adding toll lanes in today,” LaColla said. “We’re trying to colusual — development will continue the interstate medians. The toll lanes would lect input from citizens to create the best way it has for the past several years, with be used to connect economic centers inhybrid scenario of these options.” most new homes built in suburban-style cluding downtown, Westshore and USF, District 7 Tampa City Council memcommunities and with new jobs spread as well as others that would be developed ber Lisa Montelione encourages New across the county in small office parks. along both I-75 and I-4. Homes would Tampa residents to take part in the survey.

Traveling would be done mostly by follow those centers. The growth bound“This process is one of the only times automobile and would require the widenary would expand, as would the existing that citizens get to give their input on ing of existing roads, bigger intersections roads and infrastructure systems. long-range plans,” Montelione says. with overpass-style interchanges and other However, with each growth option “Usually, input is only heard on shortadvanced traffic management systems. come a different set of pros and cons, term issues in public hearings. Imagine The growth boundary would have to be which the “Imagine 2040” survey 2040 is a chance to really have a say about expanded into rural and agricultural lands demonstrates in twelve different cateyou want to see in the area in the future.” to allow room for new homes and busigories, including job creation, traffic delay, Residents are encouraged to parnesses and infrastructure would have to infrastructure cost, water use and redevelticipate in the online survey by visiting expand to meets demands. opment potential, among others.

Imagine2040.org, which also features The “Bustling Metro” scenario paints “No matter what we do, infrastrucmore detailed versions of each scenario, a slightly different picture. Instead of the ture cost is going to be more than it is as well as the pros and cons of each. current growth in the county, new homes, shopping and services would be built in mixed-use centers around bus and train stations, while older shopping areas would be revitalized. The bulk of the jobs would mostly remain in the current business districts (Downtown, Westshore, USF), but new buildings also would be added. Mass transit would play a much more significant role in the region and could include bus, rail, shuttles and bicycles. The “Bustling Metro” option would not require changing the growth boundary and would allow for the conservation of rural and agricultural lands.

Finally, there is the “New Corporate Center” option, which would see a dynamic change in the way people get

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 21 • October 12, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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N EW T AMPA Make Strides Against Breast Cancer On October 19!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, as always, there are several local events that help raise money that goes toward the research for a cure for the disease that has killed millions. One of the biggest of these events across the nation each year is the American Cancer Society (ACS)’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” 5K walk, which will again be held locally on Saturday, October 19, at the Shops at Wiregrass mall.

At our press time, 532 people on 95 teams already were on board and had raised more than $25,000 for the cause from both individuals and companies, including the office of Pasco County comptroller and clerk of court Paula O’Neil (who announced in May that she was battling the deadly disease), the Pasco County Sheriff ’s Office (PCSO) and, of course, the mall itself.

“This year is very comparable to previous years,” says Jannah McDonald, the local ACS community rep. “But, we still need more corporate sponsorship and more teams.”

This year marks the fourth that local pink-bra-wearing participants will march a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course that this year will take them from the mall out to and around Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) twice and back to the mall (there also is a 3K, or 1.8-mile walk available) and the 11th year it has been held in Pasco County, but it is just one of about 300 ‘Making Strides’ events held across the U.S. Last year, the Wiregrass

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News Briefs

event raised more than $190,000, but organizers hope to raise more than $220,000 this year. ‘Making Strides’ events raise more than $60-million for cancer research each year.

To participate, call 949-0291 or visit MakingStrides.ACSevents.org & enter your zip code.

Texting & Driving Ban Now In Effect

If you’re on New Tampa roads, or any Florida road for that matter, stay off your phone. Or, off of the keyboard, at least, as Florida’s texting and driving ban has gone into effect. However, there are some exceptions.

On October 1, Florida became the 41st state to actively ban texting and driving. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), 3,400 crashes resulted from distraction by an electronic device in the state last year, 24 of which resulted in fatalities.

Considered a non-moving violation, texting and driving carries with it different fines in different counties. For example, if texting and driving in New Tampa (Hillsborough), the fine amounts to $103, but, if texting in Wesley Chapel (Pasco), the fine is $114.

However, texting and driving is considered a “secondary offense,” which means that traffic authorities cannot pull a person over simply for texting and driving.

If a person commits another traffic violation and is discovered to be texting in the process or the officer believes that the violation was caused by someone texting and driving, the driver is then susceptible to the accompanying fine.

“Enforcing and educating all drivers about the dangers of texting and driving is important,” said FHP director Col. David Brierton in an October 1 press release.

“There are three things to remember to keep you safe while driving: keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road and your mind on driving.”

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration a driver who texts and drives is approxi-

mately 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash.

The Florida law, State Statute 316.305, reads, “A person may not operate a motor vehicle while manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols, or other characters into a wireless communications device or while sending or reading data on such a device for the purpose of non-voice interpersonal communication, including, but not limited to, communication methods known as texting, e-mailing, and instant messaging.”

It continues, “As used in this section, the term ‘wireless communications device’ means any handheld device used or capable of being used in a handheld manner, that is designed or intended to receive or transmit text or character-based messages, access or store data, or connect to the Internet or any communications service as defined in s. 812.15 and that allows text communications. For the purposes of this paragraph, a motor vehicle that is stationary is not being operated and is not subject to the prohibition in this paragraph.”

By that logic, if stopped at a stoplight, a driver cannot be cited for texting and driving, although, of course, sitting at a light that has turnewd green while texting can still cause a traffic accident.

Also, a driver cannot be fined if that person is the operator of an emergency vehicle; reporting an emergency or criminal activity to law enforcement; receiving messages that are related to the operation or navigation of the vehicle, safety-related info (emergency, traffic or weather alerts), data used by the vehicle or radio broadcasts; using a device for navigation or using the device hands-free.

For more info, please visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles’ website at FLHSMV.gov.

North Tampa Behavioral Health Opens To Patients

As of October 1, North Tampa Behavioral Health (NTBH), the area’s newest medical facility, officially is open to patients.

The 53,000-sq.-ft., 75-bed facility, which is located on S.R. 56 about a half mile east of Mansfield Blvd. on a Wire-

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grass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI) outparcel, serves the mental health needs of the surrounding community, providing care for geriatric, general adult, and dual diagnosis patients who may check into the facility themselves, be checked in by family members or other providers for emotional or psychiatric concerns, or be transported to the facility under the Florida Mental Health Act, more commonly known as the “Baker” Act, which allows for a person to be involuntarily committed for up to 72 hours if there is evidence that they are a danger to themselves or others.

The facility also can eceive Florida Substance Abuse & Impairment Act (aka, the “Marchman Act”) patients. Those who fall into the Marchman Act category are subject to the same treatment as Baker Act patients.

For more info, please visit NorthTampaBehavioralHealth.com.

Zephyrhills Woman Dies In New Tampa Crash

A woman is dead following an earlymorning head-on collision in New Tampa.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), just before 4 a.m. on September 20, Kunjummen Arun Babu, 18, of Zephyrhills, was driving north on Morris Bridge Rd. near Pictoral Park Dr., about half of a mile north of Cross Creek Blvd. in his 2010 Honda Accord. At the same time, Rita Marie Sutliff, 68, also of Zephyrhills, was driving south on Morris Bridge in her 2012 Ford Explorer. Both vehicles were traveling at about 50 m.p.h.

HCSO detectives state that Babu drove out of his lane and drifted into the southbound lane of Morris Bridge Rd., striking Sutliff’s vehicle head-on. The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) Heavy Rescue Unit responded to remove Sutliff from her vehicle, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Babu was transferred to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

HCSO says that both drivers were wearing seatbelts and that drugs and alcohol did not appear to be factors in the crash, which remains under investigation.— MW

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October 2013

MOMS Club Of New Tampa - The MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club of New Tampa is currently open to new members in the New Tampa area. The MOMS Club offers a variety of daytime activities for mothers and their children, opportunities for Moms’ Nights Out and many more benefits. For more information, or to join the club, email MomsClubNewTampa@gmail.com.

Sunday, October 13

Zen Meditation Group - Enjoy meditation? Looking for a new way to relax? Check out the FREE Zen Meditation Group that meets Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Arbor Greene Community Center (18000 Arbor Greene Dr., off Cross Creek Blvd.) Aerobics Room. People of all faiths are welcome. You only need an interest in meditation and a more peaceful and relaxed mind and life. For more info, call Jeremy at 528-6285.

Monday, October 14

Community Acupuncture - A Monday night community acupuncture and discussion group is forming at Ion Medi-Spa (8903 Regents Park Dr., Suite 130), 6:30 p.m. Topics include needle-free acupuncture, facial rejuvenation and stop smoking and customized weight-loss programs. For more info, call 960-8833 or visit IonMediSpa.com.

Tuesday, October 15

formation, visit FoodAddicts.org or call Roz at 355-4197.

CBC Networking - Come together with like-minded professionals at the Christian Business Connections (CBC) Networking group, which meets every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church (located at 5338 Primrose Lake Cir. near the New Tampa Community Park in Tampa Palms) for a “meet & greet,” followed by a meeting, .

For more info, email Shawn@TPACorp.com.

New Tampa Tri Club - The New Tampa Tri Club is open to runners, swimmers, cyclists and triathletes across the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. The club hosts group bike rides/runs at Flatwoods Wilderness Park (13330 Morris Bridge Rd.) every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 a.m. For additional information, join the Facebook group or email NewTampaTriClub@gmail.com.

Friday, October 18

GriefShare - This video-seminar-support group is for anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one. The cost is $20 for a workbook and 13 sessions, begin any week to find healing and hope. The group meets Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Lake Magdalene Methodist Church (2902 W. Fletcher Ave., Room 310). For information/registration, call 963-1555.

Saturday, October 19

Wednesday, October 16

BNI Millionaire Makers - The BNI Millionaire Makers chapter meets every Wednesday at Pebble Creek Golf Club at 7:15 a.m. (10550 Regents Park Dr., off BBD Blvd.). The $13 meeting fee includes a hot breakfast. Contact Lisa Jordan at 621-6015 for more details.

Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business professionals dedicated to helping their respective businesses grow through qualified referrals, meets every Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Club clubhouse (18630 Plantation Bay Dr., off Morris Bridge Rd.). For more info, call Ed Gleason at 299-4475.

New Tampa Noon Rotary - The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets every Wednesday for lunch at noon at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Guests are always welcome.

New Tampa Evening Rotary Club - The New Tampa Evening Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. at Hunter’s Green Country Club. New members are always welcome. For info, call Liz DeAmbrose at 956-6487 or email homenet@gte.net.

Tampa Toastmasters - Great speeches & great topics. Come hone your public speaking skills. Tampa Toastmasters meets every Wednesday 7 p.m. at Pebble Creek Golf Club (10550 Regents Park Dr.) New guests are always welcome. For more information, call 428-6356.

New Tampa Rotary Club - The original New Tampa Rotary Club meets for breakfast at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPGCC, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). The guest speaker will be Tim Jordan, speaking about the BP oil spill.

For more information, call Eric Longphee at 202-1105.

New Tampa Dog Pack - Do you have a dog? Enjoy scenic nature walks? Join the New Tampa Dog Pack on Saturday mornings at 8:30 a.m at Flatwoods Wilderness Park (at the 18205 BBD entrance) and on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at Compton Park (16101 Compton Dr., Tampa Palms). For more info, please visit MeetUp.com/New-Tampa-Dog-Pack.

‘We Work’ At Lifepoint Church - “We Work,” will meet at Lifepoint Church (8702 Hunter’s Lake Dr.) at 8:45 a.m. and is designed to help you search for jobs, improve interview skills, write a resume, negotiate a job offer, improve your attitude, develop networking skills and discover your gifts. For more info, visit LifepointChurch.tv/WeWork or call 907-9818 ext. 14.

Friday, October 25

Tampa Fisher House Golf Classic - The Pebble Creek Golf Club will host this year’s golf tournament to benefit the Tampa Fisher House, the residence providing free housing & meals to the families of injured military veterans treated at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital (on BBD, south of Fletcher Ave.). Tournament registration & catered lunch begin at 11:30 a.m., with a 12:30 shotgun start. The cost to play is $125 per golfer (includes cart, lunch, dinner & more); sponsorships are available, too. For info, call Valerie Casey at 317-8886 (or email valcasey3@aol.com) or Barry Schuman at (516) 523-2678.

November 2013 Sunday, November 10

English As A Second Language (ESL) - This group meets Thursday mornings at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church, located at 19911 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., from 9-11:45 a.m. Classes are taught by a native English speaker using several ESL and Bible study resources. Come, practice your conversational English and make new friends in a fun and relaxed environment! The cost is $20 each quarter, which covers the workbook and class materials. For more information, or to register, call Heather at 753-8567.

“Sunset At The OASIS” - Outreach Assisting Students in Schools (OASIS) will present “Sunset at the OASIS,” a FREE family movie night beginning at 4:30 p.m. and featuring fun and games and the feature film “Dolphin Tale” at the Louis Benito Middle School (10101 Cross Creek Blvd.) soccer fields. This family-friendly event is free to attend, however tax-deductible donations (monetary or in the form of new or gently-used children’s school clothing) will be greatly appreciated. For more information about OASIS and “Sunset at the Oasis,” call (727) 520-6390 or visit OASIS-Network.Org.

Food Addicts In Recovery Anonymous (FA) - Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous is a support group without any dues, fees or weigh-ins and is based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. FA meets at Florida Hospital Tampa at (on BBD) in the Camelot A room at 7 p.m. For additional in-

Northeast Tampa Women In Business Meeting - The Northeast Tampa Women in Business group meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). Visit NETWIB.org or call 843-2354.

