Fit 4 Life Owner Celebrates 19 Years In New Tampa & His ‘Coaching Tree’

Fit 4 Life Personal Training & Physical Therapy owner Travis Monday (left) gives head trainer Eric Christiansen a few pointers on one of the studio’s MedX training machines (Photo by Charmaine George).

In the National Football League, you hear a lot about the “coaching tree” of great head coaches — when that coach’s assistant coaches go on to become head coaches themselves. 

Among the top-rated coaching trees of all-time in the NFL were the number of great assistant coaches under former San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh who also went on to head coaching success.

Not only was Erica Cook a former Fit 4 Life trainer and later a contestant on the “American Ninja Warrior” TV show, she has gone on to open No Limits Personal Training in Gainesville.

Well, while my long-time friend and personal trainer Travis Monday of Fit 4 Life Personal Training & Physical Therapy in Tampa Palms doesn’t have a Mike Holmgren or Sam Wyche in his own unique coaching tree, he has had a number of his personal trainers and physical therapists in his nearly a quarter-century (including 19 years in Tampa) of being in business go on to open either successful training or therapy businesses of their own. And, some have even opened other businesses that aren’t in health-care fields but who learned from Travis how to run a business and how to treat both customers and employees as much as how to teach them the “Super Slow” method of strength training.

“I’m really proud to have been in the New Tampa community for 19 years and to have had Fit 4 Life alumni go on to even bigger and better things,” Travis says.  

A Special Coaching Style

Travis is originally from Wisconsin, and like most people I’ve met from “America’s Dairyland,” he’s just a genuinely nice person. He also obviously practices whatever he’s been preaching to his troops all these years because I’m sure he’s still in single digits of body fat and only his graying hair makes him look any older than he did when he first started training me at his original Tampa Palms location around 2001.

But, those qualities alone aren’t enough to make him a great boss. On the other hand, the fact that he has been able to not only endure, but also thrive, in our area all these years, despite all of the other fitness and therapy places that have come and gone, is a testament to his ability to adapt as needed and keep his people happy.

Whether on MedX machines or in the free weight room, you always get one-on-one attention at Fit 4 Life! (Photo by Charmaine George)

Among the members of Travis’ coaching tree is Lisa Michaelangelo, a former Fit 4 Life physical therapist who has opened and operates the Emerald M Therapeutic Riding Center located in Dade City (which we’ve featured in these pages before). 

Travis also is proud that Erica Cook, a former Fit 4 Life personal trainer who not only has gone on to compete on the “American Ninja Warrior” TV show, she also has opened No Limits Personal Training, a cross-fit studio in Gainesville.

And, Travis also said he feels like he helped Ryan Burroughs go from Fit 4 Life trainer to one day open Auto Paint Guard, Inc., which creates invisible “bras” for cars. “It’s not just about training and therapy,” Travis says. “I go over everything I do to run the business with the employees and I get great feedback from them about what they learned here.”

Covid Precautions

In other words, Travis has a lot to be proud of, especially the way Fit 4 Life has been able to stay Covid-free during the pandemic — and that is no accident.

“Of course, we follow all of the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) guidelines,” Travis says, “But we go above and beyond that. For example, I was told one air purifier would cover the entire facility, but instead I bought two. Our trainers and therapists also wipe down every piece of equipment before and after each time it’s used with a soap and bleach solution that kills the virus. We have hand sanitizing stations and we take everyone’s temperature when they come in. We haven’t had one case here yet and we all want to keep it that way.”

Why Fit 4 Life Works!

In his 24 years of teaching the “Super Slow” method (or “protocol”)  on Fit 4 Life’s super-low-friction MedX machines, Travis has added a free weight room, massage/therapy tables, and he says that he will continue to offer two free training sessions to any first-time visitor. He also offers payment plans for physical therapy patients who want to continue at the facility after their insurance stops paying for their visits.

And, all I can tell you is that Travis and his wife (and physical therapy assistant) Fiona and their two young daughters are an amazing family who genuinely appreciate the continued support of the New Tampa community.

Fit 4 Life Personal Training and Physical Therapy is located at 17419 Bridge Hill Ct. For more information, call (813) 907-7879 or visit Fit4LifeTampa.com. 

Pebble Creek Family Dentistry Celebrates Ten Years & Adds New Dentist

Dr. Vijay Patel (left) opened Pebble Creek Family Dentistry 10 years ago, and last year added Dr. Krupal Patel (Dr. K.P.) to a staff that he says is the “best staff possible.” 
(Photo: Charmaine George)

It’s been 10 years since Vijay Patel, D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) opened Pebble Creek Family Dentistry at the corner of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. and Regents Park Dr. (next to what is now the Chase Bank) in New Tampa in November 2010.

