Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, Volume 32, Issue 6, March 19, 2024

Former Saddlebrook Owner Tom Dempsey Passes Away

The Man

Who Put Wesley

By GARY NAGER

Even though I knew he had been in home hospice care for several weeks, the news that Saddlebrook Resort founder and former owner Thomas L. (Tom) Dempsey — known affectionately to his family and friends as “T.D.” — had passed away the day before we went to press with this issue was still a shock to my system.

Mr. Dempsey, who literally put the previously unknown area known as Wesley Chapel on the map, when the Pittway Corp. purchased and began building Saddlebrook way back in 1979, was always so kind to me and said such sweet, complimentary things to me about my efforts with the Neighborhood News. The fact that he ran the huge Penton Publishing empire (a subsidiary of Pittway) in his

Chapel

On The

Map Was 97 Years Old & Surrounded By His Family

native Cleveland, OH, for so many years gave his words to me so much more meaning. Even though we only met maybe 10-12 times in all of the years I have owned the Neighborhood News, I still looked upon him as something of a mentor — especially the few times he told me he felt I had gotten something wrong.

The ironic thing to me is that my first home in the Wesley Chapel area, which I moved my family into in 1993 (after leaving Westchester County, NY) was a condominium I rented in the community around Saddlebrook. My kids loved swimming in the resort’s Superpool and members of my family stayed at the resort when they visited us.

I was there when T.D. first opened his beloved Dempsey’s Steak House, Saddlebrook’s crown jewel, and when the original Europeanstyle spa opened. The Neighborhood News also followed closely the saga of the resort’s sale, which T.D. definitely resisted for years.

Alexis Dempsey (now Doyle) & her brother Masterson received their diplomas from T.D. when they both graduated from St. Leo University (Alexis with her M.B.A.) in 2016. (NN file photo)

EDITORIAL

Special needs kids & adults have special talents, too!

See page 3

IS

I also became friends with not only Mr. Dempsey’s granddaughter Alexis, but also his former general manager at the resort, Pat Ciaccio, and long-time employee Erik Ravenna, both of

WHOLE FOODS COMING?

The plan to build Whole Foods in Meadow Pointe is withdrawn. But, is it still coming?

See page 4

whom partnered with T.D. in Johnny C’s Italian Eatery on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa (see story on pg. 10).

Both Pat and Erik also called T.D. a “mentor” and said that although his passing was tremendously sad, as Pat told me, “at least he is finally at peace, and with his beloved Ellie (his wife of 60 years, who passed away in 2017).”

Meanwhile, JD Porter, the Wiregrass Ranch developer whose family trust provided the land for Saddlebrook, said, “Mr. Dempsey was both a visionary and a trailblazer for this

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS!

Recapping the party to celebrate our editor’s 30 years of Neighborhood News!

See page 8

community. It’s a rarity for someone in an industry as cyclical and tumultuous as resorts to have such a track record of success and the grit to weather storms that most would run from. We had our successes and battles over the years on certain items with Tom but, at the end of the day, he was a man with fortitude who fought the good fight and was essential in helping to shape not only Wesley Chapel but the entire region through not only his vision but his actions. He will be sorely missed.”

May his soul rest in peace.

THEATER GROUP FETES BWAY!

The Wesley Chapel Theater Group hits the highlights of the modern era of Broadway!

See page 18

Saddlebrook Resort founder Tom Dempsey, with his granddaughter Alexis and her husband James Doyle, got to meet his great granddaughter Darla Eleanor Doyle while he was in home hospice care.

(Photo copied from Alexis Doyle’s Facebook page)

Special Needs Kids & Young Adults Have Special Skills

By GARY NAGER Editorial

When I notified the winners of our annual “Big Game Squares” Contest (see pg. 47) to find out what restaurants they wanted gift cards to, it turned out that one of the winners was John Sousa, the On the Job Training (OJT) Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher at Cypress Creek High that we had featured in a previous issue.

You may recall that one of John’s ESE kids needed a tray for her wheelchair and he enlisted the help of two of the school’s young engineering students to create one for their schoolmate’s chair.

I therefore should not have been surprised when John asked me if, instead of just meeting him somewhere to give him his $75 Bonefish gift card, if I would instead give it to him in person in front of his class. He also asked if I would be willing to talk to his class (photo) of 14 young adults between the ages of 18-22, who participate in his class, which is funded by Florida’s “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA, which was signed into law in 2015) to prepare these young people to join the workforce.

“Basically, at age 22,” Sousa told me, “they’re no longer eligible for this program and there are very limited opportunities for them to be employed when they finish here.”

He thought I could give his students — who are on the autism spectrum and/or have other physical, mental, emotional and speech disabilities — some pointers about writing resumes, about the advertising and publishing business and the workforce in general. But for me, it became more about the kids themselves and what their interests were.

One young lady named Artia said she really wants to be a baker and would love to work at Publix, which offers work opportunities for a lot of differently-abled young adults.

A shy young man named Tyler, whom Sousa said loves to look inside machines and is fascinated by trains, rail yards, airplanes and rockets, gave me his full attention when I described how the presses that print the Neighborhood News work.

But, the young man who most intrigued me was Craig Moore, who said he really wants to be a songwriter but also has written a large number of poems. Craig said that what he does is listen to songs on the radio and then write his own lyrics to those songs. I explained that although I have no direct contact with the music business, that I would be happy to publish one of Craig’s excellent poems on this page, to see if anyone would be interested enough in his poetry to publish a book of his unique perspectives on a variety of topics.

While I hoped that I was able to reach his students, the best part for me was that John sent me a text afterwards and said that not only did the kids really appreciate my hour with them, but that Craig told both his counselor at school and his parents how excited he was to have his poem published in the Neighborhood News.

John, who has been teaching ESE kids for 38 years — the first 20 in his native Illinois and the last 18 in the Pasco School District — said that he is looking for more local professionals who would be willing to talk to his class (photo).

Cypress Creek principal Karen Hetzler-Nettles says, “Mr. Sousa is a special person who works hard to keep his students from falling through the cracks.”

John, who also thanks his instructional assistant Keith Reiley for all the help he provides, also told me that one reason he cares so much for his students is because, “I was basically a special needs kid myself. I came to the U.S. from Portugal when I was eight and neither of my parents spoke English. I had to

learn English quickly to help them buy their home and do their taxes and I did that by watching cartoons. I wish they had an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) back then. It would have really helped me.”

If you would like to speak with his class, please email jsousa@pasco.k12.fl.us.

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To infinity and beyond What would you do If I was gone? Would you wait for me? Or move on without me? Too busy chasing my destiny, Can you understand, I’m not ready to be more Than just friends.

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The deadline for outside editorial submissions and advertisement reservations for Volume 32, Issue 8, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Thursday, April 4, 2024.

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

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Is The Announced Whole Foods Still Coming To Wesley Chapel?

By Joel Provenzano

When plans for a development with a Whole Foods grocery store (at Bruce B Downs Blvd. and Aronwood Blvd., in front of Meadow Pointe) and Lifetime Fitness in Wesley Chapel were leaked online, residents flooded multiple Community Facebook groups with comments, where half were rejoicing about the possible arrival of Whole Foods finally coming and the other half were still really hoping for a Trader Joe’s instead.

Many were just grateful it was not another car wash, a self-storage facility, or more apartments. Some had concerns about added traffic and others about how the County Commissioners could allow another undeveloped lot to be built on. Others remembered this land already had a long history, but few could remember exactly what that was.

Unfortunately, the plans for a Wesley Chapel Whole Foods store are now up in the air again. Just a few days after the planned store was made public, the chain’s meeting with Pasco County to present its concept plan was canceled by the applicant. We’ll keep an eye out to see what happens next.

However, many local residents drive by the long-vacant parcel everyday and notice a long-standing relic and consequence of the Great Recession, an abandoned and unkept parking lot (of a never completed Outback Steakhouse development that was reportedly going to include a Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant and others) that’s been overgrown

by tall weeds, grass, and trees, covered with trash and litter.

Even as an overgrown parking lot, the parcel next to Pasco Fire Rescue Station No. 26 has still served the community in its own way. For a couple of years it was used as a temporary place where Christmas trees were sold and many new drivers have been out there practicing how to drive or learning how ride a motorcycle.

A Little History

Pasco County originally had a different idea for the use of the land. When Meadow Pointe 1 and Aronwood Blvd (back then called Meadow Pointe Blvd.) were first approved in the early 1990s, this land was zoned for commercial development, so there was a place to build the stores needed to support this large new community. Back then, BBD/C.R. 581 was called the “Road to Nowhere” and there was very little commercial development along the corridor.

Since then, any number of large- and medium-sized grocery stores have popped up in Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, Publix, WinnDixie, Nutrition Smart, Aldi, Sprouts and most recently, Lotte Plaza Market. However, the residents of Wesley Chapel have long desired for even more healthy and diverse options. For a while, Earth Fare helped satisfy this need, until all their locations in Tampa Bay abruptly closed a few years back.

Two other Tampa Bay area grocery

Unfortunately, the site plan shown above, for the long-vacant parcel of land at the intersection of Aronwood Blvd. and Bruce B. Downs Blvd (photo on next page, by Joel Provenzano), which was released online, was withdrawn by the applicant just a few days later.

favorites — Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have yet to make it into the growing Wesley Chapel area. Trader Joe’s, one of the highest rated specialty grocers in Florida, currently has stores in many populated areas around the state (even in Gainesville) but the closest one in Tampa is nearly 30 miles away.

One reason customers like Whole Foods (which was acquired by Amazon in 2017) is because Amazon Prime members receive special deals and deep discounts at the store, along with other perks like easy and free

Amazon pickups and returns in-store, where they’ll actually pack your return for you.

The chain is now quickly expanding to more areas throughout the Tampa Bay area. At the end of February, St. Petersburg’s first Whole Foods opened to a line around the store, and last year, the “green” grocer entered into discussions for a future store in the Trinity area.

Here is a brief history of the land in Meadow Pointe where the Whole Foods and Lifetime Fitness were proposed to be built:

2008 — Construction plans were submitted to Pasco County and then approved, which showed an Outback Steakhouse, Cheeseburger in Paradise and other restaurants up front, with a large retail plaza in the back under a future phase. The parking lot for the Outback was constructed but then construction of the restaurant was halted due to the recession.

2013 — The parcels were platted to officially become part of Meadow Pointe, Tract 2, long after Meadow Pointe began developing.

2019 — A Concept Plan submitted to Pasco county that showed a 30,000-sq.-ft. grocery store, multiple fast food restaurants with drive

through lanes, plus retail and apartments in the back under a future Phase 2.

2021 — Rezoning plans were submitted to Pasco County that showed keeping the original Outback Steakhouse parcel in the front (from 2008) as-is, but changed the plans in the back to remove the retail plaza and replace it with apartments.

2024 — Preapp meeting with Pasco County was requested that showed Whole Foods and Lifetime Fitness as standalone anchor tenants, replacing all previous plans. However, a few days later, that preapp meeting was canceled at the request of the applicant.

Orlando Health Meets The Local Community At Chamber Event At PHSC

By Gary Nager

Although Wesley Chapel already has two full-size, full-service hospitals located within a couple of miles of each other, the area’s largest hospital is now being built less than a mile from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, the first hospital to open (more than a decade ago) in any of Wesley Chapel’s three zip codes (33543, 33544 and 33545).

And, although Orlando Health Wesley Chapel has not yet begun going vertical, when the nonprofit hospital operator asked North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) president & CEO Hope Kennedy if she would be interested in hosting a community meeting to introduce Orlando Health to the local community, Kennedy says she jumped at the opportunity.

