LAND O’ LAKES . LUTZ . ODESSA
Vol. 3, Issue 5, May 2012
Neighborhood News & Lifestyles
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The Business & Dining Magazine Directly Mailed To 20,000 Homes In Odessa, Lutz & Land O’ Lakes Areas This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To: Ashley Lakes, Ballantrae, Belle Meade, Calusa Trace, Canterbury, Cheval, Citrus Greens, Concord Station, Devonwood, Dolce Vita on Lake Keystone, Echo Lake, Farmington Village, Fern Glenn, Grey Hawk at Lake Polo, Heritage Harbor, Ivy Lake Estates, Keystone Groves, Keystone Manors, Keystone Reserve, Keystone Shores, Lake Charles, Lake Church, Lake Parker Estates, Lakeside Grove Estates, Northlake Village, Northbridge at Lake Pretty, Northton Groves, Oakstead, Orange Blossom Creek, Reflections, Steeple Chase, Stillwater, Stonegate, Suncoast Crossings, Suncoast Meadows, Swan Cove, The Eagles, Van Dyke Estates, Van Dyke Farms, Villa Rosa, Wyndham Lakes
Suncoast Pediatric Dentistry Provides Comprehensive Care for a Growing Child
Nothing Could Be Cooler Than A/C Specialists
By Jeff Berlinicke The shoes are large and hard to fill, but Tim Winston is fully prepared and enthusiastic as president of A/C Specialists, Inc., a family-owned air conditioning/heating company where knowledge, dedication to maintaining a good name and providing outstanding service is passed from generation to generation. Located in Tampa, A/C Specialists spends much of its time
working out of Odessa, Lutz and Land O’ Lakes. The full-service heating, ventilation and air-conditioning contractor services both residential and commercial customers. A/C Specialists services, sells and installs all major brands of air conditioning and heating products and is proud to be a Rheem® Recognized Top Contractor Every business, no matter how large or small, has a story that communicates its history and mission. The goal of A/C Specialists is simple – to maximize its customers’ comfort, health and energy savings. Two families have owned A/C Specialists since
1978. Dave Winston purchased the business in 1994 and has recently turned it over to his son, Tim. The company is in good hands since it already has its manager-in-waiting, Logan, who hasn’t yet reached his teens but who is already learning the ropes from his father and grandfather. A/C Specialists is a family-run business and it shows. Dave came up with the approach to customer serve that he delivers with sincerity and a lot of passion. “I believe in doing whatever it takes to please and serve our customers,” Dave says. “Sometimes that See “A/C Specialists” on page 32.
The Community Dining & Business Guide that your neighbors READ!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Editorial................................3 Calendar................................4 News Briefs...........................6 Rasmussen College.........10-11 Honoring Missing Man..12-13 Panda Hugs...................14-15 1-800-GOT-JUNK........16-17 Pacific Curbing..............18-19 Dr. Parveen S. Vahora.....22-23 Quantum Leap Farm......26-27
ECRWSS
See “Dentistry” on page 30.
Dr. Amanda Velazquez, D.M.D.
Postal Customer
tooth decay), which is very common in children. Many people don’t realize that tooth decay is an infection caused by bacteria that attacks the teeth. Proper care and preventative measures using the right tools and techniques can set the tone for a healthy mouth for a child’s entire life. Dr. Amanda is originally from Plant City and has a real passion for working with children. She says, “Kids just make you happy, and they make your day. It’s hugely rewarding because you get to watch them grow up.”
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA FL PERMIT 1185
Suncoast Pediatric Dentistry is a beautiful new dental practice that is located just off of S.R. 54 in Land O’ Lakes, just 1/2 mile east of the Suncoast Parkway, making it convenient to many surrounding areas including Trinity, Odessa, New Tampa and Lutz. Focused on providing children with excellent oral health care, Suncoast Pediatric Dentistry was created by a dentist who is dedicated to providing the best dental care to her patients, and to creating an environment
that is both friendly and accommodating to children and their families. “We focus on providing comprehensive care for a growing child to early adulthood, and we also provide dental care for those with special needs.” A mother herself (and with one on the way), Amanda Velazquez, D.M.D. or “Dr. Amanda” as she’s called by her patients, specializes in dentistry for young children (even infants), and children of all ages – even up into their college years. Dr. Amanda specializes in preventing and treating dental caries (also known as
Dated Material Please Rush!
By Julie Kanehl
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Neighborhood News & Lifestyles
From The Editor Kim Thomas
Check Out Our New & Improved Website NeighborhoodNewsFL.com Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is thrilled to announce that we have completely revamped our website, making it current and showcasing the best of what we have to offer. Our website provides an in-depth view of exactly who we are, what we do and what areas and zip codes we target. In addition to posting articles from each of the four current publications, the website will display the full copy of each of the Neighborhood News & Lifestyles magazines (allowing the viewer to digitally flip through from page to page) as soon as the paper hits mailboxes. Once the current issue is posted, our readers will have the opportunity to write their own personal feedback regarding experiences with the businesses highlighted and view the experiences of others. You will also be able to view video testimonials of local business owners, as they talk about their experiences advertising in the Neighborhood News & Lifestyles.
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We would also like to give a huge shout-out and thank you to web developer/designer Ashley Knoblach for all the hard work she has put into creating an interactive, innovative website for the Neighborhood News & Lifestyles. Here are a few key features that our website now boasts: • User Friendly Navigating Our website is easy and convenient, allowing you to find exactly what you are looking for, regardless of how familiar you are with the computer. • Search Engine Friendly Optimized for performance, our site is easy to read and index by search engines like Google, Yahoo, AOL and Bing. • Mobile & Tablet Ready Built on a scalable 12 column grid , our site will adjust to any screen size regardless of the browser or device. • Polls, Comments & Sharing Integrated with Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus, it's easy to vote, comment and share our content across
multiple networks. • Email Subscriptions You now have the option to sign up to receive issues via email for free! Ashley, who also works on the website for the Neighborhood News in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, has seen a drastic increase in views from the moment she took over nearly three years ago. When she started, their website was averaging 300 hits a month and since the launch of their new website that number shot up to an average of 2,000 views a week – that is incredible! We hope to see the same great success with the launching of our new website, so we encourage you to check out our publication online at www.NeighborhoodNewsFL.com and let us know what you think. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles strives to be the best news magazine in the area – the one that you know and love!
Neighborhood News & Lifestyles Directly mailed once a month to 18,000 households in zip codes 33556, 33558 & 34638 118 Tarpon Ave. East, Suite #8 Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 Phone: (813) 928-6124; Fax: (727) 943-0556 Advertising E-mail: neighborhoodlifestyles@yahoo.com Editorial E-mail: neighborhoodlifestylesedit@yahoo.com © 2012 NeighborhoodNews & Lifestyles is published by ADS 2 Publications, Inc. Publisher Tim Selby General Manager Jim O’Reilly Editor Kim Thomas Advertising Sales Manager Matt Selby Advertising Sales Jim O’Reilly Ken Burke Alexis Selby
Correspondents Alexis Selby Julie Kanehl Amy Paterson Katie Thomas Art Director Dat X. Do Graphic Artists Dat X. Do Tony Sica Accounting Manager Doreen Selby Billing Assistant Tina O’Reilly
Nothing that appears in Neighborhood News & Lifestyles may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission. Opinions expressed by Neighborhood News & Lifestyles writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion. The management of Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is always happy to accept outside editorial submissions to the paper. Please call for outside editorial submission and adver-
tisement deadlines. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles will not return unsolicited editorial materials. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles reserves the right to edit and/or reject any advertising. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, not for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is published by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.
