CARROLLWOOD FOURTH-GRADERS VISIT CAPITOL

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

Last week, 57 students from Carrollwood’s Independent Day School-Corbett Campus trekked up to the capitol to see first-hand how Florida’s government works. Forty-eight parents accompanied the teachers and students up to Tallahassee.

The annual trip is part of IDS’ interdisciplinary approach to its programs. Vickii Ausburn is a fourth-grade teacher and team leader for the Tallahassee trip.
“Our social studies curriculum is based on early exploration,” Ausburn said. “We stop before westward expansion. Our goal with this is to see the present government in action.”

The fourth-graders at IDS have been going to Tallahassee since 2000. The trip is meant to offer a perspective beyond the classroom. The teachers integrate their field trips with other aspects of the curriculum; in this case, it was a marriage of governmental policies and a writing workshop.

Upon arrival, the students were greeted by State Representative (R) Kevin Ambler. Ambler represents District 47 in the Florida House of Representatives. Ausburn said in the previous four years the group met with former Governor Jeb Bush.

“I liked it because we got to see some of the representatives when it was in session,” said fourth-grader David Friedman. “I got to sit in (House Speaker) Marco Rubio’s chair.”

The IDS students were invited to partake in a mock session of Congress, where they debated issues currently in the news from both sides of the aisle.
One potential law was the implementation of red light cameras posted at traffic lights throughout the state in an attempt to catch reckless drivers in the act. Red light cameras are currently being used at intersections across the county in an effort to deter red light runners and prevent dangerous accidents. The students weighed the pros and cons of the plan and were asked to deliver their takes on the issue.

During a mock session of the state Supreme Court, they debated the issue of mandatory school uniforms.

“I was Chief Justice,” said Lexi Rodriguez. She voted against the school uniform law because “people should be able to be their own person.”

Upon returning to Tampa, each student was asked to write up three things about his/her trip in an expository essay. Upon their return they met in class to edit each other’s writing.

Fourth-grader Jordan Fuller and three classmates huddled together at their desks to talk about their favorite experiences. “We got to debate in the Supreme Court,” she said, “and we talked about a real law that got turned down. We also talked about the bill … the bill of …”

“The Bill of Rights,” Cody Brickhouse finished the sentence for his fellow student.

“We’re trying to make people feel like they were really there,” said fourth-grader Alexis Karpodinis. The students were asked to relay their experiences in a more creative fashion than in a typical “how-I-spent-my-trip” report.

“We’re making a bridge between narrative writing and exploratory writing,” Ausburn said.

“That’s a good word, but what is another synonym you can use,” asked IDS Teacher Kim Rostick of one of the fourth graders. During the writing workshop, Rostick and Ausburn asked questions aloud to the classes, questions the children themselves might very well have in mind. It’s part of the school’s emphasis on what they call active listening.

“Teaching them to do active listening is important,” said Ausburn. “To hold your thought and then make your suggestion. They feel like they’re part of the process.”

Founded in 1968, Independent Day School-Corbett Campus is a fully-accredited, independent school located at 12015 Orange Grove Drive, Tampa with 550 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

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INDEPENDENT DAY SCHOOL KIDS CLEAN BEACH

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

“This was the best field trip ever!” said Jackson Risey, a first-grader from the Independent Day School-Corbett Campus in Carrollwood. “We cleaned the planet and got to see some crabs.”

In an effort to foster a bond between the environment and its youngest generation, Independent Day School-Corbett Campus (IDS) has started a new program, called the Planet Protectors.

Made up of first- and second-graders, the unit studies how humans change natural environments with their presence.

Last Wednesday, as part of the Planet Protectors, over 100 students, faculty and parents left IDS, located at 12015 Orange Grove Drive in Tampa, and took the ferry over to Caladesi Island for a beach clean-up. The field trip involved two main activities: cleaning the beach of any litter and determining which of the collected items could be recycled.

“The idea we’re trying to get across is that humans change the environment,” said Debi Brockmeyer. She teaches first- and second-graders in a multi-age classroom, what IDS calls its upper-primary division. Brockmeyer has been teaching at the Independent Day School-Corbett Campus for 26 years.

With the Planet Protectors, teachers at IDS focus on how humans impact the world around them, both good and bad. The faculty has been putting together the program over the past year.

“We worked together on our themes and units throughout the year,” Brockmeyer said.

“There’s a balance between the building that goes on around us and our environment,” said Jennifer Jones, a teacher who has been at IDS for the past eight years and is the coordinator of the school’s multi-age program. “With this we try to show that balance.”

Jones now has two sons at the school, one in the baby care program and another in kindergarten.

Upon arriving at the island, a park ranger welcomed the group; he talked to them about ongoing recycling efforts that are meant to help keep the beach clean. Once the presentation was completed, the students went out to pursue their various projects.

“We talked about the trash we picked up on the beach and how it hurts the animals and how we can recycle certain things to help the earth,” said first-grader Lea Baddoura.

“The children had to find out if the trash they found was bio-degradable, if it was recyclable,” Brockmeyer said. The group found less trash than they expected on the island.

“We’re happy to say it was a very clean beach,” Brockmeyer said.

“The island seemed like a perfect example of what we wanted to show,” Jones said. “It’s a good example of the balance that can be achieved.”
The teachers wanted to show the children examples of how an environment is changed by people, “and how that can be a good thing,” Jones said.

Brockmeyer added: “We wanted them to see what was right.”

The notion of positive reinforcement permeates the curriculum at IDS, and goes to the very heart of the school’s philosophy.

“I think it’s empowering to them – that there is something in their control,” Jones said. “Plus our school is very outdoor-oriented. We take them outside as much as we can.”

Brockmeyer said most children posses a keen interest in nature. By tapping into that interest when they’re young, the teachers can allow the natural sense of wonder to act as a driving force without the political entanglements that often plague adults whenever the environment is discussed.

“They’re a part of keeping the world,” she said.

On the island, the teachers asked the students to make what they called a reflection journal, where they recorded what natural objects they saw, and wrote about those things.

“It was a great thing to see those kids just reflecting on nature,” Brockmeyer said. “This trip fit in so well with that.”

After lunch, the students were asked to analyze their own trash and categorize it into what could and could not be recycled. Part of the philosophy is to bring the lesson full circle so the students will look for the signs in their own neighborhoods.

Now returned, the students will continue the project, analyzing the information they gathered from their trip.

The Planet Protectors runs on a two-year cycle and the school hopes to return to Caladesi Island the year after next.

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NEUTER SCOOTER COMES TO TAMPA BAY

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

When Sharon Zulliger rides around town, it’s hard not to notice. She spends her days in a 14-foot-long white van with the words “Neuter Scooter” written on its sides.

