New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 25, Issue 7, March 24, 2017

Volume 25 Issue 7

Inside:

La’ Berry Is More Than Just Frozen Yogurt!

March 24, 2017

In Neighborhood Magazine

Now The Only Neighborhood News Publications Serving Hillsborough & Pasco Counties!

The Direct-Mail News Magazines Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993!

MMM,TASTY...& Not Even Cold!

For the complete list of the neighborhoods that receive this publication by direct mail in New Tampa (zip code 33647), see page 54!

Florida Hospital Center Ice Provides The Perfect Venue For The Triumphant Return Of The ‘Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!’

Congrats to all of my friends in the Rotary Club of New Tampa (which meets Friday mornings at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Cub) for successfully bringing back “The Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel,” in partnership with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC).

An estimated crowd of about 2,000 people came to sample the wares from the 49 restaurants and beverage providers my restaurant committee assembled for the event, which was held on March 18, inside surprisingly not cold Florida Hospital Center Ice off S.R. 56.

The food and beverages were awesome — my favorites being the seared ahi tuna from the People’s Choice 1st place-winning Bonefish Grill, the fresh sushi from Olde Heights Bistro, Little Italy’s meatballs, the angus burgers from OTB Café, the short rib sliders from Twisted Sprocket Café, Wok Chi’s spring rolls and pot stickers, gnocchi ricotta from Noble Crust (the 2ndplace People’s Choice), chocolate bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes (3rd place) and The Cake Girl’s double chocolate brownies.

For more Taste photos, visit NTNeighborhood News.com! — GN

Also Inside This Issue!

Local News, Business & Sports Updates School Rezoning Coming In 2018, Reeves Will Go To Trial & Benito Runner Makes Gasparilla History; Plus, Business Features!

Neighborhood Magazine

St. Paddy’s Day Draws Revelers, YMCA Honors Its Top Volunteer & More Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

‘Stopping The Presses’ For The Taste, Another WCNT-tv Update & More!

An editorial by Gary Nager We keep telling you everything that’s happening in Wesley Chapel in every issue of this publication, but quite honestly, it’s hard even for us to keep up with everything going on in this community.

That’s especially true when so much of my attention has been focused on the return of the Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, which was held the day after the rest of this issue was put to bed. We got special permission from our printer to hold the front page until after the Taste, which is how we got the great photo gallery from the event into this issue.

Even so, as a member of Rotary Inter(L.-r.): Madison, Jennifer & Dylan Cofini, national and, specifically, the New Tampa with Linda Hurtado. Photo by Jannah McDonald Noon Rotary Club, I appreciate those who put “Service Above Self” (the Rotary motto), with polio himself) to combat polio, which at whether it’s my friends in the Noon Rotary Club that time, was a tremendous worldwide killer putting on a bike rally to raise money to benefit and crippler of babies. Since then, the March of our area’s first responders and military veterans Dimes has focused its efforts on helping mothers (see page 14), or my friend and fellow Rotarian and babies live healthier lives (although Rotary (she belongs to the original Rotary Club of New International has now, about 100 years after it Tampa, the organization that put on the Taste) began its campaign to end polio worldwide, in Jennifer Cofini (see below). cooperation with the World Heath Organization, actually has eliminated new cases of polio from ‘March For Babies’ Kickoff being reported in all but two countries in the I attended the Feb. 22 kickoff event (at world — Pakistan and Afghanistan).

Pasco Hernando State College’s Porter Campus The 2017 March of Babies event chair, Jenat Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel) for the nifer Cofini (photo above), who works for the 2017 Suncoast March of Dimes “March for Parks Auto Group, has two children, Dylan and Babies,” which will be held Saturday, April Madison, both of whom were born prematurely 29, 8 a.m., at the Shops at Wiregrass mall. The (although they are both healthy today), so the annual walk is the largest fund raiser for the March of Dimes is near and dear to her heart.

March of Dimes, which invites you to walk for Jen and her committee hosted more than 100 more babies to be born healthy. Premature birth people at the kickoff event, many of whom work is the number one killer of babies and the March for Publix, a major sponsor of this year’s March. of Dimes, which was founded in 1938 by former According to MarchforBabies.org/ U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (afflicted EventInfo?EventID=18398, the Suncoast March already has raised more than $26,000, New Tampa Neighborhood News with Cofini’s goal being $250,000. WTVT-TV Address: Fox 13 news anchor Linda Hurtado hosted the 29157 Chapel Park Dr., Suite B kickoff event, and quite a few parents of premaWesley Chapel, FL 33543 ture babies who amazingly survived being born Phone: (813) 910-2575 as early as 29 weeks into a 40-week pregnancy Advertising E-mail: brought those children along with them to the Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com event; some even told their amazing, heartEditorial E-mail: wrenching stories of courage.

EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com I hope you’ll visit the previously mentioned Publisher & Editor website to make a donation and show up at the Gary Nager mall for a nice, three-mile walk to benefit this Billing Manager wonderful cause.

Stephanie Smith Advertising Sales & Office Assistant Jannah McDonald Assistant Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Staff Writer Celeste McLaughlin Correspondents Anu Varma Panchal • Brad Stager • Andy Warrener WCNT-tv Sales & Production Assistant Gavin Olsen Graphic Designers Blake Beatty • Georgia Carmichael 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 25, Issue 9, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Monday, April 10, 2017.

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.

© 2017 JM2 Communications, Inc. Neighborhood News

Two More Major Milestones!

And, if you’re not already watching every episode of WCNT-tv — Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Television — why aren’t you? We’ve now reached more than half a million people with our first 19 episodes and multiple special reports, and had more than 250,000 total views of all those segments on YouTube and Facebook.

More and more people keep telling me they’re watching, which is awesome, but please subscribe to and like the WCNT-tv YouTube channel. In our most recent episodes, we’ve been heavily focused on the Taste, but we’ve also had a second visit from actor/director John Schneider and a first visit with Zammy the sheepadoodle, who will surely return for another go-round sometime soon. In other words, if you’re not yet watching it regularly, you should be!

WCNT-tv’s Mollyana Ward & actor/director/musician John Schneider.

WCNT-tv Breaks Through

Table of Contents

Local News Updates.....................3-15

Four New Tampa Schools Up For Rezoning.............4 Benito 8th Grader Wins Twice At Gasparilla.............6 Judge Says No ‘Stand Your Ground’ For Reeves.........8 S.R. 56 Extension Finally Breaks Ground.................10 New Tampa News Briefs........................................12 New Tampa Noon Rotary Bike Ride To Help Vets....15 New Tampa Community Calendar..............................16 Summer Camp Expo Coming To FHCI...............17

Local Business Updates..............20-29 Decorating Den Brings Style To Your Doorstep......20 Florida Educators Insurance...................................22 Academy At The Lakes Stresses Academics...........26

Education/SportsUpdates..........30-36 Local Alger Scholarship Winner To Attend Stanford.....30 Our Exclusive 2017 Summer Camp Guide.........32 Freedom Hockey Has Good Showing At States......34

Neighborhood Magazine

New Tampa Painted Green On St. Patty’s Day.......39 La Berry Offers More Than Frozen Yogurt............42 New Tampa YMCA Honors Top Volunteer............48 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’.........50 New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Classifieds.........52 Wharton NJROTC Holding Clay Shoot...........54

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Some Students At 4 Schools To Be Re-Zoned

By Celeste McLaughlin

On Thursday, March 30, at 6 p.m., officials from Hillsborough County Public Schools will meet with parents at Benito Middle School (10101 Cross Creek Blvd.) to discuss changes to attendance boundaries that are expected for the 2018-19 school year.

The affected schools will include Pride, Heritage, Clark and Hunter’s Green elementaries.

A letter sent home with students at those schools on Feb. 28 states that the boundary changes are necessary to, “balance enrollments among schools,” due to “growth in the New Tampa area.”

Jason Pepe, chief community relations officer for Hillsborough County Public Schools, encourages all parents and interested community members to visit a special webpage that’s been set up with frequently asked questions regarding the changes that are happening in New Tampa and surrounding areas. It is available at sdhc.k12. fl.us/doc/1831/universityfaqs.

“The purpose of the FAQs is to be transparent,” says Pepe. “We have shared everything we know at this point and we really want to get this information to as many people as possible.”

Pepe explains that the FAQs address the addition of more than 1,500 homes in the New Tampa area — primarily in K-Bar Ranch — which means that the schools in New Tampa that have previously relieved overcrowding at schools in the Univer-

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sity of South Florida area will no longer be available for that purpose. Universityarea students will be reassigned to schools closer to their residences.

The boundaries of the New Tampa schools will be adjusted to balance the number of students in the four affected elementary schools. It is expected that some students who currently attend Pride will be moved to other schools to make room for students in K-Bar Ranch. These students currently pass Pride to attend their zoned school, which is Heritage.

Plans outlining the new proposed school boundaries were expected to be released on the school district’s website at sdhc.k12.fl.us on March 21, after we went to press with this issue.

Please note that these proposed changes will not take effect for next (the 2017-18) school year, but the following year, starting in August 2018.

“It’s important to recognize that these changes are (only) proposed,” says Pepe. “All boundary changes have to be approved by the School Board.”

Comments from parents and the community will be accepted at the meeting on March 30, as well as via email.

Changes may be made based on that input before a final recommendation is made by school superintendent Jeff Eakins to the seven-member School Board.

The Board is expected to consider the proposed recommendation of the superintendent regarding these changes at its meeting on Tuesday, May 16.

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Benito 8th Grader Ellie Pleune Earns Two Historic Wins At Gasparilla!

By John C. Cotey A day after becoming the youngest-ever female winner in the 40-year history of the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic 5K race, Benito Middle School eighth-grader Ellie Pleune decided to run in the 8K as a training exercise, or a “shake-out” run.

Here’s what shook out: Ellie ended up surprising everyone and winning that race, too, capping a history-making weekend for the 13-year-old Arbor Greene resident.

Pleune broke away from the other 2,930 other runners in the 8K race before the halfway point, and cruised to the finish line in 31 minutes, 13 seconds (about 6:30 per mile), far ahead of 27-year-old Stefanie Shimansky of Winter Springs, who crossed more than a minute later in 32:33.

Ellie became the first runner in Gasparilla history to win both the 5K and 8K races, which were run Feb. 25 & 26 along Bayshore Blvd. in South Tampa.

“I was surprised to see her finish first,’’ said Ellie’s mother, Julie, who chuckles as she says didn’t even have her phone out ready to snap a picture. “I was under the impression she was using it as a training run.”

She wasn’t alone.

“I think it felt the same as (crossing the finish line in the 5K), but I was more surprised with myself,’’ Ellie says. “I didn’t think I would win both.”

Ellie did, however, think she had a good chance at the 5K title, considering that she finished ninth as a sixth-grader and second (by 19 seconds) last year. She trained for the race by putting in 25-30 miles a

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too fast,” Ellie says.

“You have to save some energy so you don’t burn yourself out. There’s a point with about 1.5 miles left where you turn around, and I started to pick up the pace.

With a mile left, I just give everything I have left.”

Ellie said she could hear former club teammate Lydia Friedman behind her, but she knew she wasn’t too close.

Friedman finished 10 seconds later than Ellie in 18:24.

“It was probably better than I imBenito 8th Grader Ellie Pleune agined it would be,’’ Ellie said of breaking week, with additional exercises as part of the tape in the prestigious 5K race. a regimen she put together two months Following that first win, Ellie returned before the race.