During that time, his practice has grown and thrived, thanks to his focus on ensuring that every patient who walks through his doors has a good experience.

“Basically,” says Dr. Patel, “We provide great service, care about our patients’ dental health and do everything we can to help them.”

Because of the growth in the practice, and to be able to continue to serve more patients, Dr. Vijay Patel (who goes by “Dr. Patel”) brought on an associate in July of last year. Dr. Krupal Patel, D.M.D. (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry) is not related to the original Dr. Patel and goes by “Dr. K.P.” to avoid confusion.

Dr. K.P. earned his D.M.D. degree from the College of Dental Medicine at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, FL, in May 2019. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Economics in 2014 and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology in 2013, both from the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Immediately upon graduation, he joined Dr. Patel at Pebble Creek Family Dentistry. Dr. Patel earned his B.S. degree in Biology from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 2002, and his D.D.S. degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 2006.

“He provides the same caring and compassionate dentistry as I do,” says Dr. Patel about his associate, whom he met well before Dr. K.P. became a dentist.

“I’ve known Dr. Patel for a long time,” says Dr. K.P. “I actually shadowed him here before dental school. Dr. Patel motivated me to pursue dentistry and it came around full circle. Right around the time he needed someone, I had just gotten out of school and I was ready to work.”

General dentistry procedures offered by the two doctors include cleanings, exams and X-rays, composite fillings, root canal therapy and tooth extractions. Additionally, patients can opt for one of the many cosmetic procedures offered, including porcelain crowns, teeth whitening, dental bridges, veneers, bonding, inlays, onlays and more.

Dr. Patel encourages anyone who wants to learn more about the practice to search “Pebble Creek Family Dentistry” on Google and read the more than 130 positive reviews. He says readers will get a clear picture of the kind of service that’s provided at the practice, and see why so many patients choose it.

Dr. K.P. says that one of the great thing about working at Pebble Creek Family Dentistry is, “Whenever we get a bigger case that takes more thought, we tackle it together and think about how to approach it.” (Photo: Charmaine George)

Al Grasser is a Wesley Chapel resident who is one of Dr. Patel’s very happy patients. Grasser has been seeing Dr. Patel since he opened the Pebble Creek office 10 years ago.

“I’m impressed with Dr. Patel and the service,” Grasser says. “Everyone is super nice, and I can schedule an appointment whenever I need it. The work that does Dr. Patel does is outstanding, and I have recommended him to all my friends and relatives.”

Grasser also has seen Dr. K.P., and says that if Dr. Patel trusts him, he trusts him, too. “Absolutely,” Grasser says. “Dr. Patel would make sure he hires someone who is well qualified.”

Having two doctors in the office allows the pair to collaborate on more complicated cases.

“Whenever we get a bigger case that takes more thought, we tackle it together and think about how to approach it,” explains Dr. K.P., “whether he’s doing the procedure or I am.”

Dr. K.P. says the relationship between the two doctors has evolved in the time he’s been in the practice. 

“In the beginning,” he explains, “it was very much a mentoring relationship. Over time, he’s treated me as an equal, even though he’s the boss. My opinion matters and we bounce ideas off each other. We have a great relationship.”

He especially appreciates what he describes as a great working environment. “It’s just a nice place to be,” says Dr. K.P. “It’s a very spacious, up-to-date facility and a relaxed environment. We’ve got great support from our team members here. The hygienists and assistants do an amazing job.”

Sharing The Credit…

Dr. Patel agrees that one of the strengths of the practice is the fantastic staff. Like Dr. K.P., he credits his three hygienists and three assistants with taking great care of the patients, and says his four front desk staffers are equally supportive and patient-centered.

“I have the best staff possible,” says Dr. Patel, proudly. “We take a lot of time with our patients to make sure they are comfortable, including helping them to understand their treatment and answering all their questions about insurance. Anything they need help with, we take the time to make sure they understand it.”

And, Pebble Creek Family Dentistry accepts most PPO insurance policies.

The doctors see patients ages 6 and older, so everyone in the family — except for the very youngest children — can be part of the same practice and see the same doctors.

Dr. Patel and Dr. K.P.  spend much of their free time volunteering for BAPS Charities, which is a non-profit organization that is the charitable arm of the Hindu temple both doctors attend. 