Thursday, October 17

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Thursday, November 14

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 21 • October 12, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Energia Wellness Studio Offers A More Personal Approach To ‘Zen’

By Lauren Saslow It’s 6 p.m. on a Monday. You want to make it from October through the holidays without gaining weight or feeling the stress of the season. You slide into the studio after fighting rush hour traffic just in time for a yoga class and manage to find a tiny spot on the floor amidst a class of more than 20 students. This does not feel very relaxing. You are not feeling very “Zen.” When Brazilian-born Virna Lichter (an American Council on Exercise or ACE Certified Personal Trainer who is also certified in CPR and AED) began developing the concept for her own yoga and wellness studio more than a year ago, she wanted to ensure that she created a truly relaxing space that would offer individualized client attention, small class sizes and well-trained health and fitness professionals. Today, Lichter’s Energia Wellness Studio (located in Seven Oaks off of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel) finally came to fruition this fall and includes not only yoga classes, but also one-on-one personal training sessions, Brazilian cardio dance classes, meditation classes, massage therapy, and a uniquely eco-friendly Brazilian boutique.

Lichter, who moved to the U.S. to earn her B.A. in Physical Education from the University of California at Berkeley, and now possesses more than 15 years of experience in the corporate fitness industry (she has worked for companies such as Verizon,

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TECO and Aegon Transamerica Foundation) originally became interested in body conditioning through karate and judo classes. The certificate for her Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do is now proudly displayed on the wall above her minimalist front desk space at the studio.

Lichter also describes how the addition of yoga into her fitness routine positively impacted her life in recent years.

“I started doing yoga four and a half years ago,” she says. “It helped eliminate my migraines and offered me improved balance and overall wellness.”

Lichter adds that once clients walk through the door at Energia, “the space should eliminate their stress. It is an intentionally clean, clutter-free environment.”

And the color scheme? All light shades of green. “Green is a color found in nature, so it’s easiest on the eyes. It is also an energizing color.”

This is where the inspiration for the studio’s title ‘Energia’ — the Portuguese word for ‘energy’ — originated. The abstract green mountains in the company’s logo depict the Sugarloaf Mountain silhouette, a scenic peak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that is popular with hikers and rock climbers. The logo smartly combines the owner’s Brazilian roots with the fitness and wellness concept.

Tampa resident Julie Hurley who says she has been taking yoga classes for ten years in various studios, appreciates the

warm and comforting feeling that Energia Wellness Studio offers. In fact, when Lichter offered her a tour of the studio after the soft opening in September 2013, Hurley’s reaction was, “When can I start?”

Hurley describes the appeal of Energia’s oneon-one personal training sessions because they, “eliminate the intimidation and awkwardness of people looking at you.” She also has taken meditation and Energia Wellness Studio owner Virna Lichter (right) puts fellow Engentle yoga classes at Ener- ergia dance class instructor Astrid Santiago through her paces during a personal training session at the studio located in Wesley Chapel. gia and admits that when the meditation class was and effective program. over, she didn’t want to leave the peaceful “We want people to respect themroom. She urges others to, “Get in there selves,” Lichter insists. “They shouldn’t and see it! It’s going to grab you and you have to wait until they lose 20 lbs. to feel aren’t going to want to leave.” better about themselves. They should feel good about themselves today. Everyone Getting Started At Energia progresses at a different pace based on their The wellness program at Energia bephysical abilities and personal goals.” gins with a complimentary consultation, in Classes at the studio already have inorder to develop fitness goals for the indicluded an eclectic group of clients, such as vidual. Clients then begin a four-phase a 74 year old and a Mixed Martial Arts body transformation plan in which he or she moves through each phase once certain (MMA) fighter working side by side; the personalized objectives have been met. The goal is to offer a full-service wellness program for individuals in all walks of life. purpose of the customized regimes, says The 60-minute Brazilian dance classes, Lichter, is to ensure that clients complete also part of the program at Energia, offer a their wellness routines in a safe, enjoyable

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Yoga in the Park event at the Avalon Park West community (on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel) in honor of both the International Day of Peace and Yoga Month. A Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting ceremony with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is scheduled for Wednesday, October 23, 5 p.m., at the studio. The event also will feature a reception with hors d’oeuvres, beverages and the opportunity for visitors to take a demo class at Energia.

Giving Back...Going Green

Lynn Saela Howe (left) leads a yoga class at the new Energia Wellness Studio in Wesley Chapel, where all class sizes are kept small to maximize client benefit and relaxation.

choice of Samba 360 and Latin Fusion, which are fun workouts, while the 60minute personal training sessions incorporate user-friendly Precor Preva equipment, free weights, medicine balls and other high quality gym equipment which make working out both entertaining and motivating.

The various styles of yoga classes —hatha, yin and gentle yoga — help clients increase flexibility, strength, balance and mental relaxation at their own pace.

The 30-minute guided meditation classes, led by Marta M. Rivera-Crick — who holds a B.A. degree in biology and is a certified Perfect Health Ayurvedic Lifestyle Instructor and Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor — are scheduled for groups of five clients or less and are generally rec-

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ommended for post-workout relaxation.Fifty-minute massage therapy sessions are available with Maria Fernanda Bacilieri — a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) and graduate of the Florida College of Natural Health in Pompano Beach — and tailored to clients’ needs based on their respective fitness routines and physical needs.

Lichter values education and was adamant that all of the dance, yoga and meditation instructors as well as the massage therapist that she hired should be well-educated and experienced in their respective fields.

Not long after the privately owned and operated fitness center had its soft opening last month, Energia offered a Free

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At Energia Wellness Studio, nearly every product a client’s body touches, from toes to fingertips, is environmentally friendly. The Boutique, located in the entryway of the studio, offers only ecofriendly and fair trade products from companies located in Brazil and other Amazon Jungle-area countries.

For example, the unique Natura Ekos beauty products made from the seasonal fruits of Brazil — some of which Lichter reminisces grew in her grandmother’s garden in her native country — are all natural, biodegradable and packaged with recycled glass and paper products. Natura Ekos employs 1,400 families in the Amazon, while also educating communities about ways to decrease carbon footprints in the forests.

The quality yoga mats available at Energia also are crafted from environmentally friendly products.

The flooring in the 800-sq.-ft. yoga/wellness studio is made of bamboo, which is a renewable resource requiring less

time to regenerate (growing up to four feet per day) than traditional hardwood trees (which can take upwards of 50 years to mature). The table in the massage therapy room is dressed with all organic sheets, free from perfumes, dyes and pesticides. Additionally, the Japanese-style tatami mats in the meditation room are fabricated from woven rush grass, offering a naturally earthy, aromatic scent to help clients relax while listening to calming music in low lighting during the meditation classes.

The studio’s most notable pledge to the environment is to plant a tree in Brazil, through Trees for the Future, for each personal training session that clients purchase.

Trees for the Future, an incorporated public nonprofit organization based out of Maryland since 1989, assists communities in 19 developing countries by planting trees, thus allowing them to restore their environment, grow more food and build a sustainable future.

“I chose Brazil for our Trees for the Future (donations) because we are taking [part of the flora] away from the country,” Lichter says. “So, I wanted to give something back.”

Energia Wellness Studio is located at 3836 Flatiron Loop, Suite 101, Wesley Chapel. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, visit EnergiaWellnessStudio.com. You also can “Like” their page on Facebook.com or call 973-7300. The studio is open Mon.–Thur., 8 a.m.-8 p.m., 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Fri. and 9 a.m.-noon on Sat.

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LCSW Kristina Martin Of Brighter Days Counseling Is Here To Help

By Bonnie Mason Do you often feel an overwhelming sadness or despair, or have a hard time focusing your thoughts? Are you anxious in crowds, or have a specific fear, such as being afraid of heights? Perhaps you have a compulsive habit or behavior like washing your hands too often or overeating?

You are not alone — each of these examples may be considered as a mental disorder, or a form of mental illness.

Tens of millions of people in the U.S. suffer from a mental disorder each year.

And, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, only a fraction of those who have a mental disorder receive any type of treatment. Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Kristina Martin, the owner of Brighter Days Counseling in Wesley Chapel, hopes to increase that number by helping local residents maintain and achieve good mental health.

Martin says the term “mental illness” often has a negative connotation and is looked down upon by many. Martin explains that the general definition of mental illness is when a person’s thinking, feeling or mood is disrupted, causing an inability to function on a daily basis or results in a negative behavior. Mental illness isn’t biased; it can affect anyone, no matter what age, race, ethnicity, income, religion and comes in many forms and varying de-

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grees. Some are minor concerns and can be managed and/or cured in a short period of time. Others are debilitating and can require extensive therapy over a long period of time. A mental illness also can affect the way a person relates to others.

“This is why it’s important to get yourself to a good mental health state and address what is causing the disruption in your thoughts, mood or behavior,” says Martin.

Martin received her Bachelor of Arts and her Master’s degrees at Florida State University in Tallahassee, and obtained her CSW license in 1997. She worked in a community mental health center for two years, where she counseled patients from 2-70 years old. Then, she moved to Brooksville, where she was the head of clinical services for an adolescent program at Eckerd Youth Services. Martin also worked in the health insurance industry, conducting assessments for patients in facilities and providing approvals for treatment. Prior to opening Brighter Days Counseling, she completed the doctorate program at Argosy University and received her doctorate ABD (all but dissertation).

Focused Therapies

Martin says that the good news is that recovery from most types of mental illness is possible. She explains that many

of those illnesses are treatable with counseling therapy. Although there are numerous methods to treat patients, Martin says she uses three main therapies to help her clients through their illness: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR.) CBT is evidence-based, timelimited therapy centered on our beliefs and thoughts. It is a form of treatment that examines the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Martin LCSW Kristina Martin can help put traumatic explains that by exploring patterns experiences behind you so that your days are brighter. of thinking that lead to self-deand identify that it was the client’s behavstructive actions and behavior or disrupior, not that of the daughters, that was tive beliefs, patients can learn to cope by causing the issues. This enabled the client learning how to modify their patterns of to go back to being the mom she had thinking. Martin says she uses CBT to acbeen before the event. The smothering tively work with her clients to help them ceased and the relationship was repaired, recover from or manage mental disorders. all within 8-10 sessions of counseling.

For example, one of Martin’s clients, Martin says it’s through CBT that the a mother with two teenaged daughters, therapist identifies and focuses on the noticed that her relationship with her problem and sets goals to address the daughters was becoming increasingly client’s symptoms. strained. Concerned, the mother sought “This is where homework comes into help through Martin, who was able to get play,” says Martin (Note-homework asto identify the event that caused the signments can be keeping a log or record client’s smothering behavior. From there, of automatic thoughts during distressing they worked together to process the event

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emotions, journaling, and other methods to explore or test your though patterns).

She adds that, “People who are honest about their thoughts and feelings, who set goals, and complete their homework assignments have a greater chance at recovery from a disorder. It’s not just busy work — the homework helps change the client’s way of thinking about how they feel in certain situations, thereby helping to change that thinking that causes unwanted behavior.”

Martin also uses CBT to help with other behavioral issues, such as weight loss and weight management. Obesity is a nationwide epidemic. More and more people wish to lose weight and many others struggle to maintain their weight.

“Cognitive behavioral therapy is a perfect match to weight loss,” says Martin. “I work with clients to explore their beliefs about food and help them to learn ways to change that related behavior.”

Martin says a myriad of motivational interviewing techniques to analyze and dissect client feedback are used in Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET).

MET often is used to treat substance abuse. The focus is on re-patterning client behavior that is the result of ambiguous and undefined thoughts, MET complements cognitive therapy. And, like Martin’s number one rule when counseling her clients, MET is very nonjudgmental.

Another therapy Martin uses with her clients is Eye Movement Desensitiza-

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tion & Reprocessing (EMDR), which allows people to heal from emotional stress and ultimately resolve a trauma. Trauma can be almost any event, such as a child having been neglected by his parents, a divorce, death, or a catastrophic life-threatening event such as 9/11 or returning from war. Martin says EMDR therapy will help the client move their “stuck” experiences into the non-adaptive memory part of the brain, which is where Martin says they should reside.

“Many believe that other things control our emotions, but in actuality, it’s our thinking that ‘I have control, I get to say how I feel,’” she says. “I want to learn my clients’ goals — I want to listen, teach and encourage them so that they are able to have the control they need to change their own thinking. She says that, depending upon the issue and the client’s preference, sessions can occur 1-2 times each week and are generally 50 minutes long.

Martin was born in Pennsylvania, but spent most of her childhood in Tallahassee, Florida. She has been married to Bill Martin for six years and the two reside in the New Tampa area.

If you’re ready for brighter days, call and make an appointment with Kristina Martin, LCSW, at 501-4999.

Brighter Days Counseling is located at 3848 Flatiron Loop, Suite 102, Wesley Chapel, and offers flexible hours Monday-Friday. To learn more, visit BrighterDaysCounseling.com.

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St. Andrew Presbyterian Church Can Help You Keep God In Your Life

By Kathleen Schiop We have many responsibilities in our everyday lives, including work, paying our bills, raising our children, maintaining our physical health, and so many more, that it can become easy to ignore our spiritual well-being in lieu of the more “earthly” concerns in our lives. Many of us are just concentrating on getting by without realizing that we need to nourish our souls as well. Faith in God can give us solace, courage and hope in times of sorrow, desperation and help us better deal with our daily challenges.

If you are struggling to renew your faith, if you are new to the New Tampa area, or just wish to have some spiritual questions answered, you may wish to visit St. Andrew Presbyterian Church (located in the Tampa Palms Professional Park off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms), where you will be warmly welcomed by Pastor Dr. David Shelor and his welcoming church family.

Dr. Shelor, or “Pastor Dave,” as he is affectionately known by his parishioners, doesn’t fit the image of the stereotypical minister. Although he was born and raised in Black Mountain, NC, as the son of a Presbyterian minister from a family of ministers, he says he came to his calling, “kicking and screaming.” He laughs, “I was

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very much a math and science person. And my Bachelor’s degree is actually in Physics, so I guess you could say I was a nerd.”

While attending Davidson College, a small liberal arts college in Charlotte, NC, Rev. Shelor took the opportunity to explore other areas of study, including religion, philosophy, psychology and sociology. He initially decided against graduate school and worked for four years as an engineer in Atlanta designing and selling control systems for power plants.