Although she confesses to some nerves to New Tampa to watch older brother Casey, a freshman at Wharton High, compete when she stepped to the starting line with in the Wharton Wildcat Invitational, where 6,942 other participants for the start of he finished 7th in the 3,200-meter race and the 5K, Ellie says she ran the exact race she 12th in the 1,600 meters. wanted to, winning with a time of 18:14 Ellie, who runs for the Hillsborough (less than 6 minutes per mile), which was Harriers club after starting with the Run31 seconds faster than last year, when she ning Tigers club, gives Casey credit for helpfinished second to Kailand Cosgrove (who ing to make her a better runner. When they was sixth this year). train together, Ellie says it gives her a better “At the start, I didn’t want to go out

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and more competitive workout.

“He’s faster than me, so I have to really push to keep up with him,’’ Ellie says. “And he won the State championships (in middle school), so I look up to him because he won (that race).”

The middle school State Championship meet is in May, and Ellie says she has that at the top her list when it comes to races she wants to win, even ahead of Gasparilla. She was fourth in the fall at the middle school cross country championships.

Ellie began running in the fifth grade, unsure of where it would lead. She doesn’t even remember the first race she ever won, but does remember the first one she ran. At a meet at Armwood High in Seffner, Ellie mistakenly lined up with the wrong, and younger, age group. She didn’t win.

She has progressed the past three years and become one the top middle schoolers in Tampa Bay. She says expectations have grown — “Some people expect me to win every race” — but she says she welcomes the challenge.

“I would like to get a scholarship for running and not have to pay for college,’’ Ellie says. “It would be cool to run in college and be part of a team.”

First things first, however. Ellie will attend Wharton next fall, and plans to join the Wildcats’ highly-touted cross country and track programs.

And in May, she will race for that middle school State 5K title she wants more than any other.

We’ll keep you posted.

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Judge Set To Rule Whether Reeves Can Use ‘Stand Your Ground’ Defense

By John C. Cotey Curtis Reeves will face second-degree murder charges for the shooting death of Chad Oulson at the Cobb Grove 16 Cinemas in Wesley Chapel after Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Susan Barthle ruled March 10 that the controversial “stand your ground” defense did not apply in his case.

Reeves, a 74-year-old retired Tampa Police Captain, and Oulson, who was 43 when he died, had an altercation at the cinemas prior to the showing of the movie “Lone Survivor” on Jan. 13, 2014.

Reeves claimed he feared for his life and that Oulson was aggressive towards him after Reeves asked him to stop texting during the movie previews. Reeves claimed Oulson punched or threw a cell phone at him, and that he had no choice but to shoot.

Oulson was shot in the chest and died at the scene.

Reeves’ attorney, Richard Escobar, invoked the “stand your ground” defense, which says a person does not have to retreat when confronted and can use deadly force if they feel they are in danger of bodily harm or death. If “stand your ground” is permitted by the judge, the accused does not have to stand trial.

But, a two-week-long hearing (Feb. 20-March 3) failed to convince Judge Barthle that it was applicable.

“After careful consideration of all of the evidence provided in this case, this court finds that the defendant did not credibly demonstrate that he reasonably believed it was necessary for him to use deadly force in this situation, therefore, defendant’s motion is DENIED,” Judge Barthle wrote.

Reeves’ defense hinged on his account of being attacked by Oulson and in fear for his life.

According to Reeves, Oulson, who was sitting one row in front of him, was coming over the seat to attack him and practically on top of him when he pulled the trigger.

“The defendant testified...that he was grabbing the alleged victim’s chest or body with his left hand while he fired the fatal shot with his right hand, and even stated that he was surprised he did not shoot himself in the hand while doing so: The video evidence and other witness testimony contradicts this assertion also,’’ Judge Barthle’s order stated.

The closest Oulson came to Reeves is when he grabbed Reeves’ bag of popcorn and threw it at him.

“The video then shows the defendant lunge forward with his right arm extended, and fire at the alleged victim, who at that point was so far back from the defendant that he could

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not a polite, ‘Oh, thank you for putting it away’...It was to keep nagging at Chad...to keep the argument going.”

According to Reeves, a few seconds later, Chad Oulson stood and confronted him, as Nicole tried to restrain him.

“When I looked up, he was coming over the seat at me, across from where my wife Curtis Reeves said he believed he was in a “life-or-death struggle” before was,” Reeves said. “I shooting and killing with Chad Oulson on Jan. 13, 2014, in Wesley Chapel. saw just a snapshot of something dark not even be seen in the video anymore,’’ Judge in his hand. Almost immediately, I saw what I Barthle concluded. “He certainly was not on perceived to be a glow from a light screen right top of the defendant, and plainly, the defend- in front of my face, and I was hit in the face.” ant’s left hand was nowhere near the alleged Reeves claimed the blow almost knocked victim’s body.” the glasses off his face.

Reeves, who is 6 feet, 4 inches tall, was At that point, he testified that he began portrayed by the defense as old, frail and fearful to fear for his life. “I realized I was in a life-orfor his life, but the judge concluded that he was death struggle,” he said. anything but that fearful victim.

Witness Mark Turner, a retired U.S. Air “He is quite a large and robust man,’’ she Force officer who was sitting a few seats down wrote. “He also appeared quite self-assured from Reeves, said he heard Reeves say somewhen he was testifying, and certainly did not thing like, “Throw popcorn in my face” almost appear to be a man who was afraid of anyone.” simultaneously with the shot being fired.

Reeves testified for six hours during the Two other witnesses sitting nearby in the hearing on Feb. 28, claiming that he politely theater, also testified that they heard Reeves asked Oulson to stop using his cell phone as the make the popcorn comment. Another witness previews began. to the shooting, Derek Friedhoff, said the popOulson swore at him, Reeves said. He said corn comment was prefaced by “show you.” that Oulson’s wife Nicole was talking to him.

“I felt like he would ultimately comply,’’ Reeves testified.

Reeves also said that when Chad Oulson returned to his phone, he told him he was going to the cinema manager to complain. When Reeves returned from talking to the manager, he said he noticed the phone was off, and said he apologized to Oulson for involving cinema management.

That contradicted Nicole Oulson’s testimony of Feb. 23, when she claimed that Reeves was anything but polite in asking her husband to turn off his phone, calling it more of an “order” than a request.

And, she said, when he returned after talking to management, Reeves did not apologize, but rather goaded her husband.

“I see that you put the phone away now that I went to get management,’’ she testified that Reeves said to her husband. “It was

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Sumter County Sheriff’s Sgt. Alan Hamilton, who was off duty that day but taking in a movie, delivered what was some of the most damaging testimony to Reeves on Mar. 1.

Sgt. Hamilton testified that he saw the popcorn fly, followed almost immediately by the flash of the gun. He moved to where the shot came from, and said he heard Curtis Reeves’ wife Vivian say, “That was no cause to shoot that man.”

He then claimed Reeves scolded his wife.

“He pointed his finger at her and told her to shut her mouth and to not say another f-ing word,’’ Hamilton recalled.

Hamilton said he identified himself as a deputy and took the pistol Reeves had shot Oulson with away from the suspect.

Hamilton also testified that while he was keeping an eye on the altercation, he did not see Oulson climb over a seat to get at Reeves, as Reeves testified, or throw a cell phone or a punch at him.

“Common sense and the credible testimony of the medical examiner casts grave doubt on the likelihood of anything hitting the defendant in the eye beneath his glasses in the manner the defendant described,’’ the judge wrote. “Which begs the question, why did the defendant say he was hit. in the left eye to the point of being dazed, when the video images and basic physics indicate that he did not get hit in the left eye with anything? The logical conclusion is that he was trying to justify his actions after the fact.”

In audio recordings of Reeves’ being interviewed the day of the shooting, Reeves can be heard saying what he had done was “stupid.”

“If I had it to do over again, it would never have happened,” he said. “We would have moved. But, you don’t get do-overs.”

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Dirt Is Moving On S.R. 56 Extension!

By John C. Cotey Construction has begun, rather quietly, on the S.R. 56 extension project that is expected to have a huge impact on central-to-eastern Pasco traffic and development.

After years of trying to figure out a way to pay to extend S.R. 56 from Meadow Pointe Blvd. to U.S. Hwy. 301/S.R. 41, and then pulling off a complicated deal to get approval from the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners, ground finally started moving in February on the extension without a big kick-off.

“We wanted to do something, we just couldn’t make it happen with everyone’s schedule,’’ said District 2 commissioner Mike Moore.

“But, they are moving dirt, and that’s the important thing.”

Moore and others had tried to arrange a groundbreaking ceremony, but once the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave the okay in early February, construction company Cone & Graham wasted little time digging in. “We didn’t want anything to hold it up,’’ Moore said.

The road, which was originally envisioned with just two-lanes, is now a four-lane $65-million project that is being touted as a big victory for economic development opportunities in the area, as well as increasing the tax base in both Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel as new homes continue to be built throughout the area. The extension also will relieve traffic on both S.R. 54 and S.R. 56, and provide easier access to I-75. It also will open a new path to Morris Bridge Rd., which, of course, also connects south into New Tampa.

Currently, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills residents only have the two-lane S.R. 54 for eastwest traveling between the areas, a trip that can

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be grueling during rush hours and other times.

But, S.R. 56 will provide more and easier access. And, with the widening of S.R. 54 project set to go for later this year, Moore says it will soon be “smooth sailing” for local commuters.

The S.R. 56 extension is a partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and four developers.

Funding for the project, which will cost less than $58 million (not including $8 million in interest), is being provided by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Pasco County, the City of Zephyrhills and the developers of Wesley Chapel Lakes, Wyndfields, River Landing and Two Rivers Ranch.

The developers are expected to add (gulp) more than 10,000 homes along the extended S.R. 56 from where it currently ends at Meadow Pointe Blvd. But, as for “soon,” the road is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

By then, Comm. Moore joked, Pasco County will have a ceremony ready to go to celebrate its newest transportation improvement.

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Local Business: Models Are Open At New Communities, New Spin Studio

Discovery Village at Tampa Palms (photo above), which touts itself as “Resort Style Senior Living,” is located across Commerce Park Blvd. from Freedom High at 17470 Brookside Trace Ct. The new assisted living and memory care facility won’t be fully open until December of this year, but now has model rooms available for touring.

Discovery Village will offer 10 different floor plans, ranging from 345-sq.-ft. to 944-sq.-ft. There will be three floor plans for memory care — a 345-sq.-ft. studio and two different two bedroom, two bath apartments (804-sq.-ft. and 944-sq.-ft.). Assisted living at Discovery Village will offer four floorplans, with three 1-bedroom, 1-bath apartments with 541, 595 and 639 square feet, respectively, and a 2-bedroom, 2-bath, 823-sq.-ft. “executive” apartment. There also are two supervised “independent living” suites of 543-sq.-ft. and 595-sq.-ft; both of which are 1-bedroom, 1-bath.

Owner/developer Discovery Senior Living is headquartered in Bonita Springs, FL, and manages twelve other communities in

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Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

For more information, see the ad on pg. 23 of this issue, visit DiscoveryVillages. com or call 605-2400.

STAFFORD PLACE MODELS OPEN: Stafford Place, a new community of 118 single-family homes starting from $316,990 and touted as one of the last opportunities to buy a brand new home in Tampa Palms (off Tampa Palms Blvd., behind BJ’s Wholesale Club), now has two model homes open for prospective buyers.

