The woman smiled shyly and quietly asked when her name would be in the paper. I told her the most likely day it would appear. She thanked me and, almost whispering, she added, "I've never been in the paper before. My family's excited."
I assured her I would make sure she did not miss the day her name would be in bold. I would call her, as I often do on Sunday afternoons, making sure those whose names are in bold know they are "in the paper."
I'm not sure who came up with the idea of putting names in bold in a newspaper but I agree with a fellow reporter who recently remarked, "Whoever thought of that had a winning idea."
Hometown Pasco celebrates its first anniversary today and during the past year more than 2,300 names have appeared in bold during the 52 consecutive Sundays that Hometown has been published. Along with those names have been 225 pictures showing more than 1,500 faces of people from east and central Pasco.
I know these aren't statistics that go down in a record book, but I do know that each name and each face in a picture is significant. I also know that more than a few of those papers have been mailed to family members in other towns and states, and I know that some of those pictures hang on refrigerators and bulletin boards. Tucked away in the bottom file cabinet drawer at my home, are 52 copies of Hometown Pasco. The names in bold belong to people who are important to me, and I want to remember them.
The readers of this paper make Hometown Pasco what it is. You've sent me dozens of stories and pictures. You've invited me to your clubs, your gatherings and even into your homes. You have shared with me personal stories of your life, your celebrations, your moments of achievement and highlights of a lifetime. Sometimes you have shared just a daily routine that makes life flow smoothly. This is what Hometown Pasco is all about.
I have been deeply touched by the human spirit of kindness in the communities that Hometown Pasco serves. The dedication of young and old reaching out and supportin g others in times of need says this is a strong community where giving back has deep meaning. It's a privilege to highlight those things on Hometown Pasco pages.
Many times over, I have been rewarded with your smiles, your appreciation and your generosity in sharing your special moments and stories. I've driven hundreds of miles, sometimes finding myself on dark back roads late Friday or Saturday nights.
Maybe it's a fashion show for an abuse center I have attended or a dance where I was moved seeing teenagers and senior citizens happily interacting; regardless, I love searching out, collecting, and coordinating all the news for Hometown. Most of all I like typing those names in bold.
As we launch into year two of Hometown Pasco, please continue to send your news for the Sunday pages that highlight the special people and activities of central and east Pasco County. I look forward to the year ahead and I hope you are looking forward to more community news stories every Sunday in Hometown Pasco.
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Daniel R. Kincaid has been named headmaster of Wellspring Preparatory Academy, a new private school whose student body will ultimately comprise classes of pre-kindergarten through eighth grade on 20 acres sites at Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.
Kincaid will have overall responsibility for directing and coordinating educational, administrative and counseling activities of the school. Working with students, families and staff, it is his goal to make Wellspring Preparatory Academy the best educational solution in the community.
"Wellspring will offer a challenging academic program, accountability to parents, a commitment to the teaching of virtues and a partnership with parents to ensure the success of their child," Kincaid said.
Plans call for Wellspring Prep to open in August 2006, offering enrollment for Pre-K through grade 3.. Classes will then be added yearly with grades 4-5 added in 2007, and grades 6-7 added in 2008.
Kincaid was most recently a counselor at Crossroads Christian Church, Evansville, Indiana, where he provided individual, couple and family therapy. Kincaid was also an associate professor of communications at the University of Southern Indiana and marketing and sales vice president for Breaking the Barrier, Inc., Groton, Mass.
Kincaid was also pastor of St. John's East United Church of Christ, Evansville, Ind., and a faculty member and associate director of admissions at Groton School.
An alumnus of Princeton Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity, Kincaid also holds an undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Evansville. He is a resident of New Tampa and a member of the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.
For additional information about Wellspring Preparatory Academy, call 813 975-7454 or visit www.wellspringprep.com
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The Daybreak Rotary of Zephyrhills had an unusual and festive meeting recently at the Zephyrhills Fire Station on Dairy Road. Program Chairman Manny Funes arranged for the 40 member club and guests to have lunch in the fire station-garage area. Local caterers, "Rock and Soul" with honorary Rotary members, Larry and Barbara Munroe, provided a wonderful meal.
Assistant Fire Chief Rex Guynn, a Zephyrhills native, shared the statistics of the types of fire calls that the station receives, the number of staff members, staff requirements, and much more.
Guynn introduced Fire Chie f Bob Hartwig who welcomed the Rotarians. Guynn and Hartwig provided tours of the facility for Rotarians who remained after the meeting.
