FOCUS PC 05-10 Oct 2006 by Floyd Publications

LOCAL • REAL ESTATE • BUSINESS • SPORTS • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT VOLUME 5 NUMBER 10 • OCTOBER 15, 2006 - NOVEMBER 15, 2006

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PLANT CITY EDITION

ANNE HAYW00D SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW

HALLOWEEN F E AT U R E

PLUS LOCAL STORIES BUSINESS PROFILE HEALTH / SPORTS DINING & ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS AND MORE

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 2

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 3

OCTOBER 15 - NOVEMBER 15, 2006

feature

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With Halloween just around the corner, we give you some additional ways you can celebrate it with your kids. We tell you about haunted houses, costume parties, Harvest Fest, pumpkin carving contests, the Halloween Howl, First Baptist Church of Midway’s Motorway Fall Festival, Plant City’s Park and Recreation Department’s Jack O Bury Forest and Trunk or Treat. We also offer up some tips for trick-or-treaters and for parents to help ensure the safest and best Halloween ever.

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Beef O’ Brady’s High School Athlete of the Month is Johnathon Dupree, a junior at Plant City High School and a member of the Raider’s varsity football team. He also plays soccer for the school, as well as for the Plant City Lancers. We also report on the games between the PCHS Lady Raiders and the Middleton Tigers volleyball teams.

Bogey’s at the Walden Lake Golf & Country Club is now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Read about all the changes being made under the new ownership. The Ramada Inn Plantation House held a “Gone With the Wind” Extravaganza and what a gala it was!

97 .............Dining Review 98 .................Just for Fun 100 ...........Entertainment PONG LAI MARTIAL ARTS 102-103 ... Movie Reviews 104 ............ Dining Guide TRAINING CENTER 106-107 ...Event Calendar

business proﬁle

Photo by Sophia Dedon

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Plant City has had a busy month! The Cornerstone Community Center hosted over 300 people at their Annual Fish Fry & Hoedown, which turned out to be their most successful yet. The Plant City Church of God hosts A Safe Place where you can go to get help with addictions, various means of abuse and codependency. South Florida Baptist Hospital held their 14th Annual “Karing for Kids” Children’s Health Fair, while Turkey Creek Middle School had their monthly Family Fit Night. September was also the month for the Calendar Girl 2007 pageant, the Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library’s “Mild, Mild West” and the Annual Diamonds and Denim Ball.

7 ...................... Talk of the Town 10 ..............................Chamber 14 ......................... Tell Your Tale 17 ................ Artist of the Month

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If you’ve been to the Bruton Memorial Library, chances are you’ve seen or met Anne Haywood, the Director of the library. We get the story on how she became interested in Library Science, how she wound up here and what some of the latest projects going on at the library are.

HEALTH

86 ....................... Dr. Dunn 88 ............... Sherry Nuesch 90 ...........................Dr. Ott

HOME GUIDE

55 ... Cover-Blackburn Realty 64 ....... Walden Lake Review 66 ........... Real Estate Article

ON THE COVER FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 4

EXTRAS 92 .............................. Law 93 .................. Auto Review 94 ..................... Al Ruechel

MAGAZINE PUBLISHER Mike Floyd mike@floydpublications.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Linda Floyd linda@floydpublications.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Kristen Toney ktoney@floydpublications.com MANAGING EDITOR Sophia Dedon sdedon@floydpublications.com OFFICE MANAGER DeDe Floyd dede@floydpublications.com CREDIT MANAGER Bob Hughens bob@floydpublications.com SALES Tania Summers tsummers@floydpublications.com Shannon Davis sdavis@floydpublications.com Tisha Howard thoward@floydpublications.com ART DIRECTOR Stefanie Burlingame sburlingame@floydpublications.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Anthony Sassano asassano@floydpublications.com DISTRIBUTION Tony DeVane PHOTOGRAPHER Billy Friend STAFF WRITERS Brian West, Debbie Bowers, Joe Bowles, Sherry Baldwin, Holly Mallalieu, John Garrod, Daniel Sperry, Heather Davis, Cheryl Johnston CONTRIBUTORS Sherry Nueesch, Gil Gott, Johnnie Byrd, Shelton Keely, Michael Cameron, Bruce Rodwell

FOCUS Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Plant City businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. Letters, Questions and Comments can be sent to us at sdedon@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.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.

published by:

96 ............................Travel

Anne Haywood, Director of the Bruton Memorial Library. See her story on page 48.

101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Plant City, FL 33563 Phone 813.707.8783 • Fax 813.764.0990

letter FROM THE EDITOR

“Once in a young lifetime one should be allowed to have as much sweetness as one can possibly want and hold.” Judith Olney

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Obviously, Ms. Olney wasn’t a mother, or she would know what it was like to deal with a child on a sugar high. Of course, that’s a debatable subject, whether or not kids’ behavior is affected by sugar, not whether or not it is good for them. It’s not, unless it’s in its natural state. But nowadays, as if parents don’t have enough to worry about where their kids are concerned, another one to add to the heap is obesity. A lot of that is caused by constant sitting in front of the TV, playing video games and eating today’s fast food. When I was a little girl, I remember climbing a big oak tree in my back yard, spur-of-the moment softball games with neighborhood kids in the big ﬁeld out back, and riding our bikes all over the place. We were always outside as youngsters, running and playing made-up games and basically able to go all over our small neighborhood without really worrying about the things we have to worry about in today’s world. I remember on Halloween we’d get dressed up in our home-made costumes and walk all over the neighborhood with our friends, while our moms and dads stayed home to give out candy. It was unheard of back then that anyone would sabotage a treat being handed out to kids, and I don’t recall ever hearing a story about a kid getting snatched away by a bad person, although I’m sure it had to happen on occasion. Isn’t life supposed to be so much easier with today’s modern conveniences? We have everything disposable, electronic, push-buttoned, microwaved and automatic. But when you really get down to it, is it really?

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It is our hope to make your Halloween a little easier with our Feature on some of the alternative activities going on in Plant City. We have haunted houses, costume parties, festivals, pumpkin carving contests, the Halloween Howl, Plant City’s Parks and Recreation Department’s Jack O Bury Forest and Trunk or Treat. We also included some safety reminders for the kids and some tips for the parents that you might not have thought about. It is our hope that you have the best Halloween and the safest trick-ortreating ever. We hope you enjoy your stories this month and, as always, thank you for your readership and support!

Linda Floyd

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 6

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n October 12, the Plant City Rotary Club donated dictionaries to all of the ﬁfth graders at Walden Lake Elementary. This was part of an international annual event. Rotaries across the world purchase dictionaries to give to students in order to aid them in their education. There are many students that without this donation from Rotary would not have a dictionary at home. Throughout this month, Bill Heard Chevrolet is selling window panes, which you can personally decorate, that will be hung around the store. They will be on display through December 1. All of the funds raised, as well as the funds from their upcoming events, United Community Chal-

what is going on in YOUR life.

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People have exciting things

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lenge Fundraising Activity and Poker Run Motorcycle Rally (see event calendar) will go to beneﬁt three local teenagers. Megan Carpenter, Alexandria Prescott, and Brandi Redmond are all students at Plant City High School that suffer from a terminal illness. The UPS Store is spending all of October raising donations for the United Food Bank. They are collecting both food and monetary donations. Their goal is to make every day a “Perfect 10” by collecting $10 and 10 pounds. If they succeed, $310 and 310 pounds of food will be donated to the food bank. Anyone who brings in a canned good receives $2 off UPS Shipping costs. Anyone who makes

happen to them everyday and sometimes wish they could tell everyone. Well, now you can. If you have an announcement you

a monetary donation can enter a contest to guess how many cans make up 100 pounds. The winner will receive an IPOD.

would like to share with Plant

It’s already time to begin preparing for the Strawberry Festival once again. For all the young ladies wishing to run for either Junior Royalty or Strawberry Queen, there will be mandatory meetings in the ﬁrst week of November. Call 813-752-9194 for more information. For those interested in entering the other contests, new rules are being updated on the website. Visit www.ﬂstrawberryfestival.com to determine what you need to be doing to prepare.

notepads located around town

City, tell us, and we will put it in our Talk of the Town section. There are drop-oﬀ boxes and for your convenience. Right now, a few box locations are Fred’s Farmer’s Market, Grandpa Johnson’s, Natural Creations, The Whistle Stop Café, Curves, and Manhattan Mortgage. More locations are to come, so keep your eye out for the Talk of the Town boxes. If you would prefer to call in your exciting news, the number is 813-707-8783 x 21. Focus Magazine cares about you and wants to share in your excitement.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 7

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Story by Daniel Sperry Photos by Kurt Moore

Hoedown Helps Keep Cornerstone Center Up ANNUAL FISH FRY IS A HUGE SUCCESS

The Red Barn is set for the evening’s live music entertainment

undreds of pounds of fried catﬁsh, live country and bluegrass music and a slew of southern sides make up the perfect recipe for a spectacular Plant City event. The Cornerstone Community Center hosted its annual Fish Fry and hoedown on September 16, a perfect Florida evening. More than 300 people attended. “We had a great turnout,” said Jeanie Burt, who helps coordinate activities for Cornerstone. “Last year it was pretty cold, but everything was wonderful this year.” The outdoor event was held at the Red Barn on Old Macintosh Road. Signs directed people to the burgundy tablecloth covered tables. The open barn was beyond them where a stage was set up with sound equipment in place. Everything was ready for a full night of food and entertainment. Homemade cakes lined another table for a cakewalk that was held later in the evening. Farm raised catﬁsh were brought in by the case, and soon the smell

of fried fish and hush puppies filled the air. “Oh, it was delicious,” said Burt. “We all ate too much food!” Then a country trio hit the stage and opened up the hoedown with beautiful harmonies. But the big act was the Southern Star Bluegrass Band who filled the barn with a long set of classic bluegrass music that had the crowd clapping and swaying throughout the rest of the night. “I went last year,” said a Plant City man, “and it was great, but this year’s was even better.” The Fish Fry and hoedown is one of a number of activities and events hosted by Cornerstone which helps to raise money for restoring the Plant City landmark in downtown. This year’s hoedown was the most successful yet. “We had so many people this year,” said Burt. “It really was wonderful.”

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 8

Volunteers deep fry catﬁsh, southern style for everyone to enjoy

80-year-old Burt has been helping coordinate events for Cornerstone since the property was given to them by First Baptist Church to be turned into a community center. Since then, a number of people from Plant City have become involved with preserving the building and helping with fundraising events and activities. “So many people volunteered their time to help us have such a great night,” said Burt. “Fern and Chip Leitner helped so much and so did Violet Massey.” Kathy Durham coordinated the food and the artwork and was also thrilled with the success of the hoedown. “We had more people than last year, and it should help with some of the repairs we’ve been needing to do on the building,” said Durham. Last year, Cornerstone received a grant from the state to help with their repair efforts, but this year they did not qualify. There are still

a number of broken windows that are covered with boards, and the second ﬂoor cannot be used until more work is done. “We really enjoy working toward preserving this building,” said Burt. “It is exciting to host events in the center and to see other people enjoy it when they rent it for weddings or banquets.” There is still plenty more work to be done before the building is fully useable. The group is hoping to add a handicap access ramp and elevator within the next few years, as well as restoring the upper ﬂoors and doing more work on the exterior of the building. “It’s going to be really beautiful when we get done,” said Burt. “And so many people coming out to things like our Fish Fry and hoedown are what make it possible.”

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 9

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SEND COMMENTS TO SDEDON@FLOYDPUBLICATIONS.COM Story By Bruce Rodwell

Chamber of Commerce Ready for some golf? The Twelfth Annual Plant City Optimist Club/ Plant City Recreation and Parks Department Golf Tournament will be held at Walden Lake Golf & Country Club on Saturday, October 21st. Registration is at 11a.m., followed by a four-person scramble format at 1 p.m. Registration forms are available online at www. plantcitygov.com/rec (click on the Golf Tourney link). If you want more information, you can call Walt Arnold at 752-1602, Pat Stottlemyer at 759-1019, Paul Woods at 7520356 or Jeb Hicks at 754-8804. Sounds like a great time, and it’s for a great cause. Proceeds from this event go to Youth Flag Football, Youth Basketball, Youth Soccer, Little League Baseball, Steppin’ Stone Farm, Essay Contest, Easter Egg Hunt, Oratorical Contest and High School Graduate Scholarships. ★★★★★★★★★★ There is another golfing event planned at Walden Lake Golf & Country Club on Saturday, October 28th. This time it’s the Eighth Annual St. Clement Youth Ministries Golf Classic. This is also for a great cause and benefits St. Clement Catholic Church youth ministries. For information, call Pete Weronik at 752-8855 or Carol Rodriguez at 757-6234. ★★★★★★★★★★ Do you like flowers and plants? On October 28th the Plant City Garden Club is presenting their Tenth Annual Tour of five beautiful gardens. The cost is $10 per person and benefits the Habitat for Humanity and the Plant City Garden Club’s scholarship fund. Here is your opportunity to tour the beautiful gardens of five homes right here in Plant City. The gardens of Jim & Susan Baggett, 1001 North Wheeler Street; Dallas & Milene Powell, 805 North Collins Street; Bill and Elisa Carr, 2210 Wedgewood Court; Martin &

Janice Burdette, 2823 Clubhouse Drive and Lynn & Barbara Houser, 2879 Hammock Drive will be open for the tour. In addition to the tour, there will be a plant sale at Hammock Park in the Hammocks development in Walden Lake. Tickets for the tour will be available at the Garden Club Center, 1112 North Wheeler Street on the day of the tour. Further information can be obtained by calling Cassandra Banning, Club President at 7591638.

12th. The event will start after church services. A ﬁrm specializing in mini-golf tournaments, Tampa Bay Mini Links, will set-up the course inside the Bill Heard showroom.

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For more information or to make a donation, you can call Chris Prevatt at 813-359-5018.

Are you a member of the PLANT CITY YMCA? For more than 150 years, YMCAs have been strengthening communities and helping people grow in spirit, mind and body. Your Plant City YMCA goes beyond sports and recreation when it comes to building healthy individuals and communities. A sampling of programs available at our local YMCA include personal training, a walking club, Tai Chi classes, a lunch ‘n’ learn program, aquatics, adult & teen self defense, kung fu for ages 6-13 and teen dance parties. Call our Plant City YMCA at 757-6677 to learn more. It’s a wonderful family facility. ★★★★★★★★★★ The Plant City Rotary Club and Bill Heard Chevrolet are teaming up and will present a major fund raising effort to help three families from Plant City who have teenage daughters that are battling cancer. The three girls, Alexandria Prescott, 16, Megan Carpenter, 16, and Brandi Redmond, 15, all attend Plant City High. According to Chris Prevatt, Bill Heard’s public relations manager, the money raised will help these three families with the medical bills. A miniature golf fundraiser will be held at the Bill Heard dealership on Park Road on Sunday, November

Mr. Prevatt heard about these families by way of a friend and he contacted Paul Baker, the General Manager at the Bill Heard dealership and Mr. Baker told him to set something up to “take care of these kids and their families.”

★★★★★★★★★★ Patsy Brooks and her team are well underway in planning the 2007 Strawberry Festival. Young women who are at least 16 years of age and no older than 20 as of March 11, 2007 and are interested in competing for the title of 2007 Strawberry Queen can attend a mandatory orientation meeting at 2 p.m. on November 5th in the conference room on the second ﬂoor of the new Expo building on the Festival grounds. There is an application fee of $25 and the deadline to register is noon on November 13th. The 2007 Pageant will be held at 6 p.m., February 3rd at Tomlin Middle School. If you have a business and are interested in donating a prize you can contact Stephanie Shuff at 7523963. ★★★★★★★★★★

accepting clients by referral only and qualifying them through a very thorough screening process. The largest group assisted is children and women. The Food Bank serves upwards of 7,000 clients per year. The minimum space requirement needed is 5,000 square feet. If you know of someone that has a facility of this size available, please contact Linda Lawson, Executive Director at the Food Bank at 764-0625. ★★★★★★★★★★ Are you ready for the FOURTH ANNUAL GREATER PLANT CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PIG JAM? Chris Sparkman and Jodi Smith and a committee of Chamber members have been busy planning for this event which will be held on November 18th at the Randy Larson Four-Plex off Park Road & Albertson’s Drive in Plant City. This event is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and includes a Professional category with a $15,000 purse!!! There are also Amateur and Kids’ categories. While the BBQ Competition and sampling of some of the finest barbecue on earth are the highlights of the day, the event also features first-rate family fun, kids’ activities, live entertainment and a variety of vendors. For more information you can call the Chamber office at 813-7543707. You won’t want to miss this event, which is fast becoming a Plant City tradition.

Our very own UNITED FOOD BANK & SERVICES OF PLANT CITY is in dire need of a new facility. Presently located at 712 East Alsobrook Street, the Food Bank has outgrown this location. Their slogan, A Hand-Up, Not a Hand-Out is actualized by

SUPPORT OUR GREATER PLANT CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERS. BUY THEIR PRODUCTS AND USE THEIR SERVICES. IT JUST MAKES SENSE! FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 10

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JUST WEST OF PARK ROAD IN PLANT CITY Call For Appointment

813-927-1288 or 813-967-5352 FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 11

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Story and Photo by Daniel Sperry

Motorcycles Fill The Streets of Plant City 4TH ANNUAL BIKE FEST DRAWS RECORD CROWDS

Bikers come from across the state to show oﬀ their wheels and enjoy the festivities

nce again, downtown Plant City was ﬁlled with the rumble of motorcycle engines as the Bike Fest roared into town on October 7th. The park and streets were ﬁlled with more than 75 vendors, and thousands of bikers mixed with regular folks who were browsing the displays and eating the food. The 4th Annual Bike Fest was much bigger than the monthly ones with which Plant City residents are familiar. This year it featured a special drawing for a 2006 Harley Davidson DYNA Wide Glide motorcycle. Tickets were

sold prior to and during the event to raise money for the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Unity in the Community Pediatric Prescription Fund and the United Food Bank and Service of Plant City. The winner of the drawing for the Harley was Bill Reid of Plant City, and he was thrilled to hear his name called. “I never expected to win,” he said. “Lots of people were buying ﬁve or ten tickets at a time, so I just ﬁgured my twenty dollars was going to a good cause.”

Both the Annual and Monthly Bike Fests are a beneﬁt to the shops and restaurants downtown which stay open late to accommodate the extra business. “I see a lot more shoppers in my store when the Bike Fest is going on,” said one proprietor. “I love this event!” The Plant City Motorcycle Team was at this year’s event and did several shows on their bikes to demonstrate some of the skills and techniques they use when riding for law enforcement. The South Parking Lot was ﬁlled with Biker

Games organized by Jim Hall and the police department as well. Live music for the event was provided by the talented band, Red Hawk. They kept the crowd swaying to a steady, upbeat stream of classic rock and roll music that ﬁlled the streets and even reached the farthest parking areas. With this year’s event having been such a hit, who knows what’s in store for next year!