The CalAtlantic Homes community will have houses ranging from 1,866-sq.-ft. to the luxury Bedford model that is 3,644 sq.-ft. and starts at $404,990. There are eight oneand two-story floor plans to choose from.

The models are located at 6209 English Hollow Rd. For more info, call 6051515 or visit CalAtlanticHomes.com.

ners since opening. “We’ll have more classes, we will be open more and will have the best of the best spin instructors,’’ says Upchurch, who says he has been a serious spinner himself for the past 4-5 years.

Upchurch also says he is currently going

through permitting in the hopes of adding showers in the back, making it more convenient for people getting a spin class in before having to go to work in the morning.

Cycology, which offers 3-, 6- and 12-month agreements, is open until 7 or 8 p.m. on most nights, except for Friday-Sun. It offers spinning classes as early as 5:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, and also offers yoga, pilates, Zumba classes and semi-private personal training sessions as well.

Sometimes, Upchurch says, the bikes are even moved out onto the patio in front of Cycology for an outdoor workout.

To check out the class schedule or for more info, visit Cycologyspin.com, or call 907-8710.

NEW SPIN STUDIO NOW OPEN: Avid spin cyclers Steve Woody (of Woody’s Pizza & Wings in the Wesley Chapel Village Market) and business partner Jim Upchurch have opened Cycology, a new “spin” (indoor cycling) studio located in the Shoppes of New Tampa at Wesley Chapel plaza on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., just south of S.R. 56, in Wesley Chapel.

Cycology is in the space previously occupied by Pura Cycling. Woody and Upchurch, who opened Cycology in January, are hoping to transform the indoor cycling studio into a more vigorous exercise space.

Upchurch says Cycology has been able to retain 90-95 percent of Pura Cycling’s former clients, as well as adding 50-60 new spin-

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Noon Rotary’s Bike Rally Returns Tomorrow!

As a proud member of the Rotary Club of New Tampa Noon — which meets Wednesdays at noon in Mulligan’s Irish Pub, inside the Pebble Creek Golf Club — I am really excited about my club’s fourth annual bike rally (the photo above is from last year’s event) to benefit U.S. military veterans and first responders.

The ride — which is not a race — is an opportunity for riders to ride a 4-, 18- or 39-mile course, starting from the Chili’s Grill & Bar on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (directly adjacent to the BBD entrance to Flatwoods Wilderness Park) while raising funds to benefit four nonprofit charities that help local veterans, law enforcement and firefighters.

Over the first three years of the rally, Noon Rotary president Valerie Casey says that more than 200 total riders have helped the club raise more than $18,000 to helped its selected first

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responder charities. “We’d love to get to 100 riders this year,” Valerie says.

“Come on out and support some great charitable organizations.”

Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit four charitable organizations — Support the Troops, the Stay in Step Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Center, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue & The Homefront Foundation. The suggested donation to ride is $30 anytime after March 10.

This year’s sponsors include Chili’s, The Little Greek Restaurant, Gentle Care Dentistry (the office of Dr. Tom Frankfurth), Stifel Financial/ Mike Wallace, Children’s Dentistry (the office of Dr. Greg Stepanski), State Farm Insurance/Joyce Coleman and the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News.

For registration & info, visit Active.com and search “Cycling for Vets” or see the ad, right. — GN

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MARCH 2017

Club. Guests are always welcome. For more info, call Valerie at 317-8886.

Thursday - March 30

Hillsborough County Public Schools Attendance Boundary Changes (for Saturday, March 25 New Tampa Noon Rotary Club’s “Cycling for Veterans & First Responders”— Prdie, Heritage, Clark & Hunter’s Green Elementaries )Public Meeting - See story on page 4 of this issue.

For more info, see the story on pg. 14 & the ad on pg. 15 of this issue.

Friday - March 31 Tampa Palms Women’s Club Community Yard Sale - You can donate your Rotary Club of New Tampa - The original New Tampa Rotary Club meets “treasures” to be sold or rent a space to sell them yourself. Either way, come to shop for bargains or home-baked goods. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, every Friday for breakfast at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club (TPGCC, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.). For more info, contact David Lanigan visit TampaPalmsWomensClub.com or call Elvea Kelly at 615-9600. at 760-6548 or dave@davidlanigan.com or visit NewTampa Rotary.org.

Baychapel Food Pantry - Free food for needy families. Open every Saturday from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. behind Christian Brothers Automotive at 20300 Trout Creek Dr. (off BBD). For more info, visit BayChapel.com/foodpantry.

Sunday, March 26

APRIL 2017

Meditation Group - All faiths and all levels of meditation experience are welSaturday, April 1 come at this free meeting at Sanctuary Wellness Center, 8903 Regents Park 3rd Annual Wharton High NJROTC Sporting Clays Classic - See story on Dr., Suite 120, 10 - 11 a.m. For info, see The Sanctuary Wellness Center in page 54 of this issue.

New Tampa on Facebook or New Tampa Intuitive Development Center on Grand Hampton Music Festival - Enjoy live music, food trucks, vendors, and Meetup. activities at Grand Hampton, 8301 Dunham Station Dr. Featuring The Souliz Band with special guests Boat Train and The Helmsmen. 3 p.m.-9 p.m. Visit eGrandMonday - March 27 New Tampa Democratic Club - New Tampa Democrats meet the fourth Monday Hampton.com for details. of every month at the Brentwood Saturday, April 8 Wesley Chapel Speaks - The Wesley Chapel Toast Masters meets every Family-Friendly Summer Camp Expo - See story, on page 17.

Monday at 6:30 pm at Wesley Chapel Nissan (28519 State Rd 54) to teach the community public speaking and leadership skills. Arrive at 6 pm for networking Live Oak Preserve Farmer’s Market - Open to the public, second Saturday of opportunities. For more info, call Martin at 693-0969. each month from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Features fresh produce, a variety of vendors, and food trucks. 9401 Oak Preserve. Info at facebook.com/LiveOakPreserve.

Tuesday - March 28 English As A Second Language (ESL) - The ESL group meets Tuesdays at Monday - April 10 Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church (19911 BBD Blvd. in Pebble Creek), 9:30 a.m.GFWC New Tampa Junior Woman’s Club - The GFWC New Tampa Junior 11:30 a.m. Classes are taught by a native English speaker. The cost is $40 each Woman’s Club meets the second Mon. of every month, 6:30 p.m., at the New semester for the workbook & class materials. For info, call Holly at 360-2077.

Tampa Family YMCA at 16221 Compton Dr. For more information, visit GFWCNewTampaJuniors.org.

Keep It Local - This seat-specific networking group emphasizes small, local businesses. Meets meets every Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at GrillSmith at The Visit NTNeighborhoodNews.com to add your upcoming events that are Shops at Wiregrass. For more info, call Marino Cecchi at 513-9001.

Wine Blends... White and Red to Enjoy - Join Charles Visalli of Time for Wine and Chef Ghada as they pair unique wine blends from around the world. Learn more about Meritage and the grapes used for this style of wine. It’s fun and enjoyable to share the evening with friends and enjoy wines and a variety of tasty treats. Held at 6 p.m. at Dash of Salt N Pepper, 10353 Cross Creek Blvd. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door. To RSVP, call 664-1430.

Wednesday - March 29

BNI Millionaire Makers - The BNI Millionaire Makers chapter meets Weds. at Heritage Isles Country Club (10630 Plantation Bay Dr.), at 7:15 am. $13 to attend includes hot breakfast. Call Lisa Jordan at 621-6015 for info.

Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI, a group of business pros dedicated to helping their member businesses grow through qualified referrals, meets every Wed., 7:30 a.m., at the Cory Lake Isles Beach Club clubhouse (10441 Cory Lake Dr.). Call Bill Sullivan at 994-1143.

Partners In Network (PIN) - Partners In Network is a group of professionals, one specializing in each area of business, who form a connection for the joint effort of networking to share business referrals and attain business prosperity. Meets every Wednesday for lunch at Stonewood Grill, 11:30 am. For info, call Georgianna Strickland (477-7306) or Ken Fernandez (334-6000) or email gstrickland@strategicmarketingarts.com.

New Tampa Noon Rotary Club - The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets every Wed. for lunch, noon, at Mulligan’s Irish Pub at Pebble Creek Country 16

open to the public to our online calendar. Once approved, they appear in the “Events” section on our home page. With enough advanced notice (at least 3-4 weeks), events that take place in our readership areas may also appear in print, as space allows.

Infinite Edge Learning Center The Infinite Edge Learning Center Inc. in Tampa Palms provides academic support (Grades K-12) in Mathematics, Language Arts, Reading, Science, Foreign Languages, AP Courses, FCAT, SAT, ACT & GRE

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813.971.6500

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Summer Camp Expo At FHCI On Apr. 8!

By Celeste McLaughlin If you want your kids to have some amazing experiences this summer without having to spend frustrating hours searching the internet or making phone calls for options, Family-Friendly Tampa Bay hosts its first ever Family-Friendly Summer Camp Expo at Florida Hospital Center Ice off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel on Saturday, April 8, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Admission is free.

At our press time, more than 40 camps were signed up to participate in the Expo. Most are located in and around Wesley Chapel, says event organizer Miriam Cook (photo), but camps from across the Tampa Bay area will be there, including the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Busch Gardens, and the Glazer Children’s Museum.

Cook says diverse summer camp options will be presented, including day camps, sports, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), special needs/autism, art, performing arts and academic camps. “Parents can meet one-onone with numerous Tampa Bay-area camp directors and staff at the expo, talking with the people behind these programs to find the best fit for their child,” Cook says.

Cook notes that she’s especially excited about offering summer camps for kids with special needs. While she didn’t have information about the specific camps that will be there, she says there will be an agency that provides resources for families with children who have disabilities and other special needs, and says that many of the camps serve special needs children.

“Right now, we have 1,200 families who have pre-registered to attend the event,” says Cook. “When families register for free tickets through Eventbrite.com, they are automatically

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Miriam Cook has over 40 summer camps signed up for the Family-Friendly Summer Camp Expo at FHCI on April 8. entered to win a free week of camp. We will be donating several weeks of camp at the Expo. We will also have other giveaways, as well.”

For example, each family that attends will receive a coupon for buy-one, get-one-free ice skating at Florida Hospital Center Ice, and the first 250 families to arrive will get a “swag bag.”

There will be many activities for the kids, such as face painting, and several mascots will make an appearance, including the mascot from the Tampa Yankees, the Tampa Bay Lighting’s ThunderBug, and the Chick-fil-A cow.

It’s not necessary to pre-register, but it does enter you to win prizes. To register, go to EventBrite.com and search for “Summer Camp Expo” in Tampa (although technically in Wesley Chapel, the site notes that the Expo is in the “Greater Tampa” area). Florida Hospital Center Ice is located at 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. For more information about Family-Friendly Tampa, go to FamilyFriendlyTampaBay.com.

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Decorating Den Brings Your Home’s New Look Right To Your Front Door

By John C. Cotey

In 1994, Debbie Garner hired Decorating Den’s Debbie Demboski to decorate her new home in Tampa Palms. She had seen Debbie around, at church and at Tampa Palms Elementary, where Garner was a teacher, and she had definitely seen Demboski’s Decorating Den van.

