New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 25, Issue 25, Dec. 1., 2017 by Neighborhood News

Volume 25 Issue 25 December 1, 2017

Inside:

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Remember To View, Like & Share Every Episode Of WCNT-tv On YouTube & Facebook! The Direct-Mail News Magazines Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993! For the complete list of the neighborhoods that receive this publication by direct mail in New Tampa (zip code 33647), see page 54!

Bassett Creek Family Happy To Have Survived A Major Home Fire By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com David Tassinari was in a panic as he looked up the stairwell to his mother-in-law Wendy’s room. There were flames licking at the ceiling, and smoke pouring down the stairs like a black waterfall. He screamed for her – “Mom, wake up! Wake up!” – as he quickly climbed the stairs. In his haste, he broke his foot before reaching the top, but couldn’t go any further as the smoke filled his lungs. Feeling as if he was ready to pass out, he retreated. His wife Kim screamed for him to get out, and together they ran outside, turned back towards the house, and watched it burn. “It was sheer terror,’’ Kim says. A minute passed, when both noticed a familiar figure walking out of the front door. It was Wendy. “After that minute of horror, thinking we had lost her, when she did come out, nothing else mattered,’’ David said. “Everything burning was just stuff.” A month after the fire destroyed their three-year-old, 3,727-sq.-ft. dream home in the Bassett Creek neighborhood in K-Bar Ranch, the Tassinaris are now renting a home right around the corner. They will rebuild on the same site as their burnt-out former residence, and hope to move into their new home in about 14 months. Kim said the walls will be a different color, the tiles will be different, the layout will be new. It needs to be.

Also Inside This Issue: News, Business & Sports Updates Traffic The Top Topic At Town Hall; Brookron Dr. Resurfacing Coming; Hillsborough County Turns To Pasco For Emergency Services; Wesley Chapel Fall Fest The Best Ever; Wobble 5K Draws Another Big Crowd; Lagoon Fills With Water; New Tampa’s Library Gets New Look; Winter High School Sports Seasons Tipping Off; Plus, Multiple Local Business Features!

Pages 3-40

Neighborhood Magazine

Local Resident Makes A Deal For $18,000; El Pescador Opens To High Marks; Cancer Support Group Flourishes; Plus, More Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes!

Pages 37-52

David Tassinari (pictured) broke his foot during the fire that destroyed his K-Bar Ranch home, burning everything in the garage to a crisp. (Photos: John C. Cotey)

Moving on isn’t easy. Kim has already had multiple nightmares where she wakes up convinced she can smell smoke in the house. David can’t shake the feelings he had that night when he couldn’t reach his mother-in-law, convinced he had left her to die. It’s hard not to replay that night over and over in his head, searching for things he could have done differently. Together, they have been to counseling, although both say things are getting better. “The smell of smoke still bothers me,’’ says Kim, who is 47 and works as medical assistant in Wesley Chapel. “And, when I see a

fire on TV, I turn away or change the channel.” She said one day recently, in their new home, she swore she could still smell the bitterness of the smoke that still pervades their old house. It turned out to be David’s wallet. “I had to buy him a new one,’’ she says. David, 49, who works as an agent for USAA Insurance in Tampa Palms, is hopping around on crutches. He broke his right foot that night climbing the stairs to get to Wendy. He doesn’t remember how, he just knows that when he got outside he could see the bone pushing against his skin. He remembers laying

on the ground outside, his foot propped up on a chair, as firefighters fought to put out the blaze. “There was no stopping it,” David says. Though the personal items lost in the fire don’t matter now, David says, the losses were quite significant. The house still has a pungent burnt odor that hits anyone walking in. The desks and computers in the office at the front of the home look as if they have been coated with a black matte finish. The garage looks like a scene out of Iraq or Afghanistan. See “Fire” on page 4.

‘The Captain,’ Dave Andreychuk, Celebrates His Hockey Hall Induction By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com Long-time Hunter’s Green resident and former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk is officially in the National Hockey League (NHL) Hall of Fame. Andreychuk was formally inducted into the Hall on Nov. 13 at the Allen Lambert Galleria in Toronto, an hour from where he learned to play hockey in Hamilton, Ontario. “Nobody thinks, ‘I want to be a Hall of Famer,’’’ Andreychuk said during his induction speech. “You think about just trying to play in the NHL, just trying to make your team better.” Which is exactly what Andreychuk, who was drafted in 1982 by Buffalo, was able to do. While he played more than 1,600 games during his 23 seasons, and scored an NHL-record 273 career power play goals and 640 goals (14th all-time) overall, it was his experience and leadership that was credited with bringing the Lightning its only Stanley Cup in 2004. A bronze statue of Andreychuk holding the Cup above his head stands outside Amalie

Arena, where the Lightning still play. Hunter’s Green is holding a celebratory party for Andreychuk tonight. During his Hall of Fame speech, “Andy” thanked his friends and family for years of support. A handful of Hunter’s Green residents joined him in Toronto for the Hall of Fame weekend, while others cheered him on at Amalie Arena on Nov. 18, when the Lightning honored him. gave Hunter’s Green residents Sue Andreychuk, Dave Andreychuk, Dr. Tom Andreychuk special thanks to his three Frankfurth, Doug Dunbar, John Loyless, Doug Dunbar, Joe Pequinot and daughters — “You made my Andy Ritter celebrate The Captain’s Hockey Hall of Fame induction at the life a lot better” — and his Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto. (Photo courtesy of Andy Ritter) parents Roz and Julian, who attended the induction. He also gave special thanks to his wife, Sue. “She always had a smile on her face,’’ he said. “When I would come home after a game, whether we won or lost, not much changed.”

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NT Rotary Towith,” Host ‘Taste 2018’ At FHCI On Sunday, March 25 & More! Frashier says. “And, they were really

An editorial by Gary Nager Even though the 2017 Taste of New Tampa at Florida Hospital Center Ice earlier this year didn’t raise the most money ever for a Taste, it was a hugely successful event that attracted around 2,000 people to Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI). The way I see it, the 2017 Taste, sponsored by the Rotary Club of New Tampa (which meets Fridays at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club) was an amazing event that fell short of its nonprofit-organization-benefiting fund-raising goals because of two main reasons — 1) not enough sponsorships and 2) people’s concerns about the event being held indoors, especially in a venue that we all assumed would feel a whole lot colder than it did on that fun Saturday in March (photo). Well, considering that I have attended and/or been part of the committee putting on 20 of the first 21 Tastes, I can tell you that FHCI is by far the best venue we’ve ever had for the event — a fact that I believe most of this year’s attendees would agree with — even though there are quite a few things we learned we could do better next time. The first organizational meeting for the 2018 Taste will be held later this month and New Tampa Rotary president and Taste event chair Karen Frashier says that once the Taste 2018 committee chairs have met, we will be looking for additional volunteers. We’re not interested in people hoping to pad their “community resumes,” but folks who are willing to roll up their sleeves and actually work to help make the 2018 Taste — which will be held on Sunday, March 25, noon-5 p.m., at FHCI — even bigger and better than this year’s event. “(FHCI’s) Gordie Zimmerman and George Mitchell have been amazing to work

New Tampa 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 Marketing/Advertising Representative 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 Producers/Editors Gavin Olsen • Giuliano Ferrara Graphic Designers Bill Ramsey • Georgia Carmichael

happy with the quality of the sponsors, the food and beverage providers and the people who attended. We’re all looking forward to next year!” To that end, the Rotary Club already is pre-selling Taste tickets at a 20-percent discount through Feb. 1 at TasteofNewTampa.org! And of course, look for Taste 2018 updates in just about every issue of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, at NTNeighborhoodNews.com, on the “Neighborhood News” page on Facebook and on WCNT-tv’s YouTube channel!

Speaking Of WCNT-tv...

By the time you read this, WCNT-TV (Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Television) will likely have surpassed my first two goals. I created WCNT-tv with a partner back in June of 2016 and in the 17 months since then, I have produced and “aired” about 100 segments, including more than 30 WCNT-tv “News Desks” with yours truly and Susanna Martinez as the co-hosts, and two dozen Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) Featured Business segments with host Mollyana Ward, who also has hosted our first four “Today’s Fashion Focus” segments featuring Sarah Rasheid of the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO). WCNT-tv also has featured exclusive interview segments, slide videos featuring everything from Pasco County animal shelter dogs to Zammy the Sheepadoodle visiting Tampa’s Shriners Hospital for Children, and from the Wesley Chapel Jazz Festival to the “Symphony in Lights” at the Shops at Wiregrass. My initial goal for WCNT-tv was to have the show reach one million people on Facebook and a combined viewership of 500,000 on YouTube and Facebook. And yes, at our press time for this issue, we have inched ever closer to both of those numbers, as all WCNT-tv segments combined to date have now reached 983,000+ people on Facebook and have been viewed nearly 470,,000 times on YouTube and Facebook (combined), including nearly 340,000 views on Facebook and nearly 130,000 views on YouTube. I promised to throw another WCNT-tv party — this time for the general public — when we reached those milestones, so look for that announcement very soon. And, just in time (we hope) for businesses looking to increase their exposure among the residents of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, our new 2018 Media Kit, which gives you discounts for advertising in the Neighborhood News, on WCNT-tv and on NTNeighborhoodNews.com, is now available on our website, social media

and by calling our advertising sales rep, Tom Damico, at (813) 910-2575.

And, Finally...

My page 3 editorial last issue had the desired effect — it’s gotten people talking about what I believe is the much-needed connection of Kinnan St. in New Tampa to Mansfield Blvd. in Wesley Chapel (see story on page 6). Some in Meadow Pointe II have told me I have no right to be voicing my opinion because I don’t live there, but most (including a few Meadow Pointe residents) have told me to keep fighting the good fight on this topic.

Table of Contents

Local News Updates.....................3-17

Town Hall Attendees Want Better Roads..................6 Brookron Dr. Up For Resurfacing Next Year?...........7 Hillsborough Turns To Pasco For Fire Service...........8 WC Fall Festival Tops All Previous Efforts....................10 Wobble Draws Another Crowd To Wiregrass...........12 Lagoon Filling; Will Open In Early 2018....................14 Nothing that appears in New Tampa Neighborhood News New Tampa Library Getting New Look & Roof....16 may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, without permis- New Tampa Community Calendar..............................18 sion. Opinions expressed by New Tampa Neighborhood News writers are their own and do not reflect the publisher’s opinion. The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisements for Volume 26, Issue 1, of New Tampa Neighborhood News is Friday, December 15, 2017. New Tampa Neighborhood News will consider previously non-published outside editorial submissions if they are double spaced, typed and less than 500 words. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates. New Tampa Neighborhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials. New Tampa Neighborhood News reserves the right to edit &/or reject any advertising. New Tampa 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.

I’ll give you three guesses as to which option I’m going to choose. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Local Business Updates..............20-32

Cypress Pointe Community Church...........20 Children’s Dentistry & Dr. Greg Stepanski..............22 Florida Orthopaedic Institute................................24 Massage Green Spa For Your Health!......................26 The Gift Box Has Something For Every Occasion...28 The Goddard School WC: Where Fun = Learning....32

Local School & Sports Updates...36-39 Wharton & Freedom High Winter Sports Previews

Neighborhood Magazine

Wesley Chapel Man ‘Makes A Deal’ For $18,000...41 El Pescador A Welcome Addition To New Tampa.....46 ‘Neighborhood Nibbles & Business Bytes’.........48 New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Classifieds..........52 Cancer Support Group Spreads To Wesley Chapel.......54 @NTWCNews

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‘Fire’

Continued from page 1 A 2020 Ford F-150, a 2015 Toyota Corolla, a 2005 Yamaha V Star Classic and a John Deere riding mower were all burned beyond recognition, the tires melted into oblivion. Almost all of David’s prized tool collection was destroyed. The wreckage is jolting, but Kim says, “The pictures don’t do it justice.” Tampa Fire Rescue District Chief Mark Bogush says the Tassinaris were fortunate the garage was not embedded into the house. But, that’s also why the fire was able to build up and why the smoke didn’t get immediately into the home. David wonders if he had had heat sensors installed, maybe the alarms would have gone off sooner. But, Bogush says smoke detectors are more accurate, though heat sensors can be use-

ful over things like a gas oven and dryers, where there is typically high heat and no smoke. The Tassinaris’ ordeal started with an alarm going off around 2 a.m. on Nov. 1, as David and Wendy slept in their bottom-floor bedroom, and Wendy was sleeping upstairs, almost directly over the garage. David and Kim thought maybe their son, Ethan, had come in late and forgot the alarm system was set, accidentally tripping it. “I didn’t think anything of it,” Kim says. David got out of bed and went to check. The front door was closed, so he walked towards the laundry room, and noticed bright orange flickers under the door leading out to the garage. When he opened it, the raging fire charged through and nearly knocked him over. Kim could hear noise and thought maybe someone had broken into the home, and that David was fighting them. She reached for her glasses and started calling 9-1-1. David then

dashed back into the room, and to the bathroom, where he was trying to open windows. He screamed at Kim to call 9-1-1. She still had no idea what was happening. David had already checked to make sure Ethan wasn’t in his room, and then ran to the stairs. He yelled for Wendy, and tried to fight the fire on his way to her room. “When I got to the top, I couldn’t breathe,’’ he says. “I was seeing stars. My foot was broken. I couldn’t go any further, I was afraid I would pass out. At that point, I didn’t know what to do.” David came back down the stairs, where Kim, now fully aware of what was happening, screamed at him to get out. She asked about her mom; David said “I couldn’t get to her.” They stood in shock near their front lawn. “I’m standing in the yard thinking my mom is inside burning,’’ Kim says. “I was hysterical.” It was the longest minute of their lives, before Wendy emerged “without even a single hair singed,” says David, who can now smile about it. “She walked out like, ‘I’m here, am I late for tea?,’” he says, laughing. Kim says her mother only remembers bits and pieces of that night. Wendy says she smelled smoke, but thought someone was making something in the kitchen and had

burned it. She recalls hearing David yelling. Then it dawned on her: “I gotta get out of here.” Wendy remembers briefly being on the stairs, and then walking outside. David jokes that they call Wendy the “Mother of Dragons,” a reference to the Daenerys Targaryen character from HBO’s “Games of Thrones.” David thinks maybe a roof or wall collapse diverted some of the smoke and flames, clearing the way for Kim to get out of the house. A friend suggested that perhaps Kim’s sister, who passed away last year, may have assisted with a bit of divine intervention. “It’s like she floated out,’’ Kim says. “How she came down those stairs and made it through that….we don’t know. We’re just glad she did.”