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 13

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Story by Holly Mallalieu Photos courtesy of Joyce Hendry

A Tradition Carried On JOYCE HENDRY more convenient location. Soon the board began the construction of a class at Dover Elementary School that provided educational opportunities for the deaf, mute and blind.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 14

Although her husband has now passed, Mr. Talmadge Hendry made an unforgettable contribution. While his young grandson was still in school, he began to park cars for the Plant City’s annual Strawberry Festival, collecting all the money for the deaf, mute and blind class. Even today, Talmadge and Joyce Hendry together Mr. Hendry’s efforts are helped establish a class especially for the deaf, carried on through students mute, and blind at a Dover elementary school at the Dover school. A special thanks to Wells Memorial rs. Joyce Hendry is a long Funeral Home which also allowed time resident of Plant City, the school to park cars in their lot, and she has quite a story to tell. increasing the amount raised for After taking in their handicapped the students’ education. grandson as their own, she and her husband began to make a differMrs. Hendry still lives with her ence in the lives of others such as grandson, David, who will be 39 themselves in a way that would this coming December. David may continue for years to come. not know it, but his two grandparents worked very hard to begin Fifty-three years ago Mrs. Hendry their car-parking endeavor in order married her husband, Talmadge, to raise money for his school. Mrs. and the two happily found a Hendry knows how much God has home in Plant City. Soon, their blessed her, and gives Him all of grandson’s parents divorced and the glory. the Hendry’s adopted baby David Hendry, only nine months old at the time, as their own. This was where it all began. David was diagnosed with Users Syndrome causing him to be completely deaf and mute and totally blind in both eyes. It quickly came to the attention of the Hendry’s that there was no provided education for a person in David’s condition available in the area.

Mrs. Hendry remembers her husband driving David and another young boy all the way to Seffner to receive their education. She and her husband quickly went before the school board, requesting a

Hendrys’ grandson, David. David attended the school until he was 20 years old

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Story and Photos by Daniel Sperry

Will Kids Exercise Instead of Watching TV? TURKEY CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL DISCOVERS A WAY

ow can kids be motivated to leave their computer and game systems and be more active? Turkey Creek Middle School thinks they have the answer: don’t! On September 28th, TCMS had their monthly Family FIT Night, but this time, it was with a twist. With innovated gaming technology, the PE department has been able to combine the concepts of video games with physical activity. More than 100 men, women and students ﬁlled the gym as video games were projected onto large screens on the gym walls. “There are no controllers,” said Tecca Kilmer, PE teacher at TCMS. “At least, not the kind you would expect.”

In fact, the games are all controlled by physically interacting with the game. One boy put on a pair of boxing gloves with wires connected and launched into a match with a burly, on-screen opponent. Every time he swung his glove, the opponent took a hit. By the end of the match, the boy was out of breath and sweating with exertion. But the smile on his face was impossible to miss as he begged his mom to let him get back in line for another turn. Other featured games included golf, bowling, baseball and an obstacle course. “We’re going to do this again,” said Kilmer. “I had football players calling me all upset because they

had practice tonight and could not come to this event. I promised them another game night after football season was over.” There is never a charge for Family FIT Night, which runs Great prizes are given away each night with a ﬁtness theme monthly during to encourage kids and parents to be more active at home the school year with the excepments,” said Kilmer. “We try to be tion of December. FIT stands for innovative and proactive in reach“families involved together.” ing out into the community and encouraging families and individu“Our school has one of only 27 als to be more active.” nationally recognized PE depart-

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 15

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Story by Cheryl Johnston Photos courtesy of Cody McGill-Parker

Exotic Animals and Creative Community Service CODY MCGILL-PARKER, WILDLIFE EXPERT

special attention from caretakers. Cody especially values tribal Indian culture. “Indians love animals and horticulture. They cherish how the land provides with food and beauty, like the Everglades and other wooded habitats. Indians are great teachers with practical, hands-on knowledge and pure courage when working with dangerous animals.” Pursuing his passion began when two-year-old Cody walked through his own aviary, reciting names of various bird species. At ten, he could “call” gators to fenced barriers using their unique grunting sound. Always crazy for the outdoors, he’d rather visit a wildlife area over a theme park any day. Personal pets have included two iguanas, two 16’ red-tailed boa constrictors, three dogs, three emperor scorpions, turtles, hermit crabs, a peach-faced love bird, a cockatiel, and a female skunk named Echo. He conﬁrms skunks make great pets because “they’re gentle like cats, can use the litter box, and have the energy of dogs.

Cody McGill-Parker volunteered over 200 hours at the Native Village in South Florida

tories of alligators, venomous snakes, and exotic birds fascinate Tomlin Middle School classmates and teachers when Cody McGill-Parker shares summer vacation details. Studying photographs of his community service at Native Village in South Florida creates a ﬂood of questions. “How big is this gator? Have you ever been bitten? Aren’t you afraid you’ll be attacked?” Cody satisﬁes their curiosity with detailed explanations and a self assurance unusual for an almost 14-year-old eighth grader.

Obviously, he’s discovered his life’s passion. Earning more than 200 community service hours this summer didn’t seem like work at all. In fact, he considers it a privilege to volunteer at Native Village, the Seminole Indian tribe tourist attraction in Davie. Responsibilities included leading tours, answering questions, feeding animals, handling snakes, and teaching new volunteers to tape a gator’s mouth. He also distracted or captured animals requiring

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 16

Discovering a passion also helps with schoolwork. A member of the National Junior Honor Society, Cody maintains a 3.5 grade average. Yet, like most 13-yearold boys, favorite subjects remain agriculture and physical education. This intellectually curious, verbally proﬁcient young man’s impressive vocabulary helps folks comprehend animal stories and responses to their questions. Listeners quickly discern he’s spent as much time reading about and researching animals as handling them. Prized possessions are a set of zoologist level animal husbandry texts and his personal research data ﬁles. Haley Hayes, a Tomlin classmate in his agriculture class, says, “Everybody wants Cody on their team when we have the game show quizzes. He knows all the answers.”

Cody’s ultimate goal is to study zoology in college and work with animals, similar to Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. A fan for years, Cody is saddened by his recent death and this great loss to the animal research ﬁeld. Cody lives with his Plant City grandparents, Steve and Marie Mappin and spends summers with parents, Marcy McGill Isaia and Duane Parker in Broward County. They believe our town plus Tomlin’s A+ school grade offer more for teens like Cody. Even though his family was advised he’d probably be snake bitten while working at Native Village, they’re determined to help him fulﬁll his life’s dream. Active in First Baptist Church of Midway’s youth group, Cody also has a solid singing voice, holds a green belt degree in TaeKwonDo, and is thankful for family encouragement. Cody’s concept of community service makes volunteering an exciting challenge to venture out and do something you enjoy, while helping others. He advises his peers: “Try different things while you’re young, so you can discover your interest sooner. It makes learning and working fun.” And surely, as the photos illustrate, the memories will last a lifetime!

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Story and Photo by Heather Davis

BRINGS ART2USE TO PLANT CITY

rtists in Plant City are aware of Ms. Cherie’s Art and Frame shop. It’s the place to go to gather needed art supplies for projects, take art instruction classes, and even get a special piece of art framed. However, many are unaware of the recent addition in Ms. Cherie’s Art and Frame shop of a new Art Gallery called ART2USE. The ART2USE Art Gallery has come about through the collaboration of Ms. Cherie and Art Gallery owner Cynthia Bailey. Mrs. Bailey was the former owner and curator of the African Art Gallery and Museum located in Tampa. Through her gallery, Mrs. Bailey acquired an extensive art collection from all over the world. Since the closing of her gallery, Mrs. Bailey has been on the search for a new place to display pieces of her collection. Brought together by a similar love and appreciation of art, Mrs. Bailey and Ms. Cherie established a friendship which led to the creation of the ART2USE Art Gallery. The ART2USE Art Gallery has on display over sixty-ﬁve original and signed pieces of art with new items being added daily. Featured

are works which include but are not limited to woodcarvings, stone carvings, raku sculptures, paintings, and many other original creations by renowned artists worldwide. Included in the collection are artists such as Inez Goodman, Charles Axt and Mary Ann Carol, noted for being the only female included in the group of artists known as the “Highwaymen”. Soon to be added to the gallery is the “Fofole Collection”, a unique and exquisite hand carved collection of Iroko wood furniture from the Ivory Coast of West Africa. Not to be forgotten are Plant City artists who also will have a chance to display their work. A special category for Youth Artists will be included as well. As an ongoing addition to the gallery, Artist Receptions are planned which highlight the artists and their works. With the addition of the ART2USE Art Gallery, Ms. Cherie’s Art and Frame Shop has become much more than a one stop art shop. Artists, art lovers, and art collectors alike will have a place to gather, view, admire, and perhaps purchase an original work of art.

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�� Gallery owners, Ms. Cherie and Cynthia Bailey at ART2USE Art Gallery FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 17

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Story by Sophia Dedon Photos by Billy Friend

Homecoming Game 2006 VICTORY ALL AROUND

to the advantage of the Raiders. At one point, Mike Brown of the Eagles ran for an 82-yard touchdown, or so they thought. It was called back due to a penalty. In the first minute of the fourth quarter, however, Eagles player Marquel Gilmore ran 16 yards to score the team’s first, and only, touchdown for the evening. As the fourth quarter progressed, the crowd thought this may turn into an overtime game. Late in the quarter, Holloway was able to bring the crowd to their feet as he ran for a 44-yard touchdown. Cheers erupted across the stands

as the band played victory tunes and the cheerleaders ran towards the end zone to support the players in their score and wait to watch Johnathon Dupree kick the extra point. After the second touchdown, there just wasn’t enough time for Brandon to make a come back. The game ended in a 14-7 victory for the Raiders. To make the night even more special, this was the team’s first win of the season…perfectly appropriate that it fell on homecoming.

Summer Pippin won Homecoming Queen 2006 for PCHS

For many people, when they hear the words “high school” their brain automatically associates the term with events such as football games and homecoming queens. On September 29, hundreds of people gathered at the Plant City High School Stadium to watch the football game and also find out who would be the new homecoming queen. The Plant City Raiders faced the Brandon Eagles. The entire first half was a struggle for both teams as they remained 0-0. Neither offense was strong enough to overcome the fight the defenses were putting up. Therefore, the first major excitement for those in the stands came when the first half was over. The convertibles began their drive around the track, showing off the 2005 Homecoming Queen, Mary Coleman, as well as the 2006 Homecoming Court. This year’s court consisted of Dontoya Ruth, Tiffanie Ingraham, Brittany Riley, Vonshea Durn, Summer Pippin, Amanda Mott, and Ja’Mia Michael.

After each girl was escorted down the field, the announcer revealed who the 1st runner-up was. This year’s 2006 Homecoming Queen Runner-Up was Brittany Riley. Mary Coleman then walked behind each one of the remaining ladies, holding the crown above their head. The girls’ hearts were beating fast as they were anxiously waiting to find out if the crown would be placed on their head. Finally, Mary revealed the secret everyone had been waiting for. The 2006 Plant City High School Homecoming Queen is…Summer Pippin! The expression on her face screamed that she was shocked, excited and ecstatic all at the same time as she looked up at her father.

The Raiders won in a 14-7 victory

As the half time show came to an end, the football players took to the field again. Finally, the Raiders made it closer and closer to the end-zone, and were able to make the first touch down of the night, scored by Sirchauncey Holloway. Penalty after penalty prevented the Eagles from scoring, working

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 18

The 2006 Homecoming Court

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 19

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Story and Photo by Debbie Bowers

Surrendering your Addictions A SAFE PLACE

n an ordinary room, chairs will be found neatly placed in a circle waiting for individuals whose lives need to be healed. At A Safe Place, a facilitator, an individual who has experienced the same compulsive issues, guides the group to share their struggles and successes. Alcohol, drug abuse, co-dependency and women’s abuse issues are shared in a confidential, safe place group setting. Drug/Alcohol Addiction examines why a person is addicted to alcohol and or drug abuse. The group is available to help support the people through their own journey in life.

In an interview with Jennifer Hall, program director of Safe Place, she remarked: “The purpose of A Safe Place is to create a loving and accepting environment where you feel free to share life’s difﬁculties in a safe and relaxed atmosphere. By applying certain principles you will receive healing, freedom and understanding about your situation…As a result, Safe Place can be widely used as a lifeline for people who want to ﬁnd peace in recovery from chemical dependency, codependence and other compulsive or addictive disorders.” The participants of these programs should be commended as they begin to celebrate recovery. Anything worthwhile takes time and patience.

Codependency dedicates its attention to the significance of a relationship and why the codependent person often feels neglected and alone. Many feel they must constantly try to fill a void in their life with a relationship. A codependency group is to help both married and single individuals realize what it means to be satisfied in one’s own life.

ships with others because they do not deserve it and fear being hurt again.

Women’s Abuse centers its attention on women who have been physically or sexually abused. The program dedicates its journey on incest survivors and feelings from past experiences which do not seem to go away. Many feel they are unable to form relation-

Newcomer’s Introduction devotes time to individuals who are not sure what group to attend. Feelings of hurt and pain are present, but people need direction as to where to start. This is a marvelous first step which introduces how a group operates and an op-

(L to R) The facilitators for the classes are Jennifer Hall, Steve Gay, Rolf Ericksen, Dolores Stropagel and Vivian Knighton (not pictured).

portunity to discover which group is best suited to each individual. Wounds, weaknesses and worrisome problems are addressed and are used to cope with people and situations. A Safe Place is built on the principle that people don’t overcome by themselves. Two important components are not only fellowship, but also accountability.

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In this loving and caring community, confession of wounds, weaknesses and worrisome problems are told to one another as the shame is released. Regardless of your beliefs, surrendering your problems and making a choice to begin the healing process is a wonderful and self-fulﬁlling journey waiting for you. Safe Place meetings are held at the Plant City Church of God on Mud Lake Road in Plant City. Jennifer Hall, director of Safe Place, may be reached at 813-752-4591. ��

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 20

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 21

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Story and photos by Bob Hughens

Get Into the Game of Health “KARING FOR KIDS” CHILDREN’S HEALTH FAIR

nce again it was time for the 14th Annual “Karing for Kids” Children’s Health Fair, hosted by South Florida Baptist Hospital and sponsored by a number of local civic and business organizations in the Plant City area. The 2006 Children’s Health Fair was held from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on October 7 at the Arthur Boring Building at the Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds. The purpose of the fair is to provide health information and much-needed health screenings to the young citizens of our community who may have otherwise gone without. Free examinations were given for blood pressure, height and weight, vision, podiatry (foot and ankle), scoliosis (problems with the spine) and asthma.

“The Children’s Health Fair provides an opportunity for families with children to get a basic health check and provide them with information on resources that are available to them,” said Sarah Raines, South Florida Baptist Hospital’s community health coordinator. The event has been a huge success over the past fourteen years. Last year’s fair drew over 800 participants and over 500 children under the age of twelve. This year’s attendance was expected to surpass that amount. The theme for this year’s health fair was “Get Into the Game of Health” and participating sponsors were asked to provide some type of interactive, game-related activity at each booth, rather than simply

distribute informational materials and brochures. The reason was to get the children involved as they participated in interactive games while learning how to stay healthy in their everyday lives.

“Mighty Med-Man” and “Mighty Med-Woman” are the mascots who represent the SFBH emergency room team

“With a theme of ‘Get into the Game of Health,’ the event will emphasize the importance of physical activity,” said Raines. Some of the activities included a carpet golf putting green, a bean bag toss, “ﬁshing for candy,” clowns making balloons, and karate demonstrations, as well as many other activities geared toward keep-

ing the kids involved in the health learning process. Thanks go out to all the sponsors and civic organizations that helped make this year’s event a success and we look forward to next year’s health fair.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 22

Years ago, most contractors used small tiles in bathrooms, allowing more grout joints and adding problems to the consumer and the applications were performed over green board. Thankfully, the industry has moved toward larger tiles, eliminating excessive grout joints and replacing green boards with a better and more reliable product (Wonder Board). Also there is a beautiful line of listellos, tumble stones and inserts, to create an exceptional look to any of your rooms. If you need a free estimate for your bathroom or ﬂooring, please contact us or visit our showroom.

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Story by Sophia Dedon Photos by Billy Friend

Calendar Girl 2007 ANOTHER YEAR OF BEAUTY

s the 65 girls competing for Calendar Girl this year took to the stage, it was obvious the judges were not going to have it easy. Plant City High School is full of such beautiful junior and senior girls that selecting who should be on the cover was going to be a tough call. The evening began with emcees Caycee Hampton, the 2006 Miss Heart of Plant City, and Gary Brady welcoming the audience to this very special evening. Holly Stein then sang the national anthem. After the judges were introduced, the contestants paraded in through the aisles and took to the stage for the ﬁrst time of the evening. Each one introduced herself to the audience.

One by one each girl had her chance to shine as she walked across the stage while the emcees read a bio about her. This was the girls’ main opportunity to impress the judges with their conﬁdence and charisma on stage. After all the girls had been introduced, it was time for intermission while the scores were calculated. Although there was supposed to be a top 25, it ended up being a top 28 because it was such a close call! The lovely ladies were Alexa Coffee, Ashley Mohler, Morgan Feaster, Michelle Chancey, Britney Balliet, Samantha Williams, Katherine Neira, Lauren Bradshaw, Cherie Bills, Brittany Grifﬁn, Alicia Hurley, Victoria Helton, Kaley Kinard, Tiffany Vilches, Kirsten Ritenbaugh, Alexandra Watkins, Brittany

Henderson, Katrice Jackson, Skoti McElveen, Kristen Smith, Danielle McIntyre, Darby Nail, Holly Mallalieu, Lauren Smith, Sharone Dexter, Kayce Hart, Tanay Tatum, and Stephanie Barker. These ladies then took to the stage one last time. Each one recited their favorite quote to the judges and explained why they chose it. Some of the quotes were humorous and had the audience in laughter, while others were more serious, dealing with hardships they had experienced. In the end, the judges chose the top 13 girls, and one girl to be the cover. Rather than just tell you the names of the winners, Focus thought it most appropriate to introduce the girls to you. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 23

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CALENDAR GIRL continued

Cover Girl Victoria Helton 17 year-old Junior Member of Best Buddies, Civinettes, PCHS Varsity Cheerleading Squad, Varsity Flag Football team, FCA, and the Foreign Language Club. Quote: “Happiness is your own responsibility.”

