Interactive ‘Herstory’ Museum Opens At AdventHealth Center Ice!

Jeff Novotny shows hockey players Danielle DiPasquale (center) and Tristina Doyle how to access the information at the Herstory Museum at AdventHealth Center Ice. (Photos by John C. Cotey)

As Marnie McClain looked around the new Herstory Museum at AdventHealth Center Ice (AHCI) in Wesley Chapel, she was grinning broadly.

An eighth-grader from Fort Myers, McClain was at the facility competing with her Florida Alliance U-14 team in the Southeast Regional Girls Hockey Championships on March 9, but the Grand Opening of the interactive Herstory Museum on the same day was an added bonus.

“I saw it on Digit Murphy’s Instagram, that it was going to be here, and I was so happy to come and see something like this,” McClain said. “It is really cool.”

Margaret “Digit” Murphy is a women’s hockey pioneer and legend, as well as a champion for Title IX, the federal law prohibiting anyone, on the basis of sex, from being excluded from participating or denied the benefits of sports, or being discriminated against under any education program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance.

The interactive Herstory Museum is Murphy’s brainchild, inspired by a visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH, that left her disappointed over the lack of exhibits honoring women’s accomplishments in the NFL.

She and Wesley Chapel engineer Jeff Novotny created it for girls just like McClain, to bring to them the stories they would otherwise never get to hear. The walls are covered with portraits of the gold-medal winning 2018 U.S. Women’s Olympic ice hockey team that trained at Center Ice, as well as large vinyl displays for each featured female hockey pioneer. Visitors can access a QR Code, which takes you to a webpage featuring a biography and video, or you can send a text to a certain number to receive that pioneer’s website link. 

All of the information is available online at GetHerStory.org.

The museum is located on the second floor of AHCI, next to the skating facility’s Top Shelf Restaurant & Sports Bar. While only occupying about 100 square feet or so, plenty of women’s hockey history is crammed into the space, which also overlooks two of the ice rinks at the facility.

Parents and players lined up against the glass to watch the action in the ice, strolling over to the exhibits on the wall during breaks in the games.

“It’s pretty inspiring to see what women have accomplished in hockey,” said Tristina Doyle, a teammate of McClain’s on the Florida Alliance U-14 team. “Usually, it’s only the men you can read about, but really not much about women.” 

The first display features Murphy, a former Ivy League Player of the Year at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She also produced seven Olympians while becoming the all-time winningest women’s hockey coach in NCAA Division I history — with 318 wins at Brown (she is still currently 13th on that all-time wins list).

Everyone Has HerStory

New Tampa resident Marisa Martin, 55, thinks stories like Murphy’s should be shared with as many young female athletes as possible. 

“I think it’s very important,” Martin said. “The sad part is, a lot of times, these younger women don’t know the history and that’s a problem. I think it’s a shame, because they’ve been given so much privilege, they don’t realize what was required to get here. I think it’s important to remember the women who came before.”

Martin has her own story. When she was 9 years old, she had to take her 6-year-old brother Lonnie Jr. to sign him up for Little League because their mother was sick that day. With a check made out to Atlantic Little League (in Jacksonville), she and Lonne walked a half-mile to sign up. A woman sitting behind a table jotted down her brother’s name, and then looked up at Marisa and asked if she wanted to play, too.

“I was like, ‘Are you talking to me?,’” Marisa said. And, with a little help from the woman, Marisa signed up for Little League baseball for the first time.

“That woman changed my life,” she said. Marisa ended up playing Little League (and every other sport available to her) as a kid, and played basketball and softball in high school, where in 1981, she helped lead Fletcher High to the Class 4A state softball championship — 13 years before the sport converted from slow to past pitch, thanks in part to Title IX. As an adult, Marisa says she took up tennis and hockey as well.

How It Happened

After Novotny presented the idea to AHCI general manager Gordie Zimmermann, a three-year agreement was signed to bring the museum — which will be developed by Murphy’s Play It Forward Sport Foundation — to Wesley Chapel.