“It was a no-brainer for us,” Kennedy said after the meeting was held on Feb. 21 at Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC)’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, which is located within a few hundred feet of the new hospital site now under development at the corner of S.R. 56 and Wiregrass Ranch Blvd. Kennedy asked Porter Campus Provost Dr. Davina Jones if she would be interested in having the meeting at PHSC, where the Chamber hosts its monthly Business Breakfasts, and the event was quickly put together.

More than 150 NTBC members and a number of local contractors interested in working with Orlando Health on the project came to the meeting, which featured Kennedy, Dr. Jones, Pasco Economic Develop-

ment Council VP Mike Bishop, Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter, Orlando Health VP of Facility Development & Asset Strategy John Walsh and Kim Neuscheler, the VP & general manager of Turner Construction Tampa, which is building the new hospital.

Walsh said the 103-year-old Orlando Health decided to make its first foray into Pasco County and Wesley Chapel because of the area’s “amazing growth and opportunity,” especially after recently acquiring Florida Medical Clinic, the 52-office physician group that will allow Orlando Health to not only staff the new hospital, but create new partnerships in the area.

When it is completed, Orlando Health’s will be the largest of the three hospitals in Wesley Chapel, at 395,000 sq. ft. and 300 total beds (although the $300-million first phase will include about 102 beds — 90 medical/surgical and 12 ICU and six operating rooms, with room for 78 additional beds in the building’s shell). It also will include two large (one 60,000 and the other 80,000 sq. ft.) medical office buildings on the same 35-acre site.

Walsh also said that in addition to the Tampa office of Turner Construction, all of the subcontractors also will come from the local area, which explains in no small part why so many of those providers attended this community event.

“This is such an exciting opportunity for Pasco County and the Wesley Chapel area,” Kennedy said.

Walsh also stressed that although Orlando Health is building a hospital, “this is not a one-and-done kind of project...we’re also already working in Lutz to put in a free-standing ED (emergency department); we’re also building the two medical office buildings, which will have an ambulatory surgical center, imaging center and an array of acute care facilities and physician specialists to keep us all healthy, so maybe we won’t have to go through the doors of the hospital (which will need about 400 employees when it opens). It’s important to have

that whole array of services. This is not ‘sick care,’ it’s health care.”

Walsh also mentioned the possibility of adding 10-bed “micro-hospitals,” as needed to serve communities located further from the hospital that couldn’t necessarily support a full-size hospital of their own.

“The most important things we build in a community is not the buildings,” Walsh added. “It’s the relationships.”

Porter, who admitted that, “Our biggest fear was that this could turn out to be an albatross if we built too many hospitals,” also said that he knew Orlando Health was a great partner to work with and that, despite the

(Above, l.-r.) NTBC President Hope Kennedy, PHSC Porter Campus Provost Dr. Davina Jones, Pasco EDC VP Mike Bishop, Wiregrass Ranch developer JD Porter, Orlando Health VP John Walsh & Turner Construction VP Kim Neuscheler provided more than 150 attendees (photo on next page) with information about Wesley Chapel’s newest hospital at an NTBC-sponsored panel discussion on Feb. 21. (Photos by Charmaine George)

presence of what will be three hospitals by sometime in 2026, “With all the growth out here, this area is actually still underserved. We’ve got a long, long way to go.”

And, when Kennedy asked about what PHSC could do to help ensure that there is a useful workforce for the new hospital, Dr. Jones responded that, “As a State College, with a history as a Community College, we have a responsibility to know what the needs are in the communities that we serve. So, we’re asking ourselves now, ‘Do we have...are we offering... the right programs...to serve the business community that’s here?’ Our goal is to never get too comfortable and to always be willing to change with the community’s needs.”

with us, with our Turner Construction School, which many of you already have gone through, and is something we’ve done since 1969. We will be holding another one of those in October.” She added that veteran- and minorityowned companies will definitely be offered the opportunity to participate in this process.

Neuscheler also noted that the hospital’s foundation should begin being built sometime in April or May, with vertical construction taking about six months once the foundation is laid.

Meanwhile, Bishop agreed with Dr. Jones and talked about the growing life sciences in Pasco and the need for more partnerships.

“Our challenge is to bring business to this county,” he said. “But, if we all work together, we can address the challenges we all face.”

And, speaking of those partnerships, Neuscheler said that Turner, as one of the leading health care builders in the U.S., always strives to be a good community partner, giving “opportunities to smaller, local companies to do business

The panelists all also talked about innovation as an important part of the new hospital, which includes in construction, doctors, nurses and other hospital personnel and the equipment that they will be using — from robotic surgery to 3D printing, artificial intelligence and more.

Walsh said that the merger with a respected partner like Florida Medical Clinic will help ensure that the right doctors will staff the hospital.

“One of our mottos,” Walsh said, “is that we don’t just care for you, we care about you.”

Celebrating My 30 Years Of Neighborhood News

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

The event may be over, but some amazing memories remain. I’m talking about the party the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News hosted at the spectacular New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) on Leap Day (Feb. 29) to celebrate my 30 years of owning and being the editor of the publications.

The evening featured 150 total attendees, plus “A Taste of the Neighborhood News” — food from 11 local restaurants, including Stonewood Grill & Tavern, The Grill at Morris Bridge (see ad on pg. 51), TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant, Falabella Family Bistro, Azteca D’Oro Mexican Restaurant (pg. 52), Las Palmas Latin Grill, Blush Wine Room, Johnny C’s Italian Eatery, Rock & Brews (see pgs. 48 & 51), Lima Peruvian Cuisine (pg. 47) and Zio’s NY Bagel & Deli.

In addition, local karaoke jockey Tabitha Pollard of Luna Tunes provided the perfect musical background, but of course, yours truly had to sing a few songs, including a duet of Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” with Tampa City Council member Luis Viera. Other singers included former Your CBD Store of Wesley Chapel owner Lisa Feigel, Wesley Chapel Rotary Club member Gilbert Bennett, O’Brien’s Wesley Chapel regular Karl Vinson (he of the 300-lb. weight loss we reported a few issues back) and a few others who braved the mic.

Among the evening’s highlights for me were video tributes sent by some folks who couldn’t attend — including New Tampa Cultural Center founder Graeme Woodbrook, State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, New Tampa Players producing artistic director Nora Paine and PROtential Sports (see ad on pg. 21) co-owner Nyree Bland.

But, perhaps the top highlights for yours truly, because they were so unexpected, were a Proclamation from North Tampa Bay Chamber president Hope Kennedy and a Commendation from Viera and his fellow City Council members.

I also was thrilled that not only did my son Jared, his wife Mary Luz and my year-old grandson Liam make the trip, but that Visit Tampa Bay president (and long-time New Tampa resident) Santiago Corrada and his wife Shana and Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman and his wife Jessica also were on hand to wish me well.

Also in attendance were at least two dozen of our advertisers and a handful of faithful readers, who received invitations because they entered an informal contest we posted in our issues about the party.

I want to thank them all, plus my wife Jannah, photographer Charmaine George, NTPAC GM Keith Arsenault and his staff for making the evening one of the highlights of not only my career, but my entire life!

On this page are just a few highlights from the “Leaping Into the Next 30 Years of Neighborhood News” party held at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on Feb. 29!

Kids Learn

By Gary Nager

Some people obviously just “get it,” and Erik Ravenna, the co-owner and chef at Johnny C’s Italian Eatery on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa, is definitely one of them.

Ravenna, who lives in Wesley Chapel and worked for many years at Saddlebrook Resort, became friends with Cypress Creek High (CCH) principal Carin HetzlerNettles because he has coached at CCH and helped start its athletic booster club, and has always offered to help any way he can.

Meanwhile, CCH supportive level ESE teacher Kelly Cox said that each year, the school’s teachers are asked for a “wish list” prior to the holidays and her wish last December was for her students, who have a variety of learning and other disabilities, to be able to have chef’s hats and aprons for when they receive cooking lessons, as part of their curriculum that is intended to prepare them for life after high school.

Ravenna stepped in and provided Cox’s class of 14 total kids ages 14-17 with Johnny C’s hats and aprons — and also promised to do more to help.

That additional help came just a couple of months later, as after seeing the

Johnny C’s Italian Eatery chef and co-owner Erik Ravenna shows students from Kelly Cox’s Exceptional Student Education class at Cypress Creek High in Wesley Chapel how to stretch pizza dough during the class’ visit to Johnny C’s on Feb. 22. The kids learned not only how to make pizzas but also many other aspects of working in the restaurant business. (Photos on these pages by Charmaine George)

pictures Cox posted online of her class in their Johnny C’s uniforms, Ravenna invited them to come to the restaurant to not only learn how to make pizzas, but also other aspects of the restaurant business that could help the students in their post-school lives.

“Our program teaches these kids not only academics,” Cox said, “but also life skills that can help them when they leave us

after finishing high school. The goal is to help them live as full a life as possible.”

Part of that, Cox said, was also the opportunity to “be off-campus, in a new environment, and take the skills that they’ve learned at school and do them somewhere else. They also are learning food prep skills and seeing what it’s like to work in an actual restaurant.”

In addition, Cox said, the kids learned things like, “the importance of hand-washing and going out to eat with their friends... and even using their table manners.”

The kids were clearly excited about the opportunity and definitely made the most of enjoying it.

To that end, the eleven students who were able to attend that day were divided

up into two groups. Six of the students started out making the pizzas — they each received their own dough balls, learned how to stretch the dough, add the sauce, cheese and toppings themselves, under the chef’s supervision and then watched as Ravenna loaded each personal pie into the oven.

“They can make whatever kind of pizza they want,” Ravenna said. “We have all of the toppings ready for them.”

At the same time, the other five students in the class learned how to fold the pizza boxes, roll silverware and wipe

See “Johnny C’s” on pg. 12

(Above left) The students from the ESE class taught by Kelly Cox (2nd from left) took time to pose for this picture outside of Johnny C’s before receiving their pizza-making lessons. (Above right) Sophia puts the finishing touches on her personal pan pizza.

Louis Cerillo, DDSKim Tran-Nguyen, DMD General Dentists

‘Johnny C’s’

Continued from pg. 11

down the Johnny C’s menus. Once the first batch of pizzas was cooked, the two groups switched roles.

Ravenna said the other skills the kids were learning served another purpose, too.

“They have to see that the restaurant business isn’t all fun and glory,” Ravenna said. “These other skills are ones that they would have to learn as a new employee at any restaurant. We hope this is a way for some of these kids to learn how to get into the workforce.”

After all of the instructions were done and the delicious smell of freshly made pizza filled Johnny C’s, all of the kids got to enjoy their pizzas, which clearly was the highlight of a super-fun day.

An Ongoing Tradition

Although Ravenna’s partner Pat Ciaccio has recently shut down his attempt to build a Community Café on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel to help special needs

adults get into the workforce, Ravenna and Johnny C’s catered the “Night to Shine” event for the Tim Tebow Foundation at nearby Cypress Point Community Church (on Morris Bridge Rd.) on Feb. 10.

“Night to Shine” is a nationwide celebration where special needs kids/young adults get to wear tuxedos and evening gowns and attend a prom-like celebration of their own, all for free.

“We served dinner for 210 kids who don’t get many opportunities to get dressed up and have a gala like that,” Ravenna said. “It’s also kind of a tear-jerker, but it’s a really, really nice event.”

So, helping these special needs youngsters is obviously part of Ravenna’s DNA and is clearly appreciated.

“Thank you, Erik and Johnny C’s Pizza for having us,” Cox said after all the kids finished eating their pizzas. “This has definitely been the highlight of our year!”