January Alexa Coffee 16-year-old Junior

February Samantha Williams Member of Keyettes

Member of Student Council, Jr. Executive Council, NHS, Best Buddies, Civinettes, Youth Alive, FFA and the Varsity Softball Team Quote: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

and Best Buddies Quote: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”

March Tanay Tatum 16-year-old Junior

April Alexandra Watkins 16-year-old Junior

Student Council Junior Vice President, Junior Class President, and member of Keyettes, Girls Varsity Basketball Team, Girls Golf Team, Best Buddies, NHS, and About Face Mentor Quote: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” –Dr. Suess

Student Council Co-VP, Historian of Civinettes, and member of NHS and Best Buddies Quote: “Little sisters are like built-in playmates and fan clubs (although we don’t realize or appreciate it all the time).” –Sally R. Zanger CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 24

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 25

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CALENDAR GIRL continued

May Lauren Smith 17-year-old Senior

June Ashley Mohler 17-year-old Senior

July Skoti McElveen 16-year-old Junior

August Stephanie Barker 16-year-old Junior

Member of Youth Alive, NHS, NTHS, Montage, Praise Team at Bethany Baptist, Teen Advisor, Cross Country, and Track Quote: “He who would learn to fly one day must learn to stand, and walk, and run, and climb, and dance. One cannot fly into flying.”

Member of the Volleyball Team, Softball Team, Keyettes, and Best Buddies Quote: “If you have built castles in the sky, your work need not be lost, for that’s where they should be. Now put foundation under them.”

Member of NHS, Civinettes, Best Buddies, Youth Alive, Student Council, PCHS Golf Team, and Junior Executive Council Quote: “Your attitude affects so many things.”

Member of NHS, Best Buddies, Civinettes, Varsity Swim Team, Greater Tampa Swim Association Quote: “The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.”

September Kaley Kinard 16-year-old Junior

October Darby Nail 16-year-old Junior

November Britney Balliet

December Morgan Feaster 16-year-old Junior

Member of Student Council, Best Buddies, FFA, S.A.D.D., and Treasurer of Civinettes Quote: “Live life to the fullest and not to pass you by.”

Member of Youth Alive, Student Leader at Plant City Church of God, Thespians, Pregnancy Care Center Volunteer, TSA Secretary, FFA, and Interact Quote: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 26

17-year-old Senior Member of Keyettes, Treasurer of FCA, Chaplain of NHS, Best Buddies, Secretary of Senior Executive Council, Florida Baptist Allstate Youth Musicians on Missions, and VP of Student Council Quote: “Do not let anyone look down on your because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” – 1 Timothy 4:12

Member of FFA, Civinettes, Best Buddies, NHS, and Varsity Cheerleading Squad Quote: “But the struggles make you stronger. The changes make you wise, and happiness has its own way of taking its sweet time.” –Gary Allen

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1802 W. Reynolds (Just East of Fairgrounds) www.brownsﬂoralshop.com FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 27

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Story by Heather Davis Photos by Jonathan Davis

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David Smith, a senior at Plant City High School, and Chelsea Hall, a Sophomore, were two of the ﬁve representatives for the Teen Advisors club. Here they are performing a skit to promote abstinence before marriage.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 28

he Pregnancy Care Center of Plant City has a mission statement: To share God’s compassion and provision to those facing an unexpected pregnancy and uphold the sanctity of human life. Monday evening, September 11, around 450 people gathered at Cronin Hall, St. Clement Catholic Church in Plant City for the “Celebration For Life” annual banquet to beneﬁt the Pregnancy Care Center. This is the key fundraising event for the Center.

her current report on the center. Following her were ﬁve Plant City student representatives of Teen Advisors, a club that helps to spread healthy ideas, such as abstinence until marriage, through skits, speaking, and visiting local events.

The night began with a heart-felt welcome from Mike Daniele, Master of Ceremonies and host of “New Day Florida” on 91.1 FM. After joining with the audience in a moment of silence in remembrance of 9/11, Daniele proceeded to tell of the powerful night that lay ahead. He shared the history of the center; from when it opened in 1994 to what it stands for today, with emphasis on the numerous lives of women, as well as men, that it has tremendously assisted. The center offers, “love and practical help to pregnant women of all ages,” providing information on alternatives to abortion and other information concerning an unexpected pregnancy. Mary Alice Hendricks, Executive Director, gave

Keynote speaker Thomas Glessner made quite an impression when speaking, but one of the biggest treats of the night was a live ultrasound the crowd was able to watch, presented by Suzanne Ward from Sonography Now. The evening was not only a social event; it was an occasion that helped make a difference. Attendees made ﬁnancial pledges, and all in all it was a huge success to beneﬁt such a helpful and resourceful program.

Dan Black, who helped coordinate the event, with Mary Alice Hendricks.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 29

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Story and Photos by Sherry Baldwin

The Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library Present “THE MILD, MILD WEST” services offered by the Bruton Memorial Library here in Plant City. “What is raised in the community – stays in the community.” Special events, guest speakers/authors, as well as summer programs were some of the examples given. Eiﬂer also expressed real gratitude to the event’s sponsors including: Corporate Sponsors - Ramcon, LLC, The Tile Barn, South Florida Baptist Hospital, TECO, Sparky’s, Edward Jones Investment Advisors, Sunshine State Federal Savings, Edwards, Platt, Raulerson & Coakley, CPA’s, City Properties, Florida Insurance Center, Bob Rayburn Construction, Joseph A. Sedita. Cast of “The Mild, Mild West” Mystery Dinner Theater Event.

Masters of Ceremonies were Anne Haywood and John McCaughey.

Lynn and Hal Brewer, Director, of “The Mild, Mild West.”

Many familiar faces could be seen at The Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library and The Bruton Memorial Players’ recent presentation of “The Mild, Mild West.” Held at the Magic Moments Wedding and Banquet Facility in Plant City, the Mystery Dinner Theater event was Directed by Dr. Hal Brewer. The cast included: Holly Johnson as Sweet Sue Sobright, Billy Herold as Tex Toogood, Bill Ulbricht as Snively Snidely, Hiram Oyola as Chief Woebegone, Greg Horwedel as Mortimer Smertz, Terrie Cameron as Ethel Smertz, Judy Barta as Abigail “Granny” Knott, Reggie Kirkland as the Old Prospector Ike Brown, Charles Harris as J.D. Roberts, J.J. Cothron as Marilyn Weaver, Natalie Sweet as Allison Allison and Maggie Carlisle as Sheriff Annie Hokley.

Just prior to the start of the play, Mike Cameron, President of the Friends group, thanked all “Dudes and Dudettes” in attendance. Cameron also added his hopes that everyone enjoyed the “grub,” referring to the delicious BBQ dinner prepared by Catering by Catherine Jones. Set somewhere out west on the Triple S Dude Ranch, the plot thickened (and drew many laughs from the audience) as each character entered the stage. At the play’s conclusion, costumed cast members circulated around the room selling clues (to help solve the whodunit) to audience members. Guests at the winning table each received a prize for their efforts. A drawing for a large variety of door prizes was also held. At the night’s conclusion, Dr. Brewer thanked everyone involved in the event’s success. He also made special mention of Friends’ Board Member Pat Eifler, and presented her with a floral bouquet on behalf of the cast. According to Eifler, this year’s production (the 9th year for the local group) is expected to double the success of previous years. As Eifler further explained, the proceeds from each production are used to enhance

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 30

Services Sponsors were Minute Man Press, Excel Printing, Theresa Davis, Tim Martin – Heritage Construction, Pam Brester - Tile Barn Interiors, An Anonymous Friend, Keel & Curley Winery, Sunshine State Federal Savings, Holiday Inn Express, Catering by Catherine Jones- Magic Moments, Shiva World Imports. In addition, Prize Sponsors were Albertsons Distribution Center, Dr. Brenda Dukes, Tip-To-Toe, Oasis Auto Bath, Wild West Connection, Florida Tree Source, Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers Association, Maggie Carlisle, Plant City YMCA and Creative Flower Designs. Eiﬂer also added special thanks to everyone involved

in the production. This included Dr. Hal Brewer, Director of the play, along with the wonderful cast members (and their supportive family members) who made many sacrifices to attend rehearsals over the past several months. The Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library is an “incorporated nonprofit organization that fosters fiscal and volunteer support for Bruton Memorial Library located in Plant City.” Those interested in becoming a member are urged to contact Anne Haywood, Director, Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., Plant City, or by phone at 813-757-9215 or Friends President, Michael Cameron at 813-716-9960.

Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library, Donna Chiles and Pat Eiﬂer, greet guests at recent Mystery Dinner Theater Event.

“Old Prospector” - Reggie Kirkland, sells clues to help audience solve the mystery.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 31

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Live entertainment kept guests tapping their feet at Diamonds and Denim

The annual Diamonds and Denim Ball is one of the most anticipated and well attended fundraising events in Plant City. From all over Plant City, citizens and businesses join forces to become a part of an unforgettable evening. Diamonds and Denim is sponsored by The Foundation of South Florida Baptist Hospital. This year, 2006, marked the 10th Anniversary for the annual event. Diamonds and Denim was held in a brand new location at the New Expo Building donated by the Florida Strawberry Festival on the Strawberry Festival grounds. The event began 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 28th. Upon arriving, valet parking was offered to the steady stream of guests. One could only imagine what the rest of the evening had in store. Throughout the evening over 700 guests were comfortably and easily accommodated within the new Expo Hall. The Expo Hall was fabulously decorated in a Western style theme all dressed up in bright shades of red. The 2006 Strawberry Queen, Hannah Hodge, and her court greeted guests and offered new arrivals the chance

to purchase rafﬂe tickets for door prizes. Artfully arranged tables were set up providing guests a chance to sit and visit as well as enjoy one of the highlights of the evening – the delicious food. The food was donated by the 911 Catering Restaurant of the South Florida Baptist Hospital. Executive Chef Michael Ambrosino and his staff supplied guests with an amazing array of food. Beginning with a carving station, which offered prime rib and other assorted meats and continuing on with a salad station, which included a wide variety of pasta, potato, and other salads. A wonderful display of tasty shrimp and crab legs was also provided. The desserts were beautifully displayed and offered enough variety to tempt anyone’s sweet tooth. All through the evening a live band kept feet tapping and offered those brave enough a chance to dance. As the night progressed, the most anticipated event of the evening began with the Silent Auction. Over 100 items were generously donated, mostly in part by local Plant City businesses and individuals. Guests were given the opportunity to pre-

DIAMONDS AND DENIM

continued

Fresh crab legs and tasty shrimp provided for guests of Diamonds and Denim

view the donated items and place a suggested starting bid. A wide variety of items were donated including many unique, special, and one-ofa-kind items. Available for bid were pieces of original jewelry designed by Brown’s Jewelers and J & G Jewelers, as well as original, signed and framed art work by local Plant City artists. Also up for bid were massage and pampering packages, various food and wine baskets, vacation and getaway packages, entertainment, dinner, and gift certiﬁcates, and many other exciting items. Bidding began at 7 p.m. and ended at 9:10 p.m., with winners posted shortly after. Announcements were also made for the winners of the door prizes. Planning and organizing for the Diamonds and Denim event is coordinated by the efforts of the Diamonds and Denim committee beginning in April. The committee, chaired by Nancy Ross and vice chaired by Sylvia Knox, and its members approach Plant City businesses throughout the year offering the chance to contribute. One of the various ways to

contribute is by donating items to either the Silent Auction or towards the various door prizes offered. Another way to become involved is by becoming a sponsor at the various different levels of Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, or Pearl based on your level of contribution. This year’s Diamonds and Denim event raised over $65,000 in funds. These funds are used for the South Florida Baptist Hospitals Community Outreach Programs such as the Wellness on Wheels and the Children’s Health Fair. Upon questioning guests about the Diamonds and Denim event an overwhelming response was that this is just a fun event to attend. The food is great and the dress is casual (although Plant City sure knows how to dress it up in denim). This year’s 10th Annual Diamonds and Denim showed us what fun a fundraiser can be.

Guests of Diamonds and Denim greet and meet over beautifully displayed desserts

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 33

LOCAL

AROUND TOWN

SEND COMMENTS TO SDEDON@FLOYDPUBLICATIONS.COM

Story by Debbie Bowers Photos by Reverend Norman Blanton

Carefest – A Day of Unity MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE BLESSED

usinesses, churches, schools and individuals came together in unity to show Plant City the church is here to bless and serve. Mayor Dicks proclaimed the week of September 23 through September 30, 2006 Somebody Cares Plant City Week. This does not mean that at the end of the week people stop caring; it continues through visions of Reverend Norman Blanton and members of other agencies and churches. CareFest is a Christ-centered community service day which unites churches, business, organizations and cities with the purpose of demonstrating God’s love in practical ways. CareFest believes the Church is God’s gift to every community and therefore dedicates its love, as Christ did, serving others. The object of the week is literally to do all the good by all of the means working with area churches and ministries to attend the love of God. The week of caring ended in a day long work day in which volunteers in different locations throughout the service area came together to beautify

and repair homes and neighborhoods. CareFest culminated on Saturday, September 30 as groups of volunteers prayed before dispersing to paint homes, discard debris, landscape and wash cars. Dr. Brenda Dukes, a local chiropractor, hosted the site for the event. Twelve individuals from Youman’s Praise and Worship of Plant City came to the rescue of Mrs. Wilson’s home with paint brushes, scrapers and ladders to assist in painting trim and replacing wood on her home. Mrs. Wilson was elated with the completion of her home repairs and stated, “My home looks so nice, and they even planted ﬂowers in my front yard.” The Richardson family was truly blessed as many local businesses and church members came to remove debris from their home. Dennis Sweeney, Supervisor of Code Enforcement for the City of Plant City, the Sanitation Department, Moore Excavating, Wetherington Tractor Service, Pastor Tim Moore and

Volunteers helped clean up homes throughout Plant City for the week of CareFest

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 34

members of Victory Worship Center assisted. Dennis Sweeney remarked, “Thanks goes to David Sollenberger, City Manager, Greg Horwedel and the Sanitation Department for their assistance in providing dumpsters for this project.” On the other side of town, Judi Welsh of the Leo Club and students of the Key Club from Plant City High School were busy at Jaunita Burnett’s home. Due to the damage of Hurricane Jeanne, the roof of Ms. Burnett’s home was torn off and extensive damage caused Burnett to remove all of her furniture from her home and place in a storage unit as repairs were completed. For this project, the team removed the furniture from the storage unit back into her renovated home. Pastor Dave Robinson and members of the Four Square Church distributed food to over 140 families during the Carefest week. This ministry is committed to the community throughout the year to those in need.

volunteers and their efforts ended the week of Somebody Cares Plant City. The groups met back on the property of Dr. Dukes, where a delicious barbeque prepared by Sam Pellum, prayer, and music ended the day. Ways to become involved include submitting a project for Carefest, donating supplies, care for the elderly, mentoring, food distribution, time and energy. For more information contact Reverend Blanton at 813752-4671. Vergena Jordan of Elder Link supervised the entire chore service for Carefest 2006. 125 roses were given to the Senior Adult Independent Living Center and Plant City Towers residents. Reverend Blanton thanked the volunteers for their time, effort, energy, and conviction to assist the needs of the community. “These are great examples of how churches, schools, businesses and organizations show their commitment for our community,” Blanton remarked.

A barbeque dinner in recognition of

Wetherington Tractor Services helped by donating their services to CareFest

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We offer good-student insurance discounts! f youʼre carrying a “B” or better average and have a good driving record, you may be eligible for a substantial discount on your auto insurance premiums through Auto-Owners a ebr Alg Insurance ry A Chemist h Lit Company. B+ Englis A Stop in our agency and ask us about it!

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 35

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 36

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Scaring Up

Fun

here of pleas from their kids. “W ht ug sla on the for es elv rents are bracing thems ren are getting excited. Pa ild ch the d an re, he is en mbie?” Hallowe ss up as a decapitated zo dre I n “Ca ” g? tin ea r-tr k-o are we going tric t will help idance can be provided tha gu t bu , en we llo Ha for be to the holiday. what their kids will n help parents determine days and weeks leading up the as ll we as lf, itse ht Unfortunately, no one ca nig dreaded d where to go, both on the determine what to do an Department says that ith of the Plant City Police Sm l nie Da r ce Oﬃ ts. ren s of pa one of the greatest concern Halloween safety is always k-or-treaters. tric s in Plant City are safe for most of the neighborhood blems on ’ve never really had any pro we , ce for the on ars ye 20 t, in more than s Smith. “But other than tha “Avoid the Library area,” say Halloween.” er kids, the larger the rents travel in groups of oth pa ir the th wi g tin ea r-tr not trick-o nds that children who are Smith strongly recomme y inside city limits. better. He also says to sta ng for just about to small, there is somethi rge La y. Cit nt Pla in re he ts going on right d an enjoyable event here. are a large number of even axing fall day, you will ﬁn rel a joy en t jus or Prior to the big day, there y sill scared . Whether you want to be every taste and personality

Photos by Mike Floyd Story by Daniel Sperry /

use / The “Haunted” Ho October 1-31

al house. Drive, there is a very unusu e sid od Wo uth So 03 16 At call it a hers say it is weird. A few Some say it is haunted. Ot e. ies that it is uniqu nuisance, but no one den decided to started small. Lou Henry Like most ideas, this one rs ago. Now yea six s lloween. That wa Ha for use ho his te ora dec plays and orgasbord of frightful dis his house has become a sm ghoulish effects. rsal Studios’ e something out of Unive lik re mo ks loo use ho y “M only better,” says Henry. Halloween Horror Nights, kids or just trick-or-treating with your are u yo ile wh is it er eth Wh that is an this is one Plant City house on a nice evening drive, absolute must-see.

ume Party / Halloween Cost October 21

tment, which rks and Recreation Depar Pa y Cit nt Pla the by d Le s and events rous community activitie me nu ing vid pro n bee has s and their is sure to be a hit with kid nt eve s thi rs, yea ent rec in parents. Recreation tober 21st at the Planteen It begins on Saturday, Oc m 3rd Costume Party for kids fro Center with a Halloween each child. for .00 $5 of will be a charge through 5th grade. There best costumes s and cash prizes for the Enjoy music, refreshment in several categories.

