New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 25, Issue 20, Sept. 22, 2017

Volume 25 Issue 20

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September 22, 2017

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Most Of Wesley Chapel Spared From The Worst Of Hurricane Irma’s Wrath!

Thousands Of Homes & Businesses Lose Power; Flooding Still A Major Threat To Some Areas

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

In the days leading up to the arrival of Hurricane Irma, one of the most devastating storms to ever threaten Florida, the frenzy was real.

Bottled water, plywood and food flew off the shelves at local stores, days before Irma touched down. Roads were clogged with evacuees heading for higher ground or, as the storm got closer, local shelters. Gasoline was practically drained from every station from Miami to Atlanta, GA. “We were scared. Everyone was scared,’’ said Meadow Pointe III resident Inelia Semonick. “Waiting for it made everyone nervous.”

The waiting, as it turned out, was the hardest part for most Wesley Chapel residents.

After making landfall and devastating the Florida Keys and Naples as a Category 5 storm, Irma moved up the Florida peninsula and lost much of her power, hitting the Tampa Bay area as a Category 2 hurricane. It still delivered a blast of howling winds, rain and the snap, crackle and pop of tree branches breaking off, but did minimal damage to most of our area, although plenty of clean-up remains and flooding continues to plague the east and west sides of the county a week after the storm.

“This is not over, we’ve got a long way to go,’’ said Kevin Guthrie, Pasco’s assistant county administrator for public safety. “I told our teams, when we go into recovery mode, that’s when we usually have problems with the community and neighbors. We are always judged by

Also Inside This Issue: News, Business & Sports Updates Ten Things We Learned From Hurricane Irma; Facebook Was The Place To Be In The Crisis; Pets Find Shelter During Storm; Audi Bringing The Future To ‘The Chap;’ Class To Teach How To Mentor At-Risk Kids; Pipeline Swimming Growing Quickly; Plus, Lots Of Local Business Features!

Pages 3-38

Neighborhood Magazine

Local Hair Stylist Enjoys Moment In HBO Sun; The Learning Experience Offers Engaging Curriculum; Check Out Our Annual Reader Survey; Happy Cow Adds Milkshakes & More Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

Pages 39-48

Scenes similar to this one in nearby Dade City were common across Pasco County, although Hurricane Irma inflicted less damage on Wesley Chapel than many other areas. (Photo: Brandi Whitehurst, PIO for Santa Rosa County Emergency Management.)

the recovery, not always by the response.”

The 26 shelters throughout Pasco County were able to release some of their 24,100 occupants the morning after the storm. Residents returned home to find trees uprooted, fences down and the power out.

While most power in Wesley Chapel was restored, even as the Neighborhood News went to press on Sept. 15, there were still hundreds of local residents still waiting.

The four power companies that service Pasco County — Duke Energy, Tampa Electric

Company, Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative and Sumter Electric Cooperative — reported a high of 217,382 addresses without power, out of 261,000 total addresses, or 83 percent.

As of Sept. 14, that number was down to 51,847, or just 19 percent.

“While Hurricane Irma could have been much worse,’’ Pasco County administrator Dan Biles said, “she still left quite a mess across the county.”

See “Irma” on pg. 4

Evacuees check in at the shelter at Wiregrass Ranch High prior to the storm (top), while District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore helps load up supplies at Wesley Chapel Nissan on Sept. 14.

Keystone UMC To Host Its Annual ‘Holiday’ Craft Fair On October 14!

Even though we usually only include events that are actually taking place in Wesley Chapel or New Tampa in this space, Keystone United Methodist Church, which is located in Odessa (less than 30 minutes from most of “The Chap”) is inviting our community to enjoy the church’s annual “Holiday Craft Fair,” on Saturday, October 14, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

The event’s organizers promise that the fair will again include lots of holiday crafts, gift baskets, home décor items, plants, home-baked goods and lots of crafter/vendor booths.

Admission to the craft fair is free, with a variety of delicious food and beverage items available for a small charge.

The church was founded in 1979, with Rev. Dave Landers as Pastor. A new sanctuary with 350 seats opened in 1988, which is still where the church meets for Sunday Services.

Keystone UMC, now led by Pastor Rev. Jeff Tate, is located at 16301 Race Track Rd., in Odessa. For additional

Now that Hurricane Irma is behind us, let’s celebrate the fall season at the annual Holiday Craft Fair at Keystone United Methodist Church in Odessa.

info about the Craft Fair, visit KeystoneUnitedMethodistChurch.com, or @ CraftFairKUMC on Facebook, call (813) 920-5153 or see the ad on pg. 14 of this issue.

My Audi Test Drive, WCNT-tv’s Drive Towards A Million & My Take On Irma!

An editorial by Gary Nager Although I’ve enjoyed virtually every vehicle I’ve owned since then, the best car I have ever owned is still my 1988 Audi 5000 station wagon with a five-speed manual transmission that drove more like a sports car than most sports cars I’ve driven.

We brought my older son Jared home from the hospital in that car and it was still going strong when we moved from Westchester County, NY, to Wesley Chapel, when Jared was 5 and my younger son, Jake, was only 15 months old. I bought the station wagon in the years before SUVs were created because I was concerned about the copious amounts of ice and snow I would be driving my kids around on in New York, so I reached for a little bit better, safer, more expensive vehicle than I might have otherwise purchased.

I then made the mistake of having the car shipped from New York to Wesley Chapel, rather than drive with my boys, especially Jake, who couldn’t handle two-hour flights, much less a 20+-hour drive. The vehicle I loved and had only logged about 70,000 miles on in five years was shipped with a smashed rear windshield when another car on the same car carrier shifted positions during the 1,000-mile journey. My third “baby” was never the same after that and I traded it in less than a year later.

At that time, the resale value on used Audis wasn’t great, due to a runaway acceleration problem with the automatic transmission 5000 sedan in 1984. As reported in the story about the Dimmitt Automotive Group’s Audi Wesley Chapel dealership’s anticipated November

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News Address: 29157 Chapel Park Dr., Suite B Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Phone: (813) 910-2575 Advertising E-mail: Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Editorial E-mail: EditorialDept@NTNeighborhoodNews.com Publisher & Editor Gary Nager Advertising/Marketing Rep Tom Damico Advertising Sales & Office Assistant Jannah McDonald Assistant Editor / Photographer John C. Cotey Staff Writer Celeste McLaughlin Correspondents Brad Stager • Andy Warrener WCNT-tv Video Production Gavin Olsen • Giuliano Ferrara Graphic Designers Blake Beatty • Georgia Carmichael Nothing that appears in Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permission.

Opinions expressed by Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisements for Volume 25, Issue 22, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Monday, October 9, 2017.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising space itself, nor for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers.

© 2017 JM2 Communications, Inc. Neighborhood News

issues and for agreeing to have a WCNT-tv segment (which comes out the day this issue arrives in your mailbox) produced about my experience with this trulyawesome loaner car.

I therefore also hope that when you read this editorial, you’ll get in contact with my friends at Dimmitt to find out opening on S.R. 56 in the Wiregrass Ranch area more about how you can join the (see page 10), the German automaker didn’t Audi Wesley Chapel “Inner Circle Club.” sell its 100,000th vehicle in the U.S. until 2010 For more information about Audi and went through a few lean years until then.

Wesley Chapel, visit Audi.com, Dimmitt.

However, thanks to an updated inventory of com, see the ad (left) and the story on pg. 10 technologically advanced vehicles that began or call (813) 607-3100. being introduced around that time, Audi has not Maybe our Audi feature will be the one only surged to the top of many rankings, it also that gets WCNT-tv — Wesley Chapel & New sold its second 100,000 vehicles in the U.S. only Tampa Television — past a reach of one million five years later.

I was therefore thrilled, excited and honored to be the first local business leader to be offered a one-week-long test drive of the redesigned flagship of the automaker’s line — the 2017 Audi Q7 Quattro Premium SUV (photo), which is a sleek rocket of a vehicle which has a 3.0L, six-cylinder engine that delivers 335 horsepower, despite the SUV’s weight of almost 5,000 pounds. I’ve never really been an SUV guy, and would probably be more likely to want to buy the Audi A6 or A8 sedans, but I’m not only impressed with the look of the Q7, there are so many technological toys on this thing that I didn’t get to use them all in a week.

My current car has a back-up camera and a blind-spot camera on the passenger side, but the Q7 has six cameras, including one that somehow gives you a view from above the vehicle. The moonroof is seemingly the whole size of the roof and although there are a lot of controls on both the steering wheel and the dashboard, most of them are easy to use and really make driving easier and more fun. The front seats cradle you in comfort and the navigation system is state-of-the-art.

Best of all, I actually got to hand the Q7 — which attracts attention everywhere I go, with its giant Audi and Audi Wesley Chapel logos and “Coming November 17” signage — off to Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce CEO Hope Allen. I wanted to personally thank the new dealership’s general manager Allen Majewski and seven-year Wesley Chapel resident (and Neighborhood News reader) Kirk Preiser of Audi of America for not only letting me test-drive the Q7 but also for placing full-page ads (see pg. 2) in our next several

people on Facebook and 500,000 views on YouTube and Facebook combined!

And finally, because my mom lives in a high-rise condo in Sarasota, about 100 miles north of where Hurricane Irma made landfall in Marco Island, I kept an even closer eye (no pun intended) on the storm’s wind speeds as it made its way up the peninsula. And, unlike all of our TV weather people, I was very encouraged (even though I’m no meteorologist), both for my mom and for us, that almost as soon as it made its way onshore here, the back wall of the eye (which buzzsawed its way through the Caribbean, Cuba and the Keys) seemed to fall apart.

I’m confident that if Irma’s sustained winds had stayed much above 100 mph (instead of 75-85 mph) when the eye blew by here, most of us would still be without power today and (literally) up Cypress Creek without a paddle.

Table of Contents

Local News Updates.....................3-13

10 Lessons We Learned From Hurricane Irma...........6 Facebook Page Comforts Many During Storm..........8 Pets Find Friendly Shelter At Local Schools.............9 Audi Bringing Luxury Cars Of The Future To WC....10 Local Couple Offers Chance To Mentor At-Risk Kids...12 Wesley Chapel Community Calendar.........................14

Local Business Updates..............18-31

Richeson Wellness Added To Cypress Creek Chiro..18 Creative Permanent Makeup By Pam.......................20 SPOTLIGHT ON: Devolder Law........................21 Pasco’s Masonry Offers Quality & Value....................22 SPOTLIGHT ON: Pasco Cardiology....................23 Tina Insurance Covers Home, Auto & Business....24 New Tampa Plastic Turns Surgery Into Art...........26 Need Someone To Clean It? Call Clean-it!...............28 The Joint Is A Unique Chiropractic Center...........30 SPOTLIGHT ON: Academy At The Lakes.........31

Neighborhood Magazine

Hair Stylist Enjoys Her 30 Seconds Of Fame.......39 Checking Out The New Learning Experience..........40

Our 2017 Reader Survey.......................42

Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt Adds Milk Shakes.......44 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’.........46 Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Classifieds...........48 @NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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‘Hurricane Irma’

Continued from page 1 The county says that, at the peak of storm damage, 749 roads were closed, but that number was down to 126 by the end of last week.

County crews leapt into action to meet the demands of residents across Pasco.

“Awe-inspiring efforts,’’ said Biles, citing the work of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), the Pasco School District, local charities like the Salvation Army, the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and others. “Our partners throughout the community have really helped us through this and allowed to get us where we are today.”

The community also has been lauded for its response. As residents returned to homes, or opened their doors Monday morning to assess the damage, many immediately went to work checking on their neighbors and lending plenty of helping hands.

A Few Local Stories

Robert Castillo II rode out the storm in Westbrook Estates with his fiancé, Brittany Velez, and 10-month-old son Robert III. Castillo said that having a newborn to care for heightened the anxiety of the storm.

Like many, he was relieved when he opened his front door Monday morning.

“The anticipation was crazy,’’ said the Wesley Chapel realtor, “but we didn’t get the full brunt of the storm by any means.”

Robert turned to helping his parents, who live in Zephyrhills and had a tree downed, as well as neighbors who needed to clean up and dispose of sandbags.

In Meadow Pointe III, Ernie Rodriguez joined neighbors Gary Saris and Javier and Nick Casillas in clearing a fallen tree from busy Beardsley Dr., using a chainsaw to cut the limbs and move them to the side so traffic could pass.

A few yards down the road was another tree, and after that, another tree.

“We did enough to clear the road,’’ Rodriguez said, who then returned home to check on an elderly neighbor. “That’s what people do, right? They help out in times like this.”

Many others across the area joined in, swapping generators, providing their homes to those without power who might just need a shower, and teaming up to clear away debris.

Local businesses rushed to re-open so powerfree people could eat, with many offering ice to their fellow residents.

District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who lives in Seven Oaks, said he was moved by the outpouring of support in the area he represents.

“It’s been a joy to watch how the commu-

4

The Norlands, who live in Quail Hollow, didn’t realize just how much damage Hurricane Irma did to their home until the day after the storm. (Photo: Cristy Norland)

(l.-r.) Meadow Pointe III residents Javier Casillas, Ernie Rodriguez, Gary Suris and Nick Casillas begin cutting up the second of three trees they removed on Beardsley Dr. (Photo courtesy of Inelia Semonick). nity has come together and answered the call,’’ ricane Harvey victims in Texas before Irma hit, said Moore, who used social media to rally peo- ended up diverting a large portion of those ple to Wesley Chapel High to help load wheel- non-perishable foodstuffs, water and more chairs, beds, oxygen tanks and other equipment to the National Guard soldiers who were stainto trucks to help those with special needs, es- tioned on S.R. 54 in the parking lot of the forpecially the elderly, return to their homes. mer Target store near the Suncoast Pkwy.

“I’ve been getting calls, texts and mes“We had local people in need,” said sages on Facebook, from people asking what WC Nissan’s Troy Stevenson. “And, so many can I do, what do you need?,’’ Moore said people pitched in to help,” including Comm. five days after the storm ventured north of our Moore and Wesley Chapel Chamber of Comarea. “It’s never ending.” merce president Hope Allen.

Wesley Chapel Nissan, which already was For the most part, there seems to be relief organizing a drive to collect supplies for Hur- that the most dangerous storm — and certainly

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

the most hyped storm — in more than a decade seems to have only grazed an area that was forecasted at various times to be directly in the path of Irma’s eye.

But, the relief and rosy post-hurricane outlooks are hard to read for some residents, especially those in the Quail Hollow and Angus Valley areas of Wesley Chapel, which traditionally experience flooding after storms.

In their preparation for Irma, Cristy and Josh Norland, who run the Bacon Boss food truck and live on Quail Hollow Blvd. just past Cypress Creek, piled sandbags two feet high to protect the home they rent from expected flooding. Inside, Cristy put her more valuable and treasured items, like her dining room table, up on bricks.

The Norlands, including daughters Bria (13), Cassi (11) and Anni (7), weathered the storm at her mother’s house 10 minutes away, and were surprised that the storm passed by without doing nearly the damage they had expected.

When they returned to their home the next morning, however, their relief was quickly washed away by what they saw.

“I just about a had a heart attack when I turned the corner and saw what is now a lake,’’ Cristy says. “It was like a bad scene from a movie. There was water all around the house, two feet deep. I knew right away the sandbags hadn’t done any good.”

Inside, however, the water was only two inches deep, and hadn’t yet breached the surface above the bricks, providing the Norlands with some relief.

“I thought, ‘Thank God we had the precaution to put some things on bricks,’’ says Cristy, who returned to her mother’s house to call her landlord.

When she returned to her house four hours later, another shock: the water in Cypress Creek had continued to rise. The water was up to her thighs in the driveway, it had risen past her windows, and those bricks she had perched important items on? “Comical,’’ she says.

She adds that she saw tadpoles swim by and earthworms float through as she waded through her kitchen. While the food truck was safe, moved before the storm to her mother’s house, the Norlands run their business out of their home and stored much of their commercial equipment in the garage.

The waters, which Cristy says “turned little old Cypress Creek into a raging river,” were devastating.

“A total loss,’’ she said. Her church helped them salvage what they could, but Cristy says ¾ of the house went to the dump.

The Thursday after the storm (Sept. 14), the Bacon Bus food truck had its first gig in two weeks in Lakeland.

The forecast called for rain.

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Here Are 10 Important Lessons We Learned From Hurricane Irma Yes, we know it wasn’t cozy or luxurious

By JOHN C. COTEY and the internet and phone service were spotty and the food was meh, but our schools were what they needed to be: Safe.