“A lot of the kids in my neighborhood know me as the neuter scooter lady,” she said. “They see me in the supermarket and yell out.”
Zulliger is the coordinator for a free new service called the Neuter Scooter program. The Animal Coalition of Tampa began the service in an effort to improve the pet population in the Bay area.

“We determined the two biggest reasons people don’t get their pets spayed or neutered is cost and accessibility,” said Linda Hamilton, the executive director for ACT. “Our low-cost clinic handles the affordability issue. The Neuter Scooter provides the accessibility.”

The Neuter Scooter comes to pre-determined locations to pick up pets. ACT wanted to offer a service that would reach pet owners in their own neighborhoods. The vehicle takes the animals to the spay/neuter clinic in South Tampa. Later that same day, the pets are returned to the same drop-off location for pick up.

It will make its next round of pickups on Wednesday, May 16.

“Mothers like it a lot,” Zulliger said. “Getting their kids to and from school can be tough, so this way they can just drop their pets off in the morning and it’s much easier.”

“You can’t call your boss and say, ‘I’m going to be two hours late because I’m getting my cat spayed,’” she said.

Zulliger said they looked for animal-friendly locations for drop-off and pick up- points. The early pick-up times ensure that the animals will be first in line at the clinic when they arrive, and that “they have a chance to totally wake up from the procedure and get checked by the doctor.”

“Normally we keep animals overnight in the clinic,” said Sheila Nolder, the coalition’s director of communications. “This is a way for pet owners to be able to drop of their animals and bring them home in the same day.”

Pick-up locations include PetCo stores in Carrollwood, Town ‘N Country, Temple Terrace, West Tampa (at Westshore Boulevard) and in Wesley Chapel. All pick-up times are at 6:45 a.m. Pet owners are asked to make reservations in advance by calling the ACT Spay Neuter Clinic, 250-3900 . Reservations are necessary in order to ensure there is enough room in the van for the animals.

Groovy Cats & Dogs, located at 8548 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., has agreed to be a pick-up and drop-off location for the Carrollwood area. Al Guibert runs the store with his wife, Yvonne. He said ACT’s spay and neuter programs are now accessible to more people than ever before.

“We really believe that this is a good area for the program,” he said. “It’s aimed at a certain economic strata.”

For those with transportation issues, it’s a very short ride to the pick-up location.

“We have local, easy-to-get-to spots,” Zulliger said. “There are a lot of people in the Tampa area who do not drive. For those who do, it saves them gas money. Gas is $3 a gallon.”

Zulliger estimates that currently 10 to 15 percent of the animals the clinic sees come through the Neuter Scooter program; ACT hopes to raise that figure to 50 percent in the future.

“I think we can reach more people by going further into the community,” she said.

The Animal Coalition of Tampa is a nonprofit organization with a primary focus on high volume spay/neuter programs to reduce the number of animals entering local shelters, and in turn, limiting euthanasia.  Spay/neuter costs at ACT range from $40 to $95 for the surgery. Low-income residents may qualify for a reduced $10 fee through the county’s voucher program.

Currently, Hillsborough County Animal Services euthanizes upwards of 90 percent of its animals due to limited adoption programs, lack of space, health issues and no behavior assessment programs. According to the ASPCA, about 50,000 animals were euthanized last year at the three animal control agencies in Tampa Bay.

For ACT, euthanasia as a means of controlling the pet population is not a viable option. Instead, they focus on high volume spay/neuter programs to reduce the number of animals entering Hillsborough County’s shelters. Currently, ACT is involved in various projects to achieve this end: The Spay/Neuter Clinic offers low-cost surgeries; Spay Day” is a monthly volunteer-based spay/neuter program for feral cats; and Stride for Strays is an annual fundraiser meant to increase awareness and support for local spay/neuter efforts.

ACT has also been invited to partner in a venture sponsored by the ASPCA to turn Hillsborough County into a “no kill community” with something called “Mission: Orange.” Concentrating its efforts in the county, Mission: Orange will aim to implement animal behavior assessment programs, reduce the intake of unwanted animals and expand existing spay/neuter programs.

ACT has also recently announced its “snip and chip” program. During the month of May, any pet that is spayed or neutered at the ACT clinic will receive a free implant microchip at the time of surgery.  With hundreds of thousands of pets lost each year in the area, owners can prepare for possible emergencies with the permanent form of identification that cannot be altered.

The microchip is a transponder, no larger than a grain of rice, on which a unique number is embedded. It is inserted in a procedure similar to a vaccination. Once implanted, the microchip remains under the skin for the pet’s lifetime. The information is then entered into a national database. Many shelters and veterinarians across the country have scanners to access that information.

ACT stresses that the microchips are especially useful for those living in Florida, as each year hurricanes separate a significant number of pets from their owners. The snip and chip program runs the entire month of May at the ACT spay/neuter clinic, located at 1719 W. Lemon St., Tampa.

The Animal Coalition of Tampa is stressing the need for more community outreach for its spay/neuter programs, especially in the Hispanic community.
“Some areas are relatively untapped in terms of spay/neuter programs,” Nolder said. “We want to reach pet owners at all levels.”

Yvonne Guibert of Groovy Cats & Dogs said ACT was especially interested in using their location as a pickup point for the neuter scooter because it straddles a few communities.

“We’re in close proximity to Town ‘N Country, which could be good for some of our lower-income families,” Guibert said. “It’s reaching out to people who otherwise have to be at work.”

“The real issue is the overpopulation,” she continued. “You read all about adoption events, but the cold, hard facts are a huge number of animals are euthanized each year. When you see those numbers it’s just mind-boggling.”

The Neuter Scooter has a calendar with pickup locations and dates available on the ACT Web site. For more information, visit http://www.actampa.org or call 250-3900.

The American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animal’s Web site is http://www.aspca.org.

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CHILDREN’S HOME SOCIETY SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

DJ Hamilton flashed a radiant and precocious smile as she remembered, to the day, when she and Diane Levesque started hanging out: it was October 16.
“We made Easter baskets last week, and we colored eggs,” DJ said.

Levesque was sitting next to her, and added, “We try to do some crafts, just something different.”

Levesque is a mentor/volunteer in the Children’s Home Society of Florida’s MODEL Mentoring Program. Over the past seven months, she and DJ have become a part of each other’s lives.

The MODEL program stands for Mentors Opening Doors Enriching Lives. It is a one-to-one mentoring program aimed at children ages four to 15 who have an incarcerated parent. Each child is matched with an adult mentor with the goal of building trust that will help the child perform better in school, have stronger family relationships and be more equipped to avoid negative activities or peer relationships.

“We recently made lasagna for her whole family,” Levesque said. “Her grandmother looked tired so we decided to make it ourselves.” DJ’s parents are both in prison; she currently lives with her grandparents.

The mentor walks a line between buddy and teacher. Some days are reserved for pizza and movies; other days feature lessons, like exercise and schoolwork.