. The Planteen l 813-659-4200 ext. 4340 For more information, cal North Dort wntown Plant City at 301 Rec Center is located in do Street.

ctober 21 Harvest Fest / O

Harvest Fest ited about the first annual Debbie Grimes is very exc The Grimes berry Town in Plant City. she is sponsoring at Straw w has opened for five generations and no family has been farming Hwy, north of t at 3161 Paul Buchman an indoor farmers marke downtown Plant City. the local st Fest is a food drive for The real focus of the Harve has always that this is something she United Way. Grimes says g the food drive th and she felt like joinin wanted to be involved wi y to get a jump Fest would be a great wa with her annual Harvest the holidays. food to needy families for start on people donating will be four local vocalists who The Harvest Fest features . Sapp, A.J . p.m 3 – . p.m from 12:30 providing entertainment tie White dey and Charley and Chris Bianca Swilley, Nate Draw st, face as people enjoy a corn roa will fill the air with music inspect a s and the vintage store and painting, browsing booth well, and free Spirit FM will be there as number of restored cars. by Farm Credit. iced tea will be provided g stations, nting and pumpkin carvin Kids will enjoy the face pai awberry Town the best pumpkin. The Str complete with prizes for ents and of icious food and refreshm Café will be open for del t will be open as well. course, the Farmer’s Marke nates nond drive. Everyone who do But it is all about the foo into an hourly ited Way will be entered perishable food for the Un them. basket to take home with drawing for a handmade

t s a l B a e v a H but Play it d drive with the Harvest so far to the idea of the foo nse po res at gre a had e “We’v this every year.” looking forward to doing are e “W es. im Gr s say Fest,” oor farmer’s market and Town is Florida’s ﬁrst ind ry ber aw Str t tha s say es Grim th the quality selection fort of a grocery store wi com and ss ine anl cle the offers nt will appreciate being t. Visitors to this free eve rke ma r’s me far a of ce and pri rm outside. ioning when it gets too wa dit con air the o int go to able

er 21 Contest / Octob g in rv Ca in pk m Pu

year’s pumpkin carving Recreation Center is this en nte Pla the by d ste ho Also through 5th grade for an ., bring your kids from 3rd p.m 4 – . p.m 1 m Fro t. contes afternoon of fun. u and join in the carving supplies with yo and kin mp pu n ow ur yo Bring mpkin and funniest ginal pumpkin, scariest pu ori st mo for ns itio pet com each category. arded for the winners in aw be ll wi zes Pri . kin pump is The Planteen Rec Center 813-659-4200 ext. 4340. l cal , on ati orm inf re mo For Street. nt City at 301 North Dort located in downtown Pla

l / October 21 Halloween How

e event this Halloween tary Club is having a uniqu Ro k rea yb nt Da y Cit nt Pla The that is extremely importa cial fundraiser for a cause spe y ver a is is Th . son sea ers. to the Rotary Club Memb onary. This gives 5th support the Project Dicti to ds fun g sin rai is b clu The y. In addition, the club their own school dictionar l oo at sch c bli pu in s der gra long seminar for juniors morrow’s Leaders, a weekTo y for s tar nar Ro mi mp Se Ca rts so, po sup ior year. Al are heading into their sen o wh ed ss ng cla lle ir cha the ly of cal top the and physi ich is a camp for mentally wh b clu the by d rte po is sup children. s behind the homes of held in the beautiful garden ng bei ll is nt eve rity cha e Th Snyder. The festivities wi nning and Mike and Dean Ba ra nd e ssa tum Ca cos a and e and org n Ge nt auctio t, a wine and beer bar, a sile include a delicious buffe contest. ering is October 16th. So , and the deadline for ord son per per 5 $7 are s ket Tic y Club reaches out into the y good cause as the Rotar ver a rt po sup and t ou e com erful charity event. community with this wond l 813-719-3959 For more information, cal

Galore! Fall Festivals October 28 y Fall Festival Midway Motorwa

dway for their October First Baptist Church of Mi the n c joi s, car e lov u yo If Midway Road for a Classi ll be showing up at 2909 wi s car c ssi cla e Th nt. eve

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 39

be plenty of other tober 28th and there will Hot Rod Car Show on Oc w. participate beyond the sho activities in which you can th many games to ble for the kids, along wi Pony rides will be availa uncy house and pt to defy gravity in the bo play. Children will attem th a contest for the express their creativity wi the adults will be able to best decorated car trunk. show should in participating in the car Anyone who is interested ormation about the 3-759-0620. For more inf contact Lance Kolp at 81 09. event, contact 813-752-72

st / Jack O Bury Fore 30-31 October 27-28 &

and Recreations red by the Plant City Parks The biggest event sponso special event at Bury Forest. This is a 4 day Department is the Jack O a wonderful time k O Bury promises to be the Plant City Stadium. Jac for both kids and adults. lloween itself, this en through midnight on Ha Running before Hallowe to trick-or-treating offering as an alternative is an event that the city is in knowing s. Parents will be relieved through the neighborhood t the candy they a safe environment and tha that their children are in known, trusted source. receive has come from a al games, haunted gets you in for the carniv Admission is $10.00 and display booths lish friends.” There will be houses and “lots of ghou to Stephen to peruse, and according with vendors for the adults be prepared to inator, kids are warned to Rossiter, the Events Coord

of candy.” receive “loads and loads 1 p.m. on The event is open from 7-1 Jack O Bury e Th the dates listed above. are for il tra Forest and Jack O Bury panied om acc ages 12 and up unless a Trick be o als by an adult. There will p.m. 6-8 m or Treat Pirate Island fro be ll wi m diu The entrance to the sta and and Isl ate transformed into a Pir to come and will be free for ages 1-11 Plant City m get loads of goodies fro vendors! the largest Jack O Bury will one of area right here y events in the Tampa Ba adcasting bro be ll en night, 99.5 WQYK wi in Plant City. On Hallowe area. live from the Pirate Island website the this event, you can visit the For more information on .com website at www.jackobury

October 29 Trunk or Treat /

h will be having ons, Shiloh Baptist Churc As part of its fall celebrati th at 905 West at on Sunday, October 29 their annual Trunk or Tre ors promise a . – 7:30 p.m. The coordinat Terrace Drive from 6 p.m

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ng great time designed to bri

ty Halloween Safe

the community together.

ch to Halloween ng, refers to a novel approa The name, Trunk or Treati Shiloh parking lot from trunk to trunk on the fun. Families will travel not need to worry dy and goodies. Parents do to hunt for and collect can nt, and all the for this trick-or-treating eve about where their kids are ted for safety. treats will have been inspec happening at this only activity that will be Trunk or Treating is not the lks and play the d to jump on the moonwa event. Kids will be thrille oughout the event Hayrides will be going thr indoor and outdoor games. available. and plenty of food will be asked not to wear those who do wear one are Costumes are optional and scary or “gross” costumes. st Church at 813re info, call Shiloh Bapti Admission is free. For mo 752-8345. k Street, Plant nt City (301 E. Alsobroo Church on the Rock of Pla PM. Come enjoy Fall Festival on from 4-6 City) will host its annual , featuring game event for the whole family this Halloween alternative ing wall, horse rides, zes, bounce house, climb booths with candy and pri sic and more! rn, face-painting, live mu clowns, snow cones, popco a television. Free include four bicycles and Drawings for door prizes church ofﬁce for tumes only, please. Call admission. Non-scary cos 52-3740. more information at 813-7

red times. lloween safety tips a hund Everyone has heard the Ha ween. So take llo Ha on t s get hurt or los kid r yea ry eve s, les the Never City’s safest help make this year Plant and list s thi d rea to e the tim Halloween ever.

-treaters Tips for trick-or • Walk—don’t run, and no

ls pushing to help avoid fal avo • Keep shoelaces tied to id dals tripping. Do not wear san ld cou t or high-heeled shoes tha se cau easily slip off the feet or distances pain when walking long • Always cross streets at the trafﬁc light when the signal prompts • Walk against trafﬁc so that n be see oncoming cars can easily ll yo • Know the area where u wi be trick-or-treating. • Never trick-or-treat in an ed area that appears abandon or dimly lit

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 41

ng—always use walkways

• Keep off grass and landscapith fresh batteries, and a watch that lights • Always carry a ﬂashlight wi up to avoid missing curfew oded areas er cut through alleys or wo • Stay on main roads, and nev area • Obey all curfew laws in your those who are not handing out candy. • Remember to be respectful of

Tips for parents

ve the house, eat dinner before they lea

• Encourage your children to p ward off any temptation to sample include a sweet treat to hel

and home their candy before they get t tumes are flame-retardan cos ht ug bo • Make sure storetead of masks ins p keu ma ng usi tumes, • Buy or make well-fitting cos when possible e ck costumes for “wardrob • Have a dress rehearsal to che malfunctions” y know a cell phone, make sure the • Send older children out with d where you can be reache en to venture out that you allow your childr age the • Decide carefully on their own ms that child eats it, discarding ite • Inspect all candy before youring or no wrapping, or any item that is app are broken, have loose wr unrecognizable sure there are p such as a sword, make • If your child is carrying a pro flexible enough for possible rough play y are no sharp edges and that the k continuously, y may get excited and bar the as , me • Leave pets at ho traffic e or wander into oncoming inadvertently bite someon r-treating, but eat any candy while trick-o • Instruct your children not to ted at home and all questionable candy inspec to wait until all candy is is discarded sk m out one hour before du • For smaller children, take theignated time that they are expected to be • For older children, set a des ere they will trick-or-treat a wh home, and designate an are

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 42

n’t know a home of someone the do

• Remind children not to enterthere is safety in numbers • Don’t forget to tell children ldren of the difference between “tricks” • Before going out, remind chi

and vandalism ls inst the law to harm anima • Advise children that it is aga begin to dip Florida. The temperatures in nth mo ul erf nd wo a October is l of fall events and range, and the days are ful into a more comfortable can you dress in r at other time of the yea Halloween excitement. Wh er consider otherwise? ways that you would nev tions in Plant e that there are so many op It may be surprising to som lived here for e hav o tober. But for those wh City of things to do in Oc the city is ich wh in r example of the ways a while, this is just anothe its smalling ain ret of a community while becoming more and more town appeal. ons department for th the Parks and Recreati Parents will be thrilled wi t and its position res Fo the Jack O Bury th wi or eav end s iou bit ghborhoods. their am k-or-treat through the nei tric to s kid for ve ati ern alt as a safe appeal of going s who just can’t resist the And those kids and parent that the Plant City d ure nity can rest ass mu com the gh ou thr or y remains door to do rol to ensure that Plant Cit pat on be ll wi ent tm par Police De fun. Florida for trick-or-treating one of the safest places in Try not to be October, enjoy yourself. So whatever you do this ng is certain, e nts and activities. On thi overwhelmed by all the eve y this month, by Cit nt available in Pla nt me ite exc the all th Wi though. Peace! should be ready to Rest In November 1st, everyone

n! Happy Hallowee

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 43

Anne Haywood

Interview by Brian West Photos by Sophia Dedon and Courtesy of Anne Haywood

Plant City has many things to offer to the community, and one of the jewels of the city is the Bruton Memorial Library. The library was renamed in honor of Quintilla Geer Bruton and her husband, Judge James D. Bruton, both deceased. Mrs. Bruton had a passion for the library and the city of Plant City. She worked with Plant City’s D.E. Bailey on a two-year endeavor to

Involved, Interesting and In-Tune FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 44

chronicle Plant City’s history - “Plant City: It’s Origin and History.” And Judge Bruton was a true character and a major contributor when the library was expanded in the 1990’s. I recently had an opportunity to speak with the Director of the Library, Anne Haywood.

Focus: Are you originally from Plant City? Haywood: No. I was born and raised in Columbus, Georgia. My library career began in Columbus and continued up the road in Atlanta. I was selected to be the Director of the Library here in Plant City 15 years ago in August. It’s hard to believe... Focus: Do you live here in town? Haywood: I did until about 2 years ago. I moved to Seffner on a whim; to get a little closer to the big city I guess.

My family always went to the library on Sunday afternoons during the school year. I loved to read and I devoured the library. We had a summer reading program, too, but it wasn’t nearly as super as ours is now. During college I started working in the library and over several years I worked on the bookmobile, in the children’s department and the reference department. At FSU they offered a degree in Humanities and I started in that program, but it was not exactly a ﬁeld with a lot of job opportunities. Thankfully FSU also offered a bachelors degree in Library Science so I switched to a more practical ap-

plication of the study of humanities. It’s a ﬁeld that offers a lot of variety, so it has kept my interest through the years. Focus: What got you interested in leaving the Atlanta area? Haywood: I was considering leaving Atlanta and coming to Florida for personal reasons. I had a long distance thing going with an antiques dealer from Tampa and Webster, and I was also ready for a change professionally. I happened to look at the right issue of Library Journal where

Focus: I know Mrs. Bruton had passed away before you came to Plant City, but did you get an opportunity to know Judge Bruton? Haywood: Yes. He was quite the surprise. I like to think that we were buddies. Focus: What did you think about him? Haywood: Well, I learned a lot from him. Most importantly, that you have to take people for the way they are. Now he didn’t necessarily do that, I just learned it from riding with him in his Cadillac. I went with him to Lakeland for dinner one evening at 30 mph with the traffic backing up behind us. It was a good lesson. I learned that there wasn’t anything I could do about it; I couldn’t worry about those other people, and I sure wasn’t going to be able to get him to go any faster. I think he liked the work I was doing [at the library] and I certainly appreciated him as a really unique character. He offered Plant City a terrific opportunity and it was quite an experience for me. I’m sorry I didn’t get to know Mrs. Bruton. She did so much for libraries all over the state, and her legacy definitely lives on. Focus: Tell me about your career prior to coming to Plant City. Haywood: I worked in my hometown and college libraries during school and worked for two years in the high school library in Columbus after I earned my bachelors degree at Florida State. After I got my Masters from the University of Illinois, I moved to Atlanta and worked for both Atlanta-Fulton and Dekalb County library systems. I did just about every kind of public librarianship from bookmobiles, to government documents in a central library, branch manager for several county branches, children’s work - you name it. Oh, and I coordinated the Dekalb County Friends when we went for, and passed, a bond issue to build libraries. Focus: What got you interested in Library Science? Haywood: Well, I was one of those kids that went to the library at least twice a week in the summer time. We would ride our bikes miles and miles and miles to the library and the swimming pool. FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 45

they had advertised the position. I had never heard of Plant City before, but the gentleman I was dating told me a little about it. I did some research of my own, but all I really knew was the Strawberry Festival, Buddy Freddy’s, and the Wednesday morning flea market. I applied for the position and they did a telephone interview and narrowed their list down to five who were flown in for interviews. Focus: Who did you interview with? Haywood: On the phone, I guess it was the Assistant City Manager, Steve Cottrell, Dr. Midette, Betty Jo Vernon, Carol Lane and some others. When we came down for the personal interviews, Steve and Sandra Cameron did the interviews here – [laughing] but Steve did most of the talking.

and Song.” The goal is to offer people a different way to think about growth and development in our area. Over the next few months, humanities scholars will discuss Florida history, art, music and fiction, but the format won’t be dry presentations – there will be opportunities for plenty of dialogue between the presenter and the audience members. The last speaker is Bill Bellville, whose latest book is entitled, “Loosing it All to Sprawl: How Development Stole My Cracker Landscape.” His book and his presentations are a positive look at how development and growth can be managed appropriately. Randy Wayne White, one of Florida’s terrific mystery writers, will wrap up the series in March with a really special event. We’re also eagerly awaiting the release of our needs assessment study. A consulting firm is helping us determine what kind and size of library Plant City needs to plan for in the next couple of years. Focus: Libraries have changed quite a bit over the years. People aren’t told to be quiet anymore; in fact, it’s almost as if the pendulum has swung completely opposite of the stereotype. What do you attribute that to?

Focus: Who are you most involved with today from the city? Haywood: Since the library is a department of the city, David Sollenberger is my boss, and I work with the other departments of the city. We also have an appointed library board that I meet with monthly. They’re an advisory board that supports us on issues like the budget and policies. Then there’s the Friends of the Library – the members and the board have a lot of valued projects, including fundraising for our children’s programs and putting on programs themselves. I’m part of the Advisory Board for the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. That’s the board for our longstanding cooperation with the Temple Terrace Public Library and the Tampa/Hillsborough County Library System. I’ve worked on lots of other boards and committees, although not so many right now. I chair the Chamber’s New Teacher’s Coffee and I’m on the WEDU Community Advisory Board. Focus: What are some of the latest projects going on at the library? Haywood: We have a program series starting November 2nd called, “Right before our Eyes – Florida’s Changing Landscape in Fact, Fiction

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 46

Haywood: Librarians today are exploring the public library’s role is in a rapidly changing environment – should we remake the library to be a popular bookstore, community living room, Internet café, and/or is there still some value to our traditional role? We still do a lot of reference and information service and books will always be popular, particularly fiction. At Bruton, we want the library to be a dynamic, yet comfortable place for everybody. We are going to be physically rearranging the library in the next couple of months to accommodate some of those changing needs. Don’t worry though; it won’t be an “extreme makeover.” Focus: Is there anything special you like to do in your free time? Haywood: You’d probably think it’s reading, but it’s actually hard for me to find time to read, except at lunch. I used to be able to sit and read a book in a day, and still can if I let myself. I’m spending a lot of my free time now doing Taoist Tai Chi, which is a form of Tai Chi specifically for your health. So between 6 and 8 hours a week, I’m at the Tai Chi center in Brandon. I like working in my yard – now that it’s not so hot, and enjoy traveling and trying to find something new for one of my collections. And I love to dance.

Focus: Do any of your collections include old books? Haywood: I have a nice collection of books, but old books have never interested me. I collect things from Mexico like chairs, pottery and weaving - things that were sold to tourists back in the 1940’s. Also, Seminole dolls, dinner china, Pixie Heads, bar and restaurant tumblers, English souvenir tea towels, old Florida road maps. And that’s only part of it. I also like folk art. When I was in Webster a few months ago, I came across a banner from the ﬁrst Zora Festival and some of the children’s art from the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts. The paintings are on cardboard and they’re just stapled to these funky frames. They’re not everybody’s taste, but that’s the sort of thing that catches my eye these days. I really like the one-of-a-kind unusual things. Plant City is a small town, but with many things to offer. And just like the name of the program series coming to the library this fall, Plant City’s landscape is changing right before our eyes, especially in the last 10 years or so. But the Quintilla Geer Bruton Memorial Library is a special place. If you haven’t visited the library, you should make the time to. When you do, say hi to Anne. I’ve met her on a few occasions now, and each time I learn something else interesting about her. She has done a wonderful job for the library, and we’re all lucky to have her.

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813.719.2246

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*Annual Percentage Yields as of 09/27/06, rates subject to change without notice. Minimum balance to open an account and obtain the stated APY is $500. A penalty may be imposed for a withdrawal prior to maturity. Certificates automatically renew at maturity at the then current rate for the same term. Some products and services not available in all areas. � ��

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 47

HISTORY

DID YOU KNOW?

