Osprey Observer

Bloomingdale Set For Spring Ball

Don Ashley — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:05:12 +0000

Bloomingdale Set For Spring Ball
By Tamas Mondovics
Bulls baseball Head Coach Kris Wilken is not complaining with his team’s 4-3 season opening night win against Riverview, followed by a strong performance at Durant High School, beating the Cougars 8-1 and giving the team some confidence ahead a tough district line-up.“I am pretty happy with both our offense and defense, and we have a great season to look forward to this year,” he said.Wilken is reminded of last year’s district semi-finals loss and the program’s need to stay on track if there is ever going to be any chance of a Class 6A-District 8 success.“It comes down to who makes fewer mistakes,” Wilken said as he talked about the keys to turning in a strong season. “We are going to focus on playing hard and keep our mental focus.”The Bulls are facing district opponents Alonso, Plant, Wharton and Brandon high schools, but the program is not without the needed talent to get the job done, including left-handed pitcher Steven Burnham, third baseman Sam Morgan and catcher Sal Giardina. Wilken spoke highly of the three senior captains, who are once again ready to lead.On the girls side of the fence, the Bloomingdale softball program is also ready, with Head Coach Mike Clamon at the helm, but is starting the season with the loss of some key players.“Every hit counts,” Clamon reminded his players during practice as the program struggles to break even. As far as the Bulls’ spring flag football is concerned, there was no shortage of girls trying out to be a part of the program.“More than 50 girls showed up our first day of tryouts and had a consistent numbers showing up for conditioning,” said Head Coach Eric West.West, a former Newsome High School defensive football and wrestling coach, is returning to the athletic arena after taking a couple of years off coaching.Bulls team captain and senior quarterback Sam Copley and junior Kelsey Lay are both sporting strong arms and will be leading Bloomingdale on its quest to victory.For more information about the Bulls, please visit www.maxpreps.com.

Area Midwife Brings ChildBirth Experience To Comfort Of Home

Don Ashley — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:04:04 +0000

Area Midwife Brings ChildBirth Experience To Comfort Of Home
By Jennifer Silverstein
As a mother of two who were both born at home, FishHawk resident Kim Verbarg became a licensed midwife because, “Their births were the most magical moments of my life, and I’d like to help make every woman’s birth experience just as beautiful.”Her daughters are now 12 and 17, but Verbarg has assisted approximately 200 women and their families in the birth of their babies with her business- Sweet Child O’ Mine.“I believe that women should have quality birth options which include gentle care and individual control over health-care decisions. When control and dignity are returned to women in childbirth, women and families can be empowered and bonded through their birthing experience,” she said. “I love being a part of birth and seeing this process.” As the only licensed midwife in the Brandon area, with a Lithia office for appointments, Verbarg, along with staff Areline Williams and Charlie Rae, offers full prenatal care, including lab work and ultrasounds, home and water births as well as vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Midwife care offers a significant savings and are typically less than one-third the cost of obstetrical care and hospital birth. Maternity care at Sweet Child O’ Mine includes all prenatal exams, home visits, labor and delivery, initial postpartum care, the services of the birth assistant, complete newborn exam, 24-48 hour postpartum visit, a two week postpartum visit, a six week postpartum exam, and filing of the birth certificate. Private Insurance and Pregnancy Medicaid are accepted and a full pregnancy through childbirth service schedule fee would be approximately $4,000.The company also offers Doula services, a professional labor coach. She attends birth with the mom as her coach and advocate in a variety of settings including at the hospital. Licensed midwives are licensed by the Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance, with schooling and clinical training, including at least 25 birth observations and 50 labor and delivery managements. Midwives do all of the maternity health care for low-risk women who desire out-of-hospital birth. As long as the patient stays healthy throughout her pregnancy, she will only see the midwife. Services are covered by private insurance and Medicaid.There are also a couple of hybrid options, including the homebirth hybrid option: working with patients who have an obstetrician who they are seeing for their care. If at any time in her pregnancy the patient becomes high risk, she already has a doctor. If during labor she needs physician care, she already has a doctor. “Some women feel like they have the best of both worlds with this option,” Verbarg said.The other option is for patients who qualify for Medicaid who want a hospital birth. “With this option, the prenatal care is with the licensed midwife, and then the mom will go to the hospital for delivery and take the OB on call,” she explained. “The advantage to this is that the mom receives quality prenatal care and education.” For more information or to schedule your free pregnancy test, free consultation or to discuss your birth options, please call 924-6905, e-mail midwife@sweetchildbirth.com or visit http://sweetchildbirth.com.

