Westchase - Vol. 2, Issue 10, October 2013

Dr. Tran’s awareness of the ex-isting stigma and horror stories weoften here about visiting the dentistis something he seeks to change byreally getting to know his patients.He says, “Even if I am able to curbtheir anxiety and fear slightly, theirworries will be less and less overtime.” At Mangrove Bay Dentistry,you are not just another filling,crown or cosmetic request; you aretreated as a person and your smileare given individualize care. Insteadof just informing patients of poten-tial dental problems and treatments,Dr. Tran and his TEAM educateand present color photos to helpyou better understand your options.

The Community & Local Business Magazine Directly Mailed To 16,000 Homes In Westchase & Surrounding AreasThis Independent Community News, Business & Dining Guide Is Directly Mailed Once Each Month To:

Arlington Park • Aston Villas • Bay Arbor • Berkeley Square • Calf Path Estates • Enclave At Citrus Park • Fawn RidgeForest Lakes • Hampton Lakes • Highland Park • Lake Chase • Mandolin • The Eagles • Tree Tops • Twin Branch Acres

Waterchase • West Hampton • Westchase • Westchester • Westwood Lakes • Windsor Place

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

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PERMIT 1185

Remembering Joshua Griffin...3

Community Calendar............4

News Briefs..........................5

Tampa Rejuvenation.............6-7

The Grille at Westchase.....10-11

Livy’s Hope...................14-15

An Experience of aLifetime.........................26-27

Vol. 2, Issue 10, October 2013

By Erin Aldrich

So you are not fond of visiting thedentist? Well, let’s be honest, it is notcommonly looked upon as one of life’sthrills; but what if there was a way tomake it a whole lot more enjoyable?

At Mangrove Bay Dentistry, theyaim to make this happen, one patientat a time, one smile at a time. When Isat down with Toan Tran, DMD, itwas as though I was speaking with afriend. It became very clear to me atthe onset of our conversation the rea-sons why patient reviews online statedthings like, “extreme patience, under-standing and informative” and "neverhave I been in a dentist’s office whereeveryone there was so concerned

about my well-being; the care taken toassure that I was comfortable was thebest I ever had”.

Our conversation continued, ashe explained where his inspiration fordentistry began, and it did not take memuch longer to conclude he chose,and remains in his profession for allthe right reasons. Upon completingwork-study at a dentist’s office duringhis undergraduate years at the Univer-sity of Florida, Dr. Tran made a fewdecisions about what his dental prac-tice would entail. For him, developingmeaningful relationships with his pa-tients was his first priority, and his sec-ond was ensuring a comfort level ofeach individual patient that goes farbeyond the initial visit. See “Mangrove Bay” on page 22.

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& LifestylesYour neighborhood. Your magazine.

The Brain Balance Achievement Center in OldsmarChanging Children’s Lives

Susan, a Sensory-Motor Coach atBrain Balance in Oldsmar workswith student Autumn McGinnis

By Julie Kanehl

Let’s be honest, being a parent isthe hardest, most wonderful thingyou’ve ever done. But hard gets harderwhen your child is diagnosed with alearning disability or disorder. The labelin itself can be hard to swallow, evenwhen you know that a label doesn’tmake a child and even when you knowthat a label doesn’t make any differencein who your child really is, what theycan become or what they can achieve.That said, it can still be hard to knowwhat to do next with regard to yourchild’s individual success at home, inschool and in life in general.

When your child is diagnosed orgiven a label of ADHD, ADD,dyslexia, autism, Tourette’s, an As-perger’s Spectrum disorder, a learningdisability or a processing disorder, it’shard to know what to do. For parentsand families this can be a scary andoverwhelming time, and while theseissues have become almost common-place over the last two decades, theanswer to the root of the problem hasnot been agreed upon. The popularalthough controversial approach to“fixing” it, however, is to use modernmedicine. There is another option.

See “Brain Balance” on page 18

Your Smile is Always a Top Priority at Mangrove Bay Dentistry!

2 OCTOBER 2013 Westchase Area Neighborhood NewsFor Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com

In the earlymorning hours of

September 2, tragedy struck theTampa Bay Area with the heartbreak-ing death of beloved resident JoshuaGriffin. What started as a day of cele-bration quickly turned into a devastat-ing nightmare – a terrible, unexpectedaccident. And now, a community ofloved ones is left shocked; mourningand grieving the loss of such an amaz-ing man; a man with such a promisingfuture ahead of him, who had so muchleft to give to this world.

To all of us who had the pleasureof knowing Josh, we were truly fortu-nate. He was a caring, compassionateman, a man of God, who had a per-sonality that could cheer you up nomatter how bad your mood. Therewas just something about Josh; it washis presence; he could brighten up theroom, simply by walking in and smil-ing. Even if you had just met himonce, it was impossible not to like him.Everyone loved Josh, whether you had

known him your whole life or had justmet him for the first time.