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Traffic, Traffic, Traffic: New Tampa Talks Transportation & Other Woes At Town Hall By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com If you put 100 residents of New Tampa in a room and ask them what they would like to see fixed most in this community, there’s a pretty good chance the majority will have a simple response: Traffic. It was no surprise, then, that when District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera held his second New Tampa Town Hall Nov. 16, with Hillsborough County District 5 (countywide) commissioner Ken Hagan, discussions about traffic dominated the conversation. Whether it was the right-hand turn off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. onto Cross Creek Blvd., the connection of Kinnan St. in Cross Creek to Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe, the construction on BBD or even residents speeding along Kinnan St., local residents gathered at The Venetian Events Center at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd. wanted to know what solutions they could expect. Even New Tampa’s East-West connector roadway (E-W Rd.) project that was effectively killed in 2008 by the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority, got some run, thanks to the first speaker of the night, William Martello. A 15-year New Tampa resident, Martello lamented the failed E-W Rd. project. That project, which evolved into basically a public-private partnership (P3) venture, was a 3-mile toll road that would have connected New Tampa Blvd. in West Meadows through Tampa Palms Areas 3 and 5 to a new interchange on Interstate 275.

About 100 local residents attended the Nov. 16 town hall meeting at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church to voice their concerns to local governmental officials. (Photo: John C. Cotey) The project was nixed due to the objec- pay for both the E-W Rd. and light rail for a tions of residents in both West Meadows and mere tax increase of half a cent. Tampa Palms, and fear of high tolls. Though Hagan has been a proponent of the E-W dormant for years, the E-W Rd. remains in the Rd., and said he would like to see the proposal Tampa-Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning rise from the ashes and get another look. Other options to relieve congestion on Organization (MPO)’s long-range plan. Long-time local resident Jim Davison — Cross Creek Blvd., Martello suggested, would who has run unsuccessfully for City Council be widening Morris Bridge Rd. northbound against Viera and for the County Commission starting at Cross Creek, although widening it against Hagan, said the city or one of its af- southbound is a near impossibility. Martello also suggested extending Cross filiates is taking another look at the feasibility and affordability of the project. Davison hinted Creek through Morris Bridge to US 301 in that he had a plan, which he will reveal after the Thonotosassa. Hagan confessed to never hearing anyholidays, that would show the city how it could

one ever suggest that idea before, but said he would look into it. Naturally, the connection of Kinnan St. to Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe came up, although it did not dominate the discussion, due to complaints about several other roads in the area. One female speaker, who did not give her name, asked Viera and Hagan what was being done behind the scenes to get Kinnan connected to Mansfield, which many say will ease traffic on BBD and help local businesses. Viera and Hagan had little new to offer. Truth is, at the moment, the connection lies in the hands of Pasco County, which has commissioned a study to determine if melding Mansfield and Kinnan is worthwhile. According to Pasco County commissioner Mike Moore, most of the Pasco residents he has heard from are opposed to the connection because of the potential of increased traffic. The Pasco study also is looking at two other connections between Wesley Chapel and New Tampa through K-Bar Ranch, but none can be done as quickly, nor would provide the relief for BBD, or the convenience, that a Kinnan-Mansfield connection would offer. That study is supposed to be completed by the end of this year. “Kinnan has always been planned to open up,’’ Hagan said. “Pasco said that as soon as (Mansfield) was completed to Wiregrass, it would be connected. They reneged on that.” Hagan, who spearheaded a $250,000 commitment by Hillsborough’s BOCC to build the connection, even suggested looking into using eminent domain to get the roads connected.

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“We are doing whatever we can,’’ Hagan said. Speaking on Kinnan, K-Bar Ranch resident April Ingram may be one of those in New Tampa opposed to the connection unless safeguards are put in place. She gave an impassioned plea for drivers along Kinnan St. to watch their speeds, and for the enforcement of traffic laws. Ingram said she and her 9-year-old son fear walking or biking around that area of New Tampa. “We have almost been mowed down sev- Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera (left) and Hillsborough Conty Commissioner Ken Hagan hosted eral times on Kinnan,” the November 16 town hall meeting at St. Mark’s. (Photo: John C. Cotey) she said. “I’ve seen cars Ingram thinks a few tickets might end the problem, driving 50 mph through here. I live here so I can go outside, with my son, to ride bikes, to walk. And every day, I am but has been disappointed to see a lack of enforcement by the Tampa Police Department. Hagan noted that he was scared to death we are going to be hit by a car.” Although no one else spoke on this topic, a few people stuck in that same traffic on his way to the town hall. Viera said the city is currently studying the lights at the in the room nodded their heads. Afterwards, another woman came up to Ingram to tell busy intersection in hopes of resolving the traffic build-up. New Tampa resident Jeffrey Blank was on Ingram’s her she totally agreed. She said sometimes, she too wonders, side as well. “Is somebody going to die today?” “I’m from New York and New Jersey, so I’m used to Ingram also criticized the drivers trying to make a right turn onto Cross Creek from BBD for cutting off other traffic in Manhattan,’’ Blank said. “That intersection? It drivers and essentially creating a second turn lane that backs makes Manhattan look good.” Blank’s solution? Think ahead. up traffic all the way past the Hunter’s Green entrance. “Why don’t the county and city account for the trafA USF employee, Ingram said she now takes Morris Bridge Rd. home (instead of the BBD exit off I-75) be- fic new developments are going to bring (before approving cause, “it can take 40 minutes trying to take a right onto them), instead of waiting until it’s too late?,” he asked. It might have been the best question of the night. Cross Creek.”

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Brookron To Get New Surface? Although there didn’t seem to be a lot of answers for the traffic questions posed during his town hall appearance Nov. 16 at The Venetian Events Center at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church (story on previous page), Hillsborough County District 5 Commissioner Ken Hagan did have some good news for local drivers. Hagan revealed that Brookron Dr. (photo), which more than a few attendees likely traveled to get to the town hall, could be resurfaced by this time next year. A story in our last issue reported that the 18-year-old road, riddled with potholes in some sections, had been patched over at least 50 times and had been the source of several resident complaints. Local resident Sasenarine Persaud emailed county commissioners to make his case that repaving the road — which he described as “a motley (collection) of patches, ridges and depressions, with a new pothole opening every week” — should be a priority. Hagan worked on doing just that. He said the road previously was on the unfunded project list and was unlikely to receive any attention until 2021 or ‘22. “But, I am very pleased that I was able to get that road reclassified from local to a connector road,” Hagan said. “So now, I’ve got that road funded for fiscal year 2019, which begins in October. I’ll do everything I can in October and November next year to have that road resurfaced. I think that’s pretty good news.” The county’s public works department said the estimated cost of resurfacing Brookron Dr. is $500,000. — JCC

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Hillsborough County Likely To Approve Fire Deal With Pasco Next Week By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com Hillsborough County has elected to secure the services of nearby Pasco County to provide fire service to the New Tampa communities not located within the city limits of the City of Tampa, pending a vote next week. “It was the mayor (Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn) who said if we didn’t like it, then go to Pasco,’’ says County Fire Chief Dennis Jones. “So, we went to Pasco.” The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will vote on Dec. 6 whether or not to approve a $275,000 annual contract between Hillsborough and Pasco counties for fire services for residents in Pebble Creek, Live Oak, Cross Creek and other communities located in unincorporated Hillsborough County, such as the Branchton Park area. The county and the City of Tampa, which has provided fire service to the unincorporated portion of New Tampa with some combination of Fire Stations Nos. 20, 21 and 22 the past 20 years, are ending a long agreement, after the city said it was raising the cost of its service to unincorporated New Tampa from $218,000 to $1.4 million per year. Pasco’s Board of County Commissioners (BCC) voted on Nov. 28, after we went to press, but all indications were that it would approve the contract, which was on the consent agenda, where items are not expected to be opposed. “I’m 100 percent for it,’’ said Pasco BCC chair Mike Moore, who represents most of Wesley Chapel in District 2, prior to the vote. “It’s a wash for us. We’re not making a ton of money off it, but we’re being good neighbors.”

Under the new agreement, unincorporated areas of New Tampa will primarily be serviced by Pasco County Fire Rescue Station No. 26, located in the nearby Meadow Pointe I community of Wesley Chapel. The station is roughly 1.6 miles from the entrance to Live Oak Preserve, 1.9 miles to the entrance to the Pebble Creek Golf Club, 2.5 miles to the intersection of Cross Creek Blvd. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., and about 5 miles from the Kinnan St. area. “Most communities in the unincorporated area are closer to the Pasco county fire station,’’ Chief Jones explained to a crowd at a recent New Tampa town hall (see page 6). “(Station 26) has a fire engine, rescue car and same distance from the westernmost areas. paramedic service.” Also, Jones added, Pasco and the City of The contract is with the Hillsborough County Fire Chief Dennis Jones (left) explains to local county, Jones said, not with residents (including Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera) at a recent just the one fire station, so town hall that Pasco County is likely to provide emergency services to other stations would also be unincorporated New Tampa in the future. (Photo: John C. Cotey) available if needed. For example, Pasco County has Fire Rescue Station 13 Tampa have a mutual aid agreement. If Pasco is in Quail Hollow, which is 7.9 miles from Live not available for a call, it would call Tampa for Oak Preserve, Fire Rescue Station No. 16 in mutual aid, meaning Tampa Fire Rescue No. 21 Zephyrhills, which is located roughly 10.7 miles or No. 22 (both on Cross Creek Blvd.) would from the easternmost part of the unincorporated provide the service. area, and No. 23 in Lutz, which is about the Chief Jones also promised residents at that

town hall meeting that their service would not stop, nor would they be responsible for any additional assessments. The prospect of being serviced by a fire rescue station further away than TFR Station Nos. 21 and 22 didn’t sit well with some unincorporated New Tampa residents. “We’re going to wait for Pasco to respond from County Line Road?,’’ asked Pebble Creek resident Craig Lewis at the town hall. “For Pasco to come down Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in that traffic? You expect us to get fire service that far away when we have two engines within a mile of my house? That is absolutely ludicrous, and is not acceptable.” Jones said other options for a local Hillsborough County unit staged from a modular building were explored, but all of them cost more than Pasco County’s services. “We don’t have an option, so our option is the next closest and make a deal with (Pasco),’’ Jones said. Lewis suggested that the baseball fields on Kinnan St. be moved to Branchton Park (on Morris Bridge Rd), and replaced with a fire station to service the unincorporated communities of New Tampa. The nearest Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Station is the University Area Station No. 5 on E. 139th Ave. Hillsborough County District 5 commissioner Ken Hagan said at the town hall that he was hopeful residents wouldn’t notice any changes in their emergency services. “We’re doing everything to ensure seamless service,” Hagan said. “We won’t let anything happen that will reduce the level of service you get out here, you have my word on that.”

Wishing You A Safe,Sparkling Holiday Season

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Winds Couldn’t Keep The 2017 WC Fall Festival From Being The Best Ever! By GARY NAGER Anyone who thinks the number 13 is unlucky obviously did not attend the 13th annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival at The Grove at Wesley Chapel shopping center the weekend of Oct. 28-29. In its second year since taking the event over from the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), Pinellas Countybased event organizer Simply Events reports that there were at least 1,000 more cars that visited the Fall Fest this year than last year, when the two-day crowd was estimated at 10,000 people. “Since there’s no admission fee, the only way to judge the attendance is by the number of cars that showed up, because we have our security people counting those cars,” says Sonya Bradley of Simply Events. “But, Saturday this year was definitely the biggest crowd we’ve seen so far.”

“Our Chamber group ran out of 500 pieces of candy in less than an hour,” beamed proud WCCC CEO Hope Allen after the Fall Festival was over. “In fact, all of the vehicles that gave out candy for Trunk or Treat pretty much ran out of candy, too. We will definitely partner again next year with Simply Events. What a great job they did!” For more pics and a recap of the contest winners and sponsors at this year’s Fall Fest — which already is scheduled for the same pre-Halloween weekend (Oct. 26-27) next year — visit SimplyEventsFL.com. — GN; some photos on this page by Hawkins Photography.

And Then, The Winds Came...

Unfortunately, with the winds gusting to 30-40 miles per hour early Sunday morning, many of the 110 vendors and crafters who were on hand on Saturday shut their booths down on Sunday. “We know our attendees were not happy with Sunday,” Bradley said. “We lost 18 tents & 25 total vendors before we opened on Sunday because of high winds. The Pumpkin Pageant set the right tone for Sunday, but the winds really hurt us.” The pet costume parade and the Trunk or Treat events kept those big crowds on site all day Saturday.

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Wobble

Coverage

By GARY NAGER Is Brookron Dr. falling apart? The one-mile circular local road — which is located off Cross Creek Blvd. (across from the entrance to Cory Lake Isles) and winds itself past the Pinehurst, Magnolia Trace, Meadow Creek and Creekwood neighborhoods of Cross Creek to Kinnan St. — looks in certain parts as if it is being held together by patches of black asphalt. Lots of patches. In fact, more than 50 patches, and dozens of other cracks and dips in the 18-year-old road, which is used by most of the Cross Creek II community’s 1,236 households, as well as by residents of the Addison Park and Andover Place apartment communities. With the county willing to put up $250,000 to connect Kinnan St. to Mansfield Blvd., at least one local resident wants to know why repaving what is a heavily-trafficked stretch of road isn’t also on the list of county road projects that need to be done. “It is appalling that Hillsborough County Commissioners would approve $250,000 to build the Kinnan-Mansfield connector, while Brookron Drive in New Tampa, a connector from Kinnan to Cross Creek, is worse than many a third-world road,’’ wrote Pinehurst resident Sasenarine Persaud to county commissioners last month. Persaud went on to describe the road as, “a motley (collection) of patches, ridges and depressions, with a new pothole opening every week” in his email. “It has not been resurfaced in eighteen years — yes, 18 years! There is no justification

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Record 2,200 Runners Not Deterred By Rainy ‘Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot!’ By GARY NAGER The light rain that fell pretty much throughout the 2017 Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot 5K race and 1-mile family fun run made the footing a little tough and kept the times a little slower, but it didn’t keep this year’s Thanksgiving morning road race from drawing its biggest crowd ever in its fifth year. A record total of nearly 2,200 runners came out to the Shops at Wiregrass for this year’s Wobble, so the race’s organizers — the FitNiche store at the mall, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) and the Rotary Club of New Tampa (which meets Fridays at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club) — were again thrilled with the event. “We are so thankful for the record number of people who came out to Wobble,” said New Tampa Rotary president Karen Frashier just before the race’s top finishers were announced by fellow Rotarian and event emcee Bob Thompson. “We also had amazing sponsors this year (including the now-open Audi Wesley Chapel dealership on S.R. 56; see Nibbles & Bytes column on pg. 48), so we know we’ll raise more money for our nonprofit beneficiaries.” The Rotary Club, FitNiche and FHWC all have their own charitable foundations who will benefit from this year’s Wobble, although Frashier didn’t know on Black Friday how much money was actually raised. Congrats to overall winners Mike Zwijacz of Land O’Lakes (16:59.83) and Lydia Friedman of Tampa (18:09.57) and to all of the incredible runners from ages 7-70 who finished! For complete 2017 race results, visit WiregrassWobbleTurkeyTrot.com.

