Wesley Chapel Issue 20-09

For Advertising Information Call 813-910-2575 • Volume 17, Issue 20 • October 2, 2009 • www.WCNeighborhoodNews.com 1

Volume 17Issue 20

October 2, 2009NEWS

WESLEY CHAPEL

The Direct-Mail Newspaper Serving Wesley Chapel & New Tampa Since 1993!

WESLEY CHAPEL: Aberdeen • Belle Chase • Brookside • Chapel Pines • Country Walk • Lexington Oaks • Meadow Pointe • New River • Northwood • Pinewalk • Pine Ridge • Saddlebrook • Saddleridge Estates • Saddlewood • Seven Oaks • Lakes at Northwood • The Villages of Wesley Chapel • Wesley Pointe • Westbrook Estates • Williamsburg

NEW TAMPA: Arbor Greene • Cory Lake Isles • Cross Creek • Grand Hampton • Heritage Isles • Hunter’s Green • Hunter’s Key • K-Bar Ranch • Lake Forest • Live Oak Preserve • Pebble Creek • Richmond Place • Tampa Palms • West Meadows

THIS INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IS DIRECTLY MAILED TO:

LOCAL NEWS, BUSINESS &EDUCATION UPDATES

Auto Burglars Lead Cops On A High-Speed Chase, Local Photographer

Captures Memories, Local High SchoolSports Updates & More!

See pages 3-19!

NEIGHBORHOOD MAGAZINE!

Kids R Kids Preschool Opens 2nd WesleyChapel School, Local Halloween

Happenings, Our 2009 NeighborhoodNews Dining Survey & Contest & More!

See pages 21-32!

Also Inside This Issue!

Inside:Kids R Kids Adds2nd WC Location!

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PAIDTAMPA FL

PERMIT 2801

with the Corps’ findings. Thomas P. Schmitz, vice

president and CCTC projectmanager for the JacobsGroup, said that his companyis “pleased” about the permitreinstatement, but added thatwork on the project willalmost have to start over fromscratch.

“Since this project hasbeen on hold for a year and ahalf, we will need to rebid theconstruction contracts,”Schmitz said. “We also need toagain coordinate our planswith the major retailers thathad previously committed tothe project. The current stateof the economy has affected manyretailers’ expansion plans, not just inthe Tampa Bay area but nationwide, so

it is possible that some changes willoccur in our tenant mix.”

Cypress Creek Town Center Project Permitted To Proceed

See “Cypress Creek” on page 6.

By Michael Smith

After being on hold for a year anda half, the Cypress Creek Town Center(CCTC) in Wesley Chapel is once againmoving forward, since the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers (USACE) earlierthis month agreed to lift the suspensionof the permit that it issued to the proj-ect developers after several violations ofthat permit, in which turbit, or muddy,water was allowed to escape from thesite into the nearby environmentally-sensitive waterway for which the projectis named.

According to a USACE pressrelease, in addition to a $297,000 finethat was levied against the developers,the Cleveland-based Richard E. JacobsGroup and Tampa’s Sierra Properties,in August, the Corps also made somechanges to the permit, although the

changes are characterized as “adminis-trative in nature and related to minorproject boundary changes and correc-tions to the mitigation plan.” Therelease also says, “The Corps’ investiga-tion of the causes of the turbit dis-charges revealed that all documenteddischarges occurred as a result ofhuman error and construction sequenc-ing. The Corps found no evidence tosuggest that the discharges were a resultof a fault in the design of the stormwa-ter management system….The Corpstherefore concluded that the permitdoes not require modification based onissues surrounding the turbit dischargesand the stormwater management sys-tem.” And, the release also says thatofficials with the Southwest FloridaWater Management District (aka Swift-mud) and the Florida Department ofEnvironmental Protection concurred

Construction will begin again soon on the CypressCreek Town Center, after the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers determined this month that this runofffrom the project that flowed into the creek in 2007

was not the fault of the project’s design.

home and when they would be there,and then would attempt to gain entryinto the home by asking for water orto use the bathroom. Her real goal,allegedly, was to be alone in the houseso that she could unlock a window,presumably so that she or someoneelse could come back later to break in.

One resident in the e-mail chain,who we were not able to identify, saysthat he had confirmed with “manyneighbors, and the ones with bath-room windows had their windowsunlocked,” and also claimed to haveseen a man in the neighborhood tak-ing pictures and notes of homes andcars in driveways. “I have reported thisto the cops three times, and they areaware,” the person wrote.

According to Pasco County Sher-iff’s Office (PCSO) spokesman KevinDoll, however, PCSO has onlyreceived one formal complaint aboutthe young woman. They were able tolocate her, and after questioning,

decided that there was no evidencethat she had done anything wrong.The person who filed the complaintclaimed that the woman had unlockedhis bathroom window, but Doll saysthat complainant wasn’t sure if thewindow had in fact been locked in thefirst place.

Meanwhile, the Tampa PoliceDepartment (TPD) has received manye-mails and phone calls about the samealleged scammer from residents allaround the New Tampa area andbeyond, some even dating back to lastyear, according to TPD spokespersonLisa Timmer. “She sure has generateda lot of interest, but at this point, we’renot aware of anyone being victimizedby this person,” Timmer says.

By Michael Smith

Over the past several weeks, resi-dents of the Meadow Pointe commu-nity in Wesley Chapel have been circu-lating e-mails warning their neighborsabout a door-to-door salesperson whothey believe was trying to set them upto have their homes burglarized andmany New Tampa residents also havereported possible incidents involvingthe same person. Pasco County andCity of Tampa law enforcement offi-cials say, however, that they have inves-

tigated the matter and found no evi-dence of any wrongdoing.

According to the e-mail and anotice posted on the Meadow PointeCommunity Development Districtwebsite, the solicitor, a college-agewoman with a heavy German accent,was supposedly a foreign exchange stu-dent who was going door-to-doorwithin the subdivision trying to selleducational materials in order to earncollege credit. Once she made contactwith a homeowner, she would ask per-sonal questions about who lives in the

News Briefs—Police Dismiss Fears Over Door-To-Door Salesperson

See “News Briefs” on page 4.

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Table of ContentsNEWS UPDATES.....................................Pages 1-9News Briefs (cont. from Page 1)........................................4Auto Burglars Elude Police Motorcycle Accident Claims Tampa Man Local Man Charged In Theft Of Hotel TV

Cypress Creek (cont. from page 1)....................................6Wesley Chapel Community Calendar.......................8-9

BUSINESS UPDATES...................................11-17Thompson Studios Offers More Than Just

Great Photos...............................................................12Let Gecko Media Put Your Business In The

Web Spotlight..............................................................16

EDUCATION UPDATES...................................18Seven Oaks Students Read For Charity IDS-CC To Hold Open HouseWCH Offers ACT Practice Test

LOCAL SPORTS.................................................19WCH Beats WRH In Football, Then Falters

NEIGHBORHOOD MAGAZINENew KidsRKids Learning Center Opens.................21, 29Local Halloween Happenings Offer Fun, Fright.............22Visit Our Website For Contest Info & More.............26Our Exclusive 2009 Dining Survey & Contest..........27

WESLEY CHAPEL COLOR CLASSIFIEDS...30

An editorial by Gary Nager

Funny Divas Rock The Brass Tap To Benefit The ‘Hike!’ If you love to

laugh — and whodoesn’t, really? — I

hope you were among the packedhouse on 9/11 at The Brass Tap in theShops at Wiregrass when the FunnyDivas brought their fun, funny, some-times raucous brand of comedy to Wes-ley Chapel for the first time.

The Divas were the featured enter-tainers as Tampa Palms resident AimeeLucas and her friends, nicknamed “TheReal Housewives of New Tampa,” wereable (thanks to Brass Tap owner JeffMartin) to retain all of the $7-per-per-son admission fee for the event — and ashare of the beverage sales proceeds forthe evening — all to benefit the HighHeel Hike, an annual fund-raising eventcreated by Plant City-based artist JulesBurt. This year, there are three Hikes,— including the one in which the RealHousewives and Funny Divas took partlast weekend at Tampa’s WestshorePlaza — and this year’s Hike beneficiaryis actress Jenny McCarthy’s GenerationRescue for children with autism.