(Top left) Erik Ravenna puts another student’s pizza into the oven. (Top right) The kids in Kelly Cox’s ESE class at Cypress Creek High were taught how to properly stretch pizza dough. (Above) Of course, the best thing about making your own pizza is getting to eat it after the cooking is finished!

(Photos by Charmaine George)

Frapwell Is Pasco’s Volunteer Of The Year; WRH Senior Wins Regeneron Award!

Gretchen Frapwell, a volunteer at Veterans Elementary, has been named the Adult Volunteer of the Year by the Pasco County School District.

According to a Facebook post released by the School District, “Gretchen is the definition of a volunteer. She has been volunteering at Veterans Elementary School for five years and has logged in 220 volunteer hours so far. With two children attending Veterans, she serves on the SAC committee and is a PTA member which supports (the school’s) 91 staff members and 675 students. The PTA recently provided recess equipment for each grade level. She is there for every school event, including book fairs, school carnivals, science nights and holiday shops. Gretchen has shown her creativity by planting a pumpkin patch in the courtyard for the teachers and students to utilize. It was a great idea for learning purposes, but also brought beauty to the school. We appreciate everything she does for Veterans Elementary to improve overall morale for the teachers and students.”

Sharon Zurita, of the Veterans Elementary PTA, says that, “Gretchen in amazing. She’s everywhere and does so many things at our school. She’s not only willing to do things we ask, but also suggests things we can do to help the school.”

Among those things, Gretchen says, was that she “Organized closets, planted gardens, ran a carnival last year...Trunk or Treat event, where we handed out actual ice cream, book fairs...anything and everything. My kids are

only going to be this young for so long, so I show them, by taking time off from my job, how important their school is. I guarantee that once you (volunteer) for an hour, you’ll want to do more. The kids are just awesome.”

Other Volunteer winners this year are Ann Birch, Gulfside Elementary (Senior Volunteer) and Avery Hoskins, Anclote High & Gulfside Elementary (Youth Volunteer).

Congratulations, Meghna!

Our sincere congratulations go out to

Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) senior Meghna Manjith, who has been named a Scholar in the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) for 2024. She received a $2,000 award for herself and $2,000 for WRHS for her project, “Preventing Surgical Site Infections: Designing a Novel Post-Surgical Treatment Using Silver Nitrate & Ayurvedic Extracts in Combination with DNA Sequence Analysis.” Amazing!

According to SocietyforScience.org, “Regeneron STS is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science research competi-

tion for high school students. Started in 1942 as the Westinghouse STS, Regeneron STS recognizes and empowers our nation’s most promising young scientists who are developing ideas that could solve society’s most urgent challenges.”

Only 300 Scholars were selected from more than 2,000 entrants nationwide, with only 40 finalists selected for an opportunity to win the $250,000 top award, which was scheduled to be announced on Mar. 12.

What an accomplishment, Meghna!

(Above) The Pasco County School District recently named Gretchen Frapwell, whose kids attend Veterans Elementary, the District’s Adult Volunteer of the Year.

(Right) Wiregrass Ranch High senior Meghna Manjith was named a Regeneron STS Scholar for her project, winning $4,000. (Photos: Pasco School District)

Business Briefs — PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital Coming To Wiregrass

By Joel Provenzano

Back in December, Wiregrass Ranch submitted plans for an a new east/west access road through parcel M3 (see map, bottom right), which was intended to help provide access to a proposed new PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital and future outparcels. This road will connect with Bruce B Downs (BBD) Blvd., at the directional median opening that aligns with Stockton Dr. on the other side of BBD.

In the future ultimate build-out, it’s intended that this road might be punched through the wetland and connected directly as an extension to the existing Bella Corsa Blvd in Estancia at Wiregrass. This extension will serve two functions —

1) to give residents direct vehicular and pedestrian access to the large commercial developments and reduce traffic on the main roads, and 2) to give residents an alternative way to access BBD.

The proposed PAM Health Rehab Hospital will be located immediately north of the Amberlin Apartments site (on the other side of the natural wetland pond) and, even though the plans don’t currently show it, it will be required to be cross connected to Amberlin and the small commercial retail outparcel to the south (M3 Outparcel B site) with a small road, which will allow this rehab hospital

(and all of the future Wiregrass commercial) to have access to the signal at Eagleston Blvd. upon ultimate buildout. Plans for the small retail outparcel to the south show this future cross connection which also would include sidewalk access. This retail development (Outparcel B) will be a small multi-tenant plaza whose future tenants are currently unknown but could

be a mix of retail and a small restaurant.

In addition, construction plans for the Ace Medical Plaza (M3 Outparcel C) were just submitted to the county in February. This site is located immediately in front of Amberlin and will be a two-story, 15,000 sq.-ft. building occupying Outparcel C of the Wiregrass development, at the southeast corner of BBD and Eagleston Blvd.

(Above) The site plan for the PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Wiregrass Ranch. (Top right) The location map for the PAM Rehab Hospital. (Bottom right) The plans for the Parcel M3 access road and future commercial. (All of these graphics were submitted to Pasco County)

Houses Now Being Sold In GL Homes’ 55+ Valencia Ridge

By Gary Nager

If you’ve driven recently on S.R. 56 east of Wiregrass Ranch, you may have noticed the signs for Valencia Ridge, a new age 55+ community be ing developed by GL Homes, which also has developed both The Ridge at Wiregrass and the new Winding Ridge community on S.R. 56.

Speaking of Winding Ridge, the signs for Valencia Ridge lead you into Winding Ridge, as the 55+ community’s Sales Center is located near the commu nity clubhouse in Winding Ridge.

However, Valencia Ridge isn’t part of Winding Ridge — it’s a separate community that actually will be located north of Winding Ridge and Chancey Rd. (see map). Valencia Ridge will have its own multi-milliondollar clubhouse, with pickleball and tennis courts, multiple pools, a resortlike lifestyle with dozens of clubs, from Rock Band to poker, cardio, ta ble tennis club and many more clubs.

The GL Homes Crown Col lection floor plans in Valencia Ridge range in price from $449,900 for a 2-bedroom, 2-bath Camelia model with 1,674 sq. ft. of air conditioned space to the 4-bedroom, 4-bath Emerald model with 3,139 air condi tioned sq. ft. starting at $819,900.

Tampa -Wesley Chapel

Celebrating Five Years in Wesley Chapel!

The Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel celebrated its Five-Year Anniversary on October 12, 2023, and partnered with Celebrate Birthdays, a nonprofit organization that gives kids in need a birthday in a box.

If you’re looking for a venue to host a wedding, birthday party, bridal party, baby shower, family reunion or a corporate meeting, please reach out to Lisa Moore, Director of Sales, by email (Lisa.moore2@hilton.com) or call 813-591-6907.

Hilton Honors Reward Points For Stays and Events

Recapping Wesley Chapel Theater Group’s ‘Broadway Through The Decades’

By Gary Nager

Photos by Charmaine George

A few short months ago, we told you about the Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG)’s “Broadway Through the Decades” performance at TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant in The Grove.

That performance attracted about 150 people and nobody who attended (including yours truly) went home disappointed.

Well, the weekend we went to press with this issue (Mar. 9-10), WCTG was at it again with another “Broadway Through the Decades: Contemporary Era” show, with the performances this time being held at the Zephyrhills Lions Club.

The Lions Club provided dinner on Saturday night and dessert for the Sunday matinee, so WCTG secretary Samantha Grahn, who also did the publicity for the show, said that the theater group had to provide a hard number of attendees to the Lions Club a couple of days before the two performances.

“That limited us to only about 130 people total for the two shows,” Samantha says. “But, we had a lot of wonderful singers performing and the audiences both days really seemed to enjoy the performances.”

The “Contemporary Era” performances includes many current and recent past Broadway favorites, including the entire company singing “Be Our Guest” from “Beauty and the Beast,” Danielle Warren’s “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Vette Berrian & the Company on “Day By Day” from “Godspell,” the entire company on “We Go Together” from “Grease” and favorites from “Rent,” “Pippin,” “Chicago,” “A Chorus Line,” “Sweeney Todd,” “42nd Street,” “Into the Woods,” “Les Miserables,” “The Phantom of the Opera” and many more.

“We’re now three years in with this group,” Grahn said afterwards. “And every performance we do is a fund raiser so we can afford to rent theaters for our future performances. We’re also writing some grants to try to get some more money to do more shows and we’d like to have them at the (Pasco School District’s) Instruc-

tional Performing Arts Center (IPAC) and other venues in Wesley Chapel.” She adds that the School District is looking into building a smaller “black box” theater for community performances.

She adds that in the meantime, however, “We have a great relationship with the Zephyrhills Lions Club. They don’t charge us to rehearse there and the rent to do our shows there isn’t that expensive. We really owe them a big thank-you!”

So,

What’s Next? “Office Hours!”

Grahn says that WCTG’s next show will be the comedy play “Office Hours,” written by Norm Foster, which also will be performed at the Zephyrhills Lions Club, this time without food service.

There will be three performances of “Office Hours” — matinees on Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21, and a Saturday (Apr. 21) evening performance. Also coming up, but not yet officially an-

nounced, are auditions for the third round of “Broadway Through the Decades.”

“We also would love to have feedback from the Wesley Chapel community regarding what shows or types of shows they would want to see,” Grahn says.

For tickets to see “Office Hours” and more info about the Wesley Chapel Theater Group, visit WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org or search “WesleyChapel TheaterGroup” on Facebook.

(This page, top left) “Be Our Guest” from “Beauty & the Beast.” (Above left) Cheryl Abramson performing “On My Own” from “Les Miserables. (Above right) The WCTG cast from “Broadway Through the Decades: Contemporary Era.” (Next page, top) “A Little Priest” from “Sweeney Todd” performed by Krystian Kopycinski & Danielle Warren. (Bottom) “We Go Together” from “Grease.

Upcoming Events — Elks Lodge Meeting, Indian Dance Performance & More

Holy Week Services & Events —

Although all local churches will hold Easter services on Sunday, March 31, both Grace Episcopal Church in Tampa Palms and St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa have services and events throughout Holy Week, with St. Mark’s Vigil Mass for Palm Sunday (see ad on next page) being held on Saturday, March 23, and Palm Sunday services at both Grace (see ad on next page) and St. Mark being held on Sunday, March 24.

Monday, March 25, 7 p.m. — Monthly meeting of the New Tampa Democratic Club. The New Tampa Democrats are gearing up for the upcoming 2024 Presidential and local election season. For more information, see the ad below.

Wednesday, March 27, 7 p.m.-8 p.m. — Wesley Chapel Elks Lodge organizational Meeting & Membership Drive — If you’re looking to become part of a service organization that focuses its efforts on helping children and military veterans, the Elks have nearly 1,800 chapters and about 750,000 total members across the U.S. and are hoping to build a new Elks Lodge in the Wesley Chapel/New Tampa area. This meeting will be held at the Lexington Oaks Community Center (26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd., Wesley Chapel) and light refreshments will be served. For more information, call Nancy El-

lard at (732) 598-7883 or email src4paradise@yahoo.com.

Thursday, April 4, 8 p.m. — The Tampa Jazz Club’s USF New Tampa Jazz Series presents a Jack Wilkins CD Release Concert.

An All-Star cast will join USF Professor of Jazz Studies (and Grammy Award nominee) Jack Wilkins (photo) on the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd.) stage, as he releases his most recent CD and will be joined by an All-Star cast, including Danny Gottlieb, Steve Allee and James Suggs. Tickets cost $25 for adults,

Does NOT authorize any outside company or agency to reprint any portion of the copyrighted materials in ANY of our print issues or our proprietary online content. Any unauthorized copying, whether to create a plaque, for use online, in printed copies or any other use without our express written permission will be considered to be a violation of both our copyright and the 30 years of good will we have worked very hard to achieve.