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Wesley Chapel’s First Crystal Lagoon Starts Adding Water; Opening In Early 2018 By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com The much-anticipated Crystal Lagoon coming to the Epperson development off Curley Rd. in Wesley Chapel — the first of its kind in North America — not only has an opening finally planned, but it finally has something even more important: Water. Not all of the 16 million gallons of it, but Metro Development Group president Greg Singleton says the spigots are flowing as the lagoon aims for an early spring opening in 2018, which will be attended by 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, the new Global Ambassador for Crystal Lagoons. Metro invited local journalists to its first Metro Lagoon (which is located less than three miles north of S.R. 54) on Nov. 14 to show off the prized amenity in what is the first part of the high-tech “connected city” project, which will one day include two Crystal Lagoons, giga-fast internet speeds, schools, businesses and roads built for the future of driverless cars. The water wasn’t flowing just yet, although some had pooled in various sections of the 7.5-acre lagoon. Workers continued to work at securing the liner and smoothing it out as Singleton showed the gathered media a small holding pool of the water as an example of how clear, clean and blue it will be. Singleton said now that the water is flowing, it will take 8-12 weeks to fill the massive lagoon.

Metro Development Group President Greg Singleton and his daughter Ansley walk to the edge of the Crystal Lagoon in the Epperson development in Wesley Chapel, which will open early next year. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

The water has been purchased from the Pasco County utilities department, as opposed to drawing it from local wells, which Singleton said is, “a better outcome for us, better outcome for residents, better for Pasco.” Despite the large amount of water used to fill the lagoon, Singleton says it’s still 30 times less than what is required to maintain a golf course. Singleton also said that Metro has spent a lot more money building the lagoon than expected; some of that cost is the result of putting in concrete under the lining to give users more solid footing.

“We could have just lined it but we spent a lot more money to add concrete,’’ Singleton said. “We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how you get in and out of the lagoon.” As a unique and new amenity with a lot of buzz surrounding it, the lagoon is predictably responsible for hot sales at Epperson, which will have, at build-out, roughly 2,000 homes. The development currently has nearly 60 residents. He said prices are rising as builders tell him they have already doubled their aggressive sales goals. “The lagoon effect is real,’’ Singleton said. “We are seeing it.”

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Residents will pay $25 a month through the Homeowners Association to pay for the lagoon. Until it has enough residents to cover costs, Singleton says Metro is writing the checks. But, the lagoon also may be the impetus for other development in Epperson. Singleton said he can envision things like a boutique hotel on the north side of the lagoon, which would allow hotel guests to use the prized residents-only amenity. “A hotel makes all the sense in the world,’’ he said. The lagoon is almost a mile in circumference, with an average depth of eight feet, with some areas as deep as 10-12 feet. A biochemist, Fernando Fishmann, developed the first lagoons, using a patented pulse disinfection and ultrasonic filtration system, powered by 400 sensors monitoring the water. Singleton showed where some of those sensors were located, explaining that only the areas that require spot treatment receive it, as opposed to treating the whole area. “It recognizes hot spots, and makes it happen,’’ Singleton said. Singelton called the formula that keeps the water crystal clear “the secret sauce.” The Crystal Lagoon at Epperson may be Wesley Chapel’s first lagoon, but it won’t be its last. Metro is hoping to break ground by the summer on a slightly larger lagoon in a different shape at the Mirada development south of S.R. 52 that also is part of the future “connected city.” When built out, Mirada will have near-

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ly 6,000 homes and 900 apartment units. But, before Mirada gets its lagoon, Metro already is working on its second lagoon, at the Southshore Bay development in southern Hillsborough County. Kartik Goyani, the vice president of Metro Development Group, says the lagoons are just part of the picture for the connected city project.

Re-Naming The ‘Connected City’

He also told local business owners at the Oct. 26 Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) Economic Development Briefing at Pebble Creek Golf Club that the new year also will see the Singleton shows a sample of the treated water that will fill the lagoon at Epperson. (Photo: John C. Cotey) hi-tech “connected city” project, billed as the first smart giga-bit desaid. “We are creating something really really velopment in the country — with lightning- exciting in Pasco County that will draw people fast internet speeds 200 times faster than most from everywhere.” homeowners receive now — finally get an acBut, the two Crystal Lagoons are the tual name. crown jewels of the “connected city.” Goyani said the project was dubbed “We didn’t want to build a larger club“connected city” by the Florida Legislature house, or a bigger golf course, we wanted to after approving it as part of a 10-year pilot totally reimagine it,” Goyani said. “That’s program, but that name was always just what what we did with Crystal Lagoons.” Goyani called a “placeholder.” In January, it As for the most commonly asked queswill be branded with a different name. tion about lagoon access — “Can we go, The “connected city” is a 7,800-acre area too?” — Goyani says that Epperson homerunning north from Overpass Rd. in Wesley owners take precedence. Over the next 7-10 Chapel to S.R. 52 in San Antonio, and east years, those 2,000 homeowners in Epperson from I-75 to Curley Rd., that will one day fea- will pay for the maintenance of the lagoon, ture thousands of new homes and much more. though there may be some opportunities for “I don’t think I’ve seen a project any- controlled access to the lagoon, as members where else in the U.S. that has that,’’ Goyani of parties or events held there.

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New Enclosed Children’s Area & More Coming To New Tampa Regional Library

The New Tampa Regional Library, which opened in 1997, is getting some major renovations, including this glass-enclosed upgrade to the library’s children’s room. By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN

celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com The New Tampa Regional Library (NTRL) on Cross Creek Blvd. opened a little more than 20 years ago, in May 1997. The building has started to show its age, so it’s getting a few updates. Nearing completion shortly is one big change immediately noticeable to anyone who brings kids to the library. The formerly wide-open building now has an enclosed children’s area. With a mostly glass wall, the space still feels open, but 3,382 square feet of the library is now behind a door and designated specifically for use by children and their families. “Everyone assumes that the wall was built for noise, and that’s part of it,” says NTRL principal librarian Wendy Prasad, “but it’s also for a safe learning environment, and gives a space for kids to be kids a little more.” Prasad emphasizes that the library still isn’t a playground for running and horseplay, but, she says, “Modern public libraries are community buildings, and there’s more of a feeling of a shared community space, so we encourage different uses of the library.” Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library’s manager of library development Chely Cantrell says the newly partitioned space for the library’s youngest patrons makes sense. “New Tampa has such an amazing community that really supports the library and attends its programs,” Cantrell says. “There’s a large crowd that comes in and attends children’s programming, so now we will have more of a dynamic, interactive area inside of the children’s room.” The wall is already built, but Cantrell says the finishing touches — including family-friendly furniture and educational materials that enhance early learning — are still on their way. “We will be bringing in Grandma Claire’s Early Learning Hive,” says Prasad, who explains the library’s system-wide Makerspace is called The Hive. For adults and teens, the focus is on technology. “For early literacy, we’ll have a STEAM 16

(Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) concept and early learning concepts, but it won’t be technology-based,” says Prasad. “We’ll have early learning blocks and LEGOs, word matching, letters, sensory toys and manipulatives.” The room is being named “Grandma Claire’s” after a donation from Claire Unnasch, a New Tampa resident who passed away in 2016 and provided a gift of $25,000 towards enhancing the children’s area. The total budget for the project, including the construction of the wall and also replacing the partition in the community room, is $205,368. The actual final cost will be determined at the project’s completion. “It’s part of the cultural community shift and where libraries fit into that,” Prasad says. Modern libraries — including the NTRL — are often adapting to the needs and desires of the people who use them, adding programs, inviting in groups and enhancing the “Maker” options available to the community. For example, the New Tampa library has added a daily “Teen Zone” for students leaving Benito Middle School, which is located right next door to the library. As many students arrive at NTRL at the same time after school, Prasad and her staff have found ways to make them feel welcome and help them take advantage of the library’s many offerings. “We open our community room for about an hour and a half every day with video games and other activities,” says Prasad. “We’re here for our community, and that includes everybody.” Additional construction is planned for 2018. The building is scheduled to have a new roof put on starting in January, during which time it’s expected that the library will remain open during regular business hours, but it may be noisier than usual. NTRL’s bathrooms also will be upgraded, although the schedule is still being worked out to determine the least possible impact on library patrons.

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DECEMBER 2017

days at noon at Mulligan’s Irish Pub (in Intrinsic Wellness at the Seven Oaks the Pebble Creek Golf Club). Guests are Clubhouse (2910 Sports Core Cir., Wesley always welcome. For more info, search Chapel) to benefit Pasco Kids First. Bring “New Tampa Noon Rotary” on Facea new, fully stuffed stocking to donate to a Friday, December 1-Sunday, December 3 book. child, visit with Santa, enjoy refreshemtns “Lily and Dunkin” - The LSA Repertory Theatre Company at Wharton High (20150 BBD Friday, December 8 and activities, 6-9 p.m. For more info, call Blvd.) presents “Lily and Dunkin.” Author Donna Gephart crafts a dual narrative about two Rotary Club of New Tampa - The New (813) 549-3551 or search “Intrinsic Wellremarkable middle school students: Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a teen boy dealness Clinic” on Facebook. Tampa Rotary Club meets every Friday for ing with bipolar disorder. Tickets cost $10. For info, visit NTNeighborhoodNews.com. breakfast at 7 a.m. at TPGCC. For more Saturday, December 2 susan's antiques, Lake Forest Community Garage Sale -7 a.m. to noon, featuring housewares, collecti- info, including the speaker schedule, bles, home decor, clothing, shoes, books & more. Hosted at the community’s Clubhouse contact David Lanigan at (813) 760vintage art, 6548 or dave@davidlanigan.com or visit (14735 Lake Forest Dr.) & individual homes. bric-a-brac, glass & Bay Chapel Food Pantry - Free food for needy families. Open every Saturday from 9:30 NewTampa Rotary.org. 0ther treasures Saturday, December 16 a.m.-11:30 a.m., behind Christian Brothers Automotive at 20300 Trout Creek Dr. (off A Moment With The Classics Presents BBD). For more info, visit BayChapel.com/foodpantry. Christmas & Ivory - Enjoy music for the Holiday Movies Under The Stars (also on Sat., Dec. 9) - Join Acme on the Go at the Tampa Premium Outlets for holiday movie favorites in the children’s play area, near Cal- Christmas season by James A. Wilvin Klein, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Movie titles to be announced; bring blankets or lawn chairs. For liams and performers from the Tampa Bay Talent Showcase. Proceeds benefit more info, visit PremiumOutlets.com. Finally Home Christian Adoption Services Shops at Wiregrass Symphony In Lights - Shows and snow on the hour between 6 and Color Me Abstract. Tickets are $15. and 9 p.m. every night in December. Synthetic ice skating and photos with Santa are Event will be held at Harvester United available, too. For more info, visit ShopsAtWiregrass.com/events. Methodist Church, 2432 Collier Pkwy., Sunday, December 3 Meditation Group - All faiths and all levels of meditation experience are welcome at this Land O’Lakes, 6:30 p.m. For more info, COME SEEK OUT YOURS...GREAT PRICES, CREDIT CARDS free meeting at Sanctuary Wellness Center, 8903 Regents Park Dr., Suite 120, 10 a.m-11 visit amomentwiththeclassics.com. & LAYAWAY AVAILABLE. IN ANNETT'A'S ATTIC, 2ND FL, Monday, December 18 a.m. For more info, search “The Sanctuary Wellness Center in New Tampa” on Fa14136 8TH ST., DADE CITY, FL. OPEN MS, 11 A.M4 P.M. Stuff The Stocking Charity Event Join cebook or “New Tampa Intuitive Development Center” on Meetup. Tuesday, December 5 Keep It Local - This seat-specific networking group emphasizes small, local businesses every Tues., 11:30 a.m., at GrillSmith at The Shops at Wiregrass. For info, call Marino Cecchi at (813) 513-9001. NOW ENROLLING December 6 NOW Wednesday, ENROLLING English As A Second Language (ESL) - The ESL group meets Wednesdays at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church (19911 BBD Blvd. in Pebble Creek), 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Classes are taught by native English speakers. The cost is $40 each semester for the workbook & class materials. For info, call Holly at (813) 360-2077. BNI Millionaire Makers - The BNI Millionaire Makers chapter meets Weds. at Heritage Isles Country Club (10630 Plantation Bay Dr.), at 7:15 am. The cost is $13 to attend, which includes a hot breakfast. Call Lisa Jordan at (813) 621-6015 for info. Experience the Best Business Networking International (BNI) - BNI meets every Wed., 7:30 a.m., at MulChildhood Preparation for ligans inside Pebble Creek Golf Club (10550 Regents Park Dr.). Call Rob Montgomery at (813) 679-6446. Social and Academic Partners In Network (PIN) - Partners In Network is a group of professionals, one speSuccess. cializing in each area of business. Meets Weds. for lunch at (TPGCC, 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd.), 11:30 am. Call Georgianna Strickland (813-477-7306) or Ken Fernandez (813334-6000) or email georgianna@strategicmarketingarts.com. Rotary Club Of New Tampa Noon - The New Tampa Noon Rotary Club meets WednesTOUR OUR SCHOOL • MEET OUR TEACHERS • FUN ACTIVITIES

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Cypress Point Community Church — Where Faith Meets Community Service By BRAD STAGER

As Cypress Point Community Church has grown from a few families worshipping and studying the Bible together in homes in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa to a congregation of more than 700 members, meeting the diverse needs of those who consider the nondenominational Christian church their spiritual home has become a complex matter. Over its nearly two decades of existence, Cypress Point has dealt with the physical growth in number of worshippers by moving to larger spaces — from those family living rooms to a real estate sales and visitor center, to worshipping for six years at the Muvico Starlight 20 movie theater on Highwoods Preserve Pkwy. Now, congregants gather in the church’s own 30,000-sq.-ft. multipurpose building on 30 acres on Morris Bridge Rd., just north of Cross Creek Blvd. In February, Cypress Point added a 10,000-sq.-ft. building to house its youth center, with a gym, basketball court, classrooms and snack bar. While that physical expansion has accommodated the church’s growth in size, there also has been a requirement to develop more services and programs that meet the wide variety of needs and expectations its worshippers have, according to Lead Pastor Dean Reule, who co-founded Cypress Point Community Church in 1998 with his wife Hettie, who also is the

church’s Children’s Pastor. “The church is like a Walmart Supercenter,” says Pastor Dean, who earned his Ph.D. degree in Religious Studies from Florida State University in Tallahassee. “Whatever the need, there is always a Biblically-based solution.” A commitment to enacting such solutions for the benefit of members and the wider community has yielded a wide variety of ministries, activities and services available through Cypress Point Community Church. Nourishing the spirit as well as the body during times of need is one way to express the mission of Cypress Point’s Care Center, which combines a food pantry, stocked with donations of canned and packaged food from church members, with a cadre of devoted worshippers who provide spiritual support as the Prayer Team. Whichever season of life or road Cypress Point Community Church’s Thailand Missions Team is shown beginning their journey to Thailand, Cypress Point members may be expe- where they equipped and provided moral support to local Christian ministry leaders (Photo provided by CPCC) riencing or traveling on, Pastor Dean discuss topics relevant to them from a Biblical These activities are held in the DP rec censays there is no need to make the ter, which is equipped with air hockey and journey alone, as there are church activities perspective. Those of the in-between ages are served by “56,” which, according to the video games, as well as the basketball court. relevant to all ages and lifestyles. church website, is a “Sunday morning experi- Cypress Point youth volunteer Shannon Young people are the future of a ence for kids in 5th or 6th grade.” Romera says the DP is a good place for church and Cypress Point serves the needs The Dwelling Place, or “DP,” is where teens to bring their friends. of children from birth to adulthood. There young people in grades 7-12 come together “There’s no other place like it in is an Adventure program that introduces to learn Christian teachings and connect New Tampa,” Shannon says. “It’s a safe Christian teachings to young children (Pre with God in ways they can appreciate, place where kids can come out and it’s K-fourth grade) through activities, crafts, which might be through instruction, more comfortable than asking someone instruction and music. On Thursday nights to come to a church service.” at “The Edge,” young adults (18+) meet and performances, or conversation over pizza.