Burt herself, Lucas and several ofthe other Real Housewives were onhand for the comedy show at The BrassTap sporting pink wigs and divas SusanSaiger (a New Tampa resident and oneof my closest friends), Long IslandMary Tischbein, Catherine Larson,

Robin Savage and Aniria Wilson gavethe packed house more than theirmoney’s worth of laughs.

The Brass Tap (2000 Piazza Ave.,Unit #110, in The Shops at Wiregrass),which is an upscale beer and wine barfeaturing 40 import, micro brews anddomestic beers on tap (and 200 more inbottles), was a great backdrop for theDivas, most of whom have been knownto put away a few adult beveragesthemselves, and the crowd, althoughloud at times, definitely enjoyed whatthey saw and heard.

The evening also featured somegreat giveaways and raised more than$2,000 for a truly great cause.

If you missed the Funny Divas atThe Brass Tap, don’t sweat it! Theladies (and I use that term loosely, lol)will be back in our area on Friday,October 10, 8 p.m., at The PalmsLounge at Peabody’s Grill & Bar inTampa Palms. This will be the Divas’second appearance at Peabody’s andyou also can catch individual Divas atupcoming shows at Snapper’s ComedyClub in Palm Harbor and SideSplittersand The Improv in Tampa.

For a complete Funny Divasshow schedule and more informa-tion, visit FunnyDivas.com.

For more information about TheBrass Tap, visit BrassTapBeerBar.comor call 991-4343.

For information about JulesBurt’s High Heel Hike, visit High-HeelHike.com.

And, for information aboutJenny McCarthy’s Generation Res-cue, visit GenerationRescue.org.

The Funny Divas helped Plant City-based artist Jules Burt (in pink wig)raise more than $2,000 at The Brass Tap to benefit Burt’s High Heel Hike.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News15345 Amberly Dr., Tampa, FL 33647Phone: (813) 910-2575 Fax: 910-2483

Website: WCNeighborhoodNews.comAdvertising E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial E-mail: [email protected]

Publisher & Editor Gary Nager

Managing EditorMichael SmithCorrespondents

Kate Kramer • Melissa O’Brien • Matt RubinAdvertising Sales & Billing Manager

Julie RinaldiAdvertising Account Executive

Sandra Nelson Art Director Tony Sica

Graphic Designer Sandra Nelson

Office & Marketing AssistantsJacob Glenn • Karen Glenn

Nothing that appears in Wesley Chapel Neighbor-hood News may be reproduced, whether wholly or inpart, without permission. Opinions expressed by WesleyChapel Neighborhood News writers are their own and donot reflect the publisher’s opinion.

The deadline for outside editorial submis-sions and advertisements for Volume 17, Issue 22, of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News is Monday, October 12 , 2009.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will considerpreviously non-published outside editorial submissionsif they are double spaced, typed and less than 500words. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves theright to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submis-sions and makes no guarantees regarding publicationdates. Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News will not returnunsolicited editorial materials.

Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News reserves theright to edit &/or reject any advertising. Wesley ChapelNeighborhood News is not responsible for errors inadvertising beyond the actual cost of the advertising-space itself, not for the validity of any claims made by itsadvertisers. © 2009 JM2 Communications, Inc.


“She’s generated a lot of interest,but we’re not aware of anyone beingvictimized by her,” Timmer says.

Timmer also notes that even insubdivisions where soliciting is prohibit-ed, such as Meadow Pointe, police can-not arrest a person for doing so, unlesscommunity officials want to pursuecharges for trespassing, and that onlycounts if the person continues to stay ina public area after being asked to leave.

Otherwise, Timmer says, a per-son’s best protection is to treat door-to-door salespeople like any other stranger.

“If you don’t know them, don’t letthem in your house,” she says. “And, ifthey get too pushy, just tell them toleave.”

Auto Burglars EscapeAuto burglars who broke into

seven cars in one night in the NewTampa area, including an unmarkedpolice vehicle, managed to escape aftera brief high-speed pursuit on I-75.

According to a report issued by theTampa Police Department (TPD), thethieves hit during the night of Septem-ber 9-10, burglarizing three cars in theWest Meadows subdivision and twoothers in Richmond Place, while theseventh, an unmarked TPD vehicle, wasat an undisclosed location. Five of the

vehicles had their windows smashedout, while another was unlocked, andthe last car only had three of its tiresand rims stolen because the thieveswere interrupted while they were in theact of committing the crime.

A TPD officer spotted the sus-pects’ vehicle, a white four-door pick-up truck with the tag number341MQE, and gave chase, but the sus-pects managed to get away after head-ing south on I-75 from Bruce B.Downs Blvd. A statewide alert wasissued, but the suspects had not beencaptured at our press time. The tag wasreported stolen in Orange County onSeptember 3. In addition to the threetires and rims, the suspects also madeoff with a 9mm pistol, four GPS units,a couple of stereos, and other items.

Tampa Man Dies In I-75Motorcycle Crash

A 43-year-old Tampa man waskilled late last month after he lost con-trol of his motorcycle and crashed nearthe S.R. 56/I-75 interchange.

According to a report issued by theFlorida Highway Patrol (FHP), MarcShawn Glasgow was traveling south onI-75 at around 7:30 p.m. on September20 when, for unknown reasons, he lostcontrol of his 2004 Kawasaki. Themotorcycle veered into the grass centermedian and crashed into the metalguardrail. Glasgow, who was wearing a

“New Briefs”Continued from page 1

helmet, was thrown from the motorcy-cle and died at the scene of the crash.No other vehicles were involved in theaccident.

Local Man Charged WithTheft Of TV From Hotel

After spending the night in a localhotel, a Wesley Chapel man apparentlydecided that taking the towels and soapweren’t enough, so he allegedly alsomade off with a flat-screen TV fromone of the hotel’s common areas.

According to a report from thePasco County Sheriff’s Office, MarkAnthony Bento, 38, of 5604 BruceLane, was a guest at the Holiday InnExpress at 27615 S.R. 54 on August

31. According to the report, before hechecked out, Bento was seen adjustingsecurity cameras near the hotel’s TVroom and then wiping his fingerprintsoff of the cameras with a towel. He alsowas captured by an outdoor cameraputting something large into his car.

Bento denied taking the TV whenhe was contacted by police, but report-edly called the hotel to complain aboutbeing harassed and to demand hismoney back. He also allegedly told theperson who answered the phone to“Tell your manager the television looksnice in my living room.”

Bento was charged with one countof grand theft and released from jailafter posting a $2,000 bond.



At least two of those retailers whohad been previously announced aspotential tenants in the CCTC, Cir-cuit City and Linens N’ Things, areno longer in business, but there arestill signs on the site saying that aKohl’s department store and a SuperTarget are “coming soon.”

Deeanne Roberts, a spokespersonfor the Jacobs Group, says, however,that she cannot provide any specifics asto any potential tenants at this time.She adds that because of all the workthat needs to be re-done, there is noway to say when construction willactually get under way again, nor whenthe mall will be completed.

Questions and concerns aboutadverse environmental impacts haveplagued the CCTC project since it wasinitially approved by Pasco County offi-cials in 2004. Environmentalists andarea residents alike came out in force atthat time, saying that the massive proj-ect, which calls for a million square feetof retail, office, residential and otheruses, will cause irreparable harm toCypress Creek, which, in addition tobeing a protected Outstanding FloridaWaterway, is a primary tributary of the

Hillsborough River, from which theCity of Tampa gets its drinking water.

Although the developers mademajor changes to the project’s originalplan in order to meet those concerns,the Tampa Bay chapter of the SierraClub and several other environmentalgroups got together to file a lawsuitchallenging the USACE’s permit infederal court after that permit wasissued in May 2007. That lawsuit wasput on hold while the Corps wasreviewing the permit, but according toDenise Layne, the spokesperson for theTampa Bay chapter of the Sierra Club,the group is again consulting with itslawyers to decide how to proceed.

“I’m obviously very disappointedin the whole [review] process,” Laynesays. “I don’t know what it’s going totake to make [the Corps] realize thatit’s their responsibility to protect theland and wildlife [in and aroundCypress Creek]. So, right now, we aredefinitely looking at all of our optionsgoing forward.”

To see complete details of theUSACE’s review and findings, aswell as the full scope of the modifica-tions made to the CCTC permit,visit www.saj.usace.army.mil. Tofind the report, click on the link for“Regulatory Division” and then thelink for “News & Announcements.”