If an outside company asks if you want a plaque made of your story, and their name isn’t Jannah or Gary Nager, please tell them “No.”

To order a plaque of your Business Feature or any other story, call (813) 910-2575 or email Jannah or Gary at ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

$20 for Tampa Jazz Club members, $10 for students and $5 for USF students.

For tickets and more information, visit TampaJazzClub.com.

Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. — The Academy of Odissi Dance 25th Anniversary Gala.

The Academy of Odissi Dance (located on Cross Creek Blvd. in New Tampa), a classical Indian dance troupe, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the Tampa Bay area with an amazing Anniversary Gala and performance, which will be held at the Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Community Center

(2620 Washington St., Valrico 33594).

Gopa Rautray founded the Academy of Odissi Dance in 1999, and, with her daughter Ambika, has been working hard to propagate Indian culture through a range of dance forms. The Academy’s teams have performed on a variety of stages, locally and nationally. They perform fusion routines, blending styles such as ballet, jazz, hip-hop, folk and Indian classical dance, blending, enriching and sharing their art with a variety of audiences.

For Gala tickets (which include dinner) & more information, call Gopa at (813)992-5234 or Ambika at (813) 9925235 or see the ad below.

(Above) Grammy-nominated saxophonist Jack Wilkins will perform with an all-star cast at a CD release event on Apr. 4. (Left) The Academy of Odissi Dance will host & perform at its 25th Anniversary Gala on Apr. 27.

Invites You to Celebrate Holy Week Mass Times and Services are:

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

March 23rd Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 pm (Livestreamed)

March 24th Sunday: 8:30 am

10:30 am

12:30 pm (Spanish) (Livestreamed)

5:30 pm

March 25th Monday: 12:00 pm Mass

March 26th Tuesday: 8:30 am Mass

March 27th Wednesday: 8:30 am Mass

March 28th Holy Thursday:

10:00 am MORNING PRAYER

7:30 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Incense will be used) (Livestreamed) Procession/Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows until 11:30 pm over in The Venetian

March 29th Good Friday:

10:00 am MORNING PRAYER

3:00 pm GOOD FRIDAY of the Lord’s Passion (Livestreamed) Adoration of the Holy Cross

March 30th Holy Saturday:

10:00 am MORNING PRAYER (Blessing of Easter Baskets after Morning Prayer)

8:15 pm Easter Vigil Mass (Incense will be used) (Livestreamed)

March 31st Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of the Lord

6:45 am

8:30 am

10:30 am (Incense will be used) (Livestreamed)

10:40 am in The Venetian

12:30 pm (Spanish) (Incense will be used) (Livestreamed)

9724 Cross Creek Blvd, Tampa, FL 33647 www.StMarkTampa.org

View Livestream Via: www.facebook.com/StMarkTampa

Healthy Steps & Fitness Focuses On Your Overall Health, Not Just Exercise

By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Neighborhood News Correspondent

Imagine a decade spent in personal training, armed not with mere anecdotes but with tangible evidence of transformations — testimonials and before and after photos of lives changed through the power of health and fitness.

Although Andrea Barnes had been training clients at other local facilities the last 10 years, in March of this year, Andrea (pro nounced “On-DRAY-a”), a personal trainer, and her husband Aaron unveiled Healthy Steps & Fitness, a unique facility embodying the mantra “people over profit.” A testament to personal triumph and dedication, it was born from the couple’s own challenges. Af ter being open for several months at another location, Healthy Steps & Fitness is now open in its own space on U.S. 41 in Lutz (in the same building as Villaggio’s Ristorante Italiano). Andrea says it is where well-being takes center stage, and every client’s steps to health are celebrated.

couple’s new business.

Aaron epitomized health yet still faced a silent adversary. While diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, dehydration and certain medications are the top five causes of kidney failure, Aaron had none of those symptoms, but was somehow facing kidney failure anyway. His doctor gave him less than two weeks to live.

Then, nine months ago, Andrea donated one of her kidneys to save her husband’s life. This gift helped spur a miracu-

The steps taken by Aaron to regain his health inspired the gym’s name, emphasizing the commonality of the journey for those facing transplants, chronic illnesses, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as aging.

“We chose our name based on the pattern of our lives and how we had to take steps to get to where we are today,” Aaron says.

With mostly female (but still some male) clients, and most of them ranging in age from their 50s to their 70s, understanding their diverse needs, especially of seniors and those with physical disabilities, Healthy Steps & Fitness offers easy accessibility for those with walkers and wheelchairs.

at your overall health. Our motto is

first, and the body will follow.’”

Healthy Steps & Fitness is where your health concerns are heard, and achievable personal goals are set. Andrea goes beyond what traditional gyms do by conducting an in-depth initial consultation with each client, including blood pressure measurements and discussions about your diabetic A1C levels and cholesterol. She encourages her clients to get comprehensive lab evaluations from their physicians before beginning a program with her. This proactive approach addresses a common blind spot in personal

— many individuals, especially seniors,

Steps” on pg.

‘Healthy Steps’

Continued from pg. 22

who want to start a training regimen remain unaware of what may be crucial cardiovascular indicators. Aaron recalls a young, outwardly healthy man with three small children, a friend of his sister-in-law’s who had a headache every day for a week. Instead of seeking medical at tention, he chose instead to self-medicate with Ibuprofen and coffee.

“The headache he was having was due to high blood pressure,” says Aaron. “Most people don’t check their blood pressure when they have a headache. He died at his work desk from a stress-induced heart attack the primary symptom of which was unchecked high blood pressure.”

Aaron and Andrea plan to partner with a local medical office to refer their clients who don’t have a primary care physician to, so they can have things like their blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and other important medical factors checked before they begin working out at Healthy Steps & Fitness.

ting them work out with weights, on cardio machines or take classes?

a pride feeling. You’re not just coming here to work out. A lot of friendships start here.”

Eventually, Andrea says, a wall of success will showcase clients’ before & after photos and testimonials (like the photos, left).

The gym offers a range of membership options for both one-on-one personal training and small group fitness classes and all of these options begin with a free seven-day trial. You can see what’s included with each of these memberships at HealthyStepsandFitness.

Each membership level also includes a complimentary “Twelve-Steps to Wellness” online coaching program which promotes gradual lifestyle changes over 12 weeks.

coming health obstacles (where Aaron was the featured speaker) and even financial health.

“We got tremendous feedback about that Wellness Day,” Andrea says, “so we definitely plan to do it again soon here.”

She adds that they envision their gym as the next step in the evolution of physical wellness, offering ongoing care beyond traditional rehabilitation. They see the facility as a bridge back to health, keeping their clients from succumbing to post-rehab challenges, such as dependence upon pain meds.

If a new client has been receiving physical therapy for an injury, Aaron, who handles the business side of the business, and Andrea ensure that they only begin their journey when they are released by their physical therapist and that it is safe for them to begin training.

“During our assessment, if we see the person has a bad shoulder or hip,” Andrea says, “before we start working with this person — unlike most trainers — we refer them to their physician to get x-rays to ensure that we don’t injure them further.”

How many big box gyms can say they

“We always encourage our clients — at least once a year — to visit their doctor and have a physical exam and blood work,” Andrea says, “so they can know what their numbers are and can work on improving them.”

Aaron adds, “I’ve had other gym memberships. No one was ever concerned about my health. I never had health questions asked. It was all about memberships and classes. But, we want to know how people are doing. Underlying health problems can limit your progress.”

Another important part of this fitness facility is its community “feel.”

“We believe Healthy Steps & Fitness is unlike any other gym because we get close to our clients from Day One,” Andrea says. “It’s

“Every week, we offer a new online coaching program that we want them to implement into their lives, and every week, we introduce a new lifestyle change,” Andrea says. “By the end of those first 12 weeks, we hope they will have at least begun changing their lifestyle and habits to help them achieve and maintain better health and fitness. For example, she says the first week’s theme is “Love — loving yourself first and what that means.”

Happy Wellness Day!

Healthy Steps & Fitness also hosts Wellness Days, featuring experts who address community questions on various health topics, creating an environment that transcends the conventional gym experience. The most recent such Wellness Day, on Feb. 17, was held at Healthy Steps & Fitness’ former location, but Andrea said that about 35 people attended and got a lot of great information about the importance of lab work, managing anxiety, eating and living a cleaner life, over-

“More than likely, people aren’t better when they go home (after a serious injury), and can get hooked on pain medication,” Andrea explains. “Instead of being depressed at home, we see ourselves as the next step in your recovery.”

Andrea and Aaron stress that they don’t want their clients to be in his situation, “The healthy steps, healthy lifestyle choices, and having my wife as a trainer coaching me along the way got me back, and I’m still a work in progress,” Aaron says. “I made amazing progress from being in critical condition to where I am now. Once the word gets out there, people will know we care. We’re the health care approach to fitness.”

Healthy Steps & Fitness will host a Grand Opening celebration in May, on the first anniversary of Aaron’s lifesaving transplant. It is located at 118 Flagship Loop (off U.S. Hwy. 41), in Lutz, and is open from Mon.-Fri., 5 a.m.-1 p.m.; & 7 a.m.- 10 a.m. on Sat. For more information, visit HealthyStepsandFitness.com, call (813) 860-7709 or see the ad on page 36.

David Cruz Marks Two Decades Of Serving Clients With His DC Accounting

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

David Cruz says that when he was a little boy in Puerto Rico, he always liked math. While other kids wanted to be firefighters, he says his dream was to become an accountant.

When David was 17, he joined the U.S. Army and served more than 20 years before retiring in 2000 from Fort Knox in Kentucky as a master sergeant.

Wanting to live somewhere warm that reminded him of Puerto Rico, he moved to the Tampa Bay area and, at 38 years old, he was ready to start a new career.

That’s when he first started working to make his childhood dream come true.

David finished the last couple of classes he needed for a Bachelor’s degree at Hillsborough Community College, then went on to complete his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at Nova Southeastern University, based in Ft. Lauderdale. Then, he decided to complete two more Master’s degrees — a Master of Accounting (MACC) and then a Master of Taxation (MTAX), both also from Nova Southeastern.

While going to school, David worked at AutoZone and took a side job working in accounting to learn the trade. After a couple of years, he began to pick up his own clients.

In 2003, he decided to open DC Accounting, P.A., as a full-time career, leaving his other jobs and focusing full time on his own clients.

Today, he’s been serving his community in accounting, taxation, and budgeting for more than two decades.

As an enrolled agent of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), David holds the highest credential awarded by the IRS. He says he didn’t pursue becoming a certified public accountant (CPA), because his education more than qualifies him to work with local individuals and small businesses. CPAs are generally required to have a fouryear degree and an additional two years of accounting experience, but David has surpassed those qualifications. In addition, David says CPAs can sign off on financial statements for large publicly traded companies, but that’s not something he needs to do in his practice.

“I even do taxes for some CPAs,” David says. “Like lawyers, they have their own concentrations, such as forensic, corporate, accounts payable or accounts receivable. They don’t do everything I do.”

David says he focuses on small businesses and their needs — in areas such as bookkeeping, income taxes, audits, sales tax and workers’ compensation. He even helps businesses with licenses and zoning, including when site plans and surveys are needed. That includes representing his clients before the county when zoning and licensing hearings are held.

In addition, he handles personal taxes for small business owners and individuals.

the challenges that arise. “When I’m dealing with clients’ problems, their problems become my problems,” he says, “and I have to solve those problems.”

thing, I go and learn it and make it happen for my clients.”