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Support For The Military & More

At the Morris Bridge Rd. entrance to Cypress Point, there’s a large, red-whiteand-blue-painted sign announcing the church’s support to the community’s military families through its Military Support Outreach, or “MSO.” MSO Director Evangelo “Vann” Morris acknowledges Cypress Point’s commitment to the military and its veterans. “The church is really big on supporting the military,” says Morris, who is a retired U.S. Navy officer, adding that the Cypress Point MSO is focused on helping homeless veterans transition to more productive lifestyles by working with local agencies and programs vetted by the Veterans Administration, such as Tampa Crossroads. MSO also supports active duty troops who are away from home with care packages filled with items ranging from USB thumb drives to packages of beef jerky and more. People who are interested in helping prepare packages, donate items or provide the name of a deployed service member can contact MSO through the Cypress Point website CPCConline.com under the “Ministries” heading. Other activities and programs at Cypress Point Community Church include its Firefighters Ministry, which demonstrates support for the community’s fire stations by bringing cards and letters of support, as well as light snacks to local station houses; MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) & More, a monthly meetup that provides a network of support for

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CPCC Lead Pastor Dean Reule mothers of young children; and Man Up, a fellowship of Godly masculinity in which men are motivated toward loving acts of devotion in the name of Jesus Christ. Couples who have taken on the responsibilities of marriage and family may benefit from Cypress Point’s Love Walk ministry, which provides opportunities for fellowship and tip-sharing with other couples from all stages of marriage. Promoting not only Christianity as a religion, but advocating and acting on behalf of its basic tenets, whether locally, nationally or internationally, is part of the motivation behind Cypress Point’s Compassion & Justice ministries, whose mission it is to, “Fight local and global poverty and injustice,” according to the Ministries page on the church’s website. Participants in these mission projects often travel to impoverished communities in the U.S. to lend a helping hand, or to Southeast Asia to assist Christians there and to combat human exploitation.

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Sunday services (at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.) also attract crowds to the worship hall, for energetic sermons from Pastor Dean, who connects diverse philosophical and spiritual points, from Plato to Jesus, into basic principles to embrace. One recent Sunday message from Pastor Dean explored the Power of the Golden Rule (or Matthew 7:12) which, according to The World English Bible, reads as, “Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” It is a principle that guides much of the work that is performed at Cypress Point and Pastor Dean summed up the reason why to those who were gathered: “We can change our small part of the world.” One person attending the service

who says attending Cypress Point has made his part of the world better is New Tampa resident Neal Hamlett, who plays guitar in the church band and has been a member for eight years. “It’s a big family that takes care of each other,” Neal says. Cypress Point Community Church is located at 15820 Morris Bridge Rd. Sunday services are at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and the Dwelling Place (DP) has main services for young people in grades 7-12 on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., with doors to the rec center opening at 6 p.m. For more information, visit CPCConline.com online, call (813) 986-9100 or see the full-page Cypress Pointe Community Church ad on pg. 17 of this issue.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Dr. Greg’s Children’s Dentistry Has Kept Local Kids Smiling For 25 Years!

though. Dr. Greg says this year, he added a new, digital panoramic X-ray machine. “We’ve been using digital X-rays for many years because there’s lower radiation and better clarity,” Dr. Greg says. “The new panoramic machine takes amazing pictures and has the added benefit of allowing us to do bitewing X-rays externally for those kids who may have a gagging response to having the bitewings in their mouth.” Dr. Greg says the new equipment is so good, some orthodontists send their patients to him to get X-rays taken.

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com

With a visit to Children’s Dentistry in the Cory Lake Professional Center on Cross Creek Blvd., kids get to see Greg Stepanski, D.D.S. — a pediatric dentist with more than 25 years of experience in the New Tampa/ Wesley Chapel area — and a demeanor and office that kids and parents alike seem to recommend without reservation. “I recommend Children’s Dentistry to all my friends,” says Carla Schoolfield. “They’re great. From the minute you walk in, everyone is so nice and greets you by your name. “They are definitely an A-plus in customer service.” Carla’s not the only one who thinks so. With 142 Google reviews, Children’s Dentistry’s overall rating is 4.9 out of 5 stars. “I have other friends who went there when they were kids,” she adds. “Now, they’re taking their kids there. I think that’s a testament to Dr. Greg and his staff.” Carla’s son is five and has been seeing Dr. Greg — as his patients and their parents call him — since he was just one. Her daughter is only nine months old and will be ready for her first visit soon. Carla is glad she took her son to Dr. Greg early in his childhood. “I think it’s great because it gets your child used to going,” she says. “It’s not anything invasive. Dr. Greg is so gentle and such a good doctor, and now my son loves going to the dentist.” Dr. Greg, who earned his Doctor of

Community Outreach

Pediatric dentist Dr. Greg Stepanski, whose office is on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, invites his young patients to an annual appreciation party for photos with Santa and fun activities. Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the also seeing a little bit less tooth decay.” Ohio State University College of Dentistry Dr. Greg says he has a good relationin Columbus, says, “We are encouraging ship with many of his peers in the area, and children to have a dental home by the age even runs a study club where quite a few of one.” He also earned a B.S. degree in pediatric dentists get together for discussion, Biology from the University of Notre Dame speakers and continuing education. in South Bend, IN. “The club has been going on forever,” Dr. Greg explains that age one is now he says. “I inherited it in 1991.” recommended by both the American AcadeThat’s when he purchased an existing my of Pediatric Dentistry and the American pediatric dentist office on E. Fowler Ave. in Temple Terrace. He moved that practice Academy of Pediatrics for a child’s first to its current Cross Creek Blvd. location dental appointment. 14 years ago. “It’s preventive,” he says. “Now we’re seeing more and more patients at His many years in practice don’t mean age one and seeing less problems. We’re any outdated equipment or procedures,

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Dr. Greg’s office is more than just a place to get your children’s teeth checked. He and his staff say it’s like a family, and they host events to build that community feeling, as well. “They do a lot of things outside of being a dentist,” says Carla. “They do holiday parties and events every year. I think that says a lot. It’s not just them taking my money, but they say, ‘I want to appreciate you for giving me your business.’” Every year, Carla’s kids and Dr. Greg’s other existing patients are invited to visit Santa at the practice’s annual Christmas party. “Our families bring their kids all dressed up and take their family Santa photos with our professional photographer,” says Dr. Greg, who adds that there also are fun activities for the kids, such as face painting, a balloon artist and crafts. “It’s become quite an event.” This year, Dr. Greg says, “We have to expand the venue because so many of our

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other ways. He brings “Tommy the Toothbrush” — a character who stresses good dental hygiene — to visit local schools during February, which is Dental Health Month. “We give toothbrushes to all the kids,” he explains, “Some of them might not have one.” He also has Dr. Greg and his friendly professional staff will make sure your children provided dental care for migrant children smile every time they visit the dentist. and does a program patients have said they’re coming.” He says each fall where he donates a Thanksgiving there will be tents in the parking lot, but it’s turkey to Metropolitan Ministries in the important that he holds the party inside the name of any pediatrician or dentist who office, too. refers a new patient to him. “We have it here so the kids can see “We like to give to Metropolitan that it’s a fun destination,” he says. “They Ministries,” he says. can interact with me and the staff while Dr. Greg also is a charter member and we’re having fun, not trying to do a filling past president of the New Tampa Noon Roor fix a tooth that was knocked out.” tary Club, an active church member at St. In addition to the Christmas patient Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church and appreciation party, Dr. Greg and his staff a fund raiser for Corpus Christi Catholic typically also host a spring bowling party, School in Temple Terrace, where his wife which is open to the community, too. Sue has taught kindergarten for 15 years. “It’s an opportunity for our patients For appointments and more info to bring their friends and introduce us,” about Children’s Dentistry (10317he explains. “They get to see me not with a mask and a mirror in my hand, but like a B Cross Creek Blvd.), call 973-3100, visit DrGreg-ChildrensDentistry.com, normal person.” or see the ad on page 21. Most major Besides his office’s events, Dr. Greg dental insurance plans are accepted. reaches out to the community in many

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SPOTLIGHT ON: Florida ENT & Allergy! Getting kids out of bed for school each morning can be a struggle for any parent. It is even harder for the millions whose children suffer from allergies. Florida E.N.T. & Allergy — with a location only minutes from New Tampa on Foggy Creek Rd. just off of S.R. 56 (near I-75) in Wesley Chapel — reports that allergic rhinitis is presently the most common chronic disorder in pediatric patients. It can affect sleep at night, and lead to daytime drowsiness, increased school absenteeism, and poor performance in the classroom. Florida E.N.T. & Allergy has a team of specialists who diagnose and treat all pediatric and adult allergies. Here are the medical team’s top tips to help your children battle their symptoms. “First, get prepared,” says Florida E.N.T. & Allergy Otolaryngic Allergy Specialist Yoon Nofsinger, M.D., who works at the practice’s Wesley Chapel location. “If you can, tour your child’s classroom and the school grounds to identify any allergy or asthma triggers. Talk with your allergy specialist about things to look out for.” She adds, “Unfortunately, schools can be breeding grounds for things that can worsen allergy and asthma symptoms, such as dust mites, chalk dust, mold and animal dander. It is so important that your child’s allergies or other conditions have been accurately diagnosed to determine what allergens to avoid. If your child has not been tested, and you suspect that they have symptoms, make an appointment, and schedule a test.” Recess also can be a minefield for a child with allergies or asthma. Parents can

check pollen counts to make sure their child takes the proper medication to control their symptoms. Also, ask the school staff to keep the windows closed indoors to keep pollen and Yoon Notsinger, M.D. other allergens out. For kids with asthma, consider using a short-acting inhaler 15 minutes prior to any exercise, and make sure they always drink plenty of water. Lastly, if you’ve already been to a specialist and had your child’s symptoms diagnosed, it is important to make sure your child is taking any medications as prescribed. Skipping them can lead to increased symptoms, and less time learning in the classroom. The physicians of Florida E.N.T. & Allergy have served the Tampa Bay community for more than 40 years, and now have 11 convenient locations across the Tampa Bay area to serve your family. From pediatric allergies to fitting hearing aids, the practice’s caring and experienced physicians specialize in ear, nose and throat care for the entire family using comprehensive, cutting-edge technologies. For more information about Florida E.N.T. & Allergy call (813) 879-8045, visit FloridaENTandAllergy.com or see the ad on page 37.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Specialized Care Available In Wesley Chapel At Florida Orthopaedic Institute SPECIAL TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

It’s been two years since the newest office of Florida Orthopaedic Institute opened in the Shoppes of Wesley Chapel on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., directly across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC). The staff and doctors at the office are meeting the increasing demand for specialized orthopaedic care that can help the residents of Wesley Chapel, New Tampa and nearby communities stay active. The Board-certified doctors and surgeons at Florida Orthopaedic Institute have been recognized globally for their expertise. Headquartered in North Tampa, the Wesley Chapel office is the tenth for the practice, which has been open for 27 years and now serves patients in or near Bloomingdale, Brandon, Citrus Park, Northdale, Oak Hill/Brooksville, Palm Harbor, South Tampa, Sun City Center, Temple Terrace and Wesley Chapel/New Tampa. The Wesley Chapel office offers physician services, physical therapy and X-rays, with three Board-certified physicians on staff: • Christopher Baker, M.D., a fellowship-trained specialist in sports medicine and shoulder reconstruction; • Brian Palumbo, M.D., who specializes in hip and knee replacement surgery, with a focus on diagnosing and treating hip and knee arthritis, and • Timothy Epting, D.O., orthopaedic foot & ankle surgeon, who focuses on injuries and disorders of the foot and ankle and general orthopaedic conditions. To maintain the highest level of orthopaedic skill, Florida Orthopaedic Institute only employs doctors who have had fellowship training. “This additional training is just part of what sets us apart,” says Dr. Baker, “especially when the sophisticated work of joints is involved. In order to keep our patients active, the precision of the treatment is paramount to success.” Dr. Baker, a partner at Florida Orthopaedic Institute, has been with the group for four years and has practiced in the area for seven. He graduated cum laude with his M.D. degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville and completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His fellowship at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas (in Spartanburg, SC) gave him an

You’ll find orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Christopher Baker at Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s Wesley Chapel Office on BBD Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. extra year of study in sports medicine and shoulder reconstruction, making him the only fellowship-trained shoulder specialist in eastern Pasco County. He also has been very influential in high school athletics, since he assisted in opening the sports medicine programs at Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills high schools. Dr. Baker continues to serve as the team physician for several schools in both Pasco and Hillsborough Counties. He also treats professional athletes and has served as the orthopaedic and sports medicine physician for the Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football League team. In addition to caring for athletes, he also treats patients who have shoulder pain stemming from aging or injury. Many patients avoid shoulder treatment because they are afraid they will need surgery or because of the misconception that pain is a normal part of aging, but Dr. Baker always informs his patients about all available alternatives. “There are a lot of options other than surgery, like physical therapy or cortisone injections,’’ he says. “Our mission is to do what is best for the individual patient.” Even when surgery is necessary, Dr. Baker says he does not go straight to invasive surgical techniques. He uses the latest technologies and says that many repairs are done with an arthroscope to minimize in-

cisions, pain and recovery time. The other doctors at Florida Orthopaedic Institute, like Dr. Palumbo, also believe that minimizing surgical trauma and muscle damage should be a high priority for any surgeon. Speaking of Dr. Palumbo, he served in the Special Operations Command for the U.S. Air Force. He later earned his M.D. degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, where he also served as a resident in USF’s Department of Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. After that, he

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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attended Harvard Medical School’s Hip & Knee reconstruction surgical fellowship for one year at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. Dr. Palumbo specializes in hip and knee arthritis management, joint replacement surgery and the treatment of failed or painful hip and knee joint replacements. He is Board-certified by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a member of the American Association of Hip & Knee Surgeons, and serves as an assistant professor for the University of South Florida’s Orthopaedic Residency Program. There are several unique aspects to Dr. Palumbo’s orthopaedic practice. He is a proponent of the direct anterior approach (DAA), also known as the frontal approach, for hip replacements. He says this technique minimizes surgical trauma and allows for faster recovery and decreased pain. He explains that, “Rather than cutting through or damaging muscles (with the DAA approach), you’re simply spreading certain muscles to the side, using their natural tissue planes. It’s like opening a window versus breaking through it.” His approach to joint replacement surgery also includes a technique for total knee replacements called Kinematic Knee Alignment. This technique is unique in that the goal of the surgery is to restore the natural position and dynamics of the knee joint, rather than implanting it in an alignment that the surgeon believes is correct. “Conventional total knee arthroplasty implants the knee where the surgeon thinks it belongs, while kinematic alignment implants the knee replacement in a way

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that attempts to replicate (that) knee before (the patient) had arthritis,” he states. Dr. Palumbo also is an advocate for partial (rather than total) knee replacements whenever possible. He feels that sparing hip and knee joint muscles and Timothy Epting, D.O. preserving bone (when possible) can lead to improved and faster recovery and long-term outcomes. He also firmly believes in the importance of fellowship-trained, specialized surgeons. “The added training and expertise this provides allows us to care for complex failed and painful joint replacement issues,” he says. “Approximately 30 percent of joint replacements I perform are re-do replacements for old or failed joint replacements.”

