News OVERVIEW FOR Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Reclaimed Water Service Interrupted in Westchase
If you’re wondering if your reclaimed water system is broken, don’t fret. Reclaimed water service to approximately 600-700 Westchase homes has been interrupted. The outage is due to repairs to the reclaimed water main on Linebaugh Avenue across from Westchase Elementary School. According to staff with the Community Development District (CDD) reclaimed water service was spotty during last week and finally went off on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
Three Seats Open for WOW Board of Directors
If you want to volunteer to serve Westchase and play a role in making WOW the best magazine around, read on. Three seats on the World of Westchase, Inc. (WOW) board of directors will be open for appointment in March. The seats of current WOW, Inc. Directors Ernie Sylvester, Jim Dixon and Steve Silvers are up for appointment. The WOW, Inc. Board meets quarterly to oversee the magazine’s operations and set its operating policies. The board currently consists of five Westchase homeowners and is seeking candidates for the positions.
Westchase Alley Cats Wins the USTA Championship
The Westchase USTA Ladies 3.0 Tennis Team took first place in all of Hillsborough County. The Westchase USTA Ladies 3.0 Tennis Team, the Westchase Alley Cats recently won first place in Hillsborough County for the Fall 2012 USTA Season. It was a fantastic season for the Westchase women tennis players.
Remembering Westchase Elementary’s Treasure, Mrs. Mik
The children gathered at Baybridge Park on a chilly Saturday. On heart-shaped, helium-filled balloons, they wrote notes to Mrs. Mik, their kindergarten teacher. Then the balloons, nearly three dozen of them, were released to heaven.
Spare an Old Pair?
A young Westchaser wants to put your old eyeglasses to work again. In February eighth grader Stephanie Punzak will be going on a school missionary trip to the Dominican Republic. Said Punzak, “This trip is all about community service. During the time we are there, we will be constructing water filters for the people living in the Dominican Republic who go to the lake for their everyday water. This way, the water is clean and it is sanitary and safe for them to drink.”
The Sylvesters Celebrate Their Golden Anniversary
Feb. 2, a date commonly associated with Punxsutawney Phil and his annual Groundhog Day prediction, holds a much deeper significance for Greens residents Ernie and Beth Sylvester. The date marks their wedding anniversary. And this year marks 50 years since the couple said, “I do.”
2010 Census Household: Ruben Bazarte and Mitchell Petit of Harbor Links
November’s WOW told the story of the 2010 Census. This month WOW continues to tell the stories of the families who appeared on November’s cover. Ruben Bazarte, CEO of Information Solutions, and Mitchell Petit, an optometric physician with LASIK Plus, are exactly where they want to be – surrounded by a great group of friends, successful in their careers and happily settled in Harbor Links.
In Memoriam: Nancy Quiros
A wonderful neighbor from the Villas of West Park Village passed away in late December and will be missed. Her husband, Carlos, remembers her and thanks the community…
Police Unity Tour Fundraiser Feb. 21
One hundred fifty. That is the yearly average number. This year there were 173. Florida had 14. In Tampa Bay area over the last two years we have had nine. That is the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty – a number that is up 13 percent from 2010. Those numbers do not include the devastation left in the hearts and minds of shattered spouses, children, parents, loved ones, co-workers and the community they served to protect.
When Cupid Strikes: Westchase Couples Share Their Stories
In honor of Valentine’s Day, several happily married Westchase couples graciously agreed to share the details on how Cupid’s arrow finally hit its mark. For Angela Getty, a Keswick Forest resident, her interest in husband Matthew was piqued even before she first laid eyes on him. It was the summer before Angela’s senior year of college in Cape Cod. Angela’s brother was working as a lifeguard that summer and shortly after renting a house with a fellow lifeguard he came to Angela with words of advice: “Stay away from Matthew Getty!”
The Amazing Race Returns to Westchase Feb. 26
It’s back! If you missed one of Westchase’s most entertaining events the past two years, be sure to register today! The Amazing Race for Life of Westchase will return to the Westchase Recreation Center on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. Come join the fun and hilarity! Your team of family and friends will compete with other Westchase teams to solve clues, visit nearby establishments and tackle challenges – all in an attempt to be named winner of the 2012 Amazing Race for Life.
Honey, Do You Want To Go To Key West?
I said yes before I realized what I had said yes to... What do you call 12 runners, two vans and 198.5 miles?
Upper Tampa Bay Trail Great Place to Exercise and Explore
February in Florida is one of the best times to get outside and explore. Residents have 70,000 acres of parks in Hillsborough County to explore. Fortunately for Westchase residents there is a trail close to home – the Upper Tampa Bay Trail. The 7.25-mile trail runs along the west shore of a canal called Channel A. While it winds through residential and commercial areas, it is built through a greenway, making it a great place to exercise and explore. “You can see a wide variety of wildlife including alligators, coyotes, and birds on the trail,” said Tina Russo, senior park manager for Hillsborough County.
Tales from the Black Friday Ninjas
Some Westchasers celebrate Thanksgiving night by pulling the covers over their heads and relishing their turkey-induced slumber. Others become Black Friday Ninjas. Millions of Americans choose to participate in the highly competitive consumer Olympics known as Black Friday, where average shoppers display the stealth and cunning of a ninja in order to bring home retail gold. These warriors head out in the dark of night risking a stray elbow to the eye or worse, a shopping-cart wheel to the freshly pedicured toe.
Public Notice of Residential Guideline Changes
At their Oct. 11 and Nov. 15 meetings, Westchase Voting Members (VMs) will be considering changes to the Westchase Residential Guidelines. The Westchase Residential Guidelines is a supplementary document to the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CCRs). Both documents spell out architectural and use rules for Westchase residential properties.
Help a Wizard Make Magic
With just an hour of your time each week, you can dramatically change the life of a child who needs an adult role model. Westchase Elementary is looking for mentors for this school year. Can you lend a hand?
School Open Houses, 2011
Several private schools in the area are holding open houses to the community in the upcoming months. The list below is not a complete listing of all private schools in the area. Some of these institutions hold open houses in different locations; please contact the school admissions office for more information.
Westchase Birthday Celebration Oct. 29
This year Westchase turns 20 and you’re invited to the biggest birthday celebration around! On Saturday, Oct. 29, from 3-7 p.m., WOW is throwing a party to celebrate all that is great about our community. All residents are invited to join the fun on the West Park Green on Montague Street for a celebratory street party. The party will be held on the afternoon of the tenth anniversary running of The Great West Chase 5K and Children’s Fun Run.
Fall Garage Sale Is Oct. 1
Get ready for the invasion! The Westchase Fall Garage Sale will be held Saturday, Oct. 1. The sale is one of two such events held annually on the first Saturdays of May and October. (The Westchase Spring Garage Sale is scheduled for Saturday, May 5, 2012; please mark your calendars.) Garage sale hours run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Fitness Trail Opens This Month
The Westchase Community Association (WCA) and Community Development Districts (CDDs) are happy to announce the upcoming opening of the Fitness Trail in Baybridge Park.
