‘Homes For Our Troops’ Gives Two Wounded Vets The Keys To Their New Homes!

(Left Photo, l.-r.) Marine Sgt. Chris Lawrence raises the American flag at his new Homes for our Troops Home. Michelle, Cristiana, DeliaMarie, Chris and his sister Tameka check out their new kitchen. (Right Photo) Quincy, Skye & Warren pose for a picture in their new kitchen. 

Congratulations go out to former Marine Sgt. Christopher Lawrence and former Army Sgt. Quincy Lopez, who have now received the keys to their respective Homes for our Troops (HFOT)-provided homes, located in different parts of Wesley Chapel. 

Both severely injured veterans lost their respective right legs to improvised explosive device (IED) blasts while serving in Iraq and both chose Wesley Chapel for their new HFOT homes, both custom-designed by Kent Custom Homes. 

(l.-r.) Chris Gordon, Warren, Quincy & Skye Lopez, HFOT’s Bill Ivey & Chris & Michelle Lawrence.

They both also were honored at a dual ceremony that began at Sgt. Lawrence and his family’s new home on Steeplechase Rd. and continued at Sgt. Lopez and his son Warren’s new home on Country Club Rd. Both injured vets took down the HFOT flag they raised during their respective “Volunteer Day” events a few weeks earlier and raised American flags at the end of their respective Key Ceremonies. And, both expressed tremendous gratitude to HFOT, Kent Custom Homes, all of the volunteers who helped lay the sod and plant the plants at their new homes and, of course, to their families. 

Among the speakers preceding Sgt. Lawrence’s Key Ceremony were community engagement coordinator Jocelyn Phipps and executive director Bill Ivey of HFOT, which (as we’ve previously reported) is a 501(c)(3) military nonprofit that puts roughly 90 cents of every dollar it raises into building specially-designed homes for severely wounded soldiers who served after 9/11 — and that number is now up to 419 homes and still going. But, in addition to Sgt. Lawrence himself, the speaker who made sure no one in attendance had a dry eye was Sgt. Lawrence’s sister, Tameka. 

“It was no surprise when, right out of high school in 2005, Chris proudly joined the U.S. Marine Corps,” Tameka said. “He would always call me to say ‘I am safe’ and update me on where he was going. Then, on August 17, 2007, came the call that no family wants to hear — that Chris was being airlifted back home with life-threatening injuries. But, in his true spirit, he ended up coming back stronger and more determined than ever. Today, as we step into this beautiful new home, we are stepping into a space that represents healing, hope, honor and independence. This is a place where he will live with his family, where laughter will echo through the halls, where his family and friends will gather memories for years to come. On behalf of the Lawrence family, thank you from the bottom of my heart, to Homes for our Troops, for recognizing Sgt. Christopher Lawrence, his sacrifice, his service and his future. You have not only built walls and a roof, you have built a legacy of respect. Thank you all. I love you.” 

Not to be outdone, Chris said, “This day — September 6 — is a day of celebration, but it’s also [the anniversary of] one of the saddest days of my life. It was the day that I lost my crew, my team, so I have to acknowledge that. I’m a stubborn guy. After I got injured, they said, ‘You probably won’t be able to walk and you absolutely won’t be able to run.’ Now I run every chance I get and walk anywhere I can.” 

He added, “I was trying to find a purpose and decided to try to become a police officer. I put myself through the Police Academy, got turned down by a lot of departments until I was given an opportunity by a phenomenal academy and police department in Chula Vista, CA. I served there eight years before I realized that police work was probably not the right choice for someone with no toes. I also realized that stairs were not my friend and a friend of mine, a fellow Corpsman who also had a prosthesis, got a home from Homes for our Troops and I saw that he could get around and be a part of his family all the time. And that really motivated me to apply. And now, I know that this house is meant for me and my family to be in forever. So, thanks to Homes for our Troops and to all of you for being here today.” 

Sgt. Lawrence then got to raise the American flag at his new home (above right photo). 

On To Sgt. Lopez’s House 
(Above, l.-r.) Sgt. Quincy & Warren Lopez receive the keys to their new home from HFOT president & CEO, retired Gen. Tom Landwermeyer. 

Although both Sgt. Lawrence and Sgt. Lopez were honored at the first ceremony at Sgt. Lawrence’s house, the dual “Key Ceremony” event continued a short time later that same day at Sgt. Lopez’s new HFOT home on Country Club Rd., which also was custom-designed by Kent Custom Homes. 