An Emphasis On Education

Educating patients is a core philosophy at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute, whose surgeons encourage patients to seek out options to ensure that they are getting a doctor who is experienced in treating their particular type of injury. Dr. Epting is an orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon, the only one in Pasco County. He is Board-certified and did his fellowship training at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Prior to joining the Florida Orthopaedic Institute team, Dr. Epting served three years as an orthopaedic surgeon at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. He also served as an orthopaedic surgeon in Operation EnBrian Palumbo, M.D. during Freedom in Afghanistan and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2010. “My military experience and fellowship training allow me to explore all options for my patients so they can receive the best possible care,” he says. Dr. Epting treats sports injuries of the ankle/foot (fractures, ligament and tendon injuries), as well as arthritis (fusions and ankle replacement) and foot & ankle deformities. He utilizes non-surgical measures (bracing and physical therapy) as well as surgical repair, arthroscopy and reconstruction, when appropriate. Orthopaedic surgery training gives him insight into foot and ankle conditions, as well as their impact on the body as a whole. For more info, stop in at Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s Wesley Chapel office at 2653 BBD, visit FloridaOrtho. com or see the ad on page 5 of this issue. The Wesley Chapel location is open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call (800) FL-ORTHO for appointments.

SPOTLIGHT ON..Richeson Wellness & NutriMost! 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 (both in photo) 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. NutriMost is touted as a rapid weightloss 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 the NutriMost program, Richeson Wellness offers a different option for women and men whose bodies aren’t quite ready for the type of drastic life-

style change that NutriMost requires. Clients receive a comprehensive blood work-up, which Mitze says can be 17-25 pages long and is much more comprehensive and will be better explained than what typically happens at most doctors’ offices. “With the tools that NutriMost gives you, I have kept it off (for the last several months),” says April Ray, who lost 30 pounds. “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.” Richeson Wellness, NutriMost and Cypress Creek Chiropractic are located at 2304 Crestover Ln. For more information or to schedule an appointment, see the ad on page 23 of this issue or call (813) 241-7098 to reach the NutriMost staff or (813) 435-6643 to reach Mitze for Richeson Wellness. You also may visit RichesonWellness.com or search “Richeson Wellness” on Facebook.

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Massage Green Spa Makes Licensed Massage Therapy More Affordable & Convenient anytime with no further obligation. “It’s a great discount program with no contracts,” she says, “so you can take care of yourself.” Wellness Plans are available for one 60-minute massage for $49.95 per month, with additional massages within the month costing just $39.95. Or, you can opt for one 90-minute or even one two-hour massage per month. Or, choose an infrared sauna plan.

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com

In the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., guests who walk in to Massage Green Spa experience a stark contrast from the busy parking lot. A quiet water feature trickles on the wall behind the desk, while the soft glow from a fireplace creates a cozy setting in the waiting area. “We have a very relaxing atmosphere,” says co-owner Kim Sirois, in a soft voice, with a warm smile that adds to the soothing ambiance, “and affordable pricing for a luxury experience.” Kim and her husband, Keith, along with her daughter and husband, Kelly and Todd Phillips, opened their Massage Green Spa franchise a little more than a year ago. Massage Green Spa, which is based in Michigan, has about 80 locations nationwide, including some in the Jacksonville and Miami areas of Florida. Kelly and Todd have recently shifted their focus to their newest location in Brandon, while Kim has taken over the day-today operations in New Tampa. The family hopes to open a third location in Carrollwood, too. “Kim’s done an amazing job and we’ve been blessed with fantastic, continued growth,” says Todd. “We really feel like we’ve been able to positively impact the community’s need and desire for happier and healthier lifestyles.” Massage Green Spa offers a variety of

Try A Massage Date Night!

Front desk manager Liam Fredereck (left) and co-owner Kim Sirois welcome guests to Massage Green Spa on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in the New Tampa Center shopping plaza, for massages, facials and infrared sauna treatments. massage therapies, an infrared sauna and every month more people are joining our customizable facial treatments. Wellness Plans.” Its luxurious services become even She explains that the Wellness Plans more affordable, with introductory specials allow clients to prepay for one massage per for first-time clients and memberships — month at a discount. It’s a family memberwhich Kim calls “Wellness Plans” — that ship, so up to four members of a family in offer discounts for clients who prepay for the same household can use the one prepaid massage. Additional massages for anyone in ongoing monthly services. “We’ve had a tremendous response the family within that same month are at a from the community, and we’re very further discount. Kim says that perhaps the best part happy with our growth here,” Kim says. is that you can cancel your membership “Every month, we’re getting busier, and

Massage Green Spa also offers a couples massage room, where two people can get massages together. “A lot of couples come in for a monthly date,” Kim says. “It’s that once-a-month time to get out and be together and do something enjoyable for both.” It’s definitely not just for romantic couples, though. Kim says the room has been used by mother-daughter pairs and even friends, too. In addition to the affordability of the services, Kim encourages people to try Massage Green Spa for its expertise. “Our staff is very talented and committed,” Kim says. “We have excellent, licensed therapists.” One of those State-licensed massage therapists (LMTs) is Kayla, who explains some of the benefits of getting a monthly massage at Massage Green Spa. “It’s as important as working out or eating right for wellness,” explains Kayla. “It’s important for tissue recovery and muscle recovery, as a complement to working out. It even helps with depression.” Besides Kayla, the staff includes nine other LMTs and two State-licensed aestheti-

“I have to tell you that thanks to you and your program, I had the best vacation I’ve ever had. I started with horseback riding, wheeling (oﬀ-roading) in my new jeep, and zip lining. It was so much fun. I would not have even considered any of this before, but now I’m in such good shape and have more energy than I know what to do with. I’m excited to try new things! ” - Kate G., a Transformed Member. What would YOU do, once you are healthy and t? Find success and get results with private or semi-private training sessions or group boot camp workouts e and a delicious eating plan. Fun, eﬀective 30-minute workouts that have helped 6,000 women lose weight and get healthy.

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cians. There’s also a front desk manager and four front desk staff members. The aestheticians offer a variety of customizable spa facials. A typical one-hour session includes extractions, mask and a neck/shoulder massage. The products the aestheticians use and the exact methods are determined after consulting with the aesthetician, so that your facial is tailored to your specific needs each time you visit.

Infrared Therapy

At Massage Green Spa, a popular offering for wellness that complements massage therapy is Full-Spectrum Infrared Therapy, powered by Sunlighten. “It’s an amazing adjunct to licensed massage,” Todd says, adding that the benefits of heat therapy have been around in Finnish and Asian cultures for thousands of years. “Infrared is simply just a more efficient way of delivering the heat. The same technology has been used for a long time in hospitals and neonatal wards to warm babies.” While a traditional sauna can be associated with stifling heat, sweating and even boredom, infrared therapy offers a different experience. “Because of the efficiency and the way the infrared heats,” Todd says. “it doesn’t feel as hot but you’re still getting all of the health benefits.” He adds that infrared therapy aids in detoxifying the blood, helps with fat loss and addresses chronic fatigue and skin disorders, noting that, “30 minutes of infrared therapy burns 600 calories.” It also is known to lower your blood

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Todd says infrared therapy in the specially-designed Sunlighten sauna at Massage Green Spa aids in detoxifying the blood, helps with fat loss and addresses chronic fatigue and skin disorders, noting that, “30 minutes of infrared therapy burns 600 calories.” going to Massage Green Spa for several pressure and increase blood flow — which has a ton of health benefits, including months now,” says Gerry, who lives in helping to reduce muscle soreness and even Tampa Palms. “We always have a fabulous arthritis pain. experience. They have great massage theraMassage Green’s two saunas are pists and great customer service.” equipped with wifi-enabled touchscreens, Macklin Kelly is another happy cusallowing you to pull up Netflix or Pandora tomer. As a Hunter’s Green resident, she or even check your Facebook page. There says she decided to give Massage Green is even an app that will sync your health Spa a try because of its convenient locadevice, like a Fitbit, to the computer. tion, but has continued to receive massages there because of the LMTs themselves. “I really like the spa,” Macklin says. Happy Customers “All of the massage therapists are good, but “My wife, Angela, and I have been

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I’ve kind of settled into one in particular. I have arthritic issues and he’s very good at giving me relief from my pain.” She adds, “I love the people. Everybody is very friendly, but respectful, and anything they can do to make your experience better, they do. It’s very relaxing.” Kim agrees. “Our spa is like a higher-end spa, but with affordable pricing,” she says. “People love the look and feel and the environment of it.” Kim and the staff are careful to emphasize the “green” in their company’s name. The spa was built with recycled cellulose drywall and decorated with hand-cultured stone. Part of the Massage Green Spa mantra, in fact, is “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Buildings.” All of the products used are all-natural, and the folks at Massage Green Spa are always looking for ways to maximize the spa’s environmental friendliness. For example, customers are offered the option to have their receipt emailed instead of printed. Guests aren’t offered bottles of water, but recyclable cups and a newly-installed water filtration system. As the holidays approach, great specials on gift cards are available. Kim says one such special is buy three massages, get one free. You’ll receive four separate cards, each for one massage, so the gift can be shared with up to four people. Massage Green Spa is located at 19040 BBD Blvd. It is open Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sun. For more information, visit MassageGreenSpa.com, call (813) 333-7703 or see the ad on pg. 42 of this issue.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

For Truly Special Holiday Gifts & More, Visit The Gift Box Boutique!

Women’s Hospital philanthropic committee, volunteering her time to raise funds and help women and children at the hospital. And, Jennifer says, she’s happy to support local schools, charities, and churches when they come to her requesting items for silent auctions and other fund raisers.

By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com

Walking into The Gift Box Boutique in Tampa Palms, there’s something interesting everywhere you look. “We are a unique boutique,” says owner Jennifer Colón, who opened her store in the Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms (next to Stonewood Grill) in the summer of 2014. In her one-of-a-kind shop, Jennifer stocks an impressive array of gifts, home décor items, jewelry and women’s clothing, from beautiful Nora Fleming servingware, to Simply Southern tee shirts, to trendy “pop sockets” for your phone, to pajama pants and much, much more. Whether you’re shopping for a gift for someone else or a treat for yourself, you’ll find something great at The Gift Box Boutique. The store offers many items that are made locally, both to support small businesses in the area and because people like to give gifts that represent their hometown. “We carry Toffee To Go, which was on Oprah’s list of favorite things a few years back,” says Jennifer. “It’s a fabulous product made in South Tampa, and we run out of it every year because they can only provide so much.” You can also buy Seventh Avenue Apothecary candles, made at “a little mom and pop manufacturer, right here in Tampa.” Jennifer says, “We also sell gifts from Tampa’s Columbia Restaurant, which gives people an opportunity to purchase them without having to drive down to Ybor City.” Jennifer also offers items from local artisans, each with their own unique flair. “People want to share their talents in the things they make, such as wreaths or jewelry, and we like to support those local artists,” she says. To make your gift even more special, The Gift Box Boutique offers personalization on nearly everything in the store. “We personalize everything from dishes, to picture frames, to our Corkcicle products,” says Jennifer, “and we monogram everything from clothing to tote bags and blankets, so our gift items have that personal touch.” Corkcicle is a line of insulated cups and canteens in a variety of colors, based in Orlando. Its stemless tumbler is on Oprah’s Favorite Things list this year, where Oprah says,

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“Here’s a 12-ounce covered stainless steel cup that keeps hot things hot for three hours, cold things cold for nine hours, and soccer moms happy right through overtime.”

Now Carrying Brighton, Too

Beginning in March of this year, The Gift Box Boutique began selling Brighton jewelry. “It’s nice to have this bigger brand in the store,” Jennifer says. “Brighton approached us about selling it, and we were flattered, to say the least.” Jennifer says Brighton’s classic jewelry is popular and “easily giftable.” She says sales of the jewelry continue to grow as people learn it’s available at the shop. Scott McGary is the Brighton account executive who approached The Gift Box about selling the brand. “We saw that Jennifer put her store together really well and has a great reputation in the retail world,” he explains. “We look for shops where customers can be helped ‘head to heel’ and can find other items to complement our jewelry. We wanted to partner with her shop because she carries other lines that do well with Brighton and look good together, too.” While McGary wouldn’t say what brands he was referring to, Jennifer says clothing lines currently carried in the store include Escapada, NYDJ (Not Your Daughter’s Jeans) and Elan. She says, “It says a lot about our reputation as a small business that (Brighton) sought us out.”

