Author: John Cotey

Fundraiser Concert At St. James Feb. 15!

Gary Brosch, a West Meadows retiree who runs the No Fret Guitar Camp, was at a music conference in Nashville when he first met guitarist and harp guitarist Muriel Anderson.

They became friends. He asked her for a plug on her Facebook page and has followed her career ever since.

He was still surprised, however, when Anderson called recently to tell him she was going on tour and would be in Florida. And, she was offering something even better than a social media plug — “She wanted to do a fund raiser for us,” Brosch says. “It was a very pleasant surprise.”

Brosch’s last, and only, fund raiser for his guitar camps was in 2019, before Covid got in the way. “I hadn’t really even thought of this year’s fund raiser yet,” he says, but now, just a month after her phone call, it is scheduled.

On Tuesday, February 15, at 7 p.m., Anderson will headline a free concert at St. James United Methodist Church to benefit the No Fret Guitar Camp, Brosch’s nonprofit that gives underserved teens free guitars and free lessons.

The concert also will feature Skip Frye, Sr., who played at the first No Fret fund raiser in 2019 and was a big hit. The Hall of Fame blues artist also has been an instructor at two of the No Fret camps.

While Frye played his own songs as well as hits by other artists that were familiar to the audience at the first fund raiser, Anderson’s performance is likely to offer a unique sound, touching on genres like folk, bluegrass, classical and pop, played on a unique instrument — a harp guitar (photo), which combines your typical guitar strings with open, harp-like strings that allow for plucking.

Her show is a multimedia spectacle, with a backdrop of visuals projected onto a screen behind her.

Anderson is the first woman to win the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship, and her 2013 CD, Nightlight Daylight, was chosen as one of the top-10 CDs of the decade by Guitar Player magazine.

The fund raiser also will feature a silent auction and the event’s proceeds will benefit the No Fret Guitar camp, which has provided more than $320,000 of free guitars and lessons in five years for 800 students. Any church or organization can contact Brosch about hosting one of the camps, which are limited to six students each. No Fret students each receive a guitar and two-hour lessons for five days, with the focus on teaching basic chords and playing songs, rather than reading music.

While Covid may have forced some changes and wiped out his fund raisers the past two years, it also helped Brosch realize the impact the camps have had on many former students. He says he has heard from a number of parents that while their children were confined inside at various times during the pandemic, they were able to turn to their guitars instead of their computers, which also helped with anxiety and depression.

“That’s really been exciting for us,” Brosch says. “We really have a life-changing impact, and music can do that.”

St. James United Methodist Church is located at 16202 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Tampa Palms. To reserve a free VIP table, call or text Gary Brosch at (813) 597-1925.

Muriel Anderson

New Tampa Sensory & Autism Friendly Park To Break Ground Feb. 14!

District 7 City Council member Luis Viera has championed building a sensory park in New Tampa since he first took office in 2016. The inspiration for the idea is personal — Viera’s older brother Juan has autism.

It’s somewhat fitting, then, that Viera’s labor-of-love — the New Tampa Sensory & Autism Friendly Park — will officially break ground on at 9 a.m. on Valentine’s Day (Monday, February 14), at the New Tampa Community Park in Tampa Palms.

“There have been some delays, like Covid, but it is a great day for New Tampa that this park is finally going to be built,” says Viera. “It’s going to be a big deal for a lot of people.”

While the city has made a number of improvements in recent years with playground equipment that has made its existing parks more accessible to children with autism, including the New Tampa Community Park, this full-fledged autism/sensory park will be the first of its kind in the city.

Proponents of the park have said that as many as 40,000 children in and around the New Tampa area are likely to use the park each year.

Viera said the lack of such facilities has always been a pet peeve of his. One year after being elected in 2016, he says he pulled the previous City of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn aside and they had a long discussion on the importance of possibly building a sensory-friendly park for those on the autism spectrum.

Viera requested $90,000 be allocated in the 2018 budget for the design, and that the park be located in New Tampa.

He jokes that he told Buckhorn he would wrestle with whoever the next mayor was for the construction money to build the park.

Fortunately, it didn’t require too much wrestling. In 2020, current Tampa Mayor Jane Castor passed a $1.3-billion budget for Fiscal Year 2021, which included $1.7 million to build the park (rendering above).

The park, which was originally earmarked to be built on five acres of land behind the BJ’s Wholesale Club on Commerce Palms Dr. in Tampa Palms., is for children with a wide range of physical, cognitive, sensory and socio-emotional abilities.

It will include multiple play pieces that are wheelchair accessible, a sensory area geared towards children with autism or other sensory or cognitive challenges, a new art mural based on a ‘Fantastic Florida Nature’ theme, and more, all built on 10,000 sq. ft.

Those identified as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) generally do not process information from their five senses as everyone else does, and can become overwhelmed and unable to communicate and interact because they are overcome with anxiety. The park will benefit families with children and adults with ASD (and other similar disorders) and focus more on soothing and serene activities.

Everyone, however, will be allowed to use the park. Viera says the hope is that all children will be able to play together.