“Cypress Creek”Continued from page 1



Community CalendarWESLEY CHAPEL

Community Outreach DaySaturday, October 3 – Central

Bank (20701 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.,just south of County Line Rd.) willhost a Community Outreach Day, 11a.m.-2 p.m. The event will benefit theHumane Society of Tampa Bay, andwill include the opportunity to adopt apet, free blood pressure screenings andfree pictures with your pet. There alsowill be free snacks and beverages, aswell as gifts and giveaways from localrestaurants and businesses.

For more info (including a listof supplies that needed by theHumane Society), call 929-4477 orvisit centralbankfl.com.Florida Writers Association

Saturday, October 3 – The Flori-da Writers Association meets on the firstSaturday of every month, 10 a.m.-noon, at the Barnes & Noble bookstoreat the Shops at Wiregrass mall in WesleyChapel. All meetings are free and opento the public.

Call 907-7739 for more info.

Plant SalePlant SaleSaturday, October 3 – The Pasco

County Cooperative Extension Servicewill hold its annual Master GardenersPlant Sale, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Pasco

County Fairgrounds (36702 S.R. 52 inDade City). The sale will include a vari-ety of flowers, fruit trees and otherplants, as well as free mulch (load-it-yourself), educational literature, activi-ties for kids and more.

For more information, call(352) 521-4288.Chamber Breakfast

Tuesday, October 6 – TheGreater Wesley Chapel Chamber ofCommerce will hold its monthly Busi-ness Breakfast, 8 a.m., in the BordeauxRoom at Saddlebrook Resort. The costis $7 for Chamber members and theirguests, which includes a delicious fullbuffet breakfast. Space is limited, soreservations are required.

For more information or tomake a reservation, call 994-8534.Wesley Chapel Rotary Club

Wednesday, October 7 – TheRotary Club of Wesley Chapel meetsevery Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at LasVallarta Mexican Restaurant (in the Vil-lage Market shopping center at S.R. 54& Bruce B. Downs Blvd.).

For more information, call 263-7188 or 383-6683.‘After The Quake’

Thursday-Saturday, October 8-

10 – The Wharton High School Thes-pians and the LSA Repertory TheatreCompany will present a new stage pro-duction of “After The Quake,” begin-ning at 7 p.m. each evening in theschool auditorium (20150 Bruce B.Downs Blvd.).

For ticket prices and other infor-mation, call 631-4710, ext. 266.

PACAPACAThursday, October 8 – The Pasco

Alliance of Community Associations(PACA) will meet at 7 p.m. at the LandO’Lakes Community Center (5401Land O’Lakes Blvd./U.S. 41). Themeeting is free and open to the public.

For more information, visitmyPACA.org or call PACA presidentBill Parsons at 991-6003.

Wesley Chapel Wind EnsembleThursday, October 8 – The Wes-

ley Chapel Wind Ensemble, a commu-nity group of brass and woodwind play-ers, meets every Thursday at 6 p.m. atHyundai of Wesley Chapel (27000Wesley Chapel Blvd./S.R. 54). Newmembers are encouraged to join.

For more information, contactGlenn at 746-4821 or by e-mail [email protected].

WC Republican ClubThursday, October 8 – The Wes-

ley Chapel Republican Club meets onthe second Thursday of each month, 7

p.m., at Hyundai of Wesley Chapel(27000 Wesley Chapel Blvd.). Themeetings are open to club members,new members and guests.

For more information, call PeterHanzel at 907-6614 or send an e-mail to [email protected] Rotary

Friday, October 9 – The WesleyChapel Sunrise Rotary Club meetsevery Friday at 7:15 a.m. at the Lexing-ton Oaks Golf Club (26140 LexingtonOaks Blvd.).

For more information, callLynne Wilson at 695-6466.Community Sales

Saturday, October 10 – The resi-dents of the Countrywalk subdivisionwill hold a community garage sale, 7a.m.- 1 p.m. The community is locatedjust off S.R. 54, just inside the entranceto Meadow Pointe. Once inside, justlook for the signs.

Also, the residents of the Hunter’sGreen subdivision in New Tampa willhold their annual Trash & TreasureSale, 7:30 .m.-11:30 a.m., at Capt.Nathaniel Hunter Park (9456 HighlandOak Dr.) inside the community. Formore information, call 991-4818.

And, the residents of Kingshyre atCross Creek (also in New Tampa) alsowill hold their community sale, 8 a.m.-4p.m. Kingshyre is located on KinnanSt., just north of Cross Creek Blvd. The


sale will include a variety of householditems and furniture, as well as manybrand new Webkins© with tags.

For additional information, call991-6211.Anniversary Celebration

Thursday, October 8 – Board-walk Frozen Custard (27225 S.R 56)will celebrate its second anniversarywith special prices on its deliciousfrozen egg custard and live music byYuval (7 p.m.-9 p.m.).

For more information, call 991-9800 or visit BoardwalkFC.com.

WC Mothers & MoreWC Mothers & MoreSaturday, October 10 – The Wes-

ley Chapel chapter of Mothers & Morewill host a Career Fresh Start Day, 10a.m.-1 p.m., at the new LA Fitness cen-ter at the corner of Bruce B. DownsBlvd. and County Line Rd.

The event will include a variety oflocal businesses offering career andbusiness advice, clothing, education andmore, as well as plenty of other funactivities for the whole family. The costis $5 and a donation of personal items,cleaning supplies or other suitable itemsthat will be given to the Sunrise ofPasco County Domestic Violence &Sexual Assault Center.

For more information, callKaren Patel at 849-3534.

Shoresh David To Host

Christian ConcertSaturday, October 17 - Shoresh

David Messianic Synagogue at WesleyChapel’s Trinity United MethodistChurch (33425 S.R. 54) will host aconcert and worship service featuringvocalist Jimmie Black, beginning at 7p.m. There is no charge for admission,but an offering will be collected.

For more information, call 760-3269 or visit ShoreshDavid.org.

Wesley Chapel Craft ShowSaturday & Sunday, October 17-

18 - The Grove at Wesley Chapel retailcenter (off S.R. 54 at I-75) will host acraft show that includes a wide array ofartists and craftsmen, a “Battle of theWings” contest, incredible food, enter-tainment, children’s activities, specialtreats and much more.

For more info, call 994-6795 orvisit WesleyChapelCraftShow.com.Networking On The 9s

Tuesday, October 20 – TheGreater Wesley Chapel Chamber ofCommerce will host its monthly golfnetworking group, Networking on theNines, 3 p.m., at Lexington Oaks GolfClub (26133 Lexington Oaks Blvd., offS.R. 54). The cost is $7 per person,which includes 9 holes of golf, cart andgreens fees.

For more information, call LarryParker at 679-6602.




Thompson Studios Offers Quality Photographic Services & More!Thompson Studios, New Tampa’s

first and premiere photography studio,opened it’s doors in January of 2004 inCory Lake Isles with one approach inmind: make every client’s experience amemorable one that ends with receivingstunning photos that audibly take theirbreath away — whether you you’relooking for quality portrait, wedding orcommercial photography..

Today’s advanced digital photogra-phy easily allows individuals to startsmall photography businesses out oftheir homes, garages or simply as an“on-location” photographer!

“Since we opened six years ago,when we were the only photographystudio [in New Tampa], the number ofphotography choices has grown withthe population,” says Thompson, whoadds that it may be useful to understandwhat is unique about each option tochoose where you connect/match.

HS Senior PhotographyThompson Studios has pho-

tographed more than 3,000 high schoolseniors over the last six years and hassolidified its reputation by providinghigher-end, custom senior portraitscombined with a fun, “model-like”experience, as opposed to the averagephotos and the factory-like approach

taken by most schoolyearbook photogra-phy companies.

“Many seniorsand parents are underthe misconceptionthat they are stuckwith the senior por-traits taken by theschool’s contractedphotographer provid-ing yearbook images[at that school],” saysThompson. “But, thisis not the case. The student must selecthis/her yearbook photo from the con-tract photographer, but [we can stillprovide your] senior portraits.”

Thompson adds, “Our approachhas been a one-at-a-time, hold-your-hand- through-the-entire-process kindof thing. We offer hour-long sessions, aswell as location sessions, and weencourage the seniors to bring outfitsand props that say who they are today.”He also says that many seniors are hav-ing fun posting and sharing theslideshow of their portrait images onYouTube, Facebook or MySpace.

