Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles, East Lake Magazine, Vol. 15, Issue 4, April 2022 by Tampa Bay News & Lifestyles Magazine

Vol. 15, Issue 4, April 2022

Your community. Your magazine.

The Premier “Shop Local” Community Magazine Directly Mailed To 18,000 Homes In East Lake & Surrounding Areas This Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To:

Anchorage, Bay Arbor, Boot Ranch, Brookers Landing, Crescent Oaks, CRYSTAL LAKE CONDOS, Cypress Cove, Cypress Lakes

Estates, Cypress Run, Cypress Trails, Deer Hollow, Grey Oak, Eagle Cove, Eagle’s Cove at Lake Tarpon, Eagle Ridge, Eagle Trace, Eagle Watch, East Lake Oaks, East Lake Woodlands, Hunters Wood, Keystone Bluffs, Keystone Palms, Keystone Ranchettes,

Lansbrook, Lansbrook Village, Meadow Ridge, Nature’s Watch, Oak Hill Acres, Pine Ridge, Regina Estates, Ridgemoor, Tarpon Woods, Wentworth, Whispering Lakes, WINDMILL POINT, Woodfield

Realtor Colleen Bebell Wants Her Clients to Feel At Home By Deborah Bostock-Kelley With 15 years in the real estate industry and a specialized background as a licensed mortgage broker and in title working with a real estate attorney, Colleen Bebell, founder of Home with Colleen, takes pride in making her clients feel at home buying or selling. A Florida native raised in Pinellas County, Colleen’s services covers all Pinellas and Pasco counties.

TLC Adult Day Care and Recreation Center Offers Seniors Socialization and Fun, and Caregivers a Break By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Suppose you are a caregiver responsible for a loved one who’s recovering from surgery, a stroke, or dealing with the early signs of dementia, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s. It is not uncommon that you may feel overwhelmed and alone. With a background See “TLC” on page 18

Colleen’s understanding of the industry from negotiating, market knowledge, and loyalty help her add value when working with buyers and sellers. “With my background in the mortgage and title side of real estate, it allows me to guide them through the buying or selling process.” Colleen believes education in today’s market is a bonus to be the best See “Colleen Bebell” on page 20

INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Editor........................5

Tech Talk......................................8

Decorating Den..................12-13

SAT/ACT..................................14

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Autism Awareness Month Recent CDC statistics revealed that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is 4.3 times more prevalent in boys than in girls. According to the Child Mind Institute, girls “often go undiagnosed because they don’t fit autism stereotypes and mask symptoms better than boys do.” April 2 celebrates World Autism Awareness Day. Autism prevalence is now one in every 59 children in America. There is no better way to support this day than by becoming aware of the characteristics of people with this condition and how we can do better to increase our understanding and promote kindness.

“Help Us. Help You” Tampa has expanded an innovative program that aims to enhance communication between first responders and individuals with special needs such as autism or any disability that affects their communication. This is a dual effort between Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue to ensure citizens are safe when interacting with first responders. The first step is to voluntarily collect addresses and primary contact information for individuals with special needs. First responders will be able to access this vital in tbnewsandlifestyles.com an emergency or call For or visit For Advertising Advertising Info Info 727-943-0551 727-943-0551 II info@nnlflorida.com info@nnl- information

for service. Registered residents will be mailed stickers to place in the windows or doors of their home or vehicle. Please visit tampa.gov to fill out a City of Tampa Voluntary Special Needs Registry Form.

Additional Resources: Please go online and visit autismspeaks.org for valuable information and pledge to help create a safer world where all people with autism can reach their full potential by increasing understanding and acceptance.

Puzzle Ribbon - Show your

support for people and children with autism by wearing the Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon - as a pin on your shirt, car magnet, or social media picture.

Until next time,

Carla M. Dubis Tedeschi. APRIL 2022 5

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Tech Talk with Bob: “I Think I’ve Been Scammed!”