With ASD numbers growing, from one in 150 children in a 2007 report to one in 44 children — according to the most recent data provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — sensory parks (and increased sensitivity to those afflicted with ASD) are becoming more prevalent across the country.

Most recently, the Wesley Chapel District Park, located 20-25 minutes north of New Tampa, opened a universally inclusive 7,000-sq.-ft. playground in 2019.

“I think this will be symbolic,” Viera says. “This tells parents raising kids with sensory issues that they are a priority, and that we care (about) and stand with them.”

To further his cause, which includes putting playground equipment for the disabled in every city park, Viera says he is looking to plan a handful of townhalls across Tampa — including one in New Tampa — to discuss other special needs concerns and how communities can help.

The Story of Justin Scott: Never Give Up!

Justin Scott, surrounding by his family and friends, got his first playing time on Senior Night against Durant. (Photo: Charmaine George)

Wharton senior Justin Scott took in every high five, every pat on the back and every hug on the most glorious night of his life.

The doctors who birthed him wouldn’t have believed it. His first teachers would be floored. Most anyone who knows anyone with cerebral palsy would be flabbergasted.

This kid can play.

Overcoming the greatest of odds, Justin held his head high as he walked off the field towards the locker room, still talking about the game, a 2-0 Wildcats win over Durant, a victory he started and played almost all 80 minutes of, like it was a dream he hoped would never end.

“I was told I would never walk, I would never walk, and I was told I was going to die before I was two year old,” Justin said. “Now look where I am — playing soccer for my high school team.”

On Jan. 14, 18-year-old Justin started at forward for the Wharton boys soccer team, a surprise reward for his years of perseverance, his positivity and his commitment to his teammates.

Justin says soccer has long been his passion. He once had a hat trick in a league game at the YMCA and, in limited action at Turner-Bartels K-8, he was a goaltender who never allowed a shot past him.

But, in high school, as the players get bigger and stronger, Justin was outmatched.

He didn’t try out for the soccer team as a freshman, because he was too nervous. He was cut as a sophomore but, instead of giving up, he accepted a spot as the team’s manager and promised he would try out again.

He again was cut junior and senior years. “I really thought this year I had a chance,” Justin said.

His chance did finally come, on Senior Night, where friends, teachers and family — his mother Michelle and her husband Rob, his father Michael Scott and his wife Jennifer, and grandmother Blannie Whalen — gathered while waving cutouts of Justin’s head on a stick, to celebrate the young man who just wouldn’t quit.

Justin’s teammates were as excited for him as he was, smiling as they welcomed him to the starting lineup. (Photo: Karl Greeson)

When he was introduced as part of Wharton’s starting lineup, he trotted out to the middle of the field where his smiling teammates high-fived him. When the first whistle blew, he took off like a bolt, chasing down the opponent, and blocking a long pass attempt by jumping in front of the ball, the thud sending a shiver down his mother’s spine.

“I was pretty nervous,” Michele said, “but I was also so full of pride. He played so well. He was fearless.”

Justin was born prematurely, a childbirth during which Michelle had an allergic reaction “to a penicillin-type drug” and went into anaphylactic shock. Justin was born with brain damage and, sometime around the age of 1, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

He learned how to walk, which wasn’t supposed to happen, and learned how to talk, too. Eventually, he was running and jumping around and fell in love with soccer, and grew into a popular kid that teachers and classmates rallied around.

While cerebral palsy had stripped Justin of many of the motor skills and coordination needed to play, he never stopped once he started, not only playing but learning how to be a linesman and refereeing games and helping to coach his old middle school team.

And, of course, he was a great manager, always there, always encouraging, so eager to be part of the team. But of course, his dream was to play. And Wharton coach Scott Ware finally gave him his opportunity.

Justin didn’t score, but he had a few chances. (Photo: Karl Greeson)

“He deserved it,” Ware said. “He’s definitely earned it.”

Justin called his mom when he first heard it might happen and, when it became official, he brought home his kit (uniform) and proudly tried it on for her.

“He told me, ‘Mom, this isn’t just about me, I just want people with disabilities not to give up on themselves,’” Michelle said. “That’s how he is.”

The next day, Justin, who has been accepted into a number of colleges but is really hoping to attend the University of Florida, wore his kit to school, and later that night played in it: No. 14.

And Justin played hard, as hard as he could, eager to make the most of the moment. He chased down opposing players who had the ball, mixed it up in the box with others trying to jostle for a shot, actually had a few potential goals go awry and even had a header.

Every time he came close to a ball near the goal, his teammates on the bench would lean forward, and in unison yell “Justin” in anticipation of a miracle.

“We were all excited for him that he was playing,” said senior Christian Lundblad. “If he had scored, I would have stormed the field. I might have gotten in trouble for it, but I would have done it. We were all rooting for him tonight.”

At halftime, he was asked if he was tired. “I could keep going for another two days,” he said.

In the second half, a ball was played into the box from the far side. The ball miraculously found its way through four players and the keeper, right to the feet of Justin. He was surprised it got to him, and reacted as quickly as he could, sliding and poking the shot just wide of the open net. It was agonizingly close.

