FOCUS Magazine 04-01 January 2005 by Floyd Publications

LOCAL ESTATE • TRAVEL • SPORTS • DINING ••ENTERTAINMENT LOCAL• REAL • REAL ESTATE • TRAVEL • SPORTS DINING • ENTERTAINMENT VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 • JANUARY 15 thru FEBRUARY 15 • 2005

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PLANT CITY EDITION

FEATURE 40-45

We give you an insight to the strawberry farming industry through different fields of vision. We talk to farmers about the industry and what makes Plant City the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the world”.

2004 Strawberry Festival Queen Kaitlin Jo-An Sharer reflects on her reign this year. She’s a Plant City Beauty Queen with the heart of a servant. The reality of her being the Strawberry Queen exceeded her expectations of what she thought it would be since the age of five.

DID YOU KNOW? 56 Plant City Archives takes a look at Bowen Supply Company that was located in the Historic Downtown of Plant City. Pictorial of two buildings that Bowen Supply Company had in the good ol’ days. VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 • JANUARY 15 thru FEBRUARY 15 • 2005

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This section is dedicated to buyers, sellers and owners. Shelton Keely brings us up to speed on investment property in our real estate article.

SPORTS 90-92

SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW 49-52

LOCAL • REAL ESTATE • TRAVEL • SPORTS • DINING ••ENTERTAINMENT LOCAL • REAL ESTATE • TRAVEL • SPORTS DINING • ENTERTAINMENT

HOME GUIDE SECTION 59-80

Coach Terry Terrell takes the Plant City Dolphins youth football team to super bowl victory at Raymond James Stadium.

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT 103-119

This month the FOCUS Magazine food critic takes you to Manatee Bay Café Sandwich Shop in beautiful downtown Plant City, where adult fast food is good food fast. Plant City’s newest sandwich shop is now serving breakfast and lunch. Blues, country, and rock ‘n roll would describe Plant City’s local band, Buck Hummer. These entertainers have performed at many Plant City venues along with performing for President Bush at the USF “Sun Dome.” We also pick the flicks on some of the chart topping movies in theaters now. Looking for a place to eat? Check out the complete guide to Plant City dining out on the town.

On the cover: Sam Williamson & Thomas Ibarra Story on pg. 49. Photo by Mike Floyd.

Publisher Mike Floyd mike@floydpublications.com Editor In Chief Linda Floyd linda@floydpublications.com Managing Editor Jeff Neely jneely@floydpublications.com Office Manager DeDe Floyd dede@floydpublications.com Bob Hughens bob@floydpublications.com Sales Tania Summers tsummers@floydpublications.com Kathy Clark kclark@floydpublications.com Suzanne Gross sgross@floydpublications.com Art Director Joel Cook jcook@floydpublications.com Distribution Dale Hutto Photographer Billy Friend Staff Writers Sherri Robinson, Brian West, Sophia Dedon, Kristen Toney Ken Lawrence, Lynne Warren Contributors Sherry Nueesch, Gil Gott, Mac McGrath, Jim Brown, Shelton Keely, Michael Cameron, Al Cohen,

FOCUS Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Plant City businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed to 10,000 homes. Letters, Questions and Comments can be sent to our main office 702 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd. Plant City, Florida 33563 or you can e-mail them to us at linda@floydpublications.com Advertisers warrant and represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. Focus Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All letters and their contents sent to Focus Magazine become the sole property of Floyd Publications, Inc and may be reproduced thereof. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Floyd Publications, Inc. Use or duplication of material used in this publication is prohibited without approved written consent from Floyd Publications, Inc.

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6 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The modern concept of time progression is a curious one. We understand life according to a linear means of interpreting our experience. Future events are overtaken by the present, only to slip through intangible moments into the past. We assign historical significance with numerical value—20 years ago, three months from now, etc. Our universe, we assume, operates along the quickest path in space and time from point A to point B, which we consider distinct. Yet we have no knowledge where either point might be found. That is to say, we can’t really know from whence we came, and our final destiny is beyond us as well. This understanding of time is so engrained within us that we can hardly imagine it being any other way. Interestingly, it has not always been this way in all cultures. Many American Indian civilizations saw life as moving not in a straight line, but within an elaborate system of continuous cycles. Life was defined according to the recurrence of seasons, the ebb and flow of tides, the exchange of birth for life and harvest for planting. For such cultures, time traveled in interconnected spheres with no clear distinction between point A and point B. As the writer of Ecclesiastes penned, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Certainly, our ability to chronicle events provides us with a valuable learning tool. Temporal measurements allow us to recognize patterns with greater accuracy, predict the recurrence of natural cycles, and establish social ritual to strengthen community bonds. Most recently, we celebrated the arrival of a new year. Annual traditions of watching fireworks, merrymaking with friends, and counting down as a big ball of electric lights drops from the sky give us an opportunity to reflect on events of our previous trip around the sun and make plans for the next one. These are all good things. But sometimes I wonder if our concentration on destination betrays the truth that life is more about the journey than the arrival.