SEND COMMENTS TO SDEDON@FLOYDPUBLICATIONS.COM

Story and Photos by Plant City Photo Archives, Inc.

Plant City Photo Archives to Present its Special Exhibit “SALUTE TO VETERANS”

photos were on display stood there juxtaposed to the young servicemen and women they once were. Many of those whose photos were on display did not return from battles fought on foreign soil or distant seas.

n Friday, November 11, 2005, Plant City Photo Archives presented its special exhibit “Salute to Veterans,” beginning with a reception from 9 to 11 a.m. The people began arriving at 8:45 a.m. and, when the last guest had left, it was after 4 p.m. Hundreds of area residents had ﬂocked to the new exhibit gallery at the Plant City Photo Archives that Friday, November 11, for the Veterans Day “Salute to Veterans.” Attendance ﬁgures varied and the estimates are that from 600 to 1,000 persons passed through the exhibit gallery that day. The Photo Archives’ exhibit featured over 500 photos of Plant City area World War II veterans displayed on fourteen 4’x 8’ panels and eleven 4’x 10’ vinyl banners. The exhibit covered three walls, and six 10’ to 14’ banners hung from the ceiling. A WWII vintage half-track stood guard outside the entrance. The photos were of men and women from the various branches of service and spanned from the 1930’s to the 1950’s, and later for those who decided to make it a career. Many of those whose

The special salute to veterans turned out to be an unplanned reunion for veterans and Plant City residents who had since moved away; many vets reacquainted themselves with friends from years ago. We also had a visitor from Belgium, who came to meet anyone who had fought in the Battle of the Bulge that meant so much for his freedom. He spent some time conversing with Jim Pollock, who is a veteran of that campaign. As an added feature, Betty Barker Watkins, who helped gather hundreds of vets’ photos, played a selection of patriotic tunes on the gallery’s grand piano, assisted by Jeannie Burt, who not only played but also led the various impromptu sing-a-longs. They danced, they sang, they visited, they cried, they smiled and they laughed. Most of all, the gallery visitors were in awe at the numbers of young men and women whose photos testiﬁed to their service to their country, and to all of us. Among those in attendance were State Representative Rich Glorioso, a retired Air Force Colonel, Plant City Mayor John Dicks, his wife Sharon, and son Jarod, a student at the United States Naval Academy. And now – we’re going to do it all

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 48

again. This year it will be even bigger and better. Plant City Photo Archives’ Exhibit “SALUTE TO VETERANS” OPENING RECEPTION 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, November 11, 2006 (Coffee, juice, donuts and pastries) Live entertainment Plant City Photo Archives will open its exhibit entitled “Salute to Veterans” with a reception from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11, 2006.

Over 500 veterans’ photographs of various sizes, including banners, 8x10s, 3’x 4’ enlargements, and other presentations will be on display in the Exhibit Gallery located at 119 North Collins Street, in Historic Downtown Plant City, Florida. The “Salute to Veterans” exhibit will be on display from Thursday, November 9th through Saturday, February 3rd, 2007. For more information contact the Photo Archives at (813) 754-1578 or call Gil Gott at (813) 417-7559.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 49

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 50

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�� Plant City - “Sciatica has puzzled doctors and frustrated patients for years. But now space travel and modern technology may have ﬁnally cracked the back pain and sciatica code.” Those are the enthusisiastic words of Dr. Shane Parson, D.C. Dr. Parson has been using non-surgical spinal decompression - an amazing space-age medical breakthrough to treat back pain, disc herniations, and sciatica...for over seven months now. “I was shocked at the results spinal decompression gets in such a short time. And how long those results last... without the side effects of drugs or risk of surgery. I was also shocked that so few doctors in the country were willing to invest in this amazing new technology” commented Dr. Parson. “But the best thing is I am able to offer this medical breakthrough to so many low back disc herniation and sciatica sufferers

right here in Plant City.” Due to his tremendous success with back pain, herniated discs, sciatica and pain radiating into the legs Dr. Parson has made available a free report to anyone suffer�� ing with these painful condi�� tions. “I just wanted back pain sufferers to know they have an option other than drugs and surgery... an option that really works. I wanted to let �� them know there is ﬁnally REAL hope...that hope is detailed in my free report.” To get your free copy of Dr. Parsonʼs revolutionary new report, “How Space Age Technology Is Solving Back Pain Without Drugs Or Surgery!” just call toll-free 1-888-238-6541 and listen to the 24 hr recorded message or request it at www.EasyDiscInfo.com Supplies are limited -

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 51

ALLCARE REHABILITATION Outpatient Physical Therapy

1214 W. Reynolds St. Plant City, FL Phone: (813) 754-1062 Fax (813) 759-8254

Our Goal Is To Always Exceed Your Expectations ~Success Story~ I was sent to physical therapy due to lower back pain. I then was diagnoses with lumbar disc disease. I would like to say, therapy has been excellent! When I came in I could barely move and was walking with a little limp. Today, one month later, I am walking out of here feeling really good. I began with aquatic exercises and have continued them here and at home. These exercises are great for the back. I also have been getting back massages and ultrasounds, they are great! Be Careful, don’t fall asleep! My experience here has been the best. Thanks so much to all the staff. If I need any future help I know where to come.....Allcare! Thanks Bunches—K.W.

~Allcare Rehabilitation, Healing Since 1990 ~ Aquatic Therapy • Sprains and Strains • Bone and Joint Injuries • Auto Injuries • Balance Disorders • Hand Injuries • Neurological Conditions Work Related Injuries • Wound Care • Sports Related Injuries • Fall Prevention • TMJ Therapy • Sports Related Injuries • Spinal Injuries Pain Management • Work Conditioning & Rehabilitation • Wellness Programs

We Believe People Don’t Care How Much You Know Until They Know How Much You Care For over 16 years the staff at Allcare Rehabilitation has been committed to providing patients with customized physical therapy programs to restore their independence and physical capabilities in the shortest time possible. We use the most up to date techniques, equipment, personalized patient education, and home program instruction to achieve this goal. Whether you are recovering from an illness, injury, surgery or would like to improve your overall health in our Wellness Program, weʼre here for you!

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FLORIDA’S TRACTOR HEADQUARTERS - SALES - SERVICE - PARTS

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 53

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�� FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 54

1607 S. Alexander Street Suite 102

813-752-2087 813-759-1200

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BEAUTIFUL

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Call Julie Keene 716-3834

3 bedroom 2 bath w/ 2 car side-load garage sits on almost 1/2 acre waterfront lot. Extended screened lanai overlooks tranquil pond w/ no backyard neighbors. Large gourmet kitchen w/ eating area; and great room ﬂow in this open ﬂoor plan.

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Come build your dream home on this 3.13 acre waterfront lot on beautiful Lake Lester. Surrounded by well maintained, prestigious homes. Enjoy the convenience of nearby amenities and serenity of the 40 acre lake used for ﬁshing, water-skiing, etc. Rare ﬁnd - Priced under $500,000.

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is very clear at this is 3 bed/2 bath /2361 Sq.Ft.La and in perfect shape. Property has a 3 car garage, 3 carports, barn, storage shed, above ground pool w/deck and seperate 1 bed/1 bath GUEST HOUSE. All on just over 1 acre of fenced land. Priced at $474,900.00

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Nestled amongst grandfather oaks this neo-classical home was built with great attention to detail. 3/3 includes a wood burning ﬁreplace and a pool, detached pool house with a full bathroom, cedar sauna and workout room. 3 stall barn with board fenced pasture. Beautifully landscaped with accent lighting throughout. This is country living with sophistication. Competitively priced at $579,000.

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.90 Acre with 48x28 Pole Barn. Great block home, 1296 SF, spacious kitchen, huge family room, fenced yard, screened back porch, childrens playhouse with A/C. Must see easy access to 1-4. Priced to sell $225,000.

Had it with the daily commute and trafﬁc? THEN THIS IS FOR YOU! Charming 3/1/1 on large corner lot. Short drive to downtown, universities and interstate. Less than 2 blocks to Hillsborough River

Amazing water view, one of a kind upscale condo, title and carpet throughout, convenient covered parking, spacious balcony overlooking incredible water view, full time security, completely updated. $399,900

�� Highland Creek. 4/2 with 2525 sq ft., oversized 2 Car Garage on 2.35 Acres. No Backyard Neighbors! Beautiful screened lanai. Too many upgrades to list. Must see at Only $384,900 ��

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�� This 3bed/2bath refurbished double wide just inside Polk Co. line is ready to move into! 1.3 ac. with new roof and fresh paint. 1,512 sq ft with Home Warranty. ��

WALDEN LAKE SILVER BROOKE

You will appreciate this smart and spacious home with 3Bd/2Ba, 3 car garage (one car garge attached and 2 car garage unattached), refreshing vinyl in-ground pool with attractive concrete decking and fenced yard!

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Seller’s transfer is your opportunity to own this LOVELY 3 Bdr 2 Ba Home with gleaming ﬂoors. Formal Living & Dining Room, Family Room & Study, Screened Lanai all on a large lot in Quiet Neighborhood. $259,900

Call Carrie Lang @ 813-767-3459

City Wide Open House Event

813

752-2087

October 28th 1:00-4:00 Stop by our ofﬁce for the Open House list & your free map!

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 56

...because your move matters �� Remodeled from the tile roof to tile ﬂoors. Spacious 2 Bedroom + Den. This model perfect home has been completely updated with new kitchen, ﬂoors, walls and baths. This home is a must see! ��

�� When thinking of selling your home Free market evaluation Call Davy Miles @ 813-376-4444 mr.lister@kw.com

in this peaceful cul-de-sac subdivision of Walden Lake called Juniper Place. Spacious 4 bed/2 bath/1934 Sq.Ft.La. and built in 2001. Tile ﬂoors, split plan, open kitchen and in great shape. Priced at only $274,900 ��

�� New on the Market. 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Home with 12 BEAUTIFUL ACRES in a very Prime Area of Plant City. You don’t want to miss out on this one. Call Today for your Appointment! $595,000 ��

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home just outside city limits with NO DEED RESTRICTIONS !!! Over 3300 sq. ft. of A/C area with split bedrooms - large master with jacuzzi and sep. shower. Home has Florida Rm with large gas ﬁreplace, Media Center, Living Room, Dining Room, and a Family Rm. Roof, A/C, Spa Heater, etc have been replaced in last 5 years. Large Pool with 4 gazebos and Heated Spa

New intimate subdivision w/quick access to 1-4. This better than new 2-story, 2198sq.ft, 4Bd/3Ba home has eat-in kitchen, formal dining and large family room, granite counters, hardwood ﬂoors, designer carpet, volume ceilings, upgraded lighting and stainless steel appliances. If you must have perfection, this one’s for you!

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Executive 5 BR 3 BA 3 CG w/Spectacular Waterview & almost 3,000 sq’ Living Area! The enormous Kitchen is a Gourmet’s Dream w/Granite Countertops & Wood Cabinets. Family Room w/ Fireplace. Pool & Large Lanai area & Brick Pavers. This Home is priced to SELL at Only $475,000

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Ready to move in, 1 acre w/ 4/2 1700+ sf. mobile. Great room, remodeled mstr bath with tile. A/c replaced in ‘05. Roof 3-4 yrs old. 30 x 30 workshop, 44’ x 66’ concrete pad. More money for your $ at $152,000.

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Call Janet Calvello @ 813-967-1939

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Call Jayne Rawnsley @ 813-763-0495

Upgraded with new roof, tile flooring & carpet. New AC too. Includes refrigerator, flat top range, dishwasher, disposal built in. Queen size murphy bed in 2nd bdrm. cozy fireplace. Located in golf course community. Turn key for carefree living. $214,900

Close to I-4 and Plant City restaurants. 2 bed,2 bath condo/townhouse with 1180 Sq.Ft.La. located in Cedar Run. Monthly maintenance includes water, sewer, trash, lawn and community pool. Great location, open ﬂoor plan and fenced terrace. Priced at only $139,900.

is evident in this 3BR/2BA home. Beautiful wooden kitchen cabinets-MBR has dual double hung closets & garden tub bath. All windows are solar tinted. Corner FP. Wonderful one-owner Walden Lake home.THIS ONE IS FOR YOU! $243,500.

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759-1200

813

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 57

Blackburn & Associates Realty LISTING HOMES FOR 2% or 4%

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 58

Blackburn & Associates Realty LISTING HOMES FOR 2% or 4%

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 59

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 60

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 61

“SERVICE WITH EXCELLENCE”

Lisa Potter REALTOR®

813-857-4768

Beautiful Walden Lake!

Call Lisa @ 813-857-4768.

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Room to grow - 1.48 acres... - 18.5 acres (mol) adjacent to 10 acres also listed for sale. Cleared pasture land, fenced. 2-story home with magniﬁcant large windows to overlook stunning views of property. Bring the animals!!

�� Build your dream home - 1 acre lot available in the much desired Country Trails subdivision; an area of grand estate homes. Minimum of 1800 sq ft. Land survey and tree survey available.

Less Than $170,000! - 3/2 brick home with pool inside city limits on almost 1/2 acre lot. Newer metal roof, original hardwood ﬂoors w/ oversized 2 car garage and detached workshop. No deed restrictions and plenty of parking for RV or Boat.

�� FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 62

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 63

HOMES

HOME GUIDE

SEND COMMENTS TO SDEDON@FLOYDPUBLICATIONS.COM

Story by Natalie Sweet

The Walden Lake Review The Walden Lake Neighborhood Presidents all met on the 24th of September and reviewed some pending issues. Steve Mercer, the Managing Partner of the Walden Lake Golf & Country Club addressed the meeting, and they had a chance to ask questions. They came away feeling comfortable that the plans for the club will maintain the values of the homes in Walden Lake. Also addressed at the Presidents’ meeting were items such as how to best address the enforcement of the Deed Restrictions and what the Walden Lake Community Association can do to help the individual neighborhood boards. The Presidents also discussed the proposed FEMA flood maps, which have many Walden Lake residents on edge. The City Engineering Department is addressing the flood map issues and is planning to file information

horseback trails to be used as walking trails. If that happens, the trails will be unpaved, mulched and trimmed so they are kept in a natural state.

that they think will merit a change in the proposed flood maps. A second preliminary set of FEMA flood maps is due out in December and finalized maps will not be out until mid to end of 2007. If you have concerns or questions, the preliminary flood map is posted at the WLCA office or at the city hall in the engineering department. The entries of all the neighborhoods are being

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 64

replanted and are about 75% complete. Some will need to be refreshed as this will be a continuing work in progress. Irrigation is being replaced along Timberlane and installed where there hasn’t been irrigation. They are still considering options for the Polo ﬁeld and for the additional 64 acres of conservation that were used in the past for horseback riding. One of the considerations for the 64 acres is to open up the old

I had the opportunity to meet with Steve Mercer with the WLGCC. The club is increasing their membership by waiving initiation fees, offering affordable plans, maintaining all 36 holes of golf and bringing fun activities to the club. Currently Bogeys is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is open to the public. The new executive chef, Sven Nelson, is doing an excellent job. Bogeys has the NFL ticket so you can watch your favorite team on Sundays and on Saturday its college football. The new owners and management team are working hard to win your business and want to be known as a friendly golf course, so stop in and see how things have changed.

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� � �� FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 65

HOMES

SEND COMMENTS TO SDEDON@FLOYDPUBLICATIONS.COM

Story by Shelton Keely

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 66

As an example, do you know how to invest in Tax Lien Certificates and Tax Deeds? Briefly, state, county and local governments raise money to provide benefits and services via taxation. One type of taxation is a tax on “real property.” Pursuant to statute, the owner of a parcel of real property is assessed a dollar amount to pay based on the value of that real property. This tax, in virtually all cases, is collected by the county where the property is located. If the owner of the property fails to pay the tax, the amount of the tax becomes a lien against the property. A lien against the property, however, does not help the county and local governments pay for the services and benefits they have promised to provide for their citizens. The county needs the money now, not some time in the future. It needs that money in order to fulfill its budgetary obligations. By state statute, each county is authorized to collect the taxes due that remain unpaid by selling at public auction either a Tax Lien Certificate or a Tax Deed. Learning how to buy these Tax Lien Certificates and Tax Deeds is a very real way to achieve financial independence. The aim of this and the following articles is to help you understand, in layman’s terms, how the process works and how you, too, can learn to use it successfully. If you ask most people, you will find that very few of them even know that this form of investment exists. It is not well publicized; banks and brokerage houses have no incentive to tell you about it; and people who are doing it consider you as competition. How do you acquire the information and skills you need to make money? While the process is not difficult, it does take a consistent and focused effort. You are the only one who can create your success, but you can do it. Start by learning everything you can about investing in either Tax Lien Certificates or Tax Deeds. Don’t try to learn everything all at once. So how do I get started? That’s next month in Part 2. Shelton Keely Keller Williams Realty 813-752-2087

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�� FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 67

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 68

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 70

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 71

5TH ANNUAL READERS CHOICE AWARDS

VOTING STARTS NOW! AWARDS ARE BASED ON VOTES BY THE READERS OF FOCUS MAGAZINE. ALL VOTES MUST BE IN BY 1/10/07. PLANT CITY ESTABLISHMENTS ONLY. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AND VOTE. IT ONLY TAKES A COUPLE OF MINUTES.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 72

2006 FOCUS

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 76

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 77

MONEY

INVESTING

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 78

Inflation has been in the news quite a bit lately. After years of enjoying very mild inflation rates, we may be entering a period in which we experience more significant price increases on a broad range of products and services. As a consumer, you can easily see what increased inflation might mean to you. But will higher inflation hurt your investments? Before you can answer this question, you need to be familiar with a little monetary policy, as set by the Federal Reserve, our nation’s central bank. If the Fed believes that we may be experiencing substantial increases in the cost of living, it will try to “cool off” the economy by raising short-term interest rates. And that’s just what it has done over the past couple of years. So, as you can see, there’s typically a positive correlation between rising inflation and higher short-term interest rates. Now we can return to our initial inquiry: Will inflation harm your investments? Well, it depends. In the short run, when interest rates rise, it becomes more expensive for companies to borrow to finance their operations; consequently, their profit margins may be squeezed and their stock prices might fall. Yet, even in an environment of higher inflation, there are reasons to be encouraged about the stock market. In the long run, inflation allows companies to raise prices, thereby boosting the dollar value of their sales and earnings. And the threat of higher prices may spur people to buy sooner, rather than later, so some consumer-oriented businesses may actually benefit from inflation. If that happens, their profit outlook may improve, as will their attractiveness to investors.

