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The LAKER EAST PASCO EDITION
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
FEBRUARY 10, 2016
Economic recovery slow, but steady By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
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The national economy is recovering from one of the worst downturns in the nation’s history, but it is a recovery that is just “muddling along,” according to Sean Snaith, director of the Institute of Economic Competitiveness at the University of Central Florida. “It was the worst recession since the Great Depression,” he said.“The recovery is also historical. It’s historically weak.” The good news for Florida and for Pasco County is that they are seeing better growth than the nation as a whole. On the plus side for Pasco, people are moving into the county. “More people brings more economic activity,” said Snaith, who was a guest speaker at the Annual Economic Forecast Luncheon hosted by the Pasco Economic Development Council on Feb. 5 at the
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills officially welcomed community leaders and residents to the ribbon-cutting of its CREATION Health Wellness Center on Feb. 4. Dozens took the opportunity to tour the 13,000-square-foot facility, which is housed near the hospital’s campus on the northeast corner of Daughtery Road and Dairy Road. The nearly $500,000 project is approximately three times the size of the former wellness center, which was located on the first floor of the hospital. The old facility, which shared room space with the hospital’s cardiac rehab department, was a “tight fit,” according to Susan Frimmel, the hospital’s marketing di-
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The wellness center features an education room, where free healthy cooking classes will be offered.
KEVIN WEISS/STAFF PHOTOS
Dozens of community leaders and residents attended the Feb. 4 Florida Hospital Zephyrhills CREATION Health Wellness Center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
rector. The new facility was a “long time coming,” said Casio Jones, wellness center director. “When I walked into the (old facility) almost five years ago, I said,‘This is not going to work.’ It was there since 1995, and when I got there in (2011), they were still using equipment that was purchased in 1995,” Jones explained. The center’s 24-hour fitness floor consists of brand-new cardio machines, circuit machines and free weights. Jones noted the wellness center is for a people of all ages and fitness levels. To properly accommodate the wellness center’s all-encompassing membership, Jones said all fitness specialists are degreed in exercise science and have “high-end certifications.” “We have such a variety of special populations, from active people to those with health conditions…so we need to make sure our staff is able to provide a safe-training environment so when somebody comes, they’re not just on they’re own and don’t know what to do,” Jones explained. Over 30 group exercise classes are offered throughout the week, ranging from spin classes to Zumba to Pilates. Jones said the fitness classes are important, because they provide an environment where members can both “socialize and work out.” In addition to the 24-hour fitness floor,
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Florida Hospital Zephyrhills CREATION Health Wellness Center WHERE: 38233 Daughtery Road AMENITIES: 24-hour fitness facility, group classes, wellness spa, healthy living seminars For more information, visit FHZwellness.com.
the center features a full-service spa — offering skin care treatments, massages, body therapy, waxing and pampering. “Gyms in this area don’t have spas,” said Jones, who’s worked in the health and fitness industry for more than 30 years.“When you think of CREATION, it’s the whole body. You can’t just have a gym without the relaxation part; you have to help the person rejuvenate to recharge.” There’s also an education room, which Jones referred to as the “hidden gem.” Free healthy cooking classes will be taught throughout the week, as well as informational sessions on other aspects of health, such as diabetes care. “Now you’re truly impacting not just that person, but their household,” Jones explained about the education room. “You have people that are potentially overweight…can learn the appropriate ways on how to live and manage their life. “Without the right information, you can’t See WELLNESS, page 11A
Spreading the word about Saint Leo University bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
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KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTO
Tim Fredritz, account executive at Dex Imaging Co., expects new business opportunities to emerge in Pasco County.
Zephyrhills Wellness center celebrates opening
March 3-13, 2016 • Plant City, Florida
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Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club. “People and employment growth will continue.We see some momentum.There’s a lot of construction activity on the way.” Florida’s growth is outpacing the nation, he said. Florida’s growth rate is about 4 percent, compared to a national rate of 2 percent. The state also posted good numbers for job creation in the last quarter of 2015, and that likely will continue. “That’s our launching pad,” Snaith said. “We still have momentum on our side.” He is especially bullish on the Interstate 4 corridor, which he described as the “bread basket for growth.” According to Snaith, the recession ended in 2012. But, Craig Weber, general manager of Crown Community Development, saw signs of recovery in the Wesley Chapel area
William J. Lennox Jr., has been wellversed on the strengths of Saint Leo University for years. Before assuming his current role on July 1, the retired U.S.Army three-star lieutenant general served on the school’s board of directors for nearly seven years. But now, as Saint Leo’s president, Lennox is seeing the university from a new vantage point. “When you’re on the board, you have the 60,000-foot view.And, I’m working my way down to the 6-foot view,” said Lennox, who was superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for five years. Now, Lennox, who prefers to be called Bill, said he sees firsthand both the strengths of Saint Leo’s people and of its mission.The focus on teaching, the small class size and the university’s clear set of values are key attributes, he added. “You put that all together, you get quite a package,” Lennox said. Given his background, the former military leader said: “People have asked me about the difference between West Point and Saint Leo. “The similarities are more striking (than the differences). The strong mission statement. The focus on teaching and small classes. The value system. The people,” Lennox said.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY
Saint Leo University President William J. “Bill” Lennox Jr., former superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, said people have asked him how Saint Leo and West Point differ. He responds: ‘The similarities are more striking. The strong mission statement. The focus on teaching and small classes. The value system. The people.’
Unlike West Point, however, Saint Leo’s story is not nearly as widely known. “I think we’re the best-kept secret around here,” Lennox said.
He’s working to change that. “We’re going to add a V.P., (vice president) for marketing.That is going to help us both with the targeted marketing, but also with the branding. I think a lot of people think we’re this sleepy little organization,” he said. “Not many people understand that we’re the third-largest Catholic university,” he added. With an enrollment of 16,000, the university has about 2,400 students at its campus in Saint Leo, and the rest take classes either online or in person at locations across seven states, in such cities as Atlanta and Savannah, and in the Tidewater area of Virginia, he said. Saint Leo’s brand is very strong in the military, he noted.“People recognize Saint Leo and want to attend. And, I think that transfers out to the civilian populations in those areas, too.” But, military cutbacks and security issues pose a challenge. “Some of the posts are becoming very concerned about security. If you don’t have a military ID card, you might not be able to get on. So that cuts some of the civilians out and the young veterans, who may have only served three or four or five years, because they don’t get an ID card,” he said. To address that issue,“we want to look at maybe a model like we have in Tampa, where we have a presence on MacDill (Air See SAINT LEO, page 11A