Karaoke Event Rocks Mulligan’s Irish Pub At Pebble Creek CC!

Even though it was a fund-raising event to benefit Jan Roberts, one of three candidates for the 2011 Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce’s Honorary Mayor of Wesley Chapel, the fact that a Karaoke Contest was held at the newly renovated ballroom at Mulligan’s Irish Pub at Pebble Creek Golf Club (PCGC) was reason enough for me to put this recap of the event in this New Tampa issue.

The fact that the fund raiser for Honorary Mayor candidate Jan Roberts of Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Tampa Bay was hosted by New Tampa residents Harald Stone and his girlfriend Jennifer Kibiger and the fact that yours truly was a judge at the event were additional reasons why I felt it was appropriate to review the contest in these pages.

The bottom line is that Roberts is a wonderful woman working and raising money for a great cause. PCGC and my friends CeCe & Karen from CeCe Productions put on their usual great show, the donated prizes were great and the talent on display was top-notch!

We didn’t know the amount raised at our press time, but the contest itself was broken down into 18 & Under and 18+ age groups. Although the competition was fierce, the winners selected by judges Trevor Morris, Patty DeBlock and I were amazing 8-year-old Jennifer Managan in the 18 & Under division and the always awesome Robbie, singing her trademark “Me & Bobby McGee” in the 18+ division. There was even a surprise appearance by Joan Jett herself (or at least our friend Mary dressed as Joan)!

Great job, everyone!

Wesley Chapel Chamber Awards Banquet Rocks Saddlebrook!

Gary,

 

Thank you for your dedication to our community!!! We thank you for your sponsorship, you auction donations and your year-round support and coverage 
 all is greatly appreciated!!!

 

Christine Hope, Dir. of Marketing

Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce

 

Introducing : The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) 2011-12 Board of Directors!

Executive Board Members: President – Debie Kaplan – Branch of Christ Ministries; Vice President – Dr. Randy Stovall – Pasco-Hernando Community College; President Elect – Mary Adele Cluck – Marry Me Mary; Treasurer – J.D. Porter – Wiregrass Ranch; Secretary – Jeff Novotny – American Consulting Engineers of Florida

Directors: Immediate Past President – Laura Miller – Tampa Home Experts; Wendy Bechtelheimer – Wesley Chapel Storage; Pat Ciaccio – Saddlebrook Resort; Cindy Fleming – Bay Insurors; Vicki Hamilton – Smart Health Inc.; Rob Kellog -ThreadArt; Jeff Olsen – Grace Community Church; Dean Smith – Quest National Services, LLC

Honorary Board Members: Greg Lenners – The shops at Wiregrass; Joe Marina -Withlacoochee Electric Cooperative; Paula O’Neill – Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller; Will Weatherford – State Representative, District 61; Debbie Yoerg – Designed for a Purpose.

 

Congratulations to all of the WCCC’s 2011 Annual Banquet Award Winners:

Large Business of the Year – Shops at Wiregrass; Small Business of the Year – Hampton Inn & Suites of Wesley Chapel;

Business Leader of the Year- J.D. Porter- Wiregrass Ranch; Civic Organization of the Year – Big Brothers Big Sisters; Volunteers of the Year – Cathy Bickham, Senior Home Care, and Cindy Fleming, Bay Insurors; Chamber Member of the Year – Kelly Mothershead- A Focus on Fitness; Board Member of the Year – Laura Miller -Tampa Home Experts; Ambassador of the Year – Cathy Bickham – Senior Home Care & President’s Award – Greg Lenners – Shops at Wiregrass

Congrats to the new Board & all of the award winners! And. thanks for the list & kind words, Christine!—GN

 

If you missed this year’s sold-out, amazing “Evening of Elegance” banquet at Saddlebrook Resort on September 10, or you’re somehow still not a Chamber member or have never even been to a WCCC event, PLEASE check out this year’s Fall Festival (Saturday-Sunday, October 15-16, at The Grove), visit Wesley ChapelChamber.com or the Chamber’s new office (6013 Wesley Grove Blvd.), or call 994-8534!

 

New Tampa Brother & Sister Win Gold Medals In South Korea

By Sean Bowes

Ask any parent with a son and a daughter and they will likely tell you that it’s difficult to get their kids to stop fighting. New Tampa residents Christopher and Viviana Cao are no exception. However, their kids — Christopher, 14, and Viviana, 11 — are not exactly fighting in the way you might think, like, say, over the remote control. Instead, they practice sparring, breaking boards and perfecting their moves in Tae Kwon Do (TKD), the Korean martial art form.Continue reading

New Tampa Brother & Sister Win Gold Medals In South Korea

By Sean Bowes

Ask any parent with a son and a daughter and they will likely tell you that it’s difficult to get their kids to stop fighting. New Tampa residents Christopher and Viviana Cao are no exception. However, their kids — Christopher, 14, and Viviana, 11 — are not exactly fighting in the way you might think, like, say, over the remote control. Instead, they practice sparring, breaking boards and perfecting their moves in Tae Kwon Do (TKD), the Korean martial art form.Continue reading

Local School Attempts To Break ‘Simon Says’ Guinness World Record

“Simon Says bark like a dog. Simon Says stand on one foot. Put your hands on your head. Oops! Simon didn’t say to do that.” If this was a real game of “Simon Says,” you would be “out.” Recently, thousands of students from coast to coast, including some from New Tampa, participated in what is believed to be the world’s largest multi-venue game of “Simon Says,” the popular childhood pastime where you have to follow “Simon’s” directions, but only when the words “Simon Says” come before the command.Continue reading