Pelican Water Systems Brings Its Mobile Showroom To Your Front Door

Pelican Water Systems technicians use mobile units like this one to bring the company’s water filtration products showroom right to your door in Wesley Chapel.

Do you have an aging water filtration system in your home that isn’t quite cutting it anymore?

Are you concerned about chlorinated water and contaminants that slip through your tap water’s purification process? Do you spend too much of your hard-earned money on bottled water?

If you answered yes to these questions, Pelican Water Systems would like to come to your home to give you a free consultation and water test, and set you up with a no-waste, no-salt, customized water filtration system that will meet your family’s needs.

“We want to educate people (about) what’s happening with their water,” Pelican Water Systems CEO Iain Whyte says. “Ours is a new way of approaching water treatment systems.”

Typically, buying a water filtration system is a multi-step process. Businesses will have a storefront where their products are on display. They’ll come to your home and test your water and then you’ll visit their store, sift through available products and eventually get a quote. This is after they come back to your home and conduct an inspection.

That process can be cumbersome, but Pelican Water Systems has a different approach. The company is designed to be a one-stop shop.

“We keep our best-selling products in our vans,” Whyte says. “Two-thirds of the van is showroom, the other third is inventory. We also test for up to nine major contaminants on site.”

Pelican Water Systems does not have a storefront, at least not in Tampa. The company’s Florida headquarters is located in Deland (northeast of Orlando).

Instead, Pelican offers what Whyte calls Mobile Retail Centers. These $45,000 mobile showrooms provide everything a technician/salesman needs in order to take care of everything on the checklist, from the initial water test to scheduling the installation of the system.

The company was formed in 2007 and broke into the Florida market in Ocala and Orlando in 2016, moved into Jacksonville and The Villages in 2017, and opened up in the Tampa Bay market a month or so ago.

Whyte says that sales to customers in Tampa, despite not having a location here, served as a catalyst to entering the market.

“We’ve been selling products online to Tampa customers since 2007,” Whyte says. “Now, we want to promote in-home service in the area.”

Whether you use well water or municipal water, Pelican Water Systems has a solution for you.

The most common issues with well water are iron and sulphur. Iron leaves those rusty stains in your bathtub and sulphur is responsible for that unappetizing egg smell.

If you have well water, it’s likely that you have a septic tank. Septic tanks can let harmful bacteria like E. Coli and fecal coliform into your well water.

Pelican Water Systems can test for these bacteria in your well water, which is sent to its lab in Deland. Typically, the turnaround for results is 36 hours. Whyte recommends that you install a UV (ultraviolet) system if bacteria is detected in your well water. The UV system typically kills 99.9% of all waterborne microorganisms.

With municipal water, particularly with the City of Tampa, chloramines and/or chlorine are used to purify the water. While it’s theoretically safe to drink, most people dislike the chlorine smell and the way the chlorine dries your skin when bathing or showering.

“I’ve had problems with my skin ever since I started living in my house, so I decided to try as much as possible to improve my skin,” says one of the company’s online reviews. “I then got a shower filter from Pelican, and I’ve had a nice experience with them. Now the water comes out nice and I’ve noticed that my skin is smoother.”

If you’re on municipal water and sewer, you’re paying for the water you consume, as well as the water you dispose of. That’s another reason why Pelican Water Systems sells salt-free systems — homeowners don’t consume water through the filtration process. There are no discharges. The system doesn’t even need electricity.

“You get good, quality water from every faucet in your home,” Whyte says.

The headline product that Pelican Water Systems is promoting is the Smart Combo, a water softener and filter combination system. It combines a certified carbon filter with a certified salt-free softener.

The carbon filter, which is tested and certified by the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), in accordance with National Standards Strategy (NSS) standards, reportedly reduces chlorine levels by 96.7 percent. The salt-free water softener is certified by the German Technical & Scientific Association for Gas & Water. Pelican Water Systems uses the German standards because there currently are none in the U.S. for that type of technology. The salt-free softeners are reported to reduce scale that can clog pipes and appliances by 99.6 percent.

If budget is an issue, Pelican Water Systems can even finance the system you choose.

Based on credit score and the length of the loan, monthly payments can be as little as $60/month, and Pelican Water Systems does not hide these prices. The company is a full-service retailer and the prices of all of their systems are available on the Pelican website.

Installation costs can vary based on where a customer wants the system installed. If the system needs to be further away from the source, your installation can cost more than it might if the system is going in directly adjacent to the water source. It takes between 3-5 days from the time you order for a technician to come out and install your system.