The Zephyrhills Fire station was built on Dairy Road with the capacity for expansion to accommodate needs. Rotarians got to see one of the fire engines and, while at the station, witnessed the station receiving several calls.
The Zephyrhills Fire station is very active in the community, supporting fire prevention and safety. The club thanked Manny Funes for arranging the "field trip" meeting at the station.
Other guests at the meeting included Jennifer Frazier of the IKAN Sports Foundation who gave an overview of the IKAN Sports Foundation. The foundation seeks to foster a world where athletes with severe physical challenges are applauded for their ability rather than recognized for their disability. The Web site is www.ikansportsfoundation.org and provides an overview of the program.
Frazier is facilitated representatives of bowlers from her organization to attend the Daybreak Rotary's fundraiser at Unity Lanes. Rotary member, Dennis Alfonso, introduced Frazier and encouraged Rotarians to learn more about the IKAN program.
Nancy Perkins, media specialist at Stewart Middle School, also attended the meeting. In commemoration of Women's History Month, Nancy shared a program she is coordinating. Through the program she invites women in business and professional roles to attend a breakfast at the school. The program will provide an opportunity for women in the Zephyrhills community to share their life experiences with students at the school. Perkins invited the Daybreak Rotarians to attend the breakfast meeting.
President Madonna Wise announced that two members had recently attended the PETS Rotary training in Orlando and that the team of Manny Funes, Sharon Heinrich, Trini Kesselring, Joe Worrell and she would be attending the district assembly in Dade City.
Rotary is a service organization and takes great pride in assisting community efforts and projects. Guests are always welcome. Daybreak Rotary of Zephyrhills meets 7 a.m. Tuesdays at First Baptist Church, 38300 Fifth Avenue, Zephyrhills.
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For the fourth consecutive year, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce's Education Action Committee has recognized various students who have been chosen for their extraordinary efforts above and beyond their educational expectations. This has proven to be a great motivating factor for the children to show they are more than just academic students.
Each month two students are chosen from each of the five schools in the Wesley Chapel area. These students are chosen based on the effort they have shown regarding pride in their school, neighborhood, or their community. The schools involved are: Quail Hollow Elementary, Sand Pine Elementary, Wesley Chapel Elementary, Weightman Middle School an d Wesley Chapel High School.
The awards that are presented are: two "Student of the Month" awards for each school, each month; one "Athlete of the Month" award for the high school each month; and three $500 scholarships awarded to high school seniors each year.
At the end of the school year, all of the students are recognized during the annual Pride Continental breakfast and awards ceremony with a plaque and/or certificate reflecting their achievement. Guests include the students, their families, and business sponsors.
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce's Education Action Committee, under the leadership of chairman Lutfi Jadallah, extends an invitation to anyone who would like to become a sponsor of the area schools. Money donated shows students who are possible future business leaders
A sponsor's responsibilities include forwarding a check payable to "Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce" in the amount of the level of sponsorship; identifying a contact person from the business; and having a representative attend the Pride Breakfast and Awards Ceremony.
There are three levels of sponsorship: Gold, $500 donation, with the business receiving a Gold level sponsorship plaque and the business name show on the perpetual plaque displayed in one of the schools; Silver, $250-$400 donation, with the business receiving a silver level sponsorship plaque; and Bronze, $25-249 donation with the business receiving a bronze level sponsorship plaque.
Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor or wanting further information may call the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce at 813 994-8534 or e-mail wslychplchamber@aol.com
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Hawke Carter, 7, can't talk, but his smile spoke volumes. For the first time, Hawke was given the chance to enjoy barrier-free bowling along with Rotarians and their families at the recent 10th Annual Bowl-a-thon.
Using an IKAN Bowler, Hawke and his mother, Kristina Carter, were able to get in the rotation of a Rotary team in an effort to raise funds for Rotary-sponsored community programs, such as the Rotarian scholarship programs and area youth sports leagues. Using bumpers and an eight-pin scoring method, Hawke bowled a whopping 143 for his first game.
"He's getting older, and he's getting bored at home," said Kristina Carter. "There's very little I can do with and for him, and he needs something stimulating every day. I would come here and bowl once a week at least."
Hawke's participation was made possible through the IKAN Sports Foundation, which was invited to demonstrate the bowler to the Rotarians on hand for the Bowl-a-thon in hopes that IKAN Bowlers can be made available to the estimated 300 people who rely on power wheelchairs for their mobility in Pasco County.
"The empathy and understanding this could provide is so important. Hawke is precious and having him here bowling is so powerful," said Madonna Wise, president of Daybreak Rotary of Zephyrhills.