Corrections: Last month a few of the stories were attributed to the wrong writers. Wanting to ensure that credit is given where it is due, the following corrections are intended to clear up our mishap. The story and photos for the Second Annual Jeremiah Thornton Baseball Tournament were by Brian West. The Friends for a Lifetime story was written by Sophia Dedon with photo courtesy of Greg Davis and Rick Jones. The story and photos for The Sky’s the Limit were by Lynne Warren. The story and photos for the Plant City Pioneer Day were by Jeff Neely. We also apologize for the misspelling the name of Lauran Williams, who recently received the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award.

In Plant City, we are very familiar with cycles. Every winter our fields come alive with the harvest of our renowned strawberries. Our feature story this month looks into the strawberry farming industry from a few different angles. Kaitlin Jo-An Sharer, 2004 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen shares her reflections on her reign this past year in the Spotlight Interview, and our travel piece will take you to the recently reopened Cypress Gardens, where you can experience thrill rides, entertainment and see displays of nature’s beautiful floral artistry. I hope the stories this month make your journey a little more rewarding. Happy New Year and enjoy!

Jeff Neely Managing Editor

LOCAL

15th Annual Chili Cook-Off, sponsored by the Arts Council of Plant City, is coming up on February 12, 2005, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the Historic Train Depot. Setup time is 10 a.m. There will be three categories: Spicy, Mild, and Novelty. First place in each category wins $100, second place in each category wins $50, and best decorated table wins $25. Entry fee is $15 for ½ of an 8 ft. table or $30 for a whole table. Entry fee for each category is $15. Deadline for entry is Feb 5, 2005. Entrants must have a minimum of three gallons of chili. Supply your own ﬁre; they provide cups and spoons. Entry Form: Name_______________________________ Spicy_______________________________ Address_____________________________ Mild________________________________ Novelty_____________________________ Phone ______________________________ Please make checks payable to: Arts Council of Plant City & send form & check to: Sandy Roger, 755 Cape Cod Circle, Valrico, Fl, 33594. Phone: 335-4113.

Jack Holland was appointed Director of our Recreation and Parks Department, effective Dec 6. Jack has been with the department for over 25 years, serving as Superintendent of the Recreation Division for the last seven years.

After serving as a part time seasonal employee in 1977 and 1978, Jack began full time as Recreation Program Director in 1979. He became Assistant Director of Recreation in 1994 and following the merger of the Recreation Department with the Parks Division of the Public Works Department in 1997, he became Superintendent of Recreation in the newly formed Recreation & Parks Department. The Recreation & Parks Department manages the city’s leisure services and facilities. The 10-member Recreation Division operates three recreation centers, six regional parks and 16 neighborhood parks. The 38-member Parks Division oversees the maintenance, preparation and development of athletic ﬁelds and other park amenities. The department is also responsible for trimming trees on city rights of way and providing burial services and maintenance of the city’s four cemeteries. Jack can be contacted at jholland@plantcitygov.com or 813-6594255. Alcoa Foundation Donates to Plant City Scholarship -The Hillsborough Community College Foundation received a donation of $6,500 from the Alcoa Foundation to fund scholarships for Hillsborough Community College (HCC) students enrolled at the Plant City campus.

(L to R) Felix Haynes, President of the HCC Plant City Campus, Jennifer Closshey, HCC Foundation Board Member, Ellie Hicks, Alcoa HR Specialist, Tom Jones, Alcoa Operations Manager, Adrienne Garcia, HCC Foundation, Inc Executive Director.