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In short, if you own stocks, the threat of inflation, by itself, is no reason to panic. However, you may want to look over your portfolio with your financial professional to see if you need to make adjustments, because different market sectors will respond differently to higher interest rates. Inflation: Bad news for bonds? People can debate inflation’s effect on the stock market, but when it comes to bonds, the evidence is pretty clear. If the Fed thinks inflation is creeping up, it will raise short-term interest rates, and that hurts bond prices. That’s because people will not pay face value for your bonds if newer ones are available with higher interest rates. However, most investors buy bonds for the income they provide. So if you hold your bonds until maturity, or they are called, you will still receive interest payments along the way and receive your initial investment upon maturity. There are other things you can do to help improve the long-term outlook for your fixed-income investments. For one thing, you can build a “bond ladder” by purchasing bonds of varying maturities - short, intermediate and long-term. Once you have established a bond ladder, you are prepared for both rising and falling interest rates. When rates are rising, the proceeds from your maturing bonds can be used to invest in new bonds at the higher levels. When market rates are falling, you may not be able to purchase new bonds at the previous rates, but you’ll continue to benefit from the higher rates offered by your longer-term bonds. Review your options Worries over inflation are real - but, in the long run, they may be overblown. As we’ve seen, the Federal Reserve is actively fighting inflation, and it has been pretty successful at doing so for the past couple of decades. But in any case, it’s not a bad idea to be prepared for inflationary pressures by reviewing all your options with your financial professional.

�� FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 79

MONEY

BUSINESS PROFILE

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Story and Photos by Kristen Toney

Pong Lai Martial Arts

MICHAEL COURCELLE BELIEVES IN TAKING CARE OF THE COMMUNITY

ith so many activities around town for children and adults to be involved in on a weekly basis, most families have to strategically pick and choose where to spend their time. Although many extracurricular activities are good in their own respect, martial arts are not only age-old traditions of skill, discipline and valor, but also incredible assets to the character and conﬁdence of our young people. This is why Michael Courcelle serves the Plant City area with Pong Lai Martial Arts Training Center. Courcelle and his wife, Huong, along with their three children, moved to Plant City from Vermont approximately six years ago. “I wanted to get away from the snow,” Mike laughed. “Although I transferred for job purposes, I ended up ﬁnding a greater purpose here in Plant City.” Pong Lai has been in business for two and a half years, located at 1852-1854 Jim Redman Parkway

(in the corner of the Strawberry Plaza near Staples). Having taught privately for a number of years, this is Mike’s ﬁrst venture with his own center. He currently has approximately 70 students ranging in age from 5 to 60. Each individual comes to Pong Lai for a different reason. “It’s a great way to get in shape,” Mike commented. “It works every aspect of your body, which really surprises most people. You’re learning about a culture that’s been passed down for thousands of years, not to mention the age we live in, with childhood obesity at an all-time high and sexual predators living in our neighborhoods, there are more reasons than ever to become involved in physical ﬁtness and self-defense. Plus, it’s a stressreliever. The atmosphere and camaraderie at the end of a long day can’t be beat.” Mike’s reasons for opening Pong Lai are very personal. “I’ve always been small,” he

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 80

remembers. “I got bullied a lot when I was a kid. I started training in Martial Arts when I was 11 years old, and it’s been a part of my life ever since. It’s helped me overcome a lot of obstacles and has given me a great deal of selfconﬁdence in so many areas of my life, and I just want to continue to pass that on to other people. No matter the age, when I see people start to feel more conﬁdent and stop limiting themselves, it makes me feel great; it makes it all worth it.” Michael Courcelle and his son, Michael Junior, demonstrate various stances in Chinese Kung Fu

Mike and his son, Michael Junior, took time to explain the differences between various Martial Arts. Most of the Asian Martial Arts started out in China. Whereas Chinese Kung Fu (the art Pong Lai teaches) is the forerunner of most Asian Martial Arts, the others are off-shoots of it. “Karate is more about striking, Tae Kwan Do is more about kicking, and Judo is more about

wrestling and throwing,” explained 10-year-old Mike Junior. Although some Martial Arts tend to focus on far eastern mysticism, Mike does not focus on that aspect in his classes. Kung Fu actually means “hard work,” something Mike knows much about. As a member of the Chamber and an active person in the community, he also coordinates personal protection and anti-abduction classes for various organizations. “I have kids of my own, but whether you have kids or not, selfdefense is a great skill for anyone to have. When I teach these classes, it’s my way of giving back to the community; I believe that if you take care of the community, the community will take care of you.”

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 81

SPORTS

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

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Story by Holly Mallalieu Photo by Sophia Dedon

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

JOHNATHON DUPREE If you know anything about our Raider football team, you’re already very familiar with the name Johnathon Dupree, so it won’t come as a surprise to learn that he is our Athlete of the Month. Since his freshman year, Dupree has played on the varsity team for Plant City High School. That time three years ago was his first time ever to be on a football team, and since then this star athlete has only been improving. This year, as a junior, Johnathon handles all of the team’s kicking duties, from field-goals to kick-offs to punting. “Johnathon is a good representative for the whole team, on and off the field,” said Coach Kevin Kelley, who not only has Dupree on his team, but in an OJT (on the job training) class every day as well. Dupree is also the team’s leading scorer, and very versatile when it comes to playing positions other than his own, if needed. Johnathon is an unusually good kicker. “They’re a special breed,” said Kelley, “mostly soccer guys,” which Dupree is. When football season is over he plays soccer for the school, as well as for the Plant City Lancers. As for football plans for the future, it’s possible Dupree would like football to have a part in his life after high school, if it works out. Dupree is a hardworking, team oriented, dual-sport athlete, and has earned many credits to be recognized as our Athlete of the Month. He has done a great job this year, and the Raider team wouldn’t be the same without him! Johnathon Dupree, kicker for the PCHS Raiders Varsity Football

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 82

2006

READERS CHOICE

S D R A W A HOSTED BY JULES BURT 1.20.07

2006 FOCUS

vote at www.focusrca.com

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 83

SPORTS

VOLLEYBALL

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Story and Photos by Joe Bowles

Lady Raiders Defeat Middleton

PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL GIRL’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM BRINGS IT

n Monday, October 9th, the Plant City High School girl’s volleyball team downed Middleton at home to improve their record to 4-14 for the season. Head coach Misti Neutzling was especially pleased with the play and leadership of senior co-captains, Ashley Mohler and Rena Reaume, as they led the Raiders to victory over the Tigers in all three games 25-17, 25-17, and 25-18. In the ﬁrst game, the lead changed hands several times until Middleton took its last lead of the contest holding a one point advantage 14-13. The Raiders then ran off seven straight points and increased their margin of victory to eight by the end of the game. Plant City got off to a slow start in the second contest and fell behind 10-5 as the Raiders allowed several shots by Middleton to fall between players untouched. With

entire way. At one point Plant City held a ten point advantage 17-7, but the Tigers rallied to cut the lead to three at 20-17. The Raiders then put away the Tigers and ended the conﬂict with a 5-1 run.

Middleton holding on to a one point lead at 15-14, Ali Boggs produced eight straight service points to propel the Raiders to a lead that was never in

jeopardy. Unlike the ﬁrst two games in which the Raiders had to overcome Middleton leads, the Raiders led the third game the

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 84

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The Raiders have been competitive all season in spite of the fact that they are a team that is comprised of mostly underclassmen. The thirteen member roster lists three seniors and a supporting cast made up of two juniors, six sophomores and two freshmen. The younger players are getting plenty of playing time and the experience should produce positive results for the Raiders in the future. The Raiders have only one match remaining before district playoffs begin. Plant City is pitted against six other teams in District 8 with competition beginning the week of October 16th.

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 85

HEALTH

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Submitted by Dr. Jeﬀrey Dunn

Target Fat and Cellulite with Mesotherapy PREVENT AND REPAIR SUN DAMAGED SKIN

Have you tried everything to get rid of your unsightly cellulite? Are you sick of doing sit-ups with no relief in sight for your “stomach pooch”?

Love handles, stomach pooch, bra bulge, saddle bags, inner thighs, buttocks, abdomen, knees, arms, back, legs, double chin, face and neck.

Mesotherapy may be the treatment option you’ve been searching for. With talk of melting fat, reducing cellulite or even looking years younger without downtime, the question everybody’s asking is “What is mesotherapy?” Mesotherapy involves “microinjections” of a customized cocktail of nutrients just under the skin’s surface. Developed in 1952 by French physician Dr. Michel Pistor, it was originally developed to treat pain and arthritis problems. Now mesotherapy is widely used to treat a number of cosmetic conditions, including spot weight reduction, cellulite, and wrinkle reduction.

How long is the “down time” and recovery time? There is no down time or recovery time for this procedure. Patients can resume regular activities immediately.

Who can have mesotherapy? Ideal candidates are in good health, exercise regularly, are within 25 pounds of their ideal body weight and have deposits of fat or cellulite that haven’t responded to diet and exercise. What areas of the body can be treated?

Difference between mesotherapy and liposuction? Liposuction removes fat cells from the body. It’s a surgical procedure and involves downtime. Liposuction doesn’t treat cellulite, and may leave skin looking lumpy. Mesotherapy “melts” the fat from the fat cells. It’s non-surgical and doesn’t require general anesthesia, compressive wraps, hospitalization, etc. Mesotherapy treats cellulite and leaves skin smooth. How many treatments will I need to reduce fat? Treatment requirements vary, depending on the amount and location of the area being treated, the individual patient’s goals and whether they follow a healthy diet

and exercise regimen. A thin patient with love handles or saddlebags requires fewer treatments than an overweight patient treating a large abdomen, for example. An average patient usually needs 5-10 treatments, while an athlete concentrating on a small, targeted area may only need 3-4 treatments. Can mesotherapy be used for weight loss? Mesotherapy is not a replacement for a weight loss program. Instead, it can enhance the results of weight loss by toning and tightening the skin. How long will the results last? With commitment to proper diet and regular exercise, results should persist. Maintenance treatments can be performed once or twice annually, if needed. What about mesotherapy for the face (mesolift)? Mesolift treatments involve the use of strategically placed facial injections to bring about tightening and anti-aging beneﬁts to the skin. By increasing collagen and elastin production, cheekbone prominence can be enhanced, fat under the eyes or

chin decreased, and the amount of fat in the neck reduced. The appearance of smile lines or jowls can also be decreased. Are the treatments painful? The majority of patients experience minimal discomfort. The diameter of the needle utilized is tiny, similar to that of an eyelash. A topical anesthetic cream can be applied for those who have discomfort. Are there any side effects? Possible side effects are generally mild. A short period of burning or itching, as well as temporary soreness can occur. Temporary bruising is common and usually fades within one week. Who shouldn’t undergo mesotherapy? Pregnant women and patients taking blood thinners or with a history of insulin dependent diabetes, cancer, AIDS, blood clots, strokes, coronary artery heart disease, or irregular heart rhythms. Dr. Jeffrey Dunn, D.C. is the owner of Remedi MediSpa & Chiropractic.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 86

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 87

HEALTH

SEND COMMENTS TO SDEDON@FLOYDPUBLICATIONS.COM

Submitted by Sherry Nueesch

Chicken Soup for the Body and Soul

ecently I was sitting in this wonderful massage chair soaking my feet, getting a marvelous pedicure at a day spa. The massage rollers were going up and down my back and I was in heaven. I was so relaxed; I was in la-la land. The door of the pedicure room opened and two of the nail technicians walked in with paper and pens in their hands. They pulled up chairs and said “we want to pick your brain a little.” I said okay and really thought they were going to ask me about business. Much to my delight, what they wanted to know was how to feed themselves and their families better in such a busy world. That conversation is my inspiration for my health article this month. I thought about the dilemma of young mothers trying to feed their families and bring home a paycheck. I thought a lot about that whole generation of young women brought up on canned, boxed, processed and prepared food. With the prevalence of fast food and the reliance on the quick and easy meals, I thought for several days about where one begins to help. We read a lot about what we should not be doing. What Amy and Terri wanted to know was, give us a couple of things we can do to make a difference now. Here is my ﬁrst choice. Let’s make some soup and some good old fashioned broths. What child will not sit down to the table to some really good soups? This is how I make my homemade chicken broth and soup. Get a whole chicken and then buy some cheap chicken parts like backs and wings and necks. Put in 5 or 6 cups of water or more to cover. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Put in a large chopped onion, a lot of coarsely chopped carrots and celery. Place all the ingredients in a stock pot and let stand for 30 minutes. Bring to a boil and skim off

the scum that forms on top. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 12 to 24 hours. The longer you cook the stock the richer and healthier the broth will be. About 10 minutes before you turn off the pot throw in a bunch of parsley still tied together. This will add additional mineral ions to the broth. Remove the chicken and de-bone for soup or other recipes. Strain the stock in a large bowl and toss the vegetables. Put the stock in the refrigerator and allow the fat to come to the top. Remove the fat. Now you have a very healthy base for soups or recipes that call for chicken broth. I season the broth with real sea salt and pepper. You will need to add plenty more water as the broth simmers on low. You can also do this in a large crock pot. Make sure it is full of water before you go to bed and cook it on low. There are many uses for rich broths, whether it is chicken or beef. For beef broth I follow the same recipe by substituting stew meat and boney cheap cuts of beef. By cooking the broth for a long time you leach all the minerals out of the bones and it dissolves the cartilage that imparts rich gelatin that is good for digestion and good for your joints. Let’s compare this homemade stock to Wyler’s bouillon cubes. Here are the ingredients. Salt, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, corn syrup solids, beef fat, monosodium glutamate, dextrose (corn sugar), onion powder, water, garlic powder, caramel color, natural flavorings, disodium guanylate and disodium isosinate (flavor enhancers), partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soybean oil, and/or palm oil and/or cottonseed oil), artificial color. Which one would you like to put in yourself, much less your child? I bought a can of chicken soup at the grocery store just so I could compare. Here is the list of the ingredients: chicken stock, chicken fat, autolyzed yeast, monosodium glutamate, dextrose, hydrolyzed wheat gluten, corn oil, flavoring and hydrolyzed soy and corn protein. Wow, that is a far cry different than chicken, water, carrots, celery, parsley, vinegar, onion, sea salt and pepper. Once you make your own, you won’t be able to stomach that artificial garbage again. At least that is my wish. Chicken soup is very nourishing to the mucous lining of the small intestine. This lining is directly tied to the nervous system. Chicken soup heals the nerves, aids digestion, relaxes and gives strength. I

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 88

freeze the stock in 1/2 and 1 cup servings. That way I have plenty on hand for gravies or any recipe that calls for broth and there is little sodium and none of that dreaded brain killer MSG! With a little imagination, you can turn this delicious broth into many different kinds of chicken soups. Instead of noodles you can add back the meat and add any number of vegetables. Do your kids like zucchini? Probably not, it’s slimy when cooked. Let’s trick them. Steam some zucchini slightly, then puree it and add it to the soup. Then add whatever else you want in the soup. You will have all the nutrition and the kids will never know. Zucchini provides a powerhouse of nutrients that help maintain the acid-alkaline balance of the body. Trust me, I am a busy woman. I don’t have all day to cook myself. I make my broths and soup bases on the weekends. You can start on Friday night and ﬁnish up on Sat. afternoon or evening. I make double batches at a time and then freeze it. Quarts of this frozen in the freezer can make for

some healthy and delicious eating. Thaw in the fridge during the day and then add your vegetables at night. Toss a nice salad and you have fed your family well and you didn’t spend all day in the kitchen. It’s also cheaper than the drive thru. Making some small but important changes, one change at a time, can make a dramatic difference to your health and your family’s health. Here in Florida we have a saying about planting and growing trees and shrubs. It goes, “the ﬁrst year they sleep, the second year they creep, the third year they leap.” We have been nutritionally sleeping long enough. So the sleep part is over. Take this next year and let’s creep toward healthier eating. I am going to help. I will continue to write about small changes we can make. By next year we will all be ready to leap. Are you ready? I am ready to help. Thank you, Amy and Terri, for stimulating me for this article. I leave you with my usual wish, to YOUR health, Sherry Nueesch.

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 89

HEALTH

SEND COMMENTS TO SDEDON@FLOYDPUBLICATIONS.COM

Submitted by Dr. Susan M. Ott, DO

Shoulder Pain O

h my aching shoulder!!! Shoulder pain is a frequent reason for a visit to an orthopedist’s ofﬁce. Shoulder pain typically comes from one of several sources. The ﬁrst is a fracture (or broken bone) in which case you would know how the injury occurred. The second is instability. The third source of shoulder pain is a problem with the rotator cuff. Another source of shoulder pain is arthritis. Sometimes adhesive capsulitis or a frozen shoulder is the cause of pain. Instability is usually a problem of younger patients. Typically there is an index injury where the patient knows they hurt themselves; like a football player being tackled. The shoulder can either dislocate (completely come out of place) or subluxate (partially come out of place). Sometimes overhead athletes acquire instability over time due to repetitive stress. When the problem is instability, the

cartilage in the shoulder called the labrum can become injured. The treatment for instability varies with the number of instability episodes, the age of the patient, the activity level of the patient and if there is damage to the labrum. In the older population, rotator cuff problems are typically the cause of pain. Note ROTATOR CUFF, not rotary cup. The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles surrounding the shoulder joint. A rotator cuff tendonitis and bursitis is a frequent cause of pain. Typically there is pain in the front of the shoulder, pain with overhead activities, and is usually achy in nature. Sometimes there is a specific injury and other times there is not. Not to worry, there are lots of treatments for this problem. The first course of action is typically anti-inflammatory medicine and physical therapy. An injection

will also do a lot to alleviate the problem. Physical therapy is an important part of this treatment for several reasons. First is to maintain motion in the shoulder. Often when our shoulders hurt we stop moving them as much as we should and scar tissue gets laid down quickly. Then you CAN’T move your shoulder. This is called adhesive capsulitis or a frozen shoulder. If these conservative measures fail, sometimes surgery is needed to alleviate the problem. Most often it can be treated conservatively. As noted above, adhesive capsulitis or a frozen shoulder is another source of shoulder pain. Basically scar tissue, or adhesions, gets laid down in the joint and you cannot move the joint. Oftentimes a tendonitis and bursitis will precede this problem. Usually this too can be treated conservatively with medication, injection and physical therapy. Sometimes surgical intervention is required.

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Sometimes the rotator cuff can tear. While there are some patients who can overcome this problem with physical therapy, medication and injections, oftentimes it requires surgical intervention to repair the tendon or to re-attach the tendon to the bone. This is usually a successful procedure in returning patients back to the activities they wish to do. Fractures of the shoulder or proximal humerus fractures are common injuries as well. They typically are seen in the older population and are usually due to a fall. Most of these injuries are treated conservatively and rarely do they require surgery. Young throwing athletes who are still growing can sometimes suffer a stress fracture of the growth plate in their shoulder. These too are treated conservatively.

