Gunter & Gunter Insurance — Committed To The Community & To Rotary

Insurance is peace of mind. While you may not like to have to pay for it, when you need to use it, it is helpful that you have the right policy from the right agency.

For many Wesley Chapel and New Tampa residents, that means visiting Gunter & Gunter Insurance, run by familiar local faces Gary and Joyce Gunter.

While still located in the Westbrook Professional Park (across from Saddlebrook Resort), near I-75 and SR 54, Gunter & Gunter now has a new office in the same professional park facing S.R. 54 at the front of the office park.

“The presence right on the street is the best feature (about the new building),” Gary Gunter says. “And, the layout of this office is nice. It’s visible and convenient.”

Gary and his wife Joyce moved into the office park in 2010, when the Gunters purchased three insurance agencies and combined them into their Wesley Chapel location.

“With more people in the office, it’s easier to take care of all of our customers,” Gary says. ‘We’re one of the few places that will actually answer the phone.”

There is always someone on staff during business hours at Gunter & Gunter.

Furthermore, all of the office’s staffers are fully licensed property and casualty agents. Florida law requires that an insurance office have at least one licensed agent; Gunter & Gunter has five property and casualty and one customer service agent.

“We want them all to have the highest level of education and provide the best level of service,” Gary says.

Top Policies & Saving a Bundle

Gunter & Gunter specializes in home and auto insurance, although they sell all types of insurance, from business to life insurance, and the office boasts nearly a century of combined insurance experience.

It also is an exclusive Allstate agency. While Gunter & Gunter can still write policies with other companies, Allstate requires that those companies be A-Rated insurance companies. A-Rated insurance companies have to prove their financial stability in the face of a catastrophic incidents, such as a hurricane. They must prove they are able to pay out all of their policies.

Bundling is another element of Gunter & Gunter’s multi-tiered service. With the ability to write auto, home, condo, renters, motorcycle, business, life, ATV and other policies, savings are there for customers who want to bundle.

A lot of it depends on which types of insurance a customer wants to bundle together. Typically, Joyce says, savings from 8 percent-20 percent can be had. For instance, bundling renters, umbrella and life insurance could save a customer up to 25 percent.

Many homes in the Wesley Chapel area are new construction and new homes can get homeowners insurance at great rates.

“The insurance rates on new homes are fabulous,” Joyce says. “You could pay half the premium on a new home versus an older one.”

Call and ask for a quote — each time someone does, Gunter & Gunter make a donation to one of several charities.

Sinkhole & Flood Specialists

Some disasters have insurance companies running the other way. Not the Gunters.

“There aren’t as many companies writing sinkhole policies,” Gary says. “There are fewer choices now and, with the rise in premiums, a lot of people are dropping it. It’s one of our main challenges because if you have a mortgage on your home, companies require an A-rated insurance company.”

Flood insurance is another area of specialization at Gunter & Gunter Insurance.

“There has been an increase in flooding the last few years,” Gary says. “We want people to know that flood insurance is not that expensive.”

The cheapest policy is just $171 per year. The insurance agency can write flood insurance policies for homes in low-risk areas ranging from $171 to about $550 annually. Joyce says that half of the polices run about $450, and that about 40 percent of claims happen in low-risk areas. And, the average claim is about $43,000.

“If you are wondering if you need flood insurance,” Gary says, “look outside your house, and if you see water, we recommend flood insurance.”

Gunter & Gunter’s website is a testament to great service, with a number of sterling reviews. Customers like Angela B. praise Gunter & Gunter for quickly processing her claim, Shirley R. said she is “overjoyed” with the umbrella policy purchased from the Gunters and Alissa J. wrote that she felt like “part of the family” when she called to purchase insurance.

The Rotary Connection

Gary and Joyce have a vested interest in the community, both local and global. As long-time members of The Rotary Club of New Tampa, they have worked with Feeding Tampa Bay — creating mobile food pantries across the city  — and been involved in many local and international service projects.