Murphy, a whirling dervish of energy and a fountain of hockey knowledge, was the star of the Grand Opening. But, she shared the space with interactive displays featuring Katey Stone, the winningest women’s coach in NCAA hockey history; gold medal winners Sara DeCosta-Hayes (1998; photo) and Amanda Pelkey (2018); and Kitty Guay, the first woman to ever officiate an NCAA Division I men’s game in 2015.

Another wall in the Herstory Museum will one day feature a local hero, which could be anyone, says Novotny, but will likely be someone with a relationship with hockey. That person hasn’t been selected yet, but visitors were allowed to nominate someone at the grand opening. Novotny says they will choose someone over the next few months.

Admission to the museum is free. For more information, visit GetHerStory.org and PlayItForwardSport.org.

Wesley Chapel’s Best Big Bro

Howie Taylor and his “little brother” Hunter have enjoyed many adventures together, including this recent visit to Busch Gardens Tampa. The two were named the Big Brother & Little Brother of the Year by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay.

All that Howie Taylor says he wanted for his fifth birthday was a toy truck.

Instead, he got a baby brother.

Howie, now 52, and his brother Chris were inseparable. They grew up in Kansas City, MO; closer to each other than to any of their other siblings because of that shared birthday. They stayed close even as they settled in different places — Chris in Nebraska, and Howie with his wife Karen in Wesley Chapel, with whom he has two adult daughters. Howie has been a Wesley Chapel resident for the past 20 years. 

In 2014, Chris passed away, and Howie sunk into a deep depression. Just a year later, his youngest daughter moved out, widening the sudden empty space in Howie’s life.

All that changed in 2016, when Howie walked into a Dairy Queen and left with a flyer that would bring him a new little brother.

The flyer was for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay.

It led to a connection with a 12-year-old Land O’Lakes boy named Hunter, that turned into more than either expected — Howie and Hunter were recently named the Big Brother and Little Brother of the Year by the Tampa Bay chapter of the nonprofit organization, and have a shot at the national prize, which will be announced later this year. 

“It’s kind of a whirlwind right now,” said Howie, who was asked to travel to Tallahassee and speak to legislators about the importance of mentoring. “We’ve got 500 kids sitting out there like Hunter was, just waiting on somebody to step up and offer a few hours of their time.” 

Filling Needs

The loss of Chris, combined with his daughter’s moving out, left a noticeable void in Howie’s world.

 “The house just seemed so much bigger,” says Howie, a web developer.

Hoping for a sense of normalcy and a way to fill his time in a positive way, Howie began seeking out volunteering opportunities. Even before his brother’s death, Howie was no stranger to giving back. He helped found the Gasparilla Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge, which has raised nearly $300,000 for local charities since its inception in 2011. 

He also worked with the YMCA, Metropolitan Ministries and other organizations before he walked into that Dairy Queen.

Hunter says he was looking for something, too. 

“I was spending all my time in my room, playing video games,” says Hunter, who is now 15 and plays multiple percussion instruments in the band at Land O’Lakes High School. “My mom told me I should probably go out and do stuff!”

You Have To Start Somewhere

Soon after discovering that flyer, Howie was sitting in a Land O’Lakes kitchen with Hunter and his family, getting to know his new best friend.

When Howie and Hunter first met, Hunter admits he was introverted, unsure of himself and uncomfortable in his own skin. He talked to other online video game players much more than he ever talked to people in real life.

“You couldn’t drag more than a few words at a time out of him,” says Fred Tanzer, Hunter’s grandfather. “Before Howie, the willingness on his part to open up just wasn’t there.”

Hunter, his older brother and their mother have lived with Fred and his wife, Linda, for the past 12 years. Hunter’s father calls him nightly, but their interaction ends there.

“Hunter hasn’t had a lot of parental anything from his dad,” says Linda. “Howie has just been a ray of light. He’s 100-percent invested, not 98 or 99 percent.”