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com When Hurricane Irma blew through Florida Sept. 10-11 and left a trail of devastation in its wake, for many, it was a week fraught with fear and indecision. Ultimately, for most in the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area, Irma spared us the worst of her wrath. Here’s some local takeaways from a crazy week:

1. Storms Are Stressful — It was, in a word, a crazy week. Between the forecast track of Irma changing every few hours, the panic that set in and left most store shelves empty as the Category 5 storm approached Florida, and the final days of deciding whether to board up the windows and hunker down or get in the car and leave (which had it’s own set of perils, as rooms and gas were in scarce supply as far north as Tennessee), the hurricane tied everyone’s stomach up in knots. There have been other hurricanes, but we’re not sure any previous storms produced the kind of nervousness we saw this time around.

2. Be Prepared, Darn It! — This goes without saying. It’s also coming from the guy who was wondering what all the fuss was about when water began flying off the shelves a week before Irma arrived; a guy who decided to board up his windows the day after the entire area ran out of plywood and who finally decided to move his family into a shelter the morning the storm arrived. Next time, the first item on my checklist: make an actual plan.

3. Oh, And Batteries! — Dear People: That drawer full of AA and AAA batteries to keep your kids’ electronic devices and games running just aren’t going to cut it in a storm.

Sincerely, C and D batteries.

P.S. Remember us?

4. Meteorologists Aren’t So Bad — We all know that no weatherman is perfect.

Here in Florida, we curse them daily. We demand perfection from them.

But, while it was easy to make fun of the ever-changing spaghetti models, and the way they scared the bejeezus out of most of us with their Irma forecasts, remember this: every station’s weather person told millions to flee, and millions did — and are still alive because of it.

5. No, Really, They Aren’t! — Whether it was FOX 13’s Paul Dellagatto, or ABC Action News’ Denis Phillips, or your favorites from Bay News 9 and the Weather Channel, many found comfort in their most trusted weather person.

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8. Pasco County On The Ball!

—Yes, there were still people without power heading into last weekend, but it’s not for a lack of trying. The pictures of literally hundreds of trucks from power companies lined up on the interstate and ready to head south were reassuring, as was everything about the county’s response.

Almost second-by-second updates, an app that was useful, first responders ready to go and an overall feeling that those in charge were in control. The county planned for a Category 5 storm. You could tell. Here’s hoping they can keep it up during the recovery mode.

Wesley Chapel Nissan organized a last-second food drive, filling six Nissan Titan pick-ups trucks with food supplies and driving a caravan to the old Target on S.R. 54 near the Suncoast Pkwy. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

My wife was on a first name basis with Phillips during the storm. She asked constantly if “Denis” had updated his Facebook status yet. His posts were calm, reassuring, and most important, honest. He said it was going to be bad (it was), he said it was going to be scary (yep), he said it was going to do some damage (it did) and he reminded us not to panic (although some of us did anyway).

When there was no power or no signal, a friend from California cut and pasted his updates into texts so she could read them.

Thanks, Denis.

take care of our kids during the day and then, in a crisis, can spring into action and provide shelters (and three squares a day) for thousands of people, old and young, and even their pets (see story, pg. 9).

To make this happen required administrators and teachers going above and beyond, and dozens of volunteers giving their time to meet the needs of the evacuees. We saw volunteers getting aspirin for one person, an extra blanket for another, and even a cup of ice for an older lady to feed the chips to her nervous dog.

9. It Takes A Village — Hundreds of stories have unfolded since the storm, good stories that remind you how lucky we are to be surrounded by neighbors, friends and even strangers, who rushed out to help those with no power, those in need of a tree being removed and those desperate for food and water, just needing a shower or a bag/cup of ice or a generator.

There’s really no shortage, it seems, of people willing to help, with countless posts on Facebook (see story on pg. 8) offering to check on people’s homes while they were returning from evacuation, towing cars out of flooded areas and helping others to safety.

10. We Got Lucky!

That is all.

6. You Can’t Please Everyone

— Hurricanes are unpredictably predictably unpredictable, or something like that. However, many people afterwards were actually angry that the storm didn’t pass right over their homes — because the forecast said it would — and now they had a 15-hour drive back from Atlanta. And, all this water they bought. And, so much time wasted boarding up. It was all for nothing! Waaaah.

Would these people have been happier had the storm passed through and took their house with it? Would that have made it all worth their time?

7. Our Schools Rock — How great were the Pasco County schools during Hurricane Irma? Many of us take our schools for granted, but they are remarkable places that

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Wesley Chapel Community Facebook Page Offered Lots Of Hurricane Irma Help

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com As Hurricane Irma approached Florida, people across the state were posting on Facebook, looking to neighbors to answer their questions and calm their fears.

While the storm raged and when it was over, they kept posting.

They offered encouragement and prayer.

They asked how they could help each other.

They posted their needs, and others offered anything they had to help meet those needs.

It happened among both friends and strangers.

On the Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page, which boasts more than 8,500 members, administrator Jennifer Ames says the posts were continual.

“It was nonstop,” Jennifer explains.

“There was never a second that went by without a post — a constant influx from Thursday through Monday.”

She says neighbors were trying to connect to people around them, looking for water, gas, plywood, generators and more.

There were more than 1,700 posts the week of the storm, nearly 17,000 comments and an additional 558 people joined the group.

“It was the first time I ever had to shut the site down,” says Jennifer, although she didn’t actually close the site; she just stopped people from posting without admin approval.

“It lost its efficacy because there was so much posting going on,” she says. “We made it so, as admins, that we had to approve the posts.

Then, it was more useful and all those posts truly helped people.”

Carolyn Daly, a member of the Facebook community who lives in Quail Hollow, agrees.

“Through the whole storm — before, during and after — everyone was so helpful with letting people know who had water, who had gas, where sandbags were and with anything anyone in the community needed,” says Carolyn. “It was really amazing to see people coming together to support each other and not just look out for themselves.”

She says she was especially impressed with Joel Provenzano and Ryan Mills, two local “weather geeks” who posted information and replied to comments throughout the storm, sharing their knowledge of what was happening outside to worried people throughout Wesley Chapel while using the same information professional meteorologists were using.

The two men didn’t even know each other before creating the weather thread that turned into the most popular one to follow during the storm. Provenzano, a transportation engineer with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), said he has been through a number of hurricanes, including Andrew in 1992.

He caught the weather bug as a kid in Fort Myers, learning science in his father’s fifth grade class.

“Space and weather were the two big things he emphasized,’’ Joel said.

According to stats provided by Jennifer, Joel and Ryan’s weather thread generated 1,300 comments, 1,700 likes and was seen by more than 5,000 members, turning the duo into WC Community page rock stars.

“During the storm, Joel and Ryan updated every step of the way when the storm was really ramping up,” Carolyn says, “like how much longer there would be noise and high winds. It was more helpful than any of the news channels because it was so specific to Wesley Chapel.”

She adds, “It reminded me of what a neighborhood was when I was growing up.

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Jessica Meyers (left) of Little Italy’s Family Restaurant & Catering & Jennifer Ames of the Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page brought food and supplies to the National Guardsmen who were called in to protect Pasco County and stationed at the vacant Target store near the Suncoast Pkwy.

Only now, it’s a virtual neighborhood.”

She says now, the focus of the Facebook That’s kind of what Jennifer Ames had in community is on helping small businesses. Lomind when she started the group. cal owners are telling Jennifer that this hurri“I grew up in a very small town in south cane has been catastrophic for them Georgia, with a ‘neighbors helping neighbors’ So, Jennifer says this month’s “Chappy spirit,” she says. “But, I never imagined a hur- Hour,” where people from the site meet in real ricane and a crisis. I didn’t know that it would life, is a special “Irma Edition,” where Wesley Chapel can come together and support small work to this level.”

Bob Behrle’s wife, Kristie, is another WC businesses. It will be held Friday, September Community administrator. Bob says the site 22 (tonight), 5 p.m.-9p.m., at The Brass Tap was a great way to get resources and materials at the Shops at Wiregrass mall.

Anyone who is a member of the group as people prepared for the storm. For example, Heather Robinson offered a few extra interior is invited to bring a receipt showing they supdoors that had recently been replaced at her ported a locally owned small business dated home to be used to board up windows.

September 12 or later, and she and other site “It helped us tremendously,” Bob said.

“I never would have found that without Facebook.”

After the storm, the needs continued, and the Facebook posts continued, too.

Helen Bolton, who lives in Country Walk, heard from an out-of-state friend that her husband, a lineman, was in another Florida city helping to restore power and couldn’t get food. Helen wanted to make sure that wasn’t the case for linemen in Wesley Chapel.

“I would love to take them some food but I haven’t seen any,” she posted. “I’m looking for some sightings!”

Others responded when they saw linemen. Helen picked up a pizza and tried to catch up with where she heard the linemen were. She says she didn’t find them on the job, but did see a truck driving. By then, she was determined to get the pizza to the workers.

She says she followed the truck for probably 30 minutes before she finally was able to flag them down and give them the pizza.

She posted her success, and more than 600 people “liked” her picture, encouraging her act of kindness.

Helen thinks the Wesley Chapel Community page helps people to be a better community to each other.

“It is unbelievable to watch, and because of social media, you do get to see it,” Helen says. “At the end of the day, it is amazing to see that people want be good and help others.”

Jennifer agrees. “We did a great job looking out for each other,’’ she says. “It was exemplary, the way individuals checked on each other. One lady who was blind and home alone wanted plywood over her windows. She was so upset, so I put a message out and within an hour, a neighbor was putting wood over her windows. It’s heartwarming and touching to know we have that in our community.”

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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administrators and sponsors will buy you a drink (courtesy of Coast 2 Coast Realty, Ellie and Associates Realty, 900 Degree Woodfire Pizza and The Brass Tap).

For Helen, the experience of feeling like part of a community during the storm makes her want to come out to her first-ever “Chappy Hour.” “I’ve never gone before because I always thought I wouldn’t know anyone,” Helen says. “This time I’m going because now I feel like I know people.”

There also is another community Facebook page for Wesley Chapel called the Wesley Chapel Network, which boasts more than 18,000 members and also was extremely busy during Irma, although we were not able to reach administrator Heather Stamp in time to be included in this story.

Anyone can join either page. Just search “Wesley Chapel Community” or “Wesley Chapel Network” on Facebook.

@NTWCNews

While It Rained Cats & Dogs, Pets Had Homes In Wesley Chapel Schools

By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com When it came time to open more schools as shelters as Hurricane Irma made her northerly turn through the Florida Keys and Naples with a bead on Wesley Chapel, Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning didn’t hesitate to open seven more schools as shelters on Sept. 9, at 3 p.m., 30 or so hours before the storm rolled through our area as a high Category 1 or low Category 2 hurricane.

And pets, surprisingly, we’re allowed at all of them.

That wasn’t an easy call for Browning to make — of the 14 shelters originally opened in Pasco, pets were allowed at just two.

But, Browning knew that many residents would rather suffer “Irmageddon” with their animals in tow than without them, and he knew it wasn’t time to worry about the mess the animals would leave behind.

“We made them all pet shelters because, the fact of the matter is, and I don’t want to be morbid about it is, but it’s a lot easier cleaning up dog poop than it is carrying out body bags,’’ Browning said.

Browning had just left the kennel area at Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH), which he acknowledged wasn’t pretty. He called it a madhouse.

Others agreed.

“Have you been in the pet room?,’’ volunteer Kate Fletcher, a seventh grade civics teacher at John Long Middle School, asked.

“It’s a zoo, literally. It’s a menagerie.”

Not only were there cats and dogs, she said, but there were birds, a snake, a ferret and

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the storm was on its way created a stir.

The bond between pets and their owners — or parents, as some pet owners would refer to themselves — is a strong one.

“It’s a fascinating dynamic,’’ Browning said. “We had people calling the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) today, and even shelters, and saying if I can’t bring my pets in, I’m not coming.”

For some, even the shelters were tough to handle. One woman, according to Fletcher, was in hysterics about having to crate her dog in the gym from 9 p.m.-7 a.m.

She cried as she pleaded with anyone that would listen to her, begging for the dog to be left with her. She even threatened to just leave with the dog, so they would not have to be separated.

John, Elaine & Pepper Goacher of New Port Richey were hosted Fletcher said she stepped

by Wiregrass Ranch High before, during and after Irma rolled in and told the woman that through Florida on Sept. 10-11.

“36 hours of having your dog rabbits and hamsters. “Pretty much any animal freaked out, is that worse than one or potenyou can think of as a pet,’’ her daughter Mad- tially both of you not getting through this?” dy, 15, who also was volunteering, chimed in.

John and Elaine Goacher of New Port In the open breezeways at WRH, Richey sat on a maroon iron bench watching near the gymnasium where the pets were the other dogs while feeding treats to Pepper, housed, people milled about with their their 12-year-old Dalmation/Labrador mix. dogs, taking slow walks around the campus They couldn’t sleep the night before, so while chatting on the phone, as news that they left the morning of the 10th for safety.

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They contemplated heading north towards family, but decided on Wesley Chapel.

“It had to be somewhere we could take Pepper, that was for sure,’’ said John, who noted that he passed up a number of other shelters as they drove east across the county.

It was the Goachers’ first hurricane, but they suspect it wasn’t Pepper’s. They adopted her from a rescue in Alabama, who said she was one of many puppies taken in after Hurricane Katrina, which slammed the Gulf Coast in 2005.

Maybe that explained Pepper’s unusually calm demeanor.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

9

Audi Wesley Chapel Eyes Nov. Opening At WCCC’s Economic Briefing

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com When it came time to move to Florida, Kirk Preiser did his homework before settling on Wesley Chapel. The Southern Region area director for Audi, responsible for the dealerships from Naples to Jacksonville, Preiser felt Wesley Chapel was the perfect spot in the middle of his market and an area that was quickly growing and would eventually have a lot to offer his family.

He admitted that he had to convince his wife, however.

Then, he set his sights on convincing Audi it should join him in Wesley Chapel by opening a dealership here.

It may have taken a little longer to convince Audi than his wife, but eventually, Preiser was successful — in mid-November, Dimmitt Automotive Group’s Audi Wesley Chapel will become a reality when it opens the doors at its S.R. 56 location just east of Mansfield Blvd.

“I’ve been pitching Wesley Chapel to the president of the company for years,’’ Preiser told a gathering of local business leaders at the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development briefing Aug. 24 at Pebble Creek Golf Club.

“If you’re happy,” he joked, “you can thank me.”

Preiser said the opening of the Mercedes dealership on S.R. 56 a few years ago helped make his case, proof that the area was able to support a luxury auto dealer. Lexus also has jumped into the Wesley Chapel market, and will open off S.R. 54 in December.

Audi ultimately chose Dimmitt Automo-

of Dimmitt family members serve on local boards and foundations, and host a Community Values Day at the company where employees are paid to do community service.

By landing Audi, Dimmitt will be selling one of the hottest car makers on the planet, Preiser said. It took until 2010 for Audi to sell its 100,000th car in the U.S., but only five years after that, it sold From l. to r.: Audi of America’s Kirk Preiser, Dimmitt Auto Group No. 200,000, while addCEO Scott Larguier, Quinn Porter of Wiregrass Ranch, WCCC CEO ing seven models.

Hope Allen and Audi Wesley Chapel general manager Allen Majewski.

“We have had a tretive Group to sell its high-end automobiles. mendous run,’’ Preiser Dimmitt, a fourth generation company, said. “Since 2010, we’ve been taking off like was founded in 1924 in Clearwater by the late a rocket.”

Larry Dimmitt, Sr., selling Fords and Buicks.

The new Audi Wesley Chapel dealership Because Dimmitt had traded cars for land, promises high-tech services and state-of-thebecoming the second-largest landowner in Pi- art architecture, with a luxury lounge filled nellas County next to the county itself in the with leather club chairs. process, the company was able to weather the “We are building the dealership of the future,’’ Preiser said.

Great Depression better than most.

It will be just shy of 40,000 sq. ft., and In 1930, Dimmitt became a Cadillac and Chevy dealer, and eventually grew into selling the lot won’t host a sea of cars like other new Land Rovers, Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Toyotas, car showrooms; instead, it will have 125-150 McLarens and now, Audis. Soon, the company new Audis on hand at all times. The dealership will add a Jaguar franchise to the family, said will have 50-60 employees, and promote a progressive and relaxed environment.

Dimmitt CEO Scott Larguier.

It also is offering an “Inner Circle” club, Dimmitt currently has locations in Clearwith special bonuses and perks, to the first 100 water, Pinellas Park and Sarasota.

“Most impressive, after 23 years, is that patrons who buy an Audi.

And, of course, Audi Wesley Chapel will we are still a very community-minded organization,’’ Larguier said, adding that a number sell the high-quality, technologically-advanced

cars, which have dominated the Consumer Reports charts for best car in recent years.