Most recently, they traveled to Honduras working on service projects with 15 other Rotarians. The trip was organized by the Lake Wales Breakfast Rotary Club, which goes twice a year and helps with infrastructure projects on dilapidated or geographically isolated schools.

Construction projects like building a soccer field and securing fences around the school were some of the undertakings. They’ve helped found an orphanage for girls, provide clean water for small villages, meals for the poor and educational materials.

“Rotary helps us be close to all parts of our community and learn much more about the people and their needs,” Joyce said. “Much more so that we would sitting behind a desk.”

Joyce is the current District Governor for Rotary International’s District 6890, comprised of Hillsborough, Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties. Gary, who also was president of the New Tampa Rotary in 2010-11, served as the District 6890 Governor in 2014-15.

The Gunters participate in weekly food distributions and help with Thanksgiving meals in collaboration with Atonement Lutheran Church on S.R. 54. They have and say they will continue to participate in the Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot at the Shops at Wiregrass. They helped with the Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel on March 18, which was hosted at Florida Hospital Center Ice by their New Tampa Rotary Club that helped raise funds for Feeding America, the national arm of Feeding Tampa Bay.

In January, they traveled to India for National Immunization Day and the project immunized 173 million children. The Gunters also are actively involved in Rotary’s campaign called End Polio Now. Thanks to the 100-year effort by Rotary International to inoculate everyone in every country in the world, so far this year, there have been just four reported new cases of Polio worldwide.

“We are very proud to be a part of this group of wonderful people helping right here in our communities,’’ Gary says, “and around the world.”

Call (813) 994-3900 or stop by Gunter & Gunter Insurance at 28969 S.R. 54 to discuss all of your insurance needs. The office is open Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday. Saturday appointments are available upon request. Visit GunterandGunterInsurance.com or search “GunterandGunterInsurance.AllstateAgency” on Facebook.

The Cake Girl Can Deliver Decadent, Fresh Baked Goods Directly To You!

If you’re like me, you probably have trouble trusting anyone who doesn’t love dessert. (Just kidding….sorta.)

OK, I know…fat, calories, gluten, sugar, etc. But, while I could still stand to lose a few pounds, I know that eating a delicious dessert releases endorphins that make me feel good and I’ve never been subject to sugar crashes.

In other words, although I didn’t know Kristina Lavallee when she first became The Cake Girl in 2010, I am thrilled that she now has her The Cake Girl LLC mobile bakery trailer that you may have seen parked at Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI), serving a delicious variety of freshly-baked cakes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies and even real ice cream.

Kristina credits her husband Kirby for finding and customizing her mobile unit last year so she could expand her budding bakery/dessert business and provide samples of her wares at festivals (like the recent Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel at FHCI) and other special events like birthday parties and even weddings.

“I can literally bake and transport thousands of mini cupcakes in this mobile unit,” Kristina told me during our interview for this story. “The kitchen inside the unit is always immaculate and everywhere I bring the trailer, people get excited, especially kids.”

So, What About Those Baked Goods?         

But, no matter how colorful or attractive her mobile unit may be, Kristina wouldn’t be a success today if her baked goods weren’t delicious.

Although I’ve never had one of her custom birthday cakes (at least not yet), Kristina can create virtually any kind of cake your heart desires, from traditional round cakes to a cake shaped like a baseball bat or even a famous Disney character.

I will say that I have really enjoyed her mini-cupcakes, which also are available in a wide variety of flavors. My favorites (not surprisingly) are all chocolate and/or peanut butter-based, but she definitely has a way of keeping the cupcakes moist and the icing creamy and delicious, no matter what flavor you choose.

And, when displayed so beautifully in the window of her mobile unit, it’s even harder to decide on a cupcake variety.

In addition, although I’m not usually the biggest carrot cake fan, I will say that Kristina’s is again, noticeably moister than most and her sour cream icing is pretty much second to none.

When I interviewed her for this story, Kristina smartly remembered to bring me a big sample of my favorite item she makes so far. 

