Author: Celeste McLaughlin

Get Great Deals & More At Uptown Cheapskate

A self-described “lifelong thrifter” who has always wanted to open her own business, Amber Watt’s dream has come true with her upscale resale boutique, Uptown Cheapskate, located in the former Ellen’s Hallmark space in the City Plaza at Tampa Palms shopping center.

Uptown Cheapskate opened on Nov. 8. Since then, the store has been growing in popularity, as men and women discover they can not only buy trendy, brand-name clothes at prices that are 70-90 percent off of retail prices, they also can sell their unwanted clothes for cash or store credit.

The store is part of a national franchise that started in Salt Lake City in 2009, and now has 70 locations across the U.S., including three in Florida. At 4,800 square feet, the Tampa Palms location is larger than most Uptown Cheapskate stores, which are typically about 3,000 square feet.

The large store means lots of inventory for shoppers, and it’s all kept organized and neat, to feel more like an upscale boutique.

And, the way Amber and the store’s nine employees treat customers is boutique-like, too.

“Customer service is our top priority,” says Amber. “We greet every customer and will pull items out of back stock to help a customer find the perfect piece. Our staff continues to receive five-star reviews (on social media) for customer service.”

Angela Tamecki is one customer who has taken notice. “I’ve shopped at resale shops for a long time because you get great deals,” says Angela, a Pebble Creek resident who says she used to drive to South Tampa to go to thrift shops, but now visits Uptown Cheapskate more than once a week. “It’s a different environment. I don’t even think of it as a thrift store, because it’s more upscale.”

Angela says the store’s staff members are warm and welcoming, coming out from behind the counter to help her.

“Even after I’d only been there a couple times, they seem to know what brands I like,” she says. “It really shows that they want to take care of their customers.”

Amber says that out of necessity, she shopped at Goodwill and other thrift stores growing up. After high school, she attended West Virginia University on a full academic scholarship, where she studied engineering.

She then worked as an industrial engineer in the aerospace industry for Boeing and Honeywell for 12 years.

She says, “I enjoyed the challenge of it and was proud of what I was working on,” including Chinook helicopters for the military. “But it was always my goal to open my own business, and being an engineer was my stepping stone to get here.”

Clothes For A Good Cause

*Uptown Cheapskate in Tampa Palms owner Amber Watt wants your old clothes before they end up in a landfill. She’ll pay cash or give you a store credit, plus donate anything she doesn’t buy.*

Amber and her husband Zach have three elementary school-aged children. She says they are all supportive of her dream to own this business. She adds that Uptown Cheapskate is a perfect fit for her, with her love of fashion, experience with resale, and even her passion for caring for the environment.

“North America sends 9.5 million tons of clothing to landfills each year,” explains Amber. “Recycle them to Uptown Cheapskate instead! Even if you buy it used from us and then wear it a couple of times, if it’s still in great condition, sell it back to us. We don’t want it to end up in a landfill.”

Sell Your Clothes, Too

Uptown Cheapskate accepts clothes for all seasons, all year long. That means you can sell your winter items now, even though no one is interested in buying them. Amber stores them until they are back in season and ready to go out on the sales floor.

Amber also says she is always in need of more clothes, especially men’s clothes. She promises the process is quick, and you can even drop off clothes and come back later for your cash payout or store credit. Sellers receive 25 percent more for their items if they choose store credit instead of cash.

Shoppers can save even more money if they both sell and buy on the same day. Because of tax laws, Amber says if you sell your clothes to Uptown Cheapskate and then use the store credit to make a same-day purchase, you don’t have to pay the 8.5-percent Hillsborough County sales tax.

If your purchase amount exceeds the store credit offer, only the difference will be taxed. Unused store credits remain on your account for three years, but purchases made on future days do require sales tax to be paid on them.

Partners In The Community

Uptown Cheapskate gives back to the New Tampa community in several ways.

The store has a partnership with the Salvation Army. When you bring your clothes to sell to Uptown Cheapskate, any “no-thank-you items” that the store doesn’t purchase can be donated directly to Salvation Army, and you get a receipt, without having to make a second trip.

Amber also notes that Uptown Cheapskate partners with several local schools, including Wharton and Wiregrass Ranch high schools and Chiles Elementary, to offer gift certificates to a teacher or other staff member each month. She also provides gift certificates for a student recognition program at Wharton. Teachers and students also get a 15-percent discount every Monday.

