Lutz/Land O' Lakes/Odessa - Vol. 4, Issue 12, December 2013

The Business & Dining Magazine Directly Mailed To 20,000 Homes In Odessa, Lutz & Land O’ Lakes AreasThis Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To:

Ashley Lakes, Ballantrae, Belle Meade, Calusa Trace, Canterbury, Cheval, Citrus Greens, Concord Station, Devonwood, Dolce Vita on LakeKeystone, Echo Lake, Farmington Village, Fern Glenn, Grey Hawk at Lake Polo, Heritage Harbor, Ivy Lake Estates, Keystone Groves,

Keystone Manors, Keystone Reserve, Keystone Shores, Lake Charles, Lake Church, Lake Parker Estates, Lakeside Grove Estates, NorthlakeVillage, Northbridge at Lake Pretty, Northton Groves, Oakstead, Orange Blossom Creek, Reflections, Steeple Chase, Stillwater, Stonegate,

Suncoast Crossings, Suncoast Meadows, Swan Cove, The Eagles, Van Dyke Estates, Van Dyke Farms, Villa Rosa, Wyndham Lakes

The Community Dining &Business Guide that your

neighbors READ!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

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Editorial................................3Calendar.............................4-5Whole Foods Market.............6East-West Animal Hospital..10-11Verizon Wireless in Odessa Local

Toys For Tots Drop Off......12Suncoast Arts Fest..........14-15Lipply Real Estate..........18-19SAT & ACT Improvement...20United Way Tax Help..........21MassageLuXe.................22-23Fish Company.................24-25

Vol. 4, Issue 12, December 2013

®Neighborhood NewsNeighborhood News ®

L A N D O ’ L A K E S . L U T Z . O D E S S A

& Lifestyles

And the Crowd Goes Wild for Schrader’s Little Cooperstown

Dennis & Mary pose in front of theSchrader’s Little Cooperstown exhibit at

the St. Petersburg Museum of History

By Julie Kanehl

Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson,“Shoeless Joe,” Mickey Mantle, JoeDiMaggio––Take me out to the ball-game! In 2010, we wrote a storyabout a local resident who hadturned an entire wing of his homeinto an amazing shrine to baseball,sports and celebrity memorabilia.When we first met Dennis “TheMenace” Schrader, and his lovelywife Mary (who is quite possibly thebigger baseball fan), they gave us aprivate tour of Schrader’s LittleCooperstown, which at the time wasa collection of 4,000 autographedbaseballs, beautifully displayed andprotected in a 12’ x 14’ bedroom intheir home that had been renovatedinto a vault so secure, that it wasreminiscent of James Bond or Mission

Impossible. Offering private tours topeople of all ages who heard abouthis collection, Dennis said, “Thebeautiful thing about this collectionis sharing it,” of course, at that time,it meant giving tours into his ownhome, sometimes two or three timesa day!

Calling it a collection isn’t quitethe right word. This Largo HighSchool Hall of Famer (for basketball)owns the largest privately owned au-tographed baseball collection in theentire world. His collection’s popu-larity has gone worldwide, earned acoveted Guinness Book of WorldRecords Certificate, and found a newhome at the St. Petersburg Museumof History, where Schrader’s LittleCooperstown is on loan for the nexttwenty years. Yes, I said twenty years,

See “Cooperstown” on page 32

By Julie Kanehl

It’s that time of year when ourdiscipline tends to wane, starting withlast month’s turkey and losing groundwith every Christmas cookie and holi-day dinner. If you want to get seriousabout finally losing weight and learn-ing how to eat right in the process,visit Doctor’s Choice Weight Loss inTrinity. Whether you want to take offthe pesky pounds that you’ve gainedover the holidays or lose a significantamount of weight, the professionals at

Doctor’s Choice Weight Loss areready to tailor-make a programdesigned to work just for you.

Doctor’s Choice Weight Loss ispart of Suncoast Urgent Care, whichhas two locations; one here in Trinity,in The Trinity Village Center next toLet’s Party and Crispers, and a secondlocation in Spring Hill. Both facilitiesoffer a medically supervised weightloss program for patients. SuncoastUrgent Care also offers high qualitymedical care for everything from“Common Colds to Broken Bones.”

Board Certified Physicians PeterC. Duic, MD and John P. Opyoke,MD co-developed Doctor’s ChoiceWeight Loss to offer patients a safeand effective way to lose unhealthy,excess weight. Dr. Duic says, “One ofour physicians meets personally witheach new client to discuss what theirgoals are, as well as to discuss how ourdiet program is designed to enable thepatient to lose weight.”

The initial workup for weight lossincludes a physical, lab work and anEKG. The doctor will go over your

medical history in order to best under-stand your current health and weightloss goals - this information helps todesign a program that is individualizedbased on your personal health needsand weight loss goals.

Get a New You at Doctor’s Choice Weight Loss Get a Jump on the New Year

See “Weight Loss” on page 28.

Dr. John Opyoke & Dr. Peter Duic

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From The Editor Kim Thomas Neighborhood News& Lifestyles

Directly mailed once a month to 20,000households in zip codes 33556, 33558 & 34638

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PublisherTim SelbyGeneral ManagerJim O’Reilly EditorKim ThomasAdvertising SalesManagerMatt SelbyAdvertising SalesJim O’ReillyLinda VeigaAlexis Selby

CorrespondentsJulie KanehlLenay RuhlMarcy SanfordKatie Thomas Dara TuckerArt DirectorDat X. DoGraphic ArtistsDat X. DoTony SicaAccounting ManagerDoreen SelbyBilling AssistantTina O’Reilly

All of us here at NeighborhoodNews & Lifestyles would like to takethis opportunity to wish you a joyfuland safe holiday season. From ourfamilies to yours, we hope your timewith family and friends is blessed withlaughter, love and newly made memo-ries to cherish.

We’d also like to thank our read-ers for embracing this community-fo-cused business and dining guide asyour favorite local publication andmaking it your own by sending in up-lifting news and events that focus onbettering the community. Please con-tinue to keep our editorial departmentat Neighborhood News & Lifestylesposted on upcoming happenings andcommunity-related news by [email protected] or submit stories online atwww.NeighborhoodNewsFl.com.

Delivering to more than 80,000residences and businesses in Odessa,Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Trinity,Westchase, Carrollwood and EastLake, Neighborhood News & Lifestylesis proud to bring our readers newsabout some of the best small busi-nesses in the area. We are diligent inour efforts to help our advertisersreach new customers, but we realizethat our efforts are rewarded becauseof you, our readers, and the supportthat you provide to us and to yourlocal businesses. Thank you! Over thepast few years, we have seen businessesflourish in a down economy becauseof the loyal patronage of the commu-nity members.

And remember, you don’t have tofight the crowds to get your holidayshopping done. Just peruse throughthe pages of your latest copy of Neigh-

borhood News & Lifestyles and you canfind something for everyone on yourholiday shopping list, while support-ing your local economy. Gift cards tolocal restaurants, spas, and shops aregreat for gifts, and also provide a wayto say thank you to local businessesthat do a great job year-round.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

May 2014 bring blessings ofhappiness and prosperity to youand your loved ones.

Neighborhood News & Lifestyles Wishes You Joy,Blessings & Peace for the Holidays

and a Prosperous and Happy New Year!


Community CalendarPasco and N. Pinellas OmbudsmanCouncil Meeting

Thurs., Dec. 19, 10 AM––ThePasco and North Pinellas Ombuds-man Council will hold its Decembermeeting at Saint Anne ByzantineCatholic Church, 7120 MassachusettsAve. in New Port Richey. All inter-ested parties are encouraged to attend.The Pasco and North Pinellas Long-Term Care Ombudsman Council is apart of Florida’s Long-Term CareOmbudsman Program. The council ismade up of local ombudsmen whosegoal is to improve the quality of lifeand care of residents of long-term carefacilities, including nursing homes, as-sisted living facilities and adult family-care homes.