He often represents clients who are faced with an IRS audit or if they owe money. He says he has even gone to court for his clients. “I’ll do anything for my clients,” he says, “anything that’s legal.”

Back in the early days — 20 years ago — David was newly divorced and working out of his home. He said his staff worked in spare bedrooms upstairs. His living room served as his reception area and his clients were welcome to help themselves to water from his kitchen.

In 2008, he opened an office in Lutz, where he practiced for nearly 15 years.

In 2022, he purchased a larger building on Crystal Grove Blvd., renovated it and moved in. He says the office has room to grow, and he shares the space with the other business he and his wife Cindy coown, the popular restaurants Rice N Beans Puerto Rico and Rice N Beans Express.

David and Cindy were married in 2017, blending their families. David has three adult children from a previous marriage, while Cindy has two who are now 16 and 19. The couple also has adopted a child, who is now 10.

When they married, Cindy owned two food trucks. David says she would get up every day at 3 a.m. and work until 9 p.m., seven days a week. They sold the trucks and opened Rice N Beans Puerto Rico (which is now located on Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Wesley Chapel), and the newer Rice N Beans Express on S.R. 54 in Lutz.

“Cindy handles all of the operations,” David explains. “She runs Rice N Beans, manages the people, comes up with ideas, does the marketing. I handle the books, do the budget, the forecasting — all of the money.”

The building they share has offices for Cindy and for her assistant to run the restaurants, while DC Accounting has offices for David and his staff, which includes an office manager, bookkeeping manager,

“They all do their jobs very well.”

He says the staff works together to ensure that every client’s problems are dealt with in a timely manner. David says the company’s policy is that every question is answered within 24 hours.

“I’m available for my clients 24/7,” he says. “They can call my cell phone and if they have issues or questions after five p.m. or on the weekend, they can reach me.”

He says his favorite part of the job is

Carmen Vazquez from Lights & More in Carrollwood says her business has been working with David for about six years. The family-owned business hired DC Accounting to handle all of its company accounting and the owners’ personal accounting, as well.

“They take care of everything that is required for the federal and state level,” says Carmen. “David takes a very personal approach. He’s always available, always makes us feel welcome when we come in to his office, and always returns our calls.”

She says the most important thing to her is knowing that David and his staff’s personal values align with her own.

“The key word is trust,” she says. “We’re giving all this personal and business information to another person, so the trust has to be solid. We only want to work with someone who thinks about ethics as a priority, and that’s David.”

DC Accounting (219 Crystal Grove Blvd., Lutz), is open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.5 p.m., and after hours by appointment. For more info, call (813) 345-8503, visit DCAccountingPA.com, or see the ad on page 33. Be sure to mention the ad or this story for a 10% discount on personal tax preparation for 2023.

Get Beautiful Smiles & Skin At Sana Dental Studio + Med Spa

By Celeste McLaughlin Neighborhood News Correspondent

Sana Yusuf, D.M.D., is the first to ad mit that everyone — including her — hates going to the dentist.

Even though she has worked her whole life to become a dentist — starting with her first job in a dental office at age 16 — Dr. Sana, as most everyone calls her, says even she gets a little squirmy in the dentist’s chair.

So, when she became a dentist herself, while dreaming about opening her own practice, she instead wanted it to be a place everyone loves to go — like a spa.

That’s why Sana Dental Studio + Med Spa, located in the Promenade at Lexing ton Oaks plaza (just off Wesley Chapel Blvd. at Old Pasco Rd.), feels much more like a spa from the moment you walk in.

“My goal is to make more people more comfortable at the dentist,” Dr. Sana says. “People walk in and say they don’t feel like they are in a dental office, and that’s always been my goal.”

While she says it was never her intention to open an actual spa, the whole atmosphere of her dental office is so spa-like, that patients kept asking her to provide spa treatments. She decided to roll with it, becoming the first dental office in the Tampa Bay area that also is an aesthetic med spa.

And, while she originally opened that

Wesley Chapel office just two years ago (in March 2022), it already has undergone a major expansion, with the med spa part of the business growing — and moving — into its own adjacent space in the same plaza last fall. Today, Sana Dental Studio +Med Spa’s dental and aesthetic patients each have their own entrance, while the offices remain connected inside.

This boutique dental studio offers

everything you would expect at a general dentist’s office — cleanings, X-rays, exams, fillings, crowns, as well as cosmetic dentistry services such as teeth whitening and veneers. Dr. Sana also can straighten your teeth using Invisalign® aligners. She says her office’s unique emphasis bridges the gap between cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics, offering “smile makeovers” for the most beautiful teeth and skin.

“People today have concerns that traditionally would have required cosmetic surgery,” she says. “But now, we have nonsurgical ways to address those concerns and naturally enhance each person’s beauty.”

Dr. Sana’s approach to cosmetic dentistry is similar to her philosophy for aesthetic procedures.

“I don’t want anyone to know you had crowns or veneers done,” she says. “We can make your teeth brighter and whiter, if that’s what you want, but it should still look natural.”

Dr. Sana graduated Summa Cum Laude — in only three years and at the age of 20 — with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of Detroit Mercy (MI). She earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree four years later from Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine in Downers Grove, IL.

After earning her D.M.D. degree, Dr. Yusuf joined the U.S. Army as an Active Duty Captain and worked as a general dentist. She is an honored recipient of the Army Commendation Medal.

She, her husband, and three children live in Wesley Chapel. Dr. Sana is invested in her community, where she has served as the president of the Board of Directors at Sunrise of Pasco County, a center for victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

Dr. Sana says she wants to bring back the concept of a family dentist.

the average dental office. (Photos on these pages are courtesy of Sana Dental Studio + Med Spa)

“Growing up, everyone went to the same dentist,” she says. “The dentist knew everything about your family, your kids and grandkids. I want you to bring your whole family here.”

Dr. Sana sees patients of all ages, including babies as young as six months. She says as soon as babies get their first tooth, you should bring them to the dentist. At that age, she checks to make sure development is appropriate and focuses on educating parents on how to care for their children’s teeth.

Glenda Torres was one of Sana Dental Studio’s first patients and now brings her entire family to the practice. She, her husband and their two kids, plus her brother and his wife see Dr. Sana. Glenda says she’s referred friends to the practice, as well.

“Everything is amazing,” she says. “It’s beautiful. I love the aesthetics, like the chandeliers, and the women there are phenomenal. They know me by name and ask about my family. It’s so nice to have a familiar feel when you walk in.”

Glenda says the friendliness extends outside the doors of the dental office, as well.“I see Dr. Sana and her family out and about,” Glenda says. “They’re people from the neighborhood.”

Sana Dental Studio + Med Spa is unlike any other dentist office Glenda has been to, she says. She looks forward

the ‘Galentine’s Day’ event, but I went to ‘Friendsgiving,’” Glenda says. “It’s like girl time, hangout time. They have cocktails and mocktails, plus representatives there to talk with you about what your next skin care treatment might be, so it’s a great way to get information.”

Med Spa Services

Dr. Sana says she keeps adding to the array of aesthetic services on the office’s aesthetic side, which now offers Botox®, fillers, microneedling, hydrafacials, laser skin resurfacing and laser hair removal, all provided by aesthetic nurse practitioners under Dr. Sana’s guidance. Facials are performed by licensed aestheticians.

For those who want ongoing care for their skin, the med spa recently began offering unique “Sana Squad” memberships, with discounts for members. For a low monthly membership fee (or, you may pay in advance for 11 months and get one month free), members receive special access to discounted rates, first priority to new services and perks such as entries into giveaways.

Whether you’re looking for a dentist, an aesthetician, or both, Dr. Sana says her small business offers an educated staff that is dedicated to giving their patients a highquality experience. She is proud that her business is veteran-owned, woman-owned, and minority-owned.

Dr. Sana says while her décor is very spa-like and relaxing (photo below), her personality is not. She likes to have fun and hopes you’ll enjoy the experience at her dental studio, too.

“People don’t like the dentist,” she says, “but if you like me as a person, maybe that can help overcome your fear of going to the dentist.”

Dr. Sana also has appeared on the “Bloom” and “Daytime” shows on WFLATV News Channel 8.

Sana Dental Studio + Spa (5728 Post Oak Blvd.) is open Mon.-Thur., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., for general dentistry. Additional hours are available for aesthetic services by appointment. Upcoming events include a Mother’s Day event in May and a “Moms’ Night Out” in July or August. For more info & reservations,

tone or rosacea, try the Lumecca IPL treatments at Sana Dental Studio + Med Spa.

Kitchen Tune-Up Can Give Your Home A Whole New Look...For Less!

By Deborah Bostock-Kelly Neighborhood News Correspondent

Many homeowners look at their outdated kitchen cabinetry and long for a fresh, new look, but want to avoid living in dust, disruption and noise for a month or longer while their kitchen is being remodeled in a major renovation.

The good news is that a much faster and more affordable alternative is available.

Kitchen Tune-Up is a hassle-free way to update any kitchen without all of that the chaos. The local franchise was opened in 2021 by Tampa Palms residents Al and Zein Aita, who serve New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and the surrounding areas. Al says they were inspired to open the franchise location because, during the pandemic, most people were not buying new houses. Instead, many were upgrading their existing homes.

“The demand was there, and this was something we could be passionate about,” Al says. “We want our customers’ kitchens to look good for their families and visitors. The kitchen is the heart of the house. To us, that was one of the selling points. Plus, we wanted to be part of a strong franchise. We are locally owned and operated, but we have the support of a large, well-established company that’s been around 35 years with a presence in 50 states and nine locations in Florida. Having that credibility was very important to us.”

In fact, Kitchen Tune-Up today has more than 180 franchises serving nearly 300

protected territories throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company’s website — Kitchen TuneUp.com — offers a design tool to mix and match the desired design and options.

“It’s a way for the customer to get their imagination going, to get them to follow their initial idea,” says Al. “We use it initially to start the conversation. We explain the process from A to Z and give each customer a quote on the spot.”

Working with Kitchen Tune-Up has many advantages over a traditional kitchen renovation, as it can transform any kitchen in as little as five days, with minimal disturbance to the home and lifestyle. The process begins with a free in-home consultation that lasts about 45 minutes.

Al and Zein’s technicians are trained and certified, and use only high-quality materials and products. Their customers also get a war ranty on the workmanship and materials, as well as a customer service guarantee.

Best of all, a Kitchen Tune-Up offers considerable savings off the cost of a complete kitchen remodel, depending upon the products and services you choose. Customers also can finance their projects with low monthly payments and no interest for the first twelve months.

Available Services

existing cabinet boxes. Customers can choose from hundreds of styles and colors to match their taste and budget.

Among Kitchen Tune-Up’s available services is Cabinet Re-dooring, which replaces your old cabinet doors and drawer fronts with new ones while keeping the

Cabinet Refacing covers the existing cabinet boxes with new wood or a laminate veneer and installs new doors and drawer fronts. Customers can change the style, color and material of their cabinets and add new features like soft-close hinges, pulls and knobs.

“Cabinet Re-dooring and Refacing are

quick ways to upgrade the kitchen without the demolition and the mess,” Al says. “We keep the shape of the kitchen, but we update it. We give your cabinets new functionality and a beautiful, new look. (During construction, our) customers still have access to their cabinets, fridge and oven. They can function around us as we install and do the work.”

New features, such as built-in trash cans, spice racks and other items, also can be added

Up is one 45-minute consultation in your home. (Photos provided by Al Aita)

upgrades your existing cabinets with a dura ble, professional-grade finish. You can choose virtually any color and add new hardware and accessories to complete the look.