The store’s next popular “fill a bag” sale is scheduled for Friday-Saturday, April 26-27. On those days, Uptown Cheapskate will provide a bag for customers to stuff all the specially-marked product they can fit, then take the entire bag home for $15. Anyone who participates in the sale also gets 15-percent off the rest of the items in the store.

“The deals are amazing,” says Angela. “They’ve got such a great inventory, including things I couldn’t afford to splurge on in a retail store. I’ve seen everything from mall brands to Prada. I don’t know how many people realize you can get those kinds of deals on things like that.”

‘Hailey’s Voice’ Brings Mental Health Training To Hillsborough Schools

Hailey’s Voice of Hope will bring instructors from the Jordan Binion Project to Hillsborough County Public Schools to train local educators in a mental health awareness program that will be taught to local high school students. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Binion Project/Facebook)

The pain never goes away.

But, for Chris and Lisa Acierno, there is a way to deal with it.

By starting a foundation, called Hailey’s Voice of Hope, named for their daughter Hailey, who was 17 when she took her own life in 2017, the Arbor Greene parents are aiming to bring awareness to something their daughter struggled with — mental health issues — and the stigma associated with those issues.

The foundation recently announced that it has partnered with the Hillsborough County School District and the Jordan Binion Project (JBP) to provide training that will pave the way for mental health awareness to be taught to Hillsborough County students.

JBP is a nonprofit organization based in Washington state, created by parents who also lost their son to suicide, also related to mental illness. That foundation has spread a mental health awareness curriculum throughout the state, with a goal of getting the training into all high schools across the country.

The Washington-based nonprofit’s first entrance into Florida is here in Tampa, thanks to Hailey’s Voice of Hope. Instructors from JBP will offer two training sessions in April. Those who complete the workshop will be “trainers,” who can then train teachers to be able to present the curriculum directly to students.

The program is designed to help students identify signs of mental illness and provide resources to help those who need them. It is targeted to high school and eighth grade students.

“We’re a small foundation,” explains Lisa, “and this is something we can afford to do that will impact a lot of kids.”

She says the cost, which is about $12,000 to cover the expenses of the trainers who will travel to Florida, is a fairly small amount that will have a huge impact. The curriculum itself is provided for free to the schools.

The money to pay the expenses was raised primarily through a golf tournament to benefit Hailey’s Voice of Hope held last fall, which brought in more than $15,000. A second annual golf tournament is planned to be held this October.

Acierno hopes the training will have a ripple effect. Once some trainers begin training teachers, and teachers begin implementing the program, she hopes other teachers will want to be trained. As the word spreads, Lisa expects that other schools and school districts will want the program brought to them, as well.

She believes the training is desperately needed for students in today’s schools.

“I have kids who reach out to me by phone or through Facebook messages and tell me their mom doesn’t believe that there’s an issue,” she says. “I’m hoping this will do some good for kids to help them figure out how to talk with their parents better and get some resources to give them help.”

A Focus On Mental Health

Hillsborough County Public Schools District 3 School Board member Cindy Stuart says that mental health issues are a strong focus in Florida schools right now.

“This is unique in that it’s being funded differently than the typical state or federal funding,” she says. “The Aciernos raised the money to bring this to the district, and they are passionate about being sure that something different gets done to fill the gaps in the system.”

Stuart says that the people on school campuses who have the most training in mental health issues, such as school psychologists, don’t interact with each student on a daily basis. “This program will educate and train and inform our teachers — the people who are in front of our kids every day,” she says.

Elizabeth Tanner, supervisor of emotional wellness, and Holly Saia, director of student services, are two district employees who have been working to bring the JBP program to Hillsborough County Schools.

“This program caught our eye because it’s so comprehensive and gives people the big picture of many types of mental health illnesses and resources,” says Tanner. “Sometimes, it’s very easy to be knowledgeable about medical-physical issues, but medical-mental health issues can be more challenging.”

Tanner and Saia explain that part of the training will be to brainstorm how to roll the curriculum out in local high schools, whether it, eventually, will be presented to all schools or just in certain classes or to certain students.

At this time, none of those things had yet been determined.

However, Tanner and Saia agree that anyone who is trained and wants to go back and immediately implement the program at their schools are welcome to do so right away.