An ombudsman is a speciallytrained and certified volunteer whohas been given authority under federaland state law to identify, investigateand resolve complaints made by, or onbehalf of, long-term care facility resi-dents. The Pasco and North PinellasLong-Term Care Ombudsman Coun-cil serves Pasco and North Pinellascounties.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: In-dividuals may call Annette Perry at727-588-6912 or 727-376-2788 oremail [email protected]. For in-formation on Florida’s Long-TermCare Ombudsman Program, visithttp://ombudsman.myflorida.com.

Tampa Bay is DancingEvery Friday Night––At the

Zendah Grotto Hall, 4450 W OhioAve. in Tampa. Singles and couples arewelcome; drinks and set-ups availableas well as snacks and food. Hugewooden dance floor. For more infor-mation, call 813-504-2158 or email:[email protected].

Nar-Anon Support Groups The Nar-Anon Family Groups are

a worldwide fellowship for those af-fected by someone else’s addiction. Asa twelve-step program, we offer ourhelp by sharing our experience,strength and hope. Florida Website:Naranonfl.org; Help Line: 1-888-947-8885

Thursdays, 7 PM––Our Lady ofthe Rosary Church, 2348 Collier

Pkwy. (Immaculata Hall - Rm. E -back entrance)

Mondays, 7 PM––Turning Point -Mary Martha Bldg., 6227 Sheldon Rd

Thursdays, 7 PM––Christ theKing Church, 821 S. Dale Mabry(two-story bldg., Rm 203)

Tuesdays, 7 PM––Hope Church,5107 Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz(*Narateen – same location, day andtime)

Saturdays, 10 AM––UnitedMethodist Church, 207 BuckinghamAve., Oldsmar

Wednesdays, 8 PM––AsburyUnited Methodist Church, 4204 ThysRd., New Port Richey

Mondays, 7 PM––Turning Point,Mary Martha Bldg., 6227 SheldonRd., Tampa

Tuesdays 6:45 PM––All SaintsChurch, 1700 Keystone Rd., TarponSprings (*NaraTeen - same day, timeand location)

NAMI Family & Friends SupportGroup Meetings

The Pasco County Chapter ofNAMI (National Alliance on MentalIllness) offers two types of supportgroup meetings each month, one for*family and friends of those with men-

tal illness, and one for ** those livingwith mental illness. This includes allbrain disorders, including, but notlimited to OCD, depression, bi-polar,schizophrenia, multiple personalities,etc. *NEW Program: Educational Se-ries featuring speakers from profes-sional services, law enforcement,medical field and educators on a widerange of topics to promote better un-derstanding of services, challenges,and resolutions. Information: 727-992-9653 or www.namipasco.org.

*FAMILY & FRIENDS SUP-PORT MEETINGS

2nd & 4th Monday, Monthly,7:30 - 9 PM––Medical Center of Trin-ity West Campus, in ConferenceRoom C, 5637 Marine Parkway, NewPort Richey

1st & 3rd Thursday, Monthly,6:30 - 8 PM––First United MethodistChurch of Hudson, 13123 US 19,Hudson

1st & 3rd Tuesday, Monthly,7 - 8:30 PM––North Tampa Behav-ioral Health, 29910 SR 56, WesleyChapel.

Additional Information: 727-992-9653


**NAMI CONNECTIONS(weekly support for those livingwith mental illness) Further informa-tion: 727-992-9653.

Tuesdays, 7–8:30 PM––NAMIPasco Office (in Jallo Plaza), 6480Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, LandO’Lakes.

Wednesdays, 7–8:30 PM––Med-ical Center of Trinity West PascoCampus, 5637 Marine Parkway, Con-ference Room C, New Port Richey

*NAMI EDUCATIONAL SERIESSeries featuring speakers from

professional services, law enforcement,medical field and educators on a widerange of topics to promote better un-derstanding of services, challenges,and resolutions. Held at: MedicalCenter of Trinity West Campus (oldCommunity Hospital), ConferenceRoom C, 5637 Marine Parkway, NewPort Richey, 7-8:30pm. Open to pub-lic, no charge. Please call to verifydates, 727-992-9653.

Medical Center of Trinity HostsMonthly MS Support Group

2nd Tuesday, Monthly, Noon –2 PM––Medical Center of Trinityholds a monthly support group in the

main building in Conference Room A.The next meeting will be held on De-cember 10. Caregivers and familymembers are also invited to attend.For more information and to RSVPcall 727-372-1568.

Medical Center of Trinity OffersSupport Group for Individualswith Communications Deficits

Every other Thursday, 3–4PM––Bi-weekly “Chatterboxes” is asupport group to assist individuals suf-fering from Communication Deficits(i.e., aphasia, apraxia, dysarthria, etc.)as a result of a Cerebral Vascular Acci-dent or other neurological disorders.Chatterboxes was originally estab-lished for outpatients who were dis-charged from traditional speechtherapy but still wished to have anoutlet to practice and interact withothers with the same problems. Thegroup now welcomes anyone whomay have a Communication Deficitand is in need of support.

The group meets every otherThursday from 3 pm to 4 pm at Med-ical Center of Trinity, 9330 State Road54, Trinity, FL 34655. Caregivers andspouses are encouraged to attend. Formore information call 727-834-4946.


As you continue your journeythrough the holidays, you’re probablystarting to plan for Christmas,Hanukkah and New Year’s get togeth-ers. Much like Thanksgiving, these aredifficult events to execute while main-taining a healthy approach. But it ispossible, so stick with me to learnsome simple ways to keep your weightdown during the most indulgent sea-son of the year.

First and foremost, find time toexercise. This is the number one activ-ity I find that people cut out. I’veheard every single excuse in the book,but what it all comes down to is this:your health is worth 30 to 60 minutesa day. The American Heart Associa-tion recommends 30 or more minutesof medium intensity activity at leastfive days a week -- and remember,something is always better than noth-ing.

Second, don’t eat just becausethere’s food. Hand in hand with this isthe idea of eating until you are satis-fied, not overstuffed. There are a lot ofnumbers thrown around when peoplegive advice on how long it takes foryour stomach and brain to register

about how full you are, but just re-member that there is a lag. Eat slowly,eat with purpose and remember to lis-ten closely for your body’s signals.Whole foods with healthy fats can helpfill you up and keep you satied like noothers. Remember, the lethargy thatcomes with overconsumption plays di-rectly into my first point, so don’t overeat and then go sit on the couch!

Third, offer healthy options forsnacking -- and more importantly, optnot to have the other stuff. One of themost common mistakes party hostsmake is to offer healthy options, likeveggie platters, mixed fruit salads orpick-your-toppings salad bar, but theyalso have a bowl of chips, some sourcream and onion dip or a platter ofchicken wings. Rise above the desireto offer these items and stick with (theoften less expensive) healthier treats. Ifyou don’t have the bad stuff around,then you simply cannot eat it.

Lastly, do not skip meals to makeup for poor eating choices. This is oneof the things I hear other people advo-cating and it makes my heart sink.Often times with the focus on caloriecounting comes a desire to skip meals

in order to “make up for” overeatingat other times of the day. Unfortu-nately your digestive system does nottell time like your brain. Skippingmeals does very little in the way ofmaking up the caloric difference, butit is harmful the next time you sitdown to eat (and are positively rav-ished) and makes it exceptionally hardto control your intake. If you have a“bad meal” don’t take your next mealtime off, instead choose some nutrient

dense, plant strong options to keepyour body happy and healthy.

