Wesley Chapel
Wesley ChapelMAGAZINE
Joining The Center January 1, 2024
Find top-rated, compassionate health care close to home.
You can count on getting comprehensive, compassionate care at BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel. From primary care and imaging to advanced surgical services and state-of-the-art emergency care, it’s all right here. As part of BayCare’s extensive network, we give patients and their families expert care when they need it most.
Learn more: BayCare.org/WesleyChapel
JULY 19 – AUGUST 3
Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants, and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
Created by Stephen Hillenburg.
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
Based on the series by STEPHEN HILLENBURG Book by KYLE JARROW
Musical Production
Conceived by TINA LANDAU
Original Songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady A., Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I. And Songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny & Andy Paley
Additional Lyrics by Jonathan Coulton Additional Music by Tom Kitt
Nonprofit Networking with a Side of Donations: New Tampa Rotary Gives Back
Part face-to-face nonprofit networking, part donation celebration—the annual Give Back Breakfast hosted by the Rotary Club of New Tampa packed the room. This year, the club hosted local and global nonprofits giving away $61,809 from its foundation annual fund.
“What’s significant is the number of collaborations and relationships built between the nonprofits during and after breakfast,” said Ken Guidera, 2023-24 club president. “Each nonprofit has a few minutes to explain what they do and how they plan to use the donation. That creates ideas. I heard the folks from Kennedy Cares making plans to meet later with OASIS Opportunities. These community leaders don’t often have the chance to meet like this.”
New Tampa Rotarians have supported OASIS Opportunities since three moms founded it in 2001. “New clothes and school supplies equals dignity,” said Dawn Shulman, OASIS executive director. Last year 60 to 65 percent of Hillsborough County Public School students were economically disadvantaged. This year it is 87 percent.
“Today's donation goes to help our Pop-up Shop which is our newest program. The mobile clothes closet makes sure that our high school students have all the clothing and the hygiene items they need to fit in with their peers, meet dress code, get to school every day and fully engage in their learning. We all know getting an education and that diploma is a kiddo's passport to choices in their life,” Shulman said.
The New Tampa Family YMCA is also addressing the increase in economically disadvantaged youth.
“All the money we raise for our YMCA each year goes back into the community as part of our Open Doors Program,” said Ryan Pratt, executive director. “We provide financial assistance to those in the community that may be in financial distress. About 35 percent of our members are on some sort of financial assistance. No one would know that when they come into our facility. The kids can participate in swim lessons, sports and summer camp. Parents can have a family membership taking care of their health and wellness while we watch their kids.”
Denny Locasio, owner of Impact Fitness, joined the Rotary Club of New Tampa After Hours Satellite group to give back to his community. His Heroes Adapt Foundation is using its donation to buy home cardio workout equipment for two veterans.
“This equipment is built for their wheelchairs so they can fit into it. That's the big thing. They can keep themselves healthy without
needing assistance from other people,” he said. Locasio trained in exercise science at USF and worked with the athletic department at USF. “Working with athletes, I've been around a lot of injuries. I’m transferring that learning to veterans. Working around their injuries and some of their limitations.”
The complete list of Rotary Club of New Tampa nonprofit partners who received donations during the 2023-24 Rotary year.
Cleft Lip and Palate Vocational Training Teams in Peru-Rotary Club of Venice-Nokomis (Global Grant)
Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
Evolve School of Learning
Fisher House
Ghana Service Projects-USF Rotaract
H20 for Life Burkina Faso Water Projects-White Bear Lake, MN
Rotary Club (Global Grant)
Helping Hands Food Pantry
Heroes Adapt
Hillsborough Literacy Council
Hurricane Idalia Disaster Relief-Rotary District 6890
Kennedy Cares Tampa Bay
Makumbi Orphanage-c/o Rotary Club of Harare Central
Maui Fire Disaster Relief-Rotary District 5000 Hawaii
Mission Smiles
New Tampa YMCA
OASIS Opportunities.
Pioneer Medical Foundation
Polio Plus-The Rotary Foundation
Project Dynamo
Rotary Camp Florida
Seminar 4 Tomorrow’s Leaders
Stay in Step Rehabilitation
Teen Impact
The Joshua House
The Rotary Foundation
USF Rotaract
CONTACT: Karen Mess Frashier, APR, Fellow PRSA
Rotary Club of New Tampa Communication Officer
kmf@AdvocateMarketingPR.com
M-813-375-2663
Supercharge Summer Fun with a Sweet, Simple Salsa
After a full day at the park or swimming pool, summer fun calls for some refueling. All that sun is sure to exhaust busy families, leaving little time for complicated snacks. Skip the long ingredients lists and leave confusing cooking instructions behind. Instead, treat your loved ones to this Roasted Sweetpotato Mango Salsa, an easy-to-prepare solution for those busy afternoons.
