A Whole New World For Performers With Special Needs

The joy in the room is palpable as the New Tampa Players’ Penguin Project group practices dance steps for “Prince Ali.” Peer mentor Olivia Carr dances with her Genie, Connor Olsen. (Photos: Libby Baldwin)

The cavernous main hall at the University Area Community Center swelled with a chorus of voices. The booming energy of the song “Prince Ali,” from the classic Disney film “Aladdin” sounded like a seasoned community theater production.

In fact, however, it was just a regular rehearsal for a very special group of New Tampa Players (NTP).

“Aladdin” will open on Friday, April 5, at 8 p.m., with additional performances on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. 

All performances will be at the University Area Community Center, located at 14013 North 22nd St. in Tampa. Tickets can be purchased online for $15.

The local community theater troupe’s president, Nora Paine, was attending a theater conference in summer 2018 when she learned about the Penguin Project, an initiative that gives children with special needs the chance to perform onstage. 

Established in 2004 by Dr. Andrew Morgan, who spent more than 35 years as central Illinois’ primary medical specialist for children with disabilities, the Penguin Project matches each “young artist” with a peer mentor. These mentors, who  are mostly children the same age as the performers who don’t have disabilities, volunteer their time to work side-by-side through four months of rehearsals and during the final performance.

“The New Tampa Players had been looking for something like this, but didn’t want to re-invent the wheel,” said Paine, herself a mother to three special needs children. “This program is unique because it gives these kids a chance for social networking outside of the special needs community.”

“Aladdin Junior,” which wasn’t modified from the original script, will be the first Penguin Project production not just for NTP, but in all of Florida.

The performing artists and their mentors attend 3-4 rehearsals per week that run for no longer than 90 minutes, to ensure attention spans don’t run out. Each peer mentor learns every line, every dance move and every blocking move, along with his or her artist. 

Rehearsals are no slower-paced than regular children’s theater; peer mentors are expected to keep their artists on task.

If a special needs child becomes upset, the show still must go on.

“The young artist and their mentor go off to the side until they are able to calm down,” Paine said. “Then, they come back and join us. No big deal.”

The special needs actors get plenty of support from the all-volunteer New Tampa Players’ staff if they become overwhelmed. Music director Brad Roberts and choreographer Charis Lavoie comfort a young artist. 

Paine has years of stage managing experience, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Montessori Education, but she and her staff of choreographers, costume designers and musicians are all volunteers.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the happiness that it brings these kids,” said Brad Roberts, the music director for NTP’s “Alladin Junior,” who says he previously has worked with special needs children.  “A lot of these kids, despite working at a different speed than I’m used to, have really impressed me with their raw talent and ability to learn and retain.”

While some of the artist-and-mentor pairs rehearsed, others sat patiently off to the side, using the time to run lines or go over dance steps. Even the youngest mentors, some under the age of ten, offered only smiles and  gentle encouragement to their artists.

“They’re just so open and ready to go for it, and that makes them be a really supportive family for each other, which you don’t always see in groups of ‘regular’ kids,” said Roberts.

Truly A Special Bond

The young mentors don’t seem to mind that all their hard work will lead to someone else getting the spotlight.

Olivia Carr works with Connor Olsen, who is playing the Genie, on his lines.

“I’ve found a really good friend, and an understanding for how these kids think,” said 13-year-old Olivia Carr, who peer mentors the young actor playing Genie. “I have a lot of fun with him because he’s very energetic, and we have the same personality.”

Olivia’s mom, Tami Carr, enjoys watching her daughter be part of such a selfless undertaking.

“She looks forward to rehearsals all day; being a kid in general is rough, so seeing anyone struggle makes her want to help,” said Carr. “I wish everyone would come and see how much joy they have. It’s contagious, and hopefully, it will ignite a spark here that will catch fire.”

Paine said she plans to put on one Penguin Project show each year, and said the response from the community has been overwhelming. She credits District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, who is very involved in the special needs community, with helping her secure local sponsors, including Pepin Academies, the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, MOSI and more.

Paine’s 12-year-old son, Sebastian, mentors Jaden Figueroa, also 12, who landed the title role of Aladdin. Jaden said he wants to be a movie star when he grows up.

“He (Sebastian) helped me with my lines; we’re good friends,” said Jaden.

Paine’s 7-year-old daughter also Zoe is a peer mentor, and although the mentors don’t get the spotlight, Paine believes they gain something much more meaningful from the experience.