Nicole Sampson is the HealthyEating Specialist at Whole Foods Mar-ket Carrollwood. She is a great re-source for free, easy tips on how to eathealthy on a budget. Keep an eye outfor her free classes and store tours atwholefoodsmarket.com/stores/car-rollwood or email her at [email protected] to set up ahealthy eating education event for

Celebrate the Holidays with Whole Foods Market Carrollwood


your school or workplace!

Tahini Garlic MashedPotatoes

Ingredients: • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes,peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks• 7 garlic cloves, peeled• 1/4 cup tahini• 1 cup plain unsweetened non dairymilk• 1 tablespoon lemon juice• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt• 1 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesameseeds

Method: Place potatoes and garlic in a

large saucepan, cover with cold waterby 1 inch and bring to a boil. Lowerheat, partially cover pan, and simmeruntil potatoes are very tender, 15 to20 minutes. Drain, return potatoesand garlic to pan and add tahini. Mashwith a potato masher or large forkuntil very smooth. Place over low heatand stir in non dairy milk, lemon juiceand salt; add a little more soymilk ifpotatoes are too thick. Spoon into abowl and garnish with sesame seeds.


By Marcy Sanford

Everyone at East-West AnimalHospital is focused on creating aserene, caring environment for petsand their owners. The clean receptionarea has ample room for your furryfriends to have their personal space.Soothing background music adds tothe relaxing atmosphere and you canenjoy a delicious cup of gourmet cof-fee or take advantage of the free wi-fiwhile your animal is receiving treat-ment.

East-West Animal Hospital has anexamination room specifically for catsand other small animals set up to ac-commodate their needs, and one fordogs that is sure to keep them com-fortable. There’s even an elevator tablein the dog room and a fold-out futonin the acupuncture and laser therapyroom for large dogs who may have adifficult time getting up on a table orneed extra room to stretch out.

Located in the Tropical Villageshopping plaza at 1524 Land O’Lakes Boulevard in Lutz (next door tothe Breakfast Nook), East-West Ani-mal Hospital is a full service, state-of-the-art integrative Veterinary facility.Dr. Linda Register and her staff offergeneral soft tissue surgery, in-houseblood tests and diagnostics, wellnessexams, vaccinations, comprehensiveoral health exams including extractionsand cleanings, and digital x-rays in aclean, comfortable environment. Inaddition to traditional veterinary serv-ices, East-West Animal Hospital offerswellness packages, which can save youhundreds of dollars, as well as Easternalternative medical care such asacupuncture, Chinese herbs, and lasertherapy that can bring great relief to

arthritic animals or help improve thequality of life for a sick animal.

Dr. Register became interested inEastern medicine when herbal medi-cine cured her cat’s cancer. After thatexperience, she knew she wanted to beable to offer the same help to herbeloved clients and became certified inChinese Veterinary Medicine throughthe Chi Institute of Traditional Veteri-nary Medicine. She is one of only afew veterinarians in the area who havethis certification. “Acupuncture can bevery successful for dogs and cats whoare experiencing pain and have not re-sponded to medicine. It can also beuseful in helping scar tissue heal, con-trolling seizures, increasing appetite,and improving an animal’s strength.We are the only practice in the areathat has fully integrated veterinaryacupuncture into our animal care.”

Treatment plans are tailored tothe individual animal and their healthissues. Dr. Register offers laser therapy,acupuncture, supplements and herbsas part of her arsenal of treatmenttherapies for her patients. Herbs can

be used to improve their immunityand wellbeing. Herbs can supplementan animal’s diet and fortify its consti-tution. “We determine the best treat-ment for any animal after a thoroughphysical and discussion with theowner. Many people want to minimizethe medications their animals are tak-ing or the medication is not effective.I incorporate different modalities intothe care of our animals so we can finda treatment plan that works best forthem and their owners.”

East-West Animal Hospital’s petwellness plans benefit both pets andtheir owners. These plans provide dis-counted preventive veterinary services,saving you money on your pet’s rou-tine health care. Depending on theplan you choose you could save hun-dreds of dollars a year. East-West Ani-mal Hospital offers plans for puppiesand kittens, adult dogs and cats, andsenior pets. Your pet’s plan might in-clude all preventative medications in-cluding flea, tick, and heartworm,vaccinations, unlimited visits with thenurse, up to four doctor visits a year,

and all medical exams and blood work.“Not only are the plans a great value,”says Dr. Register. “But when youfocus on your pet’s preventive healthcare, it is better for the pet and foryour family in the long run.”

Dr. Register and her staff havemade sure every detail of the hospitalcontributes to their patients’ comfortand health, and their owners’ peace ofmind. Whether your pet is a 100-pound dog, a finicky feline, or a tinygerbil, they will feel at ease at East-West Animal Hospital. And you’ll feelgreat knowing they are getting supe-rior care from loving, knowledgeableveterinary experts.

From ferrets to bunnies and chin-chillas to hamsters, Dr. Register seesall types of animals with fur at East-West Animal Hospital. She’s even hadan opossum patient who had the goodfortune to go home with one of thehospital’s former employees and nowsleeps in a bed and eats pizza, yogurt,and quesadillas – making all his opos-sum relatives just a little bit jealous.

East-West Animal Hospital is Your Other Family Doctor

Dr. Linda Register welcomes you to bring your furry family members to East-West Animal Hospital for excellent care


East-West Animal Hospital Presentsa Very Barley Christmas Party

Barley, the opossum is so loved bythe hospital staff that they are holdinga party in his honor Saturday, De-cember 14, 2 – 6 p.m. which willalso be a fundraising event for WildlifeRescue organizations. PDQ, UptownPizza, Publix, and Panera Bread willbe providing food. There will be abounce house and games for the kids,giveaways and even the chance to haveyour photo taken with Barley Claus(Barley the opossum dressed in his fes-tive holiday attire).

East-West Animal Hospital islocated at 1524 Land O’ LakesBoulevard in Lutz. Hours are 7:30a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mon.; 7:30 a.m.– 8 p.m. on Tues. – Thurs.; and7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Fri. For moreinformation or to schedule an ap-pointment, call 813-948-6534. Youalso can get more information fromtheir webpage www.EastWestAni-malHospital.com. “Like” East-West Animal Hospital on facebookfor the latest news, specials andevents.


Wireless Zone of Odessa, an ex-clusive carrier and retailer of VerizonWireless products and services, is part-nering with the U.S. Marine CorpsReserve Toys for Tots campaign byplacing a collection bin in the storeduring the upcoming holiday season.The Toys for Tots campaign deliversnew toys during Christmas to less for-tunate children in every community itserves.

“The Toys for Tots campaigndoes such amazing work each holidayseason and we are happy to partnerwith them so we can do even more tohelp those in need in each WirelessZone community,” said the brand’sCEO, Kevin Sinclair. “We encourageall of our customers to bring a dona-tion with them the next time they visittheir local Wireless Zone.”

“Placing Toys for Tots donationbins in our store will makes it very easyfor our customers to give back to thecommunity and help make this holidayseason a special one for children inneed,” said Geoffery Kranich, Man-ager, ODESSA WIRELESS ZONELOCATION. “We are honored to bea part of the Toys for Tots campaignthis year.”

With nearly 22 percent of Ameri-can children living below the povertyline, donating gifts during the2013holiday season is more important thanever. In 2012, Toys for Tots donatedover 1.5 million gifts to more than 7million children. This season, Toys forTots encourages people to not over-look the teenagers the program alsoserves and suggests gifts like books,backpacks, cosmetics, purses, bath gift

sets, board games and electronics.