Portraits With PersonalityWhen asked what distinguishes his

work from other studios, Thompson

says, “I’m always trying to capture areal moment, something pure andbelievable, something authentic andinnocent, something in that momentthat will never happen again and hasnever happened before. Given that I’malmost always photographing people,that means that the people in my pho-tographs appear natural and relaxed,even if we set the shot up. The smilesare not contrived, but real and the eyesare engaged. Families are portrayed in amoment of togetherness and a spark ofemotion fills your heart. Giving peoplea fun, playful and upbeat experiencegoes a long way towards getting peoplerelaxed and enjoying themselves, andsurely makes for better and more uplift-ing portraits.

Specializing in commissioned, fineart wall hangings, Thompson Studiosalso offers print packages, a wide rangeof digital photography products, thefinest albums and customized creativeart pieces imagined through a creativedesign process with the photographerand his clients. New Tampa residentLissette Farina says that Thompson Stu-dios, “rocks harder than I’d ever imag-ined and their work is pure magic.”

When you make the decision toinvest in a photographic portrait, be itmaternity, baby, family, or a reunion,

consider 3 things:1. Do any of your friends or peo-

ple you respect have portraits hangingin their homes and if so, and you likethe work, did you ever ask your friendwho the photographer was?

2. Have you checked out the pho-tographer’s web site and blog, to see ifyou feel a connection to the ambianceof the studio and the photographerthrough the words and images?

3. Have you visited the studio?You’ll be able to see more work, speakwith the photographer and be excitedabout scheduling your portrait session.

Weddings A SpecialtyHaving shot weddings for the past

18 years, Thompson says he has cometo notice how the trends in weddingphotography change almost every 2-3years. Thompson recognizes that themost recent trend combines contempo-rary photojournalism focusing on theunique, with edgy fashion images digi-tally and creatively enhanced.

“I love my wedding photos!,” sayssays Sheila Schweitzer of Shepré HairSalon (see “The Kiss” on Thompson’sblog). “They’re edgy, they’re loving,they’re gorgeous…and, they truly cap-tured ‘The Kiss!”

Thompson says he also is excited

PhotographerBob Thomspon ofThompson Stu-dios on CrossCreek Blvd.


about his associate photographer, MikeOssola, who complements Bob’s pho-tography at his clients’ weddings.

“When we hired Mike Ossola lastyear to be our digital post-productionartist, I knew he was a great photogra-pher. Mike’s bringing an edgy, fashion-driven style which, when combinedwith my contemporary photojournalis-tic style, allows us to cover each impor-tant moment at a wedding uniquelyand creatively.”

Because of the recent onslaught ofthe “social media” sites (e.g., Facebook,Twitter, MySpace, etc.), a new realm ofcommunication exists that never reallydid before. And, with online communi-cation on the rise, new couples are nowvery likely to contact photographers viathe internet, texting, or e-mail to askabout pricing. Although going onlineand looking through different photog-raphers’ web sites is a great idea to seethe work, you’ll also want to meet thephotographer in person before choos-ing one. Your wedding day is special,romantic and intimate, so you’ll wantto feel at ease around your photogra-pher (since he’ll be shadowing youmost of the day), so that your weddingphotos will show you at your best whenyou’re natural and at ease.

Commercial Photography, Too Thompson has been shooting

commercial and marketing photography

for over 16 years inthe Tampa Bay area.Large national andinternational entitieslike Raymond JamesFinancial, BaycareHealthcare, BIC,the University ofTampa, Checkers,Bank of America,Universal LifeInsurance, FloridaBank Group andthe HillsboroughCounty Bar Associ-ation have all count-ed on Bob to pro-vide great images.

Although manysmall businesses may not understandhow top-quality commercial photogra-phy can boost brand recognition, enticecustomers to their company’s websiteor simply make a strong impression at aglance, some (thankfully) do. Thomp-son Studios has taken a library ofimages for dozens of New Tampa smallbusinesses. Simply go through thepages of this newspaper and you’ll findbusiness portraits and ad photos shot byThompson Studios, including attorneysMatthew Jowanna and Charlie Spinner,Florida Executive Realty Realtors JimHenning and Kristy Darragh, local den-tists Dr. Paul Duga and Dr. Mark Fari-na, Circles New Tampa Bistro, Fit4Life

and more. Large corporations know that first

impressions really do last and when flip-ping through a magazine or newspaper,what the eye sees first are the photos.The quality of the photography cankeep the eye on the ad and convinceyou to read further, and the lack ofquality can cause the eye to pass rightover without even noticing the name.Images are important and a bad imagecan kill an ad. Unfortunately, with digi-tal photography, many business peoplewho own a digital camera will take theirown shots and often end up with withpoor photos. Again, take a lookthrough this very publication and seethe difference between ads with greatphotos and those with photos that donothing to boost the ad or message.

Photography & More!A Florida-based, international

company recently hired Thompson Stu-dios to photograph the company’s cor-porate incentive trip to Germany, andreceived multiple benefits Thompson.In addition to his usual great photos,Thompson also provided quality musi-cal entertainment for the company’sguests, as well as German translationsfor the company’s executives.

Thompson, who has been a main-stay in the commercial marketingindustry in Tampa Bay for the past 16years has worked with many national

accounts that have taken him to moststates in the U.S., but this trip abroadwas special for Thompson, who alsoplayed his guitar and sang on the trip.

The German company’s vice presi-dent of corporate communications &marketing was elated after learning thatthe former U.S. Air Force German lin-guist was fluent in the German lan-guage, having previously encounteredlanguage barriers in an attempt to find aGerman photographer.

“We can’t wait to have Bob backnext year!,” said the president of thecompany. “What Thompson Studiosprovided was of tremendous value.Not only did Bob take absolutely awe-some photos of our entire trip, ourawards banquet, day excursions andeverything else that happened duringour cruise, he’s also a great singer andguitar player with a great repertoire.Our group really enjoyed what hebrought to our trip.”

With camera in hand, Thompsonphoto-journaled the five day event.“We loved the photography and watch-ing the slideshow of the entire trip thelast night of the cruise really connectedeveryone,” said the President.

Thompson Studios is located at10329-H Cross Creek Blvd., in theCory Lake Isles Professional Center.For more information, call KimThompson at 994-2000 or visitThompsonStudiosTampa.com.

Thompson gotaspiring modeland actor MaxRedden revvedup for his first-ever photo shoot.


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Gecko Media Offers Effective Web Marketing For Your Business!By Melissa O’Brien

In the world of Internet market-ing, some say your website has about30 seconds to make a good impression.That means if your site is not one of thefirst to appear in a search-engine or ifit’s not appealing or easy to use, youhave likely just lost a potential client –forever. Gecko Media, located off S.R.56, can help you make the most of youronline marketing. Through web sitedesign, database development, corpo-rate brand development, and searchengine marketing (SEM) strategies,Gecko can help you create a firstimpression that can turn into lastingbusiness partnerships.

“A website needs to look profes-sional and have a clear message,” saysthe company’s co-founder AaronHouck. “In order for customers to findyou, each page needs to be designedfrom a search engine optimization per-spective. For example, people look bythe service or project they need in thenearest city, so you usually are compet-ing with people in your area. If youhave a site that is poorly designed, yourinformation may not appear for thosepeople where you live. By optimizingthe search-engine process, we makesure people find you. In addition, your‘front’ page should have a clear message

that entices a customer to contact thebusiness, and once you get that initialcontact, you want to update your siteoften to keep people coming back.”

Gecko Media can work with clientswho are just starting a company, as wellas those who already are established.

“If you need help getting started,we can help with everything — fromweb design, logo development, market-ing and more,” says Houck. “We havepartnered and worked with companiesof all sizes, from one-person start-upsto some of the nation's most recogniza-ble brands, such as Microsoft, AT&Tand Raymond James Financial. We lookat the entire picture when it comes toyour business, from memorable designto dynamic programming to measura-ble marketing.”