Adults who volunteer to become Big Brothers or Big Sisters go through a background check and an orientation session, after which matching specialists select a Little Brother or Sister for them. The adults must commit to eight hours a month with their young “siblings.”.

“Both my kids are girls,” Howie says. “I never had a little boy to work under the hood of the car, play in the garage or throw a ball around with. I was hoping for someone not too rambunctious, but I just wanted to help.”

Back in 2016, Howie wanted to expose Hunter to the world outside his room, but not overwhelm him on their first excursion. He thought about his hobby of flying drones and realized it was the perfect compromise.

“We talked about how the dexterity you learn from video games can be good for a lot of things,” Howie says. “Within a few minutes, I handed him the controls and he had the thing out there dancing for me. He was a natural.”

Since that first meeting, the pair have shared a bevy of experiences that Hunter believes he never would have done otherwise, including offshore fishing, regular trips to Busch Gardens, charity walks and other volunteer events, car shows and even appearing together on Howie’s Gasparilla Krewe float the last three years.

“One of my favorite memories was watching him dance and sing at a Pentatonix concert,” says Howie. “I remember him asking if it was okay to do that, because it was his first concert.”

Hunter still talks about their offshore fishing trip; they caught black sea bass and sheepshead, and had a fish fry surrounded by new friends.

One of Howie’s Krewe connections hooked Hunter and two friends from school up with a recent trip to Monster Jam in a limousine.

“We see each other at least three or four times more than the minimum eight hours a month,” said Howie. “I’ve probably seen him three times just this week, and I hope to see him regularly for the rest of my life.”

Hunter’s grandparents consider Howie to be part of their family, which is Jewish. Although Howie isn’t Jewish himself, he has come up with small gifts for Hunter and attended Hanukkah festivities every year at their home.

“Whenever the school band has a concert, Howie and Karen are there,” Linda says. “Birthdays, he’s always at the parties. We feel very blessed that Howie came into his life — and ours.”

Hunter, who says he hopes to turn his gaming talent into a YouTube channel, said he has grown up during his time with Howie, particularly while volunteering, and realizes just how fortunate he is.

“I have a lot more than most people, and I’ve learned to respect others and be confident,” he says.

Howie adds that his friendship with Hunter has helped fill the voids in his own life left by his brother’s passing and his “empty nest” more than he ever imagined it would. 

“I’ve always got someone to hang out with,” Howie says. “I heard it said once that when your grown-up kids call you out of the blue, it’s like winning the lottery. I feel the same way when I get a call from Hunter after a long day at work.”

Howie hopes that those considering becoming a Big Brother or Sister will reach out to the organization and join.

“Anybody can do it, and it doesn’t take a lot of time or money,” he says. “It just takes interest, and a little bit of that can make such a huge difference.”

For more information, visit BBBSTampaBay.org, or call (813) 769-3600.

Why Would Anyone Do Five Straight Days Of Karaoke? Because You Can!?!

The amazing Torrie Weinstein rocked O’Brien’s

So, when Jannah and I attended a great Super Bowl party at our friends Torrie and Keith Weinstein’s beautiful motor home at the Quail Run RV Park off Old Pasco Rd. in Wesley Chapel, we had no idea we would end up singing karaoke every night for the next four in “The Chap” (plus a fifth night in New Tampa).

How did this come about and why would anyone subject themselves to not just attending five consecutive karaoke nights, but singing every one of those nights?

To be honest, none of us are really sure how it all happened, but it started with an innocent comment during the Super Bowl from Torrie that “they have karaoke here tomorrow afternoon. Wanna go?”

So, Jannah and I made our way back through the private gates of this really nice RV park the following afternoon — as karaoke at Quail Run begins promptly at 6 and ends even more promptly at 9. Unlike most karaoke locales, which are bars, you can bring your own “liquid courage” to Quail Run, which provides the karaoke just for its residents and their guests. 