ABOUT WIRELESS ZONEFounded in 1988 as “The Car

Phone Store”, the Wireless Zone®system has become the nation’s largestwireless retail franchisor and wasranked the No. 1 franchise in its cate-gory by Entrepreneur magazine. Moststores are independently owned andoperated, exclusively offering VerizonWireless products and services. In2010, the company grew to more

than 400 locations thanks to its reces-sion-friendly and finance-friendlymodel. The Wireless Zone® system isfranchised and operated by Automo-tive Technologies, Inc. For more in-formation, visitwww.wirelesszone.com.

If you’d like to help with theToys for Tots program, please dropoff new, unwrapped toys to the bigToys for Tots bin at Wireless Zonein Odessa, located at 11140 CargoCourt; (727) 372-9663.

Wireless Zone of Odessa Teams Up With Toys for Tots


By Dara Tucker

The Suncoast Arts Fest at TheShops at Wiregrass keeps getting bet-ter with each passing year. For the pasteight years, the Suncoast Arts Fest(SAF) has brought together qualityartists and art lovers from Pasco, Hills-borough, and Pinellas Counties. Ittakes place in the heart of the TampaBay area, convenient to major inter-states, at the Shops at Wiregrass onJanuary 18 and 19, 2014.

The show is held at the peak ofthe tourist season in Tampa Bay andtraveling artists are encouraged tocombine this show with other stateshows in warm, sunny Florida. TheSuncoast Arts Fest is a great way tospend the weekend, with up to 130juried visual artists and craftsman lin-ing up along the main street in Wire-grass, and musical entertainment is setup in the Center Court. There is alsoan interactive art area, the fresh worksof emerging youth artists on display,and chalk artists showcase their workon the sidewalks – all taking place dur-

ing the January 18 and 19 event setfor 2014. With the ample parking,restaurants and shops, The Shoppes atWiregrass is a beautiful setting for anoutdoor arts festivity.

Pam Marron and Marj Golub arethe event’s co-chairs. They knowthat by creating a quality fine artsshow they are continuing to increasethe awareness of the arts in Pasco

County, which has become the drivingforce of the Fine Arts of the Suncoast,Inc. The primary goal is to pass thebenefits and appreciation of all arts onto local youth.

“Each year the funds raised fromthis event go toward helping the ad-vancement of services for visual andperforming art needs of kids in PascoCounty Schools, both public and pri-

vate. Every year at the event, a specialcontainer is in clear sight where visi-tors are welcome to drop off new artsupplies. These art supplies are pro-vided to Pasco County schools, bothpublic and private.” Pam Marron ex-plains.

Over the years SAF has raisedfunds that were used to send nearly100 eleventh and twelfth graders to

Suncoast Arts Fest Brings Fine Art to Wesley Chapel

Suncoast Arts Fest not only has beautiful artwork on display, but hands on activities for children, too.


the Ringling College of Art and De-sign for Portfolio Day, where nationalarts colleges review works of aspiringart students in a variety of creativefields. Previously SAF funds were usedto promote elementary school artwhere there have been cuts due to lackof funding in Pasco County.

“Our goal is to raise money forscholarships. We’ve built a website thatserves as a streamlined resource foryouth striving to pursue a career in thearts fields,” explains PamMarron. WJQB 106.3 FM has joinedthe event to promote arts across PascoCounty.

An Interactive Arts Area pro-motes visual art for children by expos-ing them to hands-on artactivities. Sand art is an example ofone of the activities available for thechildren to create. Select tenththrough twelfth graders from PascoCounty schools will also have their artdisplayed in the Emerging ArtistArea.

In addition to the fine arts showin Wesley Chapel at The Shops atWiregrass, other organizations such asLeepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tar-pon Springs, Pasco Arts Council, TheWest Pasco Chamber of Commerce,PHCC Alric Pottberg Gallery at the

Port Richey campus, Pioneer FloridaMuseum, the Main Street Art Galleryin downtown New Port Richey andthe West Pasco Art Guild, are partnerorganizations that offer a variety of ad-ditional arts options.

The Suncoast Arts Fest promotescultural awareness in Pasco County,Florida and benefits “Arts for Kids,” asupplemental arts education fundingprogram for area schools. All proceedsbenefit “Arts for Kids” by way of agrant created by the parent nonprofit,501(c)(3) organization known as theFine Arts of the Suncoast, Inc. Pro-ceeds from this show and other relatedSAF activities supplement arts educa-tion funding in Pasco County’s public,private and charter schools. Come outto The Shoppes at Wiregrass in WesleyChapel to enjoy fine art in a beautiful,central location, while supporting agreat cause.

For more information aboutThe Suncoast Arts Fest at TheShops at Wiregrass January 18 & 19,visit www.SuncoastArtsFest.com.Sponsors, artists, youth entertainersand volunteers can contact the SAFvia e-mail [email protected] or call727-375-8986.


There’s no doubt that there area vast number of Real Estate agentsin the Tampa Bay area, but one thingis for sure, Nick Acosta, licensed Re-altor with Lipply Real Estate, and aresident of Tampa for over 20 years,is making a difference in helpingpeople that want to buy a home andin helping owners that want to selltheir home. What makes Nick so spe-cial? Maybe it’s his professionalism.Maybe it is his honesty and integrity.Possibly it’s his negotiating and com-munication skills. Or maybe it’s justthat he refuses to give up until heknows that he has provided his cus-tomer with unparalleled service in ex-ceeding their expectations. Bottomline - he is changing lives and makingdreams come true in the Tampa Bayarea of real estate.

Professionalism“My husband and I recently pur-

chased a home in the Tampa areawith the help of Nick Acosta,” writesRhonda Winter, regarding the expe-rience she and her husband Mikehad. “We live in New England and

had been looking at properties in theTampa area through Lipply’s web-site. We emailed Lipply about travel-ing to Florida to look at some of theproperties and got an immediate re-sponse from Nick. Right away, westarted receiving listings for homesthat met our criteria on adaily basis. When we were ready,Nick arranged for three whole daysof viewings, allowing us to see asmany homes as possible while wewere in town. With Nick’s hardwork and preparation we were ableto find our dream home during thatvisit! Nick expertly guided us fromnegotiating the purchase price andall the way through the closing. Heprovided honest and informed feed-back throughout the wholeprocess and responded quickly to allof our questions and concerns, fromearly morning to late atnight. He never failed to get back tous about anything we asked, no mat-ter how trivial. Even after the sale,Nick took time out of his busyschedule to personally show usaround the area. Nick is extremely

knowledgeable and professional, yet,made us feel like family. We feel ex-tremely fortunate to have met Nickand to have had his guidance and ex-pertise available to us. We wouldhighly recommend him to anyonelooking for a home in the Tampaarea. He is an excellent ambassadorof Florida and the Tampa area in par-ticular. Our expectations were ex-ceeded in every way! He went aboveand beyond what we ever expectedfrom a real estate agent.”

Linda Nelson wrote, “Thankyou Nick for your diligence. Wefound a house in one day! I appreci-ate the quick and trustworthy re-sponses you provided throughout mysearch and purchase. It was a holidayweekend and your anniversary, yetyou were so kind to know that I hadjust a few days in town and you madeavailable. I appreciate the great atti-tude and assurance you offered whenI requested to take “just one morelook” at my final purchase. Being onopposite coasts and different timezones did not get in the way of yourtimeliness, which is why I will recom-

mend you to any friends and familyin the future! Thank you kindly foryour knowledge and professional-ism.”