Houck says that web advertising isbecoming a necessity in today’s market-place. “If a company is choosingbetween the telephone book, a bill-board or a website, the website is [usu-ally] a far better return on your dollar,”he says. “With a website, once youdesign it, if it if done effectively, it willget you better results. On a billboard,which can be very costly, the peoplewho may see is as they are driving bymay not need your service right thenand there and if they do need you, may

not have time to write the phone num-ber down [while driving]. When some-one is looking online, they usually needthe service right away, and the websiteallows for layers of detail that the phonebook or a billboard simply can’t.”

Houck says that Gecko-designedwebsites also allow for easy tracking.

“When I went to business school,you couldn’t tie your advertising dollarsto sales,” he says. “Now, you can atleast tell how many leads come in thedoor and be more confident in yourmarketing by doing it online. We useGoogle Analytics on websites, whichgenerates detailed statistics about thenumber of visitors the site receives.From there, it gives you really greatinformation to find out what key words

worked and what search engines peopleused and the pages they found.”

Houck, who grew up in nearbyOdessa, FL, founded Gecko Mediawith his partner Steve Weir in 1996.Both Houck and Weir attended theUniversity of South Florida andreceived Bachelor’s Degrees in Business.“We started right out of college at atime when we had to teach some peo-ple what the internet was,” says Houck.Today, the company has six employees.

For Live Oak Preserve residentShannon Dicara, Gecko Media was theperfect answer to creating the look, feeland design of her internet business,PerfectPartiesByMail.com.

“I Googled web companies andGecko Media came up,” says Dicara. “I

Steve Weir and Aaron Houck are the co-founders of Gecko Media, a web-design &more company in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel.


contacted four companies and GeckoMedia was the only one that wentabove and beyond. We talked by phoneand by e-mail and they even came overmy house to discuss things with me. Idid not want the site to be too mascu-line or too feminine and I had a hairribbon I wanted to incorporate into thedesign. They did everything for me –coming up with a great logo and theentire look of the website.”

Dicara says that working withGecko Media has been, “One-stopshopping. They offer a lot of services,like logo design and an e-commercesystem, and you can pick and choosewhich options you want. They are veryreasonably priced and I have recom-mended them to other people.”

Noah Anderson, the owner ofPlanningFamily.com, a website that isbased out of Costa Mesa, CA, workedwith Weir ten years ago in Tampa and

has used Gecko for its website designsince April of 2005.

“We have always experienced ahigh level of customer service withGecko Media,” says Anderson. “Wehave worked with other web designcompanies in the past but there wasalways a disconnect with what waspromised and what was delivered.”

Anderson also says that his webbusiness, which is geared at helpingnew mothers, takes a lot of technicalknow-how.

“It looks very user-friendly on thefront end,” says Anderson. “But on theback end, it’s very complex and noteveryone can do this and do it well. Ihighly recommend Gecko Media toothers. They truly are a partner with usand we are not just a paycheck forthem. They have turned us off of somebig projects that they would have bene-fited from because they thought it

might not make sense for us. They’revery ethical.”

Gecko also is the web design com-pany that created NTNeighborhood-News.com, which is already generatingnew business for this publication.

“Steve and Aaron are awesome,”says publisher and editor Gary Nager.“They always get things done when andhow they say they will. In my experi-ence, that’s unique among web designcompanies”

Gecko Media is located at 2406Cypress Glen Dr., Suite 101, in theCypress Glen Prof. Park off of S.R.56 in Wesley Chapel. For more infoor a free consultation, call 936-8919or visit www.geckomedia.com.

Gecko Media did a great job of designing the still-under-construction websitefor a certain local publication!


Education UpdatesWESLEY CHAPEL motivational videos featuring the Man-nings, e-cards, a sweepstakes and detailson ClassroomsCare’s charity partners,which include Reach Out & Read, Savethe Children, yjr Blair E. Batson Hospi-tal for Children, the Peyton ManningChildren’s Hospital, Peyton Manning’sPeyback Foundation, Mercy HealthPartners and The Eli and Abby Man-ning Birthing Center.

“The ClassroomsCare program letsboth students and teachers demonstrateour spirit of service and sharing whilealso instilling a passion for reading.”Sebastian says.

Since its launch in 2001, theScholastic Book Clubs’ ClassroomsCareinitiative has enriched the lives of morethan 36 million children nationwide.

IDS-CC Open HouseIndependent Day School-Corbett

Campus (12015 Orange Grove Dr., offBusch Blvd.) in Tampa, will be hostingan Admissions Open House on Thurs-day, October 15, 8:30 a.m.

The Open House will begin withan overview of IDS conducted byHeadmaster Dr. Joyce Burick Swarz-man, who will discuss the school’s aca-demic curriculum, as well as its fine arts,sports and technology programs. Shewill also discuss how IDS balances anurturing, safe and exciting learning

environment with high standards andhigh expectations.

“Our vision is to make the learningprocess joyful and challenging, as wellas stimulating and productive,” said Dr.Swarzman. “We put children first,focusing on excellence and developing apositive self-concept, while also empha-sizing the importance of giving back tothe greater community. It’s these typesof issues that we are eager to discusswith prospective parents when they visitour campus.”

Finally, the Open House also willinclude a tour of the campus conductedby middle school student ambassadors.

In addition to the official OpenHouse, families that are interested inlearning about IDS are always wel-come to call the Admissions Office at961-8037 to schedule an appoint-ment and a tour at any time.

Practice ACT Test OfferedA Practice ACT designed to help

boost students’ scores will be adminis-tered by Princeton Review at WesleyChapel High School (30651 WellsRd.), Saturday, October 3, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The cost per student is $20,and preregistration is preferred, butwalk-ins are also welcome.

For more information, call theschool office at 794-8700.

Seven Oaks Students AreReading Books For Charity

A group of second graders fromSeven Oaks Elementary are joiningSuper Bowl MVPs Peyton and EliManning and Scholastic Book Clubs tohelp donate one million books to disad-vantaged children.

This fall, students in Audrey Sebas-tian’s class have pledged to read 100books as part of the Scholastic BookClubs’ “ClassroomsCare” Program.The philanthropy-based literacy cam-paign is designed to teach childrenabout the joys and importance of read-ing — and giving.

“Kids have big hearts, andnowhere is that more evident thanwhen children help other childrenthrough the ‘ClassroomsCare’ Pro-gram,” Scholastic Book Clubs presidentJudy Newman says. “Classes around thecountry are reading 100 books each.When they meet that goal, the Man-nings, Scholastic and our charity part-ners will put one million books into thehands of the neediest children. The kidsin Seven Oaks get to see firsthand thattheir efforts can make the world a bet-ter place.”

To participate, classrooms joineither “Team Peyton” or “Team Eli”and keep track of their progress using aClassroomsCare poster. A companionwebsite lets students share and comparetheir achievements with other partici-pating classrooms around the nation.

The website also provides activities,

Kylie Keys, Sarah Schulze and TylerMesnekoff are participating in theClassroomsCare reading program.

There’s an old sayingthat you can throw out therecords in a rivalry game, sono score should come astoo big a surprise whencross-Wesley-Chapel rivalsWiregrass Ranch High(WRH) and Wesley ChapelHigh (WCH) get togetheron any playing field.

Even so, few couldhave expected that theWildcats (now 1-3 on theseason, including 0-1 inClass 3A, District 7 play)would be able to get theironly win of the young 2009season in the only game that the Bulls(now 3-1, 1-0 in District 4A-6) havelost so far. Rivalries. Go figure.

WCH led WRH just 7-0 at half-time on the Bulls’ home field on Sep-tember 18, as Mike Vizza threw a 74-yard TD to John Ayers, but broke thegame open in the second half with twomore TDs and a safety. RB JohnMahan ran for 122 yards and one ofthose TDs and the ‘Cats defense heldWRH to just 87 yards of total offense.

The following week, however,things got back to “normal,” as coachJohn Castelamare’s ‘Cats lost their Dis-trict opener to always potent PascoHigh, 45-6, at WCH. RB Chris Pierre-

Charles rushed for 103 yards and theteam’s only score (the PAT was missed),but the ‘Cats had no answer for Pascofreshman sensation Janarion Grant, whoran for two TDs, caught a 48-yard passfor another and finished his day with an82-yard kickoff return for a fourth TD.