“She’ll come home after mentoring her friend Jack, and she’ll be so excited and proud that she helped him learn his lines and perform well,” she said. “They get a very special relationship.”

NTRC Expansion Will Break Ground Next Month

This is the latest rendering for the NTRC expansion. The new additions are the lower rooms in yellow. (Image: Tampa Parks & Recreation)

The New Tampa Recreation Center (NTRC) expansion is, officially, a go.

Despite a number of obstacles over the years, including being dropped from the budget on more than one occasion, the Tampa City Council approved an additional $660,000 in funding on March 7 and voted 7-0 to award the contract to Valrico-based Phinazee and Granger Construction, Inc.

A groundbreaking is scheduled for Friday, April 12, at 10 a.m.

“There is no going back now,” said District 7 City Council member Luis Viera. “It 100 percent has been set off on its course.”

The NTRC’s 7,825-sq.-ft. expansion is expected to make the facility’s immensely popular gymnastics and dance programs more accessible to those currently on a waiting list that numbers in the thousands of names.

The expansion is expected to be completed around the end of 2019.

Paul Dial, the director of the City of Tampa’s Parks & Recreation Department, says a number of improvements will be made, but noted that three will make the most impact.

First, Dial says, one of the new rooms being designed will be for participants ages 6 years old and younger. 

“That will allow us to really focus on our efforts with them in a smaller setting, versus the large gymnasium, or gymnastics room, they learn in now,” he said. Not only will it create less distractions for the younger athletes, according to Dial, but it will free up more room for the older competitors in the existing areas.

Secondly, one of the additional rooms will double the area for the NTRC’s popular dance program. 

And thirdly, says Dial, another room is being developed that will be called the Training Box, which will have an emphasis on strength and conditioning and also feature a youth and adult component, the latter of which does not currently exist at the facility. “We think all three of these will really enhance the center,” Dial says. “We’re pretty excited about them.”

Although $1.9 million was approved in the Fiscal Year 2018 budget for the expansion, following a vocal effort by supporters from New Tampa and some contentious debate on the City Council, the cost estimates at the time proved to be too low compared to the bids the city received for the project.

Dial said rising costs for materials, such as steel, as well as higher prices due to a better economy, were to blame. “You never truly know the cost of a project until the bids come in,” he said.

Phinazee and Granger Construction, Inc.’s bid of $2,390,000 required additional funds — $660,000, or 27 percent of the original estimate — to be reallocated to cover the costs. Although two lower bids were rejected for errors, the Phinazee and Granger bid was the lowest of the seven others submitted.

Viera says the $660,000 came from a pool of funds set aside for projects that go over budget. “There’s red flags for something like that, when it requires additional money,” Viera said. “I was prepared for that. Let’s put it this way — was I worried? Yes. But was I actively worried something would happen and the project would be sunk? No.”

Psst, Parents: Are You Looking For A Summer Camp For The Kids?

(Photo Cred: Earth Immersion Facebook) One of 40+ vendors who will be present at Summer Camp Expo 2019, on Saturday, March 30th.

Finding something to keep your kids busy during the summer may be one of parenting’s most difficult challenges, and finding a camp before they fill up can be a grind.

Miriam Cook, the founder of Family-Friendly Tampa Bay, is trying to make those tasks a little simpler.

For the third straight year, Family-Friendly Tampa Bay will hold a big Summer Camp Expo for parents in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas.

Scheduled for Saturday, March 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Plantation Palms Golf Club (23253 Plantation Palms Blvd.) in Land O’Lakes, the expo is free for anyone to attend.

“This is our third year connecting summer camp experts with campers in Tampa Bay,” says Cook. “With over 3,500 event participants over the past two years, they have told us that our expos help create stress-free summers for parents, provide a variety of affordable summer program options and a fun and interactive experience for their children.”

Providers from more than 40 camp and programs — ranging from sports and adventure camps to tech and coding camps — are expected to be on hand to demonstrate camp activities and offer exclusive discounts to attendees.

The Summer Camp Expo also will be something of a camp itself — there will be bounce houses, an all-ages dodgeball area, free crafts and a petting zoo.

Expo-goers also can take advantage of a BOGO round of mini-golf on the Plantation Palms mini-golf course.

Although the Expo is free to attend, those who plan to take part in the festivities are asked to go to Eventbrite.com and search for “Family-friendly”to register. General admission is free, and VIP tickets are available for $20, which include a large beach bag, $75 in coupons for local attractions and other goodies. For additional information, visit FamilyFriendlyTampaBay.com/tampa-summer-camp-expo/. 