Preiser spoke not only of Audi’s current popular models, but also looked down the road to a time when autonomous and electric cars will be the norm, and Wesley Chapel will be one of the best spots to buy what could be the best in those categories.

In May, Audi became the first company to get a license to test Level 3 autonomous cars, demoing the Audi A7 in New York (and also licenses to test cars in Nevada and California).

According to Preiser, the A7 already is performing Level 3 autonomous driving tasks, meaning it can drive unassisted at highway speeds when conditions are optimal.

Audi hopes to have its first Level 3 autonomous vehicle to market in the U.S. next year, and hopes to have Level 4 automobiles — which can do pretty much everything, even without prompts from the driver — by 2020.

It also is hoping to make a splash in the electric car market.

“We weren’t the first in the game with electric, but we won’t launch until we’re ready with an electric vehicle that is, in every way, an Audi,’’ Preiser said.

The German automaker is hoping to get the Audi e-tron Sportback to market by 2019, and it has also been revealed that Audi is exploring the possibility of thin, lightweight solar panels on the roof to help save energy and increase the range of its electric cars.

“We’re betting the farm on electric,’’ Preiser said.

For more info, visit AudiUSA.com or Dimmitt.com, or see the ad on pg. 2 or the editorial on pg. 3 of this issue.

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11

Local Couple To Teach How To Mentor At-Risk Kids On September 25!

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN

celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com Joe and Carol Gravante, residents of Heritage Isles in New Tampa, are empty nesters who say that God gave them a new purpose after their three boys grew up and left home.

After raising their sons and hosting at least two dozen foreign exchange students, including 12 who stayed with them for a year and attended local schools, the Gravantes have turned their attention to mentoring at-risk kids in our community.

“Carol and I had started working with a mentoring group in Tampa several years ago, and when we first started we had no idea what we were doing,” Joe explains. “The training that we received was more about how the foster care system works, the formalities, not how to actually deal with the kids themselves. There was nothing available (to teach us) how to communicate and how to handle certain situations you might be put in that are different from raising your own kids.”

So, Joe says, he and Carol shared resources with other people they knew who also were mentoring. His sister-in-law in Missouri, for example, who helped him find school resources for a tenth grader who needed help to pass his classes. Joe also did online searches for answers to questions he had, and he tried different techniques with the teenagers he was mentoring.

Now, Joe and Carol have taken their experiences and developed a curriculum to help people learn skills that will help them be good mentors. After teaching the class Joe developed last year, it will be offered again this year

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Joe & Carol Gravante have turned their love of children and their own empty nest into an opportunity to teach a free mentoring class to help adults mentor at-risk kids. The classes begin September 25 at Bridgeway Church on Wells Rd. at Bridgeway Church, located at 30660 Wells Other Options Rd. in Wesley Chapel. The classes start MonJoe says they also are currently coming day, September 25, at 7 p.m., and will meet up with a schedule of opportunities for people every other Monday. There is no cost to at- who want to serve their community and help tend, and childcare is provided for people who kids, but don’t have the time to commit to sign up for the class and need it. mentoring a child one hour every week.

Class topics include effective communica“We have two focuses,” explains Carol. tion, anger management, time management, “Some people want to get involved right away bullying, dealing with attitudes, when to say and do something purposeful.” “yes” and “no” and much more.

For those people, the couple is organizing “Really, these classes are good for anyone events where anyone can come out and interact who’s raising kids, or even in the workplace,” with at-risk kids in a large group setting. Joe says Carol. and Carol say they have a friend with a horse

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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ranch where they have taken groups of kids, and volunteers help to lead the horses and play with the kids.

“People find it’s quite fun!” Carol says.

“Some people aren’t comfortable with the idea of working with at-risk kids. They worry they have too many limitations or the kids have too much baggage, but the events help people get more comfortable until they are ready for a one-on-one relationship with the students.”

Their goal is to encourage more people to provide that time to help students who need it. After all, Joe says, every child he’s mentored has benefitted from the experience.

“These kids just need time and attention,” he says.

Joe knows that because he once benefitted from mentoring, too.

“I had this (U.S. military) Colonel who changed my entire life,” he says. “I grew up in the city of Pittsburgh (PA). It was a steel mill town, and that’s all I knew. When I joined the military, this amazing man took the time and energy to make me see I could be so much more than what I was. He mentored me from 20 years old until 30-something. He was the one who really set me on the right path.”

Joe says the cycle of being mentored, and now being in a position to pay his experiences forward and serve his community, continues with the kids he’s impacted.

“I see the kids I’ve mentored already giving back in their communities,” he says. “It’s so good to see that you can make a difference that way, no matter how old you are.”

For more information or to register for the mentoring class, contact Carol at (813) 753-8338.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Saturday, September 30

Stay in Step Anniversary Celebration - See story on pg. 15 (right

OCTOBER 2017

Friday, September 22

Chappy Hour: Irma Edition (Wesley Chapel Community) - See story on pg. 8.

Sunday, September 24

Early Registration Deadline for Lets Not Be Still! - Benefiting the Star Legacy Foundation to promote stillbirth awareness, research, education, advocacy and family support, a family walk will be held on Saturday, October 15, at Heritage Isles County Club (10630 Plantation Bay Dr. in New Tampa). Register now for discount.

Go to LetsNotBeStill-Tampa.org for details, to register, or for sponsorship info.

Monday, September 25

Professional Business Connections (PBC) - PBC meets Mondays at 7:45 a.m. at The Happy Hangar Cafe (at Tampa North Aero Park, 4241 Birdsong Blvd., off S.R. 54, Lutz). For info, call Matt Archbold at (813) 782-1777.

Wesley Chapel Speaks - The Wesley Chapel Toastmasters meets every Monday at 6 p.m. for networking, 6:30 pm for public speaking, at Wesley Chapel Nissan (28519 State Rd 54). For more info, call Martin at (813) 693-0969.

Tuesday, September 26

Job Fair - 9 a.m. to noon at Pasco-Hernando State College, Porter Campus (2727 Mansfield Blvd.). Hosted by PHSC, Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis.

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel (Noon) now meets Wed., at noon at Lexington Oaks Golf Club (26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.).

First-time guests attend for free. For info, call (813) 862-8989 or (813) 391-3895.

Wesley Chapel Lions Club - The Wesley Chapel Lions Club meets every 4th Tues., 6:30 p.m., at the Lexington Oaks Community Center (26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd.). For info about volunteering, community efforts, meetings, helping the vision impaired & more, visit WesleyChapelLionsClub.com or the club’s page on Facebook.

Thursday, September 28

BNI Networking Meeting - Business professionals are invited to attend this networking organization’s meetings on Thursdays, 7:30 a.m., at Savannah Church (3758 Maryweather Lane, off BBD Blvd., behind Dunkin’ Donuts). For more info, call Kyle Flischel at (813) 815-0250.

Networking For Your Success - The Networking For Your Success group meets Thursdays, 8 a.m., at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club clubhouse (26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd.). All are welcome. For more information, call (813) 994-9944.

RGA Network Weekly Meeting - The RGA Networking Group meets weekly for networking at GrillSmith at the Shops at Wiregrass mall. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; lunch is noon-1 p.m. For more info, visit RGANetwork.net.

Celebrate Recovery - Meeting Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Bridgeway Church (30660 Wells Rd.), the purpose of Celebrate Recovery is to bring freedom from dysfunctional, compulsive & addictive behaviors through biblically-based principles. Dinner & free childcare available. For info, call (813) 907-1313.

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Tuesday, October 3

GFWC Pasco Junior Woman’s Club - Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Lexington Oaks Clubhouse, 26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd. Visit GFWCPascoJWC.blogspot.com or Facebook.com/GFWCPascoJuniors for more informaiton.

NAMI Friends & Family: Mental Health Support Group - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Pasco support group for friends & family of those with mental illness. The group meets the 1st & 3rd Tues. of each month, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., at Atonement Lutheran Church (29617 S.R. 54). For info, visit NAMIPasco.com.

Friday, October 6

Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise - The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Sunrise meets the 1st & 3rd Fridays of each month, 7:15 a.m., at Happy Hangar Cafe, 4241 Birdsong Blvd. For info, call Kathy Schenck at (813) 956-4436.

Mental Health Support Group - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Pasco is a support group for adults in Pasco County living with mental illness or in recovery. The group meets the 2nd & 4th Friday of each month, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church (29617 S.R. 54). For info, visit NAMIPasco.org.

Saturday, October 14

Keystone United Methodist Church Holiday Craft Fair- See story on pg. 1.

Monday, October 16

East Pasco Democratic Club - Meets 3rd Monday of each month at American House, 38130 Pretty Pond Rd. in Zephyrhills from 7-8:30 p.m. For more info, visit www.eastpascodems.com or call Wilson Blount at (505) 463-4210.

Visit NTNeighborhoodNews.com to add your upcoming events that are open to the public to our online calendar. Events that are free take precedence, but as long as the cost to attend is included in the info, they are still eligible.

Once approved online, they will appear in the “Events” section on our home page & may also appear in our print editions.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Pepin To Host The Stay In Step Celebration Gala Fund-Raising Event On September 30!

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com New Tampa residents Romy and Gaby Camargo continue to turn a challenge into hope for others.

The Camargos will host their second annual Stay in Step Celebration Gala fund raiser on Saturday, September 30, 7 p.m.-11 p.m., at the T Pepin Hospitality Center on N. 50th St. in Tampa.

All proceeds from the event, which attracted more than 200 guests last year, will benefit the Romy and Gaby SCI Foundation, Inc. d/b/a the Stay in Step Foundation. The gala will include cocktails, dinner, dancing, si- Gaby & Romy Camargo of the Stay in Step Founlent auctions and more. dation continue to dedicate their lives to helping Stay in Step is a registered 501(3)c non- both military veterans and civilians who have sufprofit organization dedicated to helping both fered spinal cord injuries. military veterans and civilians with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. but Romy continues to prove them wrong.

Romy was on a humanitarian mission in About two-and-half years of 4-5-hour Afghanistan in 2008 when he and his fellow long road trips back-and-forth from New Tamsoldiers in the Green Beret 7th Special Forces pa to Orlando for rehabilitation, however, took Group were ambushed in Zabul Province by their toll.

Taliban fighters.

So, the Camargos raised hundreds of As they fought to avoid rocket-propelled thousands of dollars to open the state-of-thegrenades and machine-gun fire, Romy was art Stay in Step Spinal Cord Injury Recovery struck in the back of the neck by a bullet.

Center in Tampa.

An emergency tracheotomy kept Romy For more info about the Stay in alive until he could be flown to Germany and Step Celebration Gala, visit Eventbrite. then to the Walter Reed National Military com/e/2nd-annual-stay-in-step-celebraMedical Center in Washington, D.C., where he tion-tickets-34913402928. remained for 18 months.

The Stay in Step Spinal Cord Injury The bullet had shattered his C3 vertebrae, Recovery Center is located at 10500 Univerparalyzing him from the shoulders down. Doc- sity Center Dr., Suite 130, near Adventure tors said he would never breathe on his own, Island. Visit StayInStep.org for more info.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Get Healthy & Lose Weight With Richeson Wellness & NutriMost!

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN

celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com

At Cypress Creek Chiropractic & Wellness in the Cypress Ridge Professional Plaza off of S.R. 56, Micah Richeson, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) and his wife Mitze offer a variety of programs to help people get and stay healthy and feel their best.

While Dr. Richeson focuses on wellness from a “structural” perspective (alignment of the spine), Mitze has been offering NutriMost, a weight-loss program supervised by her husband, for the past three years, Now, she’s pleased to announce the inception of Richeson Wellness, which will focus on nutrition and wellness through functional medicine (which is a medical practice that focuses on optimal body and organ function, generally through holistic treatments).

Dr. Richeson is a third-generation chiropractic physician who opened the practice in 2008, after eight years in his father’s practice in Gainesville. He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Public Health from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond and his D.C. degree from Parker College in Dallas, TX, in 2000.

Mitze received her Certification as a Chiropractic Physician’s Assistant in 2013 from the Cleveland Chiropractic College, which is based in Cleveland, OH. She is still offering NutriMost, a rapid weight-loss program that allows women to lose up to 25 pounds in 40 days (for men, it’s up to 40 pounds). It’s a national franchise with about 160 locations, with just

three in the Tampa Bay area. Now, in addition to that intense weight-loss program, Richeson Wellness offers a different option for women and men whose bodies aren’t quite ready for the type of drastic lifestyle change that NutriMost requires.

“Some women and men do fantastic with NutriMost,” says Mitze, “but in some people, especially women, the program didn’t always work for them. They were frustrated, or felt lethargic, because their bodies weren’t ready to burn fat that rapidly, maybe because of thyroid issues, toxic Mitze & chiropractic physician Dr. Micah Richeson can liver (when the liver is help you feel better and lose weight safely with their Richeson inflamed by toxins), or adrenal (gland) fatigue. Wellness and NutriMost, both located at Cypress Creek ChiI started thinking that ropractic & Wellness off S.R. 56. there’s got to be a better They come in for an initial consultation way for people in that category.” with either Mitze, or either of the office’s two health coaches — with Jill Fischer or Different Approaches For Janine Kerschen.

Different Needs After the consultation, the program Mitze says that many people hear includes weekly coaching sessions where about NutriMost from friends and family participants are taught to eat healthy, who have had success with the program whole foods. They are given a variety of in other locations across the U.S., and natural appetite suppressants, using herbs find her through the NutriMost website. and amino acids, and supplement support.

“Whatever area the body is weakened or lacking, we support those organs through specifically targeted supplements,” Mitze says, adding that NutriMost is a drastic program, and the body has to be healthy and functioning well for it to work properly.

Even at that first consultation, she explains, sometimes it’s obvious that NutriMost just isn’t the right fit.

“We know the red flags,” she says.

“Sometimes, I’ve talked with a woman for 10 minutes and have turned her away because I refused to put her body through that rigorous a program.”

Mitze says she no longer has to tell people she can’t help them: “Now, I would recommend that people in that category do Richeson Wellness first.”

To prepare for the launch of Richeson Wellness, Mitze continued taking functional medicine classes and learning not only how to read and interpret blood work, but also the protocols that help balance the body.

“This new program begins with intense blood work to (see what it takes to) get the body in a state where it’s ready to handle rapid weight loss,” she says. “We can’t push your body to lose a pound a day if it’s too tired or just has other things it’s trying to do. It’s like carrying rocks in a backpack and adding a bowling ball.”

But, it works the other way, too.

“If someone calls me for Richeson Wellness and they just want to get 50 pounds off fast because they’re carrying too much weight, but they are otherwise

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“When people understand what’s going on in their bodies, they are empowered to make improvements and take ownership of them,” Mitze says. “We want to educate and empower people to have control by how they’re eating.”

So, while NutriMost continues to help people who want to lose a significant amount of weight quickly — and are healthy enough to do so — Richeson Wellness will focus on each client’s overall wellness. Mitze says weight loss may be a natural byproduct of getting healthy, and working with her will set people up to be ready to lose weight once the initial program is complete.

“When the body gets into that balanced state, it starts losing weight naturally,” she says. “It might take 40 days to get to the point where your body is ready Deb Pullen lost 67 pounds in 10 months using NutriMost. “ I found that my specially designed to lose weight. Then, once you get to that program was easy to do and has been life-changing for me,” she says. Deb now works at the front desk point, weight comes off pretty easily.” at Cypress Creek Chiropractic, where both NutriMost and the new Richeson Wellness are located. healthy and their blood work is normal, then I’m going to recommend NutriMost.”

She adds that NutriMost, “is great because people get really great results really fast. With Richeson Wellness, we’re working on getting the body into focus first.”

She does that by starting with a comprehensive blood work-up, showing her clients how their bodies are out of balance, and then helping them gain control over their bodies through proper supplementation and good nutritional choices.

Mitze emphasizes that this blood work is much more comprehensive and will be better explained than what typically happens at most doctors’ offices.

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“I’ve had so many clients bring their blood test results and tell me their doctor didn’t explain it,” Mitze says. “They tell me their doctor said, ‘Here’s your blood work, you’re fine,’ or ‘Here, now take this prescription.’ Then they leave with no real hope for resolution. They just do what they’re told.”

She says, in contrast, “We give a full, deep report of 17-25 pages that explains every marker in your blood tests, including (any) abnormalities (that could be affecting your ability to lose weight).”

Then, she takes the time to explain the entire report and what you can do to correct those abnormalities.

@NTWCNews

too. “I don’t have to take any prescription medicine for cholesterol or high blood pressure, and I have a lot of energy,” she says. “A lot of women my age feel like they need to slow down, but I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to. Before starting the program, I didn’t feel like exercising or doing anything, but now I have a lot more energy.”