Likewise, WRH handily won itsDistrict opener at Ridgewood, 28-8,the week after falling to the ‘Cats. First-year Bulls’ coach Jeremy Shobe had tobe pleased with the bounce-back win,as RB Josh Johnson ran for 162 yardsand a late TD, Assad Nevel returned akick 85 yards for a score and DwayneHouston ran 36 yards with a fumblerecovery for another. — GN


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Newest Kids R Kids Learning Center Opens On Overpass Rd. At Boyette Rd. By Melissa O’Brien

First impressions are very impor-tant – especially for kids. So, whensome 70 families first entered thenewest Kids R Kids location on Over-pass Rd. at Boyette Rd. (north of S.R.54) earlier this month for Open House,they were welcomed with open arms bysmiling, friendly teachers and adminis-trators all dressed in bright, pink T-shirts. Kids were encouraged to exploreand play with trains and other toys inthe airy, open 17,000-sq.-ft. facility,while their parents talked with teachers,took a tour of the school and met withthe school’s cook, Chef Jackie.

“It is a beautiful facility,” says Wes-ley Chapel resident Angel Smith. “Theydid a great job. Everyone was very pos-itive and excited to be there. My son,who is four, really liked the outdoorplay area, which is shaded, and thewater park they have. I like the idea thathe can play outside at least twice a dayand he will not be in the hot sun.”

Kids R Kids of Wesley Chapel is adream come true for owner Bimal Bho-jani. Seven years ago, Bhojani was livingin London, England, and working forthe banking industry when he decidedto change course. “I visited a friend inCanada and took a tour of their child’sdaycare,” says Bimal, the father of twosmall children, who now lives in Mead-ow Pointe. “I was tired of working vir-tually 24 hours every day in the bank-ing industry and wanted a change. Idecided I wanted to start a daycare, but

in London, it was impossible to pur-chase land at a reasonable price. I havetraveled the world, loved the UnitedStates and decided to make a lifechange and move here.”

After looking at a number ofoptions, Bhojani began working withthe Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI), officein London. EFI is a public-private part-nership, with 13 offices around theworld, serving as Florida’s primaryorganization devoted to statewide eco-nomic development. “I began workingwith Enterprise Florida in 2002,” saysBhojani. “They assisted me in theprocess and helped me with my duediligence. They helped me identifyWesley Chapel as a great location tostart the business. I arrived here in2007, and today I’m pleased to saywe’ve accomplished what I set out todo – I’ve created a new service-orientedbusiness that will eventually create 50new jobs in the area.” (Note-The newKids R Kids currently has only 15employees, but has capacity for up to50 staffers as the school fills up.)

Bhojani says he chose the Kids RKids franchise, which is based out ofAtlanta, because he saw it as a companythat brought a real “service” element tothe childcare industry. There currentlyare five Kids R Kids in the Tampa Bayarea (including another in WesleyChapel, inside the Meadow Pointecommunity owned by another fran-chisee), and a total of 13 Kids R KidsSchools of Quality Learning in the stateand 165 in 14 states nationwide.

“There is some-thing very specialabout Kids R Kidsthat sets it apart fromother childcare fran-chises, “says Bhojani.“Our schools are dif-ferent. We have a lotof glass walls, so sib-lings can see eachother from room toroom. We have real-time internet accessto the school for par-ents so they canwatch what is going on while they areat work. Our play areas are age-appro-priate and we are one of the few in thearea that have a sun screen, so childrencan play outside without the fear of sundamage to the skin.”

The covered outdoor play area,which is approximately 25,000-sq. ft.,has equipment that is age-appropriatefor children. The water park, whichoffers cooling sprinkles of water with amushroom-shaped dome, is anotherfeature not found at most childcarecenters. Bhojani says that Kids R Kids iscontinually upgrading its design plansfor is centers, so that this new WesleyChapel location definitely has a “wow”factor. “Everything here is an upgrade,”he says. “We have created a first-classfacility. You will genuinely notice a dif-ference from other childcare centers.”

Bhojani says another importantelement of Kids R Kids is the curricu-lum. “We are teaching babies sign lan-

guage, working with toddlers on funda-mental skills and supporting our chil-dren to instill a sense of confidence andaccomplishment. As your child contin-ues to grow, our curriculum grows withhim or her..”

Kids R Kids is open to childrenages 6 weeks to twelve years of age.The center provides transportation toand from Wesley Chapel, Watergrass,Veterans, Quail Hollow, DoubleBranch, and New River elementaryschools. There is a special facility in theback of the center with approximately3,500 sq. ft. of space for before- andafter-care, where kids can do theirhomework, have assistance (if needed),have a snack or just relax. Kids can playWII or participate in other supervisedactivities, which Bhojani points out isusually different than what the publicschools offer for aftercare. The cost forthe before- and after-care program is

See “Kids R Kids” on page 29.

The friendly staff at the new Kids R Kids on OverpassRd. at Boyette Rd. will take great care of your children.


While we already have plenty to benervous about, with the state of theeconomy, the threat of nuclear arms inIran and global warming, sometimes it’sfun to be scared for no other reasonthan to be scared. And, this month, youcan be scared out of your wits whilehaving a good time, at fun and scarylocal events like Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream, Lowry Park Zoo’s ZooBooand the ever-popular Guavaween cele-bration in Ybor City.

Busch Gardens’ ‘Howl-O-Scream’

This is the tenth anniversary ofBusch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream, andthis year’s event promises to be scarierthan ever, with all new haunted houses,scare zones and thrilling shows.

Among the seven Haunted Housesawaiting guests are the “NightshadeToy Factory,” “Trapped In The Walls,”“Death Row Vengeance” and “Taste ofBlood,” while the four scare zones fea-ture “Banshees,” “Werewolves” andmore. The stage shows include“Fiends,” a favorite from years past, andan all-new spectacular featuring “TheMagic of Jason Byrne.” This year,Howl-O-Scream also introduces ClubEnvy, a 21-up dance club that includes

drink specials, character meet-and-greets, and great music all night long.

Admission to Howl-O-Scream isseparate from regular Busch Gardensadmission and costs $69.95, althoughsavings are available to Busch Gardenspassport members and Florida residents.Special discounts are offered throughpromotional codes on Bud Light,Domino’s Pizza and Applebee’s prod-ucts statewide. Howl-O-Scream runsevery Thursday-Saturday night duringOctober, 7:30 p.m.-1 a.m. on Thurs-days and 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m. on Fridaysand Saturdays.

For more information, call (888)800-5447 or visit howloscream.com.

Local Halloween Happenings Offer Plenty Of Frightening FunLowry Park Zoo’s ‘ZooBoo’

While Howl-O-Scream comes witha disclaimer that the event is not suit-able for children, Lowry Park Zoo(1101 W. Sligh Ave.) offers a family-friendly alternative with its annual“ZooBoo.”

While it also includes plenty ofhaunted houses, animal encounters,music, rides and more, many of Zoo-Boo’s events and activities are scaledback so they can be enjoyed by childrenof all ages. The rides and attractions areall rated from one skull for the littlesttrick-or-treaters to seven skulls for theolder and more courageous. This year,ZooBoo brings back some of thefavorite shows from last year, includingthe Little Tykes Boo House (one skull)and Declassified: Project Alien (sevenskulls), as well as some fun new activi-ties, such as the “Hidden In The Mist”horse-drawn carriage ride and the “Sin-ister Shadows Gothic Nightmare.”

“ZooBoo” runs Friday-Sunday(and some Thursday) nights throughOctober, 7 p.m.-11 p.m. on Fridaysand Saturdays and 7 p.m.-10 p.m. onThursdays and Sundays. Tickets cost$17 for ages 12 and up, $14 for chil-dren ages 3-11, and children ages 2 andunder are free. For info, call 935-8552 or visit lowryparkzoo.com.

GuavaweenMeanwhile, Guavaween, which

takes over the streets of Ybor City onHalloween night, is returning to itsstreet party roots by banning all motor-ized floats from the Stumble Paradethat is the centerpiece of the celebra-tion. At the same time, however, organ-izers have announced that they will beoffering more prizes in the Featurescostume contest, including categorieslike Best Guavaween Spirit, Best Politi-cal Commentary, Tackiest Entry, MostHumorous and more, with a top prizeof $2,000 for Best Overall Costume.

Of course, the Features costumecontest and Stumble Parade are high-lights of the adults-only Guavaween cel-ebration, which begins at 2 p.m.; priorto that is the Family FunFest, whichruns 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and includes fami-ly-friendly activities such as the Chil-dren’s Parade and Costume Contest,Safe Trick-or-Treating, Spooky StoryTime and more. During the evening’sMardi Gras-style street festival, atten-dees can enjoy live music from groupslike SevenDust, Soulidium and others.