The Alcoa Foundation gift is a part of their scholarship program providing funds to educational institutions in communities where Alcoa maintains plants. Alcoa and HCC have a long-standing relationship of annual scholarship awards for Plant City students. Hillsborough Community College is an accredited two-year institution serving more than 40,000 students on campuses located in Plant City, Ybor City, Brandon and on Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. Congratulations to Owen and Heidi Johnson on the birth of their son Patrick Owen. Born on Dec 30, 2004. 9lbs, 6oz

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PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS

THE DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY IN PLANT CITY SPEAK OUT “People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors.” This is the motto of the Plant City Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. From educating individuals in ancestry, southern literature and music, to giving of their time and resources to veterans and servicemen, these women provide assistance to our community in ways seldom made mention of. Mary Noel Moody, the greatgrandmother of Carole Shelton, originally formed the Plant City Chapter of the UDC in 1927. Shelton currently serves as president of the organization, which now boasts approximately 50 members. “It appears we

are ﬁghting against a politically correct society,” Shelton said. “It’s so shocking to us that some people consider us racist…we’re not! We’re about honoring our ancestors, and we hold them in high esteem! History, family and the community, these are all things that are so important to us.” The group meets one Saturday each month at the Cone Room inside the historic 1914 High School. A main focus on their agenda right now is the sale of the cookbook, Suppertime in the Old South: Generations of Recipes. All proceeds from the cookbooks, which feature genuine southern family recipes passed down through the years, like Mama’s Comfort Soup and Hoppin’ John (black-

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION JANUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 15 • 05 PG 8

eyed peas and hog jowl with rice), go directly into a fund to erect a monument in tribute to the Cow Cavalry. At this point, there is over $10,000 in the account created for the monument. But wait a minute— just what is the Cow Cavalry? In 1863, during the period of the Civil War, troops were recruited throughout Florida to drive cattle northward to provide food for the starving armies of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. You may have known that fact, but did you also know that the ﬁrst unit of these troops came directly from Plant City? Many of these members of the Cow Cavalry were members of prominent families in Plant City— the Platts, the Sparkmans and the Collinses—to name just a few.

In order to become a bonaﬁde member of the society, each woman must trace her ancestry back to a confederate soldier and prove that she did indeed come from his lineage. However, there are chances for others to become involved, as well. “Anyone is welcome to attend”, former president Martha Sue Skinner enthusiastically explained. “We invite those who are simply interested in the south and in their ancestry to join us anytime. They’re associate members, and we love having them with us!” For more information on the Plant City Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, contact Carole Shelton at (813) 759-0078.

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STORY BY BRUCE RODWELL

Chamber of Commerce On behalf of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, I want to wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!

help women choose life for their babies when facing an unplanned pregnancy. For further information, call 759-0886.

A reminder…as we go forward into 2005, if your organization or service club is having an event, call the Chamber ofﬁce at 754-3707 and have the date put on the COMMUNITY CALENDAR. This will avoid conﬂicting dates which might affect attendance at any given event.

SPOTLIGHT ON MEMBERS:

Don’t forget to call the Chamber office 7543707 to reserve your place for the annual 2005 CHAIRMAN’S BANQUET. The date is January 27 th. and it is being held at the Ramada Inn Plantation House/Red Rose Ballroom. Plans are already underway for the 2005 MARGARITA BALL. This event will be held May 14 th. at the home of Rick & Di Lott. Mark your calendars now so you can plan on attending this fun filled event. More details later. On February 12 th. the Arts Council will hold their annual CHILI COOK-OFF. This event takes place in Historic Downtown Plant City at McCall Park. If you have a great Chili recipe, why not enter it in this contest? Call Sandy Rogers at 335-4113 and she will give you all the details. This is always a fun event and one you will not want to miss. Remember on the first Tuesday of each month the South Florida Baptist Hospital has a Diabetes Support Group that meets from 5 to 6 pm. Registration is required and you can call 757-8202 to register. Here is a date to put on your calendar…. Saturday, February 12 th. That is the date of the Pregnancy Care Center WALK FOR LIFE 2005. The Center invites you to grab your walkin’ shoes for this annual walk which benefits the Pregnancy Care Center of Plant City. Registration begins at 8 am and the walk begins at 9 am at Plant City Stadium. All ages can participate! Ask your friends and neighbors for a single, generous, tax-deductible gift for your participation in the event. The idea being, the more people you ask, the more will say yes. The Pregnancy Care Center relies solely on gifts from churches, individuals and fund raising events to provide the totally free services to