Hank Varrichio and Lana Brooksalso were extremely happy with theirexperience with Nick Acosta, saying,“We recently moved from New Yorkto Safety Harbor, Florida, andneeded an agent to help us find ahome for our family. We worked

He’s Making Dreams Come True

Nick Acosta, Realtor Lipply Real Estate


with Nick Acosta, and he made astressful situation bearable. Therewas a lot of communication, andwhen we came down for a week tohouse-shop, Nick had everything alllined up for us, and spent the entireday with us looking at least a dozenhomes. He was very interested inthe needs of our family, and what werequired in a house. Actually, weliked more than one but made ourdecision and we are very happy. Welove our new home and the schoolsand neighborhood arewonderful. Nick really knew whatwe were looking for and nailed

it! We felt like he was a family friend,not just an agent, and would recom-mend him to anyone who is in needof a house in the Tampa/Clearwaterarea.”

Honesty and Integrity“Nick I want to thank you on

behalf of my whole family, for allyour help in finding our new home,”says Mary Stalzer. “When we firstcame to Lipply Real Estate and metwith you, we knew it was a tall orderto sell two homes and find one thatwould accommodate my husbandand me along with my parents. Not

only did we get an offer on my housewithin the first month, but we man-aged to close on both sales - at targetprice! - AND find the perfect hometo share, all inside three months. Thetiming was perfect, and we are sohappy in our lovely new place. Godbless you and your family. We will beforever grateful.”

Mike and Beth McDermott rec-ommend Nick Acosta, “Wefound Nick as he was the listingagent on a home we wandered induring an open house. He cameacross knowledgeable and ethical sowe didn’t pursue a buyer’s agent. Itwas [because of] the ease of him get-ting us through the purchase of ournew home that we chose him to listour existing house. That too wentflawlessly. It sold the first day. Iwould, and have since, recommendNick to represent anyone looking tosell or purchase a home.”

Negotiator“Our experience with Nick has

been nothing but positive,” saysEileen d Segundo Armas. “My hus-band and I recently had the wonder-ful experience of buying and selling ahome all within 30 days with the as-sistance of Nicholas Acosta. Ourfriends and family were shocked withhow fast this was done especially dur-ing this difficult real estate market. Icredit Nick tremendously for his hardwork and expertise in accomplishingboth the buy and sale for us. He ne-gotiated aggressively on our behalffor the purchase of our new homebeyond our expectations and wasable to get a purchase price that wasacceptable to us. On the sale side,we were impressed with the time andeffort he made in marketing ourhome in the best possible light andbrought us expeditiously through toa sale that was just about full listingprice. Nick takes the time to under-stand what his clients’ needs andwishes are, and he does whatever hecan to assure that they are happy. Wehave already recommended friends tohim.”

Loretta Miller says, “NickAcosta was our Realtor when we pur-chased our home in May 2013. Wewere house hunting with very spe-cific criteria. Nick made sure to meetthat criteria with every house heshowed us. He listened carefully asmy husband and I discussed eachhome we viewed. He quickly knewexactly what we were looking for andwas able to share the positives and

negatives about the homes he wasshowing us. His insights gave us anunbiased perspective on a house.Nick’s forte was communication. Hereplied in a timely manner. We re-ceived many midnight e-mails! Nickshared every detail of the negotia-tions with us. He was aggressive inhis approach and he was successful aswe are delighted with our newhome.”

Nick possesses each of theabove-mentioned characteristics andmany others as well. The fact that heis a former Vice President with over20 years in the banking industry al-lows him to effectively negotiate forthe buyer or the seller, respectively.Nick’s background in the banking in-dustry gives him the knowledge tofacilitate his customers in under-standing what lenders are looking forin order to get pre-approved for amortgage loan. Nick is there fromstart to finish and ensures that whatis to many an overwhelming processbecomes a wonderful experience.His years of experience in developingcustomer relations enable him towork comfortably with everyone hemeets. Nick is also fluent in Spanishand this has allowed him to expandhis customer base as well. Nick is aresults-driven professional whosework ethics, negotiation skills andcommitment drives him to ensurethat his clients’ high expectationcomes to fruition by getting the jobdone timely and in an efficient man-ner. He will work tirelessly and re-lentlessly in partnering with you inbuying your new home or in sellingyour current home and his workethics is evident as Nick has been thetop-producing agent at Lipply overthe last two years!

To summarize Nick Acosta inone final customer quote: “There isno one like him,” says Mida andJavier Rogriguez. “We recommendhim strongly and I don’t have anydoubt to call him again in my nextpurchase. Thanks Nick. Hugs toyou.”

Lipply Real Estate’s office islocated in Clearwater and RobertE. Lipply is the Broker / Owner.Lipply Real Estate has over 20 li-censed Real Estate agents thatcover the entire Tampa Bay area.Nick Acosta can be contacted viaemail at [email protected] orby calling/texting him at (813)728-8060.


SAT scores, and 4 – 7 points on theirACT composite scores. When anyparent looks at the “before and after”essays, they are amazed. These stu-dents have been admitted to Har-vard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell,University of Chicago, Boston Col-lege, USC, UCLA, LSU, BerkleySchool of Music, UF, USF, UCF,Stetson, U Miami, New College ofFlorida, and many other outstandingcolleges and universities. Many havereceived academic, athletic, andmusic scholarships.

For seniors, increasing yourscore for Bright Futures and gettingacross the threshhold of SAT or ACTlevels for your desired college canstill be accomplished. For Juniorsand Sophomores, there is no better

time to start preparing because prac-tice and knowing what to do cangreatly improve your scores, plus youcan “cherry pick” your best scorefrom different examinations, submitthem, and colleges do not know theycame from multiple examinations.Since these exams are graded on acurve, often students can scorehigher in the Winter and Springwhen the number and quality ofthose taking the exams are lower.

If you would like to talk moreabout how I can help your stu-dent, please contact me at 727-253-0639 [email protected]. Classes areavailable in December, January,February, and during the holidays.

SAT AND ACT IMPROVEMENT: REALITIESBy Dr. Wayne Adams, Former Dean and Full Professor of a Graduate School of Business

Dr. Wayne Adams has degrees and advancedstudies from Harvard, Yale, and Vanderbilt. He is

one of the leading tutors in the country.

About now, parents throughoutFlorida are waking up to some hardrealties about the SAT and ACT Ex-aminations. As correctly predicted inthe Tampa Bay Times article lastApril, the dramatic increases in theminimum qualifying SAT and ACTscores for these scholarships are elim-inating 50% - 75% of students for2014 who would have been eligibleif they had graduated in 2013.

Most of the damage has beendone in the Florida Medallion Schol-ars level, where the minimum eligi-bility thresholds have been increasedon the SAT from 1070 to 1170, andon the ACT from 22 to 26. The newrequirements for the Florida Medal-lion Scholars on the SAT increasedfrom 1270 to 1280, and on the ACTfrom 28 to 29.

For the past three years, the real-ity is that Florida students have con-tinually ranked around 45th in thekey category of student performanceon the SAT and ACT compared to

other states. Our school programsare clearly not working to improvescores against this national standard,which cannot be influenced by localor state politics. Yet these scores con-tinue to be vital for college admis-sions and scholarships.

The positive reality is that ourstudents can dramatically improvetheir SAT and ACT scores with fo-cused, concentrated help. Improve-ment is like helping a student climbas high as possible on the part oftheir educational iceburg that towersout of the water. Learning strategies,specific test taking techniques, andworking with my proprietary studyguides consistently help studentsclimb as high as they can. I cannothelp broaden or deepen their aca-demic foundation which it the eight-ninths under water. But I do helpthem do their best with where theyare.