BAPS is short for Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha. BAPS Charities organizes events such as walk-a-thons to raise money for other nonprofit organizations, including Feeding America Tampa Bay and the Pepin Heart Institute. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused the cancellation of any walk-a-thons that would have been held in 2020. The doctors also have helped to organize and provide services at blood drives, health fairs for the community and many other types of community-oriented events.

Dr. Patel says the practice has not had to make too many adjustments to be able to continue to see patients during the pandemic.

“We are open,” he says. “We are taking all precautions that are needed to ensure the health and safety of our patients and employees. But, we are open for everything, with the same hours, and we are confident that we are keeping our patients safe.”

Pebble Creek Family Dentistry is located at 19007 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. It is open Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment, visit PebbleCreekFamilyDentistry.com, call (813) 406-4947, or see the ad on page 22 of this issue.

Education & Experience Set Marimark Mortgage Apart

Despite the pandemic, Mary Catchur says this summer has been some of the busiest months she’s had since opening Marimark Mortgage in the Tampa Palms Professional Center in 2006. (Photo: Charmaine George)

Back in March, as the pandemic was starting to shut life down across the U.S., Mary Catchur of Marimark Mortgage was worried about what that would mean for her business. She was preparing for the worst.

But, in a way it seems no one predicted, from April through September, there was a huge uptick in people buying new homes, relocating, and refinancing their existing homes, even while Mary says the financial markets were reacting extremely erratically to the spread of Covid-19. 

People were hearing that rates were at all-time lows, but lenders were concerned about risk and tightening many restrictions.

“It was a crazy time,” Mary says. “Our phones were ringing off the hook.”

Mary first opened Marimark Mortgage in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off Commerce Park Blvd. in 2006. She says the summer months of 2020 ended up being her busiest season in years — and that has allowed her company to shine, doing what they do best.

“As a small business, we could react quickly to changes that were going on and run our business efficiently,” she says. “People were calling their bank, and the bank was telling them they were too swamped to help, or it would take up to 90 days to close.” 

She adds that when someone comes to Marimark for a home loan, they are offered the same or better mortgage products as the big banks. But, they also receive a wealth of information, and are generally able to close much more quickly than they would with the big banks. In fact, Mary says they were still closing most loans within 30 days. She even had one loan — through a VA loan program — that was cleared to close in four days with a 2.375% interest rate.

Mary is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who spent 13 years as an auditor for KPMG (Klynveld, Peat, Marwick & Goerdeler), one of the “Big Four” U.S. public accounting firms, which was founded in The Netherlands. Then, she was the chief financial officer for an internet-based real estate company, in which she established a mortgage division.

As a CPA, Mary understands her clients’ income and tax returns. Her broad financial background helps her clients, especially those with special circumstances — such as being self-employed, or retired and living off of their assets. 

She says other companies may not know how to structure a loan for those clients, because they don’t have the financial background to understand the nuances of the process.

Marimark offers a complete line of financing options, such as conventional loans, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans and loans through the Veterans Administration (VA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Mary is a Pennsylvania native who grew up helping out at her family’s electrical business, but she has called Tampa home since 1979. 

She earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in Accounting and French from the University of South Florida (USF) and currently maintains her mortgage broker’s license in Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Her background also allows her a much better understanding of the entire mortgage process.

When you call a bank, for example, the person who takes your application may not have a deep understanding of the underwriting process. Mary says many people who came to her this summer had gotten an initial approval from their bank, but when the loan went to underwriting, there was something that kept it from being approved.

She understands the frustration of being told your loan isn’t approved weeks into the process, and says that hardly ever happens with Marimark.

“Maybe two times in 14 years something has come up in underwriting that I didn’t foresee,” she says, “which is completely the opposite of what I hear happens at the banks.”

Now, she says, she is grateful the craziness of the summer is behind her. She says the industry has stabilized and approval guidelines have loosened.

“Right now is a great time to get financed to buy,” she says. “Rates are still at all-time lows, people can still get loans, and we can help them.”

Education & Support

Ryan Schleich and his wife Summer bought a home in Tampa Palms in August. Three weeks later, they welcomed the newest member of their family, baby Nolan.

While expecting a child and renting, the couple decided to buy a home, and Ryan found Marimark Mortgage through a Google search.

“She was located right around the corner,” he says, “and it didn’t look like a large shop, so I thought there would be a personal touch.”

He says Marimark Mortgage went well beyond his expectations in not only that personal touch but with everything else, too.