“She was having some problems with her reading, so we started ‘Charlotte’s Web,’” Levesque said, “and she actually got her grade up. I’m also trying to teach her about exercise and about healthy eating.”

When DJ’s grandmother asked if she wanted to take part in the MODEL program, she jumped at the chance. DJ has twin sisters who are also in the program with mentors of their own. She has two cousins who are on a waiting list.

The Children’s Home Society of Florida is seeking more volunteers like Levesque to serve as mentors for at-risk children. Camie Bernhardt is the program supervisor for the MODEL program, which she initiated at CHS three years ago. Bernhardt said DJ had to wait a while before a mentor became available. The need for volunteers is close to urgent, as the waiting list hovers in the 40’s.

“We have 88 mentors right now,” she said. “A high majority of our children in need are males.”

The program is similar Big Brothers Big Sisters, except in the MODEL program all the children share the common thread of an incarcerated parent. According to Bernhardt, the most fundamental prerequisites for mentors are responsibility, openness and flexibility.

“We want a positive role model,” Bernhardt said. “We don’t want them becoming part of the child’s life only to disappear or be unreliable.”
As part of the commitment then, CHS asks that the mentors and kids agree to meet one hour a week for a year.

Established in 1902, Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) is one of the state’s oldest private nonprofit organizations providing services to children and families. CHS initially provided adoption and foster care services to homeless children, later becoming a multi-service organization aiding children and families. Programs now provide education and support services to teen mothers, single and struggling parents, intergenerational and extended families, runaway teens, at-risk youth and developmentally and emotionally challenged children.

According to CHS, children in mentoring programs are 46 percent less likely to use drugs and 52 percent less likely to skip school. 
CHS is headquartered in Winter Park, and is comprised of 14 divisions with over 200 locations throughout the state.

Bernhardt said the volunteer application process takes about two weeks. Once a mentor is matched to a particular child, a meeting takes place.

“We all get together and make sure everybody gets along. If they’re not comfortable with the mentor it won’t work out,” she said. “I think the biggest thing is somebody who is going to be committed and not judgmental.”

Levesque, a Carrollwood resident, volunteers in the MODEL program for simple reasons.

“I do it because I have fun,” she said. “I’ve been blessed as an individual. I have a great family, a great job and a great place to live. I’ve had such a great life, and not everybody has, but I can share that with everybody.”

Levesque initially looked into volunteering for the Guardian ad Litem program, “but it’s so intense,” she said. “Then I saw CHS and I thought I could take baby steps.” She said she still plans on volunteering for Guardian ad Litem, which serves neglected and abused children throughout the state, in the future.
“If everybody gives a little, maybe we can make an impact on somebody,” she said.

Levesque does not act as a respite from DJ’s daily life; instead, she integrates herself into it, getting to know DJ’s family and inviting her friends to join her on visits to Levesque’s home.

DJ is a 5th-grader at Davis Elementary School in Tampa. She now lists math and reading as her favorite subjects, somewhat to Levesque’s surprise – further proof of the tangible impact the program is having on her.

DJ pondered some of the other changes that have occurred in her life since meeting Levesque.

“I do eat healthier now,” she said, “and now I help with my grandparents more.”

Just like any other friendship, Levesque and DJ share a give and take relationship where sometimes the student even becomes the mentor.
“She’s teaching me some new dance moves,” Levesque said.

DJ just smiled wide at that.

MODEL Volunteers must be 21 or older and submit to a national background search and complete an orientation. Applications are available on the CHS Web site at http://www.chsfl.org or by calling 727-552-1482 ext. 235.

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Carrollwood Players Ready New Production

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

“Am I getting that line right?,” asked actor Bill Turcotte, from the stage of the Carrollwood Playhouse. He turned to the script-reader who looked up from the page to give him a nod.

“Now head offstage,” the director called out, “and don’t forget to take your suitcase with you!”

With 10 days to go before its opening, the cast of “The Other Fellow’s Oats” was still getting accustomed to the built-out sets and props. The rehearsal took place at the playhouse, located at 4335 Gunn Hwy. in Plantation Plaza. The theater hosts the Carrollwood Players, an acting troupe founded in 1980.

“This is a British farce,” said Carlyn Postle, the show’s director. Postle, herself married to an Englishman, likes to direct a British show every year. Cast members were running through the script, trying out their best English accents.

“We’re not in England, “she said. “As long as we’re close with the accents, we’re alright.”

During the calendar year, the Carrollwood Players typically perform nine plays by nine different directors. Postle said the plays are chosen by committee based on various criteria, including name recognition. She cited a recent drop in attendance as the committee’s impetus to look to some better-known plays.

“This year we looked for plays we think people would like,” she said. Poorer turnouts are a problem for community theaters across the country as they strive to compete with an ever-growing number entertainment choices all vying for audiences’ attentions.

“Part of it is the economics,” she said. “The gas prices, the tenor of the economy, plus the other community theaters. We’re competing for the same audience.”

The show’s producer, Toni Germinario, has been affiliated with Carrollwood Players for 11 years. She has also noticed that pulling audiences for shows is becoming more of a challenge, and mirrored many of Postle’s possible causes.

“A lot of it has to do with play selection,” she said. “Next season, instead of doing drama, we’re doing mostly comedies.” Germinario feels that audiences respond better to lighter fare, and although the actors typically prefer to play dramatic roles, she doesn’t think the change will adversely affect the talent pool.

“At every audition we get new faces,” she said.

Still, Postle admitted the struggle to pull in audiences is reflected in casting, where there has been a drought of sorts. For this production, she had to recruit her assistant director, Autumn Barthelemy, into the cast to fill a vacated role.

“I assumed the position,” Barthelemy said with a grin. A psychology student at the University of South Florida, she’s been acting with Carrollwood Players since the eighth grade. Last year she co-directed her first show for the youth theater, and this is her first stab as assistant director for the playhouse.
“I’ve done this my whole life,” she said. “It’s a good place for me.”

Turcotte, a Sun City resident, joined the cast of “The Other Fellow’s Oats” after being recruited by Postle, who was teaching a drama course for residents there. Turcotte, 70, is a community theater veteran, having performed in productions in his former hometown of Natchez, Miss.

“She had this role to fill and I read for it and I got the part,” Turcotte said. He is playing the male lead, Desmond Mayne, a jealous philanderer. For every rehearsal, Turcotte makes the drive from Sun City, where he has lived the past two years.
Turcotte expects a good turnout from his fellow Sun City residents.

“It’s good for Carrollwood Players,” he said. “It exposes the production to another population.”

The show’s director has been involved with the stage in some form for as long as she can remember. Postle moved to Tampa 1996, when she became acquainted with the Carrollwood Players after attending a performance.

