Patrolling the streets of Union Park (located just south of 56, off of Meadow Pointe Blvd. in Wesley Chapel) is the first “security robot” to be on duty in a residential neighborhood in the United States.
“Right now, we’re beta testing for six months at Union Park to see how a security robot would help us in a large community,” says Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations for Metro Development Group, developers of both Union Park and Epperson (see page 1), the latter of which is part of the “connected city” and which will be home to the first of two Crystal Lagoons coming soon to Wesley Chapel.
The robot has been named “Deputy Metro” and is a five-foot tall, 400-pound robot that drives itself throughout the community. It records data and provides 360-degree video.
“What we do at Metro in our heart and in our DNA is innovation,” Goyani says, so experimenting with brand new technology makes a lot of sense.
While Union Park is the first residential community to get a security robot, Goyani says it’s actually the 39th of more than 50 such robots throughout the country, created by a company called Knightscope. These robots patrol malls, hospitals, office parking lots, even the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
Goyani explains that it’s too early to tell exactly how Deputy Metro will be used in the long term, but it’s planned to be used at the soon-to-be-renamed connected city and at Metro’s developments with Crystal Lagoons. Goyani explains the current beta testing will help determine how it will be used in those larger communities. “The main goal is as a deterrent and seeing how this technology can fit into our lives,” Goyani says.
“For example, Union Park is not gated,” he says, so Metro tried stationing the robot at the entrance to the community to see how that worked. “We essentially made Deputy Metro like a virtual gate, monitoring the traffic going in and out.”
Meanwhile, he says video from the security robot has already been requested by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO).
In the future, Goyani hopes the PSO won’t have to request the footage. As part of its partnership, Metro Development expects to make streaming video available to the Sheriff, “so they don’t have to call us at all.”
Goyani says the reactions to Deputy Metro have been overwhelmingly positive, and many negative responses are due to concerns they have been able to alleviate, such as a concern that the robot could cause a resident to get a speeding ticket.
He says some of the positive response has been even more than what they expected.
“Deputy Metro is part of the community,” says Goyani. “One time when I was at Union Park, a couple of engineers from Knightscope were there, and a young girl who lives in the community came with her dad and brought her notebook and followed them around. She said (Deputy Metro) inspires her to learn more about STEM and robotics.”
For more information about Deputy Metro, visit DeputyMetro.com.
Walking into The Gift Box Boutique in Tampa Palms, there’s something interesting everywhere you look.
“We are a unique boutique,” says owner Jennifer Colón, who opened her store in the Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms (next to Stonewood Grill) in the summer of 2014.
In her one-of-a-kind shop, Jennifer stocks an impressive array of gifts, home décor items, jewelry and women’s clothing, from beautiful Nora Fleming servingware, to Simply Southern tee shirts, to trendy “pop sockets” for your phone, to pajama pants and much, much more.
Whether you’re shopping for a gift for someone else or a treat for yourself, you’ll find something great at The Gift Box Boutique.
The store offers many items that are made locally, both to support small businesses in the area and because people like to give gifts that represent their hometown.
“We carry Toffee To Go, which was on Oprah’s list of favorite things a few years back,” says Jennifer. “It’s a fabulous product made in South Tampa, and we run out of it every year because they can only provide so much.”
You can also buy Seventh Avenue Apothecary candles, made at “a little mom and pop manufacturer, right here in Tampa.”
Jennifer says, “We also sell gifts from Tampa’s Columbia Restaurant, which gives people an opportunity to purchase them without having to drive down to Ybor City.”
Jennifer also offers items from local artisans, each with their own unique flair.
“People want to share their talents in the things they make, such as wreaths or jewelry, and we like to support those local artists,” she says.
To make your gift even more special, The Gift Box Boutique offers personalization on nearly everything in the store.
“We personalize everything from dishes, to picture frames, to our Corkcicle products,” says Jennifer, “and we monogram everything from clothing to tote bags and blankets, so our gift items have that personal touch.”
Corkcicle is a line of insulated cups and canteens in a variety of colors, based in Orlando. Its stemless tumbler is on Oprah’s Favorite Things list this year, where Oprah says, “Here’s a 12-ounce covered stainless steel cup that keeps hot things hot for three hours, cold things cold for nine hours, and soccer moms happy right through overtime.”
Now Carrying Brighton, Too
Beginning in March of this year, The Gift Box Boutique began selling Brighton jewelry.