Cybercriminals are using effective techniques in their scheme to separate you from your money. I regularly receive calls from folks saying, “I think I’ve been scammed! What do I do now?” My friend Kate fell victim to a scammer recently. While surfing the web, a message popped up on her screen. This “official looking” pop-up message instructed her to call a specific phone number because she had “a malware infection that needed immediate attention.” If that wasn’t bad enough, she also found herself locked out of her computer. It was frozen. No mouse. No keyboard. She felt her only option was to call the phone number on the screen, which she did. By the time those scammers finished with her they had not only taken control of her computer, but also convinced her that they could restore it to working order once she paid them $499.00. She did. These scammers called it a service charge. I call it extortion. Now mind you, Kate is a bright, intelligent woman who would typically never

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get taken for a ride. But these cybercrooks are extremely proficient at what they do. They constantly hone their skills conning trusting people who think they’re in trouble. Why do they do it? Scamming people in this fashion has proven to be exceptionally profitable. Most are offshore. Few get caught. Your best defense? Internet safety awareness and developing safer online habits to make it more problematic for these crooks to “have their way” with your computer and take control of your digital life. So, what do you do if you get a pop-up on your screen telling you to call a phone number or click on a link? First, take a picture of your screen with your cell phone. Be sure any phone number or website address is readable. Second, do not click on any links. Do not call any phone numbers. Third, immediately disconnect your computer from the internet and TURN IT OFF. And finally, CALL ME IMMEDIATELY at 727-5344000 for instructions on what to do next. What do you do if you receive a phone call from a stranger telling you that you have a malware infection or something else is wrong with your computer? Immediately hang up. Do not engage them in conversation. If they call back, hang up

again or don’t even answer. But what do you do if you have already downloaded their software to give them control of your computer? Immediately disconnect your computer from the internet and TURN IT OFF. Then, CALL ME IMMEDIATELY at 727534-4000 for instructions on what to do next. If you leave it on, they can monitor your activity, steal your data, and even ransom it. Leave your computer off until I have an opportunity to assess the safety of your system. What if you have given them your credit card number? Immediately call your card issuer and have your card and the transaction cancelled. Don’t wait to get your credit card statement. Call your bank and deal with this immediately. Some banks may require you to file a police report. This story does have a happy ending. I was able to purge the malware from Kate’s computer and give it a clean bill of health. She called her bank. They flagged the transaction for their fraud division; cancelled Kate’s credit card; and had a new card in the mail to her the very next day. If Kate had done nothing, she would have been scammed out of nearly 500-bucks. But even worse, those crooks would still have control of her computer. They could

spy on her or ransom her computer whenever they felt like it. Kate changed from being a passive victim to a vigilant internet user by recognizing and taking immediate control of her situation. These crooks can be intimidating. They’re relentless. They prey on a person’s fear of, and inexperience with, technology. Every time I speak with a victim of this scam, they always say the same thing. “I can’t believe I fell for it.” Sometimes their embarrassment of being scammed prohibits them from reaching out for help. Kate felt so much better when SHE took control of the situation. Be safer not sorrier. You do not have to be a casualty of these high-tech outlaws. Are you certain your computer is safe? You don’t have to do this alone my Friend. My staff and I are here to keep your computer safer and keep it running. My team repairs computers and secures them, on our bench, on-site in your home or office, and even remotely. We have the best solutions already in place and we’re only a phone call away. Call us anytime at 727-534-4000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. We Keep You Safer In Your Digital World!

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The Benefits of Accent Lighting By Decorating Den Fixing up your room with new furniture, decor and other accessories will put you on the right track to a successful makeover, but accent lighting can bring the theme together and make the space feel complete. Whether you’re interested in wall sconces, floodlights, recessed lights or tracking lighting, there are dozens of options to choose from that can cater to the look you’re going for. Best of all, as simple as accent lighting may be, it can make a large impact on the overall feel of the room. Before you start navigating through your lighting options, be sure to reach out to a Decorating Den Interi-

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ors for assistance. We can provide assistance and give you insight on how beneficial

accent lighting can truly be. Here are a few of its advantages:

1. It makes a stunning focal point

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Turn your guests’ heads as they enter the room with the perfect accent lighting. Certainly, the point of this fixture is to focus light on another area or object, but it can be an attraction zone on its own. If this sounds like your style, talk to your personal decorator about finding the perfect piece based on your intentions. 2. It can accentuate your wall decor Or, if you want the room to revolve around a certain piece of wall decor, accent lighting can make happen. Relying on overhead lighting or floor lamps to bring attention to decorations doesn’t work well because it isn’t focused in on them. With accent lighting, the fixture can hug your wall decor effortlessly. Accent lighting can set the perfect tone in your room. 3. It can improve the atmosphere in your room If you’re looking for a subtle way to set the right tone in the room, accent lighting can do the job for you. This especially holds true if you’re interested in dimmers – lights that can dim and brighten manually – as they can transform a room

from dark and romantic to cozy and welcoming. 4. It’s the perfect year-round decor piece Many of your pieces of decor likely have a timestamp – they’re either out for one season or seemingly dull halfway through the year. Accent lighting, however, can make the perfect decoration year-round. Talk with your personal decorator about what style of fixture would look best in your room, regardless of the time of year. 5. There are so many styles As stated earlier, there are ample styles of accent lighting fixtures to choose from. This allows you to be versatile and make the best decisions based on the atmosphere you’re trying to evoke. Moreover, consider getting in contact with a design consultant from Decorating Den Interiors. He or she can come over to your home and provide a free consultation to properly assess the space and offer design suggestions. This educated assistance can help you make the best decision toward sprucing up your space. For more information, call Sally Giar at 727-7894886

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SAT AND ACT IMPROVEMENT: EXPANDING BRIGHT FUTURES By Dr. Wayne Adams Upcoming Exam Dates: SAT on May 12th, June 4th, and August 27th; … ACT on April 2nd June 11th, and July 16th. The Florida Legislature is considering several bills that would expand the qualifications for Bright Futures to include paid paid work hours as well as volunteer hours. This is meant to help students who need or want to work. The lower academic award (around $18,000 over 4 years), called Florida Medallion Scholars Award, currently requires that a student complete 75 hours of volunteer work, along with certain academic requirements. That would include a weighted 3.0 GPA, an ACT score of at least 25, or SAT 1210. For the higher award (around $25,000 over 4 years), called Florida Academic Scholars Award, requires 100 hour of volunteer work, plus a weighted 3.5 GPA, and an ACT score of at least 29 or 1330 for the SAT. For more information about this possibility, go to https://floridaphoenix. com/2022/02/18/big-changes. To help my parents and students in quickly comparing colleges and universities, I have now developed a quick and easy way to get the most current and detailed information available on the Internet. You can quickly find out such information as national ranking, type, ranges of SAT and ACT scores for acceptance, campus life,

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overall and net costs, starting salaries, mid-career earning levels, and much more. This is particularly helpful when combined with my guide “Negotiating with Colleges” that has helped save my students $1,000 to $10,000/ year in college costs. This is part of the first halfhour of each prep class where I almost always meet with the parent(s) and student(s) so we can get to know each other, they can hear the philisophies underlying the classes that have proven so successful for my students, and see how I aim for each student and family to have their best possible futures … including doing their best on SAT and/or ACT Exams. As we all move into spring, many SENIORS are working on bringing up their exam scores up to qualify for the 75% or the 100% Bright Futures Scholarship (about $25,000). We have until the last SAT Exam on Saturday, June 4th, to qualify with the SAT, and until the last ACT Exam on Saturday, June 11th, to qualify with the ACT. At this point, it is not unusual to do a “Skill Strengthening” class to improve either the Writing and Language / Reading combined score or the Math score on the SAT, or either the English and Reading combined score or the Math and Science combined score on the ACT. These focused classes are about half the hours of a full prep class. Sometimes, when we are aiming for more improvement, we do the full prep classes. My JUNIORS and some SOPHOMORES are usually

focused on getting ahead with preparing for the SAT and/or ACT and either work over the spring, or get set to prepare starting right after school finishes for the ACT in mid-July and/or the SAT the last Saturday in August. For students wanting to do a combination class of ACT and SAT, we can finish either the week just before school resumes in August (with a complementary, additional review class the week before the SAT), or the week before the actual SAT Exam. During the summer, we easily schedule around family vacations, summer jobs, athletic commitments, and “surprises” as they may arise. If You Would Like To Talk More About Your Student … Please contact me at 727-2530639 or send me an email at wwa0811@mykolab.com. Dr. Wayne Adams is one of the leading SAT and ACT tutors in the country. His students normally improve 200+ points on the Writing, Reading, Writing and Essay, and Math, and 4 – 7 points on the ACT composite. They have been admitted to 8 of