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Community Calendar Robotics in Women’s Health for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Wed., May 23, 5:30 PM—If you are interested in learning more about the advancements available in regard to surgeries like laparoscopic surgeries, Parveen S. Vahora, MD is offering an educational seminar on “Robotics in Women’s Health for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery” at the Medical Center of Trinity, S.R. 54 in Trinity. Dr. Vahora performs all of her surgeries at the Medical Center of Trinity, including da Vinci® Robotic Assisted Hysterectomy, da Vinci® Robotic Assisted Mymoectomy, Laparoscopic Hysterectomy, Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy, and Hysteroscopic Sterilization, Endometrial Ablation, and Pelvic Floor Reconstruction. American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life Lutz Fri., May 18, 6 PM—American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life Lutz will be held at Steinbrenner High
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School in Lutz. Participants take turns walking relay-style around the track and take part in fun activities off the track such as camping out, dancing, contests, games and silent auctions. Teams can include families, friends, businesses, clubs, churches, schools and service organizations. Anyone wanting to make a difference in the fight against cancer is invited to take part in this exciting team event. You can register your team today by visiting RelayForLife.org/LutzFL or by calling Megan Rindone,at 813319-5918. Leadership Pasco Presents Taste of Pasco May 19, 4–7 p.m.––Taste of Pasco will be hosted at Rotary Pavilion at the Concourse, 15323 SR 52 in Land O’ Lakes. Admission is $25 in advance or $35 at the door (kids 12 and under, free). Festivities will include amazing food and beverage tastings from local restaurants, live entertainment and DJ, silent auction, a chance to meet local celebrities, children’s games, ac-
tivities, bounce house party, water slide, face painting, balloon artists and so much more! 100% percent of the proceeds will go to benefit the Mobile Medical Bus to serve the homeless population of Pasco County. For more information call Lucy at (727) 243-1043 or email questions to Llaton@Arbys.com, or check out our Facebook page and search “Taste of Pasco.” Toastmasters Every Wed., 7:30 AM—Toastmasters (public Speaking) and Leadership Group, Top of the Morning Oldsmar Toastmasters meets at Aston Gardens, 12951 W. Linebaugh Ave. in Tampa. (727) 942-9008. Toastmasters goal is to teach the skills of public speaking and communicating, which helps with job placement and advancement.
place at HPH Hospice’s team office located at 6807 Rowan Road, New Port Richey. Topics covered will be how the Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias changes how verbal communication is received or expressed and how to deal with difficult behaviors. Time will be given for open discussion. There is no charge to participate but space is limited and advance registration is required. To make a reservation, contact Jan Double, HPH Hospice community relations coordinator at (727) 816-3602.
Alzheimer’s Communication and Behavior Solutions for Caregivers Thurs., May 24, 1:30 – 3:30 PM—HPH Hospice, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, will host a seminar for individuals who are currently caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or anticipates being in this position. The seminar will take
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Community News Briefs Pastor Gee Thompson Welcomes All to L.I.F.E. Center “Living in Integrity, Faith and Excellancy” is the motto of the Greater L.I.F.E. Christian Church, located at 12729 Race Track Road in Tampa. Pastor Gee Thompson welcomes new congregation members to partner with the church, and to collectively and fervently go on Living in Integrity, Faith & Excellency. Worship Service is weekly on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and a weekly bible study is held on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Pastor Gee Thompson grew up worshipping in the Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Beulah Baptist Church, both in Bessemer, Alabama. He realized his calling to preach and trained under Rev. Dr. Christopher Chappell at Grace Community Christian Church in Kennesaw, Georgia. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Master of Science Degree from the University of Alabama, in Tuscaloosa; and has aspirations to complete the
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requirements for a PhD in Theology. L.I.F.E.’s Pastor Thompson was ordained by Rev. Dr. Bartholomew Banks, Sr. at St. John Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida. He lives in the area with his wife Cynronica and their children, Candalyn and Cayton. He explains how he came to start L.I.F.E. Center, “In November 2010, the Holy Spirit deposited L.I.F.E. into my spirit. Through prayer and fasting, the Holy Spirit explained that my role and purpose was to teach and preach the Gospel, with simplicity, for the sole purpose of making people’s lives better. The Holy Spirit also explained that the foundation for a better L.I.F.E. is via the Gospel; Living in Integrity, Faith & Excellency.” Things started falling into place for the Pastor in February 2011. He had an impromptu conversation with a pastor who wanted to know if he was interested in acquiring the pews that were currently in his church.
Pastor Thompson, who was still pondering the name of his church at the time, explains, “This baffled me because he did not know that God had chosen me to start a church and logically, my thoughts were – what was I going to do with the pews; particularly when I didn’t have a location or the fundamentals in place to establish a church?” Seizing upon the opportunity to furnish his yet-to-be church, Thompson informed the pastor that he indeed did want the pews. Things continued to move along and it was in April 2011, while watching television with his family, that he noticed a painting on the wall of the televised show that displayed the word LIFE in bold letters. “With DVR technology, I pressed rewind on the remote control and subsequently pressed pause,” says Pastor Thompson. “And there it was, under the word LIFE, was an extended hand. The Holy Spirit immediately instructed me to place the Holy Bible on the hand. And it became so, the logo for the church.” Months passed and it seemed as if his dream of opening the church
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would never come to fruition. He had doubt that it would ever would but his faith in God was strong. “As I counted the cost, the results confirmed; “For with God nothing shall be impossible,” recounts the Pastor. “In January 2012, in obedience and faith, I secured a building and commenced with purchasing equipment. And, in the fullness of time, it became so…” Pastor Gee Thompson can be emailed at office@glcctampa.com or you can call (813) 956-L.I.F.E (5433).