“It’s nice to have this bigger brand in the store,” Jennifer says. “Brighton approached us about selling it, and we were flattered, to say the least.”
Jennifer says Brighton’s classic jewelry is popular and “easily giftable.” She says sales of the jewelry continue to grow as people learn it’s available at the shop.
Scott McGary is the Brighton account executive who approached The Gift Box about selling the brand. “We saw that Jennifer put her store together really well and has a great reputation in the retail world,” he explains. “We look for shops where customers can be helped ‘head to heel’ and can find other items to complement our jewelry. We wanted to partner with her shop because she carries other lines that do well with Brighton and look good together, too.”
While McGary wouldn’t say what brands he was referring to, Jennifer says clothing lines currently carried in the store include Escapada, NYDJ (Not Your Daughter’s Jeans) and Elan.
She says, “It says a lot about our reputation as a small business that (Brighton) sought us out.”
Giving Back
It’s also important to Jennifer to give back to the community. The store carries Chavez for Charity bracelets, each of which supports a cause, such as Alex’s Lemonade Stand foundation for childhood cancer or Best Friends Animal Society, a national organization that advocates for “no more homeless pets,” and many others.
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She gives back on a local level, too.
“We support the Oasis Network, which gives clothing to children (in schools throughout the county),” says Jennifer, who says the store also is a drop-off location for Toys for Tots donations every year.
Jennifer also serves on the St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital philanthropic committee, volunteering her time to raise funds and help women and children at the hospital.
And, Jennifer says, she’s happy to support local schools, charities, and churches when they come to her requesting items for silent auctions and other fund raisers.
In-Store Events
For the holiday season, The Gift Box Boutique will host what Jennifer calls, “Sip & Shop Saturdays.” She says past events have featured tastings of food items available in the store, flower arranging to create a pretty tablescape for the holidays, and demonstrations for preparing food and beverages for holiday entertaining.
To find out what “Sip & Shop Saturday” events are coming up, go to Facebook.com and search “The Gift Box Boutique.”
Jennifer also prides herself on being responsive to what her customers ask her to carry in The Gift Box. She even keeps a “wish list” of items her customers have asked her to carry, and brings those items into the store whenever possible.
For example, she says people asked for more food items to make holiday gift baskets, so more were brought in this year, such as Wicked Mix (photo on next page)and Stonewall Kitchen.
And, while the store has always had a great selection of items for babies, she now carries gifts for girls, such as “magic rainbow unicorn” journals and pillows.
Jennifer says she has helped many Realtors find the perfect gift for housewarming presents. That’s one reason the higher-end Mariposa brand of servingware is now at The Gift Box. And, she says, not just Realtors are enjoying it. Mariposa offers a popular cocktail napkin holder that offers interchangeable weights, so your classic piece can be easily updated seasonally.
One of those customers Jennifer is sure to bend her ear to is Tampa Palms resident Wendy Grant, who says she has been shopping at The Gift Box since it opened.
“They make you feel so welcome, especially if you’re a regular customer, and they let you know how much they appreciate your business,” says Wendy. “They have original, interesting things, and I’ve never had a bad experience there.”
Wendy was on her way to the store to purchase Finchberry soaps, a beautiful decorative product she wanted for her bathroom. Jennifer says the bath and body lines in her store have been expanded because of customer requests.
In addition to Finchberry, The Gift Box Boutique carries Mussee bath “balms” with something special inside, such as its “Happy Birthday” balm with a candle.
Wendy says she loves the selection she finds whenever she shops at the store.
“It really answered a need in our neighborhood,” she says. “It’s a treasure. It has wonderful gifts, the prices are reasonable and the staff is very helpful.”
Jennifer says she wants to be sure it stays that way.
“I’m here all the time, listening to what people say they want,” she says. “We know our customers on a first-name basis. People tell us we’re their go-to store for gifts in this area. They tell us, ‘we’re so glad you’re here’ all the time.”
She adds, “I’m thankful for the people who have supported us through this venture. We wouldn’t be here without them, and I’m very proud of what The Gift Box has become.”
The Gift Box Boutique is located at 17032 Palm Pointe Dr. The shop is open extended hours during the holiday season. Now through the end of the year, shop Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. You can see pictures of what’s available in-store at Facebook.com/TheGiftBoxBoutiqueTampa. Or, for more info, or call (813) 284-5986.
The New Tampa Regional Library, which opened in 1997, is getting some major renovations, including this glass-enclosed upgrade to the library’s children’s room.