There’s no charge for admission tothe Family FunFest. Tickets for theevening activities are $17, although dis-counts are available in advance. Call242-4828 or visit cc-events.org.—MS

The “Fiends” from Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream show off their dance moves.





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Your Chance To Win & Help, Too!Our annual Dining Survey &

Contest (right) offers anyone whoenters a FREE opportunity to win oneof at least 10 great dining prizes worthat least $20, including the Grand Prizeof a $100 gift card/certificate to therestaurant you picked as your favoritein the entire Tampa Bay area.

This is the first time we’ve offeredthe opportunity to enter two ways —by filling out the entry form on thenext page or by going to our website,WCNeighborhoodNews.com. But,whichever way you choose to enter theSurvey & Contest, please do so. Localrestaurant owners tell us all the timehow important it is that our readersrecognize their efforts. They say thatjust being named in the Survey is a bighelp to them, but winning one ormore of the categories is somethingthey can post in their places of busi-ness, so their customers can tell every-one they know that their favorite placemade the “big time” in our Survey.

In these difficult-at-best economictimes, businesses of all types need yoursupport more than ever, but perhapsnone moreso than local restaurateurs.When you see big chains like BonefishGrill, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and oth-ers offering deeply discounted pricesand other “stimulus specials,” it’s even

harder for local eateries to competewith such offers. In other words,whether you prefer La Prima Pizza orPizzaMania, fill out an entry form andlet us know who YOU think shouldget this year’s bragging rights!Advertise On Our Website!

Speaking of local businesses, weknow it’s expensive to advertise inthis publication. It costs us a signifi-cant amount of money to print anddirect mail 16,000 copies of this all-glossy news magazine (and 20,000copies in New Tampa) every month— and we’re the ONLY publicationin these areas mailed to that manyhouseholds in zip codes 33543-45and 33647, so we have to chargemore than any other local advertisingmedium for a similar size ad.

However, because we’ve juststarted our website, we CAN offergreat deals on website-only ads. Bestof all, we will begin promoting all ofthe new content we are adding to ourwebsite every month in these pages,which we believe is the best localcross-promoting you can do in Wes-ley Chapel. To find out more, callJulie Rinaldi at 910-2575 or visitWCNeighborhoodNews.com!—GN


Our Dining Survey & Contest has a whole new format — simply tell us your ten favorite restaurants in New Tampa, your 10 favorites in Wesley Chapel and your ten favorites inthe entire Tampa Bay area (you can even include your favorite coffee houses, sandwich and smoothie shops, etc.). The bottom line is still the same — all entries have a chance towin one of at least ten $20 (minimum; it could be more!) gift certificates to a local dining establishment AND an equal chance to win a $100 gift certificate to the restaurant

of your choice in the Tampa Bay area! If your name is selected at random to be our Grand Prize winner, we’ll give you $100 to the restaurant you selected as your “#1Favorite in the Tampa Bay Area!” Enter by fax, U.S. mail or e-mail (don’t forget to include ALL of your personal information — name, address, community you live in, zip code

& daytime telephone number — on all e-mailed entries) or enter at our website (WCNeighborhoodNews.com) by Friday, October 30, 2009, to be eligible! — GN


gram that emphasized posi-tive reinforcement insteadof behavior management,”says Smith. “I like behaviorto be recognized in a posi-tive way. I also liked thefamily-style dining for thechildren. Instead of havinglong tables like at school,they have small, roundtables – which are more likewhat you would have athome. My son really likesit.”

Kids R Kids Wesley Chapel islocated at 30100 Overpass Rd. (atthe corner of Boyette Rd.), in WesleyChapel. The hours of operation are

Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-6:30 p.m.For additional information, call

355-4824 or visit kidsrkidsboyetteroad.com.

just $50 per week. Kids R Kids alsooffers free voluntary Pre-Kindergarten(VPK) for approximately three hours aday. There also is VPK before- andafter-care offered for just$95/week.Kids R Kids faculty membersare required to follow their state regula-tions that apply to training. Staff mem-bers are trained in First Aid/CPR,infectious disease control, injury preven-tion, and child abuse awareness. Addi-tional training in curriculum, childdevelopment, classroom arrangementand management, age-appropriate activ-ities, nutrition, field trip planning andOSHA regulations provide the skillsneeded to create the quality learningenvironment at Kids R Kids. And, theschool offers low student/teacherratios,from 1 staffer for every four infants(ages 0-12 months) up to 1-25 for the5-year-old program.

For Wesley Chapel resident BrettSheldon, Kids R Kids was just what hisfamily was looking for when his wifedecided to go back to work. “We did alot of research and looked at about 10area facilities,” says Sheldon. “When wesaw that this Kids R Kids was underconstruction, we looked into it for ourthree children. We found the curricu-lum at Kids R Kids to be what we were

looking for and we really liked Bimal’sdemeanor. We liked what the facilityoffered in terms of the surveillance sys-tem and the glass enclosures where ourkids can see each other. Our youngest is20 months and it is a real comfort tohim to be able to see our oldest child inthe nearby classroom.”

Sheldon says the pricing is compet-itive with other childcare centers. “I feelwe are getting great service for what weare paying for,” he says. “The entirestaff has been very responsive and greatat being in touch and keeping us in theloop. It says a lot about an establish-ment. They kept us informed duringthe entire process as they finished theirplans to open. I expect that if theymaintain this level of communicationwith us, ourexperience hereshould be pret-ty good.”

For AngelSmith, who is ateacher atWatergrass Ele-mentary, theatmosphere atKids R Kids wasjust what shewas looking forin a childcareprogram. “Iwanted a pro-


“Kids R Kids”Continued from page 21

Your adorableyoung’n will love thenewest Kids R Kids.

Owner Bimal Bhojani (left) can take your familyon a tour of the new Kids R Kids, too!


complete lawn care at prices you can afford! Serv-ice that you can depend on. Call Ken 334-3460.

Falcon Lawn Service. Full service property main-tenance available. Residential & Commercial. Freeestimates. Competitive prices. Se habla espanol.Call 994-9685.

Call Bay Estates Landscaping And Lighting for allyour landscaping needs, no job to big or small. Weoffer landscape design and installation, lighting,mulch, rock, from clean ups to complete renova-tions. Owner operated. licensed and insured.Please call 813-997-5055.

P O O L S E R V I C E S

P E T S I T T I N GAnimals’ Best Friend says, “Pets Deserve GoodLove & Care, Even Times When You’re NotThere!” In-your-home pet-sitting svcs, includingdog walks, multiple & overnight visits, administer-ing meds, plus love & attention. Licensed, bonded& insured. Call 765-5515 for a free consulta-tion. Or, visit www.animalsbestfriend.net.

Professional Pet Care Exp’d. pet sitters. We walk,play, feed & administer medicine, all in the comfort ofyour pet’s home. We also bring in mail, water plants &help maintain home security while you’re away. Bond-ed, insured & trained in Pet First-Aid & CPR. Call ForThe Love Of Pets at 545-8406 or 416-3126. Orvisit www.ForTheLoveOfPetsOnLine.com.

New Tampa Pet Sitting Service. Lots of love &care for your pets. Great experience & references.Recommended by Angie’s List. Licensed, Insured& Red Cross Certified. Call Marina @ 416-5301.

S E R V I C E S A V A I L A B L ETHE GAS DOCTOR. 24-HOUR EMER-GENCY SERVICE. Residential * Commercial *Industrial. * New Construction & Remodels * Nat-ural & LP Gas Piping Systems. Gas Appliance Instal-lation, Service & Repair. Providing connections for:Gas Lights, Ranges, Dryers, Fireplaces, Furnaces,Generators, Grills, Space Heaters, Water Heaters,Pool Heaters, Firepits & Tankless Water Heaters.

TECO Rebates on Natural Gas Appliances. 516-2927 or thegasdoctor.com. License # MG 24668

Beautiful outdoors! Construction superintend-ent at your service! Landscape design, clean-up &mulching, repairs for roofs, screening, sprinklers,drywall & shelving. Garage clean out, help withmoving, packing & storage. Pressure washing,painting inside & out. Professional service at bar-gain prices! Call Dennis 601-4560.