Giving Back

It’s also important to Jennifer to give back to the community. The store carries Chavez for Charity bracelets, each of which supports a cause, such as Alex’s Lemonade Stand foundation for childhood cancer or Best Friends Animal Society, a national organization that advocates for “no more homeless pets,” and many others. She gives back on a local level, too. “We support the Oasis Network, which gives clothing to children (in schools throughout the county),” says Jennifer, who says the store also is a drop-off location for Toys for Tots donations every year. Jennifer also serves on the St. Joseph’s

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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For the holiday season, The Gift Box Boutique will host what Jennifer calls, “Sip & Shop Saturdays.” She says past events have featured tastings of food items available in the store, flower arranging to create a pretty tablescape for the holidays, and demonstrations for preparing food and beverages for holiday entertaining. To find out what “Sip & Shop Saturday” events are coming up, go to Facebook.com and search “The Gift Box Boutique.” Jennifer also prides herself on being responsive to what her customers ask her to carry in The Gift Box. She even keeps a “wish list” of items her customers have asked her to carry, and brings those items into the store whenever possible. For example, she says people asked for more food items to make holiday gift baskets, so more were brought in this year, such as Wicked Mix (photo on next page) and Stonewall Kitchen. And, while the store has always had a great selection of items for babies, she now carries gifts for girls, such as “magic rainbow unicorn” journals and pillows. Jennifer says she has helped many Realtors find the perfect gift for house-

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(L.-r., starting with the previous page): You can find so many great holiday and other gift ideas at The Gift Box Boutique in the Shoppes at The Pointe Plaza in Tampa Palms, from picture frames and wood signs with sweet and clever sayings to Corkcicle insulated tumblers, delicious food items you can sample in the store and much more. warming presents. That’s one reason the who have supported us through this venate your business,” says Wendy. “They have finds whenever she shops at the store. higher-end Mariposa brand of servingware is original, interesting things, and I’ve never “It really answered a need in our ture. We wouldn’t be here without them, and I’m very proud of what The Gift Box now at The Gift Box. And, she says, not just had a bad experience there.” neighborhood,” she says. “It’s a treasure. It Realtors are enjoying it. Mariposa offers a Wendy was on her way to the store has wonderful gifts, the prices are reasonable has become.” popular cocktail napkin holder that offers in- to purchase Finchberry soaps, a beautiful and the staff is very helpful.” The Gift Box Boutique is located terchangeable weights, so your classic piece decorative product she wanted for her bathJennifer says she wants to be sure it at 17032 Palm Pointe Dr. The shop is can be easily updated seasonally. room. Jennifer says the bath and body lines stays that way. open extended hours during the holiday One of those customers Jennifer is sure in her store have been expanded because of “I’m here all the time, listening to what season. Now through the end of the year, people say they want,” she says. “We know shop Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., to bend her ear to is Tampa Palms resident customer requests. our customers on a first-name basis. People and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. You can Wendy Grant, who says she has been shopIn addition to Finchberry, The Gift tell us we’re their go-to store for gifts in this see pictures of what’s available in-store ping at The Gift Box since it opened. Box Boutique carries Mussee bath “balms” area. They tell us, ‘we’re so glad you’re here’ at Facebook.com/TheGiftBoxBouti“They make you feel so welcome, with something special inside, such as its all the time.” queTampa. Or, for more info, call (813) especially if you’re a regular customer, and “Happy Birthday” balm with a candle. She adds, “I’m thankful for the people 284-5986 or see the ad on page 6. Wendy says she loves the selection she they let you know how much they appreci-

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

The Goddard School Wesley Chapel Makes Learning Fun For Preschoolers By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

Jessica Tyrone spent years working in pre-schools, so when the time came for her to find one for her 4-year-old daughter, she knew what she wanted: warmth, friendliness and a curriculum that would best prepare her daughter for pre-K. She says she found all those things, and even a little more, at The Goddard School Wesley Chapel, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. directly across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The preschool chain serves children ages 6 weeks to 6 years. “They were so welcoming and friendly and so into getting to know my child instead of just sucking up to me,’’ Jessica says. “And the programs were just tremendous when it came to getting kids ready for school. They make everything fun.” That fun even includes when parents drop off their kids. Jessica says that every morning, owner Dinesh Patel greets the students and the parents with a happy-go-lucky smile, and seems to know everyone’s name. “I could probably gush about 10 billion things I love about the place,’’ Jessica says. The Goddard School Wesley Chapel will host an open house Wednesday, December 6, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., though prospective parents and children are welcome to stop by anytime during the week, 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. The local Goddard School is owned and managed by Patel, with Melissa Jablonski running the education side. Patel opened the early childhood edu-

Education director Melissa Jablonski (left) and owner Dinesh Patel run The Goddard School Wesley Chapel, which serves children 6 months to 6 years of age and focuses on teaching through play. License: CO6PA0304 (Photo: John C. Cotey) cation school in May, after buying into the Fort Pierce and Punta Gorda areas — includfranchise with some hearty recommendations ing a convenience store and a motel — serve from a close family friend in Houston who him well at The Goddard School. owns a Goddard School. The Wesley Chapel “They (the company’s corporate office) want someone with good management location is one of more than 400 franchisskills,’’ Patel said. “As the owner, I manage es in 35 states across the country for the the facility, control the finances and marcompany, which is headquartered in King of Prussia, PA. keting, and I leave the education side to the Although Patel, who graduated from education director.” Enter Jablonski, who Patel says helped college in his native India with a degree in create “the perfect team” to run the new engineering, doesn’t have a background in preschool. Jablonski says she has 22 years of education (other than raising his two academically gifted children), he says his 30-year experience in early childhood education and social work, earning a Bachelor’s degree in career managing multiple businesses in the

Human Services & Applied Behavior Science from Ashford University, an online for-profit university headquartered in San Diego, CA, as well as an Associate’s degree from Hillsborough Community College in Childcare Center Management. She also is a certified professional life coach. Jablonski says that, like Patel, it was a friend’s referral that led her to look at the The Goddard School. She sent her resume to Patel, who decided she was the perfect fit. “I kind of fell into his lap,’’ Jablonski says. Jablonski adds that she was intrigued by the curriculum and the way The Goddard School is run. Two managers must be on-site at all times, and after years of juggling the business and education side of her job, she says she is happy to worry only about the teaching part. “There is usually so much paperwork that it takes up 90 percent of your time, but with Dinesh handling all of that now, I get to be the educator, look at lesson plans, be in the classrooms and help the teachers.” The local Goddard School has 14 full-time teachers, and every lead teacher is required to have at least their Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential. A handful of the teachers at the local Goddard School also have a Bachelor’s degrees in Education or a Master’s degree. Jablonski, who says she is certified to teach the CDA course, notes that her teachers also take part in Goddard Systems University, which provides ongoing training through webinars.

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the play-based F.L.E.X. Learning Program, short for Fun Learning Experience. The Goddard School curriculum is based on research that claims that children learn best while having fun, better forming the building blocks to future learning. “It’s a fun learning experience,’’ Patel says. “Our teachers find out what a child likes and creates a lesson plan around their skills. The children seem to pick up very fast like that.” Jablonski says that there is very little worksheet education performed, with more emphasis on a hands-on approach dictated by each child’s interests. The F.L.E.X. Program also could stand for flexible, as Goddard School teachers are trained to adjust lessons at a moment’s notice if the situation arises. One example given on the school’s website states that if a lesson on the solar system is planned, but the children are captivated by the rain outside, the teacher can instead change that lesson to weather. Teachers at the school develop their own plans, which are required to lead the children to certain goals and standards set by Goddard. There are monthly themes they must incorporate, but otherwise, teachers are given leeway to reach those goals. For example, a standard goal for a 3-year-old child might be to cut paper in a straight line. The teacher is responsible for creating activities to teach those children to do so. When the classes carved pumpkins for Halloween, Jessica, who volunteers at the school, said she was impressed by the process. “The children were included and involved, not just watching,’’ she says.

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“There’s an undertone of learning in everything fun that they do.” It’s an approach that keeps learning fresh for everyone, says Jablonski. “I love that the teachers plan and do all that stuff, as opposed to a box that says on day one you do this, on day two you do this…,” she says. “Every part of what they do is a stepping stone to make sure when the children get to pre-kindergarten, they have all those prerequisites to get to where they need to be.” The Goddard School plan strives to have its children achieve certain milestones across seven learning domains derived from S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math) and P21 (Partnership for 21st Century Learning, which focuses on complex problem solving and teamwork). The Goddard School Wesley Chapel also offers four enrichment programs, which are included in the tuition — Spanish, sign language, yoga and base fitness. Jablonski says the focus on the learn-

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ing process can be more beneficial than the product. “It’s not that your green frog looks like the green frog that’s in the book, it’s that you understood the color was green, that it has two eyes, it has four legs and it’s got webbed feet,’’ Jablonski says. “Whatever process you come up with to develop that, at the end, when you say it’s a frog, (the children know) it’s a frog.” The school also encourages parental involvement. One way it does that is through a “Tadpoles” app, which allows parents to see what their child did all day, in the hopes they can reinforce some of those lessons at home. They also hold a number of events for the children and their families. There was a trunk or treat event on Halloween that was well-attended, and the school hosted a food drive in November and is having an “angel tree” this month.

Corporate Oversight

The Goddard School Quality Assurance (QA) program is in contact with each Goddard School on a weekly basis, and

sometimes more, helping Patel through each step of the way, from building the facility to staffing it. Representatives also stop in unannounced to ensure The Goddard School’s standards are being met, and as a way of providing guidance. “There is someone to answer any question we might have,’’ Patel says. “They have been very supportive.” Since opening in May, The Goddard School Wesley Chapel has slowly expanded to roughly 80 students; almost half of those are registered in two pre-K classes. Patel had originally planned to have just one pre-K class, but had to add another, due to heavy interest. The school is considering adding a third pre-K class next year, and there are plans to add a kindergarten class sometime in the near future. Patel also plans to add an after-school program as well, and is currently looking into buying a bus in time for the start of the next school year. Patel, who is 58, worked in textile engineering in India before coming to the U.S. in 1986, and has run his businesses in Florida since 1988. He says running The Goddard School has been some of his most fulfilling work. “I think this is a very good thing we are doing, providing a good foundation for the children to help make them successful in life,’’ he says. “I love it.” The Goddard School is located at 2539 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.. The Wesley Chapel location’s hours are Monday-Friday, 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call (813) 603-6100, visit GoddardSchool.com/Tampa/WesleyChapel-Bruce-B-Downs-Boulevard-Fl, or see the ad on page 18 of this issue.

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

WCCC Again Fetes Excellence In Business!

Oh, what a night! Congratulations go out to the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), which held its annual “Celebrating Excellence in Business” awards gala on Nov. 9 (the day before we went to press with this issue) at the Hilton Garden Inn off S.R. 54 near the Suncoast Pkwy. The event had an even bigger buzz than usual and the welldressed crowd of 180 people certainly enjoyed the food, beverages and festivities for the evening. Bob Thompson of Thompson Brand Images (top left) was again the emcee for the evening, which again included awards for Small & Large Business of the Year, Business Leader of the Year and Volunteer of the Year. New awards this year included the New Business of the Year, the Dorothy Mitchell Lifetime Achievement award and a Community Hero award. The Volunteer of the Year was Chamber Ambassador Cindy Ross of RP&G Printing and Cindy and her husband, Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon president Kent Ross, also won Small Business honors (photo, top center). The New Business winner was James Serrano of Pinot’s Palette (top right). This year’s Business Leader award winner was Kartik Goyani (bottom left, with WCCC Board chair Jen Cofini of Parks Auto Group) of Metro Development (see stories on pgs. 6 & 8 of this

issue) and the Large Business of the Year (sadly, the only one we forgot to include a picture of) was Morton Plant North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey. Long-time West Pasco volunteer Bob Memoli won the award named for the late former 20-year Pasco County School Board member Dorothy Mitchell, whose family’s ranch land would become the Trinity area of New Port Richey. Both the Large Business and Mitchell award winners were nods to the WCCC’s 2017 merger with/asset acquisition of the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce, which has been serving West Pasco.. The community hero award went to Pasco County District 2 Commissioner and Wesley Chapel resident Mike Moore (bottom right) for his herculean efforts to help local residents following Hurricane Irma. Again, it was a truly amazing night. Can’t wait until next year! — GN; photos by Stephen John Photography (see ad on pg. 44)

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Wharton Winter Sports Preview: Girls Soccer & Boys Hoops Poised For Big Things By ANDY WARRENER

The Wharton girls soccer team may be ready for a breakthrough. The Wildcats are off to a 5-1 start through Thanksgiving, with the only loss coming to Class 3A State runner-up Land O’Lakes. Experience will be a strong suit for this year’s Wharton grads. “We lost six seniors from last year’s (126-3) team, four of which went on to play in college,” head coach Denis Vukorep said. “Last year, we were still finding our identity. We had just one senior and she was injured most of the year. This year, we return all 11 starters.” Two of those seniors are already making a charge at the school record books. Keeper Caroline DeLisle, who recently signed with the University of Central Florida in Orlando, made 150 saves and posted six clean sheets in 2016-17. She is on pace to break the school record for career shutouts. “The psychology of having one of the top keepers in the state back there helps us,” Vukorep said. “Teams come into the game like we’re up 1-0 already.” Senior forward Alisha Deschenes already has the school record for goals in a season, after scoring 23 last season. Deschenes is getting some attention from smaller schools to play at the next level, and Vukorep says she’s perfectly capable of playing at the Division I-A level. Junior midfielder Sydney Hubbard (team highs with four goals and four assists already this season) pairs well with

The Wharton girls soccer team has the tools to put together its best season yet. (Photo: Andy Warrener)

Deschenes and is off to a roaring start to the season, after leading the team with 15 assists last year. “Sydney is a center-mid that’s responsible for defense who can also be creative in the attack,” Vukorep said. “She has a way of putting herself in good positions.” Vukorep is confident Hubbard will find a D-1 school to play for at some point. At center back, towering junior Callista Ferrin pushes the six-foot stratosphere. “She’s an intimidating figure in the back,” Vukorep said.

The Wildcats’ biggest hurdle will once again be their schedule. Their district, Class 5A, District 7, is one of the toughest in the state and every team finished with a winning record last year. What’s changed this season? Not much — heading into Thanksgiving break, the combined record of 5A-7’s six teams was an astounding 25-1-3. The only blemish is Wharton’s loss to Land O’Lakes. The strength down the middle is the strength of the Wildcats this season; Deschenes, Hubbard, Ferrin (and DeLisle

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

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protecting the goal) form a backbone of a team looking to win its first District title since the 2010-11 season. “This year is probably our best chance,” Vukorep said. SHOOTING FOR ANOTHER 20: No one has been more consistent than Tommy Tonelli’s Wharton boys basketball program over the past decade or so. Last year, the Wildcats finished 20-6, the ninth straight season under Tonelli dating back to 2006-07 that they have won 20 or more games. If Wharton is going to make it 10 straight, and make the playoffs again, the ‘Cats will have to do it with a brand new starting five. Junior guard and captain Darin Green Jr. already has several Division 1 scholarship offers and, according to Tonelli, “is one of the top shooters in the state.” Senior captain DJ Henderson is the projected starting point guard for the Wildcats. The third guard is sophomore Carr Thiam; Tonelli says that Thiam did a great job on JV last season and developed well over the summer. Senior captain Ryan Anders and senior Nate Barnes are the two forwards. Barnes enters his fourth year with the program and third on varsity. Tonelli gives high marks to Anders’ strong off-season work. The Wildcats will host the Class 8A-8 District playoffs, which may give them a needed edge. “Seeding is going to be crucial for this year’s District tournament,” Tonelli says. “It’s definitely an advantage to be hosting it.”

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goals last season, and junior keeper Andy Ilken, who had five shutouts and a 2.24 goals-against-average as a sophomore. Not too dissimilar to the girls squad, the Wharton boys have strength down the middle. It starts in the back with Ilken, who had 98 saves a year ago. In front of Ilken, center back Matthew Hartnell returns and senior midfielder Matthew Dookie lines up in front of Hartnell, while Farhoud returns at forward. YOUTH TAKING CHARGE: Head coach Chad Reed comes into his 10th year at the helm of the Wharton girls basketball team. The ‘Cats are searching for their first .500 season since 2013-14, and their first winning season since 21-5 in 2009-10. To improve on their 6-19 mark from last season, the Wharton girls will have to

overcome losing almost 50 percent of their offense to graduation. Senior guard Parker Onderko, who averaged 5 ppg last year, is expected to be a more significant factor. REBUILDING ON THE MAT: It’s a rebuilding year for head coach David Mitchell in the wrestling room. According to Mitchell, the 2017-18 squad is the smallest group he’s ever had at the school, with eight or nine wrestlers from last season who didn’t return. “It’s hard to get started after taking time off,” Mitchell said. “Wrestling is a year-round sport. You find you can beat a guy one year and then he’ll beat you the next year, because he didn’t take any time off.” Seniors Jonathan Gomez (195 lbs) and Gabriel Schroeder (160) will be two of the notable Wildcat grapplers this season.