My students normally improve200 – 300 points on their combined


The UnitedWay of PascoCounty ProsperityCampaign helpsresidents in ourcommunity by pro-viding a much-needed tax returnpreparation servicethat’s completelyfree, individualizedand has no strings attached, and weneed your help! This valuable, volun-teer-driven program exists as a part-nership between the IRS VITA(Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)program, AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide, United Way of Pasco County,and local financial institutions andbusiness partners.

For many Pasco residents, receiv-ing their tax refund can mean the dif-ference between deciding to buygroceries or keep the lights on. Since2004, the IRS-Certified ProsperityCampaign volunteers have preparedincome tax returns for thousands oflow-to-moderate income residents atno cost and last year alone this re-sulted in more than $1.5 million savedon paid returns! In addition, the pro-gram volunteers emphasize vital taxcredits that are regularly overlooked,such as unclaimed Earned Income TaxCredit (EITC) and Child Care andElderly Tax Credits, and go unclaimedevery year.

There are several different volun-teer roles to choose from, and thegood news is that you don’t have tobe a math whiz and no experience isnecessary. Volunteers receive full, com-prehensive IRS training and becomecertified to prepare simple returns.Other rewarding volunteer opportuni-ties include Greeters, Site Volunteer

Schedulers, and Technology/Com-puter Set-Up Assistance at the varioussites. Full descriptions of these volun-teer positions can be found on theUnited Way of Pasco County website,http://unitedwaypasco.org or at theVirtual Volunteer Resource Center,www.uwvolunteers.org.

The time commitment is mini-mal, but the satisfaction and personalreward is great! Taxpayers tell us yearafter year about the difference the freeservice makes in their lives. People likeRobin, a single mother, who sharedthat she and her children wait untilFebruary to celebrate Christmas whenthey get their return because she,“needs every penny of the [tax] re-fund.”

In 2013, volunteers filed morethan 7,700 returns bringing morethan $8 million in refunds to localPasco residents and more than $1.8million in EITC refunds alone! Theaverage income of the taxpayers wasjust $24,694, which means that theEITC and other tax credits, combinedwith the free tax return preparationservice, make a meaningful impact inthe households of thousands of resi-dents.

To learn more, please visit:www.unitedwaypasco.org or contactRenee Yeargan at: 727/835-2023.Volunteering with the Prosperity

Campaign is a fun experience to sharewith friends and family members! In-vite others to join you in helping hard-working families and seniors keepmore of their money!

About United Way of PascoCounty

United Way of Pasco County wasfounded in 1982 and since that timehas raised more than $28 million toaddress some of Pasco County’s mostcritical community needs. As an or-

ganization, United Way of PascoCounty is committed to advancing thecommon good in Pasco County bypartnering with worthy non-profitagencies in the community. UnitedWay of Pasco County brings togetherpeople from all across the community–government, business, faith groups,non-profits, labor and ordinary citi-zens – to tackle the issues that mattermost in the community and improvethe lives of Pasco residents.

Help Put Money Back in the Hands of Hardworking Pasco Residents!


By Marcy Sanford

MassageLuXe, located in theNorth Gate Shopping Center next toPublix, opened to rave reviews thisNovember. “We have had so manypeople tell us the massage they gothere at MassageLuXe was the best onethey’ve ever had,” says co-owner BillVoegtli. Bill and his wife Krysta tookgreat care to ensure that every detail atMassageLuXe is perfect so that youcan have an amazing spa experience atan affordable price. At MassageLuXe,they know the benefits of a regularmassage regimen and want to makesure that all of their guests are able topamper themselves on a regular basis.“We were regular visitors to Mas-sageLuXe in our hometown of St.Louis,” says Bill. “We were always im-pressed with the quality of service andthe superior massages we receivedthere. We were excited to bring thisfabulous experience to the Tampaarea.”

Relaxing, Rejuvenating MassagesEveryone Can Enjoy

There are many health benefits toreceiving a massage. Not only can ithelp you relax and feel better overall,but massages can also alleviate pain, en-hance your immunity, increase jointflexibility, lessen anxiety, reduce scar tis-sue, and improve circulation. Massagetherapy can be a powerful tool to helpyou take care of your health and well-being. At MassageLuXe, licensed mas-sage therapists offer Swedish, deeptissue, and prenatal massages in addi-tion to specialty massages like hotstone, aromatherapy, reflexology, trig-ger point and sports massage. All of thetherapists at MassageLuXe are licensed,fully certified in their specialties, andwere handpicked by Bill and Krysta.

“We have received massages fromall of our therapists so we know theyare the best ones around,” says Krysta.“We have many qualified therapists atMassageLuXe, and after talking to youabout the issues you are having or thetype of massage you want, we canmatch you with the massage therapist

who will be able to best meet yourneeds. Whether you want a gentle andrelaxing Swedish massage or need asports massage to prevent or treat aninjury, our experienced therapists can

assist you.”As a way to really treat yourself or

someone you love all year-round, Mas-sageLuXe offers a variety of member-ship packages. You do not have to

MassageLuXe Massages & FaceLuXe Facials are the PerfectHoliday Gifts for Yourself or Someone Special!

Bill and Krysta Voegtli are excited to bring MassageLuXe to the Tampa Bayarea and welcome you to come in!


become a member to enjoy the fabu-lous massages at MassageLuXe, butmembers do receive perks like signa-ture aromatherapy scents to enhancetheir massage sessions, discounts onproducts, and unlimited access to theHydroLuXe table – a water-poweredmassage table, where heated water jetsapply steady pressure to your achingmuscles.

FaceLuXe: Luxurious FacialsFor All Skin Types

In addition to tranquil and rejuve-nating massages, FaceLuXe at Mas-sageLuXe offers a full line of facials tohelp your skin look its best. You’ll defi-

nitely be putting your best face forwardafter one of the VIP or LuXe facialsfrom FaceLuXe. Using the gentle, buteffective, Repechage line of products,the expert estheticians at FaceLuXe caninvigorate, lift, and firm mature skin;deep clean and purify acne-prone skinto help eliminate breakouts; orbrighten sun-damaged skin while di-minishing the appearance of hyperpig-mentation. You can treat yourself to aneye or lip treatment that will rejuvenatethese delicate areas. FaceLuXe also pro-vides a full array of waxing services.

“We are excited that with thecombination of MassageLuXe andFaceLuXe, we can offer our clients a

full spa experience,” Bill says. “We haveintroductory massage and facial specialsgoing on right now and we inviteeveryone to take advantage of thesespecial offerings, enjoy a revitalizingmassage or facial and experience theLuXe difference.”

If you’re looking for a fabulousgift this holiday season, MassageLuXehas a “Buy-2-Get-1-Free” gift cardspecial going on through the end ofDecember. Thank your child’s teacher,treat your sister or best friend, and keepa gift card for yourself. Or give all threecards to someone in your life who de-serves some extra pampering. It’s a gift

she or he is sure to love.MassageLuXe and FaceLuXe are

located at 3919 Van Dyke Road atthe corner of Van Dyke Road andDale Mabry Road in Lutz. Hoursare 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Mon. – Fri.;Sat. from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and 10a.m. – 8 p.m. on Sun. Walk-ins arewelcome. For more information orto schedule an appointment, call813-681-2232. You can find moreinformation about their services atwww.massageluxe.com orwww.faceluxe.com; “like” Mas-sageLuXe Lutz on facebook for con-tinuing updates.


By Lenay Ruhl

Some people write out proposals,researching and developing complexplans before starting a business. Forthe ladies of Fish Company it was sim-ple; their faith was the foundation thatinspired their business. Fish Co. isbased on the story in the Bible ofJesus feeding the 5,000.