“After I had worked for a while, I didn’t find the job fulfilling,” he says. “I recall remembering a quote from (American author, poet and philosopher Henry David) Thoreau while sitting in traffic in Atlanta, who said, ‘Most men lead lives of quiet desperation, and live with the song still in them,” and I realized I just couldn’t do it anymore.”

Shelor later met with a vocational counselor, who reminded him of Raymond Burr from the old TV series “Ironside.” “(The counselor) was a polio victim in a wheelchair who had this rough voice, and instead of saying the usual stuff like, ‘The answers are within you,’ and such, he looked at me and said, ‘David, I’ve looked at your stuff and you can either go into the seminary, or you can be miserable for the rest of your life. You choose!’”

Dr. Shelor attended Columbia Theo-

logical Seminary in Atlanta, the same school his father had graduated from, and then went on to obtain his Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. He took a sabbatical from school for a year (between his second and third year of theology school) to serve in Ghana, West Africa, which he described as, “a life-changing experience.”

He recalls, “I rememPastor David Shelor of St. Andrew Presbyterian ber coming back to the U.S. Church in Tampa Palms leads a children’s service. and, in the first few hours, the thing which really shocked me was the worshipping in the fall of 2002 in the cafeteria of Liberty Middle School, which availability of food. You can get food is located very close to the St. Andrew everywhere here, from gas stations to restaurants. But, that’s not so true there in building in Tampa Palms.

“We were a nomad church for about Ghana, so the experience was quite an eye six years,” he laughs, “setting it up, tearopener.” ing it down, and then setting it up again the following Sunday.” On October 1, Building A Church Family 2006, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church After finishing his D.Min. degree, was chartered as a new congregation of Shelor says he served churches in Stone the Presbyterian Church in the USA deMountain, GA, and spent seven years as nomination, the original and largest Presthe pastor of Carrollton Presbyterian Church in Carrollton, GA, before coming byterian denomination in the U.S. In 2007, the ground was broken on to Tampa to start St. Andrew in the sumthe new church building and on Easter mer of 2002. The congregation began

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mons and music director Todd LeBlanc.

So, What Does ‘Presbyterian’ Mean?

For those who are not familiar with the Presbyterian Church, it literally means “ruled by elders.”

“We believe that the best way we have of connecting to God is with other peoSt. Andrew is located in the Tampa Palms Profes- ple, to be connected to a community,” he says. “Besional Center off Commerce Park Blvd. cause of this, every decision in a Presbyterian church is Sunday, 2008, the congregation moved made either by the whole congregation, into the 9,000-sq.-ft. facility. or by representatives (“elders”) whom the Dr. Shelor says that St. Andrew has congregation has elected, rather than by remained stable, despite the fact that any single individual. And, we also believe Tampa has among the lowest religious in ordaining women,” which the other participation among the top metropolitan areas in the U.S. He admits, however, that major Presbyterian denomination in the U.S., the Presbyterian Church in America, if the church’s population grows much does not allow. larger, “We will probably have to look Shelor says that “elder” is an orsomewhere else. Right now we have about dained position, and that the ordination is 220 to 230 parishioners, but we would like to continue to grow,. The need is here equal to the pastor of the church. Elders are looked upon with respect, and called in the community, so we would certainly upon for assistance in much the same way welcome expansion.” as the pastor. So, when the church has to Pastor Dave is ably assisted at St. Anmake decisions, it is led by people who drew by a group of spiritually dedicated have been chosen by the congregation. and committed staff members, consisting These leaders, as well as the pastors, can of his Associate Pastor Dr. Heather Hartsell, who oversees the church’s Youth Pro- be adult men or women of any age. Elders at St. Andrew are elected democratically, gram, director of Christian education Paula Salter, church administrator April Si- and they each serve two-year terms.

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How Can I Participate?

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church has many options for both spiritual and secular participation. The church offers various social and study groups to members and the community. From golf outings to bridge games, from pottery classes to ballroom dancing, from opportunities to help others less fortunate to classes on Bible study — there is a group for everyone! Some of the events have a small fee for materials or special instruction. (Note-Email penny@saint andy.com for more information.)

St. Andrew offers Sunday School for ages 3 years to fifth grade, and the children are always invited to remain for the first half of worship, so they can begin to learn what worship is all about, and then follow their teachers out to special activities just for them that relate to that day's theme in ways they understand.

During worship, children under 3 years of age are welcome in the church’s professionally staffed nursery or in worship with their family. Babysitting services are often offered for many of the adult group functions and special meetings.

Adults have a number of groups to choose from at St. Andrew: •WIMODA (short for Wives, Mothers and Daughters) is an active group which meets for study, fellowship, and food one Monday of the month at a church member’s home. Each year, a course of study is selected and a lesson from the study is discussed each month that relates to the Bible and women's issues. This year, the group is studying the Book of Ruth and the Book of Jonah.

• Boomers & Beyond — Are you a ‘baby boomer?’ Are your kids grown or nearly so? Do you like to ea and enjoy the company of others? Boomers & Beyond is just what you've been looking for! This group of “over 45s” meets approximately once a month for a variety of activities, but they always enjoy good food, good fellowship and the love of God .

• Study Groups — Various groups meet throughout the month for study, fellowship, and support.

• Hands On St. Andrew — This group plans one-day work projects and drives for various outreach programs

throughout the Tampa Bay area.

• Men’s Group — Meets monthly on Thursdays at 6:45 p.m., offering study and fellowship with a male viewpoint.

• Choir — If you like to sing or play a musical instrument, join the St. Andrew choir for music and fellowship, or just come to worship and listen to beautiful music. The church leadership believes that every kind of music belongs to God, so on any given Sunday at St. Andrew, you might hear traditional hymns of the church, contemporary praise choruses, gospel tunes, jazz and music from around the world. Whatever type of music it may be, music director Todd LeBlanc strives for it to be excellent and inspirational.

What If I'm Not Presbyterian?

“Come anyway. People are people and it’s the church that is Presbyterian,” says the charismatic Pastor Dave, who has been the church’s face in the New Tampa community. The father of two young daughters, he was the president of the now-defunct New Tampa Kiwanis Club, currently serves a leadership role in the local chapter of Business Networking International (BNI) and he was a member of the Board of the New Tampa Community Council before it became the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce. Pastor Dave and other St. Andrew members volunteered as the cleanup crew at this year’s Taste of New Tampa, which was held at Primrose Park, a 1/4-mile from the church.

He says St. Andrew welcomes all people, regardless of their background. “The Christian faith is diverse,” he says, “it is made up of many different traditions and histories.” As a Presbyterian church, Shelor says St. Andrew is only part of that diversity and doesn’t claim to be “the only game in town.” The church works to connect and cooperate with other Christians and even other faiths. “We all have a spiritual component to us, a life that needs to be nurtured,” says Pastor Dave, “so come and see what we can offer.”

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church (5340 Primrose Lake Cir.) meets Sunday mornings, 10 a.m., for worship services. For more info, call the church at 907-3057 or visit SaintAndy.com.

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Dr. Greg Stepanski & Children’s Dentistry — A New Tampa Original!

By Gary Nager We obviously have to do a lot of business profiles in our publications in order to keep our advertisers happy, but some stories are a lot easier and more fun to write than others — especially for someone like me, who has written, literally, thousands of these things over the years.

But, when you “have” to do a story about the dentist who took care of both of your children’s teeth for almost two decades, this gig gets a whole lot easier.

The dentist in question is Greg Stepanski, DDS, of Children’s Dentistry, who has had a New Tampa location for ten years now, in the Cory Lake Professional Center on Cross Creek Blvd. I can assure you that “Dr. Greg,” as almost everyone calls him, is a personable, fun, outstanding dental professional who genuinely cares about your kids — and not just because he and his wife Sue have raised three kids of their own right here in Tampa Palms.

When Dr. Greg opened his original office on E. Fowler Ave. in Temple Terrace in 1991, there were very few (if any) dentists with offices in New Tampa “proper.”

“We had quite a few New Tampa patients even when we first opened,” he says, “and it was obvious that the growth in our office was mainly coming from the New Tampa area.” He adds that it wasn’t long before he started looking for locations

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closer to his home, and finally built and opened his 3,800-sq.-ft. office on Cross Creek Blvd. in 2003 — the same year he shattered all of the bones in his leg in an accident involving one of those fold-out attic ladders I usually refused to climb even before I heard what had happened to him.

“It was so bad that I was in the hospital for a month and had to take three months off before I could go back to work — and even then, I was still on crutches and could only work part-time,” he says. “I haven’t been able to run or jog since then, but I definitely got more into riding my bicycle after that accident.”

In fact, the long-time runner had participated in the Disney Half-Marathon the weekend before suffering the injury to his leg. Since then, he has completed the MS150 bike race twice and the 208-mile Cross-Florida bike race. He also plans to participate in the 300-mile “Cure on Wheels” bike ride from Tampa to Tallahassee next year.

Top Training & Technology

But, Dr. Greg is more than just my friend, he’s a truly outstanding pediatric dentist with training above and beyond the “average” dentist.

After graduating with his Bachelor’s degree from prestigious Notre Dame University in South Bend, IN, Stepanski earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from

the Ohio State University College of Dentistry in Columbus. The Ohio native then did a one-year general dentistry residency at the Medical University of Ohio in Toledo and two years of pediatric residency at the Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland.

“I was second in my class in crowns and bridges and taught dental residents, too,” he recalls. “But, I was probably the most comfortable taking care of pediatric patients.” Today, he is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and an active member of the American Dental Association, the Florida Dental Association and a past president of the Florida Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

His Children’s Dentistry office offers the very latest in technology, including low-dose digital X-rays and flat-screen TVs above the patients in the exam/operating rooms, as well as fun video games and a humongous saltwater tropical fish tank in the waiting area.

A few of the nine members of Dr. Greg’s current staff have been with him “since the beginning” (including his office manager Melanie and Shannon, his receptionist and insurance coordinator) and most everyone else has been with him “for years, too.” The office definitely runs like a well-oiled machine and his young patients really seem to appreciate Dr. Greg’s easygoing demeanor and the office’s truly fam-

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Dr. Greg Stepanski has been taking care of the smiles of New Tampa kids for more than 20 years at Children’s Dentistry, which has been located on Cross Creek Blvd. for a decade. ily-friendly atmosphere.

Among the services available at Children’s Dentistry are gentle cleanings, fluoride treatments, gentle injections, topical anesthetic gels, nitrous oxide, full sedation, natural-looking fillings, cosmetic bonding and TMJ diagnoses, as well as an in-office laboratory.

GDr. Greg says that performing lab work in the office allows Children’s Dentistry to have complete control over all laboratory procedures. “We’re able to be involved in the lab process, rather than depend upon commercial dental laboratories, like most offices,” he says. “Of course, this means more precise and beautiful materi-

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The amazing tropical fish tank in the lobby at Children’s Dentistry is as popular with Dr. Stepanski’s young patients as the waiting room’s video games. als, not to mention faster turnaround.”

Community Involvement

Dr. Greg also is one of the most active volunteers I know in this community — and I know quite a few people.

He is a past president of and still an active participant in the New Tampa Noon Rotary Club (which meets Wednesdays at noon at Hunter’s Green Country Club), a past president of the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club (which actually meets in Tampa Palms), and he and Sue, a teacher at the Corpus Christi Catholic School in Temple Terrace the last dozen years, are active fund raisers for both Corpus Christi and the family’s church, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd.

All three of his children — Maura, Mike and Brian — graduated from Tampa

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Catholic (TC) High and Dr. Greg helped coach the TC lacrosse team for three years, while Mike played for the team.

Maura, who is a Bronze Star recipient with the U.S. Army, was a track star at TC who also ran at John Carroll University.

Mike is an accounting and pre-med major at the University of Miami (FL) and Brian walked onto the Mercer College (in Macon, GA) lacrosse team.

If you’re somehow still not sure whether or not Dr. Greg and Children’s Dentistry are right for your children, you should see both of my sons’ smiles.

For appointments & info about Children’s Dentistry (10317-B Cross Creek Blvd.), call 973-3100 or visit DrGreg-ChildrensDentistry.com. Most major dental insurance plans accepted.

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Land O’Lakes Primary Care Wellness Center — A Different Spin On Traditional Care

By Matt Wiley Looking for a new family physician, but looking for more than the traditional care services offered at most doctors’ offices? Consider Land O’Lakes Primary Care Wellness Center, just a few miles northwest of New Tampa.

Combining the convenience of being able to see a family physician with the option to take part in additional services not offered by most typical internal medicine offices, including hormone replacement therapy and anti-aging treatments, Land O’ Lakes Primary Care Wellness Center (LOLPC) is one-of-a-kind.

Together, Dr. Peggy Watson, M.D., and Dr. Larnel Sultan, D.O., along with nurse practitioners Joy Drexler, ARNP-C; Jennifer Godshall, ARNP-BC; and Valerie Buethe, ARNP-C, LOLPC treat patients older than 13 for a wide variety of medical ailments. The office also offers non-traditional, aesthetic services.

LOLPC has been keeping local residents healthy for more than a decade.

Originally located in a 1,500-sq.-ft. office suite in the Big Lots shopping plaza on S.R. 54 at U.S. 41, the practice quickly outgrew its office and a new, 5,000-sq.-ft. practice was built less than a mile from the old office on S.R. 54 on Amberfield Dr. in 2007. Today, LOLPC has a staff of 20+.

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Traditional Training, Alternative Approach

“We have a different way of thinking here,” says Dr. Watson. “If you come in with a headache or a symptom, we try to think about why you’re suffering from that symptom, rather than just about what prescription drugs we can give you to get rid of it.”

A practicing primary care physician for more than 20 years, Dr. Watson has extensive medical training, all of which stemmed from her first year at Purdue University in Lafayette, IN, where she had decided to attend business school.

“I went to college thinking I wanted to get into business, but biology was the only class I liked the first year,” Dr. Watson explains.