Cypress Creek Chiropractic, Richeson Wellness and NutriMost are located at 2304 Crestover Ln. For more information or to schedule an appointment, see the ad on page 37 of this issue or call (813) 241-7098 to reach the NutriMost staff or (813) 435-6643 to reach Mitze for Richeson Wellness. Also, visit RichesonWellness.com or search “Richeson Wellness” on Facebook.

Measurable Results

April Ray is a NutriMost client who started the program in January of this year.

She says she wanted to lose 30 pounds and she did so, although it took her longer than 40 days.

“With the tools that NutriMost gives you, I have kept it off (for the last several months),” April says. “NutriMost is a new way of eating. I eat more calories and volume than what I used to eat before I went to NutriMost. It’s taught me how to combine protein, fats, and carbs in the right proportions, so I feel satisfied. I don’t feel like I’m starving, like on most diets.”

April, who is 59, says she loves the side effects of her new, healthier eating habits,

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Eyebrows That Don’t Sweat Off, Consider Creative Permanent Makeup By Pam

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN

celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com

If you’re tired of drawing on your eyebrows, just to worry you might sweat them off later in our Florida heat, Pam Edmonson says she has a solution for you.

It’s called microblading, and Pam has been providing this popular eyebrow service since she was first trained in the technique in 2014. She uses a small blade and ink to create each individual hair. Her steady hands help draw on an eyebrow which she then microblades, with each stroke adding a more natural look to the eyebrow.

As a State of Florida-licensed permanent makeup artist, Pam has owned and operated Creative Permanent Makeup By Pam since 2011. Last year, she and a business partner opened Serenity Salon & Spa Suites, located off S.R. 54 in the Brookfield Professional Park, about a half-mile west of Morris Bridge Rd. The suites are available to be rented by other small businesses, such as hair stylists, massage therapists, and licensed aestheticians.

“As one of the owners of Serenity Salon & Spa Suites, I love the way that we enable other women to be able to do their own job and be successful at it,” Pam says. “We have an amazing group of women working here!”

After many years of running a business in the manufactured housing industry, in 2009, Pam says she wanted to do something different, so — at age 46 — she became the “oldest student in hair school,” she says.

While she enjoyed hair, Pam says she soon discovered something that interested her even more. “I love detail,” Pam says. “As

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Creative Permanent Makeup by Pam owner Pam Edmonson says that eyebrows are her favorite and, when she can deliver results like those in these before-and-after photos (above right), you can see how she’s helped hundreds of women look better. a detail person, eyebrows are what first drew lip color, too. “I used to not like to do lips, but area and produces cell turnover, reducing I learned a new technique,” she says. “It’s not scarring, fine lines and wrinkles on the face. me into the permanent makeup field.” as painful and the color stays beautifully. I had Of all of her services, however, Pam In 2010, she studied permanent says she still gets the most satisfaction out of makeup at the Boca Ta-2 School for Perma- mine done, and it looks so natural and full.”

Pam also offers a scalp therapy treatdoing a client’s eyebrows. nent Makeup in Williston, FL, then began ment for women who have thinning hair.

“Brows are always my favorite because providing permanent makeup services in of the drastic way they change how someone Zephyrhills in 2011. Pam is Florida-licensed She says that the scalp therapy doesn’t seem looks,” Pam says. “Our eyes are meant to be as both a cosmetologist and as a tattoo artist. to work well on male pattern baldness — it’s more effective on thinning hair — but womframed, and brows definitely complete the “Any time that ink is implanted into en tend to respond well to it. face. Some women look so much younger the skin, it is a tattoo,” Pam explains, “and She also offers microneedling, which when they have them done.” you must be licensed through the Florida improves the skin by producing a slight inPam says she is committed to conDepartment of Health.”

The cost of Pam’s permanent makeup jury to the face with a tiny needle. The body tinuing education and frequently attends services starts at $400. She also offers permanaturally grows new collagen at the “injury” training to learn the latest, most advanced nent eyeliner, and is now offering permanent site, which plumps the skin in the treated techniques. That’s how she came across a

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017• WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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class called “Browmasters” in 2014, when microblading was a newer process and just beginning to take off. Now, as the process continues to grow in popularity, she already has lots of experience in doing it – several hundred sets of eyebrows, she says.

Pam encourages anyone who wants permanent makeup to schedule a free consultation with her. “Do your homework,” she says. “Make sure the person who does your eyebrows does a consultation. They should sit down with you and show you their work before and after.”

Having a set of eyebrows done by Pam takes about an hour. The price includes a free touch-up after the first four weeks, to help deepen the color and make them more permanent. Once completed, clients sometimes don’t need to come back for a year or two, although everyone’s skin is different. Those “touch-up” visits start at just $100.

And don’t worry, she says, she’ll be straight with you. Pam says she isn’t going to take on a client who wants her to do something she can’t, or something Pam doesn’t think should be done.

“Although microblading is my favorite,” Pam says, “it may not be the right answer for a client. There can be a better alternative, depending on the canvas that I am working on.”

Pam treats clients of all ages, and eyebrows of all sorts, from those that need to be reconstructed to some — on blonde- and red-haired people in particular — that tend to fade from view. Young clients come in for the convenience of not having to draw in their own eyebrows, while older ones come in to fill in plucked-over patches or to highlight brows that have faded with age and exposure to the sun.

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She sys she also helps a lot of women who come to her after a mediocre or poor experience with someone else. One such client is Janice, who lives in Wesley Chapel and asked us to only use her first name.

“I had permanent makeup done by another provider about a year ago and was only marginally happy with the results,” Janice says. “It faded, and I had a terrible reaction to the tool that was used on my lips. It took weeks and weeks to heal.”

Janice says she thought long and hard about doing it again, “but the ease of permanent make-up is so great that it superseded my fear. Once you have it, you just think, ‘Man, this is so great for every day.’ After doing my research, I felt that Pam’s method was going to give me better recovery and a better long-term result.”

As it turns out, she was right. Not only did Janice love the spa-like ambiance, cleanliness, and relaxing feeling of Serenity Salon & Spa Suites; she says Pam’s work is “perfect. I couldn’t be happier.”

She adds, “Before, it was just a tattoo.

It faded quickly and didn’t look as natural as I wanted it to. With Pam, and microblading, the process was different, and the outcome is superb compared to what I had previously.”

Pam wants to see all of her clients as happy as Janice. “I’m extremely passionate about my work,” she says. “When people tell me what a difference I made in their life and how they feel about themselves, that’s the reason that I love what I do!”

Creative Permanent Makeup by Pam is located at Serenity Salon & Spa Suites, at 33913 S.R. 54, Suite 101. For a free consultation and more info, see the ad on page 39, visit CreativePermanentMakeupbyPam.com, or call (813) 997-6302.

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SPOTLIGHT ON: Devolder Family Law! When Bryan and Elizabeth Devolder decided to re-invent themselves at the ages of 35 and 37, respectively, they could have picked something easier, like a nice sales job, or buying a successful restaurant franchise, or maybe even starting their own business.

Instead, they both decided to become lawyers.

“It’s crazy,” Bryan says.

But it worked.

At Devolder Family Law, located in the former Hunter’s Green Model & Visitor Center, Bryan and Elizabeth have found immediate success in their new profession. Since opening in August of 2016, Elizabeth says business has been brisk and is well ahead of their projections after just their first year; Bryan adds that they have doubled the amount of clients they expected at this time.

The secret to their success might be the same thing that drew them into law in the first place — a desire to seek out answers and solve problems, while meeting people’s needs in an informal manner that makes them feel at ease.

“We’re not about us, we’re about the client,’’ says Bryan.

Bryan graduated in Jan. of 2016, and Elizabeth graduated in April of the same year, both finishing at the top of their class. Later in 2016, Elizabeth was among 25 future lawyers named in the National Jurist’s inaugural “Law Student of the Year” feature.

“We are very down-to-earth people,”

Elizabeth says. “We weren’t born with silver spoons in our mouths, we didn’t become Harvard lawyers at 25. We worked hard our whole lives, we understand the value of money and we understand the challenges that people have. And, we answer the phone.”

Bryan turns his cellphone over and reveals a Batman sticker. “This is the Bat Phone,’’ he says. “We give this number to our clients, and we are available 24/7. Ask any other attorney if they will answer their phone at 2 a.m., or if they even give that number out.”

Devolder Family Law is located at 8709 Hunter’s Green Dr., at the front of Hunter’s Green before entering the gated community from BBD. It is open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. For additional information, see the ad on page 10 of this issue, search “DevolderLaw” on Facebook, visit DevolderLaw.com or call (813) 724-3880.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Pasco’s Masonry & Landscape Depot Beats The Big-Box Stores On Price & Selection!

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com It doesn’t take long after pulling into to Pasco’s Masonry & Landscape Depot, off U.S. Hwy. 301 and just a short drive from Wesley Chapel, to notice that they probably have what you came in to find.

There are piles of various mulches — red, brown, cypress, pine bark, etc. — to your right, and stacks of decorative rock, flagging and veneers all around you. There are slabs of marble for your countertops and everything from black and red lava rocks to black canyon granite in wire barrels and wooden buckets, as well as more than 3,000 trees and shrubs for your landscaping needs.

Piles of materials for masonry construction, like 20-foot rebar (which owner Alfredo Colon says is preferred by contractors and not accessible everywhere), cinder blocks and precast lintels, also are available.

Inside the small storefront, there are various tools and other landscaping and masonry items for sale.

“We have pretty much everything,’’ Alfredo says.

And if Pasco’s Masonry doesn’t have what you need, Alfredo says he can get it for you — usually for less than it would cost you from some of the more familiar chain stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Colon knows that running his family business against those bigger and more recognizable options isn’t easy, but he says he’s up for the challenge. What he lacks in brand recognition for the moment, he makes up for with cheaper prices, better and more personalized customer service and

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accessibility to Pasco Masonry’s management.

Selling in bulk, in addition to also carrying the smaller bags of mulch and rocks that you might be looking for, also sets him apart. You can buy a yard of mulch for $26, or if you desire, just a bag for $2.50.

Colon says that aggregates — the rocks, which include everything from decorative stone to gravel — are his biggest sellers.

“We tell people to just come on in, Owner Alfredo Colon invites you to check out Pasco’s Masonry & back up your truck Landscaping Depot on U.S. Hwy. 301 in Dade City. and we’ll load it up,’’ and Zephyrhills would be a perfect spot, Alfredo says. “We try considering all of the dirt roads and new to make it an easy trip for our customers, so construction. they don’t have to park, grab a cart, walk Although he had his eye on a few spots around a store and fill it up, pay for it, then in Wesley Chapel, he settled on a spacious go unload it back into their car or truck.” four-acre property in Dade City that formerAfter 27 years as a contractor in Westly was occupied by JLP Motorsports. chester County, NY, Alfredo and his family “That really gives us lots of good garage — wife Clarissa, 24-year-old son Andrew space (to store products),’’ Alfredo said. and 20-year daughter Laurianne — moved “And, having this much land is nice.” to Florida two years ago to get away from Pasco’s Masonry & Landscaping Depot the cold. opened seven months ago, and Alfredo says He says he always had the desire to that business has so far been good enough to own his own masonry house, and thought exceed expectations. the area between Wesley Chapel, Dade City

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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“It won’t be too tough once we get going,” he says. “Every new business takes 2-3 years to get going, and what we offer here and what Lowe’s or Home Depot offers is a lot different. You can’t buy bulk material at Lowe’s, and if you do, you have to order it online and it’s going to cost you three times as much as I’m selling it for.”

Alfredo, who says he was the superintendent on the George Washington and Manhattan Bridge projects in New York City, says his varied background makes his business multi-dimensional.

For adding hardscape to your property, which can help increase its value, he sells Belgard products, which is backed by the Good Housekeeping Seal for quality and assurance.

At Pasco’s Masonry, there is a large, stone fireplace built, as well as an outdoor deck, fire pit and decorative retaining walls.

Not only does Alfredo have the Belgard products for such projects, he says “I’ll even build one for you.”

Before getting into construction, Alfredo says he studied horticulture at the state University of New York at Farmingdale – which is part of the reason Pasco’s Masonry & Landscaping Depot specializes in both of Alfredo’s loves.

And now, with many homeowners looking to replace mulch, trees and shrubs that were displaced or washed away by Hurricane Irma, Alfredo says Pasco’s Masonry can help.

In fact, not only does the store deliver, but Alfredo says he also can come to your home and help shape what your landscaping should look like, as well as recom-

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mended the kinds of foliage you should be planting.

“I always had an interest in landscaping and trees,’’ Alfredo says. “Now I see the opportunity to get what I always wanted.

I like to design stuff for people. I’ll go out there and lay it out, and let you know which shrubs and trees you need.”

The same goes for granite countertops.

Pasco Masonry & Landscaping Depot will come out to measure your counters, cut your Pasco’s Masonry will gladly build your fire pit to your specifications. marble (or whatever surface you choose) for you, and then return and install it.

Since opening, Alfredo says he has already done five countertops.

With a touch of pride in his voice, Alfredo says the biggest difference between Pasco’s Masonry & Landscaping Depot and the chains is that his is a true family business.

Clarissa helps manage the store, and when she’s not busy with her full-time college schedule, Laurianne pitches in as well.

Meanwhile, Andrew is learning the ropes, as Alfredo’s hope is to one day leave p.m., and 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Saturthe business to him. day. For more information, check out “That’s my goal,’’ he says.

PascosMasonry.com, @PascosMasonry Pasco Masonry & Landscaping is on Facebook, call (352) 437-4408 or see located at 10301 U.S. 301 in Dade City, the ad on page 20. and is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m-4

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SPOTLIGHT ON...Pasco Cardiology Associates!

As the population of Wesley Chapel grows, so does the need for its residents to have access to high-quality medical care.

Dr. Binu Jacob, M.D., FACC (Fellow of the American College of Cardiology), and Dr. Ramanath Rao, M.D., FACC, offer that service at their Pasco Cardiology Associates office located directly across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), in the Windfair Professional Center.

Pasco Cardiology Associates added Tuesday morning hours (9 a.m-noon) back in March, in addition to the regular office hours on Thursdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

“We just see the population of Wesley Chapel growing tremendously and our patients are asking more and more (for us) to be more present in this community,” says Dr. Jacob, who received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of Miami (FL) and his Board certification in Cardiology & Heart Failure from the University of Florida. He returned to the University of Miami to become Board-certified in Electrophysiology.

Dr. Jacob joined Ramanath Rao, M.D., in 2010 at the Pasco Cardiology Associates office in Zephyrhills, and they opened the Wesley Chapel office together in 2012.

Dr. Rao earned his M.D. degree from the University of Mysore Medical College in Mysore, India, and completed his Cardiology Fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in The Bronx, NY. Both doctors are equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle a range of heart and vascular issues, but as Dr. Jacob

The staff at Pasco Cardiology in Wesley Chapel includes (l.-r.) med. asst. Annette Vandenburgh, Dr. Binu Jacob, MD, FACC, practice manager Natalie Parsons & receptionist Joseph

explains, they have adopted an approach whereby each of the physicians focus on one particular “system” of a patient’s cardiovascular infrastructure.

“Dr. Rao and I always joke that he’s the ‘plumber’ and I’m the ‘electrician,’” says Dr. Jacob. “He deals with anything heart attack — and heart disease — related, venous disease and vascular disease, so he focuses on your ‘plumbing.’ I focus on the electrical aspects of the heart, electrical pacemakers, defibrillators, or if somebody needs an ablation, where we go into the heart and fix an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). .”

Insurance policies issued by most major carriers are accepted, as is Medicare.

Dr. Rao and Dr. Jacob are affiliated with Adventist Health System’s Florida Hospitals in Hillsborough and Pasco counties (including Florida Hospital Tampa and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) and Dr. Jacob is affiliated with Bayfront Health Dade City.

Pasco Cardiology Associates is located at 2649 Windguard Cir., Suite 102. For more info, see the ad on pg.

20, or call (813) 788-0439.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

23

To Protect Your Home, Auto Or Business, Check Out Tina Insurance!

By BRAD STAGER

There’s no better time than when a major-category hurricane is expected to arrive in your neighborhood to clarify the value of possessions, such as your home, automobiles and businesses.

When it comes to protecting those assets, Tina Ricketts, the owner and principal agent of Insurance/Seguros of America Ricketts, LLC (aka Tina Insurance), says that doing business with an independent, licensed, professional agent has advantages over obtaining coverage online or through a toll-free phone number.

“You have a face to go with the name,” says Tina. “When you call us, you deal with me directly.”

She also cites the focus of her agency’s activities and relationships with clients as distinguishing it from its competitors.