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Rasmussen College: Over a Century of Innovation and Leadership! By Alexis Selby Honeycomb, one of the strongest structural engineering designs known to man, is the inspiration behind the principles upon which Rasmussen College was founded – absolute ingenuity and never-ending support. At Rasmussen College the honeycomb is an integral part of who they are and what they represent, providing students with a strong, sturdy support system that is dependable and consistent. “The honeycomb plays a huge part of who we are,” says Mike Ramos, the campus director at the Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco Campus of Rasmussen College. “We are the support system.” Founded in 1900 by Walter Rasmussen, for more than 110 years Rasmussen College has been providing students with a unique approach to college education and helping them to develop the practical, relevant, and advanced skills that they need to confidently start or advance a successful career. “Attending Rasmussen College has been the best decision I have ever made,” states student Charlene Mooney. The Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco Campus, which opened six months ago, is a brand new facility and boasts beautiful new classrooms, a well-stocked library and a spacious learning center. As a student at Rasmussen College, you will receive an in-depth, quality learning experience, in a personalized, intimate setting with knowledgeable, experienced teachers and a highly trained professional staff who really have your best interest in mind. With its small class sizes, which average 20 students per class, you get individualized attention in a welcoming
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and positive learning environment that is focused on student success. Offering day, evening and online classes, Rasmussen College has a class schedule for every lifestyle. The Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco Campus, located at 18600 Fernview Street in Land O’ Lakes, is conveniently located just off of State Road 54, and is easily accessible and within close proximity to Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. Mike, who upon graduation from high school served 26 years in the United States Army, has been working at Rasmussen College since October 2006, starting at the Ocala campus and transferring to East Pasco upon its Grand Opening. After retiring from the Army he stumbled upon Rasmussen College, and was immediately drawn to the institution, as it shared the same values and strong support system that he had become accustomed to in the Army. Rasmussen Accreditation Rasmussen College is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and several of its programs are Programmatically Accredited. Programmatic Accreditation, which focuses on particular aspects in each specified academic field of study, gives students an extra advantage when entering the work force, as employers place a higher value on those who graduate with such an accredita-
tion. “It is not something we have to do,” states Mike. “It is something we choose to do. We do this because it adds value to each student’s degree and we want to go above and beyond to see our students succeed!” Programs Offered The Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco Campus offers Certificate, Diploma, Associate’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree programs in four schools of study: Business, Health Sciences, Justice Studies and Technology and Design. East Pasco Campus is currently in the process of seeking approval for their Nursing Degree Program from the Florida Board of Nursing, so if you are interested in this program please check their website at www.Rasmussen.edu for the current status of this pending approval. At Rasmussen College, they take into account what is best for the community and what programs the community needs and would benefit the most from. When choosing new programs to implement at the college they look to pick the programs that are in the highest demand, which gives students the most opportunities when they graduate. “We are constantly looking at what is best for the commu-
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nity and what is best for our students,” states Mike. “We look at what our community needs and look to create programs that are really needed in the community.” As the community grows and continues to prosper, so does Rasmussen College. Mike says, “We grow with the community. We grow to service both the student(s) and our community(s).” Support At Rasmussen College you will find an immense support system comprised of caring professionals who are dedicated to helping their students form the foundation for success, giving them all the necessary tools and knowledge needed to thrive in the work force and in life itself. The Career Service Advisors (CSAs): The CSAs will help you develop your professional career-seeking goals and aid in preparing your resume and cover letter, in addition to assisting you in creating your professional portfolio, polishing your interview skills and guiding you through career choices and networking opportunities. The CSAs at Rasmussen College are known for their high rate of success with job placement, having an 82.9% success rate of placing students in their
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subject, allowing them to cope with the global economy and keep well informed of any and all new advancements that are made in that subject area. The professors are also able to give students valuable knowledge regarding their own personal experiences, allowing the students to Rasmussen College’s Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco Campus provides its students with see first-hand what their a spacious, fresh and uplifting learning environment plus a great support system. education can offer them specific field of study within 90 days of and much more. in the future. “Students are seeing real Program Managers: The Program them graduating – this is amazing! life interactions with their teachers,” Student Advisors: By developing a Managers will help you determine the states Mike. “The teachers bring their clear course schedule for your ‘My De- degree that is right for you, and assist knowledge of working in the field into you in completing your college appligree Plan,’ the student advisors work the classroom and share with their stucation as well as providing you with with you to determine a balanced dents the real-life experiences they course load and ensure course availguidance throughout your courses. have.” ability throughout your degree plan. Learning Center: Tutoring assisThe Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco Financial Service Advisors: The tance is available seven days a week, Campus is extremely involved in the Financial Service Advisors provide fiprovided both in-person and via webicommunity and goes above-and-benancial aid application support and will nars. yond to help out local organizations help you with any questions you may What really separates Rasmussen and charities in the area, whether it be have regarding your loan or grant. College from other institutions is that participating in community service a majority of the instructors are also Personal Support Center: Availevents or hosting local events at the working professionals, teaching stuable 24/7, the Personal Support Cencollege. A huge supporter of nondents the subjects in which they work ter will help you with any and all profit organizations, Rasmussen Colon a day-to-day basis. This is exquestions you might have regarding lege partners with the community and tremely beneficial to student learning, both online and in-person classes, as allows such organizations to come in as students receive the most current well as questions regarding internet and use their facilities for meetings and information and techniques in that connectivity issues, laptop software
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conferences free of charge. “It’s about opening up our doors to the community for whenever or whatever,” states Mike. “We do as much as we can for the community.” At Rasmussen College the professors take a hands-on approach to student learning and their teams of trained professionals are there for you for every step of your college experience, providing support through the easy times and the hard times, and guiding you in making the best choices that will benefit you for the rest of your life. “It’s not just about helping you while you are here, it’s also about what we are going to help you with once you graduate,” says Mike. “Going to school is tough, why do it alone?” The Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco Campus is located at 18600 Fernview Street in Land O’ Lakes, right off SR 54 and next to the Publix Shopping Center. Hours are Mon. – Thurs., 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Fri., 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; and closed on Sun. For more information, please call (813) 435-3601 or visit www.Rasmussen.edu.