the top 10 universities in the country, 18 of the top 25, and many schools in Florida. These schools include Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, U Chicago, Duke, U Penn, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Notre Dame, Emory, UC Berkley, UCLA, USC, UNC (Chapel Hill), NYU, Northeastern (Boston), Boston College, Georgia Tech, Naval - Air Force - Merchant Marine Service Academies, Penn State, LSU, Auburn, UF, U Miami, FSU, USF, UCF, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, FIU, New College of Florida, Stetson, and Julliard – Manhattan - New England - and Berkley Conservatories of Music. Many have received academic, athletic, or music scholarships. This year, he also tutored three juniors who scored at the national merit finalist/semi-finalist levels on the most recent PSAT. He is a former Dean of a Graduate School of Business and Full Professor, and began college teaching at the University of Maryland in 1968. He has degrees and advanced studies at Harvard, Yale, Vanderbilt, Columbia International, and Luther Rice.

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TLC - story continued from page 1 in senior healthcare for over 25 years and owning a Medicare-certified home health agency for 17, Tom Wingo knew that a critical need was not being met for seniors and their caregivers. He founded TLC Adult Day Care and Recreation Center with his wife and two daughters in December 2019 to provide seniors a fun place to socialize while giving their caregivers downtime and an opportunity to recharge. “We took the leap of faith to open an adult day care because the need was so great in Tampa Bay.” Seniors may have been the hardest hit when the pandemic temporarily shut down many healthcarerelated businesses in early 2020. With limited guidance from the CDC and other state and federal agencies regarding proper safety protocols, in March 2020, Tom decided to close for the safety of his staff and members temporarily. “Especially during the pandemic, loved ones isolated at home may experience depression and decline cognitively and physically because they are sitting at home doing nothing. They don’t have the interaction, the socialization, and the therapeutic activities to keep their memories sharp and to keep them physically active,” he said. “Many caregivers were begging

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us to reopen because their loved one had already started to decline. When you’re home, and there’s nothing to do, you get depressed, sitting around watching TV or sleeping all day.” When better safety guidance was received from the government, TLC decided to reopen in May 2020, which meant many happy members could return to their favorite place. Though the business struggled for a while, once vaccines became available, the floodgates opened up of those seeking the type of programs that TLC offers. “Because they had socialization and activities again, all of a sudden, the same loved one who was experiencing some form of cognitive or physical decline was thriving again.” Featuring a bilingual staff and following CDC protocols, TLC offers an adult day program for halfday up to five hours and a full-day up to nine hours, 9 AM to 5 PM, making it flexible for the caregiver. Members are served a delicious breakfast, lunch, and a snack approved by a registered dietician. “Adult Day Care is for someone who wants to live at home, or their caregiver wants them to live at home and have a safe place to come for the day to have fun, meet new friends, enjoy therapeutic and educational activities, and age-appropriate fitness programs,” he said. ”It’s so important for the caregiver

to be able to take a break. Caregivers suffering from burnout and exhaustion really need to take care of themselves first so they can take care of their loved ones. Caregivers often experience guilt and feel that they should be ‘doing it all.’ Seeking help does not make you a failure. Actually, quite the opposite. Seeking help benefits both you and your loved one.” Tom explained that many people don’t even know adult day care exists. “That is the key – getting the word out – that this place is here. It is incredible, and many people don’t know about it. There’s help here. If they’re not appropriate for our center, we can help them find another alternative. It may be time for assisted living, memory care, or maybe even other options,” he said, “We get a lot of responses when people hear about us, ‘if only I had had this when I was taking care of my loved one. I could have really used what you do.’ “ “Our goal was to be

different and have a homelike environment when people come in, and they feel extremely comfortable. We have an activity planned every hour. We go back and forth between an active and non-active activity. We don’t want to wear anybody out.” Nicknamed ‘The TLC Fun Club,’ TLC is all about socialization and making friends. “There’s different types of socialization. For example, some of our members can’t verbalize very well, so they listen and love to interact with others through the different activities. They want to be part of a group having fun. Even if they have difficulty, there is still socialization without speaking. We have something for everyone.” Seniors who’ve transitioned from surgery and in-patient hospitalization to returning home may need someone to look out for them. TLC is a safe place for them to recover while meeting other seniors, staying active, and making sure someone assists them.