Bloomingdale Family To Battle It Out On Family Feud

Don Ashley — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:57:43 +0000

Bloomingdale Family To Battle It Out On Family Feud

By Michelle Colesanti

On Wednesday, March 3, the Hirsch family, of Bloomingdale, will face off against the Lewis family, of Inglewood, CA, on the exciting new season of Family Feud. Excited to be on the Feud, the members of the Hirsch family include Kevin, a sales manager for Nestles, who also was a former semi-pro hockey player, and his wife, Diana, who currently works in ministry support at Celebration Church in Valrico.Together, they have three sons: Ryan has a master’s degree from Florida State in Integrative Marketing Systems; Shawn is currently finishing his masters program at the University of South Florida in Tampa; and Derek is a student at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and is an Ultimate Frisbee champion. They will appear on the show, competing for the top prize of $150,000 and a brand new car. The show is taped before a live studio audience in Hollywood.“Our son, Derek, discovered the auditions for Family Feud in Miami,” said Kevin. “There are five members on a team, and we have five members in our immediate family, so it was a perfect fit. If we win, we want to take a trip to Germany where our ancestors are originally from.”During their auditions down in Miami back in July, they played two mock games which were viewed by a producer but not filmed. After that, producers chose certain families for further interviews and taping. Tapes were then sent to LA where the tapes were further reviewed. They only had to wait two weeks for notification of their selection, and by Labor Day weekend, they were in Los Angeles filming for their March debut. Ordinarily 1 percent of families that tryout make the cut.“The Hirsch family has a leg up on the competition with all three sons in graduate or undergraduate school,” said host John O’Hurley, best known for his role of Mr. Peterman on Seinfeld. “Hopefully, they had some time to study up on popular survey questions before their exams.”Family Feud, created in 1976, is currently produced by Fremantle Media North America and distributed by Debmar Mercury. A press release from the studios states that each weekday on the all-new variation of the Feud, O’Hurley will guide the audience through exciting new changes that will make the show a modern classic. Those interested in trying out for Family Feud can call the show’s hotline in Los Angeles at 323-762-8467 for an interview.Family Feud airs Monday-Friday at 2 p.m. on WTTA (Channel 38). Be sure to watch Wednesday, March 3, to see if the Hirshes win enough to take that coveted trip to Germany. Check your local cable or Fios provider for the specific channel it will air on.

Park Square Cellar Celebrates Annual Wine Fest

Don Ashley — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:55:51 +0000

Park Square Cellar Celebrates Annual Wine Fest
By Jennifer Silverstein
Twice a year, Park Square Cellar, hosts a free wine festival for the greater Brandon community, which features more 100 wines to taste, light hors d’oeuvres and live music by jazz musician Gene Cannon. This year, the event is scheduled for Saturday, March 13, from 1 – 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 14, from 1 – 4 p.m. The event also includes a 15 percent off sale of six bottles or more. “This will be our ninth wine festival that we have hosted. We have been sponsoring these large wine events each spring and fall since March 2006,” explains Mary Sarkisian, co-proprietor of the cellar. “There is no other wine shop in the area that offers the community the chance to taste over 100 wines, sample some great food, and listen to live jazz music, all for free. We expect over 500 people to attend the fest. This is an opportunity not to be missed!” Park Square Cellar has reason to celebrate. Last summer, Mary and her husband, Shawn fell victim to the slow economy and made the tough decision to cut their losses and close their shop. Two days before closing, however, the Sarkisians were approached by friend and customer, Kevin Fulcher. He offered to help keep the store alive. Two months later, the Sarkisians, with new business partner Fulcher, reopened The Cellar. Along with new beers on tap – like Florida’s own Orange Blossom Pilsner and Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout, the cellar went through additional transformations such as adding a big screen TV in the wine bar room, a new sound system throughout the store, outdoor seating with murals painted by artist Bob Schott, and a new Wine and Beer of the Month Club. Club members receive five percent off all their retail and bar purchases, receive a free bottle of wine each time they refer a friend to the club and have exclusive use of the wine bar. “The wine and beer club has been a huge success for us,” says Shawn. “The community has really supported us since reopening. We are grateful for the support we received and very excited about our future plans. Over 250 families have joined our wine and beer club to date, and it continues to grow every day.” The 15 percent off sale begins on Friday, March 12, and will continue throughout the weekend. No reservations are necessary. Park Square Cellar, located at 16132 Churchview Dr. in Park Square in the heart of FishHawk Ranch, is closed Mondays; open Tuesday – Thursday, 2 – 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m.– 12 Midnight; and Sunday, from 2 – 6 p.m. For directions or more information on the event, call Park Square Cellar at 689-4560 or visit www.parksquarecellar.com.