“Painting is a cost-effective way to upgrade the kitchen without changing much about it,” Al says. “You just upgrade the color. The cabinets will look new and factorypainted without breaking the bank.”

Al recalls customers who called him after someone else painted their cabinets and they didn’t like the outcome.

“I’ve heard this story so many times,” he says. “Yes, we can even re-paint your

new custom cabinets for any kitchen. You can choose from various real wood types, finishes, door styles and storage solutions to create your dream kitchen at your initial consultation, where sample doors are brought in so you can see and feel the quality of the doors and decide upon the services you want to select.

“If you have a special area of your house where you are looking to add a cabinet, a bar area, or something that does not fit the standard-size cabinet boxes, we’re able to custom-build something that will look nice and blend in with the rest of the house,” says Al. “That’s a unique service that we offer.”

Kitchen Tune-Up also offers countertops and backsplashes as an accompanying service to refacing, re-dooring and painting.

Client F. Lopez compliments the service he received in a 5-star Google review.

“I did not like the color and shine from a previous painter. (Kitchen TuneUp) stripped, refinished my current kitchen cabinets, and they came out great. No complaints, and the work was done timely and professionally. The gentleman doing the labor took pride in ensuring everything was neat, clean and looking its best. Communication was also wonderful! Would highly recommend their services.”

Once you select your products and services, the doors are returned for their second confirmation, measurements are taken and the details and goals are finalized. The time-

line from initial consultation to scheduling and ordering to completion averages between five to no more than 30 days.

Kitchen Tune-Up can offer many affordable solutions that full kitchen remodeling companies may not provide. Al and Zein and their technicians are hands-on with their customers, instead of turning them over to some third party.

“We take the customer step-by-step,” Al says. “If there are any issues, we can take care of them immediately. We try to do these services quickly and professionally because everyone is busy, and their time is limited. We know some people have kids and pets. We don’t want to be in their way for too long.”

Visit KitchenTuneUp.com/tampanorth-fl, call (813) 822-5911 or see the ad on page 39.

Trust The Welter Law Office For Your Estate Planning Needs

By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Neighborhood News Correspondent

A native Floridian and a lawyer in private practice for 22 years, Denise A. Wel ter, Esq., is celebrating going out on her own and the first anniversary of her Welter Law Office in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, just north of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel. Denise and her trusted paralegal Tara Ellis deliver top-tier legal services in estate planning, wills, trusts, probate and advanced healthcare directives.

“Tara is a great paralegal,” Denise says. “She is the point person that makes it all happen for me. She came with me when we launched a year ago and all of my clients love her.”

With 17 years as a legal secretary herself, Denise discovered her passion by chance after being let go by her employer of a decade, a turning point she describes as the “best worst thing that ever happened to me.” At the time, she was a busy mom of two young boys married to a firefighter.

She explains, “I only had a two-year degree then, and I had to decide if I would be satisfied with being a legal secretary for the rest of my life. Did I want to get a paralegal certification? I talked to my husband, and we decided I was going to go for it and go back to law school in my 30s. I buckled down and finished the rest of my Bachelor’s and law degrees in five and a half years.”

Denise obtained both her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, majoring in Legal Studies, and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Nova Southeastern University, which is based in Ft. Lauderdale.

A member of the Florida Bar since

her first try. After assisting in another firm’s real estate department, she found her calling in estate planning and probate.

“I found my niche, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” she says.

Emphasizing the importance of wills and trusts, Denise highlights the role of these important legal documents in providing directions to the courts regarding asset distribution.

“I think that anyone at any age with any assets should, at minimum, have a will,” she says. “It tells the judge, ‘Here’s what I want to happen to my stuff when I die. Here’s who’s going to control everything for me, and here’s who’s getting it.’”

When someone passes away with assets solely in their name and without a desig-

through the court probate process before their assets reach their heirs. To bypass probate, Denise advises on the benefits of trust planning, which transfers assets into a trust, creating a separate legal entity that holds and manages them, ensuring a smooth transition to the deceased’s beneficiaries.

“With a trust, because you technically don’t own the asset at your death — the trust owns it — so nothing has

to go through the probate process,” she explains. “Most people do trusts to avoid probate and to protect their assets for their minor children.”

She also notes that when you have a trust, assets can be withheld for families with minor children, so they don’t receive everything at age 18. A trustee can pay their expenses and the distributions can occur later in their life. Leaving assets in a trust also protects those assets from creditors in a future bankruptcy, divorce, etc.

She says that trusts also are critical for families when naming guardians.

“If you (the parents) die, who do you want to raise your kids?,” she asks. “Do you want to pick them, or do you want a judge to pick them?” She asks.

She adds that trust planning serves as a preventive measure against court involvement and the necessity for guardianship in situations involving dementia or other illnesses that render individuals incapable of handling financial decisions.

“It avoids all of the potential pitfalls and still allows the elder to be taken care of by their own finances,” she explains. “Whenever we prepare a plan, typically the individual is the first trustee, but then it says if I cannot serve, whether incapacitated or I died, I appoint this person to be my

See “Welter Law” on pg. 36.

‘Welter Law’

Continued from pg. 34

successor trustee. I recommend having at least two (trustees).”

Denise provides a comprehensive binder to each of her trust clients, encouraging them to document family values, funeral preferences and account passwords, including those for cryptocurrency. She also stresses the significance of having a living will, which outlines preferences in situations of incapacity or terminal conditions.

“Two physicians – your primary and another physician – have determined that your death is imminent,” she says. “If all those things align, you don’t want to be prolonged heroically – including forced hydration and nutrition. You want to be able to pass without being kept alive with feeding tubes and IVs.”

Highlighting an often-overlooked scenario, Denise also suggests that parents of 18-year-olds heading to college should consider having healthcare surrogate designations, living wills, and powers of attorney to navigate potential HIPAA law challenges.

As an example, she shares a chilling, overlooked scenario: when an adult child is hospitalized, their parents are legally unable to get information from the hospital.

“We just went through Covid,” she says. “Your child could have been hospitalized with Covid. You can’t get there, and you can’t get any answers (on the phone).”

portant skills she needs in this field are the ability to listen to what her clients’ want and expect and then putting together what they need for their family dynamic. For convenience, she offers both in-person meetings as well as online appointments throughout Florida for probate and estate planning.

“Clients can also email or call the office,” she says. “My clients have open access to be able to contact us in any way that’s convenient for them.”

Positive reviews, like Emilio H.’s on Google, commend the service provided by the Welter Law Office:

“My wife and I had an exceptional experience. Denise and Tara’s customer service was outstanding, showing a genuine compassion that is truly reassuring with such a sensitive topic. They paid meticulous attention to every detail with preparing our estate planning documents and provided fast, efficient service.”

Denise has much more than the mandatory three-year Florida Bar course requirements. She actively engages in continuous learning — attending seminars, reading, staying informed through Listservs (a Listserv is a way to communicate with a group of people over email. You subscribe to a topic and it’s almost like a newsletter of information) and connecting with fellow attorneys. Each year, Welter she also orders an updated edition of the Florida Statutes. She is a member of the National Associa-

Florida Elder Law Attorneys, The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, Lawyers of Distinction, and Lead Council Verified.

Denise also sends digital follow-ups annually to inform her clients of any law changes and encourages them to review their estate plans every five years or during important life changes.

“The best part of our firm is helping families through sometimes very difficult situations and conversations,” she says. “Nobody likes to talk about death, but we provide peace of mind to clients, knowing their families or children are protected if something happens to them. On the probate side, we help families through sometimes

tragic losses when they’re grieving, and it’s really hard to think clearly. We can help them navigate probate’s waters and simplify that for them.”

When not at her law office Denise says she can be found at the beach with Bob, her high school sweetheart and husband of 40 years, visiting her sons Chris and Eric, playing with her three grand-daughters, Abbey, Amelia, Lillian (who she calls “my heart”), global and domestic traveling, or participating in a marriage communications weekend with United Marriage Encounters.

For more info about the Welter Law Office (2405 Creel Lane, Ste 102), call (850) 462-7509, visit WelterLawOffice.com or see the ad on pg. 5.

Your CBD Store Of New Tampa Keeps Adding New Products!

By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Neighborhood News Correspondent

If you were a customer of the Your CBD Store on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel who was saddened by that store’s closing last year, the same outstanding SunMed products are available at Your CBD Store of New Tampa, located less than a mile south of the Pasco County line in the Pebble Creek Collection on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.

The husband-and-wife team of David Calcador and Debra Curler make you feel immediately at home in their store, which has calming blue-grey walls, greenery through out, comfortable seating and an expansive, open layout. With informational displays and posters and Debra and David’s exceptional customer support and product knowledge, Your CBD Store of New Tampa’s franchise location opened in November 2019 and has thrived through the pandemic, thanks to the dedication of these two local residents.

“When customers come in, we ask them what they know about CBD,” Debra says. “Some are well-educated and we walk the others through the store and introduce and educate them about our product line. We find out what their problems are health-wise. Are they in pain? Are they having problems sleeping? Do they need more energy? We need to know what is happening in their bodies to help direct them to the proper products.”

which are naturally occurring compounds in cannabis that shape aroma, taste, colors and therapeutic benefits, to produce the “entourage effect,” enhancing their impact.

“CBD needs to have both terpenes and flavonoids,” David says. “They bond to receptors in your body. Without those, you won’t have the full benefit of CBD.”

Neither a vape nor a head shop, Your CBD Store New Tampa is a holistic boutique providing USDA organic and carcinogen-free award-winning oral and topical SunMed CBD products for customers and their pets.

At Debra and David’s store, CBD comes in both flavored and flavorless tinctures, oils, pills, gummies, weight-loss products, as well as a skincare line, bath bombs, lotions, massage oils, pain creams and products for dogs and cats.

Unlike marijuana, Your CBD Store offers broad-spectrum CBD products that have zero THC, as well as full-spectrum products with the 0.3 legal limit of THC that contain all cannabinoids (CBD and THC), terpenes, or flavonoids.

With anti-inflammatory and other health effects, flavonoids are plant compounds that give plants their colors and flavors. Flavo-

Debra and David say that they love educating their customers and clear up misinformation about CBD. Their CBD products won’t get you high, aren’t illegal, won’t make you impaired and you don’t need a Medical Cannabis card to purchase them.

Instead, their products help with anxiety, sleep issues, chronic pain and more.

“Our products are all-natural, organic, and non-addictive, Debra says. “You can buy CBD anywhere — a smoke shop or gas station, even on Amazon — but you don’t want to do that because anything you are putting on your body or in your body, you want to make sure it is good quality. You risk getting a synthetic, damaging product that can harm your health.”

David adds, “We’re third-party tested. We have QR codes on everything we sell, and you can bring up each product’s lab report. We guarantee what’s in our products. We have referring doctors who send patients to us because they know the quality is there.”

Store of New Tampa’s products, customers can track each from growth to sale.

“In other words,” David says. “We follow our products from soil to oil.”

New Products

Debra and David are enthusiastic about their store’s newest products, some of which have been enhanced with more CBD — like their SunMed topical cream, which is now available in 4,000-milligram strength — while others are brand new.

“Our topical cream is amazing for isolated pain,” Debra says. “I had a knee replacement years ago, and I had not been able to walk long distances. The product came out in December, and my husband and I were going Christmas shopping, and I could walk the entire mall. It’s been selling off the shelves left and right. We’ve always had 1,000- and 2,000-milligram strengths since we opened, but the 4,000 milligrams is amazing.”

Debra also recommends Neuro, a watersoluble CBD, for pain management. While the store’s original daily oil tincture takes time to work, based on your metabolism and weight, the as-needed, water-soluble CBD effects of Neuro are felt more quickly.