“I came up and saw a show,” she recalled. “I liked these people and said, ‘Can you use me?’” Postle started out with the Carrollwood Players by working with its youth theater program. She had taught drama in high schools here and abroad for over 40 years. Now retired, she has found a new calling in the director’s seat.

“I came to Florida, like many, for the weather,” she said. “It’s the joy of bringing good theater to an audience – if my audience comes in and sees a show and enjoys it, then I’ve done my job, and if the actors feel good about it, I’ve done my job with them.”

“The Other Fellow’s Oats” opens April 20 and runs through May 12. Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Sunday Matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are $14 for regular admission and $12 for students and seniors. Group rates are available for pre-paid admission.

For information about the Carrollwood Players and for tickets, call 265-4000.
Admission is $12 and and $10 for seniors and students. For reservations, call 265-4000.

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BARK IN THE PARK HELD AT AL LOPEZ

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

Jody Dixon came to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s 20th annual Bark in the Park with the intention of finding a new friend.

“I’m going to call her Phoebe,” said Dixon, holding a black and white Boston terrier in her arms. Dixon was inside the Humane Society’s mobile adoption center, one of the dozens of stations at the annual event, held at Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave. Each year, the bark in the park welcomes dog owners and pet-oriented businesses and programs for a day of fun.

The mobile adoption center is a shelter on wheels , bringing animals up for adoption out to the community. Volunteers assist with adoptions, paperwork and with cleaning cages.

Dixon was able to fill out the necessary forms in a matter of minutes before taking Phoebe home with her.

“I had a border collie for 15 years and we had to put him down,” Dixon said.

Carrie Peterson is the mobile adoptive counselor. She travels across the county during the week, finding homes for as many animals as she can.

“Everything we do at a shelter we do here,” Peterson said. “Some people wouldn’t go to the shelters, maybe because they live too far away. Also, people can take their other pets with them to see if they all get along.”

According to Peterson, all the animals aboard the mobile adoption center are spayed or neutered and inoculated in advance.

The purpose of the bark in the park is to help provide awareness and funding for the shelter, food and medical care needed for the thousands of animals that are relinquished to the Humane Society’s shelters each year.

For the event, individual dog walkers were invited to form into teams of five-to-10 friends or co-workers, to participate in various events, such as a pet costume contest and a dog/owner look-alike contest. Walkers were asked to contribute a minimum donation of $45 in order to participate.

“Last year, we had about 1,500 people come out,” said Cathy Bellatin, the special events director for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. “This year we could approach 2,000. It’s really something to see so many people come out and support what the Humane Society is doing.”

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit organization, has been offering shelter to animals since 1929. They receive no funding from tax dollars or from the Humane Society of the United States, and instead rely on donations.

This is the 20th anniversary of the bark in the park event, and Bellatin said it grows each year thanks to the sponsors and volunteers. Not all of the sponsors are pet-oriented businesses or organizations. One of those sponsors, Post Properties of Tampa, had a table set up in the park as a way to get the word out about its pet-friendly policies.

“We actually accept big dogs, which most places won’t,” said Post Properties’ Shelly Espy. Post Properties is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., and is one of the largest developers and operators of apartments, condominiums and town homes in the country. There are four such complexes in Tampa: Post Bay at Rocky Point, Post Harbour Place, Post Hyde Park and Post Rocky Point.

As for allowing pets in their complexes, the motivation is simple.

“There’s a huge market for it,” said Tony Leal of Post Properties. “We’re trying to be more pet-friendly.” Residents can pay a pet fee that depends on their dog’s weight. There are rules barring aggressive breeds.

At another table, the Humane Society set up shop with its volunteer station, manned by Pam McFarlin, volunteer outreach coordinator for the Tampa Bay chapter. McFarlin said the Humane Society only has a maximum of 27 employees at a given time, meaning large events and outreach programs like the bark in the park require a flood of volunteers.

“Our volunteers learn how to handle our events and our special programs,” she said.

HSTB volunteers must be 16 or older. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Volunteers can work at shelters, as foster care animal parents, in the kennel care program, as adoption assistants and in various community outreach positions.

As important as the volunteers are, McFarlin said that donations are no less important.

“We try to use all the money that we raise for our dogs and cats,” McFarlin said. “We offer spay-and-neuter programs as a cheap option for residents. Hillsborough County has the highest number of homeless dogs in the state, so we have the highest number of euthanized dogs in the state.”

The Humane Society’s spay and neuter clinic opened in the spring of 2000. Through December 2005, more than 26,000 dogs and cats have been sterilized. On the average year about 17 million dogs and cats are turned over to animal shelters. According to the Humane Society, only one out of every ten taken in ever find a home. Of the rest, some 13.5 million dogs and cats in total, they are destroyed.

Beyond the mobile adoption center, among the dozens of tables advertising various pet products and adoption services, were the folks of Dalmatian Rescue of Tampa Bay.

“We get all our dogs from Hillsborough kill centers,” said Frank Natol, the volunteer coordinator for the Dalmatian rescue. With Natol was a black-and-white spotted adult named Bowzer, who had just been adopted “on his very last day – he was about to be destroyed. I had him at my house. He was pretty near death”

Natol said there are about 20 dogs currently under his care and in need of permanent homes. Dalmatian Rescue takes care of all veterinary checks and inspections in advance.

The Humane Society has announced upcoming microchip days. Microchipping offers permanent identification for pets. Should a dog or cat be lost, a 24-hour-a-day center can provide contact information to anyone who may find the pet. The next session takes place April 21 at the Humane Society’s headquarters located at 3607 N. Armenia Ave. There is no appointment necessary. The cost for microchipping is $15 per pet.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s Web site is located at http://www.humanesocietytampa.org. They can also be reached at 876-7138.

The Dalmatian Rescue of Tampa Bay can be reached at (727) 787-1760.

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PROGRAM OFFERS PHONES AT KEEL LIBRARY

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

Several Tampa residents visited the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., recently in an effort to regain a bit of normalcy in their lives.
Robbyn Walters of the Deaf and Hearing Connection for Tampa Bay was there handing out phones specially designed for the hearing-impaired. Walters is a coordinator for FTRI (Florida Telecommunications Relay Incorporated) and assists in providing the phones to residents. She travels throughout Hillsborough County as the program’s lone outreach representative.

The Deaf and Hearing Connection for Tampa Bay offers specialized telephones and ring signaling devices at no cost to Florida residents who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired. FTRI distributes the equipment to clients. Meanwhile, Sprint carries the Florida Relay service on its network. Through the Florida Relay Service, people who use specialized telephone equipment can communicate with people who use standard telephone equipment.

Walters comes to the library every Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in order to hand out the equipment to the community. There is no appointment required to see her.

“We’re not a phone company; we’re a state-run agency and are nonprofit,” Walters said.

The specialized phones feature manual volume controls plus a tone adjustment, which allows the listener to transform a caller’s voice into a lower or higher-pitched sound.

