Congratulations go out to the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, which meets every Wednesday for lunch at Omari’s Grill at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club (GC), for hosting a record-breaking first-ever Charity Golf Open on Apr. 30. The golf tourney attracted nearly 130 golfers to the recently revamped Lexington Oaks GC course.
Although no final figures were available at our press time, current president Jodie Sullivan said it probably raised more than any of the club’s previous fund raisers and benefited the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office Charities, as well as the club’s community projects.
It was a hot day, but the golfers complimented the course, the Lexington Oaks staff (including owner/WC Rotary member Anass El-Omari), the Rotarians and the camaraderie — even though no one won the car donated by Parks Ford or the Sandals vacation by sinking a hole-in-one.
Lunch was served prior to the shotgun start and an awards dinner reception — which also included a cool silent auction of sports memorabilia — was held immediately after in Omari’s Grill.
“This was a great event for the club, the community and the charities,” event chair Justine Esposito said.
For more information about the club, visit WCRotary.com. — GN
Lauren Murray, DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts), couldn’t keep the smile off her face, which was obvious by the twinkle in her eyes as she showed off the new Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC) to the media.
Standing in the middle of the state-of-the-art, 444-seat theater that is the centerpiece of the 35,000-sq.-ft. project, the new executive director of the IPAC called it her dream job to help turn the IPAC, which is located in front of Cypress Creek High on Old Pasco Rd., into one of Wesley Chapel’s true jewels.
“It’s a beautiful addition to the community,” Dr. Murray says.
Murray (photo), who PHSC lured away from her position as the music chair at the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, says she has two objectives — to provide a space for the community, local schools and art and performance organizations that need space to perform and have a hunger to learn, as well as to provide programs for PHSC students who are practical and viable.
No expense was spared on creating the IPAC to achieve those goals. Because the 5.85 acres to build on was donated by Pasco County Schools (PCS), PHSC provost Dr. Kevin O’Farrell said his school was able to “pour more money into what’s happening there instead of acquiring land and preparing it for building.”
The theater will have the benefit of an orchestra pit, which allows for the best acoustics. It also features a high-tech counterweight rigging system — also known as a fly system — which should make anyone playing Peter Pan or any other high-flying character happy as the IPAC serves high school and college students from all over the county.
Murray says she hopes to lure touring companies to the IPAC to put on quality shows. At the groundbreaking in 2019, Pasco County deputy superintendent of schools Ray Gadd raved that it would be a “full-blown, professional theater.”
From the spacious lobby to the new classrooms for dance, music, drama and multimedia, the IPAC, a joint $18-million venture between PCS and PHSC, is brightened by large windows everywhere.
Covid delayed the opening, which was originally scheduled for fall 2020. Like many construction projects, the IPAC dealt with supply issues. The rigging system came from New York, the seats from Michigan and much of the sound equipment from California — three of the hardest-hit states during the pandemic.
However, PHSC will offer limited online classes this summer and, in the fall, will hopefully welcome students back to a full complement of classes.
PHSC will offer two programs at the IPAC. The first will be an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, within which there will be four pathways — two in music (instrumental and vocal), one in dance and another in theater.
Second will be an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree, which will focus on multimedia and digital technology and include things like web and graphic design, as well as video editing and production. It includes one lab featuring Apple computers, and another with PCs.
O’Farrell calls the new IPAC a missing link, or missing piece, for area students with an interest in fine arts.
“A lot of people will graduate high school and have to go away because there’s nothing here locally for them,” he says. “This will allow them to continue here locally and earn that A.A. degree in a fantastic, state-of-the-art facility.”
PHSC also has found the perfect person to lead the IPAC into its future, O’Farrell says. Murray is an accomplished oboist who has performed at New York City’s renowned Carnegie Hall. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stetson University in DeLand, FL, a Master of Music degree from Yale University in New Haven, CT, , and her DMA from the University of North Texas in Denton. She also has taught at a number of universities, including at USF.
This, however, may be her most exciting challenge yet.
“The opportunity to come into a brand new building that someone has built and create programming from the ground up is completely unheard of,” she says. “Friends of mine who I called and told about this were like, ‘What? You’re in a brand new place that they just built?’ No one could say no to this. It’s dream job, it really is.”
Zach Karikas, a Freedom High grad, receives his award from New Tampa YMCA sports and teen program director Eamonn O’Sullivan. (Photo provided by the YMCA)
For the past five years, Zach Karikas has been a fixture at the New Tampa Family YMCA in Tampa Palms. If there was a youth league basketball game going on, Karikas was almost definitely there. Prior to the Coronavirus outbreak, he was a volunteer coach for four different teams in the league, which included the 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-15 age groups.
When the gym at the New Tampa Y opened again for limited 3-on-3 leagues in the fall, Karikas continued coaching. The 5-on-5 leagues finally started up again in January.
Karikas, 28, was recognized for his dedication when he was awarded the 2021 New Tampa Family YMCA Volunteer of the Year award. He received the honor from Sports Director Eamonn O’Sullivan in a virtual ceremony held in late March.
“I didn’t even know the Y did a Volunteer of the Year,’’ said a surprised Karikas, who adds that he has always loved basketball, even if he wasn’t particularly good at it.
A 2011 graduate of Freedom High, also in Tampa Palms, he said he tried out for the basketball team all four years and was cut every year.
He went off to Marshall University in West Virginia to pursue a degree in athletic training. When that didn’t work out, Karikas left Marshall in 2013 to return to Wesley Chapel. A few years later, he wanted to apply for a college scholarship and one requirement was community service hours. That’s when he started volunteer coaching at the YMCA despite not having any kids of his own.