“You take the dropper of Neuro and put it in a Dixie cup size of water and drink it,” she says. “It goes into your body within 10 minutes, comes in 900- and 1,800-milligram strengths, and is also in a gummy form. People love it. I have a lady who comes in weekly and buys two jars. It helps with aches and pains throughout the body.”

The Delta Effect

Your CBD Store of New Tampa also sells both “Above” (with Delta 8 THC) and “Beyond” (with Delta 9 THC) by SunMed.

Recently, Delta products have come under fire from the state legislature, with both houses of the Florida legislature trying to possibly ban them or at least severely reduce the THC in these products statewide.

(from the current legal limit of 0.3%) is still a possibility in the future. Feel free to stop into Your CBD Store of New Tampa to keep up with the latest news, as David and Debra continue to monitor the situation.

“The problem is that the products the legislature really wants to ban are the synthetic Delta products,” Debra says. “They also want to reduce the legal amount of THC from 0.3% to a lower amount in all CBD products. Additional concerns are the labeling/packaging of these products, but SunMed has met all of the FDA’s package requirements.”

She adds, “Our products with THC are all natural and are strictly regulated by our suppliers. There is nothing synthetic in our products. Banning all Delta products wouldn’t just hurt us in the CBD business. It would devastate the growers through out Florida and damage the state’s economy. Our customers receive relief from our products, which have changed the quality of many lives.”

As some prescriptions do conflict with CBD, Debra suggests that if you are taking medications, you should speak with your physician before starting a CBD regimen.

“We can print out the lab report to give to your doctor,” David says.

For pet parents, beyond their regular CBD pet treats, chews and tinctures for health and anxiety, Debra recommends another new product — Broad Spectrum Allergy Aid CBD Pet

Debra and David are proud of their store’s Google reviews, which average a 4.9 stars out of 5, based on 170+ reviews.

“If you look at our reviews,” Debra says, “you’ll see people love the products and that they’re changing lives.”

The results of using these CBD products can be transformative, as R. Langelier attests in a 5-star Google review:

“My wife was never a strong believer in CBD helping. But, because her anxiety had gotten worse, and her prescription was no longer doing the trick, on a whim, we came in…. The product itself works so well and so

give 5 stars when they deserve so much more.”

Your CBD Store of New Tampa is located at 19651 BBD Blvd., Suite B-1. It is open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and 1 p.m.– 5 p.m. on Sun. If you’re age 55 or older, find out how to save 20% off. your purchase. The store also offers a bonus points system that customers can accrue for discounts and free products. Free local delivery or free shipping are available for orders over $100. For more information, call (813) 994-0599, visit GetSunMed.com or see the ad on pg. 47 of this issue.

AgeRejuvenation — Hormones Are The Key To Weight Loss & Better Health

By Deborah Bostock-Kelley Neighborhood News Correspondent

With the tagline “Aging Redefined,” AgeRejuvenation — a medical wellness clinic located in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza on S.R. 56 at Bruce B.Downs (BBD) Blvd. — is changing people’s perceptions of what happens as they age. In 2007, founder Brett Markowitz says he saw a gap in regenerative and anti-aging medicine. By looking deeper into why his clients felt the way they did, he created a unique clinic that continues to address the root causes of aging and weight gain while providing a personalized solution for each patient.

And now, with locations in Brandon, South Tampa, Winter Park, and soon, Winter Garden, Markowitz says that AgeRejuvenation uses the best services available to enhance the quality of its patients’ lives.

“My vision for the company was to connect with patients who weren’t getting answers from medical providers in private health care because they were limited on how they could help somebody due to insurance limitations,” Markowitz says. “If you went in for a rash but also wanted to talk about hot flashes, they’d want you to make another appointment. When I started AgeRejuvenation, it was to help identify where we saw patients struggling. Back when I was a personal trainer, I worked with patients on dieting and exercise, but (many of them) still wouldn’t lose weight.”

Markowitz says that one of his personal training clients, who has now been part of his AgeRejuvenation team for the last 17 years, Dr. Johanna deVryer, recommended looking into the thyroid gland and menopause as the culprits. From that idea, a long-term relationship and AgeRejuvenation were born.

“A lot of people identify that they are overweight, but they don’t know what to do,” Markowitz says. “Their metabolisms are slow because their bodies have begun shutting down as they age. When you are in your 20s, your hormones are at their peak. Your body

is specific to (each of) their bodies.”

and your immune system are strong.”

He adds the following analogy: “When you’re in your 20s, you’re much like a shiny red Ferrari on the lot. As you drive along, you are still a Ferrari, but what’s happened is that you’ve put some dings and dents on the car, and your tank of gas has been depleted. This is similar to what happens to your hormones. At AgeRejuvenation, we are just replenishing the ‘gas’ your body has lost over time.”

Under the guidance of chief medical officer Dr. Dawn Ericsson, AgeRejuvenation offers several options to combat weight gain, including appetite suppressants, semaglutide, or Tirzepatide injections that regulate appetite and blood sugar. Each patient receives a customized weight-loss program based on his or her body composition, metabolism and lifestyle. Patients also receive nutritional counseling, supplements and vitamin injections.

“We really aren’t a miracle solution,” Markowitz says. “But, we have achieved some remarkable results utilizing a combination of lab work and understanding each patient’s symptoms and goals. In order to achieve great results, however, the patients have to be responsible for following through. Weight-loss medications

aren’t magic. They still require people to eat healthy and make good decisions.”

Markowitz explains that, according to Dr. Ericsson, one in three females has a sluggish thyroid, and typically if they’ve had one to two children, it becomes one out of two. In fact, he says, menopause symptoms, usually seen between the ages of 45-50, have cases in women as young as 35.

Female patients going through menopause who come into AgeRejuvenation are often on Wellbutrin, Paxil or other medications that are intended to treat depression, anxiety and other emotional disorders.

“That’s how those doctors know how to treat it,” Markowitz says. ”They don’t know how to look at the hormones and say, ‘Oh, you’re not feeling well because your hormones are imbalanced.’ They’re just saying, ‘Yup, you’re depressed. Here’s an antidepressant medication.’ When your hormones are out of balance and you don’t feel right, you absolutely are depressed because who feels good when they’re sick?”

In addition to impeding your ability to lose weight and keep it off, Dr. Ericsson says that imbalanced or depleted hormones also affect energy, quality of sleep, cognitive thinking, risk of osteoporosis and sexual function, among others.

“We are addressing the main cause in so many of these cases — hormonal imbalances,” Markowitz says. “We don’t just Band-Aid the situation. Every person is looked at on an individual basis. While we do run specific lab tests, we also base how we proceed on your particular symptoms. We’re looking at why you are going through this, what is happening in your body, and how can we help you maintain a better quality of life long-term. There’s a difference between living longer and having a better quality of life. Who wants to be 80 and not active? We want to be treating people to be more responsible for their own health. Giving them the data enables our patients to understand what

Markowitz also notes that AgeRejuvenation provides a customized guide to treat each patient, based on extensive testing of their blood, hormones, thyroid, food sensitivities, heavy metals in their systems, genetics and micronutrient absorption. The office constantly monitors and evaluates each patient’s progress.

“It would take the average patient we see two years to do the bloodwork we do on Day One,” Markowitz says. “They come to us for a solution, and that’s what we always strive to provide. You don’t have to wait weeks to see us. In many cases, we can get you in the same day for a free evaluation. As Dr. Ericsson says, how we age is defined by our hormones. In our program, while you’re coming to us for weight loss, we want to be the next element in the program so that you can sustain long-term weight loss. That is achieved through balancing hormones and optimizing of the thyroid.”

Dr. Ericsson earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in History of Science & Medicine from Yale University in New Haven, CT, and her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook Health Sciences Center. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ, where she was the program’s first-ever female African American graduate. She also has experience as a Pharmacy Technician and as a Medical Diagnostics Market Research Analyst.

Of more than 500 Google reviews, AgeRejuvenation has a 4.9 stars out of 5 overall rating, with hundreds of glowing reviews from patients like Marina Edwards, who says, “I’ve lost 32 lb. in 5 months on the weight loss program. AgeRejuvenation’s nutritionist Terry is amazing. She was encouraging and never made me feel guilty for my little slips. I also feel great on the hormone replacement therapy treatments. Good- bye, hot flashes!”

Treating DisordersPost-Traumatic & Injuries, Too

Markowitz says he is excited about the clinic’s new post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) program, serving as a medical partner to the Spookstock Foundation & Operator Relief Fund (ORF). These two foundations are a national nonprofit created to help “shadow warriors” — elite military and intelligence operatives suffering from PTSIs after fighting in U.S.-led wars after 9/11.

He says the PTSD/PTSI program is led by PTSI medical director Dr. Michael Meighen, whose philosophy is treating PTSD as an injury, not a disorder, because injuries can be healed.

See “AgeRejuvenation” on pg. 44

Dr. Meighen utilizes a treatment known as Dual Stellate Ganglion Block (DSGB) injections on overactive sympathetic nervous systems, which have been shown to relieve often debilitating symptoms of panic attacks, depression, irritability, stress, sexual dysfunction, insomnia and substance abuse associated with PTSIs that often cause long-term health concerns.

“We don’t want patients to think

post-traumatic stress is a disorder,” Markowitz says. “Dr. Meighen wants to empower them that what they are suffering from is an injury. We don’t treat the mental health aspect but DSGB injections have helped people who have suffered with prolonged ‘fight or flight’ response. Dr. Meighen says that when a person is under severe stress for a long time, their body has a breakdown. They’re depleting their hormones faster because their immune system is getting weaker. We’re treating several former military members who are returning after 15 to 20 years of suffering with PTSIs and we have had great success doing our process with them. It’s been really amazing.”

his M.D. degree from the University of Cincinnati, OH, with a goal of working in the orthopedic and musculoskeletal field. He then completed his Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residency at Carolinas Medical Center/Charlotte Rehabilitation in Charlotte, NC, and completed a fellowship in sports, spine and occupational rehabilitation medicine under the tutelage of James Atchison, DO., at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

AgeRejuvenation also utilizes hormone therapies to treat male patients for low testosterone, erectile dysfunc-

restore lost hair. Peptide treatments, such as stem cell therapies, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) production and immune support, also are available.

In addition, aesthetic treatments, such as Botox, dermal fillers, RF (radio frequency) skin tightening and more round out the huge variety of available services at AgeRejuvenation.

The Wesley Chapel AgeRejuvenation office is located at 1940 BBD Blvd., Wesley Chapel. For more information, call (813) 558-9500, visit AgeRejuvenation.com or see the ad on pg. 47.

(Left) Two before-&-after examples of how AgeRejuvenation is changing people’s lives by helping them get their hormones in balance. (Photos provided by AgeRejuvenation) (Above right) AgeRejuvenation’s chief medical officer Dr. Dawn Ericsson & advanced practice registered nurse Rachael Wright at AgeRejuvenation’s Wesley Chapel office.

So, Who Won All The Prizes In Our ‘Big Game Squares’ Contest?

So, after the contest was posted in one Wesley Chapel and two New Tampa issues, we were excited that 196 people entered — 195 successfully — our “Big Game Squares” contest, which meant that we had plenty of excitement, as two 100-square grids were nearly completely filled. I put an “X” through three squares in one grid and two squares in the other and hoped that those squares would not end up winning any prizes because I had no contingency plan if the score at the end of the game fell on one of those X-ed out squares. If that 2.5% possibility (5 of 200) happened in an earlier quarter, I planned to just roll the prize for that quarter over into the next one.