So, she changed majors and went on to graduate as a Doctor of Medicine from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis in 1989, before completing residencies at both St. Mary’s Medical Center in Evansville, IN, and Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, OH. Most recently, Dr. Watson earned her Master’s degree in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine in 2010. She actually started out working for Tampa Palms-based GMS Florida West Coast, Inc., with which LOLPC still is associated.

She is now an American Board of Family Practice-certified physician and be-

longs to the American Academy of Family Physicians, Florida Academy of Family Physicians, American Society of Bariatric Physicians and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.

The latter, she says, is part of what sets LOLPC apart from other practices in the area.

“About seven or The team of health care professionals at Land O’Lakes Primary Care, located off S.R. 54, includes (l.-r.) Dr. Peggy Watson, M.D.; Joy eight years ago, really Drexler, ARNP-C; Jennifer Godshall, ARNP-BC; Valerie Buethe, completely by acciARNP-C; & Dr. Larnel Sultan, D.O. dent, I went to an anti-aging/regenerablood pressure and routine check-ups, tive medicine conference because I LOLPC also can offer aesthetic services, wanted to learn about bio-identical horsuch as Botox, Juvederm, weight-loss promones, since many of my patients had grams and hormone-replacement therapy, been asking about it and I didn’t know which replaces low levels of hormones anything about the subject,” Dr. Watson that the body has been losing during a paexplains. “It really opened my eyes to the tient’s life span with structurally identical fact there is an entire world of medical hormones synthetically developed in a lab. care available for patients, validated in “Our patients like (that we offer published medical literature, but not prac- these additional services) because they ticed by most traditional physicians beknow us and they trust us,” Dr. Watson cause it’s not taught to us in medical explains. “We’re very low-pressure sales. school.”

We don’t make our living doing Botox So, in addition to traditional treatand Juvederm treatments. I frequently tell ment for typical medical problems, such as patients what services wouldn’t work for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high them and what would be a waste of their

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that other doctors may have prescribed them in the past.

“We spend a lot of our day trying to get people off of prescription medications, get them healthy, get them sleeping, destressed and eating properly,” Dr. Watson says.

“We also do nutrition checks so that people aren’t taking things (vitamins or supplements) that they don’t really need.”

LOLPC patient MonDr. Watson visits with a patient named Victor, a Wesley Chapel resi- ica M. knows well the bendent, at Land O Lakes Primary Care Wellness Center. efits of the care she receives from Dr. Watson. time and money.”

“Dr. Watson weaned me off the acid Dr. Sultan, who graduated from West reflux and digestion medications I had Virginia University in Morgantown in been on for years, replacing them with a 1993 and the West Virginia School of Osvitamin/mineral regimen that not only teopathic Medicine in Lewisburg in 1998, cured my illness, but actually improved my also helps with aesthetic, cosmetic procegeneral health,” Monica explains. “(Dr. dures, including Botox, for which he has completed advanced training in a variety of Watson) explained at length how these medications create a domino effect in the facial fillers that reduce the signs of aging. body by creating new symptoms and defi“We manage a lot here,” Dr. Sultan ciencies. Everything she said was correct says. “We don’t refer our patients out (to and the follow-up blood work (I had other offices) that much because the done) was proof. I eventually was able to providers we have here can handle multiremove a few vitamins from my regimen ple, complicated medical problems withbecause the medication was found to be out sending them elsewhere.” the reason for those deficiencies. Dr. WatThe alternative medical options at son is the rare physician who doesn’t rush LOLPC also give patients options besides you out of her office with a handful of prethe traditional prescription medications

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scriptions, but welcomes the opportunity to restore your health in the most natural way possible.”

Land O’Lakes Primary Care Wellness Center accepts most medical insurance plans and is contracted with most major insurance providers, including Medicare. The office is always offering aesthetic specials and is open six days each week: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., 8 a.m.– 7 p.m. on Tuesday and 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday. The office is located at 20615 Amberfield Dr., Suite 102, Land O’Lakes, and can be reached by calling 949-2950 or by visiting WatsonWellness Clinic.com.

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The New Tampa Eye Institute Helps Bring The World Into Focus

By Bonnie Mason Patients clearly see the focus of the New Tampa Eye Institute — high quality personalized care.

In fact, Michael Alperovich, the CEO and co-founder of New Tampa Eye Institute, located in the Summergate Professional Park (behind Sam’s Club) in Seven Oaks, says, “We have a team of devoted health care professionals standing by to care for you. And, our state-ofthe-art facilities and equipment, plus the latest in medical record technology, complement the excellent care our doctors provide their patients.”

Alperovich partners with his wife, Board-certified ophthalmologist Gretta Fridman, M.D., to bring the specialty eye care practice to New Tampa/Wesley Chapel residents.

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors with extensive training focused on the eyes and the area around the eyes.

They are able to provide the full continuum of eye care, from routine eye exams to diagnosis of eye disease to performing complex and intricate eye surgeries.

Meet The Doctors

The medical professionals at New

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Tampa Eye Institute remain at the forefront of medical technology for the diagnosis and treatment of eye disease.

Dr. Fridman is Board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Prior to completing her residency and glaucoma fellowship at the University of South Florida, Fridman received her M.D. degree from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, and her Bachelor's Degree from Barnard College of Columbia University, also in New York City. Originally from the Ukraine, Fridman grew up in the Big Apple, which is where she met Alperovich, who is originally from Moscow. Married for 13 years, the couple lives in New Tampa with their 4- and 7-year-old daughters.

A New Tampa Eye Institute patient named George says that Dr. Fridman is great to work with and talks to you in a way that you will understand. “I’d recommend her to anyone,” George says.

“Patient education is a big part of what we do and why we spend as much time as we need to with our patients,” Dr. Fridman says, adding that whether she is explaining a medical diagnosis, treatment options, or after-surgical care to patients and their families, she always

tries to speak in terms that can be easily understood.

Dr. Fridman’s subspecialty is in glaucoma, a disease of the optic nerve.

Glaucoma generally begins with a subtle loss of peripheral vision that can cause progressive damage to the optic nerve; it is the leading cause of blindness.

“An early diagnosis (of glaucoma) is important,” Dr. Fridman says. “If glaucoma is not diagnosed and treated, it can progress to a loss of vi- Dr. Laurie Small, M.D. (left), and Dr. Gretta Fridsion.” Glaucoma is most man, M.D., of New Tampa Eye Institute, which is often treated with eye drops, located behind Sam’s Club in the Summergate Proalthough it may require surfessional Park (off S.R. 56) in Wesley Chapel. gery if the drops prove not to be effective.

Methods to help prevent eye disDr. Fridman says she also treats paease include being diligent about ultravitients with cataracts, macular degeneraolet (UV) ray protection, eating healthy tion, diabetic retinopathy, and all other foods and exercising. The UV rays (radidiseases and disorders of the eyes. ation) from the sun can damage the skin She says she recommends that on your eyelids, as well as your cornea, everyone have their eyes examined once lens and other parts of the eye and may per year, even infants. “Routine eye increase the development of cataracts exams, where your vision and eye pres(the clouding of the eye’s lenses) or macsure are checked, is extremely important ular degeneration. Dr. Fridman explains to good eye health,” says Dr. Fridman. that protection from this harmful radia-

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times a week for at least twenty minutes improves blood flow in all parts of the body, including the eyes. She highly recommends walking, running and other cardiovascular activities.

Dr. Laurie Small, M.D., also is Board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. Dr. Small received her M.D. degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville, which also Dr. Small takes a look into a patient’s eyes during a rou- is where she completed tine checkup at New Tampa Eye Institute. her residency and fellowship in oculoplastic surtion can be accomplished by wearing gery. She earned her Bachelor of Science proper sunglasses that filter the UV rays undergraduate degree from the Univerand that wearing a hat may further prosity of Miami (FL). Dr. Small lives in tect your eyes.

Wesley Chapel with her husband, gasDr. Fridman also notes that healthy troenterologist Dr. Michael Small, and eating habits are essential to good eye their two daughters, ages 3 and 1. health. In fact, she says, “eating carrots Dr. Small says her subspecialty is in for good eyesight is not a myth. Carrots oculoplastics, which is a nice compleare high in vitamin A, an essential nutriment to Dr. Fridman’s specialty. Oculoent for vision.” Other foods containing plastic surgeons are ophthalmological high quantities of vitamin A and are therefore good for your eyes include egg eye surgeons with additional advanced training in plastic surgery relating to the yolks, milk, cheese and liver. Dr. Frideyes and surrounding structures, such as man cautions that the high oxidation of the eyelids, tear drain, eye socket, eyered meat also can be a cause of macular brow, and midface. Dr. Small can surgidegeneration and yes, exercising three

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cally treat patients who have ptosis, the medical term for a droopy eyelid, as well as eyelid tumors, and those with eyelid retractions. She also can alleviate facial spasms with Botox injections.

Minor eye procedures can be performed on site at the New Tampa Eye Institute, although more complicated procedures are conducted at either the New Tampa Surgery Center, located nearby on Cypress Ridge Blvd. (also off S.R. 56) or at the Ambulatory Surgery Center on E. Fletcher Ave., across the street from USF’s Tampa campus.

No matter what eye disorders you are experiencing, or if you are simply

looking for a quality, personable eye doctor, the New Tampa Eye Institute features quality ophthalmologists and a state-of-the-art vision center.

The New Tampa Eye Institute is located at 27348 Cashford Cir. in Wesley Chapel and accepts most medical insurance plans. For appointments, call 994-7000. The Institute is open Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thursday. Saturday hours are available every other week, 9 a.m.-noon.

Same-day appointments are available for emergencies. For more information, visit NewTampaEyes.com.

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Make That Vehicle Shine, Run Like New At Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube!

By Lauren Saslow While most northerners joke about the lack of seasons in Florida, New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents oftentimes mark two times of each year by prevalent pests; the two most notable “seasons” being mosquito season and lovebug season. Lovebugs, or Plecia nearctica, are a fly species — common along Gulf Coast states — that have flight seasons in late spring and again in late summer. While harmless to humans — they do not sting or bite — lovebug populations are a nuisance to motorists. The acidic egg masses of the dead females that splatter on cars can dry quickly in the subtropical heat, causing ingrained build-up in the clear coat of automobile paint.

“It is important for drivers to be vigilant about washing and waxing their vehicles frequently during this time of year to avoid damaged paint jobs and keep their windshields free from severe smudging which can become a driving hazard,” says Stephen Schab, the managing partner of Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube, located behind the Walgreens on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and on Doña Michele Dr. in North Palms Village, two traffic lights north of I-75.

Schab adds that Bay Breeze offers a convenient solution to lovebug woes. As a full-service car wash, customers can

choose from a simple $5 no-wait express lane to a bumper-to-bumper interior and exterior detail as well as a variety of options in between. À la carte services allow motorists to customize their service to suit their individual needs, and a full lube service at Bay Breeze allows them to receive an oil change while they wait at a competitive price. In a fast-paced world where New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents may sometimes neglect a much-needed car wash, the convenience of this New Tampa location (only one traffic light north of the BBD exit off of I-75) allows drivers to squeeze in either a quick or detailed car wash during their commute home.

Using state-of-the-art technology, including Envirosoft 2nd Generation Foam wash material, which is safe for all vehicle finishes, Bay Breeze offers quality care and service catered to fit nearly any budget.

From the moment a customer is greeted until the time a supervisor returns your car, quality service is ensured through the entire process.

Since 2004, this privately owned company — which now has six locations throughout the greater Tampa Bay area — has succeeded through the implementation of Bay Breeze’s five key premises: “Quality Service, Clean & Orderly, Safety, Friendly and Easy To Do Business With.”

Schab explains that BayBreeze is a

principal-driven company. Born and raised in Chicago, Schab worked as a general manager for 35 years in the metal heat-treating industry with Earl Feltner — the principal owner of FPM Heat Treating. When Feltner retired to Florida and opened Bay Breeze, Schab and Whether it’s a wash or oil change you need, Bay Breeze Car Wash & his family reloLube managing partner Stephen Schab has you covered. Bay Breeze is cated to Florida as located on BBD, less than three miles south of the Pasco County line. well, where Schab Bay Breeze offers a “Loyalty Gift & Rehas implemented his effective managewards Card” that can be purchased for ment through a quality-based employee just $5 and allows returning customers to focus program. redeem points toward car wash services, As satisfied customer Robert Parker and may be used at Bay Breeze’s full-serdescribes, “The above-and-beyond cusvice car wash locations in both New tomer service that [employee Moses PoTampa and on S.R. 60 in Brandon. males offered] was a true miracle for me and my family. He told me that he takes Comfort & Convenience care of his customers and as long as I’m In addition to quality service, Bay happy he is happy as well.”

Breeze Car Wash & Lube also offers a vaParker adds, “I highly recommend riety of comforts and conveniences to custhis location and furthermore will never tomers while they wait. Outside the lobby, go anywhere else but (Bay Breeze) for my you can relax on benches on a shaded vehicle service.” deck and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi, For loyal customers such as Parker, while those who opt for climate-con-

coolant flushes, air and oil filters, fuel injector cleansing and wiper blades.

Schab points out the clean counters, free of paperwork and clutter, as well as the employees outfitted in blue and red uniforms emblazoned with the company logo. He adds that the principles of the business are passed down to the nearly 50 employees at this site alone through management-employee communication via small group meetings.

Supporting Education & Much More!