SIMMONS CAREER CENTER, located on the corner of Grant & Gibbs Street in Plant City. Leslie Morris is the Principal of this new non-traditional school. The school offers students alternative methods of obtaining a standard high school diploma by offering academics with technical career training. Within the career center is the teen parent program and a nursery for day care for the infants of teen parent homes. Also within Simmons is the Exceptional Center for students in grades 1-12 who are severely emotionally disturbed or autistic. For information on enrollment call 707-7433. MINUTEMAN PRESS, located in the strip mall on Alexander Street between Cherry’s and Westshore Pizza. Mike & Julie Arndt are the owners of this new business in our city. Minuteman is a full service printing and graphics center offering free pick-up and delivery. They also offer copying, faxing, graphic design and custom full color printing. ALL PROS CARPET CARE & CLEANING SERVICES, All Pros offers steam cleaning of carpets and tile as well as cleaning services for auto and RV interiors. They also offer full janitorial services for residential and commercial businesses. They serve Hillsborough and Polk counties. You can call them at 863-660-3103. CICI’S PIZZA, located on West Alexander Street in the Kash n Karry Plaza. Cici’s is an all-you-can-eat buffet with pizza, pasta, salad and dessert for only $3.99. Tim & Vanessa Dallman are the owners of this establishment. You can dine-in or stop by for take-out on your way home. They welcome birthday parties and also have a fund raising program. Give them a call at 659-3400 for more details.

January 17 – Senior Citizen Luncheon at Plant City MLK Recreation Center. The luncheon gets underway at noon followed by a memorial service from 1 to 2 pm. Call 757-6760 for information, January 20 – Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

10 sponsored by the Tampa Tribune and The Courier, 101 North Wheeler Street. Starts at 5:15 pm. Call the Chamber at 754-3707 to RSVP. January 22 – Florida Strawberry Festival Queen’s Pageant at Tomlin School. Here is your opportunity to witness the crowning of the 2005 Florida Strawberry Queen and Her Court. For tickets call 752-9194. January 27 – Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce 2005 Chairman’s Banquet. This event takes place at 6:30 pm at the Ramada Inn Plantation House/Red Rose Ballroom. Call 7543707 to reserve your seats. February 3 – Strawberry Festival Fashion Show at the Arthur Boring building. Call for information 752-9194. February 3 – Bruton Memorial Library presents James Tokley & Friends at 7 pm. February 4 - American Business Women’s Association annual BACHELOR AUCTION. This fun-ﬁlled event takes place at 7:00 pm at the Ramada Inn Plantation House/Red Rose Ballroom. Call Jodi Smith at 754-3703 for tickets and further information. February 5 - Bike Fest in Historic Downtown Plant City. Great family fun. Come out and look over the hundreds of motorcycles on display. Starts at 5 pm. February 9 - Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce CONTACT BREAKFAST. Sponsored by Poppell Insurance. Takes place at 7:30 am at Walden Lake Golf & Country Club. Call 754-3707 to reserve your spot. February 10 – Florida State Fair opens. February 12 - Pregnancy Care Center WALK FOR LIFE at Plant City Stadium. Registration is at 8 am and the walk starts at 9 am. Call 7590886 for additional information. February 12 – CHILI COOK-OFF sponsored by the Arts Council. This great food tasting event takes place from 11 am to 1 pm at the Depot in McCall Park in downtown Plant City. Call Sandy Rogers at 335-4113 to register. February 12 – Florida Opry at the 1914 High School. Starts at 7 pm. Call 752-4094 for information.

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STORY & PHOTOS BY LINDA FLOYD

HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE BY PLANT CITY’S FINEST! ��

POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES ACCREDITATION

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The Plant City Police Department has successfully passed its onsite state accreditation assessment recently. The department expects that status to be officially conferred upon them in February, during the next meeting of the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation. The standards for police departments, developed by the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., or CALEA, are meant to make law enforcement training and practices universal for all accredited departments. The practical result is that interaction becomes more standardized and professional for the officers and the citizens. This process took eight years and required a significant investment of time, energy and talent by literally every member of the

police department. Their progress was charted on a wall so that everyone could see where they stood in complying with the 900 individual standards they had to pass in order to qualify for accreditation. When asked exactly what it meant and how it benefited the community, as well as the seventy officers he leads, Plant City Chief of Police Bill McDaniel had this to say. “This is a way to let the community know that they are served by a law enforcement agency that has been scrutinized by outsiders and have been found to meet the highest possible standards. Our officers are professional in everything they do. Not just because we think so, but a team of outside professionals have judged them to be so. That gives the officers and all our employees more confidence and a greater pride in their department.” From the writing of rules and regulations, to training personnel in the proper procedures, to the application of the standards on the street, every single person who works for the police department had a role to play in this process. “This wasn’t my accomplishment, but the accomplishment of the good people that work for this department,” McDaniel said.

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law, judicial decisions and civil litigation. The result is a focus on continuous improvement. On the second day of the assessment process, a special phone line was opened for the assessors to take comments from the Plant City citizens. By the time the phone line closed, the assessors had received an unusually high number of calls and later advised that it may well be a record number for the state. Even better, 100 percent of those calls were positive in nature. 18 yr. veteran Ofc. Mark Pﬁster

“From the day I became chief, I’ve said we’re going to be the best department we can be, not the biggest, but the best, and accreditation has helped in that process.” CALEA compliance provides an agency that is more open and responsive to citizen input. Citizens win because their law enforcement agency has taken the initiative to comply with a set of national developed standards. Law enforcement officers win because for almost any circumstance in which an officer may find him or herself, there is a set of established guidelines and a methodology for solutions. Law enforcement managers win because it ensures that adequate guidance is provided to the operational level employee, and it forces management to stay on top of the many changes in

The state assessors were highly impressed by the professionalism, dedication and pride that they saw exhibited throughout the department, according to a newsletter from the ofﬁce of the city manager. The assessors also made it known that the Plant City Police Department had passed the accreditation assessment without one single issue that required further action or correction before they could become accredited.

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In April, the police department is slated to move into their new 68,000 square-foot building off of Alexander Road, providing the department with a facility they can grow into and be proud of for many decades to come. This is only ﬁtting for a police department that has earned the right to be called “Plant City’s Finest” and for which all of Plant City’s citizenry should be proud.

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION JANUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 15 • 05 PG 13

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LOCAL

STORY BY SHERRI ROBINSON

“CAPTURING THE PAST BY HONORING THE PRESENT” “SHERI RAY HONORS GRANDFATHER” Sheri Ray is a great inspiration to all of us with her demonstration of love for her family and her determination to preserve her history. She is a descendant of the Tanners, a Hillsborough County pioneer family that lived on Tanner Homestead for over 100 years. Six generations were raised on this land. Her grandfather, Luther Tanner, has lived there all of his over 80 years of life. He is her inspiration for writing the family heritage cookbook, “Seeds of Love Tasty Tanner Traditions.” The book is not just a cookbook, but also a tribute to him. She wanted to honor him while he

was still with her and could enjoy it. Her family has lived through so much she felt she wanted to share that with others. The book is a step back in time and an appreciation for the past. Sheri writes of family history and relationships, local history, granny lessons, family recipes, inspiring stories, scriptures and includes family pictures that date back to the 1800s. To celebrate the publishing of this special book, a gathering for the public was held on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. behind the Old Tanner Cookhouse. The sounds of southern gospel music

serenaded those present, while Sheri signed books on the front porch. Ray says she has had a wonderful life not just growing up as a Tanner, but now as an adult. Ray lives in Plant City with her husband and children on a blueberry farm

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they started approximately four years ago. She says her grandparents were of great support and believed in their success from the very beginning. They showed that support by coming out and helping to work the ﬁelds on a regular basis. I could see the great love Ray has for her family and the admiration for her grandfather, who is now widowed. He plans on donating the book to the Historical Society. Writing

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the cookbook has helped to bring her back to her roots and has been very fulﬁlling, Ray says. She was a showcased author at the Pioneer Day in Plant City this year. Ray does everything in a big way. She believes in stepping out and doing adventurous things, which is why she wrote the book and started the blueberry farm. In doing so she has realized true peace and happiness. Ray says that to her, that is more important than anything. For many years she has followed that belief and has prospered. The secret to her success, whether it be in business or life, is her positive attitude. She doesn’t let fear get in the way. If she wants to do something she just goes for it and doesn’t let the “what ifs” even enter her mind. Everyone

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has the same struggles and fears in life, but if you let it keep you from going forward you will miss out on so many blessings. I enjoyed the time I spent with Ray talking and looking through her book. I learned of a time in her life when her focus was of things much different than today, but through the experience of gathering information and writing she feels her life has come full circle. Ray’s greatest satisfaction now comes from growing blueberries and taking care of her family. She says she cherishes the time she has with each one of them, especially with her grandfather and the memories she has of her grandmother. If you would like to order a cookbook or ﬁnd out more information log onto www.sheriray.com.