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Ceremony Honoring Missing Man Held at Medical Center of Trinity By Diane Galemmo A Missing Man Dedication Ceremony was held on April 24 at the new Medical Center of Trinity. This poignant ceremony is symbolic of the Americans still missing from each of the five services – Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard – and civilians. The purpose of the ceremony is twofold—to acknowledge the inability of our missing to be with us in the celebrations we hold because they have been left behind, and to honor their sacrifice to our country. In the hospital's dining area stands a lone table beautifully set for dinner. On it are six complete place settings, a red rose in a vase centerpiece, and a Bible. The table is reserved for our missing loved ones, and it symbolizes that they are here with us in spirit. It serves to remind us that our troops are in harm's way every day and we should never forget these brave men and women who heeded the call to service. A memorial tablet on a
tripod near the table reads: “The table is round to show our everlasting concern for our missing men. The tablecloth is white symbolizing the purity of the soldiers' motives when answering the call to duty. The single red rose, displayed in a (R) Medical Center of Trinity CEO vase, reminds us of Leigh Massengill stands with the the life of each of the Honor Guard at Ceremony missing and their loved ones and friends of these Americans who keep missing and their families who seek anthe faith, awaiting answers. The vase is swers. The Bible represents the tied with a red ribbon, a symbol of our strength gained through faith to suscontinued determination to account tain those lost from our country, for our missing. A slice of lemon on founded as one nation under God. the bread plate is to remind us of the The inverted glass symbolizes their inbitter fate of those captured and missability to share this day with us. The ing in a foreign land. A pinch of salt chairs are empty—they are missing. symbolizes the tears endured by those We MUST bring them home.” The ceremony began with the Honor
Guard silently entering the room to the muted strains of "When the Caissons Go Rolling Along" in the background. The audience was then bid to stand for the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and a minute of silent prayer. The Honor Guard then moved into position around the dining table placing the covers (caps) of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and a civilian cap on the dinner plate at each place setting. Next, we sat stunned and sad-
dened, listening to the Missing Man Roll Call. In a duologue between a Leader (on stage) and a Responder (at the rear of the crowd), the Leader announces, “I am about to conduct a roll call of U.S. Military Personnel.” He then asks the Responder, “If any fail to respond will you vouch for their whereabouts?” “Yes, Sir,” replies the Responder. In all cases, for all Military Personnel, the Responder replies, “Not present, Sir. Missing in action, Sir.” The Responder then lists the missing. The numbers are staggering. “In World War I, 3,344 (1918) sol-
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diers were last seen in Europe, mostly in Germany and France. In World War II, 73,690 were last seen in Europe, Asia, North Africa, the Pacific, the Atlantic, and on virtually every continent and ocean in the world. In the Korean War, 7,958 were last seen in 1953, mostly on the peninsula of South Korea. In the Vietnam War, 1,666 were last seen prior to Operation Homecoming in 1973 in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand and the South China Sea. However, many have been reported seen alive in captivity since
then, Sir. There were 126 Cold War personnel last seen sometime between the end of World War II in 1945, and the end of the Cold War in 1989, when the Berlin wall was torn down.” “Sir,” the Responder concludes, “We are at war with a ruthless enemy who hates our freedoms and the American way of life. They scoff at the Geneva Convention that was Each item on an elegant table has a symbolic meant to protect all military personnel, both friend and foe, meaning regarding our MIAs and POWs should they ever become capWalter Lamerton and his wife Susan tured.” were present. Lamerton is a member The Leader then addresses ALL of NCOA (Non-Commissioned OffiAmericans: “Let us all find the resolve cers Association) and a member of to bring these American heroes home, Rep. Bilirakis and Rep. Nugent’s Vetno matter what it takes. Those who erans and Military Advisory Commitdefend the United States of America tee. He says, “We are always looking should not be left in the hands of our for opportunities to better the lives of enemies or ever be forgotten. We live our veterans and actively serving the and get the most out of life for those military and their families.” His profeswho gave up their good days for our sional office in Trinity, Weichert Realfreedoms. We live on to honor their tors, has been designated a “Service memory, and fight those who would Disabled Veteran Owned, Small Busilet them be forgotten, so the families ness” by the U.S. Department of Vetof the missing may someday find erans Affairs. Both Lamertons are also peace. God bless our service men and deeply involved with the USO. The women and God bless the United USO makes sure your help goes to States of America. They are not forthose who need it the most: troops gotten!” serving in combat, their families, our Many local veterans were present wounded warriors and their families, at this stirring ceremony as were the and families of the fallen. As a nonMitchell High School NJROTC; Paul profit, non-political organization, the Rizzo, senior chief of the Navy USO is now, and always will be, about Seabees and Moe Moyer, State Direcour troops. Wherever and whenever tor of Rolling Thunder, an organizathey go, the USO will be there…until tion whose mission is to educate the everyone comes home. public that many American POW's Lamerton adds, “On January 18, were left behind after all previous wars, the USO Board of Governors apto help correct the past, and to protect proved our request to establish a USO future Veterans from being left behind at Tampa International Airport. The should they become Prisoners of War airport included this project in their or Missing In Action. Moyer tells us, $20 million Main Terminal Modern“Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, U.S. Army, cap- ization Program. Construction of this tured June 30, 2009 in Afghanistan is $220,000 facility began in March, still being held against his will in Pakwith projected completion by July 1 istan by the Taliban. Please, keep him and its Grand Opening on Thursday, in your prayers and let's work together August 2. The USO will be located on to bring him home...until they all the 2nd level (ticket counters) of the come home.” Moyer is also the Direc- main terminal. The USO Center will tor of USO (United Services Organiserve many of the 300,000 active milization) Tampa Bay. tary and their families that annually Retired Senior Master Sgt. USAF transit Tampa International Airport.”
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Promotes Learning Through Exploring Our World with Rainbows, Sunshine & Mother Goose By Marcy Sanford An interesting way to see where your child is developmentally is to look at his or her drawings – especially ones of people. Younger children will most often draw a big head with lines coming out of it to represent the body but as children grow older and develop more awareness of themselves and the world around them, they will start to add arms, legs and a body to drawing of the person. Sue Anne Allbaugh learned this and much more during her 35 years of teaching elementary school children. After retire-
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ment, Sue Anne decided it was time to pursue her dream of opening a childcare learning center. She and her daughter, Andrea Driscoll, opened the first Panda Hugs in the New Tampa area and based on the positive response they received from parents and students decided to open a second one 15 years ago in the Odessa/Citrus Park area. Located at 8643 Gunn Highway, Panda Hugs is bright and cheery with spacious classrooms, two playgrounds, a music and movement room, a kitchen and a room unique to any child care facility I’ve even seen –
Rainbow World. Rainbow World is a large room with a child-sized town inside of it. A pretend theatre, school and store are a few of the “buildings” found inside Rainbow World. Children can change into costumes and the area can be adapted to fit into the lessons they are learning for the week. There is a set of stairs children can go up taking them behind the storefronts before they slide down into a ball pit. When Sue Anne and her daughter first opened the school, Sue Anne used her 35 years of experience teaching children to develop a curriculum based on learning through play. Each age
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group at Panda Hugs, from the infants in the young learners room to the after school children, have lessons and activities developed just for them. Everything is designed to help the children develop mentally, physically and socially. While a child is at Panda Hugs, the caring teachers and staff keep track of their development and help them to reach the next level. The Panda Hugs’ curriculum also adheres to Hillsborough County Public Schools expectations. When a student leaves Panda Hugs to go to Kindergarten, they are more than ready.
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gross motor skills through cuddling, talking and singing. Each baby in the infant room has his or her own crib for naptime and plenty of stimulating toys to examine when they are awake. All students at Panda Hugs have ample opportunities for play and exploring. Students play on the playgrounds Rainbow World is a child-sized town at Panda Hugs twice a day and have where the children love to play and explore the opportunity to try out many different acThe teachers at Panda Hugs know tivities throughout the day. the questions to ask children and how Two-year old toddlers are all to interact with them to help them about exploring their world and they excel. Each month, they have a theme have plenty of opportunities to do so they guide their lessons around which at Panda Hugs as they begin to move include learning about colors, shapes, to different interactive centers. The numbers and math, phonics and overteachers help them develop their selfall concepts such as opposites or cause and effect. Teachers communicate reg- help skills, social interactions and voularly with parents through year round cabulary through stories, crafts and songs. There is also plenty of time for conferences and daily and weekly newsletters detailing lessons and activi- playing with their friends in class. Starting when they are three years ties. old, students at Panda Hugs have the Teachers in the infant room work opportunity to learn sign language and with children as early as six weeks old Spanish. to help them develop their fine and
Panda Hugs has been a VPK (Voluntary Prekindergarten) provider since the program was introduced in Florida seven years ago. Students leave Panda Hugs ready for kindergarten thanks to the curriculum at Panda Hugs that promotes learning through exploring and incorporates centers that develop skills and knowledge in literacy, reading, math, science, social studies, arts and technology. Panda Hugs picks up at five elementary schools in the area. Students receive help with homework and play games, create art and crafts and have recreation time outside. Panda Hugs also offers camps during the school breaks and over the summer. The school age children who attend camp at Panda Hugs get to go on a field trip each day. Some are to places like MOSI and the Clearwater Aquarium while others are places where they can go skating, bowling or golfing. Throughout the week they work on arts and crafts and have water play days. All full-time students at Panda Hugs receive a homemade breakfast and lunch, and snacks throughout the
day. The menu, based on a USDA approved food program, includes fruits or vegetables with each meal and is included in the tuition. Children’s safety and security is very important at Panda Hugs and access into the building is monitored electronically. Panda Hugs is fully licensed by Hillsborough County. They are one of the top scoring VPK providers in Hillsborough County and all teachers are screened and certified in CPR and first-aid. According to Director Ericka Hurtado Panda Hugs has a very low teacher turnover rate and many of their students start with them as infants and stay through VPK. Panda Hugs cares for children from six weeks through five years old full-time and cares for children up to 12 years old in their afterschool program and summer camps. They are located at 8643 Gunn Highway and open Mon. – Fri., 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. For more information, call (813) 926-5742 or visit www.pandahugs.com.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? Don’t Let Junk Get In Your Way!