“We are first-time homeowners and it was absolutely overwhelming,” Ryan says. “I previously worked in foreclosures, so I knew the process, but doing it on my own would have been hectic and anxiety-ridden. Mary was very organized, went through options of different programs, and explained the different types of mortgage and loans. She was very informative — even before we agreed to work with her.”

Mary encourages anyone who is considering buying a home to do a Google search for her company. She says a quick read through the many positive reviews will help you — like it did Ryan — understand how she treats her customers.

“My approach is straightforward and educational,” Mary says. “When I got into the business, I saw a real need to educate people so they would know why the product they were getting was better for them.”

Mary says she shouldn’t be the one choosing a loan product for a client, but it’s important for her clients to be fully educated about their loan. For example, maybe you’ve been offered a low rate, but do you know what fees you have to pay to get that rate?

“Maybe the most important thing to you is getting the lowest possible payment,” she explains, “or maybe it’s paying the least amount of money over the life of the loan, but we need to talk about your entire scenario and what your goals and needs are.”

Mary also is proud that Marimark offers a streamlined, efficient process, with great communication. She uses technology to her clients’ and her company’s advantage, such as, for example, automatic notifications every step of the process.

“Communication, particularly through Covid, has been key,” Mary says. “We have to be up to date on what’s happening, and we constantly communicate to our clients how that affects them.”

Marimark Mortgage is located at 5327 Primrose Lake Cir. For more info, visit MarimarkMortgage.com, call (813) 910-8020, or see the ad on page 31 of this issue.

Emergency Response Times In New Tampa A Concern

Joe Greco of the Tampa Firefighters Local 754 said that improving TFR Station No. 13 near Busch Gardens should take precedence over improving poor emergency response times in New Tampa.

Everyone seems to agree that the City of Tampa doesn’t have enough fire rescue stations, and it is now time for city officials to figure out a solution for the entire city, but especially in New Tampa.

That was the message at the Tampa City Council meeting last month, from council member Luis Viera — who represents New Tampa in District 7, a district which may be the area most at need — proposing that the city come up with a citywide master plan for all public safety needs, including police, fire rescue and EMS.

“We have a master plan for Parks & Recreation, which I’m in favor of, but we should also do it for public safety, given the many deficits we face,” Viera said at the Council meeting.

Much of the debate centered around a report by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) that showed a number of weaknesses in Tampa’s fire rescue network.

Although it was only touched on briefly, Viera expressed concern about one troubling statistic revealed in the report — four of the six City of Tampa Fire Rescue (TFR) stations with the slowest response times are located in New Tampa.

New Tampa is home to four of TFR’s 23 stations: TFR Station No. 20 (located on Bruce D. Downs Blvd. in Tampa Palms), Nos. 21 and 22 (located off Cross Creek Blvd.), and No. 23, which opened in 2019 on Trout Creek Ln., just south of County Line Rd.

Another TFR station is planned for the K-Bar Ranch area, which will have nearly 2,000 homes when it is built out.

According to the IAFF report, the first arriving fire rescue apparatus should be on the scene within four minutes of travel for 90% of incidents that require an emergency response.

From June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2019, New Tampa’s TFR stations 20 and 21 were the two slowest, at 10 minutes of response time each, and Nos. 22 and 23 tied for the third slowest response times at 8 minutes each.

The New Tampa response times may have more to do with physical distance from the stations and our area’s congested roads, however, as all four stations rank near the bottom of all TFR stations when it comes to the number of emergencies responded to by each of their rescue, engine units and truck companies.

Viera visited all four stations on Thanksgiving Day to discuss possible solutions. “The New Tampa fire rescue people told me that K-Bar Ranch is the biggest challenge,” he says.

Even so, Fire Station 13, which also is in Viera’s district and is located at 2713 E. Annie St. near Busch Gardens, was a far greater concern at the Nov. 18 City Council meeting. It is the busiest station in Tampa by far, according to Firehouse Magazine, and the 20th busiest in the country.

Viera called it a “very very challenging station” and called for immediate relief for the station in the form of a new engine or a new facility.

Joe Greco, Tampa Firefighters Local 754 president, said that the money that was included in the latest budget to build another station in New Tampa should instead be directed to address Station 13’s needs.

“Twenty five percent of all calls for service in the city of Tampa are in Station 13’s first alarm territory,” Greco said. Greco added that nearby TFR Station Nos. 7, 11 and 18 answer as many calls in Station 13’s area as Station 13 does, due to the high volume.

The City Council will come back in January with a plan of action to bring Station No. 13 immediate relief, and passed Viera’s motion for a workshop to tackle the city’s public safety master plan in March.