Obviously, this year’s “Big Game” was super-exciting, as the Taylor Swift, er, I mean Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs erased a 10-3 halftime deficit to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime. But, based on the response we got from some of the contestants who didn’t actually win anything, just having a free square made watching the game more palatable — I mean exciting.

So, here’s how it went. We had a total of eight prizes available — two $25 gift cards (one per 100-square grid) to the restaurant of the winner’s choice for having the correct last digits at the end of both the first quarter and third quarter; two $50 gift cards for the correct halftime digits; and $100 apiece for each of the entrants who had the correct score at the end of the game. Since the score at the end of the 1st half and the 3rd quarter both had second

Jim Headley shows off the $100 PopStroke gift card he won in our “Big Game Squares” contest!

digits of KC 3, SF 0, we ended up having two winners who won $75 in gift cards apiece.

The two Grand Prize winners were Carrie Frump of Easton Park — who teaches at Benito Middle School and grabbed a $100 gift card to the historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City — and Meadow Pointe resident Jim Headley (photo), who took a PopStroke gift card. Also already claiming his prize was $75 winner John Sousa of Lake Jovita (who also teaches at Cypress Creek High). Sousa received a $75 gift card to Bonefish Grill. And, fellow $75 winner Pamela Smith of Meadow Pointe asked for Señor Tequila. First-quarter winner Maggie Rich of West Meadows received $25 to Taste of New York Pizza.

That means the only unclaimed prize is $25 gift card winner Daniela Quintana of Heritage Isles. Thanks to everyone who entered & congrats to this year’s winners!— GN

Rock & Brews Introduces Its New Lunch Menu & Brings Back Live Music!

By GARY NAGER

Photos by Charmaine George

Like many of you, when Rock & Brews opened to big crowds of people on S.R. 56 in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets in Oct. 2020 — as things began re-opening after the Covid-19 pandemic hit — I was excited to have not only a new restaurant that wasn’t part of a giant chain but also a new live music venue.

Well, more than three years later, the 23-unit (seven of which are owned by local franchisee Scott Paul) mini-chain that started in California in 2012 — inspired, co-founded and owned in part by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of the ‘70s rock group KISS — continues to add new menu items, especially for lunch, and has brought back live music on Friday nights.

General manager Kareem Nelson says that the new “VIP Early Access” lunch menu (which is available from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every day), which was just rolled out a few days before this issue went to press, has already been well-received by his customers — and for good reason.

Among those new lunch items are the “Islands in the Sun” shrimp tacos (which of course, I can’t eat, but Jannah and photographer Charmaine George agreed that they were only slightly spicy and delicious), with a sriracha-based sauce and mango salsa; personal-sized margherita and pepperoni pizzas; a BBQ trio special (1/3 rack of signature baby back ribs with a unique mustard BBQ sauce, grilled BBQ wings & smoked pulled pork); and my favorite — the birria beef dip sandwich, which is slow-cooked birria beef served on an artisan ciabatta roll with mayo, Chihuahua cheese, thin-sliced yellow onions and flash-fried jalapeños, with a side of birria consommé dipping sauce. The birria is spot-on tender and the consommé has a flavor all its own.

Other new $12 lunch menu items include a huge, shareable tray of BBQ pork nachos with mixed cheeses, pico de gallo, primo queso, lime crema, fresh jalapeños and chopped cilantro, “Buffalo Springfield” chicken tacos, roasted cream chicken and mojo pulled pork bowls, “Sweet Heat” fried chicken and cedar plank salmon served with a sweet & smoky BBQ sauce, rockin’ rice and fresh broccoli.

Kareem says the best-selling lunch menu items, however, are the blackened shrimp Strawberry Fields salad, with baby greens, strawberries, avocadoes, cucumbers, red onions, candied walnuts, feta cheese and lemon pepper vinaigrette — and the new smash burger. “But, everything we make is from scratch,” he says. “Our customers really seem to appreciate that.”

For dessert, there’s a new S’mores Dip, which is enough for at least 3-4 people. Kareem

crackers to dip. It’s so decadent that it’s hard to stop at just one or two graham crackers each (we didn’t), but it was hard to walk out of there after we all wolfed it all down.

For those who have the ability to day drink, there also are some new drink specials on the VIP Early Access menu, including a very tasty Bourbon Street amaretto sour, with Benchmark single barrel bourbon, Amaretto DiSaronno, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and aquafaba. There’s also a smoked Rock ‘N Roll Old Fashioned made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, simple syrup, Angostura bitters, Amarena Toschi Italian black cherries and orange peel.

You gin lovers have two new options — the Pink 75 made with Beefeater gin, St. Ger main elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and prosecco (Jannah got it made with Tito’s vodka instead and loved it), and the Bee’s G’s Knees, which is made with Beefeater, blackberries, blueberries, basil, wild berry purée, honey simple syrup, lemon juice and aquafaba. The Bee’s G’s Knees is served topped with a cool-looking heated bubble that releases smoke when it pops. There also are two new mules, a new mojito and much more.

The Return Of Live Music

live bands on Friday nights to the restaurant.

“Our bands know that this isn’t a concert hall,” Kareem says. “They’re mainly background noise. We want you to still be able to have a conversation at your table when they’re playing.”

Check the Rock & Brews Facebook page to see what bands are playing on upcoming Friday nights.

In addition to the live music schedule,

shrimp tacos (left), the personal margherita pizza (bottom pic on next page) and the S’mores Dip dessert (top right of next page).

more customers, including “concert” events where all the videos playing will be of a certain artist’s music, “and we’ll have special drink and food menus to go with the music. We had very successful Tom Petty and KISS ‘concerts’ here. Our next one is a Queen ‘concert’ on Saturday, April 6. For special events like these, we make the entire restaurant feel like a concert hall, so people who never got to see Freddie Mercury can almost feel like they’re experiencing him live.”

Rock & Brews (26000 S.R. 56 W., Lutz) is open Mon.-Thur., 11 a.m.-11 p.m., 11 a.m.-midnight on Fri. & Sat. & 10 a.m.10:30 p.m. on Sun. For info, call (813) 8007625, visit RockandBrews.com, or see the ad on pg. 51 for some great lunch special deals.

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Don

HOURS:

Don

HOURS: Sun-Thu: 10 am-9 pm

Fri-Sat: 10 am-10 pm

Persis Grill — Wesley Chapel’s First Indian Eatery Is A Delicious One!

As much as I love doing the dining reviews for my publications, I’m sure you long-time readers are aware that Indian food has always been something of a hit-or-miss proposition for my taste.

So, when I heard that Persis Indian Grill was moving into the space previously occupied by Omnivorous (adjacent to Double Branch Brewing) in The Grove, I didn’t know what to expect.

Well, rest assured that the first authentic Indian restaurant to open in Wesley Chapel (outside of the clubhouse at Anand Vihar in Meadow Pointe) is an upscale (yet still casual and affordable) restaurant which offers a huge menu of favorites from what seems to be every region of the Indian subcontinent.

The owner, who goes by Harry, admits that he has never owned a restaurant before but I have to say that his recipes, handed down from not only his own family, but also the family recipes of his chef and many of his employees, are as good as any Indian cuisine I’ve sampled, which includes at least a half-dozen places located in New Tampa.

I basically always try the menu items that I’m more likely

to enjoy on my first visit, which in the case of Persis, was the day before this issue went to press, less than two weeks after the new restaurant first opened.

And, I’m happy to report that the butter naan bread at Persis (not pictured) has a delicious grilled flavor and just the right amount of butter. Harry suggested that I try the garlic naan on my next visit, “because it adds a dif ferent flavor when you eat it along with our other food.”

I also had to try two of my other usual favorites — the Tandoori lamb chops (top photo) and the Indo Chinese style chicken fried rice (bottom photo), both of which were outstanding.

The sizzling lamb chops were tender and not over-seasoned and the fried rice had delicious chunks of chicken, as well as tasty veggies, egg and spices. I planned to bring most of both items home, but I brought home a lot less fried rice than I planned because I couldn’t stop taking additional bites.

Harry says he has applied for a beer and wine license but alcohol is not currently being served at Persis. Even so, great job, Harry & crew!

Persis Indian Grill (5956

Monday for lunch and dinner. For more info, visit PersisWesleyChapel.com or call (813) 388-2245. — GN

Without any warning or prior notice, the three corporate-owned Capital Tacos locations, including the one on S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, abruptly closed at the end of February.

The only Capital Tacos franchise location we know of that is open is at 10700 S.R. 54, in the Trinity area of New Port Richey. For more info, call (727)645-6521.

In other news, the new Starbucks Coffee on S.R. 54 (next to Brooklyn Water Bagel; see ad on pg. 48)) in The Grove has opened. For my money, BWB has much better coffee! — GN

Tasty Namaste Express Is Now Open In New Tampa

Although we didn’t even find out about it until after we went to press with our Feb. 6 New Tampa issue, Oishi Express, a decent fast-casual Japanese place, lasted only about a year in the spot at 17503 Preserve Walk Ln. in Highwoods Preserve — between Taste of New York Pizza and Lapels Cleaners (behind EggTown) — the new fast-casual Namaste Express (or XP) has already replaced Oishi.

I’ve only visited twice since Namaste opened, but the new eatery can be summed up pretty easily — it’s a small place with a huge and what so far seems to be a very tasty menu.

On my first visit, I enjoyed the chicken stir-fry bowl (left), which had just a hint of spice, with lots of chunks of chicken and clearly fresh vegetables. The savory sauce tasted like a completely unexpected cross between the curry flavors so prevalent in Indian cooking with a nod to Szechuan Chinese cuisine.

I told the chef (I sadly forgot his name) that I would be back to try his chicken biryani (bottom right), the delicious-sounding Apollo fish (a fish filet tossed with ginger, garlic and a spicy sauce, which is specialty of Hyderabad) and the marinated, fried (but not breaded, because they’re gluten-free) chicken lollipops shown here (top right).

Namaste has menu options from every region in India and even offers a unique “Grab & Go” menu that the restaurant’s website says is “me ticulously crafted through cuttingedge flash chilling processes.” It definitely sounds unique.

Although there is clearly a sizable Indian population in New Tampa, considering how many Indi an restaurants there already are in zip code 33647 — including Saffron, Minerva, Raaga, Dosa Hut, BangBang! Bowls and the café inside the Taaza Mart (as well as the Nepalese Gorkhali Kitchen, which also offers Indian specialties) — we hope that Namaste Express will be able to find its footing in what has so far proven to be a difficult location.

For more information, call (813)866-1300 or visit Namast eXP.com. — GN

Qdoba Mexican Eats On BBD In New Tampa Cuts A Ribbon!

Congratulations to franchise owners Mike and Liz Montante (top right photo) of the new Qdoba Mexican Eats, located in the same plaza in Highwoods Preserve as Namaste (at 17509 Preserve Walk Ln.). The Montantes celebrated the opening of their second Qdoba (the other is in Brandon), the fast-casual Mexican eatery, in the former location Moe’s Southwest Grill on March 6.

“It’s been a long struggle, but we’re finally here,” Liz said at the fun Grand Opening event, which featured a North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC) ribbon cutting, a prize wheel attendees got to spin if they scanned the Qdoba QR code at the restaurant and signed up for email or text alerts. Among the prizes was a year of free Qdoba eats.

At least 50 people attended the opening event and most of those at tendees purchased a freshly made, custom-designed bowl, burrito or taco and everyone seemed to enjoy the food.

“We’re excited to be open and for the local community to check out not only the quality of our food but also our friendly atmosphere,” Liz said.

For more information about the New Tampa location of Qdoba Mexican Eats, call (813) 761-0005 or visit Qdoba.com to check out the menu online. — GN

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