If you prefer the do-it-yourself route, Pelican offers a wealth of tools available for you to install the system yourself. There are even YouTube videos and tutorials that can be accessed through the website, and tech support is available through the Deland office six days a week (closed on Sunday), from 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Pelican Water Systems also prides itself on giving back to the community. The company has partnered with organizations like the American Cancer Society, Our Home Transitional, the International Bird Rescue and Operation First Response. Pelican also sponsors Sustainability Scholarships every year to students who are U.S. residents and are enrolled full-time in an accredited university. Students are asked to submit a 30-60 second video demonstrating how they conserve water and write a 250-word essay highlighting what water conservation means to them.

There are two contests every year that award first, second and third-place scholarships. The next deadline to apply is October 15.

Pelican Water Systems’ Mobile Retail Centers can be at your home for a free consultation within three days of making an appointment. Appointments are set Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and can even be made on Saturdays. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (8440 237-9949, visit PelicanWater.com or see the ad on page 29.

Wharton’s Flag Football Team Faces A Tough Road To Make It To States

Top left: Flag football is not exactly no-contact, as Wharton’s Lauryn Thompson gets face-palmed after coming down with a catch. (Photos by Andy Warrener)

When Tina and Mike Roberts took over the Wharton High flag football team six years ago, they had just 22 girls try out, and very few fans attended their games.

“In years past, no one came to the games, not even the home games,” Mike Roberts says.

Fast forward to the 2018 preseason, and the Wildcats had 50 girls try out for this year’s team. Wharton maintains a 16-girl varsity squad and a 19-player JV team, and while currently unranked has spent most of the season ranked in the Class 2A Top 20 poll, according to FloridaHighSchoolFootball.com.

At last week’s game at Leto, the Wildcats showed off their firepower by throttling the Falcons 46-0. They also brought about two dozen fans along to stock the visitor stands, outnumbering those on the home side.

The victory improved Wharton’s record to 7-3 at the time, with the Class 2A District 7 playoffs looming. But getting out of districts is no easy task, as Plant showed Wharton two days after the Leto win.

Top Right: Wharton’s Parker Onderko leaps and makes the catch in the victory over Leto.

The Panthers, the defending Class 2A State champions, beat Wharton 26-0.

Currently ranked No. 3 in the state, Plant isn’t even ranked as the best team in the district — Alonso is ranked No. 1 in the state.

“If you can get through this district, you have a good chance to go far,” Mike Roberts said.

The Wildcats will need some upsets to get out of districts and into the State playoffs. Last year, they shocked Alonso in the District quarterfinals, before falling the following game to Plant in quadruple overtime.

The Roberts family has grown into coaching the sport of flag football. Tina says she came by it by pure accident. She was assigned the sport from the school administration seven years ago when it began. A year later, her husband Mike came on board. A year after that, their son Travis (23) also joined the coaching staff.

“Tina asked me to come on and help after an assistant left that first year and I fell in love with it,” Mike says.

Flag football runs the same way regular football’s 7-on-7 exercises do. Seven players line up in a passing formation. One defensive player is allowed to rush the quarterback and offenses can either pass or run with the ball. The offensive team must gain 20 yards to earn a first down.

There is no kicking in the game, so after each touchdown, the team has the option of running or passing for a one- or two-point conversion.

Girls flag football has grown from niche sport to one of the most popular offerings for female athletes. It only became an official Florida High School Athletic Association sport in 2003, but has more than doubled its participation numbers to more than 250 teams and 6,000 players competing since then.

“I loved just being a part of the team and having the opportunity to play and have fun,” says quarterback Marinique Reddin, one of the team’s top players.

Starting this school year, middle schools in Hillsborough County — including Benito, Turner-Bartels and Liberty — offer girls flag football. This is expected to help the high school game, which until now has basically had to rely on players competing in flag football for the first time. Tina says for years, most of her players had to be taught the game from scratch, which was a major disadvantage compared to other high school sports.

The Wharton High girls flag football team is 7-4 this season, and hopes to pull off a few upsets at the District tournament in a bid for the state playoffs.

“It’s going to make the sport that much better,” Mike Roberts says. “Next year, we’ll have eighth graders coming in that know the sport and you’ll see the payoffs.”

The Roberts’ dedication to the sport has helped build Wharton into one of the area’s better programs.