During her weekly visit, over the course of a few hours, Walters will see anywhere from a handful to a dozen people.

“This is a godsend,” said Nancy Gonzalez. “It’s just wonderful.” Nancy’s husband, Victor, is hard-of-hearing; in fact, he is deaf in his right ear.
“And my left ear is 95 percent gone,” he added. Victor Gonzalez has been partially deaf since childhood.

The couple, approaching 39 years of marriage, moved here from New York about nine months ago. There were no special phone services offered in New York.

Nancy Gonzalez saw a listing in the Carrollwood News for the free phone services at the library.

“When I saw something about hearing aides it grabbed my attention,” she said. “Up until now I’ve had to answer all of his calls.”

“It’s very good to know about this,” Victor Gonzalez said. “The thing is sometimes I can hear, but I can’t understand people, so I don’t know what they’re talking about.”

One of the issues Walters and the special phones help with is the difficulties the hearing-impaired have in discerning speech, something that can require more than a volume boost. Walters fitted Gonzalez with a phone that will allow him to tune people’s voices to suit his needs.

“Forty percent of us lose the high pitch in our hearing as we age, so we have difficulty hearing women and children,” Walters told Gonzalez.
Walters began helping the hearing-impaired when she joined FTRI in 2002.

“I was looking for a career change at 45 years of age,” she said. “I came across a deaf person at age 13 and it had an impact on me.”
Walters later took sign-language classes.

“As an adult I didn’t know any deaf people,” she said. “I decided to volunteer. If you don’t use your sign-language skills you lose them, so I volunteered with the Deaf and Hearing Connection.”

Now Walters has no problem communicating with deaf clients. She can supply them with text-telephones, although most people she sees have at least partial hearing.

“Because it’s a nonprofit organization, we don’t have funding for advertising,” she said.

Instead, Walters gives presentations at nursing homes and libraries in an effort to get the word out.

“We have volunteers who put our phones together. We have a pool of volunteers who are basically students training to be interpreters.”

FTRI is a statewide nonprofit organization that administers the Specialized Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program for citizens of Florida in need. FTRI is also responsible for the education and promotion of the Florida Relay Service.

The Florida Legislature passed the Telecommunications Access System Act in 1991, with the intent to provide basic telecommunications services for the Hard of Hearing, Deaf, Deaf/Blind and Speech Impaired. 

The devices and the program at-large are funded by a 15-cent surcharge on every Florida resident’s telephone bill. The equipment is made available to persons in need by contacting the Deaf and Hearing Connection’s main office in Seminole or by attending outreach programs like the one at Keel Library.
“I travel all of Hillsborough County,” Walters said. “Basically I’m on the road most of the time – seeing how the people react – that is what’s rewarding. It’s all about education. That’s why we named it the Deaf and Hearing Connection – to educate the hearing population as well as the deaf.”

“I’ve never gotten tired of this because I know I’m helping people and that’s so rewarding.”

For information or to schedule an appointment, call (888) 832-4314. Applications and an outreach calendar are available on the FTRI Web site, located at http://www.ftri.org.

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By STEPHEN HAMMILL

Kwabena Dinizulu is a poet and storyteller, and he came to talk to 80 high school kids about something unusual to them: quietness.

“I want you each to take 15 minutes of your day and spend it alone, in your rooms,” he said. “Close the door. Turn off the computer. Disconnect the iPod. Be alone with your thoughts. That’s when you will hear your voice, because trying to think of nothing doesn’t work and then you will hear that voice. Listen to it.”
Dinizulu was visiting Chamberlain High School, 9401 N. Boulevard, to help with its annual poetry slam. He was on hand to give pointers, but also to give some inspiration.

“I’m giving the talks for the creative process – showing them how to find a topic,” he said. “The different tools and exercises help to expand their horizons.”
Dinizulu tours the city presenting original and traditional stories rooted in African and African-American folk tales and poems. His presentations focus on morality, the African value system and the African family/village structure at-large. He said teaching high-school-aged children what he knows about poetry amounts to a rite of passage.

“They want me to read their work,” he said. “I’m honored that they want to talk to me.”

A poetry slam is a competitive poetry event at which poets perform their own works, which are judged and often scored by members of the audience.
Janet Drake is Chamberlain High School’s media specialist and the coordinator of the annual poetry slam at the school. This year she had a portion of the library cordoned off and transformed it into a coffee house, complete with low lighting and a small stage.
There was barely room to fit the students and judges.

“I actually had to turn kids away this year,” Drake said. She decided to cap the program at 80 so everyone who wanted to perform would get his or her chance.

Drake has seen the impact self-expression is having on some of the students.

“They’re really giving their all and talking about what their lives are really about,” she said.

Dinizulu has been working with the Arts Council of Hillsborough County for 10 years and has been teaching in high schools for the last eight years. He is intent on reaching his students – to show them that writing poetry has less to do with meter or rhyme schemes than it does with taping into one’s inner voice. We all have one, he assured them; it is only a question of listening to it.

“Read one book a month – that’s 12 a year,” he said. “Reading someone else’s words will help you find your own.”

Dinizulu’s first three years doing this were spent exclusively at Hillsborough High School.

“After my third year, we expanded things,” he said. “I became part of the countywide poetry slam.”

As part of the program, each school sends its poetry-slam winner to compete in a countywide championship.

Venus Jones, a fellow poet and performer, was on hand to assist Dinizulu during the workshop portion of the poetry slam. She, like Dinizulu, works through the Arts Council of Hillsborough County. The program has grown over the years to include more poets like her.

“It’s become so popular,” Jones said. “They’ve asked more poets to help him.”

Before the slam began, the students were corralled into small groups to work on their verses together. Once their time was up, the students gathered to watch a video featuring some memorable slam readings of the past – a way for Dinizulu to pump up his audience. He gave them one last pep talk before the readings began.

“Am I too late for the readings,” asked a middle-aged woman, as she came running into the library. In fact, the poetry slam hadn’t started. The woman was directed into the makeshift performance space where she grabbed a seat close to the stage. This was a mother to two Chamberlain students; she had left work to see them both read – a kind of dedication that has not been lost on the teachers.

“I see students each year and I can see the growth, “Dinizulu said. “And these may be students not excelling in anything else, but they work all year for this moment. That’s what this is all about, baring your soul, getting naked.”

Indeed, the kids needed little coaxing from him or anyone else to participate in a poetry slam.

“They come ready for this,” Dinizulu said. “They want to show off. It’s a different generation. They’re exposed to MTV, BET, Def Poetry – these students volunteer.”

Drake said the kids often leave the teachers surprised and amazed with the wellspring of emotions and creativity lurking beneath the surface, waiting for an outlet. She said the school’s assistant principal is so impressed with the program that he is contemplating expanding it next year.
Once this year’s slam began, it was a rapid-fire procession. Some read from paper while others had the words memorized. Some stood in place while others gesticulated to stress certain syllables.