“The majority of consumers don’t know about insurance and don’t know what insurance they’re getting,” she says. “We teach them what coverage they need, based on what they’re doing.”

According to its website, TinaInsurance.com, specializes in “trucking, business, homeowners, or auto insurance.”

Trucking, you say? Tina has found that insuring commercial trucks is much different from insuring the family runabout.

“The first thing is, it’s an 80,000-pound vehicle, versus a 5,000-pound car, so the damage that a truck can cause is way higher than what a personal car can cause,” she says, adding, “There’s

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a difference between commercial use and personal use. You don’t use a semi-truck to ride around town.”

The implications of a trucking industry that operates safely on affordable, sound, insurance are apparent to Tina, “You see them everyday on the road, bringing us our food and our goods,” she says. “(Trucks are) an important part of our economy.”

Tina started out at Insurance/Seguros of America in 2006 as a licensed Certified Professional Service Representative (State of Florida Customer Representative License), which allowed her to advise on and sell insurance products under the agency owner’s Florida Agent License.

When Ricketts earned her own license to sell property and casualty lines as an agent in 2010, she bought the agency, adding her family’s name to it.

She has started marketing her agency as Tina Insurance, as an official Doing Business As (DBA) name.

She is licensed for Property and Casualty insurance. She does not, however, sell life or health insurance.

Getting into the nuances of a your business’ products and services to create a right-sized, beneficial policy, as well as serving the insurance needs of individuals and families, keeps the job interesting for her.

“Every day you find something different,” Tina says. “Every risk (the probability of something happening being known, but not when it will occur, or the value of the occurrence) is different; they have their own needs they’re dealing with.”

She adds that she greets each new day at the office as an opportunity for “something new to quote,” such as coverage for a cryogenics salon that provides cold-temperature physical treatments for people.

Tina Insurance’s commercial coverage emphasizes small, independent enterprises such as those opening their doors to the public each Tina Ricketts is the owner of Insurance/Seguros of America Ricketts, LLC. day in Wesley Chapel natural disaster strikes. and New Tampa. And, if those businesses Tina also says that one of the most rely on cars or trucks for commerce, Tina is confusing areas is how flooding is defined ready to find the right insurance coverage and covered, since insurers make distinctions to ensure that the wheels keep moving, between flooding that occurs as a result of whether they’re attached to pickup trucks an overflowing hot tub and rainfall or storm or 18-wheelers; owner-operated or part of a surge from a hurricane. transportation fleet.

“A lot of people think they have hur“Every scenario is different,” she says. ricane coverage or they have flood coverage “It’s never boring.” and that’s not always the case,” she says. “It She adds that the first step to being cer- depends on how (your home or business) tain you have the insurance you need could gets flooded.” be checking what coverage you already have, Bu$iness Policies or maybe think you have, but don’t.

Commercial and business insurance “We are here to provide a service to involves coverage for everything from help you understand what you have in case inventory to worker’s compensation. Tina of a claim,” says Tina, who notes that many says that minimizing exposure for her people make assumptions about what their clients means taking time to learn about insurance policies actually cover and often their businesses. discover coverage shortcomings in a time “Every business is different,” she says. of need, such as after a hurricane or other

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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“Tell me about your business and your daily operations.”

Tina Insurance which, according to its mission statement, is committed to protecting each client’s “American Dream,” and helping them financially recover from damages inflicted by natural disaster or incurred through the conduct of business.

And, just as the businesses that Tina finds insurance coverage for represents the dreams and aspirations of the people who own them, Tina Insurance is part of Tina’s own American Dream that began when she came as a teenager to Tampa from Venezuela 17 years ago.

The insurance agency is a family business as well, with her husband Nick also playing an important role in its success.

“He’s the marketing director,” Tina says. “He handles the advertising, marketing and networking.”

Tina has more than 10 years of experience in the insurance industry and purchased the Wesley Chapel agency, Insurance/Seguros of America, in 2010. She has been building her business ever since, keeping in mind a basic guiding principle in her daily quest for the best insurance values for her clients.

“I want to treat my customers the way I want an insurance agent to treat me,” says Tina, who has lived in Wesley Chapel since 2005 and is a member of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. She adds that the community’s growth has created a lot of opportunity in the insurance business.

“We’re growing so much as new homeowners come in, and a lot of those homeowners are business owners as well,” she says.

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The consensus among the six customers providing Google Reviews for Tina Insurance is that the agency provides Five-Star customer service.

Andra Lo expressed appreciation for the high level of customer service in her Google Review: “Tina and her team were able to help me with all of my insurance needs, they were helpful and very easy to work with. I recommend them to anyone looking for great insurance service.”

Meeting commercial insurance requirements was Jay Ellison’s need and his Google Review is unrestrained in its praise of Tina and her colleagues.

“Tina and her team are wonderful to work with. They take the time to understand your business and find the best coverage for you for a price that works. She’s my go-to recommendation for commercial insurance!”

Finding out whether Tina and her team can help meet your insurance needs begins with a free consultation which can be as simple as entering required information through the Tina Insurance website or through a conversation.

“If you want us to review your policy, come in and show us what you have,” says Tina, who offers one piece of advice to keep in mind until the end of the 2017 Hurricane Season on November 30.

“Keep your policy handy,” she says.

Insurance/Seguros of America Ricketts, LLC, is located at 3823 Turman Loop, Suite #101, off Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel. You can visit online at TinaInsurance.com to learn more and get a free insurance policy quote, call (813) 907-1555, or see the ad on page 32 of this issue.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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New Tampa Plastic Surgery’s Dr. Peter Fakhre Provides Artistry For Your Body New Tampa Plastic Surgery, a premier cosmetic surgery “boutique,” has been helping New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents look and feel their best since 2011.

Specializing in the aesthetic plastic surgery of the face, breasts and body, Board-certified plastic surgeon Peter Fakhre, M.D., rejuvenates and enhances the natural beauty of his patients with the latest cutting-edge surgical and non-surgical procedures.

Dr. Fakhre also has been named one of the top doctors in the country by Vitals. com (a medical review forum for consumers).

According to the website, Dr. Fakhre was named a “Vitals Top 10 Doctor.” Of more than 870,000 doctors nationwide, Dr. Fakhre has been recognized as being in the top one percent, of all physicians, as determined by patient ratings.

Located in the Windfair Professional Park off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), New Tampa Plastic Surgery sees patients from all across Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Dr. Fakhre and his staff help everyone who walks through their doors feel welcome; their primary goal being to make the patient feel comfortable while exploring his or her best options for plastic or reconstructive surgery (as well as non-surgical alternatives, in some cases) in a highly professional and confidential environment.

You can see the results of Dr. Fakhre’s work when you visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. Although his work definitely speaks for itself, he also is highly recommended by his patients. In a physician review on Vitals.com, Dr. Fakhre’s patient Jane Gibbons said, “Plastic surgery? More accurately — Surgical Artistry! Dr. Fakhre is a master of his craft. He not only is an accomplished surgeon, (he also) is a man of integrity who listens, counsels and guides his patients toward the goals they are seeking. (He) then satisfies those goals with skill and precision!”

She continues, “Dr. Fakhre works with his patients to determine the best surgical and non-surgical options that will achieve the desired outcome. As a bonus, his office staff is compassionate, efficient and shares his philosophy that everyone deserves to look their best. Unquestionably, Dr. Fakhre is the best that Tampa Bay has to offer!”

Dr. Fakhre, who is one of the few plastic surgeons in the Tampa Bay area to be double-Board-certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and by the American Board of Surgery, explains,

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distinguished American Society of Plastic Surgeons. During his surgical training, Dr. Fakhre was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Mayo Clinic Medical School and served as Chief Resident in Surgery in his final year of surgical training.

Dr. Fakhre was then privileged to match at his first choice of Plastic Surgery fellowship programs at the prestigious Methodist Hospital, where he again excelled, scoring the highest in-service exam score among all plastic surgery residents in his program and serving as Chief Resident during his final year of plastic surgery training.

“I had the wonDr. Peter Fakhre and nurse practitioner Christina Ahrens provide derful opportunity to surgical and non-surgical options for their patients at New Tampa train with members of the original group of Plastic Surgery, located in the Windfair Prof. Park in Wesley Chapel. plastic surgeons that invented the breast “There are many things that are important implant, as well as facial and body plastic in achieving successful outcomes in plastic surgeons whose surgeries have been featured surgery: an understanding of the patient’s desires, their physical examination, realistic on The Discovery Channel,” Dr. Fakhre says.

“Working in such an environment provided goals, sound surgical technique, attention to detail and outstanding postoperative care, all of which contribute to success in cosmetic plastic surgery.”

He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of South Florida in Tampa, graduating summa cum laude. He then elected to attend the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. It was while he was at UF that Dr. Fakhre’s surgical talent, aesthetic eye and love for plastic surgery were realized.

Dr. Fakhre then completed a general surgery residency at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, where he scored in the 98th percentile in the American Board of Surgery in Training Exam, the highest among all of the residents in his program. He was involved with numerous publications and research projects, which have been presented at numerous scientific meetings, including the

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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great exposure to a large volume of primary as well as revision cosmetic surgery cases.

This experience was priceless and I’m happy to bring this type of training to the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area.”

This training and his own expertise helped Dr. Fakhre earn the highest score possible, in the 99th percentile among Plastic Surgeons in plastic surgery of the breast, on the American Board of Plastic Surgery written examination.

In addition to refining his surgical skill and technique during his plastic surgery training, Dr. Fakhre also volunteered his time with Operation San José and traveled to Guatemala on a cleft lip and palate surgical mission. There, he helped deliver surgical care to many cleft lip and palate patients who otherwise may never have received the treatment they needed.

Dr. Fakhre says that he was happy to return to the Tampa Bay area after his training and currently lives in Seven Oaks with his wife of 14 years and three sons, who keep them busy and entertained.

So Many Surgical Options

So many of us have things we would like to change about our bodies. Time, age and weight changes all take a toll on the body and these factors can affect your appearance and self-image. Dr. Fakhre says that cosmetic plastic surgery is a way to help you look and feel better.

“When we are happy with our appearance, we feel more confident,” he says.

New Tampa Plastic Surgery offers a plethora of cosmetic surgery procedures for

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women and men, including breast enhancement (augmentations, lifts and reductions), tummy tucks, face and neck lifts, eyelid surgery, liposuction and more. Known for his technical skill, eye for beauty and superior aesthetic practice, Dr. Fakhre will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to achieve your desired outcome and to make the “new you” a reality.

“Cosmetic plastic surgery allows the surgeon to combine artistry with sound surgical techniques to produce superior results,” says Dr. Fakhre.

Breasts, for instance, are often at the core of a woman’s femininity and self-confidence. Dr. Fakhre explains that breast surgery is one of the most personal decisions a woman can make.

“Breast augmentation surgery can increase your self-confidence and satisfaction with your body,” says Dr. Fakhre. “By increasing or restoring breast volume, we can help our patients achieve a better-proportioned body.”

Dr. Fakhre’s breast augmentation patients are first educated about implant size and types so they can make informed decisions about which would best satisfy their personal goals. He says that the two main implant types available are still silicone and saline and that the implant selected depends upon a variety of factors.

Currently, the most common implants that Dr. Fakhre uses are silicone implants, which he says look and feel more natural than their saline counterparts.

Breast lift surgery removes excess tissue and repositions the breast and/or nipple to a more youthful position. This procedure is often chosen by women desiring to restore form to their breasts or reclaim their

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testimonial about her experience with New Tampa Plastic Surgery. “The whole process — from scheduling my appointments to the day of the procedure, even my recovery — went so smoothly. I highly recommend Dr. Fakhre. I give him 10 stars!”

Non-Surgical Options, Too

Dr. Fakhre says that “Mommy Makeovers” often include tummy tucks and/or liposuction to allow women to return to a more youthful, pre-baby appearance, often with outstanding results. “before-baby” appearance. And, although breasts are intertwined with the feminine profile, women are not the only ones who have breast surgery. In fact, Dr. Fakhre says that he has helped many men feel better about their appearance with reduction surgery for men with female-looking breasts (also known as gynecomastia).

Liposuction, ‘Mommy Makeovers’ & More

Another popular cosmetic surgical procedure at New Tampa Plastic Surgery is liposuction, which can improve the body’s contour by removing fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. Liposuction restores proportionality and minimizes problem areas. Dr. Fakhre says that if you find yourself shopping for clothes to hold your tummy in or help slim your thighs, liposuction may be your answer. He adds that liposuction offers significant results with minimal downtime. “In fact, many (liposuction) patients recover over a weekend and return to work on Monday,” he says.

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A full “Mommy Makeover” also is a popular procedure sought by women who want to get back to the body they had before they had children. Dr. Fakhre says that the most common “Mommy Makeover” combines a breast lift (with or without breast augmentation for reshaping), a tummy tuck to tighten the midsection that was stretched during pregnancy and liposuction to remove unwanted fat deposits.

Dr. Fakhre, who has surgical privileges at Florida Hospital Tampa and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, says that he performs most of his surgeries at the New Tampa Surgery Center, located nearby (off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel), although he adds that he does perform minor procedures in his office as well. Wherever he performs his artistry, however, his satisfied patients are a testament to his experience and training.

“From the moment I walked through the door in his office I was always greeted on a first-name basis, which made me feel like I wasn’t just another patient to get in and out,” Christina Vargas wrote in her patient

But, New Tampa Plastic Surgery also is a true cosmetic boutique, offering skin and other non-surgical cosmetic procedures, in addition to plastic surgery. Many of these non-surgical procedures — such as Botox and dermal fillers, Latisse eyelash lengthening and thickening, fat injections, chemical peels that rejuvenate and energize the skin to beautify your natural state and more — often provide the results a patient is looking for, and are less “invasive” than surgical options.

Board-certified nurse practitioner Christina Ahrens has more than 10 years of experience in dermatology and plastic surgery and performs all of the non-surgical procedures at New Tampa Plastic Surgery. “We are fortunate to have Christina as part of our team,” says Dr. Fakhre. “She does an outstanding job in the treatment of our patients.”

To schedule your free cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. Peter Fakhre, call New Tampa Plastic Surgery at (813) PLASTIC (752-7842).

The office is located at 2541 Windguard Cir. For a full menu of services, visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com.

And, be sure to check out the ad on page 13 of this issue and ‘Like’ New Tampa Plastic Surgery’s Facebook. com page so that you can be notified of the office’s monthly promotions on various services.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

27

Looking For A New Cleaning Service? Try Clean-it & See The Difference “We’re not paid by the hour, so we don’t have to look at our watches while we’re cleaning, to be sure we get in and out quickly.”

She stresses that, in her business, the needs and desires of her clients are of the utmost importance. “We just do whatever it takes to make sure your house looks good every time we leave.”

Celly insists that each time she cleans your home, it will be as clean as the first time. She says that her reputation has been built on satisfied customers who know she does a thorough and detailed cleaning each and every time.

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com

If you’re in the market for a new cleaning service for your home or office, Celly de Freitas invites you to try Clean-it, her family-owned cleaning service based in Wesley Chapel and serving the surrounding areas, including New Tampa, Lutz and Land O’Lakes, which she has owned and operated since 2013. The company is unlike many, in that Celly herself meets with each client to get specific instructions and room-by-room requests and then returns to either do the job herself, or supervise it, every time your home is cleaned.

Celly says other cleaning services don’t usually offer the consistency she does. Large companies hire a lot of people, she says, so you don’t always get the same crew working in your home. She says this is a recipe for miscommunication, and also considerably slows down the cleaning process.

“For all of my clients,” explains Celly, “I either personally clean their house, or I check it after my crew is done. Every house, every time.”

Clean-it includes four crew members besides Celly, and they are all her family members and friends.

“I only have people working for me who I know and trust,” Celly says. “I’m not going to allow someone into my clients’ homes if I don’t know them.”

She says she often hears from people who are not happy with their current cleaning service.

“They tell me they’ve arranged their

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A Little Background

Celly de Freitas (far right,) is the owner and operator of Clean-it. She and her team work together to ensure their clients’ homes and offices are thoroughly cleaned. schedule to be home, then people don’t says all you have to do is ask, as she is happy show up, and sometimes the cleaning to accommodate special requests. company doesn’t even know they’re The same goes for offices, too. Celly missing houses,” she says. “Or they don’t says she vacuums, clean the bathrooms, like that different people show up at their tables and blinds, fans, and mops floors. She house for each cleaning. So, they tell me says offices tend to be more simple, but she they’ll give me a try, and then they (usual- still accommodates whatever is needed. ly) stick with me.”