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By Katie Thomas
ot Junk? Convenient pick-up, upfront pricing, junk removal services and responsible disposal make 1-800-GOTJUNK? the company in your area to call for the hectic job of spring cleaning, or any other major cleanout project. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? began in 1989 and is a full-service junk removal service for residential, commercial and construction site locations. The company has saved over 1.5 billion pounds of junk from landfills; making the removal of your junk easy and eco-friendly. There is no reason to hold on to those unwanted and unneeded items any longer!
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1-800-GOT-JUNK? is the largest junk removal franchise in the world. The company has over 200 franchise partners in the United States, Canada and Australia. You may even have seen them at work on the popular A&E TV show Hoarders. Local 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise owners Troy and Rachelle invested in GOT-JUNK? over six years ago. After working in medical sales (Troy) and as a medical technologist (Rachelle), the couple was ready to try starting a business on their own and both agreed that looking into franchising would be a smart place to start. Troy and Rachelle sat down and took an evaluation through a franchise placement company that ultimately led
them to choose 1800-GOT-JUNK? as their future business endeavor. Troy says, “There was no other business like GOT-JUNK? in the area. Rachelle and I became educated in junk removal services and marketing aspects of the business, which got us to Owners Troy and Rachelle (left). The 1-800-GOT-JUNK? the point we are at truck fleet rises to the occasion in the Tampa Bay area, renow.” Rachelle moving your junk in a timely and professional manner. and Troy service Hillsborough, get a phone call 15-30 minutes bePasco and Northern Pinellas areas fore the promise window. Once the with complete full-service junk reguys are on-site with their trucks moval, professional call services and they will give you an estimate, load free estimates based on volume of up your unwanted goods into the the junk being removed. truck and leave you with a less clutJunk removal is easy with 1-800- tered, more organized space – junk GOT-JUNK?. Begin by making a free! call to Rachelle and Troy’s professional calling service and schedule a Why 1-800-GOT-JUNK? pick up time convenient for you. When choosing a junk removal Receive a two-hour time window for service, go with the company that the arrival of the trucks and you will has proven their top service stan-
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dards. In 2009, Troy and Rachelle received an award for best customer service within the 1-800-GOTJUNK? franchise system. Their customer service was rated #1 out of 300. Troy and Rachelle pride themselves on hiring the best people for the job. Their junk removal system consists of seven employees who are efficient and quick in what they do. Mike and Rachelle have a motto to be the “Fed-Ex of junk removal”. Troy explained that their business focus points include: on-time service, clean shiny trucks, upfront rates and friendly uniformed drivers. The couple uses the latest in communicative technology; the call service can send out information directly to the trucks so customers can receive same-day service. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? disposes of any and all non-hazardous materials. GOT-JUNK? specializes in household junk items including appliance removal, refrigerator removal, mattress removal, furniture, carpet, television set and tire removal. The company also will remove office junk, offering computer, printer and
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monitor recycling. Not only does GOT-JUNK? remove all your home and office extras, the company can take care of leaf removal, rubbish removal, offers an alternative garbage removal and dumpster, and will remove disaster preparation materials. GOT-JUNK? recycles or donates everything they can whenever possible in order to help sustain a better environment. Rachelle says, “We recycle as much as we can. Sixty percent of the materials we remove are donated to Salvation Army, Goodwill, Hospice and thrift stores. Rachelle and Troy are residents in the area and know the importance of giving back and being involved with their community. 1-800-GOTJUNK? has made it possible for the couple to stay active in helping their community. “We donate trucks and cleanup services to Keep Pinellas Beautiful,“ explain the pair. “We also donate recycled desks and furniture to Youths in Power to Achieve, which is an after-school program for underprivileged kids in the area that focuses on business and entrepreneurial programs.” Rachelle and
Troy are advocates of the Children’s Cancer Society, a program that hits close to home since their five-yearold has been diagnosed with leukemia. Rachelle says, “Troy and I make a good team together. We have to same goals and we know what it takes to run a business. Having strengths in such different areas has made us flexible and able to provide our customers with what they need.” Rachelle and Troy fully believe in their business, 1-800-GOTJUNK?, and they are fully confident
that their services work for everyone. Book an appointment to move the clutter and old junk out of your life now; 1-800-GOTJUNK? is coming into their busy season! Troy and Rachelle’s 1800-GOT-JUNK? office is located in Carrolwood. Call 1-800-GOTJUNK? to schedule a free estimate and/or pick-up or visit 1800gotjunk.com for additional information.
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Pacific Curbing Before
Enhance Your Garden Design with Concrete Curbing By Katie Thomas There is nothing quite like pulling up to your home and being greeted by a visually appealing landscape. Anyone who takes pride in their yard knows that a lot of time, patience and rearranging are required. Local and family-owned business Pacific Curbing offers a wide variety of colors, color mixtures, stamped borders and custom brick/stone curbing options that will shape your yard into a Floridian paradise. As Central Florida's decorative
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concrete curbing specialists, Pacific Curbing has the expertise and the artistic ability to help you easily transform your yard into a stylish, functional splendor. Lois Russo from Land O’ Lakes says, “We have used many different types of landscape blocks and bricks, and finally decided to invest in a more permanent solution for half the price. And we could not be happier that we selected Pacific Curbing!” Pacific Curbing is in the forefront of landscape design and serves the
After Central Florida area from Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties over to the Orlando area. As a leading company in decorative concrete curbing, Pacific Curbing offers professionally installed, permanent, attractive concrete border edging that provides wonderful benefits to any landscape. Concrete curbing serves as a weed and grass barrier by outlining flower beds, sidewalks, around trees, and more. Pacific Curbing offers concrete curbing in many diverse shapes, colors, stamp patterns and textures in order to give you the choice to completely customize your home’s yard. Pacific Curbing owner Marianna Long explains that the company has a
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fully trained crew that focuses on doing the job perfect while keeping a clean work environment. Pacific Curbing offers free estimates and installations are completed in full. Marianna's crew has over nine years experience in the concrete industry and provide phenomenal work and landscaping advice, bringing beautiful customized curbing to your front door. “I work with customers one-onone to find the best solutions for their project. I find out what their mission is and I work with them to bring their idea into fruition,” says Marianna. “If their idea is possible, we make it happen!”