“This curriculum is very beneficial,” Saia says. “We’re excited to see a curriculum this in-depth that they are willing to share, free of charge.”

The two training sessions in Tampa will be held Monday-Thursday, April 22-25, at Keiser University on W. Waters Ave. in Tampa.

The two-day workshops are open to all Hillsborough County teachers and staff, with some seats reserved for representatives of private and charter schools, as well as from other Florida counties.

To learn more about signing up for this training, contact Lisa Acierno at foundation@haileysvoice.org.

Acierno says there has been a great response to the program so far. Within a couple of weeks of announcing the training, she says that more than 100 spots were already reserved.

“I’m going to one of the trainings myself, so that I can train teachers in the future,” Acierno says. “This is my way to cope.”

For more information about Hailey’s Voice of Hope, visit HaileysVoice.org. To learn more about the Jordan Binion Project, visit JordanBinionProject.org.

Children’s Dentistry & Dr. Greg Stepanski Still Keeping New Tampa Kids Smiling

Dr. Greg Stepanski and his team at Children’s Dentistry on Cross Creek Blvd. have a lot of fun with their patients, encouraging a family-type atmosphere in ways that include the annual Christmas party, where all patients are invited to visit and take pictures with Santa.

Greg Stepanski, D.D.S., is a pediatric dentist with more than 25 years of experience in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. Dr. Greg’s Children’s Dentistry has been located in the Cory Lake Professional Center on Cross Creek Blvd. since he moved it there in 2004, after taking over another dentist’s practice back in 1991, when it was located on E. Fowler Ave.

While Dr. Greg — as he’s often called, both by his patients and their parents — has been in practice for more than two decades, his office continues to be a modern, updated place with new technology, where parents love to bring their children for dental care.

In fact, some parents who now bring their children to Dr. Greg were his patients when they were children themselves.

When those parents arrive, they see more familiar faces in addition to Dr. Greg. Office manager Melanie Phillips has been with the practice since 1987.

Since this picture was taken in 1993, much has changed, but the smiling faces of some long-term employees still make children feel at ease during their dental appointments. Dr. Greg (far left), office manager Melanie (far right), dental assistant Brenda (next to Melanie) and insurance coordinator Shannon (in front of Brenda) have all been with the practice for more than two decades.

“That is such a compliment to know they had such good experiences here as a child that they want to bring their kids, too,” says Melanie.

That’s actually what happened in her family, too, Melanie adds. “Dr. Stepanski took care of my two kids’ teeth, and now my grandkids come here.”

She adds, “I love Dr. Stepanski. He’s a very good dentist. He puts a lot of thought into his treatment plans and thinks about what’s best for the child.”

She says she loves coming to work because she sees the difference that the practice is making in people’s lives. While Melanie says she knows many people of her own generation who were — and still are — scared to see a dentist because of their own experiences, that’s simply not the case for Dr. Greg’s patients.

“We’re creating a whole different environment, so people take care of their teeth,” Melanie says. “It’s a big part of their overall health. If you have decay or infection in your mouth, that can affect the whole body.”

Dr. Greg earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree from the Ohio State University College of Dentistry in Columbus, and also earned a B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN.

He says one of his primary goals was ensuring kids’ teeth stay healthy from a very young age.

“We are encouraging children to have a dental home by the age of one,” he says.

Dr. Greg explains that age one is now recommended by both the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics for a child’s first dental appointment.

“It’s preventive,” he says. “Now we’re seeing more and more patients at age one and seeing less problems. We’re also seeing a little bit less tooth decay.”

Making Young Patients Feel Right At Home

Shelly Alt, who lives in Covington Estates in Cross Creek, is mom to four girls. She says she has been taking her daughters to Dr. Greg for the last five or six years.

Previously, she went to another dentist, but that office didn’t take her insurance. She said she would pay hundreds of dollars at each visit, so she decided to switch to Children’s Dentistry, which accepts her insurance and is much closer to her home.

“Dr. Stepanski is fabulous,” Shelly says, “but what also makes his office are the ladies. They are always happy, they have a great time and they love kids. They’re just wonderful.”

Melanie agrees that she and her staff love their jobs. “My team has experience, they love kids and they have a good time,” she says. “They are concerned about their patients, and we have fun throughout the day.”

She says the office’s friendly, happy staff creates an environment where parents are comfortable, and they hope parents will ask any and all questions at any time, even if they have to call the office after they’ve left their child’s appointment.