Currently, no organized sports are available to children like Hawke in east Pasco County. That makes it hard for parents of children with significant disabilities to provide the recreational stimulation that helps improve their overall quality of life.
"Our goal at the IKAN Sports Foundation is to introduce communities to those neighbors living in the shadows, specifically those who use power wheelchairs for their mobility, and help them get back into the game of life through sports such as barrier-free bowling,"said Jennifer Frazier, vice president of the IKAN Sports Foundation.
Dennis Alfonzo, a member of Daybreak Rotary of Zephyrhills and a partner in the law firm McClain Alfonzo, was able to caddy for Hawke and get a first-hand look at his reaction to using the IKAN Bowler.
"This is amazing, when you consider that Hawke can come and participate. That show that there is a need," Alfonzo said.
For more information on the sport of barrier-free bowling, call toll free 1-866-756-4526 or visit www.ikansportsfoundation.org
REACHING OUT
Instead of enjoying a typical spring break going to the beach or just relaxing, more than 60 Saint Leo University students and faculty traveled to the Dominican Republic, border towns in Mexico and Little Haiti in Miami. The goal was to help the poor by performing community service and to learn new cultures and experience the commo n denominators of poverty, hunger and ignorance.
One trip took place March 17-26. The group traveled to Dominican Republic, accompanied by Father Michael Cooper, S.J. assistant to the president for University Ministry; Dr. Christopher Miller, assistant professor of biology; and Chuck Fish, associate professor of economics .
Students helped disabled orphans, picked tomatoes with Haitian immigrants, visited a native run sweat-shop, and visited a barrio, a Mexican community. "We experienced a number of the face-to-face encounters with the poor and needy whether in a town or in the mountains," said Cooper.
A second trip took place, March 16-26, with a group traveling to McAllen, Texas accompanied by Sister Caroline Cerveny, associate director of University Ministry, and Brother Theodore Mukasa, O.S.B., chaplain for University Ministry. The group of volunteers spent the week listening, observing, learning, and sharing with people of the Rio Grande Valley. Some highlights of this trip included attending a passion play, working in a homeless shelter in Texas and visiting a battered women's shelter in Mexico.
"Students experienced the realities of living in a border town at all levels of income,"said Chervney. "We traveled as pilgrims to third-world countries without the conveniences of our lifestyle, living simply and packing our belongings in one sports bag."
The Haitian Education Project Director and Saint Leo 2003 alumni, Laude St. Preaux, and Sister Jane Martinson, traveled to Little Haiti in the Miami area with nine students. This trip took place March 19-24.
The group had the opportunity to experience Haitian culture and history. "It was an eye-opening experience," said student volunteer Kate Anderson. "The community was very welcoming. We learned about the Haitian culture and way of life."
All three groups returned to the Saint Leo University campus following spring break resuming their work as students or faculty members.
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RELAY FOR LIFE COMING UP: The Land O'Lakes Relay for Life committee held a planning meeting recently, organizing plans for the annual Relay for Life event that will take place at Pine View Middle School on April 29-30. Committee members are, from left, Kelly Evans, activities and entertainment chair; Dave Milliman, event chair; Brenda Milliman, secretary/data chair; Charlotte Lanious, advocacy chair; Lynn Myers, team development chair; in back, Terri Hillis, registration/accounting and online chair; Nancy Schebell, luminaria chair; and, in back, Mike Schebell, logistics. Missing from the picture but taking an active role are Cheryl Moore, survivorship chair; Rich Cole, logistics chair; Trena Pollock, sponsorship chair; and Dezi Zevin, publicity chair.
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VOLUNTEERS AT THE READY: Melissa Cummings, Jackie O'Neill and Nicole Hahn give last minute instructions to volunteers before the start of the east Pasco Relay for Life that occurred recently on the campus of Saint Leo University.
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SINGER PERFORMS: Nancy Engel, 16, gave a vocal presentation of Who Will Love Me? at the recent Spotlight on Talent competition held at Wesley Chapel.
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TALENT SHOWCASE HELD: Showtime show choir presented I'm the Greatest Star at the recent Spotlight on Talent competition. Showtime members included Carlee Chaffin, Bianca Contreras, Amanda Dempsey, Jordan Evans, Yarelis Fontanez, Cheyenne Gordon, Lindsay Kellly, Charlotte Lynn, Shelby Martin, Mary Beth McDougal, Courtney Nathe, Sydney Pashley, Emily Richter, Paula Taylor, Rachel Wise and Amanda Wilcher.
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TALENTED SOLOIST: Laura Christmas, 15, performed a piano solo as a participant in the recent Spotlight on Talent competition.