The New Tampa Regional Library (NTRL) on Cross Creek Blvd. opened a little more than 20 years ago, in May 1997. The building has started to show its age, so it’s getting a few updates.
Nearing completion shortly is one big change immediately noticeable to anyone who brings kids to the library. The formerly wide-open building now has an enclosed children’s area. With a mostly glass wall, the space still feels open, but 3,382 square feet of the library is now behind a door and designated specifically for use by children and their families.
“Everyone assumes that the wall was built for noise, and that’s part of it,” says NTRL principal librarian Wendy Prasad, “but it’s also for a safe learning environment, and gives a space for kids to be kids a little more.”
Prasad emphasizes that the library still isn’t a playground for running and horseplay, but, she says, “Modern public libraries are community buildings, and there’s more of a feeling of a shared community space, so we encourage different uses of the library.”
Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library’s manager of library development Chely Cantrell says the newly partitioned space for the library’s youngest patrons makes sense.
“New Tampa has such an amazing community that really supports the library and attends its programs,” Cantrell says. “There’s a large crowd that comes in and attends children’s programming, so now we will have more of a dynamic, interactive area inside of the children’s room.”
The wall is already built, but Cantrell says the finishing touches — including family-friendly furniture and educational materials that enhance early learning — are still on their way.
“We will be bringing in Grandma Claire’s Early Learning Hive,” says Prasad, who explains the library’s system-wide Makerspace is called The Hive. For adults and teens, the focus is on technology.
“For early literacy, we’ll have a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) concept and early learning concepts, but it won’t be technology-based,” says Prasad. “We’ll have early learning blocks and LEGOs, word matching, letters, sensory toys and manipulatives.”
The room is being named “Grandma Claire’s” after a donation from Claire Unnasch, a New Tampa resident who passed away in 2016 and provided a gift of $25,000 towards enhancing the children’s area.
The total budget for the project, including the construction of the wall and also replacing the partition in the community room, is $205,368. The actual final cost will be determined at the project’s completion.
“It’s part of the cultural community shift and where libraries fit into that,” Prasad says.
Modern libraries — including the NTRL — are often adapting to the needs and desires of the people who use them, adding programs, inviting in groups and enhancing the “Maker” options available to the community.
For example, the New Tampa library has added a daily “Teen Zone” for students leaving Benito Middle School, which is located right next door to the library. As many students arrive at NTRL at the same time after school, Prasad and her staff have found ways to make them feel welcome and help them take advantage of the library’s many offerings.
“We open our community room for about an hour and a half every day with video games and other activities,” says Prasad. “We’re here for our community, and that includes everybody.”
Additional construction is planned for 2018. The building is scheduled to have a new roof put on starting in January, during which time it’s expected that the library will remain open during regular business hours, but it may be noisier than usual.
NTRL’s bathrooms also will be upgraded, although the schedule is still being worked out to determine the least possible impact on library patrons.
In the old Florida woods where she grew up, in what is now the Trinity area of New Port Richey (just a short drive west of Wesley Chapel), Laura Starkey has set 41 acres of land aside as the Heartwood Preserve Conservation Cemetery, adjacent to the 18,000-acre Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Preserve.
On Nov. 4, Heartwood Preserve celebrated its one-year anniversary in business with refreshments and cake, an artist providing temporary henna tattoos and activities for the family.
In the year since it opened — as the first conservation cemetery in the Tampa Bay region, and one of just a handful in the state — Heartwood Preserve has offered environmentally-friendly options for people looking for a more natural burial.
“The word ‘Conservation’ in our name means that not only are we are providing a natural burial option for those who don’t want all the fancy bells and whistles of a modern burial with an expensive casket and vault, but we’re also really contributing to the permanent conservation of this ecosystem,” explains Laura, who is the cemetery’s founder and executive director. “We are both literally and figuratively becoming part of this land.”
Laura and Heartwood Preserve manager Diana Sayegh explain that, first and foremost, the cemetery is about conserving the precious longleaf pine flatwoods and cypress dome wetlands ecosystems of the preserve.
“We invite people to come and take a walk, hike and get some fresh air,” Diana says. “You can park for free, use our picnic benches, and experience nature. There are woodpeckers, owls and butterflies, and we have free events, such as silent meditation walks, yoga and even frog-listening events. This place is gorgeous, and we want the community to experience it.”
Diana says the fact that Heartwood Preserve allows pre-planning sets it apart from other conservation cemeteries.