“Any questions, ask us,” Melanie says. “We’re all parents and we know that these are your children and you have to be comfortable and have confidence in who is taking care of your children.”

Melanie says that starts at the top, with Dr. Greg and the way he cares for each and every child who sits in his chair.

“He creates an environment where you can’t be anything else but caring and concerned for the patients,” she says, “because that’s who he is.”

Kids visit Dr. Stepanski for cleanings, which are recommended twice a year, and X-rays. They’re taught about the importance of dental hygiene and shown how to properly brush and floss. Sealants and fluoride treatments are offered as a preventative measure against decay.

When decay happens, Dr. Stepanski does fillings and restorations. Also, he sees kids for emergencies, such as if they chip or knock out a tooth.

A Commitment To Community Outreach

Dr. Greg’s office is more than just a place to get your children’s teeth checked. He and Melanie say it’s a family, and they are intentional about building that community feeling, as well.

Every year, Dr. Greg’s patients are invited to visit Santa at the practice’s annual Christmas party.

“Our families bring their kids all dressed up and take their family Santa photos with our professional photographer,” says Dr. Greg, who adds that there also are fun activities for the kids, such as face painting, a balloon artist and crafts. “It’s become quite an event.”

Alt says the holiday party is one of her favorite things about the practice. “The most fabulous thing is not having to go to the mall to see Santa,” she says. “They have games and music and face painting. My kids look forward to that every year. It’s great.”

Dr. Greg enjoys it, too.

“We have it here so the kids can see that it’s a fun destination,” he says. “They can interact with me and the staff while we’re having fun, not trying to do a filling or fix a tooth that was knocked out.”

In addition to his office’s events, Dr. Greg reaches out to the community in many other ways. He brings “Tommy the Toothbrush” — a character who stresses good dental hygiene — to visit local schools during February, which is Dental Health Month.

“We give toothbrushes to all the kids,” Dr. Greg explains, “Some of them might not have one.”

He also has provided dental care for migrant children and does a program each fall where he donates a Thanksgiving turkey to Metropolitan Ministries in the name of any pediatrician or dentist who refers a new patient to him.

“We like to give to Metropolitan Ministries,” he says.

Dr. Greg also is a charter member and past president of the New Tampa Noon Rotary Club, an active church member at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church.

For appointments and more information about Children’s Dentistry (10317-B Cross Creek Blvd.), call (813) 973-3100, visit DrGreg-ChildrensDentistry.com. The office accepts most major dental insurance plans.

dentist

Ready To Rescue: Tampa Fire Station No. 23 Now Serving New Tampa!

(L.-r.) District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Nick LoCicero celebrate the opening of New Tampa’s fourth fire station, No. 23 (off of County Line Rd.), last month. ***(Photo courtesy of Sarah Foster)***

New Tampa’s fourth fire station, Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 23, is now operational.

Following a grand opening event in January, the station — located just off of County Line Rd. on Trout Creek Dr. — is now handling calls. The new station’s primary area of service are the communities of Grand Hampton, The Hammocks, the Esplanade and the Colonial Grand at Hampton Preserve apartments. The new station also will help ease the pressure on New Tampa’s other fire rescue stations.

Station 23 is the first new station to open in our area since 2012, when Station 22 opened on Cross Creek Blvd. Station 21 also is located on Cross Creek, and Station 20 is located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in Tampa Palms.

All four of the area’s fire stations belong to the City of Tampa and serve residents within the city limits. Residents in unincorporated Hillsborough County, such as Pebble Creek, Cross Creek and Live Oak Preserve are served by a contract with Pasco County, where the service is provided by Pasco Fire Rescue Station 26, located off BBD in the nearby Meadow Pointe I community of Wesley Chapel. There are mutual aid agreements in place, though, for emergencies that require additional help or when a rescue crew is already occupied with another situation.

Station 23 is expected to help to improve response times from Tampa Fire Rescue stations. According to a story in the Tampa Bay Times last year, the 34-square-mile district has a median response time of 8.96 minutes, which is 90 seconds longer than the city’s other four fire department districts.

“We have the worst response times in the City of Tampa (here in New Tampa),” says Luis Viera, District 7 Tampa City Council member, “so Fire Station 23 really goes a long way to addressing that.”

Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Nick LoCicero agrees. “It really affords a more appropriate level of protection for the communities in New Tampa and the general vicinity of where the station is located,” says LoCicero, “It provides a more robust and prompt response for that area.”

He explains it should immediately help the response time in Grand Hampton, which was previously served by the stations on Cross Creek Blvd.

“We are closely watching that and monitoring response times,” Chief LoCicero says. He adds that some of the longer response times are due to subdivisions that have enclaves that are harder to access. “There’s just no easy way to get there,” he says, “but we’re looking for improvement in Grand Hampton.”

LoCicero also explains that Station 23 is part of a phased-in program that included a redistricting last year, creating Fire District 5 that encompasses all of New Tampa. While New Tampa was previously part of a 50-square-mile district, the new District 5 is about 34 square miles.

The new station helps all of New Tampa, so that if multiple calls come in at the same time, or if a fire needs multiple companies to respond, there are more resources within the immediate area to handle those situations.

It includes a truck company, which has a ladder to reach taller buildings and handles primarily search and rescue; an engine company, which has hoses and connects to water to put out fires; and a rescue unit, which is the ambulance to help during non-fire emergencies in our area.

“We’ve gone from 17,000 residents to 60,000 today,” Viera says, “with more coming because of new development and God knows how many new homes in places like K-Bar Ranch. We’re a growing area, and that means the city needs to make more safety infrastructure investments.”

Station 23 includes a training room that will serve all of the fire companies in the area, allowing in-service training on fire and EMS topics to be conducted locally. This minimizes the time fire companies are away from their station due to traveling for training.

LoCicero says the grand opening itself was a nice event that showed the community’s support for its newest fire station.

“It was a warm and gracious reception for all the firefighters there,” he says. “There were quite a few people there, and Winn-Dixie (also off County Line Rd.) was very hospitable and gracious to us. They gave each crew a buggy full of groceries, and Jersey Mike’s provided sandwiches. It’s nice to be appreciated like that.”

He adds, “We’re happy for the community. We know they waited a long time for the station. It will be well served by the men and women of Tampa Fire Rescue.”

Viera suggests that the New Tampa community should check out the area’s newest asset. “It’s a great facility,” he says. “Go by and take a look at it. Oh, and bring some donuts for the first responders.”

fire station 23 new tmpa

The Beach House At Wiregrass — The Residence For Assisted Living & Memory Care!

From shuffleboard to swimming, movies, dining and more, residents at the Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch Assisted Living & Memory Care on S.R. 56 can enjoy the ‘attrition of life’ in style.

The bright and spacious halls of Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care at Wiregrass Ranch are coming to life, with an influx of new residents calling it home since the community opened in April 2018.

Located just two miles east of the Shops at Wiregrass on S.R. 56, the 93,000-sq.-ft. facility offers 100 residential units, ranging from studio-type apartments of 450 sq. ft. to two-bedroom/two-bath units of up to 796 sq. ft. Homes at Beach House can accommodate single residents or couples, living in either the assisted living or memory care areas.

In the eight months since it opened, 59 residents have moved in so far.

Callie Sears, the director of community relations for the Beach House at Wiregrass, says the number of residents who have already chosen to call Beach House home is well above what they had anticipated at this time, and that those residents are already shaping the programs and features that make it such a special place to live.

At the Beach House’s grand opening in 2018, community relations director Callie Sears (left center) and executive director Linda Mena (right center) were joined by regional marketing and sales director Kim Hayes (far left) and regional operations manager Kim Nadwodny.

“We tailor and cater activities and social aspects of the community to the residents who live here,” says Sears. “The innovative, out-of-the-box thinking, and catering to residents’ wants and needs is how we’re able to really make it their community.”

She says this includes bringing the surrounding Wesley Chapel community into Beach House, with volunteers from Wiregrass Ranch High, for example, and other events designed to draw people in.

This month’s “Battle of the Bowls” is a chili cook-off today from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. There will be live raffles, chili, hot dogs, beer and desserts. Sears says everyone is welcome to enter their own chili in the cook-off.

“Our philosophy is to bring the outside community into these walls,” Sears explains. “We want to embrace Wesley Chapel and New Tampa and bring them in to understand what we’re about. Our residents are vibrant and have things to look forward to every day.”