At Sgt. Lopez’s ceremony, HFOT community engagement coordinator Krystina Goroshko first introduced Sgt. Lopez’s friend — and fellow HFOT home recipient — former Army Staff Sgt. Chris Gordon, who received his home in Groveland in Lake County, FL, in 2018. 

“I thought the house I got was pretty magnificent,” Staff Sgt. Gordon said, “but I’ll admit that I’m a little bit jealous of Quincy’s house. Not only does it have a lot of new features that mine doesn’t, this Wesley Chapel community is amazing!” 

Staff Sgt. Gordon also talked about a lot of the battles wounded soldiers with prosthetic limbs go through, including getting infections at their amputation sites, “but at least, when we receive these homes from Homes for our Troops, we don’t have to battle to take a shower or fix food in the kitchen anymore.” 

He added, “But, Quincy and Chris are now part of the [HFOT} family. I’m really excited to hear about all of the great things you go through in your new home, Quincy.” 

Next up was HFOT president and CEO and retired Army Brigadier General Tom Landwermeyer, who first echoed what Bill Ivey said at the first ceremony: 

Sgt. & Skye both love the new wide entrance way to the shower in his new home. 

“You all could be doing anything you want to do today, but you chose to be here with us, celebrating two veterans of the family. So, thanks for coming. But now, I’m going to say a few words about Quincy. He was 20 years old and living in New York when 9/11 happened. He decided at that time, as so many others did, even though he was already serving the public as a police officer, to change uniforms and join the military.” 

He added, “I always tell people that the one thing these homes can’t fix is their injuries. Yes, they make it easier for them to live, but they will have those injuries for the rest of their lives. Quincy is a single parent, one of the hardest jobs in the world, but he’s doing it. He’s a well-educated young man and a teacher and mentor to other veterans. So, Wesley Chapel, you have one of the most dedicated vets we have.” 

Sgt. Lopez said that one of the great things about his new home is that, “I’ve suffered a lot of injuries since my service in the bathroom and kitchen. I would have to use my wheelchair to get to the toilet and my walker to get where the toilet was and grab bars to get out of the toilet. But, this home is going to allow me to be a better veteran, a better father and serve my community better. Homes for our Troops isn’t just rebuilding families, you’re giving families back their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, uncles and aunts. You’re rebuilding whole communities. I can’t thank you all enough.” 

He also thanked HFOT, “which gives 90 cents of every dollar to build these homes. That means the staff is so dedicated to this cause that they’re willing to sacrifice pay and time just to give back and serve us. I can’t thank all of them enough either.” 

Sgt. Lopez also said that he learned very quickly that “Wesley Chapel is awesome. It’s a great community for my son to grow up in and We’re so excited to come here to live.” 

To make a donation or for more info about Homes for our Troops, visit HFOTUSA.org. — GN, all photos by Charmaine George 

Orlando Health Makes $500K Donation To PHSC’s Nursing Program

New Hospital In Wiregrass Ranch Also Names Its Top Management In Advance Of Early 2026 Opening! 

Congratulations go out to Pasco Hernando State College’s Institute for Nursing and Allied Health Advancement, a college initiative housed at PHSC’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, which received a $500,000 gift from Orlando Health, Inc., on Aug. 28 (photo). 

PHSC’s Nursing Institute focuses on addressing critical workforce shortages in nursing and allied health fields within the region. This collaborative effort between the school and Orlando Health — which is getting ready to open (in the spring of 2026) the Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital just across S.R. 56 from PHSC’s Porter Campus — brings together PHSC and Orlando Health in a collaborative partnership certain to benefit both entities. 

“At a time when our communities face urgent health care staffing shortages, PHSC is proud to lead the way in developing collaborations that will work to increase the pipeline for both highly qualified faculty and expertly trained employees in the nursing and allied health care fields,” said PHSC president Eric Hall, Ed.D. 

Orlando Health’s $500,000 gift to the PHSC Foundation establishes a fund to support nursing and health care services. 

“We’re excited about this new alliance with Pasco-Hernando State College,” said Andy Gardiner, senior vice president of external affairs and community relations at Orlando Health. “Our contribution is not only an investment into the future of nursing, but also an investment into health care throughout the region.” 

