Lutz NEWS
ee r F
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION
No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS LAW FIRM, P.L.
SERVING LUTZ/ODESSA
DECEMBER 23, 2015
New school boundaries approved By B.C. Manion
losing gifted services, and the district responded – at the recommendation of board member Allen Altman and other board memPasco County School Board members bers - by adding the services at Denham adopted boundaries for Elementary School Oaks. W in Wesley Chapel, despite objections by Some parents also voiced concerns parents living in Northwood and Arbor about a waiting list for the child care proWoods. gram at Denham Oaks, but Superintendent In approving the boundaries, the board Kurt Browning said additional staff is exmembers also approved a plan by school pected to be hired for the program. district staff to add gifted services to The board’s unanimous vote on the Denham Oaks Elementary School in Lutz. school boundaries came despite concerns Parents had objected to their children voiced repeatedly by parents who wanted
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
to keep their children at schools within their Wesley Chapel community. They said shifting their children to the Lutz school would disrupt their established day care arrangements. They also said it would be harder for commuting parents to make it to after-school events. Some said they had moved into their neighborhoods specifically because of the schools serving them. And, parents also voiced concerns about the impacts that the See BOUNDARIES, page13A
HelpingInjuredPeople.com Call Attorney
JIM HOLLIDAY 813-868-1887 “I Will Aggressively Fight To Protect Your Legal Rights” 18920 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Ste 101 Lutz, FL (Corner of Sunlake & Dale Mabry)
Walk-Ins Welcome
JOE SPENA/PHOTOS
Bowen Fisk, 14, of Land O’ Lakes, plays the trombone during a holiday song. More photos, page 5A.
Having fun a tradition at this event The Laker/Lutz News Staff Report
CALL TODAY FIXED TODAY! Pastor Mike Gibbons, 59, of Land O Lakes, learns that he will be getting coal for Christmas.
Families attending “Traditions on the Green” had a chance to have some good old-fashioned fun without having to spend lots of dough to do it. The event, sponsored by the Heritage Park Foundation and the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, featured a pancake breakfast with Santa, performances by local students, activities for kids, and a variety of booths and vendors. The event was held on the morning of Dec. 12 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5402 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
Fifteen-year-old raises $1 million for hospital SEE INSIDE FOR GREAT COUPONS! A/C LICENSE #CAC1816647 PLUMBING LIC. #CFC1428982 ELECTRICAL LIC. #EC0001103
Winner 2012, 2013, 2014
Air Conditioning • Plumbing • Electrical
CornerstonePros.com
813-949-4445
holiday
Guide
2015 gifts, eats and entertainment
INSIDE, PAGE 6A
By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Leigh Dittman always knew that she would achieve her goal of raising $1 million for Shriners Hospitals for Children – she just didn’t know she’d do it by age 15. The Gaither High School student, who has a disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), said she was motivated to raise the money for Shriners because of how giving it has been to her. “They are such an amazing group of people, and they’ve given me so much, with my life. It seemed like the right thing to do,” the young woman said during an interview at her Lutz home. She began raising money for Shriners when she was turning 3. She said she’d rather have friends and family give money to the hospitals, instead of giving her presents. The first year, she raised $5,000. It grew from there. When she was 7, people began asking her: “How far do you want to go? What’s your goal? “As a 7-year-old, I was like, ‘A million dollars seems like a really big number. Why don’t we shoot for that?’ ” She expected to meet the goal at some point, but not within eight years, she said. The money was raised by annual events that initially were tied to her birthday, but later were held separately. The event was a combined live auction, silent auction and raffle event. People could bid on items or buy raffle tickets for all sorts of prizes, including sports memorabilia,
said. Now that they’ve hit the million-dollar mark, the family plans to take a year off, she said. The young woman was honored on Dec. 14 at Shriners Hospitals for Children, where the hospital and its Board of Governors swapped the teenager’s bronze fundraising plaque for a gold one, signifying donors who have given at least $1 million, according to a hospital news release. At that ceremony, Board Chairman Tom Edwards described his first encounter with Leigh when she was 5. Edwards said he was supposed to carry Leigh through an archway during a program. He recalled her telling him: “Mr. Shriner, be careful. I break easy.” Leigh’s mother, Ellen, said none of this would have happened had she listened to doctors who advised her to have an abortion. B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO She knew early in her pregnancy there Leigh Dittman poses near the family’s were problems, she said. Christmas tree at her home in Lutz. She “Shriners Hospitals said they were sure recently was honored for raising $1 million they could fix her legs. And, they put her on for Shriners Hospitals for Children. She has a waiting list, not even knowing was going a bone disorder known as Osteogenesis on with her, other than we knew that with Imperfecta, more commonly called ‘brittle her legs there was something major going bone disease,’ but, she said she’s not on,” she said. defined by her OI. Leigh was born, via C-section, with five broken ribs and a broken femur that had altheme park tickets and stays at a cabin in ready healed. North Carolina. Since then, she’s had 14 surgeries and “We would spend the majority of our about 40 fractures. summer going to different organizations and But, Leigh refuses to define herself by different companies, and asking them – see- her OI, commonly called “brittle bone dising if they would like to donate. We met ease.” great people who would help us continuSee RAISES, page13A ously throughout the years,” the 15-year-old