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Concrete Curbing: Options & Benefits Galore! The benefits of concrete curbing from Pacific Curbing are endless. Concrete curbing materials are a permanent solution; the material does not rust like steel, will not decompose like wood, break like plastic, or move around like bricks. Offering curb appeal, concrete curbing is completely non-mobile once laid-in around your landscaping and will give your garden a polished finish. Pacific Curbing's fully trained installation crew can add patterns and colors to form a perfect match to any landscape. Marianna suggests matching your choice pattern to
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your roof for a complete, well-put-together look. Choose from beautiful curbing patterns and stamps or textured rollers that give a natural and artistic look to your concrete curbing. You can check out curbing patterns, styles and colors online at Pacific-Curbing.com. Curbing patterns and stamps make an impression in the concrete and offer a more 3D, symmetrical style. Rollers are great for a style that imitates natural rock or stone. Pacific Curbing’s installations are fully guaranteed with the most comprehensive warranty in the industry. Whatever pattern, style, or design you choose, Marianna and her crew at Pacific Curbing are dedicated to bringing you style and functionality that will enhance your home. For your free curbing estimate and design consultation, you can contact the company online at www.Pacific-Curbing.com (use the form link) or contact the company directly at info@pacific-curbing.com or (813) 770- 4424. Pacific Curbing is currently running a promotion that offers a "Cheaper than Bricks" offer: get up to 80 feet of concrete curbing installed for $395.
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Parveen S. Vahora, M.D. is Committed to Offering Innovative Solutions for all Women By Julie Kanehl Ladies, if you are looking for an experienced Gynecologist who will take the time to really listen to you and help you find solutions to your most personal health concerns, then you need to make an appointment with Parveen S. Vahora, M.D. In addition to being a specialist in Minimally Invasive Procedures such as the Laparoscopic Hysterectomy, Dr. Vahora is committed to helping each woman find the right solution to their health concerns. “I really listen to my patients,” says Dr. Vahora. “I believe in hearing what they have to say and I believe in taking my patients seriously.” Conveniently located off of State Road 54 in New Port Richey, Dr. Vahora’s office is just minutes from Lutz, Holiday and Trinity. Whether you are looking for basic gynecological care or you are looking for a specialist experienced in the da Vinci® Robotic Assisted Hysterectomy or Myomectomy procedure, Dr. Vahora is a highly qualified medical professional who is both Board Certified and Fellowship Trained. Women are treated with a great deal of respect at Dr. Vahora’s office. In fact, instead of paper gowns that rip and tear in revealing ways, patients are given real bath robes to wear during their visit, and dark chocolate to enjoy while they wait. It is Not Your Grandmother’s Hysterectomy™ Dr. Parveen S. Vahora completed her Fellowship in Laparoscopy and
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Dr. Parveen S. Vahora (Picture by Gould Photography) Pelvic Surgery at Celebration Health, near Orlando, and completed her residency training at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at Rosemont College and her Doctorate of Medicine at Drexel University. A member of many professional organizations including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and The American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists, just to name a few. Dr. Vahora can often be found educating other doctors as well as her patients in the advancements of gynecological care. According to Dr. Vahora, many women who have heavy bleeding or are having irregular bleeding need to come in and be checked. Choosing to focus on gynecological care instead of including obstetrics in her practice was a conscious decision for Dr. Vahora. “My passion is to educate women on their healthcare choices.”
Dr. Vahora is truly a specialist in performing Laparoscopic Hysterectomies, performing between two and five of them a week. “The key is that I’m doing laparoscopy day in and day out. This is what my passion is,” says Dr. Vahora, adding, “I like to do surgery, but I won’t do surgery unnecessarily. As always, surgery should be a last resort.” While some procedures can be done in the office, Dr. Vahora performs the majority of her surgeries at the Medical Center of Trinity, including the da Vinci® Robotic Assisted Hysterectomy. She also performs surgeries at the New Port Richey Surgery Center on Gulf Drive. The difference between the traditional method of hysterectomy and the laparoscopic method is the difference between a very large incision and a few smaller ones; it’s the difference between a long recovery and a quick one. If you need a hysterectomy, and many women do, the difference is night and day, which is why Dr. Vahora coined the phrase about it not being your grandmother’s hysterectomy. Laparoscopic surgery allows Dr. Vahora to do what once could only be done as a major abdominal surgery, as a minimally invasive procedure, which shortens recovery time and gets women back to their regular activities as soon as possible. Dr. Vahora is also specially trained in using the da Vinci® Robotic System, which is an advanced surgical platform that allows Dr. Vahora to overcome the trappings of the human hand. “Most of my patients are doing so well after surgery that they don’t even
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take their pain medicine,” says Dr. Vahora, “and most of them go home the same day.” In addition to the da Vinci® Robotic Assisted Hysterectomy, Dr. Vahora also performs the da Vinci® Robotic Assisted Myoectomy (which removes uterine fibroids through smaller incisions with precision and control), Laparoscopic Hysterectomy, Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy, as well as Hysteroscopic Sterilization, Endometrial Ablation, and Pelvic Floor Reconstruction. Dr. Vahora says, “I provide a more personalized experience for women by listening to their complaints and issues. My goal is to solve them.” Many women have other gynecological issues that don’t require surgery, but can be treated with medication, such as hormone therapy, including Bio-identical hormones. Bio-Identical hormones are the same hormones that your body makes, and when a patient is suffering, these kinds of hormones can be a real relief. Dr. Vahora explains, “I do a lot of compounding, which is when you work with a pharmacist to create a specialized medicine that is compatible with each of my patients. We are tailoring each medication plan for each patient.” Some painful conditions, like Vulvodynia and Interstitial Cystitis are issues that many doctors don’t specialize in. Dr. Vahora does, so sometimes she will see patients who drive from many hours away so that they can receive her care. In addition to educating her patients on their options, Dr. Vahora of-
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fers physical therapy tools that can help women with these kinds of conditions. One thing is clear after you meet Dr. Vahora, and that is that she is extremely dedicated to her patients. She is knowledgeable and experienced, and takes the time that is necessary to make her patients feel comfortable and well-cared for.