“Like making a will, pre-planning for your cremation or burial is a gift to your family,” says Diana. “Your family is not left with the burden of the cost or the decision making. They have peace of mind for when that time comes.”
She continues, “It is a cemetery, and it’s sad, but it’s not typical. It’s natural and beautiful and serene and peaceful.”
Heartwood Preserve Conservation Cemetery is located at 4100 Starkey Blvd. Visitors are always welcome when the gates are open — Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m. on Sun. Events that are open to the public, including yoga, educational activities and more, are listed on the events page of Heartwood Preserve’s website at HeartwoodPreserve.com. For more info, call (727) 376-5111.
Rachell Moodie, pictured above with her husband, Matt, and two daughters, Hannah and Madelyn. Rachell was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 24 (below) and now helps other young adults fighting cancer & their families.
Picture a cancer patient.
Chances are, you’re thinking of an older adult, or maybe a child.
It’s not likely that you think of a young adult, but that’s where Wesley Chapel resident Rachell Moodie found herself in 2009, at the age of 24.
She had been married just nine months when she got the diagnosis — breast cancer. She went through 17 weeks of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.
“People know older adults get cancer and kids get cancer, but there’s this other subset of people,” Rachell says. “People wondered if I went crazy and shaved my head. No one thought I had cancer because it’s outside of the realm of what people expect.”
She says that although she had the support of her family and community, she wanted to connect with other people like her. Even her doctors usually treated patients in different life stages. So, for example, even though her doctors didn’t tell her that the cancer treatment could make her infertile, it did cross her mind.
“I knew I wanted to be a mom,” she says. “So I asked my doctor to let me figure out this fertility thing.”
She was able to have her eggs harvested, starting the process for IVF (in-vitro fertilization). That’s just one reason she’s now passionate about helping other young women who are facing cancer. “If you’ve already gone through chemotherapy,” Rachell says, “it’s too late.”
Rachell has now been cancer-free for eight years. “After going through that journey, I felt like I was on a mission to go through this with other people,” she says, adding that she wants to help others with all of the things she was so clueless about — from the unexpected side effects of chemo, to how to pick out a wig, etc.
A couple of years ago, Rachell met Madison Miller, another young adult cancer survivor, who had created a nonprofit organization for the young adult cancer community, called Spark The Way.
The two were both speaking at an event at the Moffitt Cancer Center on USF’s Tampa campus and recognized their mutual passion. In fact, they both say they instantly believed they would be lifelong friends.
“We just hit it off,” says Madison. “Rachell has such a passion for young adults in the cancer community, so I invited her to join me in Spark The Way.”
Madison was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2013, the same week she lost her grandpa to the same disease.
“He had fought with faith and fought fearlessly,” Madison says. “It was like he unknowingly equipped me to be able to fight.”
Madison says the most important lesson she watched was that her grandfather let people in. “Everyone was always going to treatments with him,” she says. “It was always a ‘we’ thing.”
So, while Madison says many young adults want to push people away when they struggle, even with cancer, “community is everything when you’re going through it.”
Through Spark the Way, Madison and Rachell — along with other “mentors” — make themselves available to cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers.
They’ll talk on the phone, chat online, meet for coffee, or come by a hospital room — whatever they can do to meet the needs of someone who is fighting cancer and would benefit from a listening ear and comforting words from someone who has been there before.
“Friends and family want to support you, but they just don’t get it,” says Rachell. “To have someone who’s been there and can say, ‘I know exactly how you’re feeling and this is how we can face this,’ is so helpful.”
That dream that Rachell once had to be a mom? She’s happy to say it has now come true.
She had to wait until she was five years cancer-free, and then Rachell became pregnant via IVF.
“Madelyn, who’s three, is my daily reminder that God keeps his promises, and you can hold on to hope because there is life after cancer,” she says.
Then, there’s Hannah, who’s now one-and-a-half.
“Right before Madelyn’s first birthday, I became pregnant naturally, so Hannah’s my reminder that God’s bigger than anyone else and He’ll make His plan happen,” Rachell says.
To learn more about Spark the Way or to request a phone call or other contact from Rachell or another young adult cancer mentor, visit SparkTheWay.org or email yourfriends@sparktheway.org.
Patrolling the streets of Union Park (located just south of 56, off of Meadow Pointe Blvd. in Wesley Chapel) is the first “security robot” to be on duty in a residential neighborhood in the United States.