She asked a few of her neighbors who had used Debbie, and they gave glowing reviews. It wasn’t long after that that Garner joined the club of satisfied Decorating Den customers.

“The thing about Debbie is that she comes to you,’’ Garner says. “She comes to your house and brings things to show you. If I needed some pictures, or a rug or a lamp, I didn’t have to go out and look for (them).

She’d say, ‘Let me look around.’ I just don’t have that creativity and can’t see things like she can.”

Garner said she was able to choose items for her home from a wealth of catalogs and fabric and color swatches in the van, with helpful and reasonably-priced suggestions from Debbie, who re-did every room in Garner’s home.

Debbie manages a successful blend of convenience, styles and pricing, leaving many satisfied customers, and those customers, like Garner, drive future business via “repeat and referral.”

Debbie says working with Decorating Den has a number of “NIFTY” benefits: N: National umbrella, as Decorating Den has the buying power of a national company.

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I: In-home decorating, since design decisions are made in your home, in your existing lighting, working with what you already own.

F: Free consultation, because not only does Debbie come to you, there is no cost for the consultation nor will you pay hourly fees for her time.

T: Training. “This is a very fashion-forward, trendy business,” Debbie says, “so we attend conferences, have private showroom tours, and the decorators from all the regional franchises work with each other to share ideas and collaborate.”

Y: Your lifestyle, which includes likes, dislikes and budget, things Debbie makes her highest priority so that your home reflects your personal taste, not hers.

NIFTY definitely equaled Sara McKenzie (above) and her mother, Debbie Demboski, of SUCCESS in 2016, says Debbie, Decorating Den take the hassle out of interior designing. who is in her 27th year with based business,’’ Debbie says. “So when Decorating Den, 25 of them here in New Tampa. “Last year was our best people call and say, ‘Where is your store?’, I can tell them, ‘right in your driveway.’ I have year ever,’’ she says. a great selection. We could do a whole house Demboski doesn’t have a large, glitwith what’s in my van there.” tering showroom, but she has more than And she has. enough to meet the needs of clients on the With customers scattered all over New shelves inside a van that operates as an effecTampa and Pasco, Hillsborough, Hernando tive portable studio. and Polk counties — and even some as far “They call me because we’re a home-

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away as Melbourne Beach (see below) — Debbie is always busy.

But, she has help these days — Debbie’s daughter Sara McKenzie joined her team about three years ago.

“It’s now a mother-daughter-daughter business,’’ says Debbie, whose mother Phyllis Wilcher works as the Decorating Den regional secretary. “That makes it kind of neat.”

A Freedom High and University of South Florida graduate, McKenzie grew up in the family business and says she always had a good sense for fashion. She also says that she held back from joining her mom because she wasn’t sure she could meet Debbie’s expectations.

“She is so good at it,’’ Sara says. “She can walk in somewhere and start spitting out ideas.

It’s very intimidating (to try to follow that).”

After seven years working as a regional manager for a small retail chain, Sara decided to get certified as a decorator and joined her mother on a full-time basis.

She says she shares the same creative spark as her mother, and already has worked on a number of big projects. Like her mother, she says she likes to get the customer involved early in the process.

Garner said it is Debbie’s penchant for letting the customer lead the way initially that makes her a joy to work with, and why she keeps coming back.

When Garner moved to Cory Lake Isles in 2000, she called Debbie again to design her new home. And, 14 years later, after Garner moved back to Florida from New York in 2014, so she called Debbie to do her current

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home in Tierra Verde.

“She is really good at listening to her clients and understanding exactly what they want before she starts making suggestions,” Garner says.

Debbie’s first consultation is always free, and there are no hourly charges for the work she does.

Sara keep the pressure off.

The bigger payoff for them is their happy clients.

Last year, one of Debbie’s clients was visited by her sister, and loved what Debbie had done so much she hired her to decorate her home...in Melbourne Beach.

Even though it was a three-and-a-half hour drive, Debbie decided to take on Working With the task, and it was such a Windows success, the sister recomDebbie says that 70 mended Debbie to her parpercent of her calls are for ents right around the corner. window treatments, which “I probably drove six also happen to be her times, back and forth, at favorite thing to provide for least,’’ Debbie says. “But it her customers. While there Sara and Debbie can help you transform any room in your home with tweaks to your windows, walls and furnishings. was worth it.” are plenty of carpet and Debbie says that the area director for Central Florida and manages 10 own franchise before later buying the Central furniture stores around, it’s most people like to decorate is not actually a other franchises. And, while her own personal Florida region and developing it. harder for people to find window treatments room at all — it’s the space people see when franchise is in the running for the company’s She says she continues to evolve as a they really love. they first walk into a home.

Sometimes, Debbie says, an entire room top franchise this year, so is her region, where decorator, as new styles emerge. She works She has a vast network of places to she has helped train the franchise owners; she hard to stay on the cutting edge, even that a client thought needed to be remodchoose her products from, including compaholds monthly meetings with them. after being in the business for nearly three eled can be given a completely fresh look nies like Pendragon, Lexington and Century, Four years ago, she was named Regional decades. But, one thing that hasn’t changed, merely with newly decorated windows. to name a few.

Director of the Year at Decorating Den’s com- she says, is building relationships with her “I can even help them with total “No other design company out there pany-wide international annual conference. clients and fulfilling their needs. renovation,” she says. “We have contractors has 400 stores,’’ says Debbie. “And we have Debbie has a degree in design and She understands that sometimes people that can remodel a kitchen, if we wanted. a good, better and best product mix. A lot of business from West Virginia University want a re-design, but letting go of GrandBut, for the most part, people are looking it comes down to people’s budgets and what in Morgantown. Prior to beginning her ma’s old dining room table or Aunt Jane’s for area rugs, furniture and bedding. We can they are looking for. Whatever that is, we can decorating career, she worked at a number recliner can require a gentle touch. do as little or as much as they’re interested find it for them.” of different retail positions. She says she got “I try to work around people’s existing in doing.”

Decorating Den comes to you at your into the interior decorating business when things,’’ Debbie says. “I’m more like, ‘Well, Decorating Den is North America’s home or office in New Tampa. For more she was living and working in Atlanta and gosh, if you have this, then maybe we add largest interior design and home furnishings information, call Debbie at 817-2264, see a friend, Terri Erwin, became a Decorating some pillows or maybe we re-cover it or franchise company, with more than 400 Den franchise owner. maybe we move it back here.’” the ad on pg. 24 of this issue or visit her franchises across the U.S. and Canada.

Debbie went to work as a decorator for That doesn’t mean selling isn’t a big on Facebook by searching “DecoratingDebbie not only owns her own DecoTerri’s business and, soon after, started her part of her business as well, but Debbie and rating Den franchise, she also is the regional DenbyDebbieD.”

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You Don’t Have To Be An Educator To Be Insured By Florida Educators Insurance

By Celeste McLaughlin The word “educators” in Florida Educators Insurance indicates that, primarily, this local insurance agency serves teachers and others who work in schools. Owner Gary Cucchi says it’s also a hallmark of how his agency does business.

“The biggest thing we do is educate our clients,” Gary says, “Not only do we serve educators and their neighbors, family members and friends, but we also educate our clients about their insurance and retirement plans to be sure they have the right strategy and coverages so their family is protected, now and in the future.”

Gary adds that it’s a common misconception that, because the company is called “Florida Educators Insurance,” people think the agency only serves educators.

“But, that’s not the case,” Gary explains. “We help non-educators all the time.

They’re often family members, friends, and neighbors of our current clients — but they don’t have to be — and we help them with auto insurance, homeowner’s insurance, life insurance, IRAs, and 401k accounts.”

Gary is a Wesley Chapel resident who used to be a teacher himself, before opening Florida Educators Insurance in 2002. His company is an independent agency of Horace Mann, which specializes in insurance products and financial services for educators.

Founded in Springfield, IL, in 1945, Horace Mann is named for the founder of American public education and is now a multi-billion-dollar company traded publicly on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HMN).

Florida Educators Insurance moved to

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ment of Insurance, and all financial services staff members hold numerous state and federal investment licenses through FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

“We’re a good size, especially staff-wise, but we’re like a mom-’n-pop in that we try to really get to know people and get to know their families so we can advise them properly,” Gary says. “We genuinely care about our clients and are not just trying to sell policies.

The teacher in me has this philosophy to help people.”

Serving Schools

Gary Cucchi (fifth from the left in front row) and his professional crew at Florida Educators Insurance in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel can handle your insurance and financial services needs, even if you’re not an educator yourself. its current location in the Cypress Glen Pro- James Financial, life insurance through Linfessional Park off S.R. 56 (just east of I-75) coln Financial and Ameritas, home insurance in Wesley Chapel in 2008. The agency offers through Tower Hill and American Integrity, auto, home, umbrella, flood and life insurand auto insurance through Safeco, Progresance, along with retirement and investment sive and Mercury. plans, such as IRAs and 401(k) plans, “529” Of about 1,000 Horace Mann agencies college savings plans, plus plans just for edu- nationwide, Gary says Florida Educators cators known as 403(b) and 457 plans.

Insurance is now the largest.

As an independent agency, Florida “We don’t try to be the largest,” he Educators Insurance writes policies with a explains, “It just happens and we get some wide variety of insurance companies. Gary plaque (from Horace Mann for it). I don’t explains that he works with many of the care about how big we are; I care about my largest companies across the industries his employees and our clients. If all that’s going agency represents. Some examples include well, it doesn’t matter if we’re number one insurance and financial services through – of or 100.” course – Horace Mann, and financial services Gary says all 19 agents in his office are from American Funds, Fidelity and Raymond fully licensed through the Florida Depart-

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Gary says that in 2016, Florida Educators Insurance spent at least $100,000 to provide reading and attendance incentives, school supplies, teacher appreciation gifts, and more to local schools in Pasco, Hillsborough, and Pinellas County.

“Instead of buying billboards, we try to give back to the community,” Gary explains.

“We advertise in the Neighborhood News because it’s local, but we don’t do any other ads. We want our dollars to go back to the people we serve.”

Florida Educators Insurance often gives away bicycles, based on incentives chosen by participating schools, including all of the schools in Wesley Chapel.

“For the last five years or more, we have donated several hundred bikes a year to schools in the area to promote attendance and reading,” he says. “It takes us a couple of weeks to deliver all the bikes. We got tired of renting U-hauls to do it, so we decided to get our own bus.”

Now, Florida Educators Insurance delivers those bikes in a customized school bus

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that has been wrapped with the company’s information and had seats removed on the inside to accommodate bikes, school supplies, or whatever is being delivered.

“Our relationships with the schools are based on what (each) school needs,” Gary explains. “Not every school needs bikes. We help every school in Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in some way.”

He says this includes providing at least $25,000 worth of teacher appreciation gifts, typically $25 gift certificates to local restaurants, which many schools give away at appreciation breakfasts and lunches.

“This is our way of letting [teachers] know that we care about them, with no strings attached,” Gary says. “They don’t have to be clients, although we do insure 10,000 people in that three-county area.”

Happy Customers

Jerry Jackson is a recently retired educator who has been a Florida Educators Insurance client for 15 years, in part because he thinks so highly of Gary.

“He’s awesome,” Jerry says. “With him, there’s no high pressure. (Gary) just really wants to help people.”

Jerry also explains that he was in the State of Florida deferred retirement program, and Gary made retirement easy for him.