Tampa Palms Family Praying For Kidney Donor

Raj Guntuku is suffering from kidney failure, and his family is desperately seeking a donor so he can return to his normal life of chasing his dog Benji around. (Photos provide by the Guntuku family)

Raj Guntuku is like many 13-year-old boys — always smiling, always moving, whether he’s dancing, shooting hoops, playing video games or chasing Benji, his 70-pound Golden Doodle, around the house.

He is a second-degree blackbelt in karate, which he has been practicing since he was only 5. He loves watching videos to learn tricks like juggling and dice stacking to show his family. And, he can solve a Rubik’s Cube in mere seconds (16, to be exact).

However, unlike many 13-year-old boys, Raj’s kidneys are failing him. In October, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is characterized by the gradual loss of kidney function. Doctors say Raj is in Stage 5, and his kidneys are now operating at less than 10-percent of normal function and will not recover.

His family has turned to social media, as well as their Buckingham neighborhood in Tampa Palms, to help find a transplant donor — going door-to-door and handing out flyers asking for help. If there is an available live kidney donor out there for Raj, his dad Nehru, mom Radha and sister Bhavika are intent on finding them.

“It’s four people, but one of us has to be with him, so we spread out as much as we can, house to house, ringing door bells,” Radha says. 

More than 90,000 people nationwide are on a waiting list for a kidney donor. Raj is on the waiting list at Tampa General Hospital, where he receives dialysis on Mondays and Fridays, and sometimes on Wednesdays if his body requires it.

In a short span, Raj — or Bunny to his family and close friends — went from a kid with boundless energy to one visibly struggling with an undetected illness.

In early September, he vomited upon waking up, which his parents attributed to returning to a school schedule after a summer of sleeping in.

But then, it happened again a few weeks later, and then another time after that. For a moment, Radha says she feared Raj had contracted Covid.

It was discovered that Raj had lost 8 pounds since his last visit in March to the pediatrician, but everyone in the family had lost weight during Covid because they hadn’t been eating out. His doctor thought it might be a stomach flu, and Raj was put on a stricter diet heavy on liquids.

It didn’t help. His doctor ran some blood tests, and did not like the results, Radha says. 

“They were way off,” she says.

However, another test confirmed the numbers and, after a visit to Tampa General Hospital for more testing, it was determined on Oct. 7 that his kidneys were not working and that he needed dialysis immediately.

Two days after his first dialysis treatment, Raj had a seizure. While watching television, he had suddenly frozen, biting his lip so hard it began bleeding. The doctor said the seizure was caused by his low sodium levels, so an additional dialysis on Wednesdays was added to his Monday and Friday routine.

He also developed a serious rash around the catheter in his chest, another cause for concern for his family, due to fear of infection. Raj wears socks on his hands and sleeps in between his parents, who each hold one of his hands so he doesn’t scratch the area. 

“I can’t imagine all this has happened in less than (a few) months,” Radha said. “It’s crazy. Even if he coughs, or if he yawns, everyone looks around like, is he okay? It’s like living in fear. Nothing is normal.”

Raj’s parents, who are both software engineers, cannot donate their kidneys due to other health issues. Bhavika, who is 17 and a senior at King High, isn’t old enough to donate one of hers (you need to be 21).

So, Raj and his family pray that a living match can be found. While a kidney from a deceased donor is still an option, those tend to be less reliable compared to those from living donors, which are healthier and usually function immediately, as opposed to taking days or even weeks to begin functioning on their own.

The longer the lifespan and healthier the kidney, the better for Raj, who will almost certainly need another transplant in 15-20 years.

“He will have to undergo the process again, so if a transplant can last for at least 20 years, he can get back to his normal life,” Radha says.

A normal life that includes sports, dancing and chasing Benji around the house, like a regular 13-year-old. While not a day goes by that she doesn’t worry, Radha says her boy has another trait shared by many 13-year-old boys.

He is fearless.

“I did not expect it out of him, to be honest,” she says. “I am really really surprised how he is able to take all this. When I go to the hospital I am more scared and more tense, and he is doing much better than me or my husband. But, everyone is praying for him. And I think the prayers are what are making him be strong.”

The kidney donor for Raj must have O+ or O- blood, be between the age of 21-49 and not be diabetic or have any known kidney issues. Visit tgh.org/services/transplant/kidney-transplant/living-kidney-donor-program for more information. 

If you know someone or would like to help, call (813) 748-7235 or (813) 995-4815.