“Thousands upon thousands havebeen touched by this tragedy,” writesJoshua’s father Jeff Griffin. “Joshuawas so loved by his brothers and sister– he was their best friend. Joshua, only29 years of age, with his whole brightfuture ahead, has left his girlfriendDenele heartbroken, along with every-one else he has come in contact with.Truly, a man full of life and a manfilled with the love of God.”

The outpouring of support fromthe community is a true testament tothe power of Josh’s presence and theimmeasurable affect he had on others.His love knew no boundaries. Hetouched the lives of so many, includingmy own. Josh had such a love for life,and just being around him, made youfeel that way too.

Although Josh is no longer withus in physical form, he is not gone,and he certainly will never be forgot-ten. His presence will forever live on in

our hearts and his spirit and being willcontinue to bless all those he came incontact with.

In honor of Joshua Griffin, theGriffin family has devoted a MemorialFundraiser on his behalf. All donationsare welcome and all proceeds will begoing towards local charities by meansof a foundation the family is starting.This will also result in a yearly eventthat will happen in Josh's name. Formore information or to donate pleasevisit www.YouCaring.com/NonProf-its/Joshua-Griffin-memorial-fundraiser/87416 or the JoshuaGriffin Memorial Page on Facebook.

OCTOBER 2013 3Westchase Area Neighborhood News For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.com

Neighborhood News& Lifestyles

Directly mailed once a month to 16,000households in zip codes 33626 & 34677

220 Safford Ave. S. Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Phone: (813) 928-6124; Fax: (727) 942-2432Advertising E-mail:

[email protected] E-mail:

[email protected]© 2013 Westchase Neighborhood News is published by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.

Nothing that appears in Westchase NeighborhoodNews may be reproduced, whether wholly or in part, with-out permission. Opinions expressed by Westchase Neighbor-hood News writers are their own and do not reflect thepublisher’s opinion.

The management of Westchase Neighborhood Newsis always happy to accept outside editorial submissionsto the paper. Please call for outside editorial submissionand advertisement deadlines.

Westchase Neighborhood News will consider previ-ously non-published outside editorial submissions if theyare double spaced, typed and less than 500 words.Westchase Neighborhood News reserves the right to editand/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makesno guarantees regarding publication dates. Westchase Neigh-borhood News will not return unsolicited editorial materials.

Westchase Neighborhood News reserves the right toedit and/or reject any advertising. Westchase NeighborhoodNews is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond theactual cost of the advertising space itself, not for the validityof any claims made by its advertisers.

Westchase Neighborhood News & Lifestyles is pub-lished by ADS 2 Publications, Inc.

PublisherTim SelbyGeneral ManagerMatt Selby Advertising SalesJim O’ReillyLinda ViegaMike BirdAccounting ManagerDoreen SelbyBilling AssistantTina O’ReillyMarketing & DevelopmentAshley Knoblach

EditorAlexis SelbyCorrespondentsKim ThomasJulie KanehlKatie ThomasMarcy SanfordLenay RuhlDara TuckerErin AldrichArt DirectorTony SicaGraphic ArtistDat X. Do

From The Editor Alexis Selby

Joshua Griffin - Forever Missed,But Never Forgotten

and awareness for this wonderfulcause, the Twisted Olive, located at9882 W. Linebaugh Ave. inWestchase, is hosting “Happy HourFun” to help raise money to supportthe Tampa Bay 5k charity run. HappyHour Fun will be held from 6 p.m. –9 p.m. on Tuesday October 22. Witha $10 donation, guests will receive 1free drink and complementary appe-tizers.

PurpleStride events raise aware-ness about the critical mission of thePancreatic Cancer Action Network,and give local residents the opportu-nity to help make strides toward a bet-ter future. The events also contributemillions of dollars toward their mis-sion to advance research, support pa-tients and create hope. Funds raisedhelp provide personalized support forpatients and support research grantsand advocacy efforts to increase fed-eral pancreatic cancer research fund-ing.

For more information aboutHappy Hour Fun please call (813)269-7421.

Great Westchase 5KPresented by the World of

Westchase, the Great Westchase 5K is

a USATF nationally certified, chip-timed 5K race and 1 mile children funrun organized by the World ofWestchase to benefit literacy programsat Davis Elementary School, a Title Ischool serving residents of The Chil-dren's Home and Town N Country.

This race is held annually on thelast Saturday in October. This year therace will be held at 8 a.m. on Saturday,Oct. 28; the children's fun run willstart at 9 a.m. Start and finish lines willbe located in the Village Plaza in WestPark Village, located at 10116 Mon-tague St. in Westchase.

Held in the heart of beautifulWestchase, all runners of the 5K racewill receive a quality tech race T-shirt,a