“He guided me through all of the requirements and all of the paperwork,” he says. “He’s an expert. If I need any kind of advice, I’ll call Gary. If he doesn’t know the answer, he knows where to find it. I refer him to everybody I know.”

Gary adds, “We’re not here just to save you a couple of dollars on your auto and home insurance, although we generally do that, and that’s the fun stuff. But, saving

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money on your home and auto insurance isn’t going to change your life. We also change lives with what we do. When we help someone properly plan for their future — their retirement needs —that can be life-changing.”

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to insurance and investment planning, so Gary asks his clients to be willing to discuss their unique situation with a Florida Educators Insurance agent.

“Most people spend more time planning for their summer vacations every year than they do for their own futures,” says Gary. “We ask you to give us one hour each year to go over your budget and goals so that you can be better prepared for the future.”

He explains that budgeting and goal-setting are part of the agency’s full-service retirement planning, but adds that the agency provides these services for all of their clients, even those who might only have auto insurance through the company.

“We’re here for all phases of your life,” Gary says.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News readers who call for a free quote on home or auto insurance, or who meet with a Florida Educators Insurance agent to discuss planning for retirement or insurance, and mention this story or the ad on page 18 will receive a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate, and, Gary says, there’s absolutely no obligation to purchase anything to receive it.

Florida Educators Insurance is located at 26809 Tanic Dr., Suite 101. For info, call 600-3268, see the ad on pg. 12 or visit FloridaEducatorsInsurance.com.

The office is open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and on Sat. by appointment.

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Academy At The Lakes — An Independent Option For New Tampa Students

By Brad Stager New Tampa families considering an independent school option for their children’s education will find everything they’re looking for at Academy at the Lakes (AATL) on Collier Pkwy., near S.R. 54 in nearby Land O’Lakes.

Consisting of two campuses on opposite sides of Collier Pkwy., AATL has a PreK 3-Grade 12 curriculum geared towards college preparation. Head of School Mark Heller says the day-to-day school experience at AATL develops more than academic knowledge.

“We have very strong academics, but so much more,” says Heller, who has been Head of School for 10 of AATL’s 25-years of existence.

“We equip students with a set of skills that will last them for the rest of their lives.”

Heller adds that emphasizing things like good manners and even just mastering the basic handshake prepares students to interact easily and effectively with the world beyond AATL. He refers to this part of the school’s routine as its “hidden curriculum.”

“Our hidden curriculum helps build confidence and confidence builds success,” Heller says.

One way that schools, independent as well as public, measure student success is how many of their graduates who apply to college are accepted. According to information provided by AATL’s marketing office, that figure is 100 percent for the years 2014-16, with $7 million in scholarships offered for that same period.

Ryan O’Malley is a Class of 2017 AATL graduating senior with a mailbox full of college acceptance letters from Florida State, Central Florida and others. He says is waiting to hear from UCLA and Notre Dame before

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Students at Academy at the Lakes on Collier Pkwy. in Land O’Lakes receive top-quality academics and have opportunities to participate in school sports, theatre and other programs. making a decision. O’Malley gives much of job of our school is to bring out those gifts,’’ the credit to AATL‘s college counseling pro- he says. “It’s an awesome and wonderful task.”

Director of admissions & marketing gram that emphasizes applying to schools that match a student’s interests, talents and Penny Rogers cites a 14-to-1 student-toteacher ratio (for elementary through high academic achievement.

“They helped me learn where I fit best school grades; the ratio for PreK3-Kindergarwhen it comes to deciding which college to go ten is only 8-to-1) as a factor in creating a to,” says O’Malley. nurturing learning environment.

“Your child will not get lost here,” says As far as his educational experience at AATL, O’Malley cites the benefit of the school’s Rogers, who lives in Wesley Chapel and has two smaller class sizes than he encountered while at- daughters attending AATL, which has 460 stutending the public King High in the Hillsbor- dents in all of its grades. “We want (each of our) students to find (his/her) passion.” ough County School District.

“The teachers here really get to know you,” O’Malley says.

It Starts With Academics According to Heller, that’s the way it is To help each student find his or her passupposed to work. sion, AATL offers a rigorous curriculum with “Everyone has different gifts and a huge a wide assortment of honors classes and is a

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College Board-approved Advanced Placement Capstone school, a trademarked educational program. High school students can participate in Capstone to develop their skills and talents through exploration and research of academic and real-world issues.

Students interested in technology will find plenty of options with AATL’s Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics program (STEM), which begins with the youngest students in PreK3, who, if they haven’t encountered an iPad before, will as part of their Academy education. Other science and technology educational opportunities include a substantial robotics program, explorations of Lake Myrtle in the school’s recently purchased pontoon boat, a semester-long medical seminar, experiential trips to the Amazon rain forest and opportunities to compete in science and math competitions.

Artistic exploration and expression is promoted at all grade levels. In addition to classroom instruction in studio and performing arts, there are theatrical productions and musical concerts in which to gain on-stage experience. Literature is celebrated with events like Poetry Camp, where students gather before a video-recorded campfire, snack on s’mores and read aloud poetry ranging from the classics, such as the works of Rudyard Kipling, to student compositions written in observance of Black History Month.

As an independent school, AATL’s teachers are able to focus on things other than standardized testing. Upper division English teacher Kim Vreeland, who also has taught in public schools in Pasco, Leon and Palm Beach counties, says teaching at an independent school allows her to tailor her instruction to accommo-

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date the needs of her students.

“To be able to connect with each child is important,” says Vreeland, a Lexington Oaks resident.

“To do that, I adjust how I deal with each student. We want to get the best out of every student and let them become the best version of themselves.”

That approach to education is appreciated by Sue Maxwell, whose 5th grade daughter has been a student at AATL for three years.

“We chose Academy at the Lakes because we felt that it was the best fit for our daughter,” says Maxwell. “It is a wonderful place for learning. The teachers are fair, supportive and most importantly, encouraging.”

Athletics & More!

AATL also has an active and successful athletics program. The school is a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) and has 40 middle school, junior varsity and varsity teams in 14 sports, including football, cheerleading, basketball and volleyball.

The school was the 2014-15 winner of the Carey E. McDonald award as Florida’s top Class 2A high school sports program and, this year, the AATL Wildcats began competing in the Class 3A division. There is a no-cut policy for all teams and more than 70 percent of AATL’s students in grades 5 through 12 participate in at least one school sport.

Community involvement is another feature of AATL student life. The school participates in food drives and other community outreach activities with organizations like Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa.

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Heller says AATL fulfills its role as an educational resource for the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa communities by keeping in mind words at the heart of the school’s mission statement.

“We celebrate the love of learning and the joy in the journey,” he says.

AATL is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS), by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and by the Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC).

Academy at the Lakes’ middle and upper schools are located at 2331 Collier Pkwy.; grades PreK3 through 12 are located at 2220 Collier Pkwy. For more information, see the ad on pg. 30. Or, to schedule a tour, visit AcademyAtTheLakes.org or email admissions@academyatthelakes.org.

The phone number is 909-7919.

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Wharton Senior Earns Prestigious Scholarship & Full Ride To Stanford often took us to the library. I think that’s where my love for reading and learning really started.” Disney eventually attended Hunter’s Green Elementary and Benito Middle School before attending Wharton.

While she says her family now has much more stability than it did back then, “my parents (still) aren’t in the best financial situation,” she admits, making college only available to her thanks to the scholarships she has achieved.

By Celeste McLaughlin

While her name is immediately striking because it’s so unique, it’s certainly not the only thing about Disney Rattanakongkham that makes her stand out.

Disney, a senior at Wharton High, was recently awarded a prestigious scholarship called the Horatio Alger State Scholarship, that pays her $10,000 over four years to attend college. Horatio Alger, Jr., was a prolific author in the 19th and early 20th centuries whose books inspired its readers to work hard and persevere through adversity.

Disney is one of just 45 students throughout the entire state of Florida to receive this award, which recognizes students who excel academically, despite facing significant adversity. Nationally, only 577 awards were given in 2017. Collectively, the recipients of these state scholarships have maintained a GPA of 3.71 while coming from households with an average total annual household income of just $15,456.

While the Horatio Alger scholarship puts her in elite company across the nation, it’s not even the biggest accomplishment Disney has experienced on her journey to higher education.

This fall, she will attend Stanford University in Stanford, CA, on a full ride academic scholarship.

Disney is a QuestBridge National College Match Student. QuestBridge is

30

‘Work Hard, Play Hard’

Wharton High senior (and class salutatorian) Disney Rattanakongkham was recently named a $10,000 Horatio Alger Scholarship winner. a national nonprofit organization that Disney’s Story matches high-achieving, low-income Disney’s parents are from Laos, a students with prestigious universities across Southeast Asian country bordered by the nation.

Vietnam and Thailand. Her father came to Disney ranked the top five universithe U.S. in the 1970s, and her mom came ties she wanted to attend, and her number in the 1980s. The two met in Colorado, one choice, Stanford, chose her to receive where Disney was born. She says her para full scholarship, including her room and ents didn’t like the snow in Colorado, so board and covering all costs to attend. they moved to Florida in 2007. Disney was While there’s no expected contribution 8 years old and in the third grade. from her parents, she is responsible for “We were actually homeless for several paying $5,000 each year. The Horatio Alg- months when we moved to Florida,” Diser scholarship, which is $10,000 over four ney explains. “We had to move in and out years, will help her pay those expenses. of hotels. To keep us occupied, my parents

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“My philosophy is work hard and play hard,” says Disney. She thinks that’s what she’ll get at Stanford, where she says, “It’s rooted in academics, but it’s also a huge football school. You can see all the traditions, plus students get to do things like take road trips to San Francisco, so I feel like it’s the best of both worlds.”

While she hasn’t decided exactly what she wants to study, she says she’s leaning toward biomedical engineering.

“It’s a huge field,” she says. “I’m interested in researching tissue regeneration, and I like the idea of doing research behind the scenes in the medical field.”

Disney says she took 10 advanced placement (AP) classes throughout high school, but she only took classes she thought she would enjoy, such as physics.

“I wanted to challenge myself,” she says. Because she knew she wanted to attend an elite school out of state, she knew those AP classes probably wouldn’t turn

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Theta,” she says. “We go to competitions as a team and have a lot of fun.” She says she began competing in Mu Alpha Theta while she was taking Algebra II in ninth grade (typically a class for high school juniors). As a senior, she has been competing in statistics.

Plans For Stanford

into college credits — as they do at many schools — but that they were important to be competitive to get into the school she wanted to attend.

“Even if I could get credit for my AP classes, I wouldn’t want to,” she says. “I’d still want to take classes with the Stanford professors.”

While her academic achievements have been enough to earn her the title of salutatorian at Wharton with her 6.72 GPA, Disney says she doesn’t just work hard academically. She also is sure to play hard, doing lots of extracurricular activities, such as leading pep rallies at school, and planning tailgate parties.

She’s also the corresponding secretary for Student Government and a member of Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society at Wharton.

“I have a lot of friends in Mu Alpha

Neighborhood News

Through QuestBridge, Disney already is interacting with other students who will be freshmen with her at Stanford.

“There are some really cool freshman seminar classes, and it seems like everyone’s there to support each other, not compete with each other,” she says.

“There will probably be students who can’t afford to go home over the breaks, so QuestBridge helps us connect with each other for Thanksgiving dinner or other activities. We’re already setting up study sessions and talking about how we’re going to help each other.”