“That’s deep,” Dinizulu exclaimed, after one of the more heartfelt readings. Even other teachers got into the act. One current Chamberlain faculty member went up to the microphone to read a poem he had written about Dinizulu.

The first-place winner of this year’s poetry slam was Zhalarina Sanders, who, with her poem “I Wish,” chronicled the various stages of grief following a falling-out.

Remember last semester when I barely knew ya’ll?
I was just this Raven-lovin’ git that sat across from ya’ll.
And I swear I never thought it would turn into this,
‘cause it sucks so hard to be stuck on one wish.
That you know in your heart will never come true.
If I could find the right words and recite them to you.
God, please help me try to find a way through,
‘cause I’m tired of waiting to hear, “I love you too”.
I’m tired of calling people that don’t want to speak to me.
I’m tired of feeling like this has defeated me.

“That was …,” Dinizulu said.
“Deep,” the students responded.

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BABY RIVER OTTER IN REHABILITATION

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo staff is caring for an orphaned river otter named Olive. The pup was recently transferred to the zoo from Sea World Orlando.
Olive is undergoing rehabilitation at the zoo’s Mason M. and Charles P. Lykes Florida Wildlife Center. She is about three months old. Daily bottle feedings have brought her weight up from 1 pound to 6.

“Initially, we were bottle feeding her every four hours around the clock,” said Lowry Park zookeeper Jennifer Blank. “We were actually taking her home with us at night.”

Olive is transferred daily from the zoo’s veterinary clinic to the river otter exhibit, near the entrance to the Manatee and Aquatic Center. She spends about one hour a day in the exhibit with zookeepers, adjusting to her new surroundings. She is in the exhibit in the mornings prior to the zoo’s opening.

“Right now she’s by herself and a little lonely so she needs some stimulation,” said Blank. When the zoo opens, the baby is brought inside and the adults are shifted outside. She will be introduced to the zoo’s two adult otters, a male and female, in the near future.

“There’s a good chance they could scrap right now, so we want her to be bigger,” Blank said. Soon the public will be allowed to view her, once the acclimation process is complete.

River otters, members of the weasel family, are excellent swimmers, known for their dog-paddling style near the surface. They catch fish for food, and can stay submerged for six to eight minutes.

While it is possible rehabilitated animals may be released back into the wild, according to the zoo, it is dependent upon many factors including development and behavior.

“She’s going to have to stay in captivity most likely,” Blank said. “She prefers to be with us as opposed to otters, so it would be very dangerous for her to be out there. She would put herself in harm’s way.”

Blank, a Tampa native, recalls sneaking away from home as a child to visit the zoo.

“I grew up two blocks from here, I used to run away every Saturday and ride my bike down here,” she said.

The Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., features more than 1,800 animals on a property that spans 56 acres. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 935-8552 or on the Web at http://www.lowryparkzoo.com.

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AREA SCHOOL HOSTED EXPO

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

More than 80 exhibitors and hundreds of visitors gathered last week for the CABA Spring Expo at Carrollwood Day School, 1515 W. Bearss Ave.
The event took place from 3 to 7 p.m. in the school’s main hall. The CABA Spring Business Expo is a meet-and-greet opportunity aimed at the community at-large.

For some exhibitors this was a first chance to see what the business organization is all about.

The Carrollwood Area Business Association, or CABA, began in 1986, as a collective of small-business owners in the area. CABA members meet on a weekly basis at a member’s place of business. The meetings function as a way for members to network with one another.

The expo is in its 10th year. CABA also has plans to hold a winter expo this year. Stephen Welch is a sales manager for Sterling Payment Technologies and a CABA member. He’s on the expo committee this year.

“We’ve about maxed-out our tables for the spring expo,” he said. “We also do a health and fitness one in the fall.”

“This year we have about eight new members in the expo,” said Lisa Demmi, expo-board liaison, and general manager of Chewning Inspection Services Inc. Demmi has been a CABA member for two years now and is on its board of directors.

This is the first year CABA has held its expo at the Carrollwood Day School.

“This is a great space. We wanted to keep it somewhat centrally located in the Carrollwood area,” she said.

“It’s a nice cross-section of the business community,” she added. “We actually had some people join CABA so they could be involved in the expo. We got Verizon to join right before the expo. That’s the good thing about CABA – people stay with us. We grow every year.”

Becky Wanamaker is co-owner of LutzLandOLakes.com, a free business-listing service that joined CABA a month and a half ago.

“We’re an offshoot of the New Tampa Directory,” she said. “The first event I went to after joining was as a guest to the Hope Children’s Home, and I’ve been to several After Fives – it’s a great group.” Wanamaker was referring to CABA After Five networking meetings held every other Wednesday at a member’s place of business.

“This is our 21st expo,” Demmi said. “We’ve been planning it for three months. Everybody put in so much time and so much effort; it makes me feel really good about CABA.”

In order to drum up support for the event, Demmi said in addition to contacting local media outlets, they handed out admission tickets to the community and to CABA members.

“Amongst CABA, they told friends, and their friends told two friends, and then some,” she said. Demmi said they expected close to two thousand people to walk through the doors over the course of the expo.

During the expo’s early stages, current CABA President Lori Rodriguez went from booth to booth, greeting exhibitors and taking the pulse of the event.

“Absolutely, once again, the committee that has put this together has done a wonderful job,” she said. Over the years, as CABA has made a name for itself, its mission has switched from an information effort to more of a recruitment campaign.

“It continues to grow,” Rodriguez said. “Ten years ago we had to do a lot more to reach people; now the people come to us. It continues to be an exciting event for the people that come through. We’re business-to-business oriented and have always stayed true to that value.”

For information about CABA, visit http://www.carrollwoodbusiness.com.

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HELEN SWISSHELM READING ROOM IS DEDICATED

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

On the morning of March 9, the Friends of the Lutz Library and Hillsborough County dedicated a reading room at the Lutz Library, 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., in honor of its founding member and long-time library advocate, Helen Swisshelm.

Swisshelm was presented with a self-portrait, which will hang in the newly-named Helen Swisshelm Reading Room in the Lutz Library.

The ceremony included a proclamation from Mayor Pam Iorio naming March 9 “Helen Swisshelm Day” in the city of Tampa.

Joe Stines, director of libraries for Hillsborough County, was on hand to represent the library board in honoring one of its former members. He presented her with a copy of a book featuring libraries across the country, including the West Tampa Branch Library, of which Swisshelm was a major contributor.

“She is a person of wisdom and dedication who has inspired me,” said The Rev. Bob Morris of the St. John Vianney Church, during the ceremony’s opening remarks.

“So often people will serve because an opportunity falls into their lap, but a person continues to serve for the special qualities they have,” said Karen McClure of the Tampa Friends of the Library, who was on hand to help present the painting.