Lithia Crossing Plaza Welcomes Trio Of New Businesses

Don Ashley — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:52:27 +0000

Lithia Crossing Plaza Welcomes Trio Of New Businesses
By Jennifer Silverstein
Joining the ranks of Stein Mart, Cork & Olive and Bleu Salon & Spa, three new businesses are coming to the Lithia Crossing plaza in the near future. Hut No. 8The first of these is a store selling new and gently worn brand name clothes, shoes and accessories for teens and young adults called Hut No. 8. Staff have already begun buying clothes, shoes and accessories on location at 3448 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. on Mondays and Fridays, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.The store, offering name-brand, juniors, new and resale clothing for teens and young adults (guys and girls), should be open by mid-March. “We pay cash to our customers for their gently-worn items,” said owner Christopher Woods. “We offer clothes, shoes, hats, belts, purses and accessories.”Name brand T-shirts will range in price from $3 – $8 and name brand jeans from $9 – $25. “In most cases, our customers enjoy a savings of 70 percent off of mall retail prices!” Woods said.Hut No. 8 will be open seven days a week, Monday- Friday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday, 12 Noon – 6 p.m.For more information, please visit www.hut8valrico.com, call 689-0111 or follow Hut No. 8 on MySpace and Facebook.Amani Medspa and Wellness CenterAlso coming to the Lithia Crossing plaza is a chance for relaxation with Amani Medspa and Wellness Center. Amani Medspa and Wellness Center is going to offer weight loss, hair removal, IPL photofacials, treatment for acne, skin tightening, VelaShape for body contouring and cellulite treatment, in addition to Botox and dermal fillers, a skin care line and anti-aging with hormone replacement. It will also provide facials and hydrafacials when it opens in April. Dr. Gina Brar, who owns Amani Medspa along with her husband Aman, said, “What sets us apart is getting the latest medical aesthetic treatments in a spa atmosphere for both men and women where all consultations are done by a doctor.” Amani Medspa and Wellness Center, located at 3440 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Valrico, next to RobZFitness, will be open Tuesday – Friday from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday by appointment only. A dental office will also be coming soon to the Lithia Crossing plaza and is slated to open this summer. More information on that business will be available in next month’s Osprey Observer.Leasing InformationSituated on 11.2 acres of land, Lithia Crossing offers 98,961 sq. feet of building space and a generous 503 parking spaces. There are currently four spaces still available for lease ranging from 900 sq. feet to 3,480 sq. feet contiguous.For leasing information, please contact United American Realty at 977-5201, ext. 207, or visit www.unitedamericanrealty.com.

Thundercats Wrestlers Sport Great Showing At Games Of Rome Tourney

Don Ashley — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:08:35 +0000

By Tamas Mondovics
The season did not start quite as expected by Cougars Head Coach Dennis Kitko. Of course, that was then. Now the Durant High School wrestling program is celebrating its recent district championship win.But, for some members of the talented squad, who took part in some additional competitions, the district title is not the only success to be proud of. Five members of the Thundercats Wrestling Club had a rare opportunity to represent their teammates during the Games of Rome Wrestling Tournament held at Osceola Heritage Park, in Kissimmee, last month. The event was Part of the Rocky Mountain Nationals series and a chance for the boys to compete at a national level tournament. With Thundercats President and Coach Drake Millard at the helm, the club took five athletes to the competition and came home with great results, including two first place wins. Best friends since they were five years old, Matthew Millard, weighing in at 140 lbs., and Keith Watford, weighing in at 135, both freshmen at Durant and members of the Cougars varsity wrestling team, placed first in their weight classes.Feeling good about his performance, Watford, who won all three of his matches by pins and currently has a 7-4 all pins record with the Cougars, gives credit to his school and his club for the results. “I felt that I was wrestling pretty strong during the tournament and I am doing better on reversals and escapes,” he said. “Being on the Thundercats year-round helps me compete at all of these events.” Teammates Cody Craven (160) and Bobby Richardson (125) both placed third, while Quinton Rogers (119) placed sixth. Millard spoke highly of his boys as they represented the club during the tournament, drawing attention to more than just his wrestlers’ physical abilities and skills on the mat.“These boys demonstrate a good attitude and bring a lot of experience to each match,” Millard said.The Thundercats meet every Tuesday and Thursday at Durant High School from 5 – 7 p.m.For more information about the Thundercats Wrestling Club, please visit www.thundercatwc.com.