“I do whatever the client asks, and I Clean-it provides general cleaning always accomplish what I promise,” Celly services, including dusting, wiping down explains. “My clients are always happy with and disinfecting window ledges, baseboards, my services, or I go back and make it right.” interior glass doors, countertops, the facings She says this is another contrast to large of all appliances, sinks, faucets, exterior cleaning companies, where a cleaning crew cabinets, blinds and ceiling fans, as well as may have so many homes scheduled that floor vacuuming and mopping. If you need they are in a rush at every home they visit. something done that isn’t on this list, Celly “This isn’t a quick clean,” says Celly.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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Celly has now worked in the cleaning industry for more than 20 years, the last five as the owner and operator of Clean-it. She moved to Florida 21 years ago from Brazil and her family settled in the Seven Oaks community in Wesley Chapel more than 15 years ago. With her roots in this area, she has many long-term relationships with her clients.

“I want people to know they can trust me,” she says. “I have houses I’ve cleaned for 15 years. I provide references and I welcome new clients to call my current clients and see what they have to say about me.”

Julie is one of those clients who is happy to talk about how much she appreciates Clean-it’s cleaning services. She says she first met Celly in 2006 when she was looking for someone to clean her home and a neighbor referred her.

“Celly is incredibly reliable, neat, prompt and honest,” Julie says. “She does a good job, and she’s careful with delicate things.”

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Julie adds, “I have a lot of plantation shutters, and Celly is obsessed with keeping them dusted and clean, even more than me,” says Julie. “And that’s a big job! I’m very happy with her.”

Celly says Julie is just one of her many satisfied customers. She believes her customers stay happy because she dedicates her time to each one of her clients and puts her personal stamp of approval on each cleaning job.

“Homeowners like the fact that they know me and my crew,” says Julie. “If I don’t come to your house one day, but send a crew instead, it’s still going to be someone you know who has cleaned your house before.”

And, Celly will still stop by to make sure that everything has been done properly.

It’s also important to Celly to use environmentally friendly products, she says. She chooses products that are efficient, ones that, “work Celly and her team want to clean your home, too. well but are not harmful,” she says. it says, if you choose to give her a try, “you “If you have kids and pets, we will see the difference.” know they sometimes come into contact For a free estimate, call Celly at with cleaning products, whether that’s from (813) 505-0431. You can learn more licking the floor or just having their hands about Clean-it online at Facebook.com/ on the floor,” Celly explains. “So, we use CleanIt.Services or see the ad on pg. 49. products that will not be harmful to their health.” If a client wants their own, personal The business is licensed and insured. Appointments are available Mon.-Fri., with products to be used for cleaning instead, special request appointments available on Celly says she is happy to oblige.

Sat. Clean-it is accepting new residential Clean-it offers a 10 percent discount and business clients for regular weekly, on your first cleaning to Neighborhood News bi-weekly and monthly cleanings, as well readers who mention this story. Be sure to see her ad on page 49 of this issue, too. Like as one-time services for moving in out.

Neighborhood News

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

29

Got Pain? Check Out Affordable, Quality Care At The Joint Chiropractic Center!

By GARY NAGER

Two years before I moved from Westchester County, NY, to Wesley Chapel and three years before I purchased the Neighborhood News in 1994, one of my last part-time jobs in New York was as a “freelance marketing rep,” for a company that mainly dealt with doctors, dentists and other medical professionals who prior to that time, had never done much advertising of any kind because it was frowned upon by their respective professions.

My first client was a chiropractor, so I opened with a joke I had recently heard.

“Doc, is it true that a chiropractor can fix literally anything that’s wrong with you...in ‘only’ 50 visits?”

My client responded with a smile, “No, young man, it takes 100 visits.”

Shortly after that, I spoke with an orthopaedic surgeon I greatly respected who said that, “Yes, chiropractic is at least a step above voodoo.”

Well, that was more than 20 years ago and I’m not laughing anymore.

I met Alex Pierroutsakos, who operates the new New Tampa location of The Joint Chiropractic Center (in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center shopping plaza on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. at New Tampa/Cross Creek Blvd.) with his wife, Valerie, at a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) mixer a month or two before The Joint opened in June. Alex was talking about his new franchise and how it works to a small group of Chamber members. My fiancé (then, my girlfriend) Jannah turned to me and said, “I’m definitely doing this.”

Jannah, who has been seeing chiroprac-

30

tors for years following an auto accident that left her with chronic lower back and neck pain, said the only reason she stopped going was because she could only afford one or two adjustments a month and that wasn’t really enough to keep her pain at bay.

I, on the other hand, had never had any back or neck pain of any kind through my 40s.

The only ongoing pain I had ever experienced was knee pain likely caused by playing basketball on cement in my late 30s, when I was often 25-50 pounds overweight. I had arthroscopic surgery on both knees almost 15 years ago and once I also lost the bulk of that additional weight, the knee pain went away.

But, since turning 50 a few (too many) years ago, it seems like every time I sleep “funny” or have to sit for too long at the computer without a break on deadline, I have been getting neck and/or lower back pain that feels like a needle jabbing me if I move too quickly.

And, although I’ve never gained back more than 25 of the 50 lbs. I lost after my knee surgeries, alternating between my non-deadline weeks — where I work out and/or kayak 4-5 days a week to some deadline weeks where I do no exercise at all — had amplified my other pain and made my knees so creaky again that I was often walking with a limp.

The more I got to know Alex and Valerie, the more I realized that The Joint was the place for me.

Alex was involved in a car accident where someone else died eight years or so ago, that left him minus a limb.

“I have struggled with managing pain as well as trying to stay active and healthy,” he says. “In order to stay healthy and not grow dependent on opioids and other drugs, I have

found massage and chiropractic care to be the keys to managing my pain and staying pain-free. Unfortunately, chiropractic care has been limited due to insurance limitations and cost and I had only been able to go when there was a problem or injury.

Until The Joint, no model was available for me to get these benefits to stay aligned to prevent injury and manage bouts of phantom pain and back pain. I am still very active as a runner, golfer, basketball, and active with my kids sports. ” But, once these Wesley Chapel residents found The Joint franchise, Alex, a successful traveling business consultant, said he knew he had found the right niche for not only himself, but for a new business for his family.

“I realized that by having a Joint membership that offers four adjustments Alex and Valerie Pierroutsakos and their family ina month for one low price, I could take vite you to visit The Joint Chiropractic in the Publixa more to take a proactive approach to my health, be in less pain, perform better anchored New Tampa Center plaza on BBD Blvd. in sports, while also saving money in the weekends and you never need an appointlong run. And, I wanted to share that concept ment or even to call ahead. Since Jannah and to other people.”

I became the New Tampa location’s first two official clients on opening day in June, I have Member Benefits shown up more than a dozen times and have As advertised on pg. 3 of the last several never had to wait more than 5 or 10 minutes issues of this publication, The Joint charges to be seen by the doctor. only $29 for an initial visit, which includes a And, that’s by design. The Joint was consultation and physical exam with one of originally founded in 1999 by a Doctor of Chilocations licensed chiropractic physicians (more ropractic with a vision to transform the tradion them below) and an adjustment, plus just tional, often misunderstood concept of routine $69 per month for four additional adjustments. chiropractic care by making it more conveIf you need additional adjustments in a calennient, friendly and affordable. In March 2010, dar month, they cost only $10 per visit.

The Joint was re-founded with the acquisition The really cool thing about The Joint is of the original eight franchised clinics. Today, that it stays open late (until 7 p.m.) and on The Joint has grown to a nationwide network

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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of more than 370 clinics utilizing more than 850 chiropractic physicians and the numbers continue to grow because it works. And, although no insurance is needed, The Joint is FSA (Healthcare Flexible Spending Account) and HSA (Health Savings Account)-accepted.

SPOTLIGHT ON...Academy At The Lakes!

My New Friend, Dr. Barney

Although I had never met him before The Joint opened, I now consider the New Tampa location of The Joint’s Doctor of Chiropractic, Barnabas (Barney) Bickerton, D.C., to be my friend. Dr. Barney (photo, right) knew that I was nervous as I watched him adjust Jannah that first day (in The Joint’s open adjustment area) and he really took the time to discuss my issues before examining me.

He then pinpointed, within a few moments, not only where I was feeling pain but also the source of that pain.

I told him the thing I was most worried about was having my neck adjusted, especially after watching him adjust Jannah’s neck, and he only massaged my neck in different positions that first visit. Instead, he focused not only on my back, but also on my achy knees and even the rotator cuffs in my arms.

Today, I’m an old pro at having my neck adjusted, thanks to the gentle, knowledgeable and caring Dr. Barney, and every time I visit The Joint, I feel better when I leave than I did when I came in.

And, Dr. Barney, who has more than 20 years of experience and earned his Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from the Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, MO, isn’t alone at The Joint in New Tampa, where you also may see fellow D.C. Edward Leonard (whose TJ Wesley Chapel is listed as The Joint New Tampa’s owner; Alex and Valerie’s VALEX Inc. is listed as the location’s manager).

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Both Jannah and her boss at the Pasco Education Foundation, Stacey Capogrosso, have both been adjusted by Dr. Leonard, as well as by Dr. Bickerton, and they agree that The Joint currently has two outstanding chiropractors.

“Val and I are focused on providing the care and experience from a customer and patient point of view,” Alex says. “We are both very strong believers in chiropractic care and focus on delivering the same experience we expect for ourselves but now to our customers that we serve in our neighborhood. Our location draws from both New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, which are both very healthoriented areas.”

Alex also says that the Wesley Chapel Chamber has been instrumental in helping The Joint get connected to the community and local businesses. “But, more important is how welcoming the Chamber has been to us,” he says. “We are new to the area and were unsure of how the Chamber would help us. But, the Chamber members have welcomed us with open arms and helped us feel more connected with the community.”

And, The Joint has made me a believer, too. I feel great and I’ve even stopped limping.

For more information about The Joint Chiropractic-New Tampa Center (19014 BBD Blvd.), call (813) 995-7380 or visit TheJoint.com.

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Academy at the Lakes (AATL), a co-ed, independent, day school today serving more than 460 students in PreK3 through 12th grade, is celebrating its 25th anniversary (see new logo, right) during the 2017-18 school year.

Academy first opened its doors in 1992, with an enrollment of 32 students in Kindergarten through 6th grade.

Since that time, the school has grown to become one of the Tampa Bay area’s most outstanding PreK-12th grade college preparatory schools, featuring a beautiful lakeside campus and exceptional academic, athletic and arts programs.

“We have very strong academics, but so much more,” says Mark Heller, who has been Head of School for 10 of AATL’s 25 years of existence. “We equip students with a set of skills that will last them for the rest of their lives.”

Heller adds that emphasizing things like good manners and even just mastering the basic handshake helps prepare students to interact easily and effectively with the world beyond AATL. He refers to this part of the school’s routine as its “hidden curriculum.”

One way that schools, independent as well as public, measure student success is how many of their graduates who apply to college are accepted.

According to information provided by AATL’s marketing office, that figure is 100% for the years 2014-16, with $7 million in scholarships offered for that same period.

The school’s growth has been synony-

mous with the growth of Pasco County and the surrounding areas. Centrally located in Land O’Lakes, only 20 minutes or less from most of New Tampa, AATL employs more than 100 faculty and staff members, and partners with area businesses to be a resource for the broader community.

Academy at the Lakes kicked off its 25th anniversary celebration with a schoolwide Day of Service on September 20, the 25th day of the school year. On this day, all members of the school community — students, faculty and staff —engaged in community service opportunities throughout the Tampa Bay area.

For more information, visit AcademyattheLakes.org, call (813) 909-7919 or see the ad on page 37 of this issue.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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New Tampa Resident Is FBLA’s New National President!

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN

celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com You’d probably expect the president of an international organization with more than 250,000 members to be professional, articulate and passionate about his role and vision for his organization.

What you might not expect is that he would be just 17 years old, and still in high school.

Max Michel is all of the above, having recently been elected as president of the national Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) organization.

“I serve our 250,000 members and work with other officers to create programs for our members,” Max explains. “I also work with the national board of directors, comprised of educators, CEOs, industry representatives and other professionals, to help steer the long-term strategies for the organization as a whole.”

Max has lived with his family in Tampa Palms since 2005, before he entered kindergarten at Chiles Elementary. He then attended Liberty Middle School. When it was time for high school, he chose the magnet program at Middleton High, located on N. 22nd St. in Tampa.

It was through his FBLA chapter at Middleton that Max pursued the chance to lead the national organization. He was elected president during the group’s National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, CA, on July 2, and immediately began his one-year term.

The National Leadership Conference comes after the District and State conferences.

“FBLA gives students the opportunity to compete on District, State and National levels in 65

34

pletely forgot it. “I blanked out,” he says. “It was so embarrassing.”

But, that was one of the things that spurred him to work on his public speaking and other skills.

“I grew a lot because of the leadership skills I’ve learned through FBLA,” says Max. So much so, that he says his school’s FBLA chapter adviser, Tayo Akinrefon, recommended that Max run for national president going into his senior year.

“I thought he was joking, but he was super serious,” Max says. “That inspired me.”

“I worked on my public speaking a lot,” he Middleton High senior and Tampa Palms resident Max Michel (left) was elected president of the national Future adds. “Despite me not being the best speaker, I Business Leaders of America at the group’s National Leadership Conference on July 2 in Anaheim, CA . can connect with people on a genuine and authenFirst, he had to qualify on the state level, different events that cover everything from public speaking to healthcare,” Max says. “It allows where he was chosen to be the candidate for tic level, and I definitely have that desire president from the state of Florida. He went up to connect, regardless of culture or race or students to find their niche.”

He adds that every year, the national against candidates from Oregon and Arizona for background.”

So, Max worked to make those conneccompetition is “awe-inspiring. There are about the national honor.

While Max only campaigned during the tions with people at the conference, and this 13,000 people there, and you see diverse faces and cultures and backgrounds and how hard conference itself, he did a lot to prepare, includ- time, he was able to give the speech he had ing writing the speech he would give at a general prepared without freezing or forgetting it. they all work to have made it that far.”

When the voting was over, Max had In 2016, Max placed second in FBLA’s na- session in front of all of the attendees.

As a freshman, Max had run for District won. tional computer problem solving competition.

He says that has a specific goal for his This year, he didn’t compete so that he could office and, when it was time to give his speech in front of a much smaller crowd, he says he com- time in office. focus on campaigning for national president.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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“I want to reach out to urban communities, which are currently underserved by FBLA,” he says. “Our end goal is to reach as many students as possible. We partner with other leadership programs and we want to offer resources for schools that are harder hit by issues such as poverty.” In the longterm, he says, that would mean allocating funds to charter chapters in those currently underserved areas.

He says that across the nation, there are some large cities that only have one or two FBLA chapters. Even his own school has room to grow in that area. “Most of our membership comes from the magnet program, and we want to diversify,” he says.

A Born Leader

Max comes from a large family, one of seven siblings, and he and his older brother are close enough in age that they both will graduate from high school this year. Alejandro, whom Max calls Alex, is currently a senior at Freedom High. Max says he and Alex are hoping to both attend Florida State University in Tallahassee next year. The two high school boys have two older sisters and an older brother, as well as two younger brothers, ages three and five.

He says being one of seven siblings has helped his leadership skills, whether it’s dividing up chores for the week or taking turns babysitting. “Being part of a big family, I’ve learned things like how to speak up for myself and being ready to help when needed,” he adds.

While he doesn’t yet know what career he’ll pursue after college, he’s sure of one thing. “Whatever job I have,” he says. “I want to make a lasting influence on people’s lives and do whatever I can to help others.”

For more info about the Future Business Leaders of America, visit FBLA-PBL.

Neighborhood News

FHCI To Host Four Nations Cup Games USA Hockey has announced the fall schedule for the U.S. Women’s National Ice Hockey Team, including three games to be played at Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI) in November.

The women’s team and defending gold medalist Canada will highlight the 2017 Four Nations Cup, which will be hosted by FHCI and Amalie Arena Nov. 5-12.

The Four Nations Cup is an annual tournament that has been held since 1996, and the U.S. has won it seven times, including the last two years.

The U.S. women will play three games at FHCI — against Finland (Nov. 7), Canada (Nov. 8) and Sweden (Nov. 10).

Games start at 7 p.m., and tickets will be sold at the door the day of the games.

On Nov. 12, the first- and thirdplace games will be held at Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa at noon and 12:30 p.m.

USA Hockey announced back in May that Wesley Chapel would be its training home for U.S. Women’s Hockey in preparation for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea in February.

For more information, visit TeamUSA.USAHockey.com.

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

35

Pipeline Swimming Growing Into One Of Tampa Bay’s Biggest & Best Swim Clubs

By ANDY WARRENER and JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

Swimming has always been a part of Rene Piper’s life.