In a rush? No worries, Bay Breeze combines speed and quality service to get you and your vehicle back on the road in no time at all. trolled comfort can relax in the lobby on events. In the event a customer needs to leather couches and chairs while keeping leave the premises while his or her car is up with the football season or the news on being serviced, a complimentary shuttle a large flat-screen TV. Customers also may service is available for nearby locations. browse through Blue Mountain Arts Other patrons may opt to simply walk to greeting cards and calendars for sale while one of the many nearby businesses or sipping on free coffee or the chilled water, restaurants, including Liang’s Bistro, soda or juice available for purchase in one Chick-fil-A, Steak ‘N Shake and others. of the many coolers along the wall in the While not all of the Bay Breeze locawaiting area. tions offer full service and lube like this loThe lobby also offers small snacks, cation — four of the locations are express candy, car air fresheners and other concar washes with an automated cashier and venient items for sale, in addition to a only one other location (on S.R. 54 in window viewing area to watch as their car Lutz) offers oil change services — they all moves through the wash. The walls are include the same level of quality technoldecorated with unique black and white ogy and convenience, as well as other auto photographs of Tampa historical areas and services, including transmission flushes,

As an established business for nearly a decade, Bay Breeze uses some of its resources to support education locally. For example, Sylvie Wittmann, carnival chairperson for the Tampa Palms Elementary PTA, expressed appreciation to the company for its donation for a raffled gift basket earlier this year.

“We just wanted to let you know we value our relationship with you,” Wittmann said. “Thank you again for your participation and support of Tampa Palms Elementary.”

Florida College Academy of Temple Terrace also expressed thanks recently for Bay Breeze’s contribution to the school’s spring auction, which helped to fund outdoor play areas and purchase a new online reading program. The company’s generous donation of an auction item to the nonprofit General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) New Tampa Junior

Woman’s Club’s annual charity event this past spring helped to fund the Tampa Police Department’s Resources In Community Hope (RICH) House of Sulphur Springs, which serves disadvantaged children and their families by providing local youths with a safe place to complete their homework and get something to eat and drink after school.

Bay Breeze’s charitable contributions extend beyond education, however.

Tampa MetLife’s Linda Burrage explains that Bay Breeze’s donation of raffle items and moral support to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, which recently was held at Freedom High in Tampa Palms, “honored cancer survivors, paying tribute to the lives we’ve lost to the disease and helped raise money to fight it.”

“There is no complacency in our business,” insists Schab. “We are always looking for ways to improve. There are two ways to move. One is forward and the other is backward, and we don’t want to be doing the latter.”

New Tampa’s Bay Breeze Car Wash & Lube is located at 17501 N. Palms Village Pl., behind Walgreens.

For additional information, visit BayBreezeCarWash.com or call 6151333. The hours of operation are Monday– Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on Sunday. Feel free to call first if the weather appears to be threatening, but the oil change area is open rain or shine.

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Once Upon A Child — A Store For Gently Used Kids’ Clothing & More!

By Bonnie Mason Wesley Chapel residents Brian and Melissa Levering are betting on the families in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area — betting that those families are ready to clear their closets, garages and storage spaces of items their children have outgrown, in return for cash!

On August 1, the Leverings opened Once Upon A Child, a children’s consignment shop, in New Tampa’s Pebble Creek Collection shopping plaza, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., a mile south of the Pasco County line. The 3,500-sq.-ft. retail space is a place where families can buy, sell or trade gently used children's clothing (from infants to preteen), toys and equipment. The Pebble Creek location is just one of five Once Upon A Child franchises in the Tampa Bay area, with 260 stores located across the U.S. and Canada.

“We are excited to move into phase two of our business, in which we can start to sell our inventory to families at a significantly reduced cost, well below retail prices,” says Brian, who explains that since opening the business, the store’s focus has been on purchasing items from area residents to build the store’s inventory.

“I think families will be happy with what we have to offer them,” Brian says.

“The response has been astounding!”

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The Leverings live in Wesley Chapel with their five-year-old son Brody and one-year-old daughter Mila, and understand that raising a young family is costly in any economy, but especially when money is tight, when most everyone welcomes the chance to make or save money — or both. With Once Upon A Child, your kids can look great in the latest styles without having to pay those high-end designer prices.

The Leverings are sure you will be happy with their selection of the latest in new and gently used brand name clothes, toys, books, equipment and furniture, just right for fast-growing babies, toddlers and kids. And, because Once Upon A Child purchases items from customers daily, the store’s inventory is always changing, which is why the Leverings recommend browsing the store often, especially if you’re searching for items of a specific brand.

You will find gently used name brand clothing like Gap, Gymboree, Hanna Anderson, Justice and Tommy Hilfiger, to name just a few, from infant and toddler sizes, up to size 16 for girls and boys’ sizes 18-20. And, Once Upon A Child also has all the toy brands your kids know and love, including Fisher Price, Leap Frog and Lego, in addition to the best brands in infant products, such as swings, bouncers, entertainers and strollers.

“I had to travel to Northdale in Carrollwood to sell my son’s clothing and toys when I learned I was having a girl with my second pregnancy,” Melissa explains. Already having decided to open a family business, Melissa and Brian then decided that families like theirs needed a resale busiBrian and Melissa Levering of Once Upon A Child in the ness for children's Pebble Creek Collection on BBD are ready to provide your items closer to the child with new and gently used toys and clothing for less!

New Tampa/ Wesley Chapel area. items also won't be purchased from cusMelissa spent nine years working as a tomers if they’ve been recalled by the clinical researcher for a local orthopaedic manufacturer. And, Melissa notes that all physician group before turning her full atgently used infant equipment, including tention to this new business. Brian helps strollers, entertainers, bassinets and infant out when he is not busy with his longand children’s toys go through a safety time full-time job as a medical salesman. check prior to being purchased.

“And, since Once Upon A Child is “We enter the item and its model the nation’s leading buyer and seller of number into a company database which name-brand, new and gently used kids lets us know if an item has been recalled stuff, opening a franchise just made sense by the manufacturer,” she says. for us,” Brian explains. “We felt that their Unlike purchasing used baby gear, business model was one of the best out furniture and toys at a garage sale or onthere for us, considering the demographline auction, parents can be confident that ics of our community.” items purchased at Once Upon A Child are safe for their children. Sellers will even How Does It Work? receive an offer from Once Upon A Child No appointment is necessary to sell after the items are entered into a database items at Once Upon A Child; just bring that generates a computerized quote your items into the store during normal store business hours and you will walk out based on current market conditions.

Generally, while the staff is sifting with cash, or if you prefer, you can trade through items to determine the ones that your items for other items in the store. meet Once Upon A Child’s standards, When you arrive, the staff will sort sellers can spend time browsing the store. through your items and choose which It also is a good time to take advantage of items Once Upon A Child would like to purchase from you. Items will not be pur- the tax-free trading available at the store.

“I think Once Upon A Child is great chased if they show too much wear, have for the community, given that the area is a untreatable stains or if toys and equipbig destination for families,” says Nikki ment are damaged or have battery corrosion. Another reason Once Upon A Child Murphy, shift lead at Once Upon A Child. “Ultimately, the store will allow may not buy your items is if they have an local people to shop close to home and overabundance of that specific item alsave money; and it brings something new ready in the store’s inventory. and exciting to the area — a store run by It’s important to note that some

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The inventory at Once Upon A Child is top-notch & new items are added daily.

a family for families. It’s a warm, inviting environment, where people are encouraged to sell and shop and interact. Working in a family-run business makes the job less a job and more a gift to work with people I care for and about.”

New, Too!

Although most items in the store are

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used, Once Upon A Child does sell some new items, too.

“We have great hair bows, tutus, sippy cups, Melissa & Doug children’s toys, and other popular children’s products that are in our new item category,” says Melissa.

All of the new items in the inventory come from an approved vendor list provided by the Once Upon A Child corporate entity, which helps all franchisees purchase from viable companies.

“It's hard to find gently used boys clothing- — we all know what they do to their clothes!,” says Andrea, a Once Upon A Child customer. “I always have the best luck at Once Upon A Child. From shoes to winter coats, it’s like a treasure hunt with a guaranteed prize at the end!”

Once Upon A Child is located at 19651 BBD in the Pebble Creek Collection. Store hours are Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sundays noon 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information call 388.2985, visit their website at OnceUponAChildWesleyChapel.com or go to Facebook.com and search “Once Upon A Child Wesley Chapel.”

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New Tampa Chamber Business Expo Draws A Crowd To Holiday Inn Express!

Congratulations go out to the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce, which hosted a highly successful Business Expo and annual meeting at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites on September 26.

More than 30 Chamber member businesses took part in the Expo, where everything from new area banks to Avon products to a newly opened boxing-for-fitness gym were on display for an estimated crowd of more than 200 attendees.

In addition, outstanding free Mediterranean food — and plenty of it — was provided by the Little Greek restaurant in the New Tampa Center plaza, and Bruster’s Real Ice Cream and Toast Café & Wine Bar (both on BBD) provided delicious ice cream and a selection of fine wines to sample, respectively.

“We’re always happy when people show up to these events,” said Chamber VP Neil Heird. “We signed up six new members today!”

Heird also attributed the success of this year’s Expo to the return to the Holiday Inn Express itself. “We really need to thank the hotel and its entire staff for being so hospitable,” he said. “Plus, it’s easier to get people to walk into a hotel for an event than it is at a private country club.”

(Left) New Tampa Chamber of Commerce president Regina Ramalheira and VP Neil Heird gave away a variety of great prizes at the crowded Chamber Business Expo on September 26 at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites near Muvico.

For more info about the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce, visit NewTampaChamber.org or call the Chamber Hotline at 293-2464. — GN Among the businesses on hand at the Expo were (clockwise from above far left) Charley’s Boxing Gym, BB&T Bank, Two Can Paint, Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, Central Bank and the Little Greek restaurant.

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Wildcats Football In Control Of District After Beating Newsome!

By Benjamin Carter Past the halfway point and looking down the stretch, the Wildcats of Paul R. Wharton High find themselves in a dogfight for a District title.

After a hard-fought, impressive 2120 victory over the Newsome High Wolves (at Newsome) on Oct. 4, the Wildcats moved into a first place tie with Plant High in the State Class 8A, District 6 standings, with an overall record of 4-1, including 2-0 in the District.

Wharton’s offense took control early in the first quarter by starting the game with an 80-yard drive that ended with quarterback Chase Litton rushing 20 yards for a touchdown. Litton displayed his impressive throwing ability throughout the game. Head coach David Mitchell focused on establishing the passing game early and the success in the air allowed star running back Jeffery Keil to record more than 100 yards rushing against Newsome (now 3-3, 1-1), including a 40-yard touchdown jaunt late in the third quarter.

Mitchell is focused on making the playoffs, but doesn’t want to look to far into the future. “I don’t look past the team we’re playing next,” he said. “One game at a time. We’re trying to win a District title.”

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In their next game on Oct. 11 (the evening you’re receiving this issue in your mailbox), the Cats will visit the Steinbrenner High Warriors in a non-District matchup. With a record of 1-4 and 0-2 in the State Class 7A, District 7 standings, the Warriors have struggled to maintain a game tempo through most of the season.

Through the first four games, their defense has given up an average of nearly 210 yards passing and 160 yards rushing per game. Wharton’s offense should set the tone early and attempt to maintain control throughout.

Meanwhile, Wharton wide receiver Auden Tate is likely to see more targets than he did against Newsome. The key to maintaining control will depend on the number of penalties by the ‘Cats. An excess of penalties against Newsome made it a close game instead of a guaranteed win.

Going forward, if penalties continue to be an issue it may decide whether Wharton will be in pursuit of a District title and a possible State playoff march or miss the postseason altogether.

On Oct. 18, the Wildcats will play their next District game at home against the Alonso High Ravens (3-3, 0-2). Although the Ravens are winless in the District, it won’t necessarily be an easy win for the ‘Cats. Alonso has averaged 154

yards passing and 145 yards rushing through the first five games. While those aren’t numbers for the record books, the ‘Cats have had occasional difficulty stopping the run. Look for linebacker Jeremy Jefferson and defensive end Antonio Joseph to play a major role in keeping the Ravens’ talented The Wharton High Wildcats celebrate their victory at offense in check.

Newsome High on October 4.

Wharton’s advantage going into the Alonso game is the Plant has posted impressive numbers on both sides of the ball. The Panthers boast Ravens’ own inability to stop the run. an average of more than 200 yards passing Against Newsome’s High’s run-heavy ofthrough their first five games. Wharton’s fense, Alonso gave up 456 rushing yards defensive backs will have their hands full and 5 TDs on the ground. This bodes trying to disrupt Plant quarterback Colby well for the Wildcats, whose offensive line Brown in the pocket. has shown the ability to create running On the other side of the ball, the room against tough defenses. If Keil perWildcats’ offensive line will have to be forms the way he did against Newsome, ready for the Panthers’ aggressive front look for the talented RB to rush for at seven. In their first four games, Plant talleast 200 yards. lied 26 sacks for a total loss of 152 yards.

Wharton will host District co-leader Should the offensive line falter, Litton has and perennial juggernaut the Plant High the ability to scramble out of the pocket Panthers (4-1-1, 2-0) on Oct. 25 in the last regular season home game of the year. and turn the threat of a sack into positive

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yards. Wharton’s coaches have given Litton the green light to take the run option when opportunity presents itself.

“They (the coaches) say if I feel it, go with it,” Litton said.

Both Plant and Wharton are in the position to take sole possession of the District lead in the coming weeks. If both teams continue their on-field success, it is likely the District title could be decided when these two teams meet towards the end of the season.

Freedom Still In The Hunt...But Barely!

You can count the penalties and the losses, but don’t count out the Patriots.

The Freedom High football team stares down adversity every day, struggling to grab victory.

After a hard-fought 22-14 road loss to the Strawberry Crest Chargers in a non-District tilt on Sept. 27 and a tough 53-13 loss to the unbeaten (5-0, 2-0) Sickles High Gryphons, coach Todd Donohoe’s team now owns a record of 15, including 0-2 in State Class 7A, District 7, as the Pats struggle to stay in the playoff hunt. With three District games remaining on the schedule, Donohoe’s team has to go on a winning streak to advance.

“I think the offense is definitely starting to move the ball more,” Donohoe said. “They’re keeping the guys’ morale up and [we’re] opening [things] up in

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terms of throwing the ball more.”