Zach Karikas
At first, he coached just one team. But, that quickly became four teams.
“I just fell in love with it,’’ he says.
He currently is enrolled at Pasco-Hernando State College and his full-time job right now is installing shower doors. Ultimately, Karikas says he would like to earn a degree in sports management and coach basketball at either the high school or middle school level. It’s a passion he discovered five years ago at the New Tampa Family YMCA.
“I caught the coaching bug,’’ Karikas says. “I really enjoy coaching the youth, both on and off the court, showing them that you don’t have to be Lebron James to succeed on or off the court. It’s not always going to be sunshine and rainbows — there are ups and downs. You just have to keep going with whatever you want to do. Being a positive role model is a good feeling. Right when I walk into that gym I’ve got like five kids coming up to me and saying ‘Hey, coach Zach.’ I love the ability to give back to the younger generation.’’
For more information about the New Tampa Family YMCA, located at 16221 Compton Dr., call (813) 866-9622 or visit TampaYMCA.org.
The first Rotary Club chartered for New Tampa or Wesley Chapel — the Rotary Club of New Tampa (RCNT), which has met on Friday mornings at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club for 25 years, now has a satellite club.
On April 7, twelve Charter (11 new and one returning) members of the Rotary Satellite Club of New Tampa After Hours were introduced by Rotary District 6890 Governor Mark Skolnick and After Hours chair Bob Thompson and inducted by RCNT president Walter Oles at Florida Ave. Brewing Co. on S.R. 56.
Although the club is a Satellite Club of the RCNT, Thompson, After Hours Sergeant-at-Arms Cam Caudle and membership chair Jason Contino say that the new club will meet in person only once each month (at least for now) on the first Wednesday of each month at locations throughout New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. “We’re also planning to have a Zoom meeting on the third Wednesday of each month,” Thompson said, “and begin working on service projects right away.”
The new satellite club’s first service project was a recent painting event at the Friends of the Joshua House Foundation, Inc. (FJHF), painting and prepping the residences of the abused and neglected children who live there for an upcoming Grand Re-Opening event.
The painting party was part of the After Hours Club’s promise to its Apr. 7 guest speaker, DeDe Grundel — the executive director of the FJHF, pictured above — when Thompson announced that the Joshua House will be the first charity of focus for the new Satellite club.
Contino says, “The Satellite club appeals to those who found Rotary attractive but couldn’t or didn’t want to meet at 7 a.m.”
The Rotary Satellite Club of New Tampa After Hours’ next meeting — which is open to prospective members and guests — will be held on Wednesday, May 5, at 7 p.m., at Double Branch Artisanal Ales in The Grove at Wesley Chapel. — GN
Residents of K-Bar Ranch met with City Council member Luis Viera last month to discuss a number of community issues, many related to public safety.
Public safety continues to be one of Tampa City Council member Luis Viera’s primary concerns in District 7, the area he represents that includes all of the communities within the city limits in New Tampa. And, while his primary focus may be on some of the struggling fire stations south of our area, a fire station that has yet to be funded built in K-Bar Ranch almost always makes its way into any conversation with Viera.
When he met with a smattering of K-Bar residents last month at the community’s amenity center — with staff from the Tampa Police (TPD), Parks & Recreation and Mobility departments in tow — public safety was at the forefront of much of the conversation.
Viera assured the residents in attendance that he was fighting to make sure the planned fire station in K-Bar Ranch comes to fruition, which would help reduce the below-average response times in that part of New Tampa. Because there remains only two entrances into western K-Bar — the main entrance at K-Bar Ranch Pkwy., and the less convenient way via Basset Creek Dr. past Pride Elementary — a fire station for a community that will have more than 2,000 homes with little access makes sense, Viera said. (Note: Easton Park has an entrance/exit off Morris Ridge Rd., but K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. currently does not connect the east and west sides of the community.)
Another access point, however, also would improve public safety response, although it is unclear other than planned connections at Meadow Pointe Blvd. and Wyndfields Blvd. leading into Pasco County, where those access roads could be constructed.
When leaving the growing New Tampa community, K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. and Bassett Creek Dr. both funnel into Kinnan St., so some residents argue that really, the only way in or out of K-Bar is through Kinnan.
And, in the case of any fender bender on Kinnan St., “People literally cannot get out of this neighborhood,” says Cindy Gustavel, who lives in K-Bar’s Heron Preserve subdivision.
There also were concerns expressed over speeding down both Kinnan St. and K-Bar Ranch Pkwy., a wide open stretch of road running east-west that was completed in 2019. Speed bumps aren’t a popular option to slow speeders, and police jurisdiction (K-Bar Ranch is right on the boundary between the City of Tampa and unincorporated Hillsborough County) is confusing for residents when deciding who to call to complain.
Also, there are no bike lanes painted on the new road
“You are taking your life into your own hands on that road (K-Bar Ranch Pkwy.),” says resident John Bowersox, who is hoping residents can be surveyed to figured out a solution.
Residents in attendance at the meeting also expressed concern about construction truck traffic on roads like Bassett Creek Dr. and Wild Tamarind Dr. — where children, bicyclists and pedestrians are more likely to be — and would prefer a sign directing those trucks to K-Bar Ranch Pkwy.
A proposed park in K-Bar Ranch on roughly 55 acres of land (including the possibility of additional acreage from the county in Live Oak Preserve) which has been discussed for years, remains in limbo, Viera said.
Originally planned to be a partnership between the city, which would maintain and run the park, and Hillsborough County, which would pay to build it, the discussion seems to have hit an impasse over what purpose the park would actually serve, in terms of whether it should focus on athletic fields or green space and trails. Viera told residents that resolving the issue and getting the park built has become one of his goals.