Another way the Beach House brings in local residents and business leaders every month is by hosting Women of Wesley Chapel (WOW) meetings. The group of as many as 100 North Tampa Bay Chamber members and their guests meet at the Beach House on the first Friday of each month at 7:30 a.m.

WOW chair Mollyana Ward says, “They say great minds think a like and both (NTBC CEO) Hope Allen, myself and Linda Mena were all on the same page when it came to hosting WOW at the Beach House. When Linda gave Hope and I a tour, we were in awe. Not only is the facility beautiful and classy, but so accommodating. The staff prepares a light breakfast for the ladies of WOW on the first Friday of every month. We love having a place to call home!”

Meanwhile, Sears says the Beach House community also includes the family members — and even furry friends — of its residents. Pets up to 30 pounds are welcome, and visiting family members often bring pets to the facility’s dog park.

“We have a good rate of family involvement,” Sears says. “We want them to be here and give them 24/7 access to come and go.”

She says mealtimes are often when families gather.

“We see a family member sitting with three or four residents, or a couple of families sitting together,” Sears says. “Some families are drawn to those residents who don’t see their families as often. They almost have adopted grandparents.”

Residents eat restaurant-style for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with chef-created recipes to accommodate any dietary needs. In fact, a monthly Chef’s Showcase gives residents the opportunity to sample new recipes or submit their own favorite recipes for the chef to try out. Then, the residents get to vote on which items they want added to the menu at the Beach House.

With its location close to shopping and dining, families often embark on multi-generational outings. Residents also choose where to have a weekly “lunch bunch” in one of the area’s many local restaurants.

There’s also plenty to do without leaving the Beach House. There are indoor and outdoor gathering spaces for wellness activities, games such as shuffleboard or pool, movies, arts & crafts, and a salon.

Happy hours, which used to be once a week, are now three times a week, and include weekly live entertainment.

“Our happy hours are so popular,” Sears laughs, “we need to order more furniture.”

She also says that the memory care residents have group kitchens where staff members lead activities such as baking cookies, which many residents have enjoyed doing all their lives.

“It’s a shared activity, where one person measures and one person mixes,” explains Sears. “We can always smell it when they’re baking cookies.”

Like Home, Only Better

Sears says people are attracted to the name Beach House, which is intended to evoke fond memories of years gone by, such as summers on the beach.

“People come in because they like the name, and then they see that Beach House has a calming sense to it,” says Sears. “Some places almost feel sterile, but they did a great job here of creating a sense of warmth and an inviting atmosphere. People feel drawn to it.”

As the first full-service assisted living and memory care facility located in Wesley Chapel, the Beach House offers many different accommodations and services to its residents.

For assisted living residents, the Beach House staff provides help with a variety of daily activities, such as shopping and medication management. The separate memory care area is available for those who need it, such as for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

The Wesley Chapel location joins two existing Beach House facilities in Jacksonville and Naples, FL. They are all owned by Prevarian Senior Living, LP, which is based in Dallas, TX, and also has similar communities in Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona.

Day-to-day operations at the Beach House are managed by employees of Life Care Services, a Los Angeles, CA-based company serving the needs of more than 33,000 senior citizens at facilities throughout the U.S.

To deliver services to residents of a wide range of abilities, the Beach House is licensed as an Extended Congregate Care (ECC) facility. That means a spectrum of care is offered, from limited assistance to total help with many basic needs.

“We have nurses around the clock,” says Sears. “That sets us apart from most places.”

Overseeing all aspects of the Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch’s daily operations is executive director Linda Mena, who has more than 25 years of experience working in senior housing. She explains that the range of care helps Beach House residents of all abilities, and as their abilities change over time.

“They truly can age in place in our community and that’s important to residents,” Mena says. “With the attrition of life, their needs become much greater and they don’t want to have to move or make a transition at that frail part of their lives.”

Residents at the Beach House pay privately, as insurance plans and Medicaid are not accepted. However, if families have long-term care insurance, a staff member will assist with providing billing information to the insurance company for reimbursement.

To learn more about upcoming events at the Beach House at Wiregrass Ranch, including the “Strut Your Mutt” doggie fashion show, go to Facebook.com/BeachHouseatWiregrassRanch. To enter your chili or RSVP for the Battle of the Bowls, or, for more information about the Beach House (30070 S.R. 56), visit BeachHouseWiregrass.com, or call (813) 508-6677.

beach house senior living