Kristina, who attended the University of Central Florida College of Hospitality Management in Orlando, offers a nice variety of brownies, blondies and “brookies” (brownie-cookies), although my favorites are her chewy, double-fudge brownies. I went crazy for them during the Taste and continue to bug her for additional samples on an ongoing basis.

And yes, she does also make gluten-free cupcakes and cakes, although I can’t personally vouch for them because I usually order mine with extra gluten.

Ice Cream, Too?         

Of course, it’s even harder for me to resist a delicious brownie topped with real ice cream, and Kristina doesn’t disappoint those of us who love a decadent brownie sundae. I’ve only sampled the cookie dough and vanilla flavors to date, but both were creamy and not overly sweet.

“The ice cream is made here in Florida and there are a lot of great flavors and toppings available,” she says. “We can even make you delicious banana splits.”

So, whether you want to host a great kids’ birthday party, or you simply want to order a magnificent custom cake for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday, wedding or any other special occasion, you owe it to yourself to give The Cake Girl a try. And, best of all, Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News readers get 10-percent-off Kristina’s already-low prices on any order if they mention this story or the ad on page 50 of this issue.

To place an order or for more info about The Cake Girl LLC, call (813) 360-0909, or search “The Cake Gril, LLC” on Facebook or “TheCakeGirlLLC” on Twitter or Instagram. And yes, pickup and delivery are available.

The Villages at Hunter’s Lake Takes Another Step Forward

The project, approved 6-0 by the Council, will include 241 multi-family units, the long-awaited New Tampa Cultural Center and a strip shopping center.

The Village at Hunter’s Lake project, which is seeking to have the property located directly across the street from the main entrance to Hunter’s Green on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. rezoned from community commercial (CC) to mixed use (PD), passed its first hearing before the Tampa City Council.

The City Council approved a number of waiver requests by the developers, including the most important one — adding both a second and third access point from BBD into the development.

The second reading is scheduled for Thursday, June 1, 9:30 a.m., at the Old City Hall on Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa.

If the project is approved, that will pave the way for developers Harrison Bennett Properties and Regency Centers to begin work.

The developers requested the rezoning change for multi-use on the 14 acres of developable land on the 80-acre parcel to accommodate a 30,000-sq.-ft. Cultural Center; a four-story, 241-unit multi-family project called The Haven at Hunter’s Lake; a green grocer; a retail shopping strip center; a restaurant (with a drive-in window) and a community park with a dog park.

At the May 11 meeting before the City Council, the Hunter’s Lake developers requested a waiver to reduce the number of loading zones and parking spots and some slight wetlands reduction, which didn’t spark any debate.

City of Tampa senior planning engineer Melanie Calloway, however, did object to the request for additional access points.

City Council member and Hunter’s Green resident Luis Viera voted to pass the Village at Hunter’s Lake project onto a second reading.

The main entrance into the Village at Hunter’s Lake will be directly across BBD from Hunter’s Green Dr. However, developers want additional access points south of the proposed main entrance (where there is currently a maintenance road) and to the north at Hunter’s Lake Dr., which already leads to Suntrust Bank and LifePoint Church on the east side of BBD.

Calloway pointed out that for the last 20 years, the City of Tampa has been very deliberate and consistent about granting access points on BBD to preserve capacity limits and limit anything detrimental to the roadway.

“We have spent a lot of money (on BBD),’’ she said.

Calloway also noted that other areas in New Tampa along BBD have been developed with fewer access points, like Tampa Palms Area 4 — which has 701 development units, 484 single family units, 400 hotel rooms, 85,000-sq.ft. of commercial and business office — and only three access points along BBD.

“This proposed property has 250 multi-family, 72,000-sq.-ft. of commercial, a cultural center and a dog park,’’ Calloway said. “And they want three access points. We find that being a little bit excessive.”

If an access point at Hunter’s Lake Dr. is approved, the left turn lane at that intersection would be lengthened to reduce traffic backing up. Without that access point, lawyers for the developers argued, drivers who miss the main entrance would have to make a U-turn and traffic would likely back up on northbound BBD. The other concern was that the existing HART bus stop on the southbound side of BBD would create a public safety issue.