The Friends of the Library provides resources, services and networking opportunities for library advocates across the country. The Tampa branch of the friends commissioned the portrait in Swisshelm’s honor.

“From the bottom of my heart, we appreciate you so much, Helen,” said Jim Norman, chairman of the Hillsborough County commission.

Swisshelm’s employment with the county began in 1971. She retired after 22 years and subsequently served on the Tampa Hillsborough County library board from 1990 through 2005, advocating for library services in under-served communities. She is the former chair of the budget committee for the library board.
Betty Castor was on hand to speak in place of her daughter, Kathy Castor, who is the Democratic Congresswoman from Florida’s 11th congressional district. Swisshelm was an aide to Betty Castor during her stint on the Hillsborough County Commission.

“People used to come by, not because they wanted to see me, but because they wanted to see Helen,” Castor said.

Swisshelm was later heavily involved in the expansion of the Lutz Branch Library. She is also the founder of the Friends of the Lutz Library and continues to serve as its president.

“She consistently reminded the board about how valuable the libraries are,” said Pat Bean, county administrator.
When the official speakers concluded their remarks, the audience was invited to do the same. A cavalcade stood up, one-by-one, to illuminate areas of the community and organizations in which Swisshelm has had an impact over the years.

“It’s an honor to be here today,” said Jan Platt, who has served for more than 20 years as a member of the Tampa City Council and as a Hillsborough County commissioner and is a fervent advocate for libraries.

“I’m really here in my capacity as a county commissioner when Helen was on the library board,” she said. “Back in the early years there was not public support for libraries. It’s so gratifying that over the years libraries have become politically popular.”

“She came to me and said, ‘Jan, we need to think of a way we can fund more libraries.’ Many of the new libraries you see built are because of the dedication of this woman right here,” she said. “It is very fitting that a reading room is being dedicated in her name.”

When it came time to speak, Swisshelm focused much of her remarks on those in attendance, personally naming and thanking the members of the Lutz Library, and members of various civic organizations.

“I am overcome,” she said. “I thank each and every one of you.”

“You know, it does take a village, and all of you are my village.”

For information about the Friends of the Library, visit http://www.thpl.org.

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"LUTZ LOCOMOTION” CELEBRATES RAILROAD LEGACY

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

On the morning of March 9, Hillsborough County welcomed the Board of County Commissioners and its Public Art Committee to Lutz Library at 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd. for a special art dedication, the public unveiling of “Lutz Locomotion.”

Local artist Charles Sharrod Partin III designed the brick sculpture, and was on hand with family to witness the dedication and to thank the community-at-large for selecting him. In designing “Lutz Locomotion,” Partin used photos of an old timber train, its engineer and its coalman as inspiration, working in hand-carved brick to create the mural. Partin said he thought the image could serve as a reminder to the citizens of the town’s roots in the railroad.

“Our civilization began developing around our rivers, and then later developed around our rails,” he said.

Jim Norman, Chairman of the Board of Hillsborough County Commissioners, spoke about the impact of community involvement on “Beautiful Downtown Lutz,” the area containing the public library, post office/art gallery and the train-depot replica.

“There’s a family atmosphere here that you all have made,” he said.

Jan Platt of the Friends of the Library also spoke at the dedication. She served for over 20 years as a member of the Tampa City Council and as a Hillsborough County Commissioner.

“What’s interesting, with the whole debate about rail, the county had rail long before other parts of the state,” Platt said, referring to the Tampa Northern Railroad, a line which planted the seed for Lutz.

The Tampa Northern Railroad carried materials from Tampa to Brooksville during the early twentieth century. A small train depot named “Lutz Station” was eventually followed by an authorized a post office, at which point Lutz was born.

The “Lutz Junction” downtown was demolished in the late 1960s. In 2000, a replica of the depot was rebuilt in the same area, now the intersection of Lutz-Lake Fern Road and U.S. Highway 41. The Lutz public library is located behind the train depot replica.

The unveiling of “Lutz Locomotion” was part of a double dedication. Later in the day, the Friends of the Lutz Library dedicated the Helen Swisshelm Reading Room in honor of the founding Friends member and long-time library advocate.

The ceremony also included a performance by the Silver Bells choir of the United Methodist Church of Lutz.

For more information about the Lutz Library, visit http://www.hcplc.org/hcplc/liblocales/lut.

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By STEPHEN HAMMILL

Carrollwood Day School’s performing arts department, along with 175 of its students, recently staged a musical for hundreds of family and friends.
The school’s production of “Disney’s Aladdin, Junior” took place at the Carrollwood Day School auditorium, 1515 W. Bearss Ave., on the evenings of March 13 and 14.

“Disney’s Aladdin, Junior” is a Broadway-style musical that closely follows the action of the successful animated film. The play is part of the Broadway Junior services, which adapts classic and contemporary musicals into shorter editions aimed at middle school-aged performers.

The main cast comprised students from the upper levels of the middle school. About 100 students from the elementary wing of the school also took part as townspeople and extras.

The students began rehearsals in January under the direction of Susan Borden, the school’s music and performing arts teacher.

“This is a wonderful place to work,” said Borden. “Everyone pitches in and I have tons of volunteers.” This is Borden’s fourth year directing the school’s musical.

“The cast takes the responsibilities seriously,” she added. “They work hard on their own. They’re enthusiastic, and a joy to teach.”

Borden also cited her assistants and a dedicated crop of volunteers including parents, staff, students and alumni in making the play a success.

Volunteers designed the sets, transforming the school’s auditorium into the enchanted city of Agrabah. They also fabricated costumes for a cast of 170. Carmen Conrad served as the play’s costume designer. She said clothing hundreds of extras wasn’t easy.

“The hard part is getting the costumes for the entire cast so they all look comfortable,” she said. “I want the kids to feel good about their costumes.”
Conrad, whose daughter, Dakota, played Genie, said the school re-uses materials from previous productions to cut down on costs.

“And Terry Sayyah did a fantastic job designing the backgrounds,” she added.

In addition to the sets, the crew built a life-size elephant, on which Aladdin could ride down the aisles and onto the stage.

The story of Aladdin hearkens back over a thousand years as one of the collected tales from “The Arabian Nights,” which was first translated into English by Sir Richard Francis Burton in 1855. It was adapted from this version in 1988 by Howard Ashman into a Disney animated musical. He wrote a script treatment and wrote six songs with Alan Menken. Following Ashman’s death, Tim Rice joined Menken to finish the film’s songs.

The crew put on its finishing touches at dress rehearsal March 12, where they worked out the various kinks and took cast pictures. This is the school’s lone major production this year. They perform a musical twice in the spring, according to Ruffkess, who said the school used to hold one performance a year at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Carrollwood Day School was founded in 1981 as a secular private school. It has grown to include elementary, middle and high schools. The school is a nonprofit corporation governed by a board of trustees.