As the story goes, Jesus waspreaching to the masses. They hadbeen listening to him speak all day andthey were hungry. The disciplessearched for food to feed them, but allit took was the offering of a small boywho had only five tiny loaves of breadand two fish for Jesus to create a mira-cle. As the disciples divided the foodinto baskets to distribute to the peo-ple, they were surprised when thissmall boy’s offerings provided enoughfood to feed the multitudes withplenty to spare.

Fish Co. uses the model of thismiracle as their guiding principle, be-lieving that God will take what fishthey have to offer, multiply them anduse those fish to change the lives of or-

phans in need. They’ve ex-changed loaves for handmadedolls and fish for purses, andtheir “crowds” are the morethan 153,000,000 orphansaround the world.

Fish Co. is a non-profitorganization dedicated toproviding homes for orphansthroughout the worldthrough the creation, salesand exchange of productsusing donated goods and ma-terials. Fish Co.’s mission isboth global and local. They are a localministry, whose mission translates to aglobal change. Globally they arebuilding orphanages and sending theirdolls to comfort orphan children. Lo-cally they are empowering and encour-aging people of all ages to offer theirgifts and skills to make a difference.

All the items that Fish Co. has tooffer are individually made and handsewn using 100 percent donated ma-terials. Those items are then sold and100 percent of the proceeds are usedto change the lives of orphans. Cur-rently Fish Co. is partnered with ICM,International Cooperating Ministries,

to build an orphanage inUganda.

“It’s a beautiful exchange,”said Mary Carli, Fish Co. Treas-urer, when referring to the trad-ing of purses and babies fordonations towards the orphanage.

“The Swahili word for fish isSamaki. Our bag is named the Samakibag as an ever present reminder of thesmall offering of a little boy that Godturned into a miracle,” said Cindy Mc-Fadden, Fish Co. Co-President.

The babies are called Mkate ba-bies. Mkate means bread in Swahili.They are sold only in pairs; one is sent

to a child in need and the other is senthome with the purchaser as a re-minder to pray for the child who re-ceives its twin. Dottie Percy is thedesigner and the developer of the ba-bies. Dottie was proud to say, “So far,we have been blessed to send babies toorphanages in many countries, includ-ing Tanzania, Zambia, Bulgaria,

Fish Company – Inspired by Faith and the Desire to Help Orphans Globally

Fish Company ladies with Janice

Zambia orphans


Nicaragua, Guatemala, Haiti andUganda.”

Fish Co. originated from thehearts of women who felt a need tomake a difference in this world. In2011 Julie Miller, Fish Co. Co-Presi-dent traveled to Tanzania, where sheexperienced firsthand the plight of themore than 2,000,000 orphans in thatsmall country. That trip served as thespark to ignite the passion each ofthese ladies felt to both use their cre-ative talents and change the lives ofchildren in need.

“It’s been amazing to see God atwork,” said Julie, “after only a fewmonths of ministry we are well on ourway to meeting our first goal of raisingfunds to build an orphanage inUganda.”

Part of what makes Fish Co. spe-cial is that it is run entirely by volun-teers. They do everything fromcutting and sewing fabric to sweepingfloors and sending ‘Thank You’ cards.Volunteer Kirsten Murawski said,“We’re always looking for donations,and more help.” Another thing that

makes Fish Co. special is that it is afamily venture. Cindy and Julie aresisters and Dottie is their mom. Theirhusbands and children even get in-volved.

“It really is a special thing, wehave our family working together andfriends frequently dropping by to lenda hand and bring donations,” addedJulie. For them, this all goes back tothe bible story of Jesus with the loavesof bread and fish; everyone gives whatthey can.

As Kirsten put it, none of theirwishes have gone unanswered, andthey are continually finding peoplewho are donating the things theyneed, including everything fromthread to the flooring under their feet.

Creating their bags and babies intheir workshop, they have an opendoor policy for those who would liketo come by and be a part of their min-istry. They are currently selling their

bags on facebook and their websitewww.fishcompany.org. They also fre-quently make appearances at craftshows and other events. The ladies ofFish Co. have a beautiful story to telland want to share that story with theworld.

“What we believe God can dowith this is what drives us,” said Mary.The ladies laugh together, dreamingof Fish Co. expanding to other cities.They have shameless idealism and canimagine a world where every child hasa home; where people from all overbring their own “fish” to the table,joining efforts in raising money to bet-ter the lives of orphans.

To get involved with Fish Co.by volunteering, purchasing items,or making a donation, visit theirfacebook fan page at www.face-book.com/FishCoTampa and theirwebsite at www.fishcompany.org.

The durable and roomy Samaki bags come in a variety of fabrics,which you can view online at fishcompany.org

The experienced physicians atDoctor’s Choice Weight Loss workwith each client to determine whetheror not Vitamin B12, a mulitvitaminand/or appetite suppressants will beincluded in their program. Dr. Duicstates that he always enjoys his firstencounter with new clients: “I learnabout their hopes and goals, theirlifestyle and possible health issues. Allof this sheds light on how I can assistthat individual, both with diet design,lifestyle modification and, if theychoose, vitamins and/or an appetitesuppressant. I am confident new clientsare starting on a journey from which Ihave seen countless patients derivegreat fulfillment.”

While each program is unique toeach patient, the program revolvesaround creating a safe and healthyapproach to losing weight for eachpatient, beginning with a low caloriediet and a new understanding of theway that the foods that you eat affectyour body. Once the weight startscoming off, usually at a rate of 1–3pounds per week, patients really get

motivated. They can see the fat justmelting off, and while they look better,they also feel better. It’s not a one-size-fits-all diet, which is why it’s better.Taking the time to understand each pa-tient’s unique goals, the professionals atDoctor’s Choice Weight Loss cus-tomize the program for optimal results.

Additionally, patients have theoption to spend one-on-one time withSusan D. Opyoke, RDLD. Susan is aRegistered Dietician who is BoardCertified and completely committed toeach of her patients. Susan has helpedhundreds of people since Suncoast Ur-gent Care (formerly named Trinity Ur-gent Care) and Doctor’s ChoiceWeight Loss opened their doors to thecommunity 6 1/2 years ago.

Susan says, “One of the aspects ofDoctor’s Choice Weight Loss that dif-ferentiates us from other programs isthat, if a patient chooses to work withme, it is a complimentary part of theprogram. I meet with clients either inperson or on the phone, by appoint-ment, and I am also available by email.I work with clients to create a personal-ized diet and we review the aspects ofhealthy eating. While most peopleknow what is and whatisn’t healthy, many

people fall into arut. They forget toplan their meals,and they gothrough fast foodlines when eatingon the go and nottaking any time forthemselves. Withour program, wework together anddiscuss how health-ier eating can actually work eventhough our lives are busy. We alsowork on what to eat and what not toeat in a way that will still allow you togo to parties and live your life.”

Susan adds, “For the clients whochoose to utilize me, I really like to seethem weekly at the beginning, andwhen they see the weight coming offconsistently, the accountability makessense to them. It’s very fast. Whatmakes us unique and different fromother programs is that not only are myservices a free component, we also offera maintenance program completely free.This gives us the opportunity to helpyou maintain your weight loss, - which

for some can be thehardest part.”

With each visit,in addition to look-

ing at how much weight has been lost,clients can expect a health check, anevaluation of their tolerance to any vita-mins or suppressants they may be tak-ing, as well as an optional visit with aphysician and/or the dietitian.

Susan says, “The majority of the pa-tients who come in see significant re-sults and are able to keep the weight offwhen they follow the program. Doctor’sChoice Weight Loss can work for any-one; it’s really weight loss for everybody,whether you have 15 to 20 pounds tolose, or 60 to 100 pounds to lose.”