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STORY & PHOTOS BY JEFF NEELY

CLASSIC COLLECTION CONNECTS KIDS TO KINGS TRACTORS TELL HISTORY FOR GENERATIONS

collection marks many of the distinct phases in the life of the Silver King series. The 1935 tractor holds the serial number 348, making it only the 22nd manufactured that year. Willaford said that to his knowledge, there are only five or six Silver King tractors older than his 1935 documented as still being around. Continental engines powered the Silver Kings for the first time in 1942, when they replaced the Hercules engines, which were needed for use in portable welding machines in World War II. The 1951 tractor is an example of the last style of the series, a much beefier and more powerful tractor than its predecessors.

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R.W. Willaford with granddaughters Carlee, Courtney and Caitlyn Turner aboard a classic 1936 Silver King.

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Through this unique collection, Willaford said he is hoping to

Everyone knows John Deere, but few know the King. No, Elvis has not been hiding in the tractor business for the last 27 years. From 1934 to 1954 the Fate-Root-Heath Manufacturing Company in Plymouth, Ohio produced a series of tractors called Silver King. Plant City resident R.W. Willaford, 67, now owns ﬁve of these rare tractors, which he says really belong to his grandchildren. When Willaford and his wife, Felice, traveled to Pennsylvania two years ago for a family reunion, they found a 1951 Silver King stowed away in a barn. Willaford decided it would make the perfect gift for his 10-yearold grandson, Justin Royster, who will one day inherit Willaford’s family farm. When he got it to Plant City, Willaford suddenly realized he had a problem on his hands. “I have a total of ﬁve grandkids,” Willaford said. “So the other four started to say, ‘Where’s mine?’”

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION JANUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 15 • 05 PG 16

Willaford and his grandson, Justin Royster

Now, Willaford’s collection includes a 1935 Silver King tractor for his granddaughter Katie Royster, 16, a 1936 for her cousin Courtney Turner, 8, a 1942 for Carlee Turner, 7, and a 1943 for Caitlyn Turner, 6. Representing virtually the entire 20-year span the tractors were produced, Willaford’s

educate his grandchildren about a time before air-conditioned cars and overseas manufacturing. All parts of the Silver King tractors were made in the United States. “They’re not a Wal-Mart tractor,” Willaford said. “They’re a 20-year segment of history.”

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STORY & PHOTOS BY SOPHIA DEDON

TAKING THE TRASH OUT

A CLOSER LOOK AT WHERE YOUR GARBAGE GOES terms, in the ﬁrst year of business, the transfer station saved Plant City over $600,000.

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“When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them I’m a magician.” said Jim McElvenny, one of the owners of Paragon Development Group LLC, better known as Plant City Transfer Station. “I make trash disappear.” People commonly refer to this place of work as “the dump,” but there is so much that goes beyond common knowledge.

The way it works is Plant City runs about thirteen trucks that pick up waste around the city. The trucks bring the trash to the Plant City Transfer Station where they unload it, scan it for items that cannot be disposed and then load it onto bigger trucks to ship it two hours away to a landﬁll. Many may say, “I had no idea that place was out there.” That is because Plant City Transfer Station was awarded Cleanest Facility by Hillsborough County. For being “a dump,” there is no odor or dirtiness. As soon as the waste arrives, it’s shipped out. They do not only accept household waste but take everything from rooﬁng to trees to metal, and will even demolish mobile homes. If you are cleaning your yard, cutting down trees or anything like that, for only $25 you can bring all your

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JUST WEST OF PARK RD. IN PLANT CITY, CALL FOR APPOINTMENT

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Almost two years ago, the city of Plant City was managing its own waste and carrying it all the way to Pasco County. An incredible amount of funding was being used for supplies, labor, gas, upkeep, etc. Now that the Plant City Transfer Station has opened, the city only has to carry its waste about ten minutes to North Frontage Road. To put it in simple

waste to them and dispose of it in one trip. They base their business off of building relationships and want to please everyone. If you accidentally throw anything away like glasses, or a check, contact the city and nine times out of ten they can ﬁnd it for you! We can all be thankful for the job they do because often the work they do goes unrecognized until there is a problem.