Before she heads off to college this fall, though, Disney says she plans to relax.

“It’s been a very intense four years,” she says. “I really want to take time for myself, and do things I haven’t had time to do.”

What kinds of things? Maybe travel with friends, she says, and, “I have a long list of books to read.”

Disney says she’s hoping moving across the country will give her a variety of new experiences.

“Going to Stanford is definitely getting me out of my bubble,” she says. “I have been with the same group of people since fourth grade. I love my friends, but I want to go out and explore the world.”

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31

Welcome back to the first installment of our popular (and exclusive!) annual Summer Camp Guide for 2017! On these two pages are 13 LOCAL summer camps and other programs your kids can (and should) get signed up for today!

Congratulations and thanks go out to staff writer Celeste McLaughlin for again making sure that all of the advertisers on these pages got their information and photos to graphic artist Blake Beatty in time to be completed for this issue.

This exclusive Summer Camp Guide also will run in our next Wesley Chapel (April 7) and our next New Tampa (Apr. 21) issues. — GN

Music

Art

You Do the Dishes

Music and Piano Camps

Ages 7-13

Ages 5-9

If your child loves art, then this is the camp for you!

Workshops include experienced expert instruction.

Students will be offered projects like watercolor, acrylics, pastel, drawing, print-making, sculpture, and pottery painting. Weekly sessions go from June through August. $260 per session, which includes all materials.

Must sign up in advance, so give us a call today!

813-975-1700

YouDoTheDishes.com

813-994-2452

www.NewTampaPPA.com

Multi Camp

VBS, Camp

STEM

Piano and music camp for students ages 5-9. Learn the basics of music and piano playing! Camp activities include learning piano pieces, games involving rhythm and musical concepts, ear training, creating compositions at the piano, and singing. Campers will use spacious facilities, a digital piano lab for group activities and grand pianos for performances. Instructors hold masters and doctorate degrees. Programs for preschoolers, older children, teenagers, and adults are also available. Call us to learn more!

Family of Christ

USF STEM for Scholars

Grace Episcopal New Tampa

Rising 10th-12th Graders

Ages 4-18

Entering Kind.-8th Grade

STEM for Scholars is a four-week, college credit, summer program, July 10 – August 4, 2017, at USF Tampa. It is for high achieving, high school students entering grades 10 – 12. The program is designed to expand student horizons in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and prepare them for academic and college life. Students will be engaged and challenged, through active, hands-on participation in all aspects of the program.

Courses will be taught by outstanding USF faculty.

VBS Rainforest June 5-9, 9 am - 12 noon for ages 4-11 Smart Start Summer Camp June 12-16 for ages 8-18 academic coaching and explanation with Khan Academy, critical thinking debates, and field trips details/register gracenewtampa.org

Family of Christ offers a fun summer camp for children entering Kindergarten through 8th grade. We offer full and part time sessions for campers to enjoy a variety of activities including arts and crafts, academic enrichment, outdoor fun, and weekly field trips. Our campus includes large classrooms, game/computer room, soccer field, basketball court, and state of the art playground. Groups are separated into K, 1st-3rd grade, and 4th-8th grade with lunch, snack, and all field trips included in the tuition.

813-971-8484

813-558-9343 Ext. 110

813-974-4068

www.usfstem.com

gracenewtampa.org

FamilyofChristCDC.com

Dance

Leadership

Dance

NEW TAMPA DANCE THEATRE!!

Summer Spectacular at JDP

TeenMax Leadership Camp

3-Adult

2.5 through Adult

New Tampa Dance Theatre offers exciting half-day and full-day programs including a break for lunch with 1, 2, or 3 week options held Mon-Fri, June 5th-23rd, beginneradvanced levels. Students explore the creative world of dance in Classical Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip-hop, Tumbling, Arts & Crafts, and Costume Design. Each week culminates with a performance celebration including costumes, pizza, and cookies! Campers will be immersed in the FUNdamentals of dance technique within a safe and nurturing environment.

Ages 12-16

The Jansen Dance Project Summer Spectacular 2017!

Dance and Musical Theatre Camps, Intensives, Workshops and technique classes for students of all ages. Our professional dance and theater educators are the very best in the community; providing a joyful, compassionate and professional approach to arts education and enrichment. JDP students have gone on to pursue their passion studying at ABT, BTP, Julliard, NYU Tisch, Jacksonville University, Florida State, University of Florida, U.S.F. and Princeton University. Come Celebrate the Arts with Us!

Help your teen to be more focused and successful in school, at home, and in life! Mission statements, vision boards, relationship building, compassion, fitness, cooking, relaxation techniques and more are all rolled into one camp! Your teen will also learn to prioritize their schedule by learning to effectively use their academic planner. New this year is a mindful attention component that is designed to foster social and emotional awareness, enhance mental well-being, and promote academic success! Space is limited.

813-994-NTDT(6838)

813-979-2222

newtampadancetheatre.com

Sports

Sports

PROtential Sports Camp Ages 5-15 Our action-packed, full-day Summer Camps taught by former pro and collegiate athletes rotate between multiple sporting activities including swimming which is offered daily. Your child is given the opportunity to participate in many engaging and funfilled field trips including, but not limited to, laser tag, roller skating, bowling, water skiing, Lego Land, Rays Game and much more! We also offer a children’s favorite, a trip to Busch Gardens theme park which always promises a full day of excitement and entertainment for ages 5 to 15 years old.

Wharton Basketball Camp

Self-defence & Sports Fun

Entering 2nd - 8th Grade

Ages 5-11

2017 marks the 20th year for this outstanding co-ed basketball camp! Four weekly camp sessions are offered. Beginner to advanced players are welcome to play. Coach Tommy Tonelli and his staff of coaches provide well organized and enthusiastic basketball instruction. The camp emphasizes fundamentals, team play, and sportsmanship. Campers compete in daily 3 on 3 and 5 on 5 team play. Daily shooting competitions include free throw shooting, “hot spot”, and Mikan lay-up. All campers receive a Wharton Wildcats Basketball t-shirt.

8 weeks and our topics are: • Fun & Fitness • Destination U.S.A or Stars & Stripes • Superheroes and Princesses • Let’s Go Camping • Animal Adventures • Aloha Splash • Storybook Summer • Show your talents 813-973-7938

www.newleaps.org

813-956-5425

wharton.mysdhc.org

Multi-Camp Ages 5-15

Awesome and Affordable Summer Camp offering the following fun and safe activities at no extra cost: Martial Arts Classes, Tumbling/Gymnastics, Basketball, Football, Soccer, Kickball, Water Fun/Games, Indoor Obstacle Course & Rock Wall, Educational Games, Math Worksheets, Science Projects, Exciting Arts and Crafts, Video Game Systems, Lego Building Station, Checkers, Chess and more!

813-631-4710 x230

protentialsports.com

SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM

teenmaxcamps.com

Sports

813-843-9460

Art, Music

813-563-CAMP (2267)

www.CollectiveSoles.org

www.manamartialarts.com

Multi-camp

Summer at the Lakes Ages 3-18

Academy at the Lakes invites all children in the Tampa Bay community to join us this summer for day camp and summer school. We are conveniently located near many of north Tampa’s suburbs, including Land O’Lakes, New Tampa, Lutz, Odessa, Carrollwood, and Wesley Chapel.

Our Summer Camp program includes over 60 offerings in art, sports, recreation, and enrichment. Our Summer School program offers both noncredit and for-credit courses.

813-948-7600

www.summeratthelakes.com

CAMP IDS ~ Summer 2017!

PreK3- high school

Lego movie making. Engineering. Gourmet cooking.

Music. New languages. Video game design. Archery.

Corbett Prep’s CAMP IDS is packed with options from sports to arts to academics that will create a memorable summer for your kids! For nearly two decades, CAMP IDS provides over 100 full- and a half- day camps that appeal to a variety of interests. Corbett Prep’s cypress covered campus is the perfect backdrop for outdoor activities. CAMP IDS ~ Where Everyone Has a Great Time!

813-961-3087

www.corbettprep.com

Freedom Falls A Little Short Of A State Hockey Title At FHCI

By Andy Warrener

The Freedom ice hockey team, comprised mostly of players from Freedom High in Tampa Palms and Wharton High on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., advanced to the Statewide Amateur Hockey of Florida (SAHOF) State championship tournament, where the Patriots fell in the semifinals.

Teams from all over the state converged for the two tiers of the State tournament, which was held for the first time ever at Florida Hospital Center Ice on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel the weekend of Feb. 25-26.

Wiregrass, Freedom, Mitchell and West Boca (Spanish River) competed in the Tier 2 high school division. Tier 2 teams can draw from up to four schools, typically in the same general area, like Freedom.

The Tier 1 championships were also held at the same time. Those teams have rosters comprised entirely of athletes that attend a particular school.

For the tournament, Tier 2 teams had to limit the number of schools they could draw their athletes from to four. While the Freedom team is comprised mostly of athletes from Freedom and Wharton, they still had to make some painful cuts to the roster.

“It’s tough to compete with a limited roster,” Freedom head coach Dave Spataro said. “These kids played really hard and sort of made up for it. It would have been easy to lay down because we didn’t have this or that player but that attitude did not emerge in the locker room.”

34

(Left) Freedom’s Owen Barno tries to get a shot off against Wiregrass in the state semifinal at Florida Hospital Center Ice; (Right) Freedom defender Brian Seybold helps keeper Dominick Rini corral the puck in the semis against Wiregrass.

In pool play, the Patriots fell to eventual champion Mitchell 4-2 and then beat West Boca. In their final pool game Feb. 26, they faced off against Wiregrass, a team that draws primarily from Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools, in what proved to be a tough, physical game.

Wiregrass put on the early pressure, getting three shots on goal in just the first 10 minutes, but they were all saved by Freedom goalkeeper Dominik Rini, who attends high school at Tampa Chamberlain.

Freedom was able to run counters on fast breaks to get some pressure off their

goalie, and with 4:29 left in the first period, forward Gianni Grieco got on the end of a 2-on-1 fast break and notched the game’s first goal.

Wiregrass charged right back and tied it 1-1, cleaning up a puck that ricocheted off of Rini. Freedom nearly took the lead in the waning moments of the first but entered the second period in a 1-1 tie.

The second period was dominated by Wiregrass, which took the lead just over a minute in on a shot by Joseph Davis. Twoand-a-half minutes later, Wiregrass made it 3-1 after a long flip shot found Zachary

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Parker deep in the opposite end. A minute later, it was 4-1 in the Ice Hawks favor.

Freedom’s Owen Barno scored to make it 4-2 in the second period, but Wiregrass scored again to lead 5-2 heading into the third.

The teams traded goals until penalties sent players from both teams into the penalty box. It would be counters to the teams’ power plays that would push the last bit of scoring through, with Freedom’s leading scorer Colton Sipperley cutting the lead to 6-4, followed by Wiregrass getting another goal by Davis with 1:05 remaining.

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Final score: 7-4, Wiregrass.

“These are life lessons,” Spataro said.

“You work with what you have to be successful in life and they did that. We’re proud of ourselves, we rose above it to play to our full potential.”

Spataro was particularly proud of the way his team held on in the close 4-2 pool play loss to Mitchell, the defending state and national champions. The Mustangs, who beat Wiregrass to win the Lightning Cup (the championship for the Tampa Bay Lightning High School League, or TBLHSL), beat the Ice Hawks again 5-0 to win the SAHOF Tier 2 title.