Get On The Guest List Now To Celebrate My 25 Years Of Neighborhood News!

So, even though I’ve also had a lot of haters over the 25 years I have owned and been the editor of the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News, the fact is that I get the most amazing feedback from all of you — our readers — about what we do to bring our communities together.

A case in point is our now-finalized plan to celebrate my 25 years at the helm of the primary news and information source for New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents and businesses. Even though we didn’t (at that time) yet know when the celebration would be held, we’ve still have at least 60 people register to be part of that celebration — and another 30 or so of our advertising business owners who say they plan to attend.

So, let’s see how many of you will register to be on our guest list now that we are officially announcing the details of that little shindig.

Although my 25-year anniversary was actually February 25 of this year, the celebration will be held on Friday, April 12, at the awesome Bayscape Bistro at Heritage Isles Country Club (off Cross Creek Blvd.), with heavy hors d’oeuvres being put out at around 6 p.m. and karaoke with my friend Gary Carmichael of Heart & Soul Karaoke kicking the musical festivities into high gear by 7 p.m.

The food will be outstanding, as Bayscape owners Eddie and Lourdes Bujarski (who ran the culinary arts program at New Tampa’s Wharton High for nearly two decades) will put out everything from fruit and cheese to some of Bayscape’s Friday Fiesta fare like tacos, fajitas and more. We’re still working on an exact menu (and Bayscape’s complete menu will still be available for purchase) and the bar will be a cash bar, but this is a unique opportunity to hang out with not only my amazing staff at the Neighborhood News, but also the owners of many of the businesses you see advertised in every issue of this publication.     

So, all you have to do to be part of the celebration is email us from a valid email address with your first and last name, the community you live in (Tampa Palms, Live Oak Preserve, etc.) and the first and last names of any other people you plan to bring with you.

There is no admission fee to attend my “25 years of Neighborhood News” celebration, but you’re not officially on the guest list until you receive a confirmation email from us. If you want to get an idea of how crazy Jannah and I and some of our friends are about karaoke, check out my article on page 44 of our latest New Tampa issue. 

And no, you don’t have grab a mic to sing at all to attend, but you do have to email us at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com and put “Neighborhood News Guest List” in the subject line! See you there!

The Latest On Google…

It’s been almost exactly two months since we were among only 23 news organizations in the U.S. and 87 worldwide to receive funding support from Google — and lead video producer Gavin Olsen, our new in-house videographer/video editor Charmaine George and managing editor John Cotey and I are all pretty excited  about how things are going. As you’re receiving this issue, you have the opportunity to watch a new “Neighborhood Dining News” segment with owner Steve Falabella of 900° Woodfired Pizza at the Shops at Wiregrass mall, our second “Chappie Chatter” segment with Wesley Chapel Community Facebook page administrator Jennifer Ames and even a new video about Liberty Middle School’s human hot fudge sundae.

Many of our latest videos have done very well for us, both on Facebook and on our WCNT-tv (Wesley Chapel & New Tampa television) YouTube channel.

Of the videos that we have released since my last update in these pages, our video about the new Twistee Treat in Wesley Chapel has been viewed 8,500 times, our story about the Pasco County School District’s planned purchase of property for a new school in Wesley Chapel has been viewed 5,600 times and our video about Wharton’s boys basketball team defeating the Freedom boys in the Regional playoffs has been viewed 4,600 times.

And, although I wasn’t available to go myself, Gavin and I were invited to travel to New York City to be part of a global conference call among all of the news organizations who received funding from Google. He surely will report about that conference in our next issue.

And, by the time this issue reaches your mailbox, most of our existing print advertisers and many people who have requested information about our video and online subscriptions will have received that information. 

So, if you’re interested in having a Featured Business video produced about your business, or you’re interested in the only truly multimedia advertising opportunity for businesses in New Tampa & Wesley Chapel, please email us at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com ASAP!

And, look for more info in these pages about our soon-to-launch new website — NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net! 

Our Exclusive Taste 2019 Preview — What’s New? A Lot!

Congratulations to the Rotary Club of New Tampa, which will host the annual Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel for the third year in a row, again at what is now being called AdventHealth Center Ice (AHCI) on Sunday, March 24, 2019, noon-4 p.m.

The club (which meets Fridays at 7 a.m at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club) did an excellent job of rounding up not only many of your returning favorite eateries from the last two years, but also some outstanding newcomers among the 29 restaurants and eleven beverage purveyors that had signed up to participate in the Taste by our press time on March 15.