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STORY BY SHERRI ROBINSON

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH SINGLES

Being single is a very lonely place for many people, but belonging to a group or organization helps. No one knows that better than the people at First Baptist Church of Plant City. Pastor Ron Churchill has always had a heart for singles, having been single for many years himself. He saw a need for a singles’ ministry here like he did in Texas where was previously lived. They began there with a group of four and soon grew to 900. The ministry here is growing also. About a year and a half ago, Rev. Kevin Brevik was given the position of minister of single adults. He is a passionate and a genuinely caring person who just wants single adults to know that First Baptist Singles is a place where they can come to be known, loved and cared for. That is very refreshing for many singles who used to attend as a child

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION JANUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 15 • 05 PG 20

or previously with spouse and children, who now feel church is a place for couples and families only. They feel like outcasts and are afraid they will just be preached at or misunderstood if they attend. First Baptist has been one of the few to realize that. Over the next year their focus will be on singles. They already offer ﬁve different Sunday School classes—two college and career classes for ages 18-24, Career Minded for ages 24-38, Singles for ages 38-50, Senior Adults 50-65 and Heaven Group for ages 65 and up. If you are still uncomfortable thinking about attending a traditional Sunday School class or church service, they offer Singles’ Night Out on the second Saturday of every month. It’s a time of fellowship for singles of all ages and denominations. For two hours, singles can come and enjoy a guest speaker, short devotion, games, a coffee bar and entertainment. The

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local businesses even get in on all the fun by donating door prizes. Singles’ Night Out is also a chance to make friends with other people from Plant City, Lakeland, Temple Terrace, Zephyrhills and other local communities. The Singles group is involved in four mission projects each year, including Habitat For Humanity and Florida Baptist Children’s Home. They minister to their own with a Divorce Care program that offers a single-parenting class two times a year. They hope to offer a divorce class for kids in the near future as well. Rev. Brevik talked about his own experience as a child of divorced parents and feels that this class would be a great help to those who are experiencing the same things he went through. First Baptist Singles is growing steadily with 50 - 75 singles attending their monthly Night Out. The singles has had a positive effect on the church as whole. Where in the past they catered to married couples and focused on the children’s

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ministry, they now have even have a special singles service. The world is changing and First Baptist Church is changing with it. Through compassion and love they are reaching out to the singles in our community. For those of you who have been discouraged from returning to worship services or long to have a place to belong, there is hope. Whether you attend service or come to a singles event, you have to start somewhere to ﬁnd peace and choose to be happy. They hope you will come and give them a try.... no pressure, no strings attached. To ﬁnd out more log onto www.fbcpc.com and click on the singles link or call 813-7524104.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION JANUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 15 • 05 PG 21

AROUND TOWN

LOCAL

STORY & PHOTOS BY BRIAN WEST

NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN SAYS SALES ARE FLOODING IN WATER PURIFICATION WORKING IN WAYS UNHEARD OF in town believes they have a system that can improve the quality of your water and give you many other beneﬁts in the process—and no, this isn’t a water softener. Waterite LLC is a business with a new approach to cleaning the water supply. Waterite’s system doesn’t add anything to the water being treated. Instead, the system uses a patented technology (they just received their patent this month) to treat the water as it is and get rid of impurities.

Ever wonder what’s in your water? Calcium, lime and rust are often found in our water supply, not to mention many other contaminants. A new company

The business started years ago in the United Kingdom as a method for eliminating the buildup of yeast in beer lines. Tony Allen invented the system and soon began to wonder how it might work on water lines. He moved to the United States and discovered a water softener in the home he purchased. Unhappy with the softener’s performance, he decided to try his system. Allen soon met Debra Kerr of Plant City and the two became partners sharing this technology. The rest is history. Since that time, the system has been installed in homes and businesses. The system uses ultrasonic radio wave frequencies to transform the entire molecular structure of the water. The system

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