The starting lineup for the 2017-18 Wharton boys basketball team includes: (back row, l.-r.): Nate Barnes, DJ Henderson & Ryan Anders; (front row, l.-r.) Darin Green Jr. & Carr Thiam Last season, Sickles hosted the tourney and cruised all the way to the State championship, handing Wharton three of its six losses last season. Former Wharton junior varsity coach Mike Weaving takes over as head coach at Sickles. “To me, Sickles is still the team to beat,” Tonelli says. “They have three starters returning, experience, a good squad and a good coach.” The Tampa Bay Basketball Coaches Association (TBBCA) hosts a summer tournament every year and this past summer, Plant defeated Tampa Catholic in the finals.

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The Wildcats won all 10 of their summer league games and made the semifinals in the tournament. “That summer league is a pretty good gauge of where you’re going to be in the winter season,” Tonelli said. STRONG DOWN THE MIDDLE: The Wharton boys soccer team battled to a respectable 9-7-2 record last season, but will have to make do this season without its leading scorer. Wharton will likely rely heavily on senior Jamal Farhoud, who had eight

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Freedom Winter Sports Preview: Will The Wrestling Team Produce A State Champ? By ANDY WARRENER

The most successful winter sports program at Freedom High in Tampa Palms this season might very well be the school’s wrestling team. No, really. Not historically strong, the Patriots had a breakout season in 2016-17, and are primed for even better things this winter. Head coach Derrick McCoy has been at the helm for five years now. He remembers when he took over the program in 2012 and had just six wrestlers. Prior to the Thanksgiving Break, McCoy had 29 certified wrestlers with four more in the process, bumping his total squad number up to 33. “This will be the first year all of the weight classes are filled, and all but the 106lb. class have more than one guy in them,” McCoy says. Last season, the Patriots were the Class 3A, District 7 runners-up, scoring 152.5 points, just behind champion Steinbrenner, which had 155.5. They were fourth at the Hillsborough County Championships, had nine regional qualifiers, three state qualifiers and senior Alex Kiester placed fifth at the Class 3A state meet. All were program firsts. Last season also was the first that McCoy had the services of an assistant coach. Mike Neuman, a collegiate wrestler for the University of Iowa, was a full-time assistant to McCoy last year, and the extra coach is just what the budding Patriots team needed. “Before, it would be just me and like 20 kids,” McCoy says. “Now we’re able

The Freedom wrestling team rewrote the school record book last season, but may not be done making history, says coach Derrick McCoy. (Photo: Andy Warrener) pounds to 152 this year, and while much to break up into groups, so the extra help of his competition from last year also will is great.” move up, the second, third and fourth-place Keeping pace with program firsts, Kiester, Freedom’s top wrestler, has become finishers at 145 pounds from 2016-17 have graduated. the first Patriots wrestler to commit to a Senior Jerry Miller will slot into Kicollege program — Queens University in ester’s old weight class at 145, and the pair Charlotte, NC. are training partners. Miller got knocked out “I think if he really pushes it, he could in what is known as the “blood round” at be a finalist at State this year,” McCoy said. Regionals (the elimination round in wrestle“He’ll have to focus on the State champ backs that determines whether you advance from last year (Brevin Balmeceda of Miami to states or not) last season, but McCoy South Dade).” expects Miller to qualify this year. Kiester is set to move up from 145

Senior Dawson Baker at 170 lbs. is another wrestler McCoy expects to make States. Baker suffered a season-ending injury at Districts, but McCoy cites him as one of the hardest workers in the room. Sophomore Blake Schroyer at 120 is another solid State prospect; he was a Regional qualifier as a freshman but drew State runner-up Michael Bush of Sarasota in the second round and was sent to wrestlebacks. Senior 132-pounder Zion Factora was a backup to senior State qualifier Tommy Barker last season, but could break through to States himself this year, and 220-pound junior Andres Procel has grown into his body for his junior year. Wrestling in the 195-pound class but weighing just 190 last season, Procel is up to 219 with just 12% body fat heading into 2017-18. McCoy is hoping to advance four wrestlers to States this year and has put together a solid schedule to battle test them. The Patriots will actually host two 6-way duals this season, and the 3A-7 District tournament. The first 6-way is tomorrow (Dec. 2) and opens the season. The Patriots also will host cross-town rival Wharton on Dec. 13, where Freedom will be heavy favorite. HOOPS, THERE IT IS: After a nice three-year run in which Freedom averaged 20 wins and advanced to the playoffs twice, the Patriots were hit hard by graduation and stumbled to a 9-12 record last year. Much of the drop-off was attributed to the tough competition in Class 8A, District

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GIRLS HOOPS STARTING OVER: The Freedom girls basketball team had a great season a year ago, going 17-8, even if it was underlined by an early exit in the district playoffs. Megan Clark led the team, averaging 23.3 points per game, but now laces up to play for Tennessee Tech University. In fact, the Patriots girls graduated roughly 90 percent of their offense, evident in their 50-11 preseason loss to Weeki Wachee before Thanksgiving break. Coach Laurie Pacholke has her greenest team yet. Junior Regan Roger, a 6-1 wing, is the leading returning scorer (6.3 points a game) and rebounder (5.7 rebounds a game) for the Pats. She is one of five Freedom players 5-10 or taller, so size isn’t a problem. But, finding the players to run the floor like Pacholke

likes will be, at least in the early going. SOPH COACHES SEEK SUCCESS: The Freedom girls soccer team had a pedestrian 6-6-2 season last year, but it was also head coach Jen DeMik’s first year at the helm. The Patriots recovered from losing their first four games, going 6-2-2 the rest of the season. They’ve already started 2017-18 on the right foot. The foot of Allie Freihofer, that is. The freshman has put three goals in the net in the first two games of the season, and she is one of seven Patriots to already score, as Freedom won its first two games of the season. Boys second-year coach Cornelis Van Der Luit brought the Patriots up from the cellar last year, going 7-7-2 after a 3-12-2 mark the year before, but seven seniors from last year’s squad have graduated.

The Freedom boys basketball team hopes to bounce back from a disappointing 2016-17 campaign. (Photo: Andy Warrener)

8, where the Patriots posted a 7-8 record. However, just a couple of weeks into practice, head coach Cedric Smith thinks his boys are due to have a much better season in 2017-18. It starts with returning four-year starter and 6-foot-9 center Alek Rojas. “Alek is the one guy who has played since his freshman year,” Smith says. “We’re fortunate to have that big guy that allows us to play like a traditional basketball team. It creates matchup problems when teams try to play zone (defense).” The starting point guard from last season, junior Nick Butler, returns as well. “Nick got an unbelievable education

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from the previous point guards (Nasir Core and Keyshon Reddish) ahead of him,” Smith says. “You want your point guard to be an extension of the coach.” Very little experience returns otherwise for the Pats. Junior scoring guard Trevian Henson is back, but players like forwards Jeremiah Ashe and Dante Johnson are new and raw, and will be counted on to help get the Patriots claw back to the top. “We got our butts kicked last year and the guys are more hungry to work and to listen this year,” Smith said. “This group reminds me of the first group that won the District in 2012-13. Their eyes are open, they’re listening, they want to get better.”

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Hot Dog! Wesley Chapel Man Takes Home $18K In Prizes From ‘Let’s Make A Deal!’ By JOHN C. COTEY

john@ntneighborhoodnews.com

What do you get when you mix Wesley Chapel resident Christopher Moody with TV personality Wayne Brady and a hot dog costume? Oh, about $18,000 worth of prizes, including a new dining room set and a 7-day trip for two to Greece. That was Moody’s haul when he appeared on June 22 on the CBS-TV daytime game show “Let’s Make A Deal,” which is hosted by Brady. The show didn’t air until last week, Nov. 10, allowing Moody to finally let the secret out of the, err, hot dog casing. “It was a tough secret to keep,’’ said Moody, who works in the admissions department at USF and moved to Wesley Chapel five years ago from Carrollwood. “My parents were the most excited. I had to be coy and vague with them for four months.” A longtime fan of the show — he and his wife Meredith DVR it daily and watch it together at night — Moody was able to extend a trip to a conference in California by one day to fit in an appearance in the studio audience during a taping of the show. He had applied online for a ticket, and the day after his conference, after parking two blocks away — and yes, walking the rest of the way in his hot dog costume — Moody joined 150 other prospective “dealers” in a room and filled out the necessary paperwork. Groups of 10 were then ushered off to meet with show producers for interviews. “Let’s Make A Deal,” created in 1963, is probably most famous for its

network), then called for “The Hot Dog.” “I knew I was the only person dressed as a hot dog,’’ said Moody, who had to take a circuitous rout to Brady without tripping over any cords or camera angles. “I was definitely worried about that,’’ he says, laughing. Brady interviewed Moody, asked Years of watching “Let’s Make A Deal” paid off big for Wesley Chapel’s where he was Christopher Moody. from and about the costume, long-time host, Monty Hall, and often and then riffed having contestants choose between prizes on his fond memories of eating hot hidden behind doors number 1, 2 or 3. dogs during the summer while visiting Contestants still dress in zany his grandmother. costumes, the higher energy the better, Given the choice between a check or and a series of deals are offered to those a box, the Orlando contestant chose the chosen. check. Brady then turned to Moody, and “Everyone is at 110-percent energy offered him $1,000 for the box. level, some were hooting and hollering “I turned it down,” Moody says. “It and doing all kind of things to get nowas just a gut feel. Right from the beginticed,’’ said Moody, confessing to putting ning I was hoping I’d win a trip, I had a forth a little extra energy himself. good hunch that is what was going to be Seated in the first row, Moody didn’t in the box.” have to wait long to appear on the show. Brady offered $1,400, then $2,000, The first contestant, a woman from Orlando, but Moody stood firm. was called first, and then Brady, the host for “I figured I’m in this far, why not the past nine years and best known for his keep the box?,’’ he said. “But I was stand-up comedy and years on “Who’s Line wondering if he was trying to save me Is It Anyway?” (which now airs on The CW from something miserable, or is he trying

Chris Moody and his wife Meredith

to save the company from giving away an expensive prize?” Moody finally got to see what was under the box – a video screen, which revealed that he had won a dining room table and set of four chairs, as well as a private dinner for up to nine people. “At the very least,’’ Moody thought, “it wasn’t a terrible decision,” especially since his dining room set at home was 25 years old and Meredith had been asking him to get rid of it. “But that’s not all,’’ the announcer bellowed. That’s when it was revealed that Moody also was getting a 7-day Greek cruise, including two nights in Athens. Hot dog! “You can tell by my reaction I was super pumped,’’ said Moody. “It was a great experience.”

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Ready For Something Truly Unique? Try New Tampa’s El Pescador Restaurant! By GARY NAGER

I WISH I HAD

a dollar for every time a New Tampa or Wesley Chapel resident has told me, “I wish something other than another chain restaurant would open here.” I, of course, have been among the loudest of those voices, always lamenting that every time we get a new place — even if it isn’t a chain — it’s still too similar to too many other eateries we already have here. Well, one thing I can assure you is that the casual, new El Pescador Mexican Restaurant Taqueria & Seafood in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center plaza isn’t like any other Mexican place we already have, nor is it like any other fresh seafood place I’ve sampled anywhere. Seriously. Although it is owned and operated by the same family that owns some of the local Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurants, El Pescador truly specializes in fresh seafood. The main issue I have with that is that I can’t eat most of the incredible variety of seafood dishes available at El Pescador because of my accursed shellfish allergy. In fact, other than the fresh fish dishes on the menu (and yes, there are a few; see below), the only shellfish dishes I can safely eat are the “Patas de Cangrejo,” or crab leg platter, the “Almejas al Ajo” (clams in garlic sauce) and the grilled octopus and sea scallops, even though I’ve never been a big octopus or scallop lover. If you’re not allergic to shrimp, lobster, oysters, mussels, crawfish, etc., and you like to sample them in a variety of different sauces, your taste buds may have found a new home.

Let’s Start With Starters...

Before you order anything, El Pescador’s happy servers bring you the most incredibly crispy, oversized tortilla chips, with a Vallarta’s-like fresh, puréed salsa and a spicier salsa, plus a plate with a dollop of a unique tuna salad and fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. If you enjoy fresh ceviche to start a meal, there are tuna, shrimp and tilapia varieties and the lime juice, onions and peppers combine to make a tasty appetizer. There also “Vuelve ala Vida,”a mix of shrimp, octopus, oyster and tilapia ceviche, as well as peel-and-eat shrimp and crawfish, shrimp and shrimp and octopus cocktails and “Caldo 7 Mares” and other soups. Oyster fans can enjoy small or large plates on the half shell, fried or served “Rockefeller” style, baked with octopus, crab, shrimp and cheese. There’s also shrimp empanadas, fried calamari, cheese

dip and made-to-order guacamole. As for the fish dinners I can eat, the “Huachinango Zarandeado,” which is one of the priciest items on the menu, is a marinated whole red snapper, fileted and cooked over an open fire that truly seals in the flavor and juices. If you prefer a whole fried snapper that isn’t fileted for you, the “Huachinango al Gusto” is the whole fish with garlic, spicy diablo red sauce or creamy ranchera sauce — for about half of the cost of the Zarandeado. Fish lovers also can enjoy fried or grilled swai (a freshwater catfish). grilled salmon or whole fried tilapia. The most expensive item on the menu is the whole, stuffed lobster, which is heavily stuffed with shrimp, crab, scallops and octopus. Shrimp alone are available grilled, fried, spicy sautéed, with pico de gallo or sautéed in garlic sauce. Jannah and I did sample the “small” snow crab leg dinner ($19.95), which comes with fries and rice (although you can substitute veggies), as do all of El Pescador’s House Specialties. The crab legs are yummy, but extremely messy, as the legs themselves are covered in a creamy “Chef’s secret sauce” of garlic, butter and (I’m guessing) paprika. Also available are a variety of platters, including the Vallarta Grilled Combo (shrimp, tilapia and octopus with grilled onions) and El Pescador Seafood Combo (garlic, shrimp, tilapia and scallops with rice, salad and garlic bread).

Whole Stuffed Lobster

For You Landlubbers...