“That was a hell of a team to compete against,” Spataro said of Mitchell.

North Broward Preparatory won the Tier 1 championship. It was the fourth consecutive year the Coconut Creek-based

Neighborhood News

school captured the Tier 1 title.

For Freedom, its run to the state championships capped a solid season that included a 14-5-3 record in the TBLHSL, good for third-place in the Andreychuk Division, behind Jesuit and Wiregrass, which both finished 16-6.

Sophomore Colton Sipperly and senior Hunter Sipperly, both forwards, led the Patriots in goals, with 25 and 23, respectively, during the regular season. Hunter scored six in a 12-3 win over River Ridge and Cotton netted five goals in a 6-3 win over Newsome last November.

Cotton added 24 assists for a teamhigh 49 points, while senior defenseman Brian Seybold was second with 33 points on 18 goals and 15 assists. Forward Tyler Young, another senior, scored 13 goals with 17 assists.

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35

Jr. Bulls Hockey Win State Title

The Jr. Bulls Midget U16A ice hockey team, based at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, won the State Championship at the Statewide Amateur Hockey of Florida (SAHOF) in Palm Beach on March 5.

Three teens from our New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News coverage area competed on the team.

Goaltender Matthew Garneau and forward Owen Barno from New Tampa (see story on page 34), as well as de-

fenseman Alex Carr from Wesley Chapel, played for the Jr. Bulls.

The Jr. Bulls, coached by Dave Collins and Joe Canfield, were seeded last among the six teams competing for the state championship.

But, the Bulls proved to be the top team, winning four times (against just one loss) and posting a pair of shutouts over the weekend, including a 2-0 whitewash of the Space Coast Rockets in the finale.

Got a Great Sports Story To Share?

Email info & pics to John@NTNeighborhoodNews.com!

FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE NOW 36

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38

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New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day In Style!

I have to say that the bars in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel really know how to throw some great St. Patrick’s Day parties.

It’s hard to say which “wearing o’ the green” celebration was the biggest or the best, as Mulligan’s Irish Pub at the Pebble Creek Golf Club, The Brass Tap at the Shops at Wiregrass mall and O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill in the Wesley Chapel Village Market all had live bands, fun activities, great food, excellent live music and big crowds.

On this page, clockwise from top left, are photos of the Troy Duncan Band performing at O’Brien’s, some of the crowd at Mulligan’s, corn hole and entertainer Cal Oliver at The Brass Tap and the corned beef at Mulligan’s.

In the Neighborhood Magazine header on this page, we have some colorful characters from O’Brien’s (left) and Mulligan’s.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun St. Patty’s Day and woke up to attend the Taste of New Tampa the following day. — GN

Neighborhood News

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39

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La’ Berry Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream Café Has Great Food, Too!

SOME PEOPLE

By Gary Nager

love La’ Berry Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream Café in the Trout Creek area of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (in the same building as Burger 21) for its varieties of frozen yogurt.

Others (like yours truly) love it for the new Working Cow ice cream and still others for its variety of tasty, healthy sandwiches and other food items.

In other words, even if you think the name of the café is a little long to remember, just remember “La’ Berry” and you can enjoy a variety of great, healthy lunch and dessert items in a clean, casual environment. La’ Berry’s new owners — my friends Urvesh and Trina — have both worked in the health care field, so they’re particularly proud of the café’s many healthy options.

For example, La’ Berry always has several gluten-and dairy-free and one or more soy-free frozen yogurt options (all for just $0.59 per ounce) among its always-rotating flavors, as well as one or more flavors with no sugar added.

“We have a lot of people who love the taro, chocolate almond milk and even rose (yes, like the flower; it was available for a limited time in Feb. for Valentine’s Day) flavors,” Trina says. “And, we will be adding more flavors for people with dietary restrictions in the future.”

And, Urvesh says that Working Cow (which is based in St. Petersburg) is a healthier alternative in super premium ice cream.

The company’s website says that everyone at Working Cow is, “proud of the fact that all of the dairy we use contains no hormones or high fructose corn syrup. Our goal is and will always be to provide you with the freshest healthiest ice cream available.”

And yes, it is delicious, as anyone who tried the Working Cow samples at last weekend’s Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel can attest. My favorites so far are the chocolate peanut butter, cookies & cream and espresso chip flavors, although the kids will go crazy for the “Superman” and “Cookie Monster,” too.

And, if you’ve never had authentic and creamy “kulfi” Indian ice cream on a stick (photo top left on next page), ask Urvesh or Trina to give it a try.I’ve only sampled the cream-flavored kulfi as I’m writing this story, but...yum!

42

I also really love the toppings — especially the various sauces — that you can add to your frozen yogurt cup or your Working Cow sundae at La’ Berry, especially the hot fudge, marshmallow, peanut butter and white chocolate sauces, although there are at least 80 items — from brownies to gummy worms to fresh fruit and from Reese’s cups to boba juice balls (and so many more), so everyone will find something they like to put on top of their tasty frozen dessert.

Outstanding Sandwiches, Wraps & Salads

But, if you’re looking for a quick and healthy lunch or dinner any day of the week, you also really need to try some of La’ Berry’s delicious salads, sandwiches and other food items.

For sandwiches, my favorite is the foza chicken panini, which comes with grilled chicken, fresh spinach, basil and mozzarella, plus tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, red peppers, red onions and a delicious pesto sauce, all on artisan white or whole grain panini bread. I had Urvesh hold the artichoke mayo and give me an extra side of the excellent pesto sauce.

I also loved the chicken Greek wrap, the chipotle chicken panini (which has chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese and a zesty chipotle spread) and our WCNT-tv sales and production assistant Gavin Olsen raves about his Philly steak panini). Our office also enjoyed both the big garden salad (which costs just $6.95, or add grilled chicken for just $1 more) with La’ Berry’s excellent Greek dressing (there’s also a Greek salad on the menu) and the La’ Berry salad, which includes fresh strawberries, blueberries, candied walnuts, bleu cheese crumbles and a tasty raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

On a future visit, I definitely plan to also try the gourmet grilled cheese (with fresh mozzarella, jack and cheddar cheeses) and the new tuna melt sandwich.

And, best of all, Trina and Urvesh always make everything fresh for you when you order your lunch or dinner, and all of these menu items cost just $6.95-$7.95.

All sandwiches are served with your choice of chips or pasta salad or you can upgrade your side to fresh fruit cup, a cup of soup or a nice side salad for just $1 more.

For you vegetarians out there, La’ Berry also has not only a tomato and mozzarella panini, but also a Cali veg wrap and

Foza Chicken Panini w/Fresh Fruit

Greek Salad Chicken Greek Wrap w/Pasta Salad

even authentic Indian potato-and-veggie samosas. These crispy, fried appetizers (photo above) are like a slightly spicy potato knish inside, but with a super-crisp shell, and served with a deliciously spicy dipping sauce.

I have yet to sample any of La’ Berry’s different soups, but I meant to during the recent run of colder-than-normal weather.

La’ Berry also has a nice kids menu, with everything from PB&J sandwiches to corn dogs to a chicken melt sandwich, all for either just $3.95 or $4.95 per item.

And, if you or your kids are into that whole smoothie craze, La’ Berry has you covered there, too, with ten different flavors, including my favorites — the peanut butter cup

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Chicken & Cheese Panini (above) and bananas Foster flavors, and other fresh fruit options like strawberry, blueberry and even “razz matazz” and “mango madness.”

And, once you get the kids to eat a delicious, healthy meal, you’ll want to reward them with La’ Berry’s delicious frozen yogurt or Working Cow ice cream — and you should reward yourself, too.

“We’re committed to healthy food and serving people with dietary restrictions,” Trina says. “We’re still adding menu items and specials, so please keep stopping in to give us another try if you haven’t been here in a while and feel free to make suggestions

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Kulfi Ice Cream

about items you’d like us to add.”

La’ Berry Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream Café is located at 20304 Trout Creek Dr. It is open 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. on Sun., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. on Mon., & Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

For more info, see the ad on pg. 50 of this issue, search for “La’ Berry Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream Café-Tampa” on Facebook or call 345-8537. La’ Berry also offers fund-raising events on-site for school and other groups.

La’ Berry Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream Café wants to be the first place you think of for a quick and delicious lunch or dinner, as well as for delicious frozen yogurt and ice cream with more than 80 different toppings!

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New Tampa Family YMCA Recognizes Janelle Wells As Volunteer Of The Year

By Brad Stager The New Tampa Family YMCA on Compton Dr., just south of Tampa Palms Blvd., offers plenty of ways to not only get a good cardio physical workout but also to grow the heart through volunteering.

Janelle Wells will attest to that. Wells was recognized February 16 as the New Tampa Family YMCA’s “Volunteer of the Year” during the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA’s annual Community Impact Dinner that highlights the work of numerous volunteers from all 15 Tampa-area YMCAs. “Not many people know that the YMCA is a nonprofit, four-star charity (as rated by Charity Navigator), focusing on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility,” says Wells, who has been volunteering at the New Tampa YMCA for three years. “They are committed to uniting all walks of life to create positive social change.”

There’s certainly plenty of choices in New Tampa for people who want to exercise, ranging from 24-hour corporate chain fitness centers to private trainers who deliver the tough love of a boot camp drill sergeant. Wells says the YMCA offers something none of those other options can offer: “Even with the trend of privatized youth sports and boutique for-profit health fitness clubs, the Y has stayed true to its mission of serving the community, and that speaks volumes to me,” says Wells.

Wells serves on the New Tampa Family YMCA’s advisory board and is its current chair.

She coaches teams and assists with community events such as the Fall Festival and Healthy Kids Day. Wells also helps with YMCA programs in

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Janelle Wells receives her recognition as the New Tampa Family YMCA’s “Volunteer of the Year” at a ceremony on Feb. 16. (Photo: Courtesy of YMCA). communities outside of New Tampa as a mem- for my Sport & Entertainment Management ber of the Tampa Metro YMCA Oversight M.B.A. and M.S. students, where each individual is encouraged and expected to volunteer Committee.

Volunteering at the YMCA also gives 20 hours,” says Wells.

Some of the YMCA’s activities Wells Wells — who has a Ph.D. degree in Health and Human performance from the University of and her students have been involved with are Florida in Gainesville — a chance to combine drowning prevention and the Y’s Teen Achievher love of sports and healthy living with her ers and Teen Leadership development proprofessional expertise. She currently also teach- grams, as well as its Veggie Van, that sells lowes in the Sport & Entertainment Management price vegetables in neighborhoods lacking a program at the University of South Florida’s nearby supermarket.

The contributions of time and energy that Muma College of Business.

“I developed service-learning projects Wells and other volunteers make are appreciat-

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ed, says Tampa Metro YMCA communications director Lalita Llerena.

“The Tampa Y is committed to strengthening the community, but we couldn’t do this without the help, support and guidance of our volunteers,” she says.

Wells cites, “compassion, courage, commitment, and service,” as principles guiding her volunteer efforts and daily living. Describing herself as “a working mother of three,” Wells says volunteering and serving others is its own reward and considers the opportunities to do so with the YMCA as another way the organization benefits her family.

“The Y has shaped my life through (its) spirit of service and connection,” says Wells.

“It’s a haven that allows me the opportunity to live healthy, engage with my family and serve the community.”