Unfortunately for the Pats, Donohoe’s corrections weren’t enough to beat the Gryphons, who were fresh off of a bye week. The Sickles’ defense allowed only 81 yards in the second half. Sloppy mistakes continue to plague the Pats, including consecutive games of allowing a safety.

Following a bye week on Oct. 11, the Patriots will have their work cut out for them when they visit the Tampa Bay Tech High Titans (5-1, 2-0) in a District tilt on Oct. 18. The Titans’ offense has averaged this season and have outscored their opponents 86-28. If Freedom’s defensive coordinator Lyn Gross’ front seven can disrupt the passing game, then Freedom has a chance to control the ball game. The defense will have to play better than it did against Sickles to beat the Titans.

Whether the Pats can hang on against Tampa Bay Tech, their District match up favors them on Oct. 25 when they visit the Steinbrenner High Warriors (1-4, 02). The Warriors’ inconsistent defense should allow the Pats’ offense, led by quarterback DJ Grant, to set the game tempo early on. The Pats can get a District win if the defense can set the tone and the offense can improve, although Donohoe and his staff remain optimistic.

“I’m proud of our kids’ fight and the fact that they keep battling. That’s a good sign in terms of the future of our football program.”

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Saddlebrook Hosts FHWC’s Successful Women’s Health & Wellness Day

By Matt Wiley Calm and collected, Pasco County clerk of Circuit Court & comptroller Paula O’Neil spoke about her recent diagnosis as if it were a faint memory from another life. Few would suspect that the popular public official is still actively battling the deadly disease, as she spoke to hundreds of women about her experience fighting breast cancer.

On September 21, more than 700 women from all over Tampa Bay attended the inaugural Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) Women’s Health & Wellness Day at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, taking part in breakout sessions with guest speakers and an exhibit room full of pampering and health screening opportunities, including mammogram registration, screenings for oral cancer, blood pressure and glucose, a grip strength test, a self-breast exam, as well as a balance test, body mass index (BMI) and body fat analysis from the FHWC Health & Wellness Center. The hospital also introduced its “Pink Army” campaign that encourages women to make sure that they get their annual breast cancer screenings.

“We know that women handle a lot of responsibilities and don’t always stop to take care of themselves,” Aimee Keller, director of the Center for Women’s Health at FHWC, said in a press release. “We were excited to give women a chance to learn and recharge at this fun, inspiring event and were thrilled with the turnout.”

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The free event culminated with a free lunch and keynote address from O’Neil.

“I had felt a lump (in my breast) and had it checked out a year earlier and it was fine,” O’Neil said to the ballroom filled with women. “So when I went to the doctor that day and got the results back from the lab, I didn’t expect anything.”

O’Neil, said that she had a regularly scheduled Those who attended the inaugural Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Women’s Health & Wellness Day on September 21 were mammogram and ultratreated to complimentary health screenings, including balance tests (above left), plus a keynote speech from breast cancer sound on May 9, after survivor and Pasco clerk of court Paula O’Neil during a packed free lunch held at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel. which the radiologist came in and explained that the going to be okay and that lump was cancerous. She said that one of their jobs were not in danger. the weirdest parts about the experience “I know that this is a was walking out to the parking lot while temporary inconvenience and waiting for the needle biopsy results for I’ll get through it,” O’Neil the lump the same day. told the crowd. “We can’t let “Who do you tell that you have canpeople be ashamed (of having cer?,” she asked the crowd. “I mean, you cancer).” can’t call your kids in the middle of the O’Neil concluded by anday and tell them. So, I just called work. I nouncing that she thinks that know how to work. I don’t know how to it actually is a good time to be be sick.” battling the disease.

O’Neil ended up having a mastec“I’ve lived a good life,” tomy and reconstruction and is scheduled she explained. “There are to that research and we can make it a betto be finished with her chemotherapy women with little kids running around ter world for the next generation and gentreatments by the end of October. Her with cancer. I may not have chosen this, erations to come.” decision to go public on the Thursday bebut right now the technology is so wonFor more information about fore Memorial Day was made to let her derful. Every day, we hear that soon there FHWC and the Pink Army, please visit staff of more than 350 know that she was will be a cure for this. We can contribute FloridaHospital.com/WesleyChapel.

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Mobile Meals Brings The Restaurant To Your Living Room In No Time!

How It Works

By Matt Wiley Cravings for meals from restaurants located outside of New Tampa are many times easily extinguished by thinking about the travel time and traffic that will be encountered on the way to the eatery.

However, one local company is making it as easy as a few clicks on a computer to have food from more than 130 restaurants from around Tampa Bay brought straight to your door, usually in less than one hour.

Started in 2009 by siblings and Hunter’s Green residents Jennifer Mekdeci, 29, and Chris Shelton, 27, Mobile Meals is a far-reaching food-delivery service that delivers meals from restaurants from Apollo Beach to Wesley Chapel.

Mobile Meals started in Brandon and keeps expanding, with a focus on technology and customer service.

“We started working with about eight restaurants (in Brandon) before expanding into South Tampa and eventually New Tampa, because we’ve lived here for more than 20 years,” Mekdeci says. The entrepreneurial siblings are products of New Tampa’s schools, as each attended Hunter’s Green Elementary, Benito Middle School and Wharton High, before graduating from the nearby University of South Florida, Mekdeci with a degree in elementary education and Shelton with a technical writing degree.

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Mobile Meals owners and New Tampa residents Jennifer Mekdeci and Chris Shelton invite you to have cuisine from more than 130 Tampa Bay-area restaurants delivered to your home or office.

“But, we wanted to do our own thing,” Mekdeci says.

“Neither of our degrees sounded that appealing to us (when we graduated), so we started thinking of ideas we could get behind,” Shelton explains. “We decided on Mobile Meals because convenience is king, right now. We figured, ‘Everybody eats, so why not a food delivery service?’

We had seen it being done before, but we didn’t think that it was being done properly, so we decided to take the idea and improve upon it.”

Whether you’re hungry for a burger from Oakley’s Grille, yogurt from You Say When on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., some hot wings from the BBD/Fletcher Ave. Hooters, a gyro from Acropolis Greek Taverna (also on BBD) or a slice of cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory at the International Plaza, but don’t feel like going out, just go online.

Specifically, go to MobileMeals.com.

At the site, several tabs will greet you, including “Order,” “Catering,” “Support” and “Blog.” Whether you’re ordering for just you or for a few, just click on “Order.” You’ll be taken to a page with featured restaurants, announcements and coupon codes for discounts on deliveries from specific restaurants and the options to search by zip code to see which restaurants in the area are available for delivery

by Mobile Meals.

Once a restaurant is chosen, a full menu for the eatery pops up. By simply clicking on a menu item, the dish or drink will be added to your “shopping cart,” just like online shopping. However, ordering by phone also is an option.

“About 90 percent of our customer base utilizes our online ordering,” Mekdeci says. “It’s very easy to use. Delivery usually takes between 35-50 minutes, depending upon the restaurant.”

Once the order comes in, one of the

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five staff members at Mobile Meals’ customer service center calls the order into the selected restaurant. Once the meal is ready, one of Mobile Meals’ 30 “mobile waiters” picks the order up from the restaurant and delivers it to the address provided in an insulated “hot box.”

The charge for delivery is only an additional $3.99 charge on top of what the meal costs at the restaurant. Using Mobile Meals is just like ordering a pizza; only it can be almost any meal from almost any genre of restaurant in Hillsborough County, as well as several in Wesley Chapel, including 900 Degree Woodfired Pizza and Cantina Laredo in the Shops at Wiregrass mall. And, Jennifer says that at the core of their entire business is taking proper care of customers.

“Customer service is extremely important to us at Mobile Meals, and we strive to always ensure our customers’ complete satisfaction,” Jennifer explains.

Scott, a local Mobile Meals customer, agrees. “My wife and I use Mobile Meals at least 2-3 times per week,” he explains.

“In this day and age of lackluster customer service, I am amazed at the level of service given by the staff who answer the phones, all the way through to the delivery drivers who get us our food while it is still hot. Mobile Meals is fast and accurate.

This is a great service with fantastic people working for it.”

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cated on the USF Tampa campus) and having “mobile waiters” wear pink ribbons either on their uniform or on their “hot boxes.”

Mobile Meals customers who wish to donate can easily do so while ordering their meal online, as there is a list of donation amounts that appear as menu items on each restaurant’s menu.

If you so choose, you can just click the amount that you would like to donate and it will be added to your shopping cart, just like a food or drink item.

“We’ve been lucky that our Mobile Meals’ “Mobile Waiters,” such as Alex Reibman (above) make sure your take-out food shows up hot to business has grown as fast as it has,” Jennifer says. “For Chris your doorstep within 50 minutes of ordering. and I, the things we worried In addition to residential meal delivabout with the business four years ago are eries, Mobile Meals also offers catering things we’d probably laugh at now.” services for both businesses and private Looking for a fast and convenient celebrations. A mobile waiter will deliver restaurant meal, but don’t want to everything necessary for a self-serve caterdrive to go get it? Give Mobile Meals a ing event, including the food, utensils, try by visiting MobileMeals.com or by napkins and plates. calling 907-MEAL (6325). Delivery “The beauty of our business is that hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.– you can use us not only for individual 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.– 9 p.m. Frimeal deliveries to businesses and homes, day and Saturday hours are the same, but also for catering,” Mekdeci explains. but deliveries are available until 9:30 Breast Cancer Awareness p.m. both days and noon–9 p.m. on To help raise awareness for Breast Sundays. And, if you’re interested in Cancer Awareness month, which runs partnering with Mobile Meals, simply through October 31, Mobile Meals is col- click on the “Support” tab, and then lecting donations for the H. Lee Moffitt on “Partnerships” when you visit the Cancer Institute & Research Center (loMobile Meals website.

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Wolf’s Den — Your Neighborhood Diner Is Focusing On What It Does Best!

By Gary Nager The last time I wrote about Wolf’s Den restaurant owner Roger Wolf, I was telling you about the passing of Roger’s beloved wife Patty (“Patty Wolf - The Smile & Spirit Of Wolf’s Den - Remembered At Memorial,” March 16, 2013) from ovarian cancer.

Fast forward just seven short months and a lot has happened at Wolf’s Den, which Roger and I like to call “Wesley Chapel’s Neighborhood Diner,” located on S.R. 56, in front of Sam’s Club.

The man who was among the first U.S. troops to serve in Vietnam nearly 50 years ago (when he was just 17) has been looking for the best way to expand his hours and menu at one of our area’s most successful mom-and-pop eateries.

First, he looked at moving, because there simply wasn’t an adjacent space to his in his current plaza. But, when a deal to open directly across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the new Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (in the spaces previously occupied by Baja Fresh and other now-closed eateries), Roger decided to expand his hours and his menu at his existing location and he also plans to one day get a beer and wine license.

In the meantime, Roger has greatly

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expanded his service area at Wolf’s Den by creating an attractive and well-covered patio area, perfect for the cooler weather heading our way soon. “We even welcome to bring their pets, if they want to dine outside here,” Roger says.

But, after about a month of being open for dinner every day, Roger decided to “go back to focusing on what we do best — serving the best breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch in the area at the best possible prices,” although Wolf’s Den is still staying open for dinner on Thursday and Friday (until 8 p.m.). It also is now open Saturday-Wednesday from 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

“Unfortunately, not enough people thought of coming here for dinner,” Roger says, “although people who did come really liked our new dinner entrées, so we are keeping those around. But now,” he laughs, “you can order them for lunch or even breakfast, if you like.”

My favorite dinner entrée at Wolf’s Den is still Roger’s uniquely crispy, but always juicy golden fried chicken, which I usually get with mashed potatoes and gravy and either fresh green beans or Roger’s homemade cole slaw, but I have enjoyed his veal parmesan, fried pork tenderloin and (even though I’m not the biggest BBQ fan), his new BBQ entrées,

including BBQ brisket, pulled pork, chicken and the tantalizing ribs pictured at the top of this page and, of course, all of the fixins’ for your BBQ favorites, including some of the best baked beans I’ve had in this area.

Roger says that his liver & onions dinner and his Friday all-you-can-eat fish fry are also popular dinner choices.

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Among our editor’s favorites at Wolf’s Den on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel are (top left) the BBQ ribs, all of the breakfast items pictured above and even the unique thickcrust pizza (left). Photos by Jayne Baker.

Back To Breakfast Basics

I will admit, however, that my favorite meal at Wolf’s Den is still breakfast.

I can get my eggs over easy, my hash browns and bacon extra crispy, deliciously creamy grits and even add extras like homemade waffles, French toast or fluffy, larger-than-plate-sized pancakes topped

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Other great choices at Wolf’s Den include (l. to r.) the golden fried chicken, corned beef Reuben sandwich, triple-decker turkey club sandwich and the turkey burger with crispy waffle fries. Photos by Gary Nager

with steaming hot blueberries or other tasty toppings.

“And I know no one in this area can touch our prices for the quality and portion size of our breakfast,” Roger says, confidently. “This place is packed every morning for breakfast.”

I also have met a lot of people at Wolf’s Den who order their favorite breakfast items for lunch during the week, too, and of course, there can be lines on Saturdays and especially on Sundays for brunch, but Roger’s professional staff always makes sure you get in and out as quickly as possible.

For lunch, in addition to the afore-

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mentioned dinner entrées, Wolf’s Den is a great place for delicious, overstuffed sandwiches — including juicy burgers, open-faced roast beef sandwiches with gravy, an excellent corned beef Reuben, aptly-named Patty melt, huge tripledecker turkey club and so many more, I can’t name them all. On my most recent lunch visit, I really enjoyed Wolf’s Den’s tasty turkey burger and extra crispy waffle fries that are better than you’ll find anywhere (straight fries available, too).

Den, I actually prefer the still-crisp and hearty, thick-crust pizzas at Wolf’s Den. “We also can create a take-and-bake pizza with any toppings you like,” Roger says. “You take it home, pop it in the oven, and in 20 or 30 minutes, you have a delicious, fresh pizza that’s better than anything you’ll find at a grocery store.”