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surgery. I was at a Networking Event the following evening!” She adds, “If you want a good doctor, you can't do any better than Dr. Vahora, and if you do go to her, you'll be Gould Photography singing her praises just like I (Left) Nancy Poole, A.R.N.P., has joined do.” Dr. Vahora’s staff (Above) Patient Theresa Dr. Vahora Broughton & Dr. Parveen Vahora has recently been When local resident so busy that she has taken on a Nurse Theresa Broughton needed Practioner. Nancy Poole, A.R.N.P. surgery, she went to her doc- recently joined Dr. Vahora’s practice tors and asked them about and has been a great asset to the the da Vinci® Robotic Surteam. Dr. Vahora’s patients can look geries that she knew was forward to a larger practice in the available at the new Medical near future, as Dr. Vahora is considCenter of Trinity. “The other doctors ering moving closer to the Trinity that I went to said that they couldn't area. do what I needed. Dr. Vahora is truly If you are interested in learning a specialist in this area.” She says, more about the advancements avail“When I went into the hospital, I able in regard to surgeries like laparoknew exactly what to expect because scopic surgeries, Dr. Vahora is she was so thorough. I never had offering an educational seminar on pain, I never had blood, and I never “Robotics in Women’s Health for even had stitches. Nobody would Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surhave believed that I'd just had major
gery” this month. This informative session on women’s health will be held at the Medical Center of Trinity, on Wednesday, May 23 at 5:30 p.m. Dr. Vahora’s office accepts all major medical insurances and patients have the ability to call her office for an appointment, or to go online to www.zocdoc.com and book an appointment right there at your convenience. “I just want to help people,” says Dr. Vahora, and that sums it up right there. She truly is a medical professional who is dedicated to her patients, who takes the extra time to listen, and doesn’t give up on her patient’s problems until she’s found a satisfactory solution. Dr. Vahora’s office is located at 6325 S.R. 54 in New Port Richey and it is open Mon. – Thurs., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Fri. To make an appointment, call (727) 843-9350 or visit zocdoc.com. For more information about Dr. Vahora and her practice, including information on the da Vinci® Robotic Assisted Hysterectomy, please visit www.ParveenVahoraMD.com.
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A Therapy Like No Other at Quantum Leap Farm By Lynn Bankston How would you like to find a dynamic and fun way to heal and thrive? Hippotherapy – physical therapy with horses – is a fun, one-of-a-kind therapy for children and adults… and we’re not just horsing-around! At Quantum Leap Farm we have recently added Hippotherapy to our existing therapeutic riding and equine assisted self-exploration programs. Hippotherapy is a very dynamic and exciting therapy that utilizes traditional physical, occupational, and speech therapy treatment strategies. These are combined with a horse’s natural movement to create a program that achieves optimal, functional outcomes for every participant. We use horses to help people overcome physical challenges. In Hippotherapy, horses provide a dynamic base of support to stimulate trunk control and core strength, consistent and rhythmic stimulation, and sensory integration. Research shows that many therapies become more
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(left) Lynn Bankston, Quantum Leap Farm’s Hippotherapy Director and Physical Therapist. Hippotherapy is beneficial for people of all ages who are coping with physical challenges and pain, clients range from children to Veterans.
beneficial when coupled with repetitive, patterned rhythms. A rider experiencing a horse’s gait at the walk or trot can enhance improvements in function aided by the horse’s natural rhythmic movement. This movement activates muscles, reflexes, and neuro networks involved in postural control, motor planning, walking, body awareness, sensory systems, and a variety of other factors involved in retraining and returning injured bodies to higher function.
The types of challenges we address here include orthopedic dysfunctions, neurological deficits, balance & vestibular issues, amputations, and general muscle weakness or deconditioning. We are working with children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, orthopedic issues, and many more conditions. The best part of Quantum Leap Farm’s Hippotherapy program is that it is fun. Clients who are coping with
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challenges and pain find interacting with our horses, therapists and instructors, volunteers and their fellow participants as healing as the therapeutic movement itself! We focus our treatments on improving the activities of daily living along with the unique goals of each client. There are very few individuals who could not participate in our program. As long as they are willing to try, we can do the rest! We work closely with an individual’s doctor and
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rehab team (when applicable) and periodically reassess their progress in order to be certain we are reaching their goals. As Quantum Leap Farm’s Hippotherapy Director and Physical Therapist, I have had the opportunity to combine my equestrian background and knowledge with my manual therapy skills for the benefit of our clients. Our program is growing as we add more horses to our superb team, and as we host two Hippotherapy courses this year (see below for details). These courses will train therapists to implement Hippotherapy into their treatment strategies and how to begin a Hippotherapy business themselves. Our herd of horses includes big and small, narrow and wide, white to black and every color in between. They are all sweet, willing and careful.
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They each have unique talents and offer individuals a very personal experience. Quantum Leap Farm horses are selected with great care and consideration for safety. Therapy horses have extensive training and all of them have wonderful personalities. We work with our horses carefully to maintain their health and interest in their therapeutic work. We also make sure that they get to relax and be outside—that they get to be horses everyday! We really enjoy what we do here at Quantum Leap Farm and invite you to call if you’d like to come for a visit. We are glad to answer your questions about any of the programs we offer. Contact Quantum Leap Farm Tuesday through Saturday. We would love to see you soon! Quantum Leap Farm can be reached at (813) 920-9250, or call Lynn Bankston, MPT, directly at (813) 957-7174. Check out our website www.quantumleapfarm.org for more information and be sure to look at our calendar of events. Let us know how you would like to become involved with Quantum Leap Farm!
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“Dentistry” Continued from page 1 She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of South Florida in Tampa, and then earned a Doctorate in Dental Medicine from the University of Florida, where she graduated 7th in her class. A true Gator fan, Dr. Amanda stayed on in Gainesville to complete a Residency in Pediatric Dentistry through UF, and then moved back to our area to begin working with patients. After successfully working with patients in Palm Harbor for three years, she and her husband Gabe, who is the business manager, wanted to create a practice where she would be able to do what she loved while being close to home and raising a family. “This practice grows with me and my family,” says Dr. Amanda. She adds, “Being a parent helps me to better understand and being a mom is the biggest asset that I have.” Dr. Amanda designed her new practice with families in mind, and opened this state-of-the-art facility in 2009. Clearly designed by a dentist who is a mom, the waiting room and the patient care rooms accommodate parents, siblings and family members
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who want to be there to watch and to help to soothe the nerves of their little ones (not that they’ll need it!). The treatment area is clean, open and welcoming, and it makes children feel comfortable that they are in a room where other children are having their teeth cleaned too. There are TV monitors above each treatment chair so that kids can enjoy their favorite movies while they get their teeth cleaned, and most importantly, the calm and experienced approach of Dr. Amanda makes going to the dentist a breeze for kids and parents alike. Parents who wait in the waiting room are treated to Hi-Def TVs, free Wi-Fi access and a coffee bar, while the kids get a chance to visit the coveted “Treasure Tower” when they are finished with their visit. Suncoast Pediatric Dentistry has the best in technology for her patients; for example, she only uses digital x-rays because they provide a fraction of the radiation that regular dental x-rays typically emit, and she makes sure that all
Dr. Amanda has a great way with children, helping them to feel comfortable and relaxed of her patients wear lead body aprons and shields that limit radiation exposure. That said, untreated dental decay is a much more imposing threat than the minimal radiation that is given off during the comprehensive xrays. Dental x-rays are an extremely important diagnostic tool that allows the doctor to see the true health of the teeth in a way that a clinical or visual exam would not allow. Dental problems that are caught early enough can be much easier on the child to treat, and less expensive as well. Prevention is the key to successful