Reddin is tall and athletic and has the skill set to either pass the ball or tuck it and run, and scored four touchdowns in the win over Leto. Lauryn Thompson is another tall player with enough speed to score a touchdown any time she touches the football, which she did twice against Leto while adding an interception.

Both players are just juniors who have found their calling in the still relatively new sport.

“I love how competitive the game is and how the team has become so close, like one big family,” says Thompson. “If one of us needs help, we help each other out without downing each other. I look forward to practice every day.”

On defense, Ja’Nessa Ellis, Sade Seraaj and Mecca Bythewood had interceptions against Leto. Bythewood and Seraaj ran theirs back for touchdowns. Junior   Williams rushes the quarterback.

“It’s great to see what these girls can do with the football,” Mike Roberts said. “We put in plays and they execute them.” Look for updates at NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

Organic Safe Lawns Lives Up To Its Name & Its Promise To Keep Your Lawn Healthy

Jim Schanstra and his dog Angel want to keep your lawn safe for your pets, too.

Consumer demand for organic items, whether it be food, healthcare products or even lawn care items, has grown by double-digits nearly every year since the 1990s.

According to a 2015 report by the Organic Trade Association, sales of organic products have increased from $3.6 billion in 1997 to $43.3 billion in 2015.

Jim Schanstra, the owner of Organic Safe Lawns Inc., is well aware of the trend. He says his past experiences working with chemicals and his wife’s battle with cancer have helped shape his current business into one where he and his crew work hard to safely make sure your lawn will stay healthy, green and free of pests, while also making sure your family and pets are protected from harmful chemicals.

“When I started in this business, places like Whole Foods were just starting to creep into peoples’ awareness,” Schanstra says. “Now, we’re seeing significant growth, with people seeking us out.”

The products — fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides — used by Schanstra and Organic Safe Lawns are certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute or OMRI, an independent testing company that certifies organic products. He says the products use a proven technology that was originally designed for fruits and vegetables, although Organic Safe Lawns deals strictly with lawns and ornamental plants.

Schanstra says there are many advantages to going organic. One of those is the most simple — it is simply better for the lawn and plants, and better for the people and pets who touch them. It’s may not be equally effective with regard to weed control, but Schanstra says it is more effective with regard to fertilization.

Using chemical fertilizers and pesticides may lead to greener lawns — due to a higher concentration of nitrogen — but it also can lead to the same typical lawn problems so common here in Florida. Lawn problems like fungus and disease, chinch bugs, webworms and mole crickets are often found in high-nitrogen soils.

“We found that by reducing the nitrogen level (in the products used), we almost eliminate fungus and pests,” Schanstra said. “The cheapest way to get green grass is with high- nitrogen fertilizer.”

Schanstra says he uses an application of chelated iron and manganese to get a deep green color, if Home Owner Associations are strict about the lawn’s shade of green.

Sustainable Growth

Schanstra also says that high-nitrogen fertilizers push top growth and weaken root structure. Over time, the root system can’t sustain the foliage.

“A weakened root structure is like candy to bugs,” Schanstra said. “After using our treatment, you’ll see the bugs moving over into the neighbor’s yard.”

The nitrogen in Schanstra’s fertilizers is derived from chicken urea, a natural source. With synthetic fertilizers, inorganic salts accumulate in the soil, causing it to “bind up.” Schanstra says the soil can get so full of salts that it won’t grow anymore.

“I have tried all the best, with no results,” one customer, John from South Tampa, posted on Organic Safe Lawns’ website. “With large oaks, I thought it was impossible to keep St. Augustine (grass in my yard). Organic Safe Lawns proved they can grow St. Augustine in difficult conditions.”

Chemical-based fertilizers are designed to be absorbed through the leaf (foliar absorption). All of the organic fertilizers that Schanstra uses are absorbed through the roots. And, he adds, they are all water-soluble liquids that are safe for pets, wildlife and humans.

Typical fertilizers are granular and come in two types of encapsulation. The first is water-based, meaning the fertilizer is released by coming into contact with water. The second is a polymer, or plastic encapsulation. Its releasing agent is heat. Erratic Florida weather — too much rain or too much heat — can sometimes cause the release of a month’s worth of fertilizer in a week or even a day. Schanstra says this is what causes run off and those nasty algae blooms in lakes and ponds.

With an organic, liquid fertilizer your plants and grass will absorb what they need, when they need it.