The natural sweetness of cubed sweetpotatoes (no added sugar required) and mango collide with the delightful crunch of diced bell peppers, onion and jalapeno. Combined with fresh-squeezed orange, lemon and lime juices, it’s equal parts flavor and refreshment served with your favorite chips or crackers.
With complex carbohydrates that provide sustained energy, sweetpotatoes help with both endurance and recovery in athletes,
making them a perfect ingredient for reenergizing your family. This nutrition powerhouse is versatile and available year-round so you can enjoy them throughout the summer as part of favorite snacks, weeknight meals or even Saturday morning pancakes.
Pairing them with the more than 20 vitamins and minerals from mangos, which are fat free, sodium free and cholesterol free, makes this salsa a better-for-you snacking solution.
The versatility of sweetpotatoes makes it a cinch to add them to a variety of recipes to enhance flavor and nutrition content, from simple salsas and small bites to elevated recipes and beyond. Plus, they can be baked, microwaved, grilled, slow-cooked or prepared on the stove as a perfect summer sidekick.
Visit ncsweetpotatoes.com to find more recipes that are sure to become summer family favorites. (Family Features)
Roasted Sweetpotato Mango Salsa
Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission Servings: 12
1 1/2 cups (2 medium) sweetpotatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mango
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 cup purple onion
1 jalapeno
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice chips or crackers
Heat oven to 400 F.
Peel, rinse and cube sweetpotatoes 1/4 inch or smaller. Toss sweetpotatoes with salt, pepper, chili powder and olive oil.
Spread on baking sheet and roast 20 minutes.
Peel and cube mango. Seed and cube bell peppers. Dice onion. Seed and dice jalapeno. Finely chop cilantro.
Once sweetpotatoes cool, mix with mango, peppers, onion and jalapeno. Cover with fresh-squeezed orange, lemon and lime juices.
Chill and serve with chips or crackers.
GET READY
HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE
Hurricane season started June 1st. Put your hurricane preparation plan together now! This way you can minimize issues during and after the storm.
An important first step is to walk around your house, lanai, porch and landscape. Identify what can become flying objects in strong winds. Think about flowerpots, bird feeders, lawn furniture, plant hangers, garden hoses, metal yard art and much more.
The second step can be to implement your ‘relocation’ strategy. What items can be relocated to your garage, storage shed, inside your home or possibly under or behind shrubs near your house? If you have potted plants on your front porch, you could lay them down horizontally behind the shrubs close to the house. If you stand the pots upright, they will fill with rainwater
that, over a few days, could damage the plant. Now that you have identified what can be moved, start the relocation process. It may well take more time than you anticipate, so starting sooner than later is better.
Purchasing materials you need to protect your home is the third step. If you have several doors on your lanai, consider purchasing large sections of heavy-duty plastic and bags of mulch to absorb rainwater. Duct tape the heavy-duty plastic to your sliding glass and other doors leaving space if there is a drain by the doors. You do not want to cover the drain. Place the bags of mulch on top of the plastic. Even though the mulch is in a bag, it can absorb rainwater. If you have a drain between the screened lanai and covered area, stack bags of mulch on the house side of the drain. The benefit of using
bags of mulch versus sandbags is that you can reuse the mulch in your landscape beds after hurricane season.
Another important detail is to remove dead trees and branches. If you are not able to do that yourself, hire an arborist to evaluate the situation and make recommendations. Safety first!
If you have a debris pile, put the yard waste in garbage cans for weekly pick-up. Act now so your landscape debris is not at the end of your driveway when high winds arrive. A pile of debris can also end up in the stormwater drain, which can become clogged. Keep an eye on the water level in your swimming pool. If the water level is above the recommended level, drain water to the recommended level. Be safe!
North Tampa Bay Senior Softball
North Tampa Bay Senior Softball (NTSBB) League was established eleven years ago by the late Walt Bockmiller. The league invites men over 60 and women over 50 to come and play in the spirit of fun, friendship, fitness, and sportsmanship. The season starts in September and runs through May with games played on Friday mornings at Heritage Park on US 41 in Land o’ Lakes. Additionally, we practice every Tuesday morning at Collier Recreation Center, Field #10, on Collier Pkwy at 8:00AM.
Our league started back in 2010 with nine individuals and has grown to an eight team and over 110 members starting our thirteenth year. Currently for the 2024/2025 season eight teams will play 32 games, September to June. We also practice two times a week, June, July and August where new players through invitational tryouts are added every year. Membership is very diverse and a total class sisterhood, brotherhood league. Our main focus is to continue to grow the league. We play at the Collier Complex and Heritage park in Land ‘O Lakes.
Our website is: www.ntbss.net
Regards Walter Bruschi Commissioner 330 701 0646
HOROSCOPES
Aluna's Zodiac
By Aluna Michaels
Cancer (June 21 – July 22) – Happy birthday Cancer! The New and Full Moons increase your confidence. You can also confront negative inner voices that bum you out! Make it your spiritual practice to cultivate self-compassion. Rather than becoming “wimpy”, you’ll feel a deep security that comforts and empowers you! Surround yourself with friends who have positive thinking. You might even find a “gratitude partner” to keep your new energy going. Watch out for power games in relationships. You don’t need that junk!
Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) – Be honest with yourself about lifestyle and eating habits. Be kind to your body with healthy food choices, adequate rest and stress reduction (yoga, deep breathing, meditation). These new habits can easily become a steady part of your daily routine, so get started now! You can start a relationship where you enjoy the same music, art and humor. Also, working with affirmations yields great results if you’re consistent with that practice.
Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) – There’s so many great people to be with, so be willing to let go of situations burdened with ongoing power struggles, passive-aggression, or general meanness! Don’t ry to convince people you’re awesome, just be with the ones you don’t have to “win over”. Work with affirmations in your meditation, or even a self-hypnosis program while you sleep. You can pull up the roots of negative self-image at this time!
Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) – You can have a major promotion at work, or a high paying new job! Strive for a healthy work/life balance. You can also have physical and mental health breakthroughs you’ve been
JULY 2024
seeking for months, or even years! These issues can have deep-seated roots from childhood, or even generations back in your ancestry. This new internal empowerment helps you have better relationships, be they romantic or “merely” social connections. You’ll feel included and appreciated!
Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) – Work with negative thinking during meditation time this month. The New and Full Moons put light on poopy patterns, and also clues to heal mental self-torment! Even though you’re private, open up to your partner and trusted friends about these struggles. The input you receive will provide amazing turning points. Let yourself open to the love that surrounds you! Sexy Mars also gives added passion to your love life.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) – It’s fun to meet new people and start cool hobbies, but use this time to cultivate closer connections with people you already trust. Siblings, family members and long-time friends want some of your good energy! If you’re in a fairly new relationship, you’ll be bonding more deeply. Observe anxiety or restlessness when the closeness heats up. Intimacy won’t trap you, but it does challenge you to look inside yourself more deeply. You’ll also have financial breakthroughs by being honest about your budget and spending habits.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 –Jan. 19) – The New and Full Moons this month strengthen communication in relationships. You’ll be able to tackle difficult issues with grace. Mostly, you’ll feel appreciative and loving. Having healthy conflict resolution is sexy and builds fanatic emotional and physical intimacy! Mars gives you the enthusiasm to take good care of yourself. You can
start a new exercise program. You’ll be inspired to eat well. Praise your body for being awesome!
Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) – You can start a new relationship with someone super sexy, and who’s also thoughtful and sweet! If already partnered, you’ll have a love renaissance together. Also, caring for your body will have wonderful effects on your mood! Healthy food choices, fun exercise and meditation time will perk up your spirits. If you’re having issues with someone, pay attention to your dreams for ingenious clues about how to solve the problems.
Pisces (Feb. 19 –March 20) – Keep centered in your spiritual growth, since that’s how you feel solid and confident in your identity. Meditation and yoga are spiritual, but so are expressing yourself authentically with art, dance, clear communication and taking action toward your goals! Surround yourself with people who celebrate you being you! Minimize situations where you have to hide your interests, talents and natural self. You’ll also feel healthier, both mentally and physically. You can even attract more money!
Aries (March 21 –April 19) — Instead of being emotionally reactive, follow intuitive guidance from meditations or dreams. Your subconscious gives you insights you can’t see when you’re impatient. Work issues can be solved this way as well. Even taking a few deep breaths can give space for a new idea to slip into your mind. Observe your tendency
to be drawn to people with lots of trauma and conflict. Explore how sexy it can be not to fight so much or not constantly put out someone else’s fires!
Taurus (April 20 – May 20) – The New and Full Moons want you to connect with old friends. Surround yourself with people who appreciate you, and with whom there’s a good balance of giving and receiving. Prioritize meditation time. Tuning into your heart each day is a gift you give yourself, and you deserve it! You nurture other people so often and so well, and you’ve got to put yourself at the top of the list. Also, Mars changes signs and can bring breakthroughs around money!
Gemini (May 21 –June 20) – Mars is in your sign, bringing enthusiasm and energy! You can start work projects or attract a spicy new relationship! You can dedicate yourself to a exercise or strength training routine. Career opportunities that you’ve been striving for come your way, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised about the money that’s offered! You’ll also feel happy in general. Take advantage of social invitations. It’s also a great time to do any creative writing. Short day trips will be super fun too!
Aluna Michaels is a second-generation astrologer. She also holds a Masters in Spiritual Counseling and has been teaching and consulting for more than three decades. Her book “Spiritual Gifts of the 12 Astrological Signs” is now on Amazon in Kindle version and as an E-book on her website. Aluna is available for appointments in her home, by phone or Zoom. Call (727) 239-7179 (landline, so no texting!) or call/text (248) 583-1663 or visit www. alunamichaels.com