And, with the coupons you’ll find in

Wolf’s Den’s ad on page 56 of this issue, you can save $1.50 on any small or medium pizza, or $2 off a large. Or, save 10% off of your breakfast, lunch or dinner, or $5 off any order of $25 or more.

For additional information, visit Wolf’s Den in the Seven Oaks plaza at 27607 S.R. 56, call 907-9124 or visit WolfsDenRestaurant.com.

Pizza, Anyone?

Although Wolf’s Den isn’t a “pizza place,” I have to admit that I’m impressed with Roger’s pizza. Although I normally prefer my pizza New Yorkstyle, with a crisp, thin crust, at Wolf’s

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The Latest & Greatest News About Dining, Shopping, Retail & More In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!

New Tampa Chiropractic’s 2nd Grand Opening

Congratulations go out to my friend and fellow Rotarian Dr. William Scheu and his amazing staff at the New Tampa Chiropractic & Injury Center (photo below), who celebrated the Grand Opening of the office’s new location in the Cypress Ridge Professional Park just off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel on October 3. The crowded (at least 40 or so people) Open House event featured delicious food by Ghada Jadallah of A Dash of Salt & Pepper (on Cross Creek Blvd.), as well as a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting.

The new office, which is much larger and has more private treatment, rehab and massage therapy rooms than New Tampa Chiro’s now-closed old office (next to the Super Target on BBD), is elegant, comfortable and a lot more functional.

“My staff, my family and I are definitely all happier here,” Dr. Scheu said during the

event. “Our patients are having no problem finding us and we’re really not missing out on much walk-in traffic at the old location because there never really was very much of it.”

For more info about New Tampa Chiropractic & Injury Center (2312 Crestover Lane, Suite 102, Wesley Chapel) — including info about the Licensed Therapeutic Massage, weight loss, core strengthening and of course, chiropractic and injury rehab services & more, call 994-6111 or visit ConfortiChiropractic.com.

Jen & Travis Open...& Close ...The Flaming Taco?

I was so psyched that my dear friends Jennifer & Travis Davidson and their friends Mary Ann & Keith Cucuzza (photo on right) had opened an amazing new taco stand in Ybor City called the Flaming Taco that I wrote them up as a Neighborhood Nibbles item in our September New Tampa issue.

But, the following for the Flaming

Taco (which was located inside the Yo Boys yogurt shop, a little more than a block from the Columbia Restaurant), grew so big so quickly that the young entrepreneurs already knew the small space inside a notreally compatible business wouldn’t last long.

So, while the Flaming Taco might now be closed, The Flaming Taco Catering Company is already taking big orders for home- The owners of The Flaming Taco Catering Company made, unique recipe tacos (l. to r.) Travis & Jennifer Davidson & Mary Ann & and other delicious SouthKeith Cucuzza (and their families) recently visited western Tex-Mex favorites the Fresh Market at the Shops of Wiregrass mall. you don’t even know are Taco’s menu (including the unique bacon your favorites yet. guac-adilla), he also already is creating As soon as standing outside on 7th catering orders featuring his new, all-natAve. on weekends between midnight-3 ural chorizo sausage tortas (Mexican sanda.m. took off, it wasn’t long before Travis, wiches, served on an incredible egg club Jen, Mary Ann and Keith recognized that roll), topped with roasted poblano peppers there was more that they could do. and onions, steak-on-a-stick and a few Travis (still the group’s creative force other unique items. in the kitchen) says, in addition to my alFor catering order information, call ready-favorite spicy El Cubano beef brisket 389-2765 or visit TheFlamingTaco.com. taco and the six other items on the Flaming

Cappy’s Pizza Opens In City Plaza

A thin-crust margherita-style pizza at the new Cappy’s Pizza in City Plaza at Tampa Palms.

Photo by Matt Wiley.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 21 • October 12, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

For those of us who had already sampled any of the existing Cappy’s Pizza locations (the closest to New Tampa being the Seminole Heights location on N. Florida Ave.), the opening of the new Cappy’s in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center (in the original Ciccio & Tony’s space) was surely welcome.

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Cappy’s is a funky-chic pizza, salad and calzones-only eatery, which features both thin-crust and deep-dish Chicagostyle pizza, a variety of crisp salads, the biggest overstuffed calzones I’ve ever seen and, according to our resident expert (assistant editor Matt Wiley), a nice selection of craft beers, as well.

Please tell the folks at the new Cappy’s Pizza (16019 Tampa Palms Blvd. W.) that we sent you! For more information, call 512-8927 or visit CappysPizzaOnline.com.

City Grill Opens!

ated fresh seafood, pasta and more.”

Yes, you can get great wings and burgers at City Grill, too, but you also can get amazing appetizers like the unique Cuban Cigars pictured below left, ahi tuna poki (tartare) and truly fresh blackened grouper.

For Happy Hour and menu information, visit CityGrill.us, call 9739988 or go to Facebook.com/city grillwesleychapel.

Here & There, This & That!

You may or may not have noticed that there’s a cool, new restaurant that has opened at 5429 Wesley Chapel Village Market on S.R. 54 just east of I-75.

Athough a lot of Wesley Chapel residents already are loving the place, what you may not yet have sampled, living here in New Tampa, is the elegant new City Grill, which is one of the first true sit-down, non-chain restaurants in Wesley Chapel, featuring what the owners call “chef-crePhoto by Matt Wiley

We’re still waiting for official announcements about the opening of the new Ciccio’s California Cusine in the old World of Beer space in the Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms and the new Vallarta’s Restaurante Mexicano in the most recent Ciccio’s space in City Plaza, but we’ve been told that both are still “coming soon.” Vallarta’s may be open as early as the end of this month, and there also is talk of Ciccio’s opening on December 3.

If you went to Bonefish Grill in the Shoppes of New Tampa at Wesley Chapel plaza on BBD last week, you may have found the popular eatery closed for renovations. Although it is now reopened, the renovations were primarily to the kitchen, so don’t expect a whole new look if you visit Bonefish — but feel free to tell them we sent you!

We’ve also heard a rumor that Lee Roy Selmon’s was once again planning to re-open in its original New Tampa location, but we’ll keep you posted. — GN

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Dr. Neeraja Jasthi, DMD

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“Marlana”

Continued from page 1 as well as event co-organizer Shari Torres (Rae) and several other of Marlana and Shari’s fellow performers from Busch Gardens, all of whom joined her on the dance floor for a great line dance as the Deacon Blues played the Georgia Satellites hit, “Keep Your Hands to Yourself.”

Another Busch Gardens performer, Desrosiers’ daughter Nicole, joined the Deacon Blues onstage for the Aretha Franklin/ Carole King hit, “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” and the entire evening left everyone in attendance with a warm feeling.

The band also kept the house rockin’ with favorites like “Mustang Sally,” “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Johnny B. Goode” and “Sweet Home Chicago.”

“I can’t thank you all enough for coming,” Marlana said, holding back tears. “This is just so awesome.”

Although there are still some unnamed corporate sponsors whose donations for the evening hadn’t been received at our press time, Desrosiers estimates that at least $5,000 was raised at the event, all of which will be donated to help the local Lukemia & Lymphoma Society chapter lead the battle against blood-borne cancers.

Our friends (and Shoppes of Amberly plaza neighbors) at Peabody’s were thrilled with the packed room and promised to bring the Deacon Blues back — and host other bands and events at The Palms Lounge.

For info about Peabody’s (15333 Amberly Dr.), call 972-1725 or visit PeabodysBilliards.com. For donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Tampa Bay in honor of Marlana, visit pages.teamintraining. org/sun/StPeteHf13/storresg0s.

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(Clockwise from top left): Guitarist/vocalist Michael Marth & vocalist Todd LeBlanc of the Deacon Blues; the “Soul Train” line during “Brown Eyed Girl;” (front, l.-r.) Marlana, Bernie & Shari Torres (Rae); Nicole Desrosiers sings “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman.”

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 21 • October 12, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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Win $100 In FREE Dining In Our 2013 Dining Survey & Contest!

Please fill in as many categories as possible and all of the personal info requested. One winner, drawn at random from all legitimate entries, will receive a $100 gift card to the restaurant of his or her choice in the Tampa Bay area! To help you remember the different local independent restaurants in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, we have provided an alphabetical list of them (& their locations) to choose from in each category, although you can write in your other favorites in each category, too, in the “Write-In” space. Fast food & national & regional chains with more than 20 locations are not listed, although you can vote for them in any category by writing them in. — GN __Mulligan’s Irish Pub (Pebble Creek CC) My Favorite Restaurants In New Tampa (Number your 5 favorites #1-#5) __New China King (Cross Creek) __Oakley’s Grille (North Palms/BBD) __Acropolis (Oak Ramble) __Peabody’s Billiards & Games (Amberly) __Apna Kabab House (Live Oak/BBD) __ Petra Mediterranean Cuisine (Highwoods) __Back 9 Café (Heritage Isles CC) __Pita’s Republic (County Line Rd.) __Biagio’s II Pizza & Pasta (Cross Creek) __Pizzazone (Tampa Palms) __Big Papa’s Pit (Bearss Ave.) __PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub (Bearss Ave.) __Burger 21 (Trout Creek/BBD) __Saffron Indian Cuisine (Cross Creek) __Café Olé (Cross Creek) __Seasons Fresh Café (Bearss Ave.) __Cappy’s Pizza (City Plaza, NEW) __Soho Sushi (Bearss Ave.) __Casa Ramos (Shoppes of Amberly) __Stonewood Grill & Tavern (Tampa Palms) __China City (City Plaza) __Sushi Café (Highwoods) __China Wok (County Line Rd.) __Sushi Ko (New Tampa Center) __Cross Creek Deli (Shell station) __Sukhothai (Highwoods) __Full Circle Pizza (Pebble Creek) __Takara Sushi & Sake Lounge (Oak Ramble) __Fushia Asian Bistro (Shoppes of Amberly) __Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club __Hawkeye NYS Pizza (Cross Creek/BP) __Taste of New York Pizza (Highwoods) __Ho King (Highwoods) __Thai Ruby (Shoppes of Amberly) __Hunter’s Green Country Club __Toast Fine Wine & Café (Oak Ramble) __Kobé Japanese Steakhouse (Pebble Creek) __Top Thai (Live Oak) __Koizi Hibachi Grill (Tampa Palms) __Woodfired Pizza (Bearss Ave.) __La Cubanita Café (New Tampa Center) __Zeko’s Express (New Tampa Center Mobil) __La Fuente Mexican Cuisine (Cross Creek) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Lanna Thai (old Ploy Thai; Cross Creek) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Las Palmas Café (Pebble Creek) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Liang’s Bistro (North Palms/BBD) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Little Greek (New Tampa Center) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Mr. Dunderbak’s (Oak Ramble)

Neighborhood News

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My Favorite Restaurants In Wesley Chapel (Number your 5 favorites #1-#5)

__Asian Buffet (Shoppes at New Tampa) __Amici Pizza (Grand Oaks Plaza) __Bagelicious & More (Freedom Plaza/54) __Best NY Pizza (Pinebrook Plaza/S.R. 54) __Bonsai Sushi (Shoppes at New Tampa) __Bosco’s Italian To Go (Freedom Plaza/54) __Burger Monger (Shoppes at New Tampa) __Café Fresco (S.R. 56) __China Taste (Shoppes at New Tampa) __China Wok (Village Market) __Ciao! Italian Bistro (Wiregrass Mall) __CineBistro (The Grove) __Dempsey’s Steak House (Saddlebrook) __Dempsey’s Too Lounge (Saddlebrook) __Don Pan Int’l Bakery (Shoppes at NT ) __Fine Thai Express (S.R. 54) __Gonna China (Hollybrook Plaza) __GrillSmith (Wiregrass Mall) __Hibachi Express (Village Market) __Ho Wok (next to Target) __Hungry Greek (across BBD from FHWC) __Kwan Ming Bistro (S.R. 56) __La Prima Pizza (next to Target/BBD) __Latin Twist Café (across BBD from FHWC) __Lexington Oaks Golf Club

__900º Woodfired Pizza (Wiregrass Mall) __NY NY Pizza (BBD in Seven Oaks) __PDQ (S.R. 56) __PizzaMania (Wiregrass Mall) __Poolside Café (Saddlebrook) __PrimeBar (Wiregrass Mall) __Quail Hollow Country Club __Shang Hai Chinese (Eiland Blvd./Publix) __ Taste of Boston (Shoppes at New Tampa) __TD’s Sports Bar (Saddlebrook) __365 Caffé Italiano (Wiregrass Mall) __Tokyo Grill & Sushi (Eiland Blvd./Publix) __Vallarta’s (Village Market) __Woody’s Pizza & Wings (Village Market) __Wolf’s Den (S.R. 56) __Yamato Japanese Steakhouse (Wiregrass) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________ Please only put each numeral (#s 1-5) on each list once each, including your writeins. We apologize for any inconvenience to independent restaurants not listed here.

The Survey continues on page 56!