The check presentation, held at the PHSC Porter Campus, featured a number of guest speakers, including District 54 State Representative Randy Maggard, Dist. 23 State Senator Danny Burgess, Dr. Hall, Lisa Richardson, Ed.D. (the vice president of advancement innovation and strategic partnerships at PHSC), and Gardiner. 

Last year, PHSC received $1.5 million in state appropriations to establish The Institute for Nursing and Allied Health Advancement. The mission of the institute is to cultivate a thriving heath care workforce in the region by fostering innovative partnerships, conducting impactful research and providing exceptional education and training in nursing and allied health fields. 

Meanwhile, Orlando Health is a not-for-profit healthcare organization with $9.6 billion of assets under management that serves the southeastern U.S. and Puerto Rico. 

Founded more than 100 years ago, the 3,487-bed system includes 33 hospitals and emergency departments – 26 of which are currently operational, with seven coming soon. 

More than 4,950 physicians, representing more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties, have privileges across the Orlando Health system, which employs more than 29,000 team members and more than 1,400 physicians. 

We were unable to attend this event, so we do not have any additional information about it. 

Management Team Named 

The management team at Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital, which will open next spring as a 102-bed hospital with the capacity to expand to 300 beds, has been named by the new hospital’s president Joe Delatorre. 

Courtney Adams, MSN, BSN, RN was named the chief operating officer, Tanya Knepp, MHA will serve as chief financial officer, Suzan Dolezal, MBA-HCM, BSN, CENP, RN, has been named chief nursing officer, and Richard Matte, MBA CST, will serve as assistant vice president, business development at the hospital. 

We look forward to meeting all of you soon. 

All Of Kirkland Ranch Being Purchased By The State For Conservation!

The area in red is the 938-acre Kirkland Ranch, also known as “Village K” in the Villages of Pasadena Hills. 
The property being preserved extends from north of the Watergrass community to Kiefer Rd. & east from where Curley Rd. meets Elam Rd. to the Kirkland Ranch property line. (Pasco County map modified by Joel Provenzano) 

Residents wanting to see land and the environment protected in eastern Pasco County are getting their wish, as one local family intends to sell their almost 1,000- acre ranch to the state for natural preservation, instead of to developers for homes or apartments — and the state just approved the funds to do exactly that. 

How much?…. $30.8 million. 

Days after our article went to print last month, entitled “Where Are The Villages of Pasadena Hills (VOPH) & Why Should You Care?,” a surprise press release came from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD, aka “Swiftmud”) on Aug. 26, explaining that the Kirkland Ranch portion of the land in VOPH — immediately between the Kirkland Ranch school complex and the community of Watergrass — was approved to be purchased by Swiftmud’s board, with funds being provided by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). 

“We appreciate Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature’s commitment to preserving this conservation land in one of the fastest-growing areas in Pasco County,” said Swiftmud’s executive director Brian Armstrong. “This important purchase will help preserve the region’s lands and water resources for future generations.” 

Deemed to be a critical watershed for the state of Florida, and specifically Pasco County, the six contiguous cattle farming parcels owned by Kirkland Ranch since 1956 (938 acres total, of which 41% is wetlands), would have made up almost all of the residential area of “Village K” in VOPH, directly along the burgeoning Curley Rd. corridor (see attached map for location). But now, that land will remain fully undisturbed. 

“This acquisition meets all four of the District’s ‘Areas of Responsibility,’ which are water supply, water quality, flood protection and natural systems,” the Swiftmud news release from Aug. 26 says, “and is consistent with the District’s ‘Florida Forever’ workplan.” 

For those not familiar, VOPH is the 20,000+ acre special development district making up the area directly between Wesley Chapel, Dade City and Zephyrhills. 

This purchase will presumably affect two of Pasco’s so-called “vision roads,” the first being the northern Watergrass Pkwy. extension that was supposed to cut diagonally through Kirkland Ranch, serving as an important north/south corridor. The other is the eastern Elam Rd. extension, which would have run behind the Kirkland school complex (which includes the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation and the Kirkland Ranch K-8 school) — all of which was shown in the “Pasadena Hills Land Use Vision Plan” and transportation maps, but now that it’s no longer being developed, these road extensions are likely off the table. But, we’ll keep you posted. 

Schools On Wells Rd. To Get Sidewalks, Thanks To State Grant & A Weightman Student!