“It (the bus stop) would be safer with the access we are proposing,’’ said Steve Henry, a transportation and civil engineer and president of Lincks & Associates. Henry pointed out that Walmart and other smaller locations already have two access points along BBD.

Jeff Cobb, the vice president of the Hunter’s Green Community Association, voiced support for the project, calling it a “Hyde Park-esque effort that will serve, support and enhance New Tampa.”

But, with 5,000 residents and 1,000 visitors a day (according to Cobb), he voiced concern that without a second access point, and the likelihood of traffic backing up at the only left turn into the project, would create problems.

Patrons, he said, would make the decision to turn right at the light at Hunter’s Green, and once inside, make a U-turn to enter the Village at Hunter’s Lake from Hunter’s Green.

“It’s a safety issue,’’ he said. “We think it’s critical you support this second left turn.”

Despite the city’s concerns about additional access points, the City Council ultimately voted 6-0 to approve them (and the rest of the project) and send it to a final reading and public hearing next month.

According to the New Tampa Commercial Overlay District Development Standards, a proposed new access point to BBD, “shall constitute a substantial change to the approved zoning site plan, as well as an amendment to the DRI, where applicable, both of which shall require approval by City Council.”

District 2 Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist, a Hunter’s Green resident,  has long championed the project, the jewel of which is the Cultural Center that will be home to the New Tampa Players (NTP), a local theatre troupe. In December, he told NTP that he hoped the Cultural Center could be open by 2019, and was working hard to secure funding.

NTP has been lobbying the county and city of Tampa governments for a Cultural Center since 2000.

The Harrison Bennett Properties proposal was initially approved by the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners by a 7-0 vote in December 2014.

“This has taken a lot of effort over three years,’’ said David Freeman, the president of Harrison Bennett Properties, which also developed The Walk at Highwoods Preserve.

Freeman sees this Village at Hunter’s Lake project as New Tampa’s downtown.

“We’ve got these communities, like Hunter’s Green and Tampa Palms, which individually are great master-planned communities but don’t really work together as a whole. We see this project really as the linchpin to bring everything together.”

U.S. Women’s Hockey Team To Call Wesley Chapel Home

After a week of practicing and living in Wesley Chapel, the U.S. Women’s National hockey team has decided to move in.

USA Hockey announced on May 5 that the team will call the new Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI) its home beginning in September, and leading right up to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

The 2017-18 U.S. Women’s National Team will move its headquarters to Wesley Chapel as it prepares to win gold at the upcoming Winter Games Feb. 9-25.

“This is a big deal for us,’’ says Gordie Zimmermann, FHCI’s general manager. “This is giving us international exposure, and it’s a great thing for our community.”

Zimmermann says Tampa Bay Lightning chairman and governor Jeff Vinik was one of many to congratulate him on winning the bidding rights to be the home for the woman’s team.

“He called to say this was a great thing for us, them being here,’’ Zimmermann says.

Jay Feaster, the former general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning and currently its executive director for community hockey development, says the upcoming U.S. team camp will be great for the area and even better for the growth of women’s hockey in Florida.

There is currently only one elite team for girls in the Tampa Bay area, which is based out of Lakeland.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for us in terms of trying to grow the women’s game at the youth level,’’ Feaster says. “The challenge is making young people aware of the game, and letting girls know that they can, in fact, play.”

Feaster said the Lightning will have a presence during U.S. training. The organization already has invested $6 million to grow the game through its “Build The Thunder” program, which visits hundreds of schools in the area and teaches students street hockey in order to introduce them to the game.

Now, Feaster says, that program will be able to incorporate successful, Olympic- and World Championship-winning women into the program to generate more interest among girls.

Feaster notes that the Lightning has been working on creating girls hockey leagues for aspiring players, and is hopeful of fielding an elite team to compete around the state later this summer.

“Our goal is to get it where you don’t have local, talented kids that feel like to get to a Division I scholarship or make it to the next level, they have to leave the state,’’ Feaster says. “To have this spotlight on us, it’s just a great opportunity for our female players.”

Feaster and Zimmermann both credit the efforts of Brett Strot in getting Team USA to make Wesley Chapel its home.

Strot is a longtime assistant coach with a number of the women’s national teams, and also is the head coach of the USPHL Tampa Bay Junior (Elite and Empire) hockey clubs that play out of FHCI.

Zimmermann says that a few other cities bid to host the women’s national team, but the combination of the weather, Saddlebrook Resort (where the players will stay) and FHCI’s multiple rinks and training facilities was too good for USA Hockey to pass up.

“It was just a really good fit,’’ Zimmermann says.

The announcement that the team would be based in Wesley Chapel came on the same day USA Hockey announced the 23 players named to the U.S. Women’s National  team in a ceremony at Amalie Arena, the downtown Tampa home of the Lightning, that was broadcast live on the NHL Network.

The selections came at the conclusion of a weeklong U.S. Women’s National Team Selection Camp that took place May 1-5 at FHCI, featuring 42 invited players and including a scrimmage that was open to the public.

Of the 23 players selected, 21 were on the team that recently defeated Canada to win the gold medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championships.

Also, 12 members of the new national team also were on the 2014 U.S. Women’s Olympic team that won the silver medal, after losing to Canada 3-2 in overtime (the first time the gold medal was decided in OT in women’s Olympic hockey). Eleven states are represented on the new roster, led by Minnesota (6), Massachusetts (4) and Wisconsin (3).

There are no Florida players on the team this year, but Zimmermann and Feaster both say they hope that someday, that will change.

“This is truly a team of elite athletes and great role models,” Feaster says. “Best of all, they win, too. There are two programs that are the preeminent women’s teams in the world, and that’s the U.S. and Canada (which has won the last four gold medals). Chances are, you’ll see them playing each other next year for the gold medal, too.”

Look for more stories about the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team in future issues of this publication and on WCNT-tv.

Drought Conditions Continue Following Flatwoods Brush Fire

Fueled by dry conditions and a recent lack of rain, three brush fires spread and burned more than 200 acres in Flatwoods Park between Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and Morris Bridge Rd., creating smoky conditions and temporarily shutting down parts of I-75 over the weekend of May 6-7.

The fires began near Fletcher Ave. and BBD Saturday afternoon, with heavy smoke forcing the closure of I-75 northbound between those two exits as Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) fought to contain it.

The fires spread quickly from 20 acres to 200 acres, aided by high winds.

Flatwoods Park was evacuated and closed, although Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said no homes were threatened.

Around 8 p.m., after roughly six hours, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) State Troopers reopened I-75, although advisories remained in effect for travelers due to the thick smoke from the fire.

In New Tampa, the smell of smoke was strong enough to keep many people indoors for parts of the weekend, while smoke resembling morning fog could still be seen near I-75, as travelers commuted on BBD.

The 5,000-acre Flatwoods Park, a popular local destination for biking and hiking, has ceased burning after HCFR spent hours pouring more than 30,000 gallons of water over the fire, part of a weekend effort that included the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), Tampa Police Department (TPD) and Florida Forestry Service (FFS) firefighters working in unison to slow the spread of the flames and keep the fire from endangering local residents.

Smoky conditions from the fire spread across much of the Tampa Bay area. The Lakeland Ledger reported that the smoky conditions spread to as far away as Lakeland and much of Polk County Saturday afternoon and evening.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

No matter how many firelines are dug, and no matter how much water is dumped over the spate of recent wildfires, the biggest helping hand would be rain. But, ongoing dry conditions and high winds are making things difficult for area firefighters.

New Tampa was fortunate that the Flatwoods Park fire was contained as quickly as it was. In other areas, like nearby Pasco County, a raging 2,200-acre wildfire continues to cause problems at Starkey Wilderness Park (between S.R. 52 and S.R. 54 near New Port Richey) and other smaller fires in the area have forced local schools to be shut down and caused multiple evacuations over the past few weeks.Â