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Fellow: American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Fellow: American College of Surgeons Member: American Society for surgery of the Hand Certiﬁed: American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons

Team Physician for Florida Southern College National Healthcare Referral Network for USA Gymnastics & USA Swimming American College of Sport Medicine

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 90

Certiﬁed: Board Certiﬁed D.O.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 91

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Submitted by Johnnie Byrd

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Paid Your Debt To Society? During the highly contested 2000 presidential election it came to light that there are tens of thousands of persons living in Florida who have felony criminal records and lost their “civil rights.” I wholeheartedly agree with the public policy in Florida that most convicted felons should definitely not vote, own firearms or work in daycare centers; let me repeat that: Most convicted felons should definitely not vote, own firearms or work in daycare centers. Yet, today there are a good number of law-abiding, hardworking Floridians having records for victimless crimes that date back decades, perhaps for thefts or drug offenses that are classified as misdemeanors today. As a practicing criminal defense lawyer, I am always surprised by the ‘urban myth’ that a convicted felon who has served his or her “time” is entitled to an automatic restoration of his or her civil rights. Nothing could be further from the truth. Restoration of civil rights is a complex procedure. The process could involve expunction, clemency, executive pardons, sealing of records, and the like. For example, the clemency process is before the Governor and Cabinet which makes it a political process, in addition to a legal process. The use of an attorney experienced in criminal law and the political process is an absolute necessity when trying to navigate the confusing system for restoration of civil rights. The attorney can assist those with felony records knowing which procedures are appropriate for the restoration of their civil rights, and reacquiring the right to vote and bear arms. Thankfully, there are also those who “need not apply” such as violent felons and sexual predators. That’s a good thing.

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 92

(Johnnie Byrd is a Plant City attorney with the ﬁrm of Byrd & Stitzel, P.A. practicing in the areas of person injury, criminal defense, and marital law.)

EXTRA

AUTO REVIEW

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Story by Brian West Photos courtesy of Cadillac

A Roadster by Which Others are Measured THE CADILLAC XLR WAS MADE TO TURN HEADS AND BE FUN TO DRIVE

eneral Motors has done it again. They’re making the same vehicle in another product line, but calling it something different. This time they’ve taken the latest Corvette, the C7, and they’re making it under the Cadillac line and calling it the XLR Roadster. In fact, the XLR is made in the same Bowling Green, Kentucky plant as the Corvette, but on the night shift. Although it’s the same car as the Corvette, it still has its own look as a Cadillac, and of course it costs a little more – base sticker is a little more than $78,000. The biggest difference as an XLR is that it’s only available as a hardtop convertible. And the great thing about this convertible top is the speed of the transformation. The top folds up or down in less than 30 seconds while holding a button located on the center console. On the exterior, the XLR is more

defined, with sharper edges. It’s most notable in the hood and around the headlights with a little pop from the classic Cadillac grille. But the sharper definition gives it a stronger look than its older sister. The profile of the XLR is missing the cutaway used on the Corvette; just a solid door panel that flows all the way to the back quarter panel where the rear taillight helps the transition to the rear, beginning with a long narrow wedge and then wrapping around the corner. Finally, the rear of the car screams Cadillac with the distinctive center taillight at the top of the trunk. On the interior, Cadillac didn’t hold anything back. The model I drove had all the bells and whistles. There is a heads up display for the driver that is the best I’ve seen. The numbers are just where the driver would want them and the size is right. They can also be adjusted up or down for personal preference.

The speedometer has BVLGARI spelled out around the dial; the designer of the instrument panel. The XLR is equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control. This is a sophisticated radar transceiver that automatically adjusts speed to maintain a preset following distance, something every cruise control driver would love to have. No more setting the cruise control and then re-setting, and re-setting, and re-setting. Add a 9-speaker Bose sound system, Eucalyptus wood accents on door handles, shift knob, center console and instrument panel – not to mention the standard leather interior – and it’s a hard act to beat. Under the hood, the XLR is powered by a 4.6l Northstar engine producing 320hp that is more than ample for this job. The engine is coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission that is smooth as silk – unless you jump on it – and I did. I didn’t push the pedal to the ﬂoor, but I gave it

plenty enough to realize that the designers weren’t worried about merging into trafﬁc. In the trunk, there’s actually more room than you might imagine. The trunk has a divider that can quickly be placed up to mark the reduced space available when the top is down that’s still large enough for a set of golf clubs, and then some. The XLR was a pure pleasure to drive. The ride is smooth and tight thanks to the StabiliTrak system (a 4-channel electronic vehicle stability enhancement system) and a 4-wheel independent suspension with Magnetic Ride Control. I think the XLR is one of the most striking cars I’ve ever driven. People break their necks to look at this car, especially when the top is down. If you think you’re interested in an XLR, drive the Corvette ﬁrst. You won’t be disappointed with either vehicle, but you’ll probably want the XLR.

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 93

EXTRA

AL RUECHEL

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By Al Ruechel

Ode To My Trees I

f you want to call me a tree hugger I don’t mind. I do love trees. It makes me sick to the heart to see them cut down for any reason. As a child, I remember the day my dad told me our huge elm trees were coming down because they had Dutch elm disease. These were sprawling giants that carried my friends and me on high adventures of the imagination. Our tree houses were the decks of ships at sea, a battle tank, a space ship, and a castle in the sky. We’d climb to the furthest reaches of the branches that gently bent and swayed as we pumped up and down like a carnival ride. We were on top of the world seen by those who we would choose for a verbal assault on high or invisible to those who were too engaged with earthly things to notice the human-shaped birds chirping in the branches. Our trees grew close enough for us to swing from one to the next like Tarzan. Each member of the elite “tree swingers” had to leap from the lowest branch to another limb in order to be allowed to climb up to the roost that was always protected by the tree lords. I passed my ﬁrst test at age 8, one of the youngest in the neighborhood, much to the displeasure of my mom who promised that someday I would end up breaking my arm or worse. She was right. But it wasn’t in one of the elms. It was in the old apple tree reaching for a giant winter green that sent me tumbling to the ground. Little boys’ arms aren’t designed

to bend backwards. The pain didn’t seem to bother me. I was more concerned someone might ﬁnd out and make fun of me. A quick trip to Dr. Owens, a painful twist and tug, a hot plaster cast and I was back in the elms by the end of the day. Then there was the time my friend and I taunted the biggest kid in the neighborhood. We planted a couple of ripe tomatoes right on his bike as he rode by and went scurrying up that old apple tree for refugee. Bobbie Petersen came back screaming and grabbed the branch under our feet and tried pulling his 200-pound body up into the branches. Suddenly the entire limb gave way and my friend and I and the branch came crashing down on Bobbie’s leg, boring a hole into his knee. I had never seen so much blood or heard anyone cry out in as much pain as Bobbie. Our arch-enemy suddenly became our dearest friend as we pulled the branch off his leg and ran for help. We never taunted or feared Bobbie ever again. The apple tree, meantime, was rotting and had to be cut down. We cried and even had a funeral for it. But the elms were different. You almost expected apple trees to pass on, but not the elms. They were special. They were absolutely huge. The only thing taller in my hometown was the big grain elevator. We begged and begged to save the trees. We offered up ourselves as servants to whatever task our parents could want for an arboreal reprieve. We

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 94

even threatened to camp up in the trees, refusing to come down until the danger from the saws had passed. As a final concession my dad promised to plant twice as many oaks to take their place, and to build a 3-story tree house for us to play in. It was a hot, sticky Saturday in August when the tree trimmers came. My four elms came crashing down one by one, shaking the ground like thunder, each thud louder than the first. My little board perch at the top of the world lay smashed on the sidewalk. I collected several bird nests that fell on the ground and put them on top of the garage, as if to make up for them being stripped from the leaf covered canopies. Branches and leaves and sawdust covered the ground like mounds of snow. I hid in the branches of a nearby lilac bush fighting back tears, hoping no one would see me. To my surprise I found Bobbie Petersen in the same bushes. We mourned in silence, but understood each other completely. And when it was over and the branches and limbs chopped and chipped and hauled away, I felt so empty inside. There was no

place to run and hide, no place to dream and pretend, no space that belonged to me alone above the adult world below. It’s the same feeling I get even today when I see a mighty oak bulldozed to make way for even more development. Why? Is it necessary? I get ﬂashbacks to the many hours spent in my aerial perch gently swaying in the summer breeze with the sweet music of rustling leaves surrounding me. I can practically smell the mountain of vibrantly colored leaves that blanketed our lawn in the fall. And, I recall the distinct clicking of the ice and snow covered branches rattled by frigid winter winds conjuring up images of great shadowed skeletons against the gray winter skies. Blame it on the little boy in me that still sees a tree as one of the most beautiful of all of God’s creations and weeps when something as trivial as a building is put in its place.

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ATM Available at Customer Service TECO Payments AcceptedFOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 95

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TRAVEL

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Story by Sherry Baldwin Photos courtesy of Dan Smith

Spend the Day at a Pumpkin Festival AND CELEBRATE THE CHANGE IN SEASONS

items) Crafter Booths. Musical entertainment will be provided by Night Train and the Southern Star Bluegrass bands. Danny Smith, founding member of Southern Star recently shared how much the band enjoys playing this festival. So much so, they have returned to play several times. “It is a really nice family event,” added Smith.

Southern Star Bluegrass Band

he long summer days are beginning to make way for the beautiful crisp fall. Many of us are looking for fun and unique ways to celebrate this change in seasons. How about spending the day at the Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival? Held annually, and using their working family farm as the backdrop, the Hunsaders continue to take special care that the Festival remains a wholesome, family fun experience. Among the many activities offered at the Festival, guests are invited to take a stroll through the wildly popular Giant Corn Maze. According to Kim Hunsader, her husband David is credited with the hard work that goes into the maze each year. The corn is ﬁrst grown, followed by the tedious measuring, stalking and cutting of the designs. According to Kim, this year’s designs include hay bales, corn, a violin, a guitar and, of course, a pumpkin cut into the maze (an aerial view of the giant maze can be seen on their website). Also keeping with tradition, look around (or maybe even up) and you will ﬁnd a variety of scarecrows on display. Decorated by members of the Hunsader family, the

scarecrows have remained popular (and expected) by Festival-goers each and every year. The “Charity Pumpkin Games” offer visitors the chance to play good old fashioned games, like Pumpkin Toss, with proceeds going to the sponsoring charitable group. Keeping the younger guests in mind, the Pumpkin Festival also offers train rides and pony rides. There is a petting zoo, barnyard playground, rock climb, four way power jump and a “hay play” area. Enjoy the popular DeWitt’s Cavalcade of Comedy Puppet Show and be sure not to miss the Kids Costume Contest and Trick or Treating planned as well. Lots to see and do, guests are also encouraged to enjoy the “Butterﬂy Experience” or attend a Classic Car Show. Watch with amazement as Rod Green creates sculptures using a chainsaw or as Cloggers wow you with their fancy footwork. You may also want to join in the fun by entering the Frog Jumping Championships (frogs supplied). Oh, and don’t forget to visit the Pioneer Trades Village and stop by one of the 150 (handmade

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 96

And while there is lots to do at the Pumpkin Festival, there is also lots to eat or, as the Hunsaders put it, “Oodles of Vittles.” On the menu are items such as Fresh Roasted Sweet Corn, BBQ, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Cider, Ice Cream and much more! Visit the Produce Market where you will ﬁnd a variety of fresh produce including seasonal

items such as watermelons, cantaloupes, corn, hard squash and eggplant grown right there on the Hunsader Farm. And what would a Pumpkin Festival be without pumpkins? Remember to pick one out before you head for home. Worth the drive, Hunsader Farms is open for the season with the Pumpkin Festival running October 20, 21, 22 & 28, 29 from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Admission for the event is $6.00 – parking $3.00. Hunsader Farms is located on C.R. 675, about 10 miles east of I-75 in Bradenton, Florida. For a Schedule of Daily Events contact Hunsader Farms at (941) 322-2168 or on their HOTLINE at (941) 331-1212. You may also visit them on the web at www.hunsaderfarms.com.

D&E

DINING REVIEW

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Story and Photos by Sophia Dedon

Bogey’s Bar and Grill

A GREAT FAMILY RESTAURANT OPENED TO THE PUBLIC CRITICAL INFO Bogey’s Bar and Grill 2001 Clubhouse Drive

813-754-8575 Open:

Sun-Thurs 6:30 a.m. -9 p.m. Fri-Sat 6:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. Children’s Menu Available All Major Credit Cards Accepted Price Range $3.95-16.95

ucked away down Clubhouse Drive is the beautiful Walden Lake Golf and Country Club. What you cannot see from the road is that after walking through the entrance, in the back of the club is Bogey’s Bar & Grill. Many people have had the impression that Bogey’s is only a restaurant for the members of the golf & country club, but this is not true. Bogey’s is a great environment for the entire family, with especially good food. Previously, the restaurant was open only for lunch. The hours have been expanded to include both breakfast and dinner daily as well. This month I sat down with Sven Nelson, Executive Chef, and dined with him for lunch. Not only did he recommend some great selections from the menu, but he also informed me of many changes taking place at the restaurant that our readers should know.

At Bogey’s, you are not limited to only the menu for the meal you are eating. Even at lunch, you can order from the dinner menu also. I was pleased to know this because it allowed me to order the Farm Raised Catfish ($10.95). This dish can be ordered blackened or fried and is usually served with soup or salad, potato or rice, a vegetable and bread. With my blackened catfish, I had green beans and roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Sven created a special homemade mixture of spices to give the catfish a mouth-watering flavor. Just to let you get a real idea of how wonderful it was, I even had it for leftovers the next day for lunch and every time someone walked in the office they remarked on the delicious aroma in the room. I also had the Cuban sandwich ($5.95), which comes with fries, onion rings, fruit, coleslaw or chips. Not only are their Cubans

authentic, but they also serve homemade coleslaw. Cubans are one of my favorite foods, so I was a little partial to enjoying the sandwich. I must say that they passed the test in my book. Sven also recommended I try the buffalo or barbeque boneless wings ($4.95). For picky eaters, you will be happy to know Bogey’s makes their wings to order, thus allowing you to order them as spicy or mild as you would like. I loved my wings, especially dipped in the Ranch dressing. Any restaurant with great wings usually has something else… sports. Bogey’s has ﬂat screen TVs all over the dining room and bar area. They purchased the NFL ticket, allowing guests to spend their Sundays watching several games at once and root for all their favorite teams. Saturdays are always full of people watching

their favorite college teams as well. In the near future, Bogey’s plans on renovating the entire interior of the restaurant to give it more of a bar and grill atmosphere. The bar itself carries both domestic and imported beers. They have a growing selection of wines available, as well as a ﬁll liquor bar. The best feature of all about Bogey’s is it is individually operated. If you make a recommendation to Sven, chances are you will see the change made the next time you walk in. One guest even got his favorite dessert added to the menu just by asking. With all the changes going on at Bogey’s, you are better off checking them out yourselves. Drive through Walden Lake, head to the country club and enjoy a great meal at Bogey’s.

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 97

D&E ��

JUST FOR FUN

Crossword:

Shades of Halloween

109 W. REYNOLDS PLANT CITY, FL 33563

Kim A. Allen (813) 719-8922

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We are looking for sales people. Positions available in Plant City & Lakeland Territories

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813-764-0990 FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 98

by Calvin R. & Jackie Mathews

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 99

D&E

ENTERTAINMENT

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Story by Daniel Sperry Photos by Brooke Colello and Daniel Sperry

‘Gone With the Wind Extravaganza’ Comes to Plant City RAMADA INN PLANTATION HOUSE HOSTS AN 1860’S BALL Walking into the ballroom was like stepping back in time. Women in hoop skirts mingled with men in Civil War uniforms. Even the tables were decorated in ﬁne linen, and it would not have been hard to believe that it really was the 1860’s again.

Dancers begin the ﬁrst steps for the traditional 1860’s dances

eventy years ago, Margaret Mitchell needed something to occupy her spare time. She was bored and decided to write a story. It is hard to believe that out of such a lowly beginning, a Pulitzer Prize winning novel could be born, but it was. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the publication of Gone With the Wind, an amazing celebration ball was held at the Ramada Inn Plantation House in Plant City. Three of the surviving original cast members from the movie were there, along with the 97th Regimental String Band. Attendees were encouraged to dress in attire from the time period, and nearly everybody did.

Guests came from as far away as Alabama for the October 7th event, and everyone had a story about why they simply had to be there that night. “My mother has cancer,” said Amber Norris. “And the three of us sisters wanted to do something special for her. She’s always adored Gone With the Wind, so we decided to bring her here.” Mickey Loyd of Plant City said that the ﬁrst three rooms someone sees when they walk into her front door are decorated just like rooms at the Tara plantation in the movie. She said that some people think she is strange, but the story has always deeply affected her. “My son died in an accident when he was thirty,” she said. “I have a Civil War uniform that he wore one year on a form in one of the rooms.

Mother and daughters made their own costumes for the ball which they have been looking forward to for months

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 100

It helps me feel like he is near.” Everyone was thrilled to see Cammie King Conlon, who played Bonnie Blue in the movie, as well as Mickey Kuhn and Patrick Curtis, who played the character Beau Wilkes at two different ages in the movie. They spent time on stage talking about their experiences and answering questions from the audience. One of the highlights of the evening was the authentic southern style food that was served. From collard greens to pecan pie, many people were so full by the end of the meal that they could not get themselves out to the dance ﬂoor for the costume ball. Faye Bell of Gone With the Wind Memories in Plant City, organized the event and was thrilled with the sold-out venue. “So many people were so excited about this,” said Bell. “People came from so far away and are having such a great time.”

into authentic classics from the period. After the first number, they encouraged couples to come out to the dance floor to learn how to dance the Virginia Reel. Soon the floor was occupied with three lines of couples facing each other and smiling broadly as the band leader walked them through the steps. Within a few minutes, the couples were sashaying like pros while the rest of the guests clapped in time with the music. “It’s like being in the movie,” said one impressed observer. The 3 day event was a huge success, with the ball being a keynote part. At the end of the evening a number of authentic Gone With the Wind memorabilia items were sold in a silent auction. “I knew it was going to a lot of fun,” said Linda Urban, who is the Director of Marketing for the Ramada Plantation House, “but I never realized that there were so many people who were so devoted to Gone With the Wind.”