Exposure To Harmful Chemicals

Top-coated lawns treated with synthetic pesticides and herbicides puts people and pets in danger. Why do applicators of pesticides wear rubber boots? Because, Schanstra says, they don’t want to get any of the application on them.

Why would you want you or your pet to track that into your house?

“The dog goes over into the neighbor’s yard to pee, and they’re chewing on their paws when they get back,” Schanstra said. “Kids crawl around and play on the grass and absorb it when they walk in it.”

The chemical herbicide Atrazine is used widely across the U.S. and Florida to prevent pre- and post-emergence of broadleaf weeds. Schanstra says that Atrazine was banned by the European Union in 2003, and has been studied to determine its carcinogenic effects on humans and other mammals. It was found by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases (ATSDR) to have adverse effects on the endocrine system of mammals and likely contribute to some birth defects.

“A lot of lawn companies will blanket your yard with Atrazine,” Schanstra said. “It costs five dollars for a 600-gallon mix. They use it because it’s cheap.”

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, or DDT, was used in the U.S. in agriculture as a pesticide and as a household insecticide in the 1940s and 1950s, only to be banned in 1973. Schanstra suspects that exposure to DDT as a youth had something to do with his wife Julie developing non-Hodgkin’s large cell lymphoma cancer.

Thankfully, Julie’s fight with cancer was won with the help of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. But, it was a constant reminder to Schanstra of the potential effects of chemicals used in the environment.

In 2006, just before a scheduled sales meeting with an organic fertilizer manufacturer, Schanstra says that one of the associates said that he’d read a recent news article that stated, “Florida uses more chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides on residential properties than the rest of the United States combined.”

“This statement hit me like a lightning bolt,” Schanstra said. “It was in that moment that I decided to do something about it. That was the conception of Organic Safe Lawns.”

In January of 2010, Organic Safe Lawns became a corporation.

Schanstra’s three licensed technicians don’t spray weed killer, either. Instead, they rely on a healthy root system to suppress weeds and when needed, they go with the good ol’ fashioned yanking them out.

“We are about the process and the materials,” Schanstra says, “as opposed to harmful chemicals with regard to weed control.”

He notes that it takes time and regular application to have a weed-free, organic lawn in a way that’s safe for people and pets. That’s why Organic Safe Lawns recommends treatments every 30 days. Schanstra says his property has been on the Organic Safe Lawns service for nine years, and that if he gets three weeds in a month, it’s a lot.

“We had Tru-Green before, with absolutely no results, and what a hassle to terminate their contract,” says a client named Lisa. “After just six months, our lawn is thick and healthy and the weeds are gone! No hidden charges. We recommend Organic Safe Lawns.”

It’s also prudent to treat the lawns or ornamental plants around your property, including those that may closely border your neighbors. That’s why Organic Safe Lawns offers a referral program. Every referral made by a current customer will earn that customer one free month of service.

“The concept is to create a safe environment and a chemical-free buffer zone around it,” Schanstra said. “We’ve found that the best way to pick up new business is with existing customers.”

Organic Safe Lawns services Tampa, New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes. For more info call (813) 393-9665, email organicsafelawns@verizon.net or visit OrganicSafeLawns.com. Existing customers can pay their invoices on the website, too! Prospective customers can fill out a contact form on the site to get a free estimate and $10 off their first treatment.

Goat Outta Here! Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Introduces Goat Yoga

Wesley Chapel’s Tammy Knoll-Anderson invents a new yoga pose — The Cuddle — with Chief. Tammy was one of roughly 30 participants in a goat yoga class at FHWC. (Photos by: Andy Warrener)

There are several different disciplines of yoga, from Anada to Yin and many others in between.

But, with apologies to Bikram Yoga, or hot yoga, the hottest thing out there — and definitely the cutest — might just be goat yoga.

Yes, goat yoga. It is as you might expect — yoga and goats, in harmony, and recently, at the Wellness Center at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC).

“I’ve taken regular (yoga) classes in the past and when I saw the chance to do this one, I thought, ‘Yeah, I’m in,’” Wesley Chapel resident Tammy Knoll-Anderson said after finishing class. “It’s fun to be around and interact with the animals and it’s nice being outside.”

Indeed, modern afficionados have incorporated animals into their yoga practices. Cat and puppy yoga gained popularity for a time, but have been superseded by goat yoga, a craze that is sweeping the country. It has been featured nationally on ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN, and USA Today profiled goat yoga in places like Colorado, Florida, New Jersey and Oregon, the latter of which, the article said, was the birthplace of goat yoga.