She was in the pool at age 4. She swam competitively in her youth, starred on her high school team in her native Indiana, and earned a scholarship to college. She cut her coaching teeth in Sarasota, where she was a successful club coach who also started the swimming program at Lakewood Ranch High, leading it to three high school county championships. Her daughters also have been college swimmers.

So, when she was asked to take over a loose collection of swimmers in New Tampa who couldn’t seem to keep a coach longer than six months, Rene jumped at the challenge.

What started as 11 swimmers in 2013 is now 111 strong as the Pipeline Swimming Club — which has its largest of three training locations at the pool at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club, has become Tampa Bay’s fastest-growing swim club, and includes swimmers from Wesley Chapel.

Wiregrass Ranch High sophomore Doug Lankton, a senior sectional qualifier this year, and Cypress Creek Middle High freshman and distance specialist Quinn Krouse, a Junior Olympics qualifier, are among the dozen or so local swimmers competing for Pipeline.

It was a tragedy that originally brought Piper to Tampa Palms, as previous coach Alex Richardson left to take over at Westchase after its popular director of aquatics Kelley Allen was murdered, devastating the Tampa-area swimming community.

“They just wanted me to help,” Piper says. “There were four or five hundred swimmers (in Tampa) that were just in shock. Some of what we did was grief counseling.”

At the time, Piper was an assistant at St. Petersburg Aquatics under head coach Fred Lewis. Lewis had close ties to the Tampa club swimming community, and asked Piper if she wanted to head north and start the biggest and best swimming club in Tampa.

That may have seemed ludicrous, considering at the time there was some doubt about whether the club would even survive. Piper moved to Tampa Palms, just a half mile from the

36

With that kind of instruction, Pipeline is shooting high.

“They had four coaches who all stayed around for six months and said there was no talent in Tampa Palms, and I thought that was absolutely not true,’’ Piper says. “We think we’ll have 6-8 kids going to Olympic trials in Omaha in 2019.”

New Tampa resident Vanessa Goldblum is one of the assistant coaches, and one of the rising stars in the Pipeline program is Goldblum’s daughter McKaley.

Goldblum swam for Banks’ Blue Wave swimming program for 11 years, starring for Durant High in Plant City and at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

McKaley is a sophomore on Freedom High’s swim team.

“The first time I brought McKA few of the more than 100 swimmers who call Pipeline Swimming at TPGCC home. aley here, she just loved it,” Goldblum said. “The sport is a huge part of our pool at the country club, and got to work.

“I really felt at home (in Tampa Palms),” Piper says. “They lives and having Peter (Banks) here is fantastic. The staff at Pipeline is amazing and it’s like we’re one, big, happy family.” welcomed me in and after they’d gone through four coaches in McKaley, unlike Piper, wasn’t in the pool at four years old. three years. I saw it as a challenge to grow the team.”

Rather, she was a volleyball player much of her young athletic Now, four-and-a-half years later, the club boasts 240 life, and only came out for swimming this past January. Howevswimmers training at three different facilities in Tampa er, her rise has been meteoric. Piper projects McKaley will be a Palms, New Port Richey and Eastlake Woodlands. finalist (in the top 8) at the high school state meet in either the Piper, who swam for legendary coach Doc Councilman at 100m or 200m freestyle distances, or both.

Indiana University in Bloomington, has brought in top coaches At McKaley’s first high school meet of the season, she won to help build the program and develop swimmers, like Peter both the 200m freestyle and the 100m backstroke.

Banks, former head coach and director of aquatics for the Bran“At that first competition, I was scared,’’ McKaley says. don Swim & Tennis Club (BSAC) and the Blue Wave Swim “But I talked with the coaches and they made me feel comTeam. One of his former students, three-time U.S. Olympic fortable. They push me, but I have a lot of support from them. gold medalist Brooke Bennett, is also on the staff at Pipeline, as They make me want to get up in the morning.” well as former FSU and South African National Team swimmer See “Pipeline” on pg. 50 Jared Pike.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

37

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This immaculate home is Offered at $345,000

Ronnie Preusch 813-361-9595

rpreusch@BHHSflpg.com

EASTON PARK

Custom Home on 4.55 acres, gated & fenced. Main Ronnie Preusch House has 3845 sqft, 4Bd, 3.1B, 3+ CG, Office, 813-361-9595 Pool/Spa. In-Law Suite 1000 sqft, 1Bd, 1B, Carport. Loaded with Upgrades.

Offered at $839,900.

On The Go! Check out our Mobile Site.

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Gorgeous! 5 Bedroom, 4 Bath, Bonus Room, 3085 sq. ft.,Hardwood floors, 3 Car Garage.

Salt water pool, brick paved lanai w/outdoor kitchen. Conservation & Pond Views, Offered at $368,000

Ronnie Preusch 813-361-9595

rpreusch@BHHSflpg.com

MEADOW POINTE

Meadow Pointe 3bd/2bs/2cg classic home on conservation in gated Alchester neighborhood.

Spacious open split plan newly painted, all appliances, screened in patio over looking nicely maintained yard on quiet cul-de-sac. $234,500.

AMora@BHHSflpg.com AngelaMoraRealEstate.com

MEADOW POINTE III

WILLOW BEND

Custom Home in the Gated Community of Homestead of Saddlewood 6204 sq. ft. on 1.86 Acres, 4 Beds, 4.1 Baths, Bonus Rm, Master Suite features adjoining Office/Workout Rm, Den, Gourmet Kitchen, 5 Car Garage, Salt Water Pool/ Spa. Offered at $709,900

Angela Mora Hablo español también!

813-482-1452

Ready to move! Great Curb Appeal with Mature Landscaping and a Wonderful Front Porch with Curved Pillars welcome you into this Lovely 2 Story Home, with a POND VIEW and Boasting 2,388 SF, 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, 2 Car Garage Offered at $285,000.00

BUY, SELL OR RENT

Suzanna Nikolai 813-713-2648

snikolai@BHHSflpg.com

1830 Bruce B Downs Blvd.

Wesley Chapel, FL 33544

Stephanie Boulden Title Manager

sboulden@CapstoneTitleLLC.com

Regardless of whether you want to buy, sell or rent, we can help! Have a home you would like to lease? Our certified property management services are second to none. Contact Rick or Sue Wedig for all your real estate needs. A true one stop shop. Our mission: Exceeding your expectations by providing outstanding customer service!

Call us direct at 813-712-8498. swedig@BHHSflpg.com rwedig@BHHSflpg.com

Rick Wedig 813-712-8421 Sue Wedig 813-712-8498

New Identities Hair Studio Featured On HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ With The Bucs!

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.

It wasn’t just another hair coloring appointment for Katie Ellwood.

After all, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Kwon Alexander was sitting in her chair at the New Identities Hair Studio of Tampa in Tampa Palms and a handful of television cameras were pointed right at her.

Everything she said, every move she made, every hair she dyed red was going to be shown to the entire country on HBO’s popular “Hard Knocks” reality show. “Was I nervous?,’’ Katie asked.

“Yeah, a little.”

Thanks to a recommendation from one of her clients, Bucs defensive tackle and Tampa Palms resident Gerald McCoy, Ellwood was working her magic on Alexander, who was looking to sharpen the red in his current ‘do. Katie had done a similar job on McCoy two years ago, and the All-Pro lineman noticed that Alexander’s color was fading and told his teammate he needed to go see his stylist.

“Hard Knocks,” which just completed another season on HBO and offers a behind-thescenes look at one NFL team each preseason – this year it was the Bucs – followed along.

“That was my first experience with a camera crew focused on what I was doing,’’ said Katie, although she has been involved in other photo shoots over the years. “The production crew was very nice and very informative.”

Marc Rockquemore, who owns New Identities Hair Studios of Tampa with his wife Kelly, said they had less than 24 hours to get ready for Alexander and the HBO crew.

Being on reality television shows, however, is old hat for Rockquemore and the crew at New Identities, which has been featured on shows like FOX-TV’s “Ambush Makeover,”

Neighborhood News

Katie Ellwood, a hair stylist at New Identities Hair Studios in Tampa Palms, works on Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ linebacker Kwon Alexander’s hair for an episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” house to watch it when it aired.

“It was a little strange to see,’’ said Katie, a big Bucs fan and “Hard Knocks” viewer even before her appearance. “I just wanted to make sure I didn’t sound like a goober or The Learning Channel’s “A Wedding Story” and MTV’s “True Life.” anything. Once my 30 seconds were New Identities also has had a long relaover, I was able to relax and just tionship with the Bucs. From 2003 until last watch the rest of the show.” year, Rockquemore sent a crew of stylists to She did receive a slew of text every Bucs game to do the cheerleaders’ hair. messages that night. Patrons at Currently, New Identities is working with the the new Fat Rabbit Pub in Tampa Tampa Bay Lightning cheerleaders.

Palms, which Katie owns with her “We’ve had a lot of blessings come into husband John, congratulated her our lives,’’ says Rockquemore, whose studio the next day. Two days later, an old has more than 10,000 followers on Instagram. friend and former Bucs cheerleader Katie’s experience in front of the cameras texted her from New York to tell took more than an hour, but once edited by her she had seen her on the show.

HBO producers, was distilled into her 30 “Overall, it was a really cool seconds of fame in the show’s third episode experience,’’ Katie said. (check it out on the HBO GO app).

For more information about the New Identities Hair Studios in Tampa Palms Instead of any viewing parties, Katie (15307 Amberly Dr.) and South Shore (10639 Big Bend Rd., Riverview), visit NewIdensaid she just went over to her girlfriend’s titiesSalon.com, or call (813) 979-0760 (New Tampa) or (813) 741-1177 (Riverview).

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

39

Are You Still Looking For A Preschool? Check Out The Learning Experience!

By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com Jhana Pardue knew her son Noah wasn’t getting everything he could out of the daycare/learning center he was attending. He was unhappy, and so was she.

So, Jhana started looking around, visiting every childcare facility she could, and then walked into The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education near her home in Lakewood Ranch. “I remember it was a Friday,’’ she says.

“I loved it.”

Jhana (the “J” is silent) was on her way to the airport for a trip to Texas, and she filled out the registration forms on the airplane ride.

By the time Monday rolled around, she was dropping little Noah off for his first day.

“Fast forward two years, and here I am,’’ Jhana says, from her office at her own The Learning Experience (TLE) of New Tampa, located across County Line Rd. from the SuperTarget, behind L.A. Fitness.

That’s right – Jhana, who volunteered when she wasn’t working at her accounting job, and Noah, her precocious almost-2-yearold at the time, loved TLE so much, that the Pardues decided to buy their own franchise.

“I love children,” Jhana says. “I always wanted to do something and I knew accounting wasn’t fulfilling everything with me anymore. I was looking forward to volunteering more than going to work. So one day, I told my husband, ‘Why not do this?’”

New Kids On The Block

Jhana opened the New Tampa location on July 17. As a former Cory Lake Isles and Heritage Isles resident from 2011-13, she

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Owner Jhana Pardue (left) and director Amy Rath take pride in the curriculum, energy and security offered at The Learning Experience of New Tampa on County Line Rd. knew the area well, and was thrilled to have the colors of the Lakewood Ranch facility, the brightness, the atmosphere, the soft children’s opportunity to build her TLE there. music and even the smell – which was always Opening day capped a whirlwind year. fresh and clean.

The Pardues signed their franchise papers in It was the curriculum, however, that Feb. of 2016, and immediately afterwards, Jhanudged her to pursue her own franchise. na enrolled at State College of Florida in BraFor Noah, and many other children, it is denton to earn her Early Childhood Education Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, to go with her a perfect fit.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Accounting “He is discovery-based, he is really & Business Administration from the University hands on, and The Learning Experience is of Central Florida in Orlando. designed that way to let our children explore The New Tampa location isn’t much the different learning styles,’’ Jhana says. different from the TLE that Jhana fell in love “Noah adapted well, because he was able with. She says she was initially struck by the to be himself. The other school he went to

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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wanted him to learn one way.”

The Learning Experience was founded

by Michael and Linda Weissman in 1980 with a single location in Boca Raton, and was built on teaching through cognitive, physical and social principles; or as Jhana says, “Learn, Play and Grow.”

When it comes to learning, TLE uses the proprietary Learning Experience Academic Program (L.E.A.P.) that Jhana says was written by educators with more than 25 years of experience. It guarantees that children will graduate with “exceptional core academic skills.”

The curriculum was written around what TLE feels are the six stages of development – Infant (6 weeks to 1 year old), Toddler (1-2 years old), Tawdler (2-2-½ years old), Prepper (2-½ to 3 years old), Preschooler (3-5 years old), and Kindergartner (5 years old, but not offered at all locations, including Jhana’s).

L.E.A.P. includes sign language for infants and toddlers, a phonics program and even foreign language programs. Mandarin is taught for one year, as well as Spanish.

“It’s definitely one of the things that sets us apart,’’ Jhana says.

L.E.A.P. workbooks include a journal, an interactive book and Fun With Phonics, which is specifically designed to teach reading to 3and 4-year-olds.

According to Jhana, nine out of 10 children who leave TLE’s Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program head off to kindergarten able to read. “And, we’re trying to get to 100 percent,’’ she says.

Children take part in activities that promote a healthy and active lifestyle. TLE offers eight enrichment programs for children,

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like Yippee 4 Yoga, Suddenly Science, Dancing Feet, Talent Sprouts and Super Soccer.

A 65-inch interactive, computerized SMART Board is currently being installed in one of the classrooms as well.

Jhana takes great pride in ensuring TLE’s curriculum is used and applied. She says that is not always the case at other learning centers, where the curriculum sometimes serves as more of a rough outline.

And, mascots like Flexi Flamingo (P.E.), Lionstein (Science) and Bubbles the Elephant — the leader of the mascots — help lead the children through their day.

“We learn through play,” Jhana says.

“The children think they are playing, but they are actually learning. We do this through small group activities, more 1-on-1 interaction and more individualized teaching.”

Happy Employees, Happy Kids

All lead teachers are required to have their Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate, which is equivalent to an early childhood education A.A degree, Jhana says. Assistant teachers have to complete 45 hours of Florida Department of Children & Families (DCF) Child Care Training.

In less than two months, TLE already has enrolled 90 children, and has a staff of 15.

TLE’s 1-to-6 child-to-teacher ratio exceeds state requirements.

“Most classes are overstaffed,’’ Jhana says.

“We exceed state ratios, but I’d rather have the extra help.”

Meadow Pointe resident Amy Rath was working for another childcare/learning center when she drove by TLE’s construction site for

Neighborhood News

the first time. She looked online to see what TLE had to offer, and was impressed with the curriculum.

“I said in the back of my mind, I’m going to be director of that school one day,” Amy says. After a few interviews, she was hired.

“I hadn’t even posted the position when Miss Go-Getter over here started emailing,’’ Jhana says, laughing.

Peace Of Mind

Melissa De Oleo was another passerby on County Line Rd. who was eagerly awaiting the opening of TLE. She had been looking for a place for her 1-½ -yr.-old son London when construction began, “and I started stalking the place,’’ she jokes.

She drove to TLE locations in Palm Harbor and Brandon for a tour, and says that she was hooked.

“I love that they have a curriculum and are teaching instead of just taking care of them,’’ Melissa says.

Although she says that London cried the first few days he was away from his mother, he now gleefully run towards the mural of

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Children who attend The Learning Experience of New Tampa get to enjoy this cool mini-village.

Bubbles that greets visitors, to say hi, and then that it was a “miracle.” to his teacher Rebecca.

She also receives pictures and updates “He loves it here,’’ she says. on everything from what London ate to the last time he went to the bathroom to what And, Melissa says she also loves the he learned during the day, all in real time via secure nature of the facility. Parents cannot TLE’s smartphone app. enter without their assigned key fob, and “Basically, I know everything that he is have to sign in at two different places to get doing,’’ she says. their child. Getting back to the classrooms Which, at the moment, happened to be also requires a key fob, and the playground sleeping. Melissa was there to pick London up out back is protected by 8-foot-high privaat 12:30 p.m., but instead of waking him up cy fences. to bring him to his mother, she was allowed to There are cameras in every room, and wait until he woke up on his own. in the office used by Amy and Jhana, there “That’s really nice,’’ she says. is a 32-inch television to monitor 16 security To learn more about The Learning cameras (above, left).

Experience of New Tampa (20780 Trout The first few days after dropping Creek Dr., visit TheLearningExperience.

London off, Melissa would hang back and com/our-centers/fl/tampa/new-tampa, call watch her son on the monitor. When he (813) 534-6364 or see the ad on pg. 12. began interacting with other kids, she jokes

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

41

Win $50, $100 or $200 in FREE Dining Gift Cards In Our

New-&-Improved (& Expanded) Annual Reader Survey!