The 97th Regimental String Band took the stage and launched

Dancers are like professionals in a movie as they smoothly perform the steps to the Virginia Reel on the dance ﬂoor

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 101

D&E

MOVIE REVIEWS

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By Brandon Hyde

The Departed Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg Genre: Drama, Crime and Mystery Rated R Rating: 5

From the brilliant mind of writer William Monahan, and the equally brilliant director Martin Scorcese, is a new crime-busting tale featuring actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and the ever-enjoyable Jack Nicholson. Set in South Boston, the police force has set its mind to breaking up organized crime. The best answer they have is to send a mole into the ranks of the Boston scum. Unbeknownst to the Boston police, the “scum” are sending in a mole for themselves. The stakes are high for everyone in the movie, but as the cop who goes deep undercover to take down Nicholson and his crew, Leonardo DiCaprio has a look of bleary-eyed panic that reflects the ulcer in his stomach. As his scheming counterpart in the state detective office, Matt Damon is a much cooler customer, capable of fitting in with the guys while quietly inching his way up the ladder. The higher-ups in both organizations have sharp enough instincts to suspect a mole, but with Damon denied

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 102

access to undercover identities, and DiCaprio barely hanging onto his life alongside the volatile Nicholson, it takes time to narrow down the suspects. However, as the moles come closer and closer to getting unmasked, Scorsese’s masterful cross-cutting between the two leads serves to tighten the noose around both their necks. Freed from the historical constraints of Gangs Of New York and The Aviator, Scorsese returns to the crime genre with supreme confidence and breathtaking ferocity. From the first-rate cast (Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin are wonderful in support) to the sharp dark comedy, to the startling incidents of violence, Scorsese is revisiting familiar territory, but the details are still fresh, thanks to a dense William Monahan script. When a director of Scorsese’s caliber is working at the top of his game, it’s a reminder of why we go to the movies in the first place.

Jet Li’s Fearless Flyboys

The Guardian

Starring: Jet Li, Betty Sun, Dong Yong, Shidou Nakamura, Genre: Action and Adventure, Drama Rated PG-13 Rating 4.5

Starring: James Franco, Jean Reno, Martin Henderson, David Ellison Genre: Action and Adventure, Drama, Rated PG-13 Rating: 4

Starring: Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Neal McDonough, Melissa Sagemiller, Genre: Action and Adventure, Drama, Rated PG-13 Rating: 4.5

Jet Li’s last martial arts movie may very well have come down to be his best. A wonderful story, coupled with the sentimental ties to Li, this movie

“Flyboys” takes us back to the age of World War II, when things on the Allied front were far removed from D-Day glory. The computer animation for this ﬁlm has some amazing power to recreate all the dog ﬁghts of those days. It puts you in the battle. Look for some questionable acting, but great action.

Branching to the most un-done of the branches of service, Hollywood picks up a story about the Coast Guard. Some fresh new material comes out of this ﬁlm, as does some all-too-normal. With actor Kevin Costner, this ﬁlm will reach an audience that is ready for some action and some well spoken dialogue.

delivers for the individual seeking something outside the normal movie experience. With the distinct way of making action movies, the Chinese once again capture their culture, serenity, and discpline throughout the course of the ﬁlm.

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813-300-4763 • 813-757-0140 FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 103

D&E

DINING GUIDE

SEND COMMENTS TO SDEDON@FLOYDPUBLICATIONS.COM ABC Pizza 114 N Alexander St 752-5146 Alexander’s Café at S FL Baptist Hospital 301 N. Alexander St. 757-8451 Anna’s Restaurant 3410 Baker St W 754-6215 Apple Tree 2218 Jas Redman Pkwy 707-8109 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar 1204 Townsgate Ct 719-1500 Arby’s Roast Beef Restaurant 1909 Frontage Rd S 719-3321 Arby’s Roast Beef Restaurant 201 Alexander St W 754-4881 Baker St. Café 1801 W Baker St (Hwy 92 W) 717-9785 Beef O’Brady’s Sports Pub 2418 Jas Redman Pkwy 757-0300 Bobs Sports Grill 226 Alexander St W. 719-8187 Bogey’s Restaurant 2001 Clubhouse Dr 752-1171 Brooklyn Bridge Deli 1309 S Collins St 659-3621 Branch Ranch Dining Room 5121 Thonotosassa Rd 752-1957 Buddy Freddy’s Restaurant 1101 Goldﬁnch Dr 754-5120 Collins Street Restaurant

712 S Collins 752-0126 Chancy’s Catﬁsh Shack 2509 N Park Rd 754-3433 Checker’s 2405 Jas Redman Pkwy 759-0151 CiCi’s Pizza 211 Alexander St W 659-3400 China King Restaurant 2410 James Redman Pkwy 754-8098 China One 1862 James Redman Pkwy 707-8898 China Palace 1106 Collins St S 754-0990 Church’s Fried Chicken 106 E. Reynolds 754-5200 Courtyard 106 E. Reynolds Street 754-0990 Curbita Inc. (Only speaks Spanish) 4109 State Rd 574 754-0620 Dairy Queen 1902 W Reynolds 752-2236 Denny’s Restaurant 2001 Frontage Rd S 752-3338 Domino’s Pizza 202 Alexander St W 759-9424 El Buen Gusto Michaocano 3414 Baker St W 759-6635

El Rincon Mexicano 4109 State Rd 574 754-0620 Fred’s Market Restaurant 1401 W Dr MLK Blvd 752-7763 Frontage Sports Bar & Grill Days Inn 1301 S Frontage Rd 752-0570 exit 168 & 169 Grandpa Johnsons BBQ 1305 Dr MLK Jr Blvd 759-0009 Heavenly Sinsations Inc. 1803 Jas Redman Pkwy 717-7512 Hong Kong Buﬀet 213 Alexander St W 764-8255 Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs 208 N Alexander St 752-6113 Hungry Howie’s - #200 2424 Hwy 92 E 764-0363

Manatee Bay Café 119 S. Collins S 707-1450 Maryland Fried Chicken 315 N Alexander 752-9200 Norma’s Ybor City Cuban Shop 1305 Baker St E 754-6557 Orange Blossom Tea Room 106 Evers St S 759-2247 Outback Steakhouse 1203 Townsgate Ct 759-4329 Papa John’s Pizza 1829 Jas Redman Pkwy 719-7300 Pesos Mexican Restaurant 2006 Reynolds St W 752-8841

Snellgrove’s Restaurant 109 S Collins 752-3652 Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q 1102 Goldﬁnch Dr 757-3118 Strawberry Hut Sandwich Shoppe 1505 Wheeler St N 752-3779 Strawberry Paradise 4511 James L. Redman Parkway (813) 737-3866 Subway 2305 Thonotosassa Rd 754-4550 Subway 2403 James Redman Pkwy 754-4878 Subway 2209 N Park Rd 659-0288 Taco Loco Restaurant 14672 Dr MLK Blvd 659-0916

Joann’s Country Kitchen 12650 McIntosh Rd Thonotosassa 982-0739

Pizza Hut 2316 James Redman Pkwy 752-8222

Kazbor’s Grille 2212 James Redman Pkwy 752-2700

Plant City Restaurant & Drive-in 2005 W Baker St 752-9202

Kentucky Fried Chicken 2305 Collins St S 752-0437

Ponderosa Steak House 1914 Jim Redman Pkwy 754-1129

La Esperanza Mexican Restaurant 113 Prosser Dr W 659-3940

Popeye’s Famous Fried Chicken & Biscuits 2005 Frontage Rd S 757-9742

Westshore Pizza 1701 S Alexander St 754-5600

Linda’s Crab Shack 202 Reynolds E 754-0492

Quiznos 1818 James Redman Pkwy 719-2999

Whistle Stop Café 102 S Collins 752-7340

Lin’s Express 2307 Thonotosassa Rd 719-6066

Ramada Inn Red Rose Dining Room 2011 N Wheeler St 752-3141

Woody’s Bar-B-Q 203 Alexander St W 754-3229

El Mirasol Bakery Cafeteria 1419 Collins St S 752-2108

�� FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 104

Long John Silver’s Seafood Shoppe 1805 Jas Redman Pkwy 752-1717

Tim’s Café 10903 Lithia Pinecrest Rd 737-4026 Twistee Treat 2301 Jas Redman Pkwy 707-9303 Waﬄe House 1201 Townsgate Ct 707-0190

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 105

PLANT CITY October 1-31 The UPS Store is collecting food and donations for the United Food Bank, which provides assistance to needy families in eastern Hillsborough County. Everyday this month will be a “Perfect 10” at the UPS Store because their goal is to collect an average of 10 pounds of food and $10 a day during the month for a total of 310 pounds of food and $310 in donations. To help reach the goal, the store is offering $2 off UPS shipping to anyone who brings in a canned or boxed item. Anyone who makes a monetary donation can enter their name to guess how many items make up 100 pounds of food. The person that comes the closest will win an IPOD. All donations will be given directly to the Food Bank. The UPS Store, located at 117 W. Alexander Street in the Kash-nKarry shopping center, is open Monday to Friday 9:00 to 6:00 and Saturday 9:00 to 2:00. For more information please contact the store at 813-754-5533.

October 16,

MONDAY

The Junior Women’s Club is sponsoring the annual Kids Carnival at the Plant City Depot in McCall Park. It will be from 4 to 8 p.m. and includes free games and activities for kids. There will be hamburgers, hotdogs, and sodas available for purchase. For more information, call Michelle Wegner at 813-659-1626.

October 19,

THURSDAY

There will be a job fair at the John R. Trinkle Center from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call Bill Falcone at 813-7573871 x 205.

October 21,

SATURDAY

Health Solutions Wellness Center will be hosting an event from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. to benefit the Operation Compassion food bank. They will be providing free initial consultations, examinations (including x-rays), in exchange for a small canned food or cash donation to the food bank. There will also be food, prize drawings, samples, chair massages, and more for everyone in the community who wants to come out and have a good time and support Operation Compassion. There is a limited availability for the exams and must be scheduled ahead of time by calling 813-717-7553. The monthly Strawberry Classic Car Show will be held in historic downtown Plant City. Come enjoy an evening of socializing, fun, and antique cars. For more information, call the Chamber at 813-757-3707. The Florida Opry will be performing at the 1914 High School. The show begins at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Myrle Henry at 813-7524094. The Plant City Optimist Club / Plant City Recreation & Parks Department 12th Annual Golf Tournament will be held at the Walden Lake Golf & Country Club, 2001 Clubhouse Drive (813-752-1171). Funds raised benefit the Optimist youth programs in Plant City, which include the Recreation & Parks Department youth flag football, basketball and soccer leagues, as well as the City-Wide Easter Egg Hunt, Steppin’ Stone Farm, Essay Contest, Oratorical Contest, Respect for Law program, Youth Appreciation program, a Little League Baseball team and four $1,000 high school graduate scholarships. Registration is 11 a.m. and the 4-person scramble format starts at 1 p.m. Awards for 1st-2nd-3rd place. Cost is $60 per person for golf, cart, range balls, 2 beverage tickets, a meal and door prizes. Hole sponsorships are also available. Registration forms are available at the Recreation & Parks Department administration office, 1904 South Park

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 106

Event Calendar Road, and online at the PCRPD web site, www.plantcitygov. com/rec, click the Golf Tourney link, or contact Walt Arnold at 813-752-1602, Pat Stottlemyer at 813-759-1019, Paul Woods at 813-752-0356 or Jeb Hicks at 813-754-8804.

of the tour or at the Garden Club Center at 1112 N. Wheeler St. The proceeds from the tour will beneﬁt Habitat for Humanity and a scholarship fund. For more information, please contact Cassandra Banning at 813-759-1638.

The Plant City Parks and Recreation Department will be having a Halloween Costume Party for kids in the 3rd-5th grade from 6-9 p.m. Admission is $5 and includes music, refreshments, and cash prizes for best costumes. From 1-4 p.m. they will also have a pumpkin carving contest. For more info call 813-659-4200 x 4340 or turn to page 38.

The Plant City Church of God is having a Multicultural Festival. It includes an art display and auction, fall carnival games and activities for the children. There will also be entertainment and “tastes of culture.” Proceeds from the sales of artwork and food go to beneﬁt the Church of God World Missions Department. For more information, call 813-752-4591.

Strawberry Town will be having the ﬁrst annual Harvest Fest. This food drive for the local United Way will feature entertainment from 12:30-3 p.m. by A.J. Sapp, Bianca Swilley, Nate Drawdey, and Charlie and Christie White. There will be a corn roast, face painting, browsing booths, vintage store, and restored cars. Spirit FM 90.5 will also be there. For more info turn to page 38 or call 813-754-8265.

October 26-31, THURSDAY - TUESDAY

Haunted House will be sponsored by Unity in the Community at the Kash N Karry store on Alexander Street. It runs nightly from 7-10 p.m. For more information, call Joyce Jordan at 813-752-1275.

October 28,

SATURDAY

The Plant City Garden Club will be having their annual Fall Garden Tour. The tour includes a visit to ﬁve Plant City residents’ gardens that will take your breath away. It is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tour not only includes the ﬁve private, beautiful and unique gardens, but also a plant sale in Hammock Park. The tickets are $10 a person and can be purchased the day

The First Baptist Church of Midway is having a Motorway Fall Festival from 4-7 p.m. There will be games, a pony ride, hayride, bouncy house, decorated car contest (the trunk of the car), and a Classic Hot Rod Car show. If you would like to participate in the car show, call Lance Kolp at 759-0620. For more info on the event, call the church at 813-752-7209. The church address is 2902 Midway Road. Mia’s Place will be having a Fall Festival Gathering at their location at 2201 Thonotosassa Rd from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will feature handmade arts and crafts, antiques, fall wreaths, centerpieces, and much more. For more info, contact Mia at 813-759-6473.

October 27-28

and 30-31 One of the largest events in the Tampa Bay Area will be happening right here in Plant City. The Parks and Recreation Department is presenting Jack O Bury Forest, a Halloween event for all ages. For more information on this event, please turn to page 40.

PLANT CITY October 29,

SUNDAY

Shiloh Baptist Church will be having their annual Trunk or Treat from 6-7:30 pm. For more information on this event, please turn to page 40. Church on the Rock of Plant City (301 E. Alsobrook Street, Plant City) will host its annual Fall Festival from 4-6 p.m. Come enjoy this Halloween alternative event for the whole family, featuring game booths with candy and prizes, bounce house, climbing wall, horse rides, clowns, snow cones, popcorn, face-painting, live music and more! Drawings for door prizes include four bicycles and a television. Free admission. Non-scary costumes only, please. Call church ofﬁce for more information at 813-752-3740.

November 4,

SATURDAY

The monthly Bike Fest will be held in downtown Plant City beginning at 5 p.m. For more information, contact the Chamber at 813-754-3707. The Florida Opry will be performing at the 1914 High School. The show begins at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Myrle Henry at 813-7524094.

November 5,

SUNDAY

The Mac Donald Beneﬁt Square Dance will be from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Strawberry Square located at 4401 Boot Bay Road. For more information call 813752-0491 or visit the website at www.ﬂoridadanceweb.com/ strawberry. Young ladies interested in vying for next year’s title of Florida Strawberry Festival Queen can attend a mandatory meeting at 2 p.m. The orientation, which is required for all potential applicants, will be held in the new expo building at the fairgrounds

Event Calendar November 6,

The Plant City Family YMCA will be having a New Movers Community Welcome from 5:307:30 p.m. For more information, call the YMCA at 813-757-6677.

MONDAY

November 11-12, SATURDAY- SUNDAY

The Antique Street Fair will be held in downtown Plant City from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, contact David Schultz at 813-752-6085. Top L-R: Bob Golden, Ralph Allocco, Allison Bewshier, James Scoﬁeld. Bottom L-R: Candis Mask, Kristine Huntsinger, Leroy and Chere Mask (Cast not pictured: Ray Barber)

Ramada Inn Plantation House, in conjunction with Star Production, explodes with this blockbuster of a musical review. They will take you to the Tin Pan Alley and on to Memory Lane. You will hear music that will take you on a voyage that transcends time. You will reminisce with a tear and a smile while you fall into a world of nostalgic magic. Memory Lane, a dinner theatre, will consist of two acts. The food and show will surpass your every expectation. If you are looking for an unforgettable experience, then make a reservation at the Ramada Inn Plantation House at 2011 N. Wheeler St or call 813-752-3141. The cost of the show is only $39 per person (inclusive of tax and gratuity) and will take place in the Red Rose Dining Room at the Ramada Inn Plantation House. The show is for one night only. Dinner begins at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. For more information, contact Al Cohen at 813-707-0788. in the Director’s conference room upstairs. Contestants must be at least 16 to compete, and no older than 20 as of March 11, 2007. Parents are encouraged to attend. For more information, call Stephanie Shuff at 813-752-3963. The Hope Lutheran Church on Park Road is having an all-youcan-eat turkey dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call the church ofﬁce at 813-752-4622.

November 10-11

and 17-18, FRIDAY-SATURDAY

Jennifer Jackson will direct Plant City Entertainment’s ﬁrst play of the season, “God’s

Favorite,” which is a Neil Simon comedy that retells the Old Testament Book of Job in a hilarious modern day setting. When the show ﬁrst opened on Broadway, it starred Vincent Gardena in the role of the hapless Job (now Joe) character and Charles Nelson Reilly as the Messenger from God. The play is being held at the Plant City campus of Hillsborough Community College in the auditorium. Ticket prices are $10 and $8 for seniors 55 and over and students through 12th grade. Group rates are also available. Those rates can be secured by calling Hardee’s Fashions 3-4 weeks prior to opening night at 813-754-4929. For more information regarding “God’s Favorite” contact Jennifer Jackson at 813-757-0425.

Bill Heard Chevrolet is teaming up with the Plant City Rotary to host a fundraiser to benefit three local teens. They will have United Community Challenge Fundraising Activity Day on Sunday, November 12. This fun-filled day for all ages will include lunch, an indoor 18-hole miniature golf tournament, auctions, moonwalk, and much more. It will be from 12-6 p.m. On November 11, they will also be raising money with the Poker Run Motorcycle Rally. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and start time is 12 p.m. The starting point is the Beef O’ Brady’s in Plant City. Cost is $20 per driver and $10 per passenger. Proceeds from both events benefit three Plant City High School young ladies with life-threatening diseases, Megan Carpenter, Alexandria Prescott, and Brandi Redmond. For more information call 813-359-5000.

November 18,

SATURDAY

The 4th Annual Plant City Pig Jam will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Randy Larson Four-Plex. There will be over $15,000 in prizes awarded. There will be professional, amateur and kids competitions. Bring the entire family and come sample great barbeque from around the country! There will also be live music and plenty of activities for kids. For more information, please call 813-7543707 or 1-800-760-2315. You may also visit www.PlantCity. org or email info@plantcity.org.

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 107

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 108

FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 109

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�� FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 110

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FOCUS PLANT CITY EDITION • October 15, 2006 - November 15, 2006 • PG 111