The New Year is fast approaching,and it is time to make your resolutionstick – you can do it at Doctor’s ChoiceWeight Loss where results are proven.You only have this one life, so give it allyou’ve got! Get a jump on 2014 bylooking and feeling better about yourbody now. What are you waiting for?

Doctor’s Choice Weight Loss ispart of Suncoast Urgent Care,which has 2 locations: 10730 S.R.54, Suite 104 in The Trinity VillageCenter, and at 4112 Mariner Blvd.in Spring Hill. Both locations open7 days a week; Mon.–Sat., 9 a.m.–9p.m. and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on Sun.Please call 372-3888 to make anappointment; www.drswtloss.comfor more information.

“Weight Loss”Continued from page 1

Susan Opyoke,RDLD


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and that’s because a collection like thisdeserves to be shared and enjoyed byeveryone who has a love for the sport.The Grand Opening of Schrader’s Lit-tle Cooperstown opened to much de-served fanfare in October, and nowbaseball fans of all ages can come andexperience this incredible and historicexhibit.

Created to make you feel likeyou’ve walked into a sports almanac,this beautiful exhibit is a living represen-tation of the growth and change thatbaseball has left on history, and there areballs that represent players young andold, both Hall of Famer and Rookie,from the Brooklyn Dodgers to theTampa Bay Rays, and every team in be-tween.

A Home Run Ticket!It all started with Mickey Mantle,

who used to come down here forSpring Training, and a nine-year-oldLargo native getting his first auto-graphed ball. It was the love of baseballpassed down from a father to his son,and a passion that grew from there. ForDennis, it became autographed balls inshoeboxes and Rubbermaid containers.

As the years went by, they were stashedunder beds and in the attic, and asDennis’ collection grew and grew, hewas just hoping to have a place in hishouse so that he could enjoy them.

As collectors, Dennis and Maryhave collected a good deal of theseballs personally, and have witnessedthem being signed. Mary, who isknown for always having a baseball anda pen handy, said, “We’ve had at least athousand of these balls autographed inour presence.”

Every autographed ball has a story,and each one has come to the exhibit inits own way. For example, one day Marywas trying to catch the eye of Rookie ofthe Year, Wil Myers, who was having aconversation in the dugout with CoachJoe Madden, and Evan Longoria said,“What do you need, Mary?” When herealized what he was looking for, hewent over to Myers, tapped him on theshoulder and said, “Sign this for Mary,she’s good people.”

As for how the rest were obtained,Dennis would write a letter to retiredplayers and even celebrities asking themif they’d sign a ball. This letter writingbecame a passion for him, as it was areal way to connect to the people inbaseball’s history. He would ask themnicely and tell them how he had a pri-vate collection that wasn’t for sale, and

would they mindsigning if he sentthem a ball. How’sthat for a lesson in theimportance of letterwriting?

He’s receivedhundreds and hun-dreds of balls for hiscollection that way.Sometimes he wouldget autographed pic-tures as well. It was inthis same way thatcollected 170 base-balls from the men inthe Negro League,and obtained 160 au-tographed balls fromthe women whoplayed baseball whilethe boys were a warin the AAGPBL. Hehas also been fortu-nate enough to receive contributionsfrom star players who have been in-formed of this amazing exhibit. He’salso received others through onlineauctions.

One of Dennis’ favorite balls, if hecould narrow it down, would probablybe the one that was generated whenthey opened the Baseball Hall of Famein 1939. There was 26 members in-

ducted that day, but only eleven playerswere still alive at the time. He has abaseball signed by all eleven along withthe original ticket admitting one to theopening ceremony on June 12th,1939. Seeing that ball is worth the tripright there.

There are also a lot of baseballsthat are signed by celebrities outsidethe realm of baseball, which makes the

“Cooperstown”Continued from page 1


exhibit fun for everyone. From ElvisPresley to a ball signed by MarilynMonroe and Joe DiMaggio when theywere married, to Arnold Palmer, BobBarker, Chubby Checker, FatsDomino, Martin Sheen, Randy Travis,Thomas Kinkade (who autographed hisball and added his signature lamppostinsignia), Henry Winkler, RegisPhilbin, and Betty White, just to namea few.

How One Man’s Passion Became aGrand Slam!

Once the word got out, peoplewould come from all over the world tosee the Schrader’s collection of base-balls. They’d stand in the Schrader’shouse and just go from ball to ball inawe and wonder, remembering players,and discussing stats. Eventually theright people came, people like local leg-end and philanthropist, Gus Stavros,who absolutely loved it, and thoughtthat it belonged in a place where every-one could enjoy it.

Dennis says, “The next thing youknow, the Mayor of St. Petersburg andall of his friends showed up at myhouse and said, ‘This has got to be inSt. Pete!’”

Over the next two years, the entirecommunity came together to raise the$250,000 necessary to make the mu-

seum into what it is today, and it’s awonder to behold. You don’t have tohave season tickets to appreciate thelove that has gone into this exhibit.

Whether they visited Schrader’sLittle Cooperstown when it was at Den-nis and Mary’s house, or in its new-found home in St. Petersburg havebeen impressed with the amount ofknowledge, love, and effort that havegone into it. Far more than a bunch ofold baseballs, Little Cooperstown is oneof St. Petersburg’s newest treasures.

Dennis told me that even, BillRasmussen, founder and CEO ofESPN Sports said it was the, “Greatestbaseball collection I’ve ever seen,” aftervisiting.

What makes the collection com-plete are the people who come to visitthe museum who watched these peopleplay, who knew that player at anothertime. It’s the kids’ faces when theythink about just how long baseballplayers have been coming to our state.It’s the group of Little League kidswho dream of writing their name on aball for the museum someday. It’s theRotary Club members who come in bybus, and even use walkers and glassesto find their favorite players, but whofloat out on a cloud nine made ofhappy memories.

Who knows how many baseballs

Schrader’s Little Cooperstown will havein 20 years, but one thing is for sure,and that is that baseball is more than agame––for those who love this sport,baseball is everything that is good andwholesome about being a kid. It iswhat being an All-American is reallyabout. It’s about rounding the bases,catching the fly, and getting nose-to-nose with that ump, even if it’s only inyour imagination. Baseball has capti-vated the hearts of boys and girls in ourcommunity for a century. Next year St.Petersburg will be celebrating theircentennial anniversary of hostingSpring Training teams. In a peanut-shell, baseball is an integral part of whowe are, and now we’ve got a chance toget up close, and in a way, personal, tosome of those people that made thesport so great.

The St. Petersburg Museum ofHistory is located at 335 Second Ave.N.E., and is an amazing destination initself, featuring, of course, Schrader’s

Little Cooperstown, as well as other in-teresting installations that shouldn’t bemissed. If you’re a baseball fan, you’veabsolutely got to get down here andcheck this out. In fact, if you’re lookingfor something fun to do with your fam-ily and friends this holiday season, thisexhibit is something that everyone canenjoy, and it’s just a short walk awayfrom restaurants, shopping and more.

Schrader’s Little Cooperstown islocated in the St. Petersburg Mu-seum of History on 335 Second Av-enue N.E. in St. Petersburg. Hoursare Tues. – Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and1 p.m.–5 p.m. on Sun.; closed Mon.General admission to the museum is$15, Senior Citizens over the age of60 are $12, students with ID are $9,and children are $9. Children under6 are free. To reach the museum, call727-894-1052 or visit their websiteat www.spmoh.com. You can alsovisit Dennis Schrader’s website atwww.littlecooperstown.com.

Lutz/Land O' Lakes/Odessa - Vol. 4, Issue 12, December 2013

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