Clean-outs—abandoned homes, garage cleaning.Pressure washing; odd jobs—painting, tile work,etc. Contact Sure Window Cleaning 926-9943.Graphic Electric, Inc. Electrical contractor avail-able. Service upgrades, room additions, remodels,pool equipment, ceiling fans, low voltage lighting,etc. Any electrical worked needed. Licensedinsured & bonded. Call 532-9160. All majorcredit cards accepted.

Trash removal. Trash clean-up, garage clean-outs. Will haul furniture, appliances, yard debris,lowest rates guaranteed; starting at $40. Call285-4674.

F O R R E N T Town Home for rent in Meadow Pointe, gated 1car garage, 3br, 2.5 bath, loft—Maint. Free.$1250/mo. Please call 541-3158.

M U S I C L E S S O N S FREE GUITAR WITH LESSONS! Don'tworry about spending money on an instrument ifyou or your child doesn’t stick with it. Get a newguitar free when you sign up for 3 months of les-sons. Offer good while supplies last. For moreinformation visit Bigel Music, 20435 Bruce BDowns Blvd, Tampa, FL 813-907-6363.

C H I L D C A R E Home day care in a loving home. 10 years experi-ence. We encourage social development activities,games, play times & more. Infant & up. CPR & firstaid. Reg. R23PA0154. Call Hilda @ 388-9148.

B U Y I N G G O L D NEED EXTRA MONEY…We can turn yourunwanted, old or broken gold jewelry into CASH!Take advantage of high gold prices which may notlast long. Don’t sell to the fly by night companies.Take it to Tampa Palms Hometown Jeweler. Jeweleron staff w/ 35 yrs. exp. Charles Jewelers, 972-4653 (next to Stein Mart on Bruce B. Downs).

T A I C H I L E S S O N S

H E L P W A N T E D

P/T Massage therapist. Please send résumé toPO Box 47254 Tampa, FL 33647 or fax to994-3080.

P/T Medical Asst. for doctor’s office in NewTampa. With experience. Good salary & benefits.Fax resume to 632-7114 or call 632-7111.

Childcare Dir & PreK3-Lev2 VPK CDA. Bene-fits, est. 14yrs 813-991-5499, www.backyard-bears.com Wesley Chapel.

C O M P U T E R S E R V I C E SProfessional Tech Support in your home orsmall business. A+ certified computer tech with15 years of exp. Maintenance & repairs,upgrades & tutoring. More affordable than thelarge chains! Friendly, personalized svc. Tech-nical jargon explained in plain English. Refer-ences available upon request. Call 957-8342for free estimate.

H O M E I M P R O V E M E N T

Need home maintenance? Almost any job, largeor small, ext/int, fencing, screening, sm. con-crete, sprinklers, painting, repairs, int. doors,locks, sheet rock, windows, paint, caulk, grout,trim, shelving, garages organized. Installations,removals, pressure washing, wood restoration &more. Call Dale’s Home Maintenance @ 973-0194 or 727-2582.

Quality Handyman, specializing in HomeImprovements, repairs & installations of all typesfrom A to Z, including telephone & computercabling. 18 years of exp. No job too small. [email protected] or call 451-6541for questions or Free Estimates.

Greg’s Paperhanging. For all of your wallpaperingneeds. Licensed & insured, clean, quick & reason-able. Call 973-2767 for free estimate.

Dan Turner Decorating Wallcovering Installa-tion. The most important thing about the wallcov-ering you select is. . .the installer. Don’t sacrifice thebeauty of wallcovering, turn to the experts. Calltoday for a free consultation. Licensed &insured. Call 928-2160

C L E A N I N G S E R V I C E S

D-ULTRA CLEANING SERVICE. We haveour own supplies & more than 200 clients in NewTampa! For more information, call 758-9710.

Isn’t life busy enough? Save time. We can help.Your satisfaction is our first priority. Guaranteed, af -ford able, reliable, quality domestic svcs. Free esti-mate: Chelsea Maid Com pany @ 994-6662.

LEBOM Cleaning service. Are you tired of clean-ing? Call us & let us do the dirty job for you. Resi-dential & Commercial. Move in/Move out. 6 yearsworking for the best. Good references. Great prices.Licensed! Call 325-7904 now for free estimate.

A+ Cleaning Service. FSU grad, honest &dependable. Moving very successful business toTampa Palms area to be near first grandchild. MyTallahassee clients included FSU coaches & profes-sors. For FREE estimate & references call Randiat (cell) 850-509-6615. Yes, I do Gators, too!

L A N D S C A P I N G

COMPLETE SOD SERVICES. Start to finishsod work including stripping and disposal of exist-ing surface, sprinkler check, pre-plant insect andfertilizer treatment, and sod, all varieties. Profes-sional work, competitive pricing. Call (813) 545-2205 for a free estimate.

L A W N M A I N T E N A N C ENTLC Property Maintenance. Residential &Commercial lawn maintenance for New Tampa &Wesley Chapel. Sprinkler repair, tree trimming,mulching, landscaping & clean-ups also available.

Licensed & Insured. Call Bill @ 973-3825.Lawn maintenance * commercial & residential *rentals * HOA clean ups * investment properties *

NEW TAMPA & WESLEY CHAPEL ClassifıedsJoin OrthoTechnology’s Winning Team!Ortho Technology, an international ortho-dontic supply distributor located in NewTampa, is seeking talented energetic candi-dates for the following full-time positions: Inside Sales: Skilled salespeople for estab-lished territories! Proven track record of suc-cess in B2B phone sales, exc. communication& computer skills req’dQC Inspector: Entry level position respon-sible for accuracy of outgoing orders. 1-2 yrsexp w/QC responsibilities. Ability tostand/walk for entire shift, close vision, basiccolor differentiation and basic math req’d.Small parts/med device experience a plus.We provide a great work environment, excellentbenefits package and growth potential. Submitresumes to [email protected].

HERE I COME! I specialize in all types of clean-ing: houses, apartments, townhouses, garages, etc.Best prices in the Bay area. References available.Call for a free estimate. Call 735-7979.

Tranquility Pool Service. New Tampa Owned& Operated! Great pricing w/outstanding cus-tomer service. Relax & enjoy while we keepyour pool in pristine swimming condition!Licensed, Bonded & Insured. Call Christoday for a free quote @ 857-5400 or visit usat www.tranquilitypoolservice.com to seewhy we are New Tampa’s #1 choice!

Enjoy your time & let A.T.B. Landscaping &Lawn Service do the work for you. We providelandscaping, lawn maintenance, clean-ups, tree &hedge trimming, sodding, sprinkler repair & fertil-ization. Other services also available. 907-LAWN

RAYMOND PAINTING. Interior & exteri-or, pressure washing, paper hanging, plaster,stucco, tiles, concrete, clean & seal pavers.Licensed & Bonded. References available.Free estimates. YOUR NEIGHBORHOODARBOR GREENE RESIDENT. We Work 7Days. Call 994-5124.

Tampa Cat Lady Professional Cat-SittingService. You say goodbye - we say hello. Catsare happiest when in their own home, sur-rounded by familiar sights, sounds & smells.When you are away, we feed, cuddle & playwith your kitties & clean & dispose of litter. Wehelp deter crime by bringing newspaper/mail& rotating lights/blinds, giving your home thatlived-in look. Licensed, bonded & Red-Crosscertified in pet first aid/CPR. Call 994-9449or visit www.TampaCatLady.com.

Tai Chi Classes open to the public at ClubTampa Palms. Strength, flexibility, balance,awareness & focus are some of the benefits of TaiChi. Classes geared for all ages & skill levels. Over28 years of Martial Arts teaching & training.Wednesdays 8-9 pm and Tuesdays 2:30-3:30 pm.$10/per class. Call Peter @ 787-7560.

Everyday Gardener’s Club. Full-serviceproperty maintenance available for residential& commercial. One-stop shopping withlicensed, insured professionals. Specializing inlandscape design with conceptional drawings& renderings available. Let your imagination& our professionals come together to createdreams that will last a lifetime. Call 933-1120or visit www.EverydayGardnersClub.com

These are the Color Classifieds YourNeighbors R E A D! Call Julie Rinaldi@ 910-2575 to order your ad today!



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Wesley Chapel Issue 20-09