“This is a big event for our alumni,” said Erma Ruffkess, director of marketing for Carrollwood Day School. “For the middle school this is one of the highlights of their experience here.”

“Plus the costumes and sets – they outdo themselves every year,” she said.

Carrollwood Day School can be found on the Web at http://www.carrollwooddayschool.org.

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CABA SPRING EXPO SET FOR MARCH 21

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

This year the Carrollwood Area Business Association will host its spring expo Wednesday, March 21 at the Carrollwood Day School, located at 1515 W. Bearss Ave. in Tampa, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The CABA Spring Business Expo is a meet-and-greet opportunity aimed at the community at-large.

“What we want to do is provide chances for people in the Carrollwood area to see businesses they don’t always see, and for our businesses the opportunity to get to show off to the public,” said Lisa Demmi, expo-board liaison, CABA member and general manager of Chewning Inspection Services Inc.
Demmi has been in CABA for two years now and is on its board of directors. Her mother, Sandra Chewning, is a former president of the organization.
Over 80 exhibitors will be on hand, according to Demmi. She said the expo will feature “anything from karate demonstrations to artists painting live in the courtyard, moving services, financial people, Web-solution companies, dance companies, photographers - any kind of business you can think of will be on the floor.”

“It’s a nice cross-section of the business community,” she added. “We actually had some people join CABA so they could be involved in the expo.”
“Lisa has done a fantastic job organizing the expo for us,” Lori Rodriguez, CABA president, said.

Rodriguez said the goal of the expo is “to showcase Northwest Hillsborough County businesses by way of CABA member and just to expose ourselves to who is doing business in our community.”

CABA, began in 1986, as a collective of small-business owners in the area. Its membership has now surpassed 500. CABA members meet on a weekly basis at a member’s place of business. The meetings function as a way for members to network with one another.

The expo is in its 10th year. CABA also has plans to hold a winter expo this year.

The CABA Spring Expo is free and open to the public. Business attire is suggested. For information, call 264-0006 or visit CABA on the Web at http://www.carrollwoodbusiness.com.

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CLIMATE PROJECT SPEAKER TO VISIT ASTON GARDENS

By STEPHEN HAMMILL

On March 22, the News and Views program of Aston Gardens will welcome Roberta Fernandez to speak about global warming and its impact on the community and the planet as a whole.

She’ll also roll out “Roberta’s Top 10,” a list of simple things people can do to help the environment.

The presentation is set for 7:15 p.m. in the Aston Gardens’ ballroom, located at 12951 W. Linebaugh Ave. 

Terri Eckstein, Aston Gardens resident, runs the News and Views program along with her husband, Gerald.

“She was one of the first that trained for this,” said Eckstein, referring to Fernandez’ involvement in Al Gore’s Climate Project initiative.

Fernandez was one of the first 50 trainees chosen to volunteer for the Climate Project, a grass-roots organization, started by Gore, meant to educate and motivate the general population to take action against global warming. Climate Project is aiming to recruit and train 1,000 volunteer presenters over the next year.

According to Fernandez, she saw the film “An Inconvenient Truth” in August of last year and became affected in a major way. A South Tampa resident, Fernandez founded the Hyde Park Montessori School 11 years ago as place to raise her young daughter, as well as other children, in the Montessori methods. She had intended on working at the school for another few years, but she felt that the climate work was too important to wait any longer. 
“I left the theater feeling like I needed to make a difference,” she said.

She traveled to Nashville to join the first wave of trainees in what was to become the Climate Project.

“We went to Mr. Gore’s house and had training in the barn. It was an amazing experience,” she said.

When she returned to Tampa, she told her partner at the Montessori school that she needed to retire and start her new calling. She spent her last day there on March 1. Fernandez has since returned to Nashville as a senior mentor for remaining sessions, helping to train more than 1,000 volunteers.

“The people there have different backgrounds, coming from different places,” she said. “They run the gamut of the kinds of people that are out there and are passionate about this.”

The slide show Fernandez presents is a shorter version of the Al Gore presentation featured in the movie “An Inconvenient Truth.” The talks typically last a little over an hour.

A trained businesswoman with little science background, she was initially wary of speaking to groups about global warming, but has come to see that her audience is typically thirsty for any information she can give them. She’s also beginning to sense that individuals and communities are paying more attention to the message.

“The difference in awareness – you’re starting to see it now,” she said. “We’re reaching that tipping point, but also realizing how much more there is to do.”
Fernandez thinks her presentations go a long way to help people realize the potential they have to make a difference.

“I spend a lot of time talking about solutions, which is something the movie doesn’t really go into,” she said. “There’s so many simple things that people can do, and we go into that.

“People hear ‘global warming’ but Floridians don’t always see it. I think a lot of people didn’t make the connection before, but when they see the effects in the slide presentation, it hits home. I talk about the main areas where people can make an impact, and I think they really appreciate that … When you start doing one or two things, it spirals.”

Fernandez knows having Gore’s name attached to the project isn’t always a benefit. Some people treat her skeptically because they don’t like him. She tries to take the emphasis off the messenger and back onto the message.

“Everything in that documentary is solid science,” she said. “I think it’s more than a political issue; this is an economic issue.”

Fernandez doesn’t charge for her presentations, of which she has given 40 since September. In an effort to make a living working in the field of environmental awareness, she has set up an organization called Environmental Advocacy, which is dedicated to advising businesses on how to be better environmental stewards.

“I want to work with other businesses to help them become more environmentally aware,” she said. “Some of the large companies are waking up to the fact that they can be green and be profitable at the same time. In fact, they can save money.

“The key with this in the long term is to keep it in front of everyone’s face,” she said. “The more people see this in different places, the more credibility it takes on. It’s a matter of time, but it’s a matter of education more than anything.”

The Aston Gardens’ News and Views discussion group meets monthly, welcoming residents of the retirement community and the public to partake in discussions and presentations from a variety of speakers and performers.

Terry Eckstein and her husband began the program after moving to Aston Gardens three years ago.

“There’s no stock format said Eckstein.  “Whatever we think would interest our people, we do, and we’ll certainly welcome any people from outside Aston Gardens who might be attracted to our program.”

Topics can range from lighter entertainment fare to serious current events topics, such as the one Fernandez will be discussing.

On March 29, News and Views will welcome speaker H. Bruce Rinker, Ph.D., Division Director of Pinellas County Environmental Lands Management. Rinker’s program is very specific to Pinellas County and Brooker Creek, and Eckstein thinks it will tie in well with the presentation by Fernandez.

For directions to the Aston Gardens, call 855-2811.

Roberta Fernandez can be reached by e-mail at .

The Climate Project can be found on the Web at http://www.theclimateproject.org.

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