Your Name ____________________________________________________________ Your Community (Tampa Palms, Meadow Pointe, etc.) _______________________ Your Mailing Address ___________________________________________________ Your Daytime Phone #__________________________________________________ Your Valid Email Address _______________________________________________ Please submit BOTH pages by fax, mail, email or on our website (see pg. 3) by Fri., Nov. 8.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 21 • October 12, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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My Favorite Chinese Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (Pick or write-in one)

__Asian Buffet (Shoppes at New Tampa) __China City (City Plaza) __China Taste (Shoppes at New Tampa) __China Wok (County Line Rd.) __China Wok (Village Market) __Fushia Asian Bistro (Shoppes of Amberly) My Favorite Japanese & Sushi Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (Pick or write-in one)

__Asian Buffet (Shoppes at New Tampa) __Bonsai Sushi (Shoppes at New Tampa) __Hibachi Express (Village Market) __Kobé Japanese Steakhouse (Pebble Creek) __Koizi Hibachi Grill (Tampa Palms) My Favorite Thai/Indian Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (Pick or write-in one)

__Fine Thai Express (S.R. 54) __Lanna Thai (old Ploy Thai; Cross Creek) My Favorite Pizza Places In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (Number no more than #s 1-5)

__Amici Pizza (Grand Oaks Plaza) __Best NY Pizza (Pinebrook Plaza/S.R. 54) __Biagios II Pizza & Pasta (Cross Creek) __Bosco’s Italian To Go (Freedom Plaza/54) __Ciao! Italian Bistro (Wiregrass Mall) __Full Circle Pizza (Pebble Creek) __Hawkeye NYS Pizza (Cross Creek) __La Prima Pizza (next to Target) __900º Woodfired Pizza (Wiregrass Mall) __NY NY Pizza (BBD in Seven Oaks)

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__Gonna China (Hollybrook Plaza) __Ho King (Highwoods) __Ho Wok (next to Target) __Kwan Ming Bistro (S.R. 56) __Liang’s Bistro (North Palms/BBD) __New China King (Cross Creek) __Shang Hai Chinese (Eiland Blvd./Publix) __Sushi Ko (New Tampa Center) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Soho Sushi (Bearss Ave.) __Sushi Café (Highwoods) __Sushi Ko (New Tampa Center) __Sukhothai (Highwoods) __Takara Sushi & Sake Lounge (Oak Ramble) __Tokyo Grill & Sushi (Eiland Blvd./Publix) __Yamato Japanese Stkhs (Wiregrass Mall) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Saffron Indian Cuisine (Cross Creek) __Sukhothai (Highwoods) __Thai Ruby (Shoppes of Amberly) __Top Thai (Live Oak) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Peabody’s Billiards & Games __PizzaMania (Wiregrass Mall) __Pizzazone (Tampa Palms) __Taste of New York Pizza (Highwoods) __Woodfired Pizza (Bearss Ave.) __Woody’s Pizza & Wings (Village Market) __Wolf’s Den (S.R. 56) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________

__Mulligan’s Irish Pub (Pebble Creek CC) __Oakley’s Grille (North Palms) __Peabody’s Billiards & Games (Amberly) __PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub (Bearss Ave.) __Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club __Poolside Café (Saddlebrook) __ Taste of Boston (Shoppes at New Tampa) __TD’s Sports Bar (Saddlebrook) __Wolf’s Den (S.R. 56) __Write-In (must name)___________________

My Favorite Hamburger Restaurant In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (Pick or write-in one)

__Burger Monger (Shoppes at New Tampa) __Burger 21 (Trout Creek/BBD) __Café Fresco (S.R. 56) __Dempsey’s Too Lounge (Saddlebrook) __GrillSmith (Wiregrass Mall) __Hunter’s Green Country Club __Lexington Oaks Golf Club My Favorite Latin/Mexican Restaurants In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (Pick or write-in one)

__Café Olé (Cross Creek) __Casa Ramos (Shoppes of Amberly) __Café Fresco (S.R. 56) __Don Pan Int’l Bakery (Shoppes at NT ) My Favorite Greek/Mediterranean Restaurants In New Tampa/Wesley Chapel (Pick or write-in one)

__Acropolis (Oak Ramble) __Apna Kabab House (Live Oak) __Hungry Greek (across BBD from FHWC) My Favorite Bars & Taverns In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel (Number no more than #s 1-5)

__Acropolis (Oak Ramble) __Back 9 Café (Heritage Isles CC) __CineBistro (The Grove) __Dempsey’s Steak House (Saddlebrook) __Dempsey’s Too Lounge (Saddlebrook) __GrillSmith (Wiregrass Mall) __Halftime Sports Lounge (New Tampa Ctr) __Hunter’s Green Country Club __Lexington Oaks Golf Club __Linkster’s Tap Room (Highwoods)

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 21 • October 12, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

__La Cubanita Café (New Tampa Center) __La Fuente Mexican Cuisine (Cross Creek) __Las Palmas Café (Pebble Creek) __Latin Twist Café (across BBD from FHWC) __Vallarta’s (Village Market) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Little Greek (New Tampa Center) __ Petra Mediterranean Cuisine (Highwoods) __Pita’s Republic (County Line Rd.) __Zeko’s Express (New Tampa Center Mobil) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Mulligan’s Irish Pub (Pebble Creek CC) __Peabody’s Billiards & Games (Amberly) __PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub (Bearss Ave.) __Poolside Café (Saddlebrook) __PrimeBar (Wiregrass Mall) __Quail Hollow Country Club __Skinny’s Sports Bar (S.R. 54) __Stonewood Grill & Tavern (Tampa Palms) __Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club __TD’s Sports Bar (Saddlebrook) __Toast Fine Wine & Café (Oak Ramble) __Write-In (must name)___________________ __Write-In (must name)___________________

Neighborhood News

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Neighborhood News

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 21 • October 12, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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NEW TAMPA & WESLEY CHAPEL H

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HELP WANTED – Full Circle Pizza & Grill is looking for an EXPERIENCED pizza maker/line cook. NO phone calls. Walk-ins with resumes ONLY. 19651 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite B2, Mon-Sat, 11 a.m.– 8 p.m.

Ask for Ron.

S E R V I C E S

TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE - New Tampa owned & operated. Gareat Pricing with outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! New customer’s ONE MONTH FREE! Call Chris Today @ (813) 857-5400 or visit www.TranquilityPoolService.com AQUATEC POOL SERVICE - keeping pools clear & swim safe since 1994. WE DO POOLS RIGHT! Commercial & Residential.

CPO #33-303052 Licensed & Insured. Service guarantee. Call (813) 312-5694 TODAY and get 1 MONTH OF QUALITY SERVICE FOR FREE. www.aquatecpool.com

C A R

Classifıeds TAI CHI CLASSES - open to the public at the Club Tampa Palms. Benefits: Strength, Flexibility, Balance, Focus and reduced stress.

New Beginner 6 week courses starting every few months. Adults Course: Thursday evening’s 7-8 pm. Seniors Course: Tuesday afternoons 12-1 pm. Space is limited! Also personal instruction in Tai Chi, Kempo Karate, Boot Camp Fitness training and more. With more than 30 years of training and teaching experience. Please contact me for more details or go to: chuan-fa.org.

Peter #787-7560 or e-mail peter@chuan-fa.org

EDUCATION

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BABYSITTING

PIANO LESSONS/TUTORING - Located in Live Oak Preserve for children, teens, and adults. I am a highly qualified/certified Florida teacher specializing in piano, music theory, language arts, reading, writing, geography, elementary math, beginning Spanish, and FCAT/test preparation. Mention this ad and receive your first session for FREE! Now scheduling for the new 2013-2014 school year! Contact Mrs. Daley at 813-468-1424 to reserve your spot!

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TAMPA CAT LADY- Professional Cat-Sitting Service. Cats are happiest in their own home, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds, & smells. When you are away, we feed, cuddle, & play with your kitties & clean & dispose of litter. Insured, bonded, & Red-Cross certified in pet first aid/CPR. Call 813-9949449 or visit www.TampaCatLady.com

CYD Professional Cleaning Services Residential & Commercial - Weekly, bi-Weekly & monthly rates- Flexible scheduling, including weekends. 'Green' cleaning solutions available upon request. We provide all cleaning supplies.

Quality cleaning at AFFORDABLE prices. Over 6 years experience. You'll have the same, uniformed cleaning professional every time!

Call Katherine (813) 494-6005 CLEANING, LAUNDRY, YOU NAME IT! $68.00 introductory special, Mon-Wed. Make your list, put us to work! Anna's Housekeeping A BBB Accredited Business Servicing Florida since 1991. We have private housekeeper rates with agency backup coverage! Licensed and all housekeepers are background checked.

Call 813.985.1150.

WEST COAST FLOORING INC - Hardwood, Laminate, and Carpet; Over 25 years experience in sales and installations; Repairs: Large and small jobs; We even do exterior pavers; Free estimates Call Doug at (813) 215-4817

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D & D PRESSURE WASHING - licensed and insured. We clean driveways, sidewalks, homes, pool decks, screen enclosures, fences and other items. Free estimates.

Call Dina or Doug 813-949-5131 www.ddpressurewash.com

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JASMINE’S LANDSCAPING - Complete lawn maintenance, Tree, palm and hedge trimming, Planting, mulching, stones, Sod replacement, Pressure washing, Gutter cleaning and more. Cited by your HOA for violations? Need to comply for: Pressure washing, Trimming, Mulching, Sod replacement, Sprinkler repair or Mailbox repair or replacements?

Ask about our HOA SPECIAL! FREE ESTIMATE! (813) 420-4465 AMERICAN PRIDE LAWN CARE- A weekly full service lawn maintenance company. Services include; professional mowing, edging, trimming, blowing of debris, tree & shrub trimming, yard cleanup, yard enhancements. Owner Operator Company Built on Service & Trust! Licensed & Insured. Affordable prices, call today for your free estimate. 813-458-4778

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D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE - We have our own supplies & more than 300 clients in New Tampa! For more information, Call 758-9710.

DAVID BRIDGES PRESSURE CLEANING - Complete exterior cleaning of your home or business with a professional and personal touch. - Pool decks and screen enclosures - All fencing/ driveways and walkways/roofs - Gutter and downspouts.

Find your happiness in a fresh, bright clean home. Your neighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed. Licensed and insured.

(813) 215-1177

NO TIME - NEED TO RUN ERRANDS or STRANDED? Call 813-263-4244 for: Professional Assistance, Concierge Services, Confidant/Companion, Transportation, Errands, Personal and Professional Care. Hourly, Daily & Long Term Rates Tampa Palms/ New Tampa Area TRUSTWORTHY, RELIABLE, FRIENDLY.

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Squeaky Clean Home Services - is a residential cleaning company offering weekly, biweekly, and monthly services. We also specialize in move-in/move-out cleanup. All supplies & equipment provided. We are an Owner Operator company w/ over 20 years experience. "If it Needs to be Clean, We're your Team! Call us for your free in home estimate today! 813-625-6045

RAYMOND PAINTING – Interior & Exterior pressure washing, paper hanging, plaster, stucco, tiles, clean & seal pavers, roofing leaks, etc. Licensed & Bonded. References available.

Free Estimates. Your Neighborhoond Arbor Greene Resident. We work 7 days.

Call 994-5124.

INDIVIDUAL & COUPLES COUNSELING - Over 90 years of personable & experienced therapy & testing services.

Better Business Bureau Accredited. With 6 clinicians, we’ll find the best therapist for you.

Call (813) 418-7188 or DrP@phonepremier.com.

Website: www.Tampa-Therapy.com

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 21, Issue 17 • August 17, 2013 • www.NTNeighborhoodNews.com

SERVICES

DISCOUNT JUNK REMOVAL!!! - No job to big or to small! Same day service. Senior discount. Servicing the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, as well as surrounding areas for over 11 years. Furniture, yard debris, garage clean out, & any other items.

Call Lamar Today – 813.285.4674.

GREG’S PAPERHANGING – For all of your wallpapering needs. Licensed & insured, clean, quick & reasonable.

Call 973-2767 for free estimate.

LICENSED MOBILE MASSAGE THERAPIST Available seven days a week, 9am -9pm. $55 for 1 hour! Types of massage available: Swedish, Deep Tissue, Aroma Therapy, Hot Stone, Corporate Seated, Pregnancy, Sports & Injury Rehab. References available. www.barkdollmassagetherapy.com CALL (727) 372-6389 Lic #MA47546.

CLEANING

M.Y. CLEANING SERVICE - Offering Residential cleaning, complete bath & kitchen cleaning, as well as dusting & polishing furniture. We provide our own supplies. Free estimates! Your satisfaction is our priority! With 5 years of experience, we guarantee meticulous cleaning! Call Mila: (813) 516-3554.

NEED HOME MAINTENANCE – Almost any job, large or small, ext/int, fencing , screening, sm. concrete, sprinklers, painting, repairs, int. doors, locks, sheet rock, windows, paint, caulk, grout, trim, shelving, garages organized. Installations, removals, pressure washing, wood restoration & more.

Call Dale’s Home Maintenance @ 973-0194 or 727-2582.

S E R V I C E S M I S C E L L A N E O U S

CAR SERVICES – Don’t Have a Ride? Don’t Want to Leave Your Car? Shouldn’t Drive? We Drive You and Your Car Home! Night Clubs, Corporate Events, Sporting Events, Concerts, Appointments, Airport or Stranded..

Call Jay at (813) 966-1530.

I M P R O V E M E N T

DRY WALL SPECIALIST - Not a handyman. Affordable Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings and walls, retexturing, popcorn removal, room additions, cracks, holes, plaster and stucco repair. 26 Years Experience. Wesley Chapel resident.

State Certified. Call Ron for a free estimate (813) 784-5999

TD FITNESS & WELLBEING

PHYSICAL THERAPIST – An established New Tampa outpatient clinic is hiring a part-time PT to provide customized, oneon-one care. Fax resume to (813) 9943080

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TURN YOUR CLUTTER INTO CASH! - Garage & estate sales, inventory liquidation,& appraisal services. We'll sell it for you online!We evaluate & appraise your products then get you top dollar. We do the work you get the cash.

Ask me how, contact Mary at 813-428-5793

COMPUTER SERVICES PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT – in your home or small business. A+ certified computer tech with 20 years of exp. Maintenance & repairs, upgrades & tutoring. More affordable than the large chains! Friendly, personalized svc. Technical jargon explained in plain English. Remote assistance available.

References available upon request.

Call 957-8342 for free estimate.

DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? - WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, installation, networking & virus removal. WE COME TO YOU! Servicing residential & businesses, w/ over 25 years experience. Contact Jeffrey Blank (813) 9734507 today! www.WSICA.COM; Wsica@wsica.com Neighborhood News

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