The really funny thing was that these mostly-older-than-us local residents found a way to line dance to every song the entire night. I mean, of course they’d line dance to “I Got Friends in Low Places,” but I was flabbergasted that they also did a different line dance when I sang Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” Line dancing to “Piano Man?” Really? 

 Even so, the folks were very hospitable and they did seem to like the rendition of the Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton hit “Islands in the Stream” that Jannah and I do as one of our many duets. But of course, they especially loved Torrie, who is this tiny little girl with a true set of pipes. I’m pretty sure that the Quail Run folks would pay a cover charge to sit and listen to an evening of just Torrie singing “This Ain’t Your Mama’s Broken Heart” and other line-dance-able tunes. In fact, someone even suggested it to the management at Quail Run.

But, when we all realized that we were doing karaoke on a Monday night for the first time, we also recognized that in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel alone, you currently can sing at an open-to-the-public karaoke bar every Tuesday through Friday. I can’t tell you exactly how we went from saying that we could to agreeing that we were going to, but here’s how the rest of our week went:

Tuesday Night — The Brass Tap

 In stark contrast to Quail Run, the Brass Tap in the Shops at Wiregrass starts its karaoke on Tuesday later than any of the other locales in our area (it usually starts at around 9:30), and it definitely attracts the youngest crowd. And, even though Torrie is the only near-millennial in our happy group, we always have a lot of fun singing at The Brass Tap. Keith even sang once — “Tequila” by The Champs. (Look it up!)

Wednesday Night — O’Brien’s

 O’Brien’s Irish Pub (see ad on pg. 35) is where Jannah and I first sang together and I’ve written before about karaoke jock Gary Carmichael of Heart & Soul Karaoke and our awesome crowd of fellow regulars at O’Brien’s, which also was where we first met Torrie and Keith.

One of those regulars is our friend Derrell Newell, also known as “Elvis D,” a professional Elvis impersonator who also did a great Roy Orbison impression helping Jannah and me on “Handle With Care” by the Traveling Wilburys. 

We also were excited that a few of the folks from Quail Run met us at O’Brien’s — we assumed to watch Torrie again.

Thursday Night — The Basement

Even though it “only” has beer and wine, we all agreed that we also always have fun at The Basement, where our friend Gary also runs the show — and Gary has probably the best “legal” list of karaoke songs to sing of any karaoke jock I’ve met.

We all agreed that this would be the earliest night for us of this now-too-long week of ruining our hearing, so that we could still make it to Friday intact. Once again, Torrie brought down the house with her current favorite karaoke tune — “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” the Roberta Flack hit from the 1970s that was redone with an almost reggae beat by the Fugees in 1996).

Friday Night — Bayscape Bistro at Heritage Isles Golf Club

The Bayscape Bistro at Heritage Isles Golf Club on Cross Creek Blvd. (near Morris Bridge Rd.) in New Tampa (see “Gary’s Favorites” on pages 31-35) is more than just one of my favorite new restaurants in our area.

Owners Eddie and Lourdes Bujarski, the couple who ran the Culinary Arts program at New Tampa’s Wharton High for nearly two decades, have a great little neighborhood restaurant and bar with a fun crowd of regulars. 

We also were happy that we convinced our friend Ron, the O’Brien’s regular who first introduced us to Torrie and Keith, to come out to join us at Bayscape Bistro.

And, even though neither Torrie nor Jannah agreed to do the same, I decided that I was going to try to make it through the week without repeating even one song, just to challenge myself. And, judging by the 22 tunes on my “set list” (right), I accomplished my goal, even though I have no idea why I would even try it.

So, there you have it…our five-day Karaokethon. It was a lot of fun, but would we ever do it again? “Oh hell no,” we all agreed.

Roads, Roads and More Roads!

Florida Department of Transportation officials used matchbox cars to demonstrate how the diverging diamond interchange at I-75/S.R 56 will work. 