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dental care throughout childhood, but sometimes treatment becomes necessary. In addition to providing cleanings and fillings, Dr. Amanda performs extractions and space maintenance to help children have a beautiful and healthy smile as they grow. Dr. Amanda can also provide appliances for children with more serious jaw alignment issues due to things like thumb-sucking. She can also provide parents with a prescription for fluoride vitamins, as fluoride is an important part of preventive dental maintenance, and fluoride is no
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of their teeth better throughout their lives than children who did not see a dentist. Dr. Amanda says, “We see a lot of issues in children at the age of three that we could have prevented [had we seen that child earlier].” Suncoast Pediatric Dentistry treats Dr. Amanda Velazquez designed Suncoast Pediatric patients from birth Dentistry to be comfortable & convenient for families until young adulthood, and Dr. longer available in Pasco County’s Amanda says it’s important for water. teenagers and young adults to continue It’s important for children to be to come back and see her when they brought in to see their dentist early; in are home for break between semesters fact, while many people make the misat school. Kids often drop off the face take of waiting until their children have of the map when they are in college, all 20 of their teeth, Dr. Amanda tries and it is important for them to know to educate parents that The American that they can still come and see their Academy of Pediatric Dentistry believes dentist and continue the preventive that children should be seen as early as treatment in an environment that they when they receive their first tooth – are already comfortable with throughthat means as early as 4-6 months! This out those important years. enables the doctor to take a look at the The goal at Suncoast Pediatric child’s mouth, jaw and tooth developDentistry is to make everyone as comment, and so that the child will have fortable as possible, which is why she what is called a “dental home.” Studies offers nitrous oxide treatment, conshow that children who go to the denscious sedation and IV Sedation with a tist before their first birthday take care Pediatric Anesthesiologist when neces-
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sary. She is very conservative, and only uses treatments such as these when necessary, but they are available and can make a child’s experience a much better one if a lot of treatment is necessary. “What sets us apart is that in addition to treating children of all ages, we treat patients that have special needs, like patients with Down syndrome, patients with birth defects or patients with autism,” says Dr. Amanda. “I also believe that education is important, and we go out to many of the local schools to teach children the importance of taking care of their teeth.” Dr. Amanda Velazquez is devoted
to the children in her practice. She goes the extra mile to make each child comfortable and to give them the best possible care. She has an open door policy with parents, and she is looking forward to watching the children in our community grow and smile. Suncoast Pediatric Dentistry is located at 2640 Sumerian Drive in Land O’ Lakes and it is open Tues. – Fri., from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. To make an appointment, please call (813) 235-4960; visit online at www.SuncoastPedo.com for more information.
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“A/C Specialists” Continued from page 1 is easy and sometimes it takes a little more effort. I love this business because I enjoy the interaction with people and the relationships we have built through the years.” A/C Specialists consists of a team of highly-trained and certified service technicians and installation crews. Technicians are familiar with the products they service and install, attending training sessions by the manufacturers. A/C Specialists’ certified technicians have the training, tools and experience to handle a complete range of heating, air-conditioning and air-quality services. The administrative staff makes sure customers are well taken care of and contacts them at least twice a year to make sure they are aware that there may be a need for preventive maintenance. It is a means that can save customers a lot of money. “Preventive maintenance reminders are appreciated by our customers because we have saved many of them hundreds, if not thousands (of dollars),” Dave said. “Of course, just like your routine dental check,
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you learn what can go wrong and what to watch. Our customers know that we aren’t professing to have a crystal ball. We are very interested in working with them to avoid breakdowns that are costly and preventable.” A/C Specialists are available around the clock and there is no surcharge for service calls on weekends or during normal business hours. “We don’t penalize our customers for not planning their cooling or heating breakdown during our normal business hours,” Dave said. Breathe Easy With A/C Specialists Ensuring indoor air quality is a specialty that has many positive effects, including making for a healthy environment for families affected by allergies. EPA studies have shown that the air inside a home is 10 times more polluted than the air outside. Most modern homes are built to be airtight and energy efficient, and that means the stale air, full of odors, contaminants, chemicals, and tiny insects can be trapped inside and make for a very unhealthy atmosphere. The polluted air that comes along with it can lead to sneezing,
(L to R) Dave, Logan and Tim Winston of A/C Specialists, a family-owned air-conditioning/heating company that has been operating for 34 years and offers service around the clock, seven days a week.
colds, and other irritants that can lead to allergies and worse. A/C Specialists understands how important it is to have quality air in your home and provide energy efficient products to improve the quality of life and the quality of air that you breathe. Some of the products that they can install include electronic air cleaners, UV systems, humidifiers, energy recovery ventilators and heat recovery systems, all of which help to produce fresher air and improve over-
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MAY 2012
all air quality. Many, but not all, older air conditioning systems need to have ductwork replaced or repaired and A/C Specialists helps customers make decisions that will serve them best. “The first thing I needed to do after the recent purchase of a home was to replace an air conditioning unit,” a recent customer said. “After obtaining several quotes, I chose A/C Specialists because Dave took the time to explain to me exactly
Neighborhood News & Lifestyles
what my home needed and why. I was given the choice between investing in the repair of the faulty system or a replacement. I was very pleased with the work that was done and my home cools or warms more efficiently. In the first month after the new system was installed, I noticed a 25 percent reduction in my electric bill even though the weather was warmer and I am very happy with that.� A/C Specialists are A-1 rated by the Better Business Bureau. They are state-certified, licensed, bonded and
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insured. Call A/C Specialists, Inc. to schedule a service appointment or for a free, no-obligation consultation to determine the perfect system for your home or business. A/C Specialists, Inc. is State Certified (CAC1815947) and is located at 15433 N. Florida Ave. in Tampa. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please call (813) 968-7032. Visit www.ACSpecialistsInc.com online and find them on Facebook.
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TRINITY DENTAL CARE IES C N GE E! R E EM ELCOM W
(727) 372-2001 Toll Free: 1-888-tooth AK www.trinitydentalcare.com
We perform the following procedures: - Preventive Dentistry Dr. S. Shayes - Dr. A. Eskandari - Crowns, Bridges - Dentures, Partials, Repairs - Tooth Colored Fillings - Gum Treatment #DN15492 #DN15013
at. S & ing ailable n e Ev s. Av t App
- Root Canals - Teeth Whitening - Dentistry for Children and Adolescence - Invisalign (the clear braces) - etc.
1843 Health Care Drive, Building #1 Trinity, FL 34655 (at the corner of Mitchell Blv &Little Rd, behind Walgreens)
Complimentary Second Opinion (D9310) Exp. 6/15/2012. New patient only. Valid weekdays only. Coupon needs to be presented at time of service.
• Nitrous Gas (Happy Gas) • Warm blankets, neck rolls and head phones in everyroom • 12 Month Interest Free Financing Available • Most Insurances Accepted • Evening & Sat. Appts. Available • Now Accepting Care Credit ®
NEW PATIENT SPECIAL Exam (D0140) and X-Ray (D0272 or D0220)
$19.99 EXP. 6/15/2012. WEEKDAYS ONLY. New patient only. Cannot be used with insurance. Coupon needs to be presented at time of service.
The patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment or be reimbursed for payment for another service, examination or treatment which is performed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, discounted or reduced fee, service, examination or treatment.
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MAY 2012
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MAY 2012
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MAY 2012
Neighborhood News & Lifestyles