Whether you’re allergic or you just prefer more traditional Mexican fare, El Pescador does also have a tasty carne asada steak, very good fajitas (including the steak, shrimp and chicken Fajitas El Pescador combo pictured on the next page), chicken (including the tasty “Pollo Crema”), two kinds of pork, marinated beef, chorizo sausage, shrimp and fish, all available in mini-tacos, tacos, burritos, or quesadilla, or create your own combo. More adventurous types can try tongue or tripe. Lunch is a good deal at El Pescador, with steak or chicken fajitas for just $8.50 or create a lunch-size combo of two for just $9.50. Most other lunch items are just $7.95-$9.95. Items from the kids menu cost just $6.95 each and include your choice of a cheese quesadilla, steak burrito, chicken fingers, a cheeseburger, grilled chicken burger or even grilled chicken. Kids entrées are served with rice and beans or fries. And, El Pescador Mexican and domes-

“Vuelve ala Vida” Ceviche

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Combination Fajitas tic beers (try the Carta Blanca), as well as merlot, chardonnay and homemade sangria, as well as flan, churros and other tasty desserts. El Pescador (19062 BBD Blvd.) opens at 11 a.m. and stays opens until 9 p.m. on Sun., 9:30 p.m. Mon.-Thur., and 10 p.m. on Fri.-Sat. For more info, including great coupon specials, see the ad on pg. 46. Or, call (813) 615-9595 or search “El Pescador Mexican Restaurant” on Facebook. Note-Some photos shown here are from Yelp.

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

I’ve explained to you faithful readers, in a previous issue, why I’m such a fan of Audi automobiles. I therefore couldn’t be more excited than I am that the new Audi Wesley Chapel (WC) is now open! Although the spectacular new building was open and Dimmitt Auto Group’s Audi WC employees were already hard at work getting everything ready for customers, the stuff folks like me wanted to see were the beautiful Audi vehicles, which sadly, were still under wraps (photo below) the afternoon of Black Friday. The good news is that Audi WC — (2500 Lajuana Blvd. at S.R. 56, less than a mile east of the Shops at Wiregrass) — will be open and ready for you to test drive your favorite Audi car or SUV (or find a new one) the day (Dec. 2) this issue finds its way into your mailbox. Don’t forget to mention to GM Allen Majewski and his sales staff that you read about the Audi Wesley Chapel Inner Cir-

We are with you every step of the way

Check out (left) the beautiful new New Identities Hair Studio in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center and (right) the incredible custom-designed garnet-and-diamond jewelry from Leiva’s Jewelry, located in the same plaza.

cle Program (see the ad on pg. 55) in the New Tampa Neighborhood News!

New Identities Opens In The New Tampa Center!

Congratulations to my friends, Marc and Kelly Rockquemore, already the owners of the New Identities Hair Studios in the Shoppes at Amberly plaza in Tampa Palms and in South Shore (Riverview), on the recent opening of their third

Robert Marvin 813-230-6648

location and second upscale salon in the New Tampa area — at 19038 Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., in the New Tampa Center (next to Publix and GNC; photo above left). The New Tampa location (only!) is offering a great special with the coupon in the ad on page 4 of this issue — a cut, color (retouch only; additional color cost may apply) and conditioning treatment, all for just $69! Appointments are required and the offer is good through Sunday, December 31. The coupon special is a great way to meet the new (and some familiar) faces at

the New Tampa New Identities Hair Studio! For appointments and more info, visit NewIdentitiesSalon.com or call 813.579.1575.

Let Leiva’s Jewelry Make You A Hero For The Holidays, Too!

So, because I’m born in January, my birth stone is a garnet, which looks like a ruby but isn’t nearly as costly. When I proposed to my fiancé Jannah McDonald, instead of a traditional diamond (we’ve both been married before), I gave her a

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The amazing new My Salon Suite (at 20707 Center Oak Dr., behind the Central Bank building on BBD) held its WCCC Ribbon Cutting on Nov. 13, with 17 different beauty industry providers in its 20+ suites. For more info, visit MySalonSuite.com/New-Tampa.html or call (813) 501another faceted garnet that was already in a faceted garnet surrounded by small diamonds setting that we had purchased at another jewthat had already been created by my friend and long-time advertiser, Transito Leiva, the elry store, had a brief conversation with Leiva master jeweler with decades of experience at (he mainly is known by his last name) and Leiva’s Jewelry, which is located at 19020 his son and store “front” man Jonathan and BBD, in the New Tampa Center (the same about two weeks later, Jannah had a gorgeous, plaza as The Joint, see pg 3; Massage Green custom-designed necklace that perfectly Spa, see pg. 42; El Pescador, see pg. 46 and matches her ring. the story on pg. 44 and New Identities Hair Everywhere we go, people have the Studio, see pg. 4 and the previous page). most wonderful things to say about these two And, when Jannah and I were going to pieces of jewelry. So, for a perfect holiday, my nephew Jason’s very formal wedding in birthday or even Valentine’s Day gift, I the gorgeous Barnes Foundation Museum in suggest that you stop in at the store, see Philadelphia last month, I decided that Jannah the full-page ad on pg. 40 of this issue or needed something special to wear around call (813) 972-0417 — and please tell the her neck to go with her ring, so I brought in Leivas that Gary sent you! — GN

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Classifieds

LAWN & LANDSCAPING

JASMINE’S LANDSCAPING. Complete lawn maintenance, Tree, palm and hedge trimming, Planting, mulching, stones, Sod replacement, Pressure washing, Gutter cleaning and more. Cited by your HOA for violations? Need to comply for: Pressure washing, Trimming, Mulching, Sod replacement, Sprinkler repair or Mailbox repair or replacements? Ask about our HOA SPECIAL & FREE ESTIMATE! For more info, call (813) 420-4465. HOMETEAM LAWNCARE LLC High-quality professional Services: Weekly or bi-weekly year-round full-service lawn care starting at $90/month: Mow, edge, trim, blow, mulch-bed maintenance, hedge and low-tree trim. Additional Services: Sod, Mulch, & Rock Placement; Hedge Trimming, & Tree Trimming; Landscape Installation; Fall/Spring Clean-Up. Family Owned & Operated, Licensed & Insured, Background Checked, Call or Text (813) 817-9554.

CLEANING SERVICES B CLEANING SERVICES: Over 16 years experience! Commercial & residential; Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly; New house & post construction clean-up; Window cleaning; Move-in or move-out cleanings; Pressure washing; FREE estimates; References available. Call today: 813-531-0154 or e-mail: bcleanings@hotmail.com D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE We have our own supplies and more than 400 clients in New Tampa! For more info, Call 758-9710. R HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES To Keep Your House clean, call Marlene! Working now in Wesley Chapel and the New Tampa areas. Monday through Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM. We can help: Call 562-637-5974 or email kolungaa@ hotmail.com. FREE estimates.

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

COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE LAKE FOREST COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE Saturday, December 2nd, 7-noon. Over 450 Homes * Housewares * Collectibles * Home Decor * Clothing * Shoes * Books & MORE * Hosted at Clubhouse 14735 Lake Forest Dr. & individual homes. (Off Bruce B. Downs NE of Bearss @ Lake Forest Drive & BBD)

HELP WANTED ROHE TWYMAN, an established and growing family law firm, with offices in Lake, Orange, and Sumter Counties, is expanding into the Pasco and Hillsborough area and is in immediate need of an experienced paralegal for its Wesley Chapel office. Ideal candidates possess three years’ experience in family law, however all applicants considered. Send resumes to Cindy Terry, at cindy@rohetwyman. com or call 352-742-0583.

POOL SERVICES TRANQUILITY POOL SERVICE. New Tampa owned & operated. Great Pricing with outstanding customer service! LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED. See why we are New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s #1 Choice!! Call Chris today @ (813) 8575400 or visit TranquilityPoolService.com. New customers get ONE MONTH FREE! AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com Highest quality salt and ozone generators, pumps, motors, filters. Marcite, quartz and pebble finishes. Pool cleanups and acid washes, paver and river rock sealing. Paver decks and driveways. Mention this ad for $69 pool service. Call or text 813-244-7077. Visit AllStarPoolsofTampaBay.com

CNAs/HHAs NEEDED: Established Senior Homecare Service is seeking CNA’s and Home Health Aids to work with our company. Contact (813) 9851200 for more information. HIRING PERSONAL TRAINER. Private Women’s Studio with Boot Camp & Personal Training in Wesley Chapel & Land O’ Lakes owned by Samantha Taylor. Please no phone calls or walk ins.To apply part time: www.lolfitbodybootcamp.com/hire-pt. PHYSICAL THERAPIST (PT). An established New Tampa outpatient clinic is hiring a part-time PT to provide custom, one-on-one care. Fax resume to (813) 994-3080.

PET SERVICES 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.

SPACE AVAILABLE SERENITY SALON & SPA SUITES Wesley Chapel. Booth rental for Stylist available. Can be either full time or part time. Give us a call!: 813-3125247 or 813-997-6302.

ANTIQUES & MORE FOR SALE! SUSAN’S ANTIQUES, VINTAGE ART, BRICA-BRAC, GLASS & OTHER TREASURES! In Annett’A’s Attic, 2nd Flr, 14136 8th St, Dade City. For more info, see our display ad!

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

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TOPASH PAINTING, L.L.C. FREE ESTIMATES

Doing business in Pasco and Hillsborough County area since 1978

21 Years Experience • Interior/Exterior HUNDREDS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS

Call K.T. Topash

(owner/painter)

813.780.2511 Topashpainting@Gmail.com

Expires 12/31/17.

NTNN Exp. 12/31/17

813-343-4951

Neighborhood News

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For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Local Survivor Now Helping Other Young Adults Cope With Cancer By CELESTE MCLAUGHLIN

celeste@ntneighborhoodnews.com Picture a cancer patient. Chances are, you’re thinking of an older adult, or maybe a child. It’s not likely that you think of a young adult, but that’s where Wesley Chapel resident Rachell Moodie found herself in 2009, at the age of 24. She had been married just nine months when she got the diagnosis — breast cancer. She went through 17 weeks of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. “People know older adults get cancer and kids get cancer, but there’s this other subset of people,” Rachell says. “People wondered if I went crazy and shaved my head. No one thought I had cancer because it’s outside of the realm of what people expect.” She says that although she had the support of her family and community, she wanted to connect with other people like her. Even her doctors usually treated patients in different life stages. So, for example, even though her doctors didn’t tell her that the cancer treatment could make her infertile, it did cross her mind. “I knew I wanted to be a mom,” she says. “So I asked my doctor to let me figure out this fertility thing.” She was able to have her eggs harvested, starting the process for IVF (in-vitro fertilization). That’s just one reason she’s now passionate about helping other young women who are facing cancer. “If you’ve already gone through chemotherapy,” Rachell says, “it’s too late.” Rachell has now been cancer-free for eight years. “After going through that journey, I felt like I was on a mission to go through this with other people,” she says, adding that she wants to help others with all of the things she was so clueless about — from the unexpected side effects of chemo, to how to pick out a wig, etc. A couple of years ago, Rachell met Madison Miller, another young adult cancer survivor, who had created a nonprofit organization for the young adult cancer community, called Spark The Way. The two were both speaking at an event at the Moffitt Cancer Center on USF’s Tampa campus and recognized their mutual passion. In fact, they both say they instantly believed they would be lifelong friends. “We just hit it off,” says Madison. “Rachell has such a passion for young adults in the cancer community, so I in-

Rachell Moodie & her husband Matt, and their daughters, Hannah and Madelyn. Rachell was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 24 (right) and now helps other families dealing with cancer. vited her to join me in Spark The Way.” Madison was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2013, the same week she lost her grandpa to the same disease. “He had fought with faith and fought fearlessly,” Madison says. “It was like he unknowingly equipped me to be able to fight.” Madison says the most important lesson she watched was that her grandfather let people in. “Everyone was always going to treatments with him,” she says. “It was always a ‘we’ thing.” So, while Madison says many young adults want to push people away when they struggle, even with cancer, “community is everything when you’re going through it.” Through Spark the Way, Madison and Rachell — along with other “mentors” — make themselves available to cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers. They’ll talk on the phone, chat online, meet for coffee, or come by a hospital room — whatever they can do to meet the needs of someone who is fighting cancer and would benefit from a listening ear and comforting words from someone who has been there before. “Friends and family want to support you, but they just don’t get it,” says Rachell. “To have someone who’s been there and can say, ‘I know exactly how you’re feeling and this is how we can face this,’ is so helpful.” That dream that Rachell once had to be a mom? She’s happy to say it has now come true. She had to wait until she was five years cancer-free, and then Rachell became pregnant via IVF. “Madelyn, who’s three, is my daily re-

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 25 • December 1, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

Neighborhood News

minder that God keeps his promises, and you can hold on to hope because there is life after cancer,” she says. Then, there’s Hannah, who’s now a year-and-a-half old. “Right before Madelyn’s first birthday, I became pregnant naturally, so Hannah’s my reminder that God’s bigger than anyone else and He’ll make His plan happen,” Rachell says. To learn more about Spark the Way or to request a phone call or other contact from Rachell or another young adult cancer mentor, visit SparkTheWay.org or email yourfriends@ sparktheway.org.

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W OPEN!

AUDI WESLEY CHAPEL IS HERE Audi Wesley Chapel will celebrating the opening of our new state-of-the art facility on December 2nd. Join us in our Opening Day Celebration with fellow Audi enthusiasts while immersing yourself in the Season of Audi.

Join an Elite Group Our first 100 customers will receive exclusive, complimentary benefits with a value of $10,000 as part of the Audi Wesley Chapel Inner Circle Program. Stop in on December 2nd to find the Audi of your dreams and become part of the Inner Circle.

AudiWesleyChapel.com Neighborhood News

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813.607.3100

2500 Lajuana Blvd Wesley Chapel, FL 33543

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 9 • April 21, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

20057Tampa Heritage Palms Point Dr.

JUST LISTED

Merry Christmas 17709 Emerald Green Pl.

9138 Highland Ridge Way

JUST LISTED

18131 Longwater Run Dr.

5105 Tollbridge Ct.

10101 Whisper Pointe Dr.

3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 1,928 SF | 2 Car Garage | New Roof, New Wood Flooring, New AC, Remodeled Kitchen and Master Bath, Granite, Stainless Steel Appliances, New Exterior Paint, Crown Molding, Plantation Shutters | Maintenance Free, Screened Lanai w/Hot Tub, Conservation Views Offered fo $289,000

6314 MacLaurin Dr.

15509 Fentress Ct.

17727 Grey Eagle Rd.

16416 Burniston Dr.

SALE PENDING

6539 Stonington Dr.

16334 Burniston Dr.

SALE PENDING

15826 Sanctuary Dr.

17322 Emerald Chase Dr.

16102 Washburn Pl.

4910 Londonderry Dr.

SOLD IN 1 WEEK

SOLD IN 3 DAYS

SOLD IN 1 WEEK

SALE PENDING

16340 Heathrow Dr.

SOLD

16046 Penwood Dr.

16003 Bethany Pl.

5006 Devon Park Dr.

SOLD IN 1 WEEK

SOLD IN 2 DAYS

SOLD IN 2 WEEKS

RECORD PRICE

SALE PENDING

SOLD

RECORD PRICE

Phone: (813) 931-6700 • KristyD@Realtor.com For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 25, Issue 9 • April 21, 2017 • NTNeighborhoodNews.com

RealEstateNewTampa.com Neighborhood News

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