S.R. 54 is being widened, SR. 56 is being extended, and the intersection of I-75 and S.R. 56 is being fixed with a futuristic diverging diamond interchange, or DDI. 

All at the same time.

It’s part of an expensive game of catch-up for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as it tries, mostly in vain, to accomplish the impossible task of keeping up with Wesley Chapel’s rapid and no-end-in-sight development with $134.7-million worth of road projects.

Roughly a dozen officials from FDOT held a public information meeting Feb. 26 at Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC)’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch to provide an update on its progress with videos, large poster board layouts of the projects and even Matchbox cars to show how the flow of traffic will work in the DDI.

“The area is changing quicker than the roadway network is, as you can see,” says FDOT spokesperson John McShaffrey. “We’re just doing these projects to manage the traffic that we already have. It’s obviously going to help, but the area is going to keep growing, too. These projects won’t be the end of work in this part of Pasco County at all.”

The $33-million diverging diamond, considered the (pardon the pun) gem of the three projects, is what Wesley Chapel retirees Dan and Judy Whaley came to see. Dan says they left with a better understanding of how it will work.

“Once you look at it closely, it makes sense,” he said.

The Whaleys say the DDI, which will help ease congestion from C.R. 54 west of I-75 to Cypress Ridge Blvd. to the east of I-75, is much needed. The thought of driving along S.R. 56 on either side of the interstate is rarely one they entertain, which means fewer trips to the plethora of retail stores and restaurants in the area.

“Only when we have to,” Dan said.

The DDI, scheduled for completion in late 2021, will create more continuous green time through the intersection for traffic, and is expected to clear up one of the hot spots for backed up traffic in Wesley Chapel – the northbound exit ramp off I-75.

“It will clear that queue and reduce it down hugely, so you won’t see that two-mile back up anymore,” says Ryan Forrestel, PE of American Consulting Professionals, LLC.

Extending S.R. 56

At the other (eastern) end of S.R. 56, a much-simpler six-mile extension is being constructed from Meadow Pointe Blvd. to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

That project is taking place over undeveloped land, and doesn’t have to worry about working around traffic, businesses or homes. However, it has had its own issues, as damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017 delayed the project for weeks and rainy weather has saturated the area east of Morris Bridge Rd.

“The ground is soggy out here,” says Mike Kopotic, construction manager of the CEI office, “but you have to remember this all used to be cattle fields.”

The extension of S.R. 56 from where it currently ends at Meadow Pointe Blvd. to U.S. Hwy. 301 in Zephyrhills was another topic of discussion at the FDOT Open House.

The extension will be two lanes in each direction, with a multi-use path on the south side and a sidewalk on the north side.

Travelers using Morris Bridge Rd. already can see what looks like a mostly completed extension to the west, while the eastern view is still a work in progress.

Kopotic says the extension, which has a $59.2-million price tag, is expected to be completed by the fall.

S.R. 54 Widening Continues

Just a little further north, the widening of S.R. 54 from east of Curley Rd. to just east of Morris Bridge Rd. is in progress. “It has been a long time in the making,” says Pasco’s S.R. 54 project manager Richard Frank.

Originally, plans were made in 2010 (after roughly a decade of discussions) for a four-lane Zephyrhills Bypass Extension, which would begin just east of Curley Rd. and run along the northern edge of the New River Development of Regional Impact (DRI) and what is now Avalon Park West, before connecting to Eiland Blvd., where Wesley Chapel meets Zephyrhills. The proposed bypass would have relieved traffic on S.R. 54, but those plans were placed on hold in favor of getting S.R. 56 built.

“It will eventually connect to Eiland Blvd.,” Frank says. “The developer or county will develop it. In the meantime, something has to happen out there and that is what this job does.”

S.R. 54 will go from its current two lanes to four lanes, with intermittent dedicated turn lanes, as well as a number of safety improvements, such as limiting left turns out of side streets like Foxwood Blvd., which has been the site of numerous accidents.

Frank says the $42.5-million project will prove to be a lot more than just widening of a 4.5-mile stretch of road.