Obviously, the goats are not demonstrating or performing a Bharadvaja’s Twist or downward dogs, but they are offering support in the form of their calm nature, and maybe a few kisses along the way.

According to GoatYoga.net, goat yoga is a form of Animal-Assisted Therapy in the context of an instructor-led yoga session. Obviously, the aim is for an outdoor session and the goats don’t participate in the exercises so much as provide ambiance.

(L.-r.) Barbara Morris, Jeff Bogue, Amy Bogue, Emma Bogue & Linda Harris at the Feb. 24 goat yoga class at the FHWC Wellness Center.

FHWC just happened to have all the right ingredients available — land (most important) and a desire to be creative, in order to offer a goat yoga class, the morning of Feb. 24.

“At the fitness center, we talk about thinking outside the box and engaging the community,” FHWC director of community wellness Barbara Morris says. “The hospital said we could use the pavilion behind the building, and the pieces began to fall in place.”

Morris looked for an instructor willing to teach the class. She found FHWC Wellness Center yoga instructor Rachel Jimenez a willing participant.

The goats themselves came from Fortune Teller Farms in Bushnell. Jeff Bogue, who is the program manager of ambulance services for the hospital, and his wife Amy have operated the farm since 2013.

The Bogues followed their dream, and now own and operate an all-natural, grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pork farm. The nine goats they have are all rescues, and while they do try to harvest milk from some of them, for the most part, they are pets.

When Jeff heard about the goat yoga notion from Barbara, the wheels were set into motion.

“I remember when I first mentioned it to Amy, she laughed, thinking I was joking with her,” Jeff says. “The next thing I know, I’m in Barbara’s office working on an ad for the class.”

Under the shade of the pavilion located behind the main building, the very first goat yoga class was hosted at FHWC on Feb. 24, with roughly 30 participants who enjoyed interacting with a handful of the Bogue family’s goats during the session.

The Bogues, with help from Morris and fitness program coordinator Linda Harris, put up temporary, plastic fencing around the pavilion to contain the animals, and placed small piles of feed near the yoga participants to encourage the goats to physically interact.

The goats needed little persuasion as they nibbled at clothing, some even jumping up on top of students’ backs or bellies. Two-week old Chief was one of the more popular goats, easily perching on students as they negotiated different poses. Jimenez says she was eager to try teaching her first goat yoga class.

“I have taken goat yoga but I had never taught it before,” Jimenez says. “The goats offer some humor and lightness to a session. There’s a seriousness to yoga and goats kind of balance that out.”

Goats also have a curious nature and while they’ll eat just about anything, Jeff says they make good candidates for interaction with a yoga class.

“The goats are ideal for this,” he says. “They’re calm, they like to interact with people and they’re clean, for the most part.”

The nice turnout for the goat yoga class could mean the return of Chief and his friends — the Wellness Center is already planning for a second class at the end of April.

For more info, call (813) 929-5252.

Olympus Pools Offers A Unique, Customized Customer Experience

Involving the homeowner in the design process — and new technologies — are hallmarks of Olympus Pools and regional manager and designer Doug Griffith. (Photo by Andy Warrener)

A swimming pool can say so much about a home. Architecture and landscaping can project a homeowner’s sense of style from the street, but a unique, custom-designed pool conveys that sense of style to friends and family, people who are inside the home.

It can be difficult in scorching Florida summers to enjoy the outdoors without a pool. It’s also a huge investment, perhaps the biggest single-ticket item that goes into anyone’s home.

New Tampa residents James and Alexis Staten, owners of Olympus Pools in Tampa, share that view. They won’t put any pool in your home unless it’s of the same quality they would have in their own home.

“From the amount of steel, the thickness of the concrete and finished products like tile, pavers or travertine floors, the same products we offer our customers are the same products we use in our own homes,” Staten says.

The company is accustomed to managing a large volume of projects. There are four designers and four project managers on staff, with 150 crew members out in the field on any given day. In 2017, Olympus completed 330 pools, all completely customized; 40 to 50 ongoing projects are managed at any time.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re budgeting for a $30,000 or a $300,000 pool, Olympus uses the same top-quality products.

“We use the best filters, best pumps and best salt systems included with every pool,” Staten says. “Even the most basic design gets the most premium quality money can buy.”

It’s a sentiment not lost on Olympus Pools’ core of veteran employees.