“Nine times out of 10 the goalkeeper stops that ball,” Justin said. “That’s why I missed it. That will haunt me for days and years.”

But, it didn’t stop him from smiling afterwards.

Just playing in the game was a dream come true. Justin said he doubts his coach even knows just how much it meant to him. He was proud, and grateful beyond words for an opportunity he thought would never come.

“I just never gave up,” he said. “It’s the story of my life.”

soccer Wharton

PHSC Officials Cut The Ribbon At The New IPAC!

Pasco Hernando State College held the official ribbon cutting of its Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC), which has been open less than a year, on Jan. 6. Speakers praised the public-private effort to bring the facility to fruition. *(Photos: Charmaine Georg*e)

After nine months of operating quietly on the campus of Cypress Creek High off Old Pasco Rd., the Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC) is preparing to spread its wings in 2022.

On Jan. 6, PHSC and governmental officials held the IPAC’s official ribbon cutting, with a dozen or so local dignitaries (like county commissioners Ron Oakley and Mike Moore and Florida State Rep. Randy Maggard, a PHSC graduate) on hand to give short speeches, some of them focusing on the success of the IPAC and its future offerings to the community.

Afterwards, IPAC executive director Lauren Murray, DMA (pictured above), said that PHSC students have already embraced the theater classes, and will be able to take dance classes this semester and participate in the facility’s music program starting this fall.

There also will be group piano and guitar lessons, which also will be available to the public, and Murray (right photo)has high hopes for launching a community art series this fall, which would include things like jazz trios, locally produced musicals and even stand-up comics.

“It will be pretty diverse, with musical, theatrical and dance events that we expect will reach a broad range of people,” said Dr. Murray.

The state-of-the-art, 35,000-sq.-ft. IPAC features a number of studios for things like dance, music and video production, and the 444-seat Will Weatherford Theater — named for the former Florida Speaker of the House who helped secure funding for the $18-million facility, is considered the heart of IPAC.

The facility already has won two awards — a first place Special Projects in the Florida Educational Facilities Planners’ Association, Inc., 2021 Architectural Showcase!, and an Excellence in Collaboration award from the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a nearly $20-million investment in our region that will be truly transformational for our students, our families and the residents of this area,” said PHSC Provost Dr. Kevin O’Farrell. “There is really nothing like the Instructional Performing Arts Center that we have here at PHSC.”

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, was one of those first approached when the idea of building a performing arts center or arena came up years ago. He told the ribbon-cutting crowd that in his search for the right kind of design, he collected floor plans from the Tampa Bay area’s Mahaffey, Capitol and Straz theaters, and even a theater in Singapore that had a $100-million price tag.

“We didn’t quite get there,” he said, laughing. “Regardless of the cost, what we got was a jewel.”

There have already been 26 events held at the IPAC, most of them small and self-produced by local groups who rented the theater. There have been two fully-staged theatrical productions, musical events, day-long conferences and Dr. Murray said the active Indian community in Wesley Chapel has held two dance events with three more planned this spring.

She is hoping to augment the positive start with the community art series, outdoor festivals, week-long festivals and large-scale events.

“We plan to reach a lot of people,” Murray says. “We really are looking to cover the gamut.”

For more information, visit PHSC.edu or call (813) 536-2816.

IPAC

Commissioner Mike Moore Retiring After Term

Pasco County District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore, who represents most of Wesley Chapel and has played a pivotal role in the growth of the area, unexpectedly announced Monday that he will not run for re-election in November.

“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Pasco County over the past seven years,” Moore wrote in a statement released Monday afternoon, “and I am pleased to have led a number of transformative changes to better the quality of life for the citizens of Pasco County.”

Moore said in the statement that after much deliberation with his family, he would be returning to the private sector full-time as a small business owner (he owns a business consulting firm) at the conclusion of his term.

He gave no further hints to what lies ahead.

“Not sure what I’m doing yet,” he told the Neighborhood News in a text message. “Haven’t made any decisions.”

Moore has held the District 2 seat since 2014, when he defeated Democrat Erika Jean Remsberg with 59 percent of the vote; he won re-election with 60 percent of the vote in 2018, defeating challenger Kelly Smith.

He has served as the commission chairman in 2017 and 2020, and vice-chairman in 2016 and 2019.

Moore has helped speed up a number of major transportation projects, including the diverging diamond interchange, spearheaded the addition of a new indoor recreation center (and before that, a universally inclusive playground) at Wesley Chapel District Park as well as playing a role in the building of the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County, and most recently was the driving force behind a six-month (now one year) moratorium on new apartments in the Wesley Chapel area.

In 2017, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber presented him with the Community Hero Award (picture), honoring his efforts in helping grow Wesley Chapel.

“I am extremely grateful for the citizens of Pasco County who placed their trust and vote in me,” Moore wrote. “Even though I am retiring from the commission, I will always be your champion and will continue to be by your side fighting for what is best for our county’s future.”

A former radio/TV major at the University of Central Florida, Moore launched Reel Politics in August 2021, a weekly talk show that can be heard on The Answer 860 AM or 93.7.

Moore lives in Wesley Chapel with his wife Lauren and their three children.