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We try to have a party for everything. At the end of the day, if they aren’t walking out with a big smile on their face, we’ve failed. That’s the key – for them to have a wonderful day, meet new friends and have fun. When their loved ones come to pick them up, a lot of our members look over at them and say, ‘what are you

During admission to the center, each member goes through an activity and social history assessment to determine what they used to or currently like to do. “A lot of caregivers are like ‘my mom would never do that’ and after a few visits ‘I can’t believe my mom loves that.’” Therapeutic activities include seated indoor volleyball, bean bag toss, giant Yahtzee, chess, dominoes, darts, arts, crafts, singing, dancing,

doing here? I’m not ready to go home yet. No, it’s too early’.” TLC Adult Day Care is located at 3970 Tampa Rd., Suite J, Oldsmar. To learn more about TLC Adult Day Care, visit https://www.tlcadultdaycare.com or call 813.510.4000.

armchair traveling, Zumba, Tai Chi, yoga, foosball, a drum circle, ice cream socials, birthday parties, non-alcoholic happy hour, monthly themed events, and so much more! The center also features a relaxation Zen lounge complete with a waterfall, Himalayan salt lamps, and relaxing music for members who need a break from so many activities. “For us, it is all about our members having fun. It’s a party atmosphere.

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“Colleen Bebell” story continued from page 1 realtor for her buyers and sellers. “I am an Accredited Buyers Representative. This coveted designation demonstrates your commitment to providing outstanding service for real estate buyers and a Sellers Representative Specialist to peers and consumers. This designation elevates my professional standards, enhances individual performance.” In addition to those, she also has a Pricing Strategies designation that gives her knowledge to explain pricing recommendations, keeping up to date with market developments. This designation helps buyers and sellers with pricing and understanding of what is happening in the market. The designations help Colleen be more knowledgeable about negotiating, be educated on the latest strategies, and get the deal done. She explained that every buyer and seller have different needs, whether a cash buyer, a finance offer or

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selling a manufactured home to a million-dollar home. “I have developed skills to make each offer stand out. I work side-by-side with lenders that I know, like, and trust to work with my buyers.” “Do you have the right lender? That’s very important. That should be the first thing so the buyer can know how much they can afford. They should know what area they want to be in, but we help out too by asking them questions like, where do you work, where do you go to church, so you can help them find a home in the right area. Do you need to be close to the water or the airport? Is this your starter or your forever home? We ask many questions to help them find the perfect home.” The most crucial part of the process is working with a suitable lender if it is not a cash purchase. When Colleen takes on a listing, she offers a concierge service to sellers from being a great communicator, professional photography, holding Open Houses, using staging

companies to help stage the home if necessary, and marketing the property on social media also to the pertinent area/buyers and other agents. She works with a professional who can help the seller decide what stays in the house and what needs to be removed for a listing. It helps them organize and be showing ready! These are a few of what you get when you hire Colleen to sell your home. One of Colleen’s many home buyer success stories includes a virtual tour. The buyer bought the property from Colleen’s tour without ever visiting the home. Colleen relayed a favorite story about a buyer from

Las Vegas moving back to Florida who went on a virtual house tour. The client, Mrs. King, happily attested to Colleen’s abilities in a five-star review: “Colleen was the most remarkable realtor I’ve ever had the opportunity to hire. I moved from out of state, where I also sold my home. My realtor there wasn’t courteous nor helpful. However, every time I needed help, Colleen was there to listen and offer suggestions to assist me in making my decisions. I would say she saved my life with her professionalism, courtesy, kindness, and patience. If she didn’t have an answer, she would always

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Colleen Bebell and her family (from L to R): Doug(husband), Colleen, Jessie (daughter in law), Branson (son), Walker (son) and Sydney (daughter in law)

research and get back to you in a timely manner. Believe me, I will never find a more loyal, truthful,

honest, hardworking realtor than Colleen. She is a Blessing sent to me in time of real need. Thank you isn’t

enough for such a great young woman.” She described her favorite part of being a realtor: “When you see the look on the buyer’s face when they find their dream

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home,” she said, “Let me be your key home!” To learn more, call 727.251.0818 or email homewithcolleen@gmail. com. Join Home with Colleen on Facebook and Instagram.

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24 DECEMBER 2021

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Tampa Bay News and Lifestyles, East Lake Magazine, Vol. 15, Issue 4, April 2022

Articles inside

sAt/Act

from the editor

decorating den

tech talk