Upcoming Chamber Fair Focuses On Residents’ Health

Don Ashley — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:05:39 +0000

Upcoming Chamber Fair Focuses On Residents’ Health
By Carisa Biesecker
Local residents with questions in regard to their health may want to stop by the Campo YMCA in March where at The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce will be holding its 11th Annual Health Fair.Planned for Saturday, March 6, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Campo Family YMCA, located at 3414 Culbreath Rd. in Valrico, the health fair welcomes residents of all ages to traverse the fair, partaking in free health screenings ranging from blood pressure, pulse oximetry, massage, vision and biomeridian/ spine screenings. There will be giveaways and demonstrations from local health-care entities. According to Tina Brock- Fallen, chair of the Health Fair Task Force, the chamber holds the event, “It is offered so that people can get free screenings and information about health issues.”Last year’s affair brought some 1,700 out to Campo YMCA, with more than 1,000 expected in 2010. “It is a great time…,” adds Brock- Fallen. The Health Fair is made possible through the sponsorships of Brandon Regional Hospital, Bills Prescription Center, The Tampa Tribune/Brandon News & Tribune, Bloomingdale Center for Radiology and Women’s Care of Brandon. For more information on being a sponsor or an exhibitor – which is $100 for chamber members and $200 for non-members, please contact Crystal Colegrove at the chamber at 689-1221, ext. 8824, or via email at ccolegrove@brandonchamber.com.

Citizens Express Concerns At Lithia Pinecrest Public Hearing

Don Ashley — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:00:35 +0000

Citizens Express Concerns At Lithia Pinecrest Public Hearing
By Michelle Caceres
The standing-room only crowd at Bell Shoals Baptist Church would have been enough to make any preacher proud.The multitidue, however, wasn’t there to worship but to learn more and express their opinions about the proposed widening and improvements to Lithia-Pinecrest Rd. Fancy full-color maps, strewn throughout the room, illustrated the probable changes to the 10.95-mile stretch of roadway from S.R. 60 to C.R. 39.The $156.77 million proposed project will widen Lithia-Pinecrest Rd. to a four-lane divided roadway from Lumsden Rd. to FishHawk Trails Dr. (designated as Segments B & C) and maintain the existing two-lane roadway from S.R. 60 to Lumsden Rd. (Segment A) and from FishHawk Trails Dr. to C.R. 39 (Segment D).Project manager Steve Gordillo with HDR Consulting Team says public input on this project has been staggering.“We have tried to be very sensitive to the needs of the community,” says Gordillo, who notes the plans have changed considerably since they were first unveiled more than three years ago.Those changes may not be good enough. Just ask the owners of the estimated 21 businesses and 14 residencies expected to be “relocated” to complete the project.Long-time resident Wayne Walker, who owns property that abuts Lithia-Pinecrest, is disappointed he couldn’t get an exact answer about how much of his land will be seized by eminent domain, the right of the government to take possession of a citizen’s private property with due monetary compensation but without the owner’s consent. Walker, who will be offering the property for sale next month, says he wants the information to disclose to potential buyers.“I guess I’m just going to have to sit back and wait for answers,” he says.More than 69 acres are expected to be acquired in all.Lithia-resident Pam Clouston says she has been following this proposal since the beginning, when it was originally propsed that the entire road be widened to six-lanes. “We’re pleased with the changes that have been made but we still feel sorry for residents living on Lithia-Pinecrest,” says Clouston.She envisions, sadly, a road with more commercial development and less residential.Even though final project approval is expected later this year, don’t expect to hear the sound of bulldozers any time soon. The county needs to overcome one major stumbling block: funding. Except for a small portion of street between Bloomingdale and Adelaide Ave., which is being paid for by Newland Communities as part of the Lake Hutto deal, there is no money to begin construction.Hillsborough County manager Thomas Fass says that in addition to possible federal funding that may become available, County Commissioners are considering putting a one-cent sales tax on the November 2010 ballot, 25% of which would be set aside for roadway improvements. That equates to approximately $44 million per year, not even close to the forecasted project budget.So with funding this massive project a concern, drivers will just have to expect slow-moving traffic, congested intersections and dangerous turns on Lithia Pinecrest for the forseeable future.For more information about the study and recommended roadway improvements visit www.LPCSTUDY.com.