(l.-r.) Dr. Toni Zetzsche of Pasco County Schools, School Board member Megan Harding, State Rep. Randy Maggard, Pasco Comm. Seth Weightman, Josh, State Sen. Danny Burgess, School Board member Colleen Beaudoin and Pasco administrator Mike Carballa at the check presentation ceremony for the new sidewalks on Sept. 12. (Photo provided by Pasco County)

Meadow Pointe resident and Weightman Middle School eighth grader Josh Patrick was only twelve years old when he set up his first meeting with District 2 Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman last August to talk about the lack of sidewalks on Curley Rd. and Wells Rd. heading to the Wesley Chapel School Complex. 

“My mom always drives me to school,” Josh says, “but I saw a lot of kids walking and riding bikes that had to dodge cars all the time because there are no sidewalks. I just felt like something needed to be done.” 

Meadow Pointe resident and Weightman Middle School 8th grader Josh Patrick was only 12 years old when he made a presentation to the Pasco MPO about the lack of sidewalks near his school. (Photo provided by Josh Patrick.) 

Not only did Commissioner Weightman agree, he told Josh to appear at a Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting to present the issue, which he did (left photo) on Jan. 9 of this year. Thanks to Josh, the county requested funding to construct the sidewalks from the state legislature, which approved $1.5 million in this year’s state budget in June. 

“Sidewalk appropriation requests are my legislative ask for every session,” Comm. Weightman says. “But Josh definitely made this happen.” 

Josh says there’s a reason why he succeeded where others have failed. “Most of the time, when someone advocates for something, it’s usually always ‘concerned parents’ who attend those meetings,” he says. “I just think it’s a lot more impactful to have the students themselves there.” 

Josh was next invited to attend the check presentation ceremony (top photo) on Sept. 12 with District 54 State Representative Randy Maggard, District 23 State Senator Danny Burgess, Pasco County administrator Mike Carballa, Pasco School Board members Megan Harding (District 5) and Colleen Beaudoin (District 2), and Dr. Toni Zetzsche, the chief communications & community engagement officer for the Pasco School District. 

Weightman says that the survey work for the Wesley Chapel sidewalk project will begin next month and will take six months to complete. 

At the same time, the county will negotiate the design fee with a consultant and get the task order executed. Then, design and permitting will take about nine months, the procurement of all of the needed property for the project will take another six months, with another two months to award the contract and ten months to complete the construction. In other words, by the time the project is completed — around July of 2028 — Josh will be a junior in high school. 

“But, at least it’s going to be done,” Josh says. “It shows that just because you’re a kid, it doesn’t mean you can’t get things accomplished.” 

Of course, Josh’s parents, Mark and Marsha Patrick, are extremely proud of their son. We’re super-proud of him, too. 

Great job, young man! 

CITY Furniture Begins Construction, Home2 Suites Is Planned North Of 56

CITY Furniture is under construction on a nearly-9-acre site next to Chicken Guy & the Floor & Decor store on the north side of S.R. 56. The Home2 Suites hotel is planned, but is not yet under construction next to the Hyatt Place hotel. (NN map is not to scale & only shows approximate locations) 

We first told you back in 2023 that CITY Furniture was planning to build a 120,000-sq.-ft. showroom on a 400,000-sq.-ft. (8.92-acre) parcel valued at $3.774 million, across S.R. 56 from the Tampa Premium Outlets, near the Floor & Decor store (see map). 

Well, the site work for CITY Furniture recently began (photo below; the Silversaw Apartments are in the background) and Maitland, FL-based Miller Construction Co., is doing the construction. We’ll keep you posted as CITY Furniture gets closer to completion and its opening. 

To the east of the latest furniture store planned to open in the Wesley Chapel area will be the Home2 Suites by Hilton – Wesley Chapel hotel that will be developed by Impact Properties, the same group that built and still owns the nearly adjacent Hyatt Place Tampa Wesley Chapel hotel. 

Although we don’t know when the construction of the 103-room, five-story, 66,913-sq.-ft. Home2 Suites is expected to begin, the last update we received said it was expected to open sometime in 2026. 

An interesting thing about the hotel is that it will be constructed on only a two-acre site (less than 1/4 the size of the CITY Furniture site), valued at $1.112 million. — GN, with research by Joel Provenzano