Since opening in 2001, The New Tampa Family YMCA has become a go-to place in New Tampa for residents wanting to engage in not only fitness routines, but in other activities as well. Members can swim in the City of Tampa’s only 50-meter full-Olympic-size pool, get a workout in the indoor wellness facility that’s equipped with everything from weight machines to treadmills, or find a group activity such as aerobics, basketball and so much more.

There’s even a rock wall available for indoor mountaineering. Youth sports such as basketball and a variety of camps are available for children, as well as classes providing instruction in swimming, martial arts and more.

For more info about recreational activities and volunteer opportunities at the New Tampa Family YMCA, located at 16221 Compton Dr. in Tampa Palms, visit online at TampaYMCA.org or call 866-9622.

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

Congrats, Pilot Bank!

It was such a pleasure for me to be on hand on Mar. 7 for the 30th anniversary celebration of Pilot Bank (see ad on page 23), which today has five branches in the Tampa Bay area, including one at 17635 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., next to Vuelo Mexican Grill (see ad on pg. 38).

The bank, which was founded in 1987 as Terrace Bank in Temple Terrace by former chairman John Puffer, III (who passed away in November 2016), has become one of the top full-service, independent, local banks in Florida.

Pilot Bank VP/financial center manager and New Tampa branch manager Rob Montgomery and Pilot Bank executive VP and chief operating officer Rita Lowman were among those on hand for the celebration, which included a Grand Prize giveaway of a $500 CD, which was won in a random drawing by Rotary Club of New Tampa past president Lesley Zajac (photo above left).

For more info about all five Pilot Bank locations, visit PilotBank.com.

Oak Preserve area at our press time.

WCCC Keeps The Ribbons Flying!

Precinct Pizza Getting Close

For those who have been wondering how soon the new Precinct Pizza (photo, above right) will open in the space previously occupied by Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill at 10970 Cross Creek Blvd. (at Morris Bridge Rd., behind Dunkin Donuts), the answer is...pretty soon.

Although I spoke to Precinct Pizza founder Rick Drury recently, I still can’t give you an exact opening date for the New Tampa location at our press time, but with more than a decade of success as the only true New Yorkstyle pizza pace in the Channelside District of

downtown Tampa, many of us in New Tampa are truly excited about the fact that our Precinct Pizza should be open by sometime in April. Look for more updates on future episodes of WCNT-tv, and at NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

Sadly, I also don’t currently have an update for when Fat Rabbit will open next to Vallarta’s (see ad on page 43 of this issue) in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center, nor do I have any info on the new cake shop that is getting ready to open between Tabla Indian Cuisine and the Firestone Auto Service Center on BBD in the Live

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) continues to cut ribbons at new businesses in both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, including at the new and very cool Imagine Escape Games, located at 2830 E. Bearss Ave., in the Palms Connection plaza (next to PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub).

I will say that Imagine Escape Games was not what I expected — I thought it was going to be some sort of video arcade or maybe a place that sells video or role-playing games.

Wrong! Imagine Escape Games is the ultimate team-building exercise as you are (gulp) locked behind a gate and have to use clues and teamwork to escape from those locked cells.

If you’re claustrophobic, you may not want to try it, but if not, there currently are two rooms available for escape as you’re reading this. The team I was on of mainly WCCC members escaped the first challenge in a little

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more than 10 minutes, almost five minutes sooner than our allotted 15 minutes.

For more info, visit ImagineEscape.com or call 693-BOOK (2665), and please tell them the Neighborhood News sent you, even though I didn’t have a pic to show you because I was part of the game.

I also was on hand for the Grand Opening and WCCC ribbon cutting at (Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel participating restaurant) Wok Chi (28152 Paseo Dr., in the Shops at Wiregrass mall; photo, right) on Mar. 10, at the amazing new information center for the Avalon Park West (APW) community off S.R. 54, and at the Meraki Aesthetic Center (26907 Foggy Creek Rd., off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel on Mar. 16.

For my money, Wok Chi is now the best Chinese restaurant in Wesley Chapel. Fresh, crisp veggies and tasty chicken, pork, beef and seafood (more on that below) are sautéed with white, brown or fried rice (there’s even fried brown rice), whole wheat or egg noodles or even quinoa while you wait and topped with some excellent sauces (my favorites so far are the spicy Sichuan and kung pao sauces) and the dim sum also is pretty great. My favorites so far are the crispy chicken and veggie spring rolls. You can even enjoy two kinds of free, delicious hot tea, as well as purchase soft drinks, to go with your meal.

Please tell GM Mark Pasquale that you’re a friend of mine and, if you just happen to have a shellfish allergy like I do, so he can cook your food in a separate, clean wok.

For more info, call Wok Chi at 8622315 or visit WokChi.com.

I can’t wait for the new sections of APW to open. If you’ve driven past the building on S.R. 54 shown in the top photo above, you

Neighborhood News

may have wondered what it was. Well, it’s a representation of the new multi-family community with businesses on the bottom floor of the buildings (some call it neo-traditional) to be built from where the information currently sits to where it will meet up with the existing homes in APW, about a mile west of the center. APW is part of the New River Township Development of Regional Impact (DRI), which is approved for 4,800 residential units and 700,000 square feet of commercial uses. One of the new sections of the community that is certain to attract a lot of attention to APW is K-12 charter school that should begin building shortly. We’ll keep you posted as things start to heat up.

As for upcoming events, we hope you’ll check out the WCCC ribbon cutting for the new management re-opening of Punch Boxing for Fitness (1704 BBD, Wesley Chapel, next to Beef O’Brady’s) on Thursday, March 30, 4 p.m.; and the free “Final Friday” networking social at Vuelo Mexican Grill (17641 BBD), on Friday, March 31, also starting at 4 p.m.

For the full upcoming WCCC schedule, visit WesleyChapel Chamber.com. —GN

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New Tampa & Wesley Chapel

Classifieds

CLEANING SERVICES

LAWN & LANDSCAPING

B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 14 years experience! Commercial & residential; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & post construction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in or move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates; References available. Call today: 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com

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! For more info, call (813) 420-4465.

D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE We have our own supplies and more than 400 clients in New Tampa!

For more info, Call 758-9710.

R HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES To Keep Your House clean, call Marlene!

Working now in Wesley Chapel and the New Tampa areas. Monday through Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM. We can help: Call 562-637-5974 or email kolungaa@ hotmail.com. FREE estimates.

PROFESSIONAL DETAIL CLEANING SERVICES LLC Residential, Commercial & Construction cleaning. Over 10 years experience! Complete cleaning: one time, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, move in and out. Great reference available. Same crew every cleaning. We clean your property like our own. Call or text for FREE ESTIMATES: Mila, 813-516-3554

HELP WANTED Plastic surgery practice in Wesley Chapel/New Tampa is seeking a motivated, friendly medical assistant to work full time in both front office and back office capacities. Candidate must be professional, reliable and familiar with computer software.

Please send resume and a cover letter with your qualifications for the position to tampaps@ gmail.com.

HIRING PERSONAL TRAINER. Private Women’s Studio with Boot Camp & Personal Training in Wesley Chapel & Land O’ Lakes owned by Samantha Taylor. Please no phone calls or walk ins.To apply part time: www.lolfitbodybootcamp.com/hire-pt.

LAWN TECHNICIAN NEEDED Local family-owned and operated pest control company has an immediate opening for a lawn technician. Must have at least one year experience, clean driving record, able to lift 50 lbs. and pass background check. Call VIP Pest Control at 813-234-8888 or email resume to office.manager@vippestcontrolllc.com.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST (PT). An established New Tampa outpatient clinic is hiring a part-time PT to provide custom, one-on-one care. Fax resume to (813) 994-3080.

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HOMETEAM LAWNCARE LLC High-quality professional Services: Weekly or bi-weekly year-round full-svc lawn care starting at $90/month: Mow, edge, trim, blow, mulch-bed maintenance, hedge and low-tree trim. Additional Services: Sod, Mulch, & Rock Placement; Hedge Trimming, & Tree Trimming; Landscape Installation; Fall/Spring Clean-Up. Family Owned & Operated, Licensed & Insured, Background Checked, Call or Text (813) 817-9554.

POOL SERVICES TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE. New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing with outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! Call Chris today @ (813) 8575400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com. New customers get ONE MONTH FREE!

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CAT SITTING Tampa Cat Lady Professional CatSitting Service. Cats are happiest in their own home, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds and smells.

When you are away, we feed, cuddle and play with your kitties and clean and dispose of litter. Insured, bonded, and Red-Cross certified in pet first aid/CPR. You may visit TampaCatLady.com and submit a service inquiry or call 813-994-9449.

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

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Your neighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed. Licensed and insured. Call 813-215-1177.

GREG’S PAPERHANGING. For all of your wallpapering needs. Licensed and insured, clean, quick and reasonable. Call 973-2767 for a free estimate.

RAYMOND PAINTING. Exterior & Interior Services.

Exterior: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks & wood rot repair.

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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 free estimate: 813-7845999.

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

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DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, installation, networking & virus removal. WE COME TO YOU! Residences & businesses, more than 25 years exp.

Contact Jeffrey Blank at (813) 973-4507, visit WSICA.COM or email Wsica@wsica.com

SPACE AVAILABLE SERENITY SALON & SPA SUITES Wesley Chapel. 1 suite available for rent. Call for details: 813-312-5247 or 813-997-6302. Great location!

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AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com Highest quality salt and ozone generators, pumps, motors, filters. Marcite, quartz and pebble finishes. Pool cleanups and acid washes, paver and river rock sealing. Paver decks and driveways. Mention this ad for $69 pool service. Call or text 813-244-7077. See our display ad. Visit AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com AQUATEC POOL SERVICE has been 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 FREE. www.aquatecpool.com

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Wharton Navy Junior ROTC Cadets Host Sporting Clays Fund Raiser Apr. 1!

By Celeste McLaughlin

At New Tampa’s Wharton High, about 180 students are part of the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC; photo). According to Gretchen Channell, whose son is a cadet, “It’s a great mix of students, both girls and boys. You don’t have to be military-bound to join.

It’s all about leadership, service to the community, and to country.”

Channell and other members of the Wharton NJROTC Booster Club, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, will host the group’s third annual “Sporting Clays Classic” on Saturday, April 1, 8 a.m., at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays & Archery at 10514

54

Ehren Cutoff in nearby Land O’Lakes.

All proceeds assist cadets with expenses related to activities, competitions and summer leadership camps.

“Our teens compete all over the state in air rifle marksmanship, academic team and drill team,” explains Melissa Hale, another Wharton NJROTC mom and booster member. “Our color guard has performed at dozens of sporting events, memorials and competitions. Our cadets take special trips during the school year and go to several different leadership camps over the summer.”

Cadets will be manning each of the stations, launching the clays that participants will shoot.

The day will start with a light break-

fast, followed by the chance to hit 50 clay targets at 15 stations. Golf cart and ammo are provided. Shotguns can even be rented from Tampa Bay Sporting Clays & Archery.

After teams and individuals are done with the course, lunch will be served, followed by raffles and trophies for the top finishers.

The booster club can accommodate about 100 participants and is hoping to fill all of those available spots.

To register, please visit SportingClaysClassic3.eventbrite.com.

For info about sponsorships or other questions, email wharton. jrotcbooster@gmail.com.

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