Our annual tradition of polling our more than 125,000 New Tampa and Wesley Chapel readers is branching out this year. Oh, don’t worry, we still want to know where you think the best burger and best sushi in town are served, but this year we want to know just a little bit more. For example — Where is the best place to get a licensed massage (hey, deadlines are tough here, we need a break every once in a while) in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel? Who can we trust to fix our leaky radiator? What neighborhood is the best to live in? And after years of listening to your traffic complaints, it’s time to let us know -- what is the worst intersection in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel?

Fill in your favorites in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel ONLY, stick this page in an envelope and mail it “Reader Contest, c/o NeighborhoodNews, 29157 Chapel Park Dr., Suite B, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543.” Or, visit WCNeighborhoodnews.com and do it online. Or, email your responses to john@ntneighborhoodnews.com. And don’t forget to check out our Facebook page, which will also guide you through how to submit an entry and win a FREE dining gift certificate of $50, $100 or $200 just for entering (and entering correctly; more on that below).

In order to win any of our three prizes (and, for your votes to count), you must have a legitimate answer for at least 20 of the 30 categories below and mail, email or enter online no later than Black Friday, November 24, 2017. Don’t let us down! No purchase of any kind is necessary to win a prize. — JCC & GN

1. Best Restaurant

16. Best Primary Care Dr.

2. Best Mexican Rest.

17. Best Plastic Surgeon

3. Best Thai Rest.

18. Best Chiropractor

4. Best Sushi

19. Best Dentist

5. Best Chinese Rest.

20. Best Urgent Care/Walk-in

6. Best Breakfast

21. Best Veterinarian

7. Best Lunch

22. Best Gym/Fitness Center

8. Best Burger

23. Best Golf Course

9. Best BBQ

24. Best Hairstylist/Salon

10. Best Pizza

25. Best Nail Salon

11. Best Bar

26. Best Auto Dealership

12. Best Karaoke Show

27. Best New Business

13. Best Bakery

28. Best Neighborhood

14. Best Frozen Yogurt

29. Best Local Publication

15. Best Ice Cream

30. Worst Intersection

Name: Email: What Community do you live in?

(Tampa Palms, Meadow Pointe, etc.)

Mailing Address: Daytime Phone #:

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

43

Happy Cow Is So Much More Than Just Great Frozen Yogurt!

T

By GARY NAGER

HERE is little doubt that there are a lot of ice cream and frozen yogurt shops in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel — and several others that have come and gone the last few years.

So, how does a single location (a second location has opened on Gall Blvd. in Zephyrhills) of a (so far; see below) non-chain that opened next to Bonefish Grill in a crowded, Wesley Chapel shopping center in 2013 continue to distinguish itself from its competition?

Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt co-owner Ray Perez says that, at his brightly colored dessert shop, “Our products and unique, Disney-like environment and customer-first attitude are only the beginning. We are still service-based, even though the product itself is self-serve.”

For example, he says, that every staff member is taught to bring high chairs for parents toting babies and toddlers and to bring napkins when they notice that a customer forgot to grab some.

Happy Cow offers up to 16 flavors at once (Ray says there are at least 100 being rotated), and not all of them are frozen yogurt.

“We’re a true dessert shop,” he says. “In addition to frozen yogurt, we have soft-serve ice cream, soft serve gelato, sorbet and we always have gluten-free, no-sugar-added and fat-free options. We also offer 60 different toppings, 7 sauces, freshly baked cookies and brownies, waffle cones and fresh fruit. We even recently added amazing milkshakes and even ‘epic shakes’ like Cookies & Cream Craze.”

And, despite being up against any number of chain frozen yogurt shops across the Tampa Bay area, Happy Cow was voted “Best in the

44

Bay” by Creative Loafing readers for 2016. It also has been the Favorite Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt Shop” of Neighborhood News readers entering our annual Reader Survey & Contest (see pg. 42 of this issue) the last three years in a row. “We’re proud that the people who read those publications love us,” Ray says.

Ray, whose wife Kristi helps out at the two current locations on weekends, also is partners with Connie and Bill Rogers in the Happy Cow corporate entity, which is now beginning to sell franchises — and not just for locations in strip shopping plazas. “We’re looking to put Happy Cow kiosks in malls and even schools.”

And, although he can’t yet announce anything in terms of franchises that already are sold, he says, “There is a lot of interest from the public in our brand. I should be able to make some announcements soon.”

He also says that catering is a popular part of the Happy Cow experience, especially in family-oriented, growing Wesley Chapel.

“We brought in one of our mobile machines to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel for an event and served 600 members of the hospital’s staff,” he says. “And, everyone went home happy.”

Personally, my favorite flavors are peanut butter and cake batter and I usually start with one of Happy Cow’s chewy, fudgy brownies as a base. I also always have to have the hot chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge and/or marshmallow cream topping. The good news is that if you don’t like what I enjoy, Happy Cow’s variety of toppings and sauces will surely include something you love, too.

Ray says that Happy Cow also is the only yogurt shop that delivers through Uber Eats to a limited area, including to Meadow Pointe,

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

Happy Cow Owners (l.-r.) Kristi & Ray Perez & Connie & Bill Rogers

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

Seven Oaks and even Grand Hampton in New Tampa, “and it’s taken off more than I expected, without marketing it to our 17,000 Facebook and Instagram followers.”

Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt also has a user-friendly “C’mon, Get Happy” Rewards Club with “no passwords, no cards, just fun.”

And, with the coupon from the ad on pg. 3 of this issue, you’ll get 15-percent-off any product at Happy Cow. Happy Cow Frozen Yogurt (1646 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) is open at 11 a.m. every day and stays open until 10 p.m. every weeknight and until 11 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. For more information, see the ad on pg. 3, visit HappyCowFroYo.com or call (813) 428-5929 and please tell Ray and the crew you read about them in the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News!

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

45

The Latest & Greatest News About Dining, Retail, Health Care & More In New Tampa & Wesley Chapel!

WC Rotary’s Casino Night Raises $18,000!

Congratulations to my friends from the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel (noon), which meets Wednesdays at noon at Lexington Oaks Golf Club, for putting on a smash hit “Casino Night” fund raiser to help the family of Clayton Mahler with their medical bills.

The Rotary Cub was prompted to action

by Pasco’s Clerk & Comptroller Dr. Paula O’Neil, who knows the family personally and was the emcee for the event, which was held August 25 — the same day Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas — at Wesley Chapel Nissan on S.R. 54. The dealership took all of the vehicles out of its showroom and replaced them with gaming tables for the event.

Dr. O’Neil, a breast cancer survivor herself, talked to her friend and Wesley Chapel (WC) Nissan public relations rep Troy Stevenson about doing something to help.

Stevenson got the approval of the dealership’s general manager Joey Falcon to host the Casino Night, which was attended by more than 300 people and which raised about $18,000, according to event chair and club Board member Chris Casella.

Clayton was diagnosed with Stage 3 rhabdomyosarcoma after a July 4th visit to the emergency room for a growth in his nose that was

46

(Above left, l.-r.) Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Dr. Paula O’Neil, Jordan, Rob & Clayton Mahler and State Rep. Danny Burgess were happy to be on hand for the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club’s packed (above, right) Casino Night. obstructing his airway. He is receiving 42 weeks ber Mariano and four of the five members of room, where Clayton and his family spent most of chemotherapy, followed by radiation, after 95 the Pasco County Board of County Commis- of the evening. Wine was donated by our friends sioners, as well as by numerous Greater Wesley Charles and Cheryl Visalli of Time for Wine percent of the mass was removed.

The Mahlers’ medical bills are piling up Chapel Chamber of Commerce members, many and the delicious Taino Light and Boricua and you could feel the love and appreciation of whom served as volunteers. beer was donated by WC Nissan owner Jay RoThe food was donated by Latin Twist sario, who also is an owner of the beer company, flowing in every direction during Casino Night, which was attended by a Who’s Who of local Café on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., al- which is based in Altamonte Springs. politicos, including Congressman Gus Bilirakis, though Chick-fil-A on BBD in New Tampa “We’re proud to be able to help this wonState Representatives Danny Burgess and Am- donated the food for the second floor VIP derful family,” Casella said. “We really want to

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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thank Dr. O’Neil, the family and especially Wesley Chapel Nissan for hosting us.”

Unfortunately, the club’s planned Sept. 11 American flag giveaway and breakfast for local first responders had to be scrapped because of Hurricane Irma, which made landfall in Florida on Sept 10. The club has since rescheduled the flag giveaway at both the Shops at Wiregrass and Tampa Premium Outlets malls for this weekend — Saturday-Sunday, September 23-24, noon-4 p.m., at both locations.

For more information, visit WCRotary.com or attend one of the club’s meetings at Lexington Oaks Golf Club.

Starbucks, Chick-fil-A & CubeSmart Getting Closer

If it’s been a while since you ventured out on S.R. 54 east of I-75, you may not have noticed all the progress that’s been made on both the new Starbucks, located just east of the new Walmart on 54 or the new CubeSmart self-storage facility located just west of the intersection of 54 and Curley Rd. Prior to Hurricane Irma, we also saw some progress on the planned Chick-fil-A that is just beginning construction on 54, just west of the Walgreens at BBD. We will have updates on all three businesses in a future issue.

DQ Out, Snowrolls In!

The ever-changing local ice cream/ frozen yogurt scene is changing again, as New Tampa’s Dairy Queen, located in the shopping center on BBD in North Palms Village, next to Oakley’s Grille, has closed.

My understanding is that the New Tampa DQ had changed owners fairly recently but the place had previously had a pretty good following, so I was surprised to see it leave the area.

Neighborhood News

There is another Dairy Queen on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel.

And, speaking of ice cream, I’m excited about the opening of the new Snowrolls rolled ice cream parlor which opened a few weeks ago in the space most recently occupied by Ms. Jayne’s Cupcakes at 19651 BBD Blvd., in the Pebble Creek Collection almost directly behind Kobe Steakhouse, a little more than a mile south of the Pasco County line.

This is the second location of Snowrolls to open, with several more franchised locations also getting ready to open. Snowrolls is the brainchild of two managers — Adrian Luna and Elisaud (Eli) Cisneros — from 900° Woodfired Pizza in the Shops at Wiregrass mall and features the best variety of Thaiinspired rolled ice cream flavors in the area, although you also can customize your snowroll with pretty much any topping/flavor you like.

For info, visit Snowrolls.com or call (813) 527-6556.

Sorry that we didn’t have room for a list of WCCC events in this issue, but there are always great events — many of which are free — available for current and future Chamber members to attend and this month is no different.

For all the latest events, visit WesleyChapelChamber.com. — GN

@NTWCNews

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

47

New Tampa & Wesley Chapel HELP WANTED WANTED: PIANIST/ACCOMPANIST Trinity Church of Wesley Chapel is seeking a talented pianist/ accompanist to play for the traditional worship service, accompany the choir, soloists, special programs, etc. Contact Julie Pearson, Choir Director, music@trinitychurchwc.com.

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REAL ESTATE

PET SERVICES

CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLE FARM in Central Florida! Enjoy pastoral views from every window and complete privacy on this 42-acre farm w/4+2 2398 sq.ft. Whether you continue Organic Farming, Farming of Your Choice or just enjoy living on this beautiful property, it’s a must see! Call to schedule your private tour. MLS #G4833016. Beth Atalay Cam Realty and Property Management 407-929-1852.

CAT SITTING Tampa Cat Lady Professional CatSitting Service. Cats are happiest in their own home, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds and smells.

When you are away, we feed, cuddle and play with your kitties and clean and dispose of litter. Insured, bonded, and Red-Cross certified in pet first aid/CPR. You may visit TampaCatLady.com and submit a service inquiry or call 813-994-9449.

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SPACE AVAILABLE SERENITY SALON & SPA SUITES Wesley Chapel. 1 suite available for rent. Call for details: 813-312-5247 or 813-997-6302. Great location!

HOME IMPROVEMENT WESLEYCHAPELPRESSUREWASHING.COM Soft pressure exterior house cleaning, screen enclosures, pool decks, driveways, sidewalks, fences, roofs, paver sealing and deck staining. We clean everything. No job too big or small. Experience the difference when you hire a pressure cleaning professional. Licensed and insured. Owner operated. Call for a free estimate or visit our website.

813-433-6015.

DAVID BRIDGES PRESSURE CLEANING Complete exterior cleaning of your home or business with a professional & personal touch. - Pool decks and screen enclosures - All fencing/ driveways and walkways/roofs - Gutter and downspouts.

Find your happiness in a fresh, bright clean home.

Your neighbors will love you for it! All work guaranteed. Licensed and insured. Call 813-215-1177.

GREG’S PAPERHANGING. For all of your wallpapering needs. Licensed and insured, clean, quick and reasonable. Call 973-2767 for a free estimate.

RAYMOND PAINTING. Exterior & Interior Services.

Exterior: Painting, pressure washing, clean & seal pavers, stucco, roofing, leaks & wood rot repair.

Interior: Painting, plastering, ceiling & wall repairs & tiles. Licensed & Bonded. References avail. Free estimates. Your Neighborhood Arbor Greene Resident! We work 7 days. Call 813-994-5124.

COMPUTER/BUSINESS SERVICES PROFESSIONAL TECH SUPPORT in your home or small business. A+, Certified computer tech with 20 years exp. Maintenance & repairs, upgrades & tutoring. More affordable than large chains! Friendly, personalized svc. Technical jargon explained. Remote assistance available. References available.

Call (813) 957-8342 for a free estimate.

DO YOU HATE YOUR COMPUTER?!? WE CAN HELP YOU! Troubleshooting, installation, networking & virus removal. WE COME TO YOU! Residences & businesses, more than 25 years exp.

Contact Jeffrey Blank at (813) 973-4507, visit WSICA.COM or email Wsica@wsica.com

MISCELLANEOUS RESUME UPDATES - CAREER GUIDANCE HR professional offering local and affordable assistance with resume updates, overall career guidance, and interview preparation.

Email to inquire. norm.patry07@gmail.com

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Our Classified Ads are the ones your neighbors actually READ!

Call 910-2575 to order yours today!

DRY WALL SPECIALIST. Not a handyman. Affordable Quality Work repairing water damage, ceilings and walls, retexturing, popcorn removal, room additions, cracks, holes, plaster and stucco repair. 26 Years Experience. Wesley Chapel resident. State Certified. Call Ron for free estimate: 813-7845999.

MILLENNIUM HOME REPAIR.Professional Handyman. Cabinet Installation, dry wall repair, tile installation & repair, some plumbing, laminate flooring, light fixtures, interior painting, appliance installation, pressure washing, paneling, window repair, awning installation, carpentry, garbage disposal, fence repair, crown molding, window blinds, seal baths & showers, TV mounting & more. Call 813-400-1408 or email TYCOONUNION@YAHOO.COM.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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“Since 1971”

Ronnie’s Carpets, Inc. “Our Prices Are Simply Better” WOOD - VINYL - CERAMIC TILE CARPET - LAMINATE

FREE Shop at Home Service Johnny Vandervlis Sales & Design Consultant

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Cell: 813-312-6853 johnny@ronniescarpets.com

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • WCNeighborhoodNews.com

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‘Pipeline’

Continued from page 36

one of the original 11 swimmers that Piper inherited at Tampa Palms. Her mother Tibbie Farnsworth says that without Piper, the program would have never survived, and because of Piper, her daughter has thrived in the pool.

“I think it’s their approach,’’ Farnsworth says. “They are involved in the kids’ lives. And they make it fun for the kids. It’s competitive, but it’s fun. They work hard because it’s fun.

They brought in a great coaching staff that has the same philosophy.”

It’s the little touches, Farnsworth says — like noticing when someone has had their braces taken off, asking about a test in school or even having nicknames for the swimmers. When Carly showed up for 5 a.m. practice on Aug. 31, her 14th birth-

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day, the coaches were there with a cake.

“Isn’t that awesome?,’’ Farnsworth says.

Pipeline isn’t just a club for competitive swimmers, Piper says. The club offers mommyand-me swim classes for toddlers. There is a “Scare D Cats” program for adults who are non-swimmers. There are active Pipeline members from five years old to age 64.

“Youth swimming programs are a perfect place to find an identity,” Piper said. “Being part of a club became my identity and I stuck with it. It teaches dedication, discipline, life lessons and there’s a benefit to the social aspect of it, too. A swimming friend is a friend for life.”

The Pipeline Swimming Club holds tryouts every Monday and Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club pool at 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd. For more information, visit PipelineSwimming.com, or call 941-737-4455.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 20 • September 22, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

@NTWCNews