Annual Chalk Walk Celebrates Art

Don Ashley — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:56:47 +0000

Annual Chalk Walk Celebrates Art
By Carisa Biesecker
Looking to spark your child’s creativity while spending some quality time together? Then look no further than Center Place’s Fourth Annual Chalk Walk, where art and family time go hand in hand.Scheduled for Sunday, March 14, from 1-3 p.m., the Chalk Walk invites parents and children, ages 3 and up, out for a day of fun and freebies, participating in activities and face painting, viewing demonstrations, performances, a magician’s magic and displays and creating animal balloons and more. Upon their arrival, children will be given a Chick-fil-A box, thanks to the generosity of Tammy Holmberg, co-owner of Chick-fil-A at Lake Brandon Village, comprised of local vendors’ coupons as well as chalk. Each box is signified with a number that correlates to a particular position on the sidewalk surrounding the lake at Center Place. Children can go find their spot and get busy with their self-made creations. Headlined under the theme, For the Love of the Arts, the annual Chalk Walk “is another of our free family events,” states Executive Director Dawn Galia, adding that “it was an event developed to bring our Brandon families together for some fun with their children and to be able to express their creativity through chalk drawings. It is a special celebration of the arts.” With hopes of 150 children and families in attendance, the event’s sponsors include Chick-fil-A at Lake Brandon Village, Kappa Kappa and Pat’s Corner – Center Place’s gift shop. Some 125 children and their parents were able to make it out to last year’s event.Vendors are still being welcomed to the event, having no charge initiated for the free publicity. However, any who are interested are asked to contact Center Place by Friday, March 5, to reserve an area and are encouraged to hand out a free item. “It is a fun event for the entire family! We love to see the finished artistic creations!” concludes Galia. Center Place is located at 619 Vonderburg Dr., Ste. B, in Brandon, and can be reached at 685-8888. To learn more regarding Center Place, visit www.centerplacebrandon.com.

Nature’s Remedies Found At Local Market

Don Ashley — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:52:14 +0000

Nature’s Remedies Found At Local Market
By Jennifer Silverstein
According to Genesis 1:11-12, “And God said, let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: And it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”“We began a co-op with four ladies in 1986 because I wanted to get my health food at cost,” said Ann Souther, who owns Souther’s Natural Foods with her husband, Jack. “Pretty soon we had a whole garage full of ladies. I never meant to start a business.” People have come from Lakeland, Zephyrhills, Temple Terrace and even Pinellas County to Souther’s.The 1,800-sq.-ft. eco-friendly business offers vitamins, supplements and herbs, organic produce and meats. “We have four local organic farmers that we’re buying from,” Jack said.The Souther’s third child- born in 1976- had ear infections and respiratory problems for the first two years of his life. She went to go see a homeopathic doctor in Brandon who told the couple to feed their toddler mostly fruits and vegetables, to purchase three different types of tea and use cotton balls to put in his ears and not to give him milk as it causes mucus in the body. His fever and congestion was gone in one day.“It started out of need for our family,” said Ann. Their son, John, is now 33 years old and is a practicing chiropractor in Plant City. Ann says he has only been on antibiotics once in 30 years. Ann also gives personal consultations which are available by calling in advance to make an appointment with her. There is also what is called “The Compass” in the store which customers can place their hand on the cradle and get a reading on what nutritional products your body needs.Ann also teaches classes on a monthly basis, saying, “I love to educate people because if you teach them, they’ll make wise decisions.”As a part of Souther’s hometown feel, the couple grows their own produce and they have free literature available on natural and herbal remedies for ailments. The most common ailments people come into Souther’s for include blood pressure, blood sugar, arthritis, fungus and memory. Jack said he would like people to know, “We’re here to help them.” Souther’s is located at 14750 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Dover. For more information, please call 659-0349 or stop by the store, which is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 – 6 p.m.