“We are moving every single utility that’s out there, too,” he said. “Power, water, sewer, fiber optics and your communication lines. It’s not like we can just come out there and lay pipe and we’re done. It’s almost more of a reconstruction project than it is a widening. It’s a brand new road.”

Frank says it should be completed in the spring of 2021.

Meadow Pointe Mom Scores Big At Earth Fare’s Opening!

(L.-r.) Kate, Addison, Jackson, Jessica, Brooke and Clay Herbert got to take home a $1,000 Earth Fare gift card at the Wesley Chapel/Lutz store’s Grand Opening event on Feb. 19. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

Waiting in a long line in the wee hours of the morning with her five children wasn’t on Jessica Herbert’s to-do list on Feb. 19.

Checking out the grand opening of the new Earth Fare grocery store, however, was.

Instead of lining up in the dark, which more than 100 eager shoppers did, she and her children rolled out of bed at their usual time — around 6 a.m. — and left their Meadow Pointe home at 6:45 a.m.

They missed the band, the cheerleaders and the ribbon cutting. They weren’t the first, 10th or 100th people through the doors.

However, for Jessica and her kids, their timing turned out to be impeccable. Of all of the gift cards handed out to the new store’s first 500 visitors by Earth Fare, Jessica got the most valuable one: $1,000.

Jessica’s mouth dropped wide open, then formed into a wide smile as she looked back incredulously at friends who were in what was, by then, a quickly moving line.

“Yes, really,” she said, holding out the card for them to see. “Wow!”

Her smile was contagious and was shared by her excited kids: Addison, 12, Kate, 10, Clay, 8, Jackson, 5 and 3-year-old Brooke.

“My kids were mad that I dragged them out so early,” Jessica said. “They thought we were only going to get a $5 gift card.”

Grabbing a $5 gift card actually was Jessica’s goal. She confesses to briefly thinking about the possibility of landing the big prize, but of course, she didn’t think it would happen.

“My goal was to get at least $5 to buy my kids some muffins for breakfast,” she said.

Feeding five kids an organic diet can be pricey, so the gift card will come in handy for Jessica.

“With five kids, that’s definitely a lot of food that we need, so we could definitely use this,” she says. “It’s nice to know that now, we can buy healthier ingredients for our family.”

Asked whether the kids would be getting a special treat for bringing a little luck to mom, Jessica chuckled and said, “I think we’re going to get something,” as Addison and Kate grabbed onto her to drag her into the store.

She’s Number One!

Velaina Clayart wasn’t quite as lucky — her gift card was for only $25 — but as the first shopper in line, she received lots of attention and a goody bag from the store, which she promptly shared with those in line behind her.

A Dade City resident, Clayart says that she arrived at around 1 a.m., set up her white plastic chair and quilt and killed time by gazing at the full moon and walking around looking at all of the adjacent new construction.

“It was a little lonely at first,” she said. “But, as people showed up, I would seek out conversation. I made some friends today.”

Why 1 a.m., which turned out to be a few hours before the next people in line? Clayart says that’s what her research told her.

“I watched every single grand opening that Earth Fare had posted on the internet, and one of them over on east coast said two women had gotten there at midnight and they were all by themselves up until about 3 a.m.,” Clayart said. “I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited. I got in my car at midnight and made my way here nice and slow.”

Clayart also said that she is fascinated by all of the growth in Wesley Chapel, and wanted to be part of a grand opening. She also says she lives an organic lifestyle, and is pleased to see a store offering such a large variety of healthy products within a short drive from her home.

And, she enthusiastically clapped and sang along with the cheerleaders from Cypress Creek High School, excitedly talked to passers by, cheered when Earth Fare CEO Frank Scorpiniti presented the New Tampa Family YMCA with an oversized check for $3,000 and shouted out the ribbon-cutting countdown with Pasco County District 2 Commissioner (and Wesley Chapel resident) Mike Moore.

“3…2…1…”