The ‘Brawner Bunch’ Says The Family That ‘Wobbles’ Together, Stays Together

The Brawner clan after the 2016 Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot

Meadow Pointe resident Keith Brawner wasted little time signing up for the first-ever Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot when he saw it was coming to Wesley Chapel.

On Oct. 8. 2013, he issued a challenge on Facebook:

“Hey, we signed up, who else wants to do this?”

Keith was ecstatic, however, when his entire family — and his wife Diane’s family, even some of those living out of state — took him up on his challenge.

“I knew this was something we had to do,’’ says Diane. “I used to live in Tampa Palms and I remember when getting a Super Target (in Wesley Chapel) was a big deal. I’m the one that always gets excited for new things, and when this came to Wesley Chapel, I was happy to have something for the community that we didn’t have to drive to Clearwater for.”

Five years later, the “Brawner Bunch” is now 15 strong, all signed up to run, walk and laugh their way Thanksgiving morning through the fifth annual Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot 5K Race and 1-Mile Fun Run at the Shops of Wiregrass.

“It has grown into a wonderful family tradition,’’ says Keith, who will be joined at the Wobble by Diane and their 7-year-old daughter Kaitlyn, who will try to run the mile by herself this year despite fighting the flu recently.

Kaitlyn was only three years old when she first took part.

“She would be on my shoulders as I ran, then I’d put her down and she’d run as far as she could, then she would go back on my shoulders,’’ Keith says. “But, she wanted to cross the finish line on her own.”

Kaitlyn, now a second-grader at Sand Pine Elementary, will have plenty of company, as cousins Caleb (13), Hunter (11), Kaden (9), Alex (9) and Austin (6) will join in this year’s festivities.

For Caleb and Hunter, and their parents Kevin and Kelly Brawner, they will be making the trip from West Memphis, AR, for their first Wiregrass Wobble.

Kaden will be driving down from Marion, AR, with Keith’s parents, Gary and Shiela. The trio has never missed a Wobble, and say they don’t plan to. In fact, Kaden’s parents are headed on a cruise this Thanksgiving, but given the choice, Kaden chose running in Wesley Chapel over saling the high seas.

“The first year, Kaden was just 4, so I’d carry him for most of it, but now he runs it,” said Gary, who is 63. “He’s faster than me now. My knees aren’t what they used to be.”

He adds that the Wobble has become a family tradition everyone looks forward to. Everyone wakes up in the morning, “eats a donut or something sweet to get some carbs in us,” and starts Thanksgiving Day out running. When the run is over, they all head back to Keith and Diane’s for some fried turkey.

Gary says the morning run is worth at least one, maybe two, extra slices of apple pie later. “Although really,” he said, laughing, “we should all be running after we eat the dinner.”

This year, Keith says he will be frying three turkeys — flavored with a Cajun spice injector — as additional family members who don’t run but come to cheer the others on will make for a packed house.

“Trust me,” Keith says, “fried turkey is the way to go.”

Diane’s mother Patsy, 72, will make the trip from Carbondale, PA, to run in the 5K, and Diane’s sister Dawn Zendegui, her wife Stephanie and their sons Austin and Alex complete the Brawner Bunch.

Diane, who describes herself as more of a “survivor of runs” than a runner, despite competing in the past in half-marathons and one full marathon, said previously that she ran the Wiregrass Wobble 5K to see what kind of a time she could post. Now, she focuses more on the fun aspect.

“Let’s put it this way — I won’t be setting any records this year,’’ Diane says. “This is a really nice way for my family and his family to come together. I never thought it would become what it has. It’s really just become a great tradition, right up there with buying the peanut oil for the turkey.”

All proceeds from the Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot events go to local charities, including FITNiche Foundation, Feeding America Tampa Bay, the Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Foundation and the Rotary Club of New Tampa Foundation, which provides funds for 25 local charities. More than $110,000 has been raised since 2013, and nearly 7,300 people had participated in the event.