We caught up with Taste co-chairs Karen Frashier and Jennifer Cofini and asked them about what new and old favorites attendees will be enjoying at this year’s Taste:

NN: How excited is everyone about this year’s Taste of New Tampa event?

TONT: We’ve had the pleasure to give away Taste tickets at several North Tampa Bay Chamber and community events. We always ask the crowd if they know why we’re there and what’s coming up. A large percentage of the crowd shouts back “Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel.” Hearing that crowd response makes our day! 

The Rotary Club of New Tampa is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) hosting this event with the Chamber to support scholarships and our charities. Our committee has grown to 20 Rotarians and Chamber volunteers. We’re invested.

NN: What do you have planned?

TONT: We’ve got 40 food and beverage vendors that will start tummies grumbling the minute guests enter Rink C at AdventHealth Center Ice. 

The Freedom High Naval Junior ROTC flag corps will kick off the festivities, along with: Denyse Bales-Chubb, the CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel; Dist. 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera; and Mike Wells, the chairman of the Pasco County Board of Commissioners. 

Then, the Freedom High School drum corps will get the party started by marching throughout the venue. Attendees have told us they want tables spread throughout the venue so they can hang out with friends and neighbors. Done!

NN: So, what’s new at this year’s Taste?

TONT: We’ve added cookie decorating to the photo booth and kids painting/art booth located in the family fun area. A Dash of Salt ‘n Pepper, DCA Media Consulting and Pinot’s Palette Wesley Chapel are sponsoring the fun for kids. 

Our presenting sponsor is Advent Health Wesley Chapel. The Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel focuses on friends, family and food — three important building blocks to whole, healthy lives. Building blocks that inspire both the Rotary Club of New Tampa and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel to serve our North Tampa Bay neighbors.

NN: What restaurants are you particularly excited to see that you think the locals will be happy to see?

TONT: Taste attendees will be particularly interested to see how the chef showdown between past winners Ciccio’s Cali, Noble Crust and Nothing Bundt Cakes shakes out. Pincher’s, Vom Fass, Blondie’s Cookies, Fat Rabbit, Cinebistro, Chuy’s and Top Shelf Sports Lounge were crowd favorites, too.

Earth Fare, a green grocer which newly opened on S.R. 56 (across from Tampa Premium Outlets) and Bahama Breeze are bringing their chefs’ A games.

NN: What about any under the radar places? Maybe some eateries that aren’t located nearby or are new to the area that many will be getting a first taste of?

TONT: Taste foodies will be especially interested in locally owned food and beverage purveyors such as Ava’s Low Country Cuisine, Pomodoro Pizza and the Ice Dreammm Shop. They can have their cake and eat it too from the newly opened community venue called Canterbury Hall at Grace Church Tampa Palms. And, Batter & Dough is offering yummy filled mini-pancakes.

NN: Other than food samples, what else can people look forward to at the Taste?

TONT: There will be big competition in the beverage category this year with Coppertail Brewing competing with 81 Bay, Zephyrhills, Time for Wine. The Brass Tap and PRP Wine International. New beverage options include Blue Chair Bay Rum and Buttermilk Provisions sangria. Chamber chair Karen Tillman-Gosselin with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services is sponsoring the water again this year and we’ll have a booth for soft drinks.

NN: What do you expect or hope for in terms of attendees? Talk about the growth of the event over the past two years, and how Center Ice has proven to be an ideal facility.

TONT: The event has a 20-year history as one of North Tampa Bay’s premier events.

Last year we hosted 2,000 guests. Based on history and the growth we’ve seen over three years, we expect 3,000 guests this year. AdventHealth Center Ice is a perfect location because the event is indoors — no worries about the weather. The parking is free and plentiful in front and behind the building. We’ll have volunteers in the lots helping guests locate parking and directing people to open parking. Plus, Taste-goers who present a Taste ticket the day of the event can get free ice skate rental to glide off the calories after snacking their way through the restaurants and beverage purveyors.

NN: What charitable organizations receive the proceeds that are raised?

TONT: Proceeds support high school scholarships through the North Tampa Bay Chamber and charities supported by the Rotary Club of New Tampa. In 2018, the Rotary Club of New Tampa donated more than $46,000 to local and Rotary International Foundation signature projects, including End Polio Now, Feeding Tampa Bay and the Fisher House at the Haley VA Hospital.

Signature youth programs such as Interact, Rotaract and Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders help young people develop leadership skills. Find the complete list on TasteOfNewTampa.org/nonprofitsbenefit.html.