Chamber honors community service

By MARY CARMICHAEL

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 17, 2000

Judith Rochelle hadn't lived in Pasco County for long before the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce "snatched her up" to work on local committees, said Chamber spokesman Joe Alpine. In the past eight years, she has balanced her job as vice president of development at Saint Leo University with volunteer gigs with practically every service group in West Pasco, Alpine said.

On June 9, Rochelle got her due. She was named an Outstanding Public Servant by the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet.

In fact, Alpine said, there's only one bad thing about Rochelle -- she's moving to Texas in December.

The Chamber presented 13 other awards to the following volunteers and service organizations:

Bob Ortiz was named Ambassador of the Year. The award goes to a member of the Chamber of Commerce's ambassador group, which is host to ribbon-cutting ceremonies and monthly luncheons for the chamber. Ortiz was president of the Ambassadors this year.

The Pasco Police Athletic League, better known as the PAL, was named an Outstanding Area Youth Organization. The 25-year-old program operates out of the Sheriff's Office and sponsors youth athletic teams.

The Junior Service League of Pasco County received the Outstanding Service Club award. The league finances six local scholarships and raises funds for charity.

Sandy Brown was named an Outstanding Citizen for her work with the YMCA, American Heart Association, Chasco Fiesta and Junior Service League, among others.

Judy Case received the Eminent Pioneer Acknowledgement Award for public service during the past 21 years. Case has served as chairwoman of the Pasco-Hernando Hospice and has volunteered for the Salvation Army, the Pasco County AIDS Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

Andy Oravec was named Outstanding Innovator. Oravec founded New Port Richey's Community Hospital, the first private hospital in west Pasco, almost 30 years ago. He retired this year.

Vinny Buscetta received the Outstanding Community Service Award for "making it his personal agenda" to help children in Pasco, Alpine said. Buscetta founded Gulf High School's Adopt-A-Student program, which was recognized by the state as an outstanding educational program.

The Special Community Recognition Award went to the Holiday Rotary Club, which plans the West Pasco Christmas parade and the Chasco Fiesta street parade. Members logged 3,047 volunteer hours in the past year and raised $600,000 for charity.

Three Wendy's employees were recognized for saving 4-year-old Steven Heidbrink from a burning car Dec. 9. The car crashed into the Wendy's parking lot that night and caught fire. The men -- Garry Roppolo, James McGoldrick and Felix Bousquet -- pulled the boy out of the car.

Linda Gordon, a Mittye P. Locke Elementary kindergarten-teacher and special-education teacher, was named Pasco Teacher of the Year.

Jay Feliciani, supervisor of science programs for the Pasco County school district, was named Pasco Administrator of the Year.

Rebecca Mohrle, a food-service assistant at Mittye P. Locke, started an after-school gardening club at the school and taught a nutrition class. She was named School-Related Personnel of the Year.

The Chamber presented a Humanitarian Award in memory of Bill Holton, who was the assistant principal at Ridgewood High School for 17 years.

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