Rotary Golf Open A Record-Breaker!

Congratulations go out to the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, which meets every Wednesday for lunch at Omari’s Grill at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club (GC), for hosting a record-breaking first-ever Charity Golf Open on Apr. 30. The golf tourney attracted nearly 130 golfers to the recently revamped Lexington Oaks GC course.

Although no final figures were available at our press time, current president Jodie Sullivan said it probably raised more than any of the club’s previous fund raisers and benefited the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office Charities, as well as the club’s community projects.

It was a hot day, but the golfers complimented the course, the Lexington Oaks staff (including owner/WC Rotary member Anass El-Omari), the Rotarians and the camaraderie — even though no one won the car donated by Parks Ford or the Sandals vacation by sinking a hole-in-one. 

Lunch was served prior to the shotgun start and an awards dinner reception — which also included a cool silent auction of sports memorabilia — was held immediately after in Omari’s Grill.

“This was a great event for the club, the community and the charities,” event chair Justine Esposito said. 

For more information about the club, visit WCRotary.com. — GN

Wesley Chapel Rotarians Celebrate Another Great Year With A Special Sendoff!

Belated congratulations to my friend, and now past president of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, for an outstanding year at the helm of our area’s largest Rotary Club, which meets Wednesdays at noon at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club clubhouse.

Kent passed his president’s gavel over to new president David Gainer on June 15, at the club’s annual awards banquet and installation of new officers. Ross presided over the club’s many service projects, which included not only another successful Duck Fest, but also the start of a new tradition, the Hats & Horses Kentucky Derby party, during his tenure.

At the banquet, Ross gave away many service awards (including one to my fiancée Jannah McDonald) and welcomed inspirational guest speaker Tiffany Ervin, the self-proclaimed “Rotary Greek.” His very deserving Rotarian of the Year was future stand-up comedy star Jodie Sullivan.

At Kent’s final meeting as the club’s president on June 27, everyone in attendance honored him by wearing his signature vest and a mask of his likeness. Great stuff! — GN

Rotary Club Hosts Casino Night Fund Raiser At WC Nissan Tonight!

Do you have any fun or exciting plans for this evening? Do you enjoy playing the slots or table games at a casino?

The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel presents a very special fund-raising Casino Night tonight — Friday, August 25, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. — at Wesley Chapel Nissan (28519 SR 54). Pasco’s clerk & comptroller, the Hon. Dr. Paula O’Neil, will emcee this event to raise money for the Mahler family — Rob, Jordan, Camden and 17-month-old Clayton, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 rhabdomyosarcoma after a July 4th visit to the emergency for a growth in his nose that was obstructing his airway.

Clayton is receiving 42 weeks of chemotherapy, followed by radiation, after 95 percent of the mass was removed. The Mahlers’ medical bills are piling up and Dr. O’Neil, a breast cancer survivor herself, talked to her friend and Wesley Chapel (WC) Nissan public relations rep Troy Stevenson about doing something to help.

And, since Stevenson, WC Nissan owner Jay Rosario and GM Joey Falcon previously had hosted a successful Casino Night a couple of years ago, he floated the idea to WC Rotary president-elect Chris Casella and just like that, it transformed into a reality to help not only the Mahlers, but also the Rotary club’s own high school scholarship program.

There’s a $20 per person donation “buy-in” to enjoy the Casino Night, which gets you $20 in chips, free water and soda, plus free food provided by Latin Twist Café on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., and the opportunity to bid on great silent auction items (a TV, Outback Bowl and Tampa Bay Lightning tickets and memorabilia — donated by the Williams Auto Group, which owns WC Toyota and WC Honda).

There will be a cash bar, with fine wines by Time for Wine and Rosario’s own Boricua beer, a VIP room catered by the WC Chick-fil-A, as well as great entertainment by WC Rotary member John Jay the DJ and live musical performers.

The WC Rotary’s Casino Night is sponsored by Lakeside Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, Mosquito Hunters, Cash for Gold WC, Stevenson’s own Acme on the Go & WC Nissan.

The WC Rotary also will be giving away 3,000 free American flags at the Shops at Wiregrass and Tampa Premium Outlets malls on Monday, September 11. The club also will provide breakfast for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office’s Dist. 2 office in Dade City, as well as for Pasco Fire Rescue Station No. 13 off Old Pasco Rd. and No. 26 in Meadow Pointe on 9/11. For more info about the WC Rotary Club, visit WCRotary.com.

Rotary’s Youth Trip To Honduras Not Marred By Robbery

New emergency passports were issued for the members of the group who had theirs stolen.
New emergency passports were issued for the members of the group who had theirs stolen.

Although deterred by a small emergency at the end of their mission trip, a youth group led by members of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel (Noon) is home safe and sound, and still beaming about what the group accomplished, knowing that these youngsters have changed the lives of hundreds of needy people in a small village in the poorest part of Honduras.

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