Construction manager Brian Messler has 34 years of experience in the business, and helped start the company with the Statens in 2013. “All of my subcontractors are top notch and each specializes in one phase of the construction,” says Messler. “We’ve got tile guys, plumbers, excavators and other specialized craftsmen. A lot of our crew (members) have 30 or more years of experience, too.”

Messler says that if anything doesn’t look right when your pool is being built (or completed), it will be dealt with immediately. “If I go to a job site and I see something that would be unacceptable in my house,” he says, “we take it out and replace it.”

Customized Designs

Olympus Pools doesn’t sell “templates.” Every pool starts with a clean slate and is entirely built around the customer’s desires. James says his company’s guiding principles are incorporating the customer’s available space, taste and budget.

“The design has to fit with the customer’s environment, as well as their wants and needs,” he says. “It’s what makes this business fun to work in. We’re extremely passionate that each pool we build will be unique. I like to say we’re in the memory business.”

He adds that every week, customers send him and his staff text messages with photos of their new pools and how much they are enjoying them. If his customers are happy, James and his staff are happy.

“It’s what gets us out of bed in the morning,” he says.

Olympus Pools prides itself on bringing the customer’s vision to life. Sometimes, all they have to work with is something sketched on a piece of paper. No matter. Regional manager and designer Doug Griffith takes customers through every step of the process, letting them see and touch the colors and textures that will be used in their dream pool.

The company’s showroom near Tampa International Airport helps bring the customer’s vision into reality.

“We’re not selling a package,” Griffith says. “We spend a lot of time creating the right pool for the right person.”

Griffith, like Messler, has been with Olympus Pools since its inception and as the regional manager, he stays on top of any issues that come up with a new or existing installation.

Tracking With Tech

Olympus Pools keeps up to date with cutting-edge technology, which fits into every aspect of pool construction. The company’s 3-D imaging AutoCAD system creates a life-like image of your pool. It can be rotated 360 degrees, to show the customer what the pool would look like at dusk or at night, even view features as if floating through the pool.

“We can create an entire 3-D tour for every client” James says. “Customers can see what their pools will look like before any construction is started.”

During construction, customers can use a customized application that enables them to check the construction schedule, communicate with Olympus staff members, access any documents related to the pool’s construction and make secure payments online.

Customers also can receive photos of the project’s progress 24-7, even if they are away from home.

Olympus also utilizes an application created by pool pump manufacturer Hayward called OmniLogic that enables customers to control day-to-day and customized functions of their aquatic oases.

The technology is only three years old, and it allows a homeowner to change the pool’s temperature, check the salinity and chlorine levels, and even turn the spa on or off. For example, a client could be out to dinner and, by pressing one button on their phone, can set the temperature and lighting just right in their spa for when they get home.

“We want ownership of our pools to be as easy and carefree as possible,” James says. “The only thing I want them to worry about is what to serve at the barbeque.”

Community Connections

The Statens live in and install a lot of pools in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area, and are big proponents of giving back to the Tampa Bay community.

Four or five times a year, Olympus Pools sponsors a local classroom through Donors Choose.org, a public charitable organization. DonorsChoose connects contributors to classrooms that have submitted requests through the website. Olympus Pools sponsored five classrooms in 2017, which are predominantly in the low-income-area public schools in Hillsborough County.

Recent efforts saw Olympus Pools donate tablets to each student in a selected class, help in donating an entire audio-visual system to a special needs class where the teacher had students who were hard of hearing, and donating $200 from each of 22 different pools they built to Feeding Tampa Bay, a hunger-relief charity — nearly 3,100 meals were purchased with those funds.

“If you’re in business and all you do is make money, you’re not a very good business,” James says.

Over the years, Olympus had donated more than $50,000 to the aforementioned charities, as well as to Kids Place (a foster home), and in sponsorships and donations to schools in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area. Hand-written thank-you letters from dozens of students line the window of the main office and dry erase board in the Olympus Pools showroom.   

“We’re all about giving back to the community,” James says. “Most of our staff lives in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. Our kids go to school in the area and half of our business comes out of that area.”

Olympus Pools has installed custom pools in the Live Oak, K-Bar Ranch, Estancia at Wiregrass Ranch, Union Park, Grand Hampton, Meadow Pointe and Esplanade communities, to name a few. The company’s goal is to make your dream aquatic paradise a reality.

Olympus Pools is located at 4422 N. Lauber Way in Tampa. For more information, visit OlympusPoolsFl.com, call (813) 983-7854, or see the ad on pg. 24 of this issue.