Race organizers are expecting their largest-ever field ever next week.

Those wanting to participate in the Wiregrass Wobble Turkey Trot can register at WiregrassWobbleTurkeyTrot.com. Pre-registration (by Nov. 22) is $35, and race day registration is $40.

There will be a 2017 tech shirt for all runners, ‘Ornamedal’ medals for all 5K finishers; school team competitions; Corporate & Friends & Family competitions and 1st-, 2nd- & 3rd-place awards for all 5K age groups; and all 1-mile Fun Run finishers will receive medals. The races will be accompanied by music and festivities, including a post-race party.

Despite Winds, The 2017 WC Fall Festival Was The Biggest Ever!

Anyone who thinks the number 13 is unlucky obviously did not attend the 13th annual Wesley Chapel Fall Festival at The Grove at Wesley Chapel shopping center the weekend of Oct. 28-29.

In its second year since taking the event over from the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCC), Pinellas County-based event organizer Simply Events reports that there were at least 1,000 more cars that visited the Fall Fest this year than last year, when the two-day crowd was estimated at 10,000 people.

“Since there’s no admission fee, the only way to judge the attendance is by the number of cars that showed up, because we have our security people counting those cars,” says Sonya Bradley of Simply Events. “But, Saturday this year was definitely the biggest crowd we’ve seen so far.”

Unfortunately, with the winds gusting to 30-40 miles per hour early Sunday morning, many of the 110 vendors and crafters who were on hand on Sat. shut their booths down on Sun.

“We know our attendees were not happy with Sunday,” Bradley said. “We lost 18 tents & 25 total vendors before we opened on Sunday because of high winds. The Pumpkin Pageant set the right tone for Sunday, but the winds really hurt us.”

The pet costume parade and the Trunk or Treat events kept big crowds on site all day Sat.

“Our Chamber group ran out of 500 pieces of candy in less than an hour,” beamed proud WCCC CEO Hope Allen after the event. “In fact, all of the vehicles that gave out candy for Trunk or Treat pretty much ran out of candy, too. We will definitely partner again next year with Simply Events. What a great job they did!”

For more pics and a recap of the contest winners and sponsors at this year’s Fall Fest — which already is scheduled for the same pre-Halloween weekend (Oct. 26-27) next year — visit SimplyEventsFL.com. — GN

Heavy Hitters Talk Up Wesley Chapel’s Future At Economic Summit

(L.-r.) Metro Development Group VP Kartik Goyani, Metler Toledo general manager Viggo Nielsen, Wiregrass Ranch’s J.D. Porter and Larry Morgan of ComPark 75. (Photos by Steven John Photography)

The idea behind the 2017 East Pasco Economic Development Summit — the brainchild of Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) CEO Hope Allen and District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore — was to get some of the county’s heaviest business hitters into one room to update local business leaders on what the future has in store for Wesley Chapel.

The outlook presented was more than just rosy, to say the least.

“I thought it was a big success,’’ said Allen, who was backed up by positive survey results indicating that the audience of roughly 75 would like to see more summits of this nature.

And, Allen said that is the plan — she is trying to organize something for next year on local innovation — after two panels of local business experts, sandwiched around a keynote address from Dr. Jerry Parrish, the chief economist and director of research for the Florida Chamber Foundation, provided three hours of local business news for those in attendance.

The event, held at Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC)’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, was moderated by Moore, who represents much of Wesley Chapel on the Board of County Commissioners (BCC).

The first panel had some of the biggest names in Wesley Chapel development today – J.D. Porter of Wiregrass Ranch, ComPark 75 owner Larry Morgan and Metro Development Group vice president Kartik Goyani. Also on the first panel, although not located in Wesley Chapel, was Viggo Nielsen of Metler Toledo, which manufactures scales and analytical instruments and is relocating from Hillsborough County to a 250,000-sq.-ft. facility to be built near the Suncoast Parkway in Central Pasco (and bringing 500 jobs with it).

Not surprisingly, each business leader agreed that business in Wesley Chapel these days is pretty good, thanks to a combination of land still being available for expansion, a local county commission that is very business-friendly and incentive programs that have attracted companies like Raymond James Financial to the area.

Morgan, whose ComPark 75 is located off Wesley Chapel Blvd. (aka S.R. 54), just south of the S.R. 54 exit off I-75, said that was not always the case. He said much of Wesley Chapel’s development has hinged on patience.

‘When I bought my land in 2007, Pasco was becoming a boom town and then, of course, the recession hit,” Morgan said. “I just had faith and confidence that when the day turned, Pasco County was going to be the spot. I’m not always real good at foresight, but in this case think I got it right.”

Porter echoed Morgan’s sentiments. His family has owned the 5,100-acre Wiregrass Ranch for 75 years, weathering the Great Depression, as well as the local (and national) economic rollercoaster since then.

But now, things couldn’t be more ripe for success. “It’s all about being patient and doing things at the right time,’’ Porter said. “Anybody out there can crush it right now.”

Porter cited infrastructure that is already in place, a higher median household income and lower median age as attractive benchmarks for major businesses interested in setting up in Wesley Chapel. He said the addition of more homes and schools, as well as the continuing business-friendly voting of the county commission and the streamlining of the permitting process, portend a bright future for the area.

“Everyone recognizes Wesley Chapel as a whole right now,’’ Porter said. “Our (old)slogan was, “We’re Open for Business,” but nobody saw Pasco County as being open for business. They saw a bunch of headaches that actually changing (those headaches) has set the stage for moving forward.”

Morgan and Goyani agreed that Wesley Chapel is part of a hot region at the moment when it comes to business and development.

Goyani said that when Metro Development approached Pasco officials four years ago about building its “connected city” project — which is being built from the internet up with giga-fast internet service, the first two Crystal Lagoons in North America (see story on pg. 6) and a high-tech infrastructure that will one day showcase autonomous vehicles — it received a positive response from the county immediately.

“We got a yes quickly,’’ Goyani said. “I don’t think we would have gotten that response from any of our other counties. It really made the choice easy for us. Time will prove it was the right decision.”

Porter agreed.

“Pasco County now has a seat at the ‘big boys’ table,’’ he said. “They have more land and more resources and better infrastructure than what you will find in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota or Manatee (counties).  That’s my opinion.”

(L.-r.) PHSC-Porter Campus Provost Kevin O’Farrell, PHSC provost Stanley Gianett, Pasco County administrator Dan Biles, Pasco EDC president Bill Cronin, Florida Trend publisher Andy Corty, Wesley Chapel Chamber CEO Hope Allen and District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

About the only things the panel did complain about were the state legislature’s battle with Governor Rick Scott over reducing incentives — Porter called it “pretty sad, pretty disgusting” — and the recent decision by the Pasco BCC to raise impact fees to help build more schools, a decision that has been lauded by the Pasco School District and Moore’s fellow commissioners on the BCC.

As for the future, the panel predicted more good things. Porter, continuing his diligent pursuit of “just the right fit” for Wiregrass Ranch, hinted at another big deal just around the corner. He said in the past month, he has talked to two companies with even more name recognition than Raymond James Financial about coming to Wesley Chapel.

Porter didn’t provide any details, other than to say Wiregrass Ranch is in the running for both, but he predicts he will at least land one of the two.

“I think everybody is going to be very excited with what’s coming in the next 12-18 months,’’ Porter said.

After Parrish gave his keynote address about the positive jobs outlook in Florida, a second panel featuring Florida Trend publisher Andy Corty, Pasco County administrator Dan Biles, Pasco Economic Development Council president Bill Cronin and PHSC provost Dr. Stanley Gianett continued the conversation, looking at the government’s role in luring businesses to the county, and the positive effect regionalism could have down the road.

Hot Dog! Wesley Chapel Man Takes Home $18K In Prizes From ‘Let’s Make A Deal!’

What do you get when you mix Wesley Chapel resident Christopher Moody with TV personality Wayne Brady and a hot dog costume?

Oh, about $18,000 worth of prizes, including a new dining room set and a 7-day trip for two to Greece.

That was Moody’s haul when he appeared on June 22 on the CBS-TV daytime game show “Let’s Make A Deal,” which is hosted by Brady.

The show didn’t air until last week, Nov. 10, allowing Moody to finally let the secret out of the, err, hot dog casing.

“It was a tough secret to keep,’’ said Moody, who works in the admissions department at USF and moved to Wesley Chapel five years ago from Carrollwood. “My parents were the most excited. I had to be coy and vague with them for four months.”

A longtime fan of the show — he and his wife Meredith DVR it daily and watch it together at night — Moody was able to extend a trip to a conference in California by one day to fit in an appearance in the studio audience during a taping of the show.

He had applied online for a ticket, and the day after his conference, after parking two blocks away — and yes, walking the rest of the way in his hot dog costume — Moody joined 150 other prospective “dealers” in a room and filled out the necessary paperwork.

Groups of 10 were then ushered off to meet with show producers for interviews.

“Let’s Make A Deal,” created in 1963, is probably most famous for its long-time host, Monty Hall, and often having contestants choose between prizes hidden behind doors number 1, 2 or 3.

Contestants still dress in zany costumes, the higher energy the better, and a series of deals are offered to those chosen.

“Everyone is at 110-percent energy level, some were hooting and hollering and doing all kind of things to get noticed,’’ said Moody, confessing to putting forth a little extra energy himself.

Seated in the first row, Moody didn’t have to wait long to appear on the show. The first contestant, a woman from Orlando, was called first, and then Brady, the host for the past nine years and best known for his stand-up comedy and years on “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” (which now airs on The CW network), then called for “The Hot Dog.”

“I knew I was the only person dressed as a hot dog,’’ said Moody, who had to take a circuitous route to Brady without tripping over any cords or camera angles. “I was definitely worried about that,’’ he says, laughing.

Brady interviewed Moody, asked where he was from and about the costume, and then riffed on his fond memories of eating hot dogs during the summer while visiting his grandmother.

Given the choice between a check or a box, the Orlando contestant chose the check. Brady then turned to Moody, and offered him $1,000 for the box.

“I turned it down,” Moody says. “It was just a gut feel. Right from the beginning I was hoping I’d win a trip, I had a good hunch that is what was going to be in the box.”

Brady offered $1,400, then $2,000, but Moody stood firm.

“I figured I’m in this far, why not keep the box?,’’ he said. “But I was wondering if he was trying to save me from something miserable, or is he trying to save the company from giving away an expensive prize?”

Moody finally got to see what was under the box – a video screen, which revealed that he had won a dining room table and set of four chairs, as well as a private dinner for up to nine people.

“At the very least,’’ Moody thought, “it wasn’t a terrible decision,” especially since his dining room set at home was 25 years old and Meredith had been asking him to get rid of it.

“But that’s not all,’’ the announcer bellowed.

That’s when it was revealed that Moody also was getting a 7-day Greek cruise, including two nights in Athens.

Hot dog! “You can tell by my reaction I was super pumped,’’ said Moody. “It was a great experience.”

Culver’s Is So Delicious, You Probably Shouldn’t Call It ‘Fast Food!’

OK, SO WHEN YOU read the headline above, did you think to yourself, “Culver’s? I thought Gary doesn’t like fast food?”

And of course, you’d be correct. I’m not a chain restaurant guy, much less someone who eats any kind of fast food more than once a month (or less), so how is it that I’m about to rave about Culver’s, the 500+-unit, Wisconsin-based chain that has an extremely popular location right here off S.R. 56?

Because Culver’s really shouldn’t be called “fast food,” other than the fact that this growing chain, which has 45 locations in Florida, does usually deliver your food to your car or their comfortable indoor seating area within 5-7 minutes or so.

In fact, Culver’s of Wesley Chapel franchise owners Ann and Marty Roeske don’t refer to their second Culver’s (they also purchased one of the first 100 or so units of the chain in 2000 in Wautoma, WI, near where they lived,; that location is now operated by their children) as fast food at all.

The famous cheese curds at Culver’s.

“It’s cooked-to-order food that is served quickly,” says Marty. “The company is always finding new ways to cook the food faster, but will never sacrifice the quality that the families who love us have come to expect.”

Ann adds, “If a family from Wisconsin comes here to visit, if their sandwiches or cheese curds or frozen custard don’t taste exactly the same to them as they do where they’re from, we’re not doing our jobs.”

That’s why Craig and Lea Culver — who opened the first Culver’s in Sauk City, WI, in 1984 (along with their parents, George & Ruth) — insist that all Culver’s franchise owners have to be on-site, hands-on owner-operators who also must be properly trained to ensure that the quality that has made Culver’s famous in 22 states (and growing), especially throughout the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions, as well as the Southeast, Texas and Arizona, always stays consistent.

More Than Just Burgers!

When I first heard Culver’s was opening in our area (the location on Nebraska Ave. at Bearss Ave. opened a year or so before the Wesley Chapel restaurant), I couldn’t figure out why so many Midwest transplants were so excited about it.

I was thinking, “OK, so it’s another burger place,” even though I’ll admit that I’m always excited about anyplace that serves authentic frozen custard — which is like your favorite ice cream, only creamier…sort of a delicious cross between soft-serve and “hard pack.”

But, while Culver’s “Butter Burgers” (no, they don’t make the burger with butter, it’s the bun that’s buttered, according to Marty) are delicious  — they’re certainly better and fresher (Ann says Culver’s 100-percent Midwestern beef is never frozen) than most fast food burgers — I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Culver’s other sandwiches and menu items.

My favorite, for sure, is the beef pot roast sandwich, which seems to be the only “brisket” served in this area that isn’t barbecued/smoked. This premium chuck roast is as tender as my mom’s brisket, slow-braised in a classic blend of herbs and spices and is served in those juices on Culver’s signature bun (which absorbs them nicely). You can enjoy this tasty “sammy” with Culver’s horseradish or BBQ sauce, although it honestly doesn’t need any sauce at all.

I also really enjoyed trying Culver’s North Atlantic Cod fish sandwich and the chicken noodle soup (both shown in the photo, right), as well as the crispy chicken sandwich and tenders. I’ve never tried Culver’s grilled chicken sandwich, but I liked the flavor of the grilled chicken on the Garden Fresco salad and the sesame ginger dressing.  I’m not the biggest chili lover, but “George’s Chili” is thick with meat and very tasty.

And of course, Culver’s recently added Wisconsin cheddar cheese dipping sauce and also is famous for its crispy, crinkle-cut fries. Plus, if you mention Culver’s crisp-outside, creamy-inside fried cheese curds to any former “Cheesehead,” they immediately start writing love sonnets set to music about them. Seriously.

All that having been said, the main reason I keep going back to Culver’s isn’t because of those items or the fact it’s a mile from where I live, it’s because of the frozen custard, a dessert I have enjoyed since the first time I visited the Boardwalk in Atlantic City in my teens. Every time I see Culver’s post a new flavor on their board on S.R. 56 mentioning Reese’s, Snickers, marshmallow or, say, the Oreo cheesecake custard on the previous page, I find myself detouring for a cup or cone, usually a cup and usually with Culver’s deep, delicious real hot fudge.

Just another fast food place? I think not!

Culver’s of Wesley Chapel is located at 2303 Sun Vista Dr., Lutz. For more info, including a great gift card special, see the ad on pg. 40, call (813) 949-1414 or visit Culvers.com. And, please tell Ann, Marty and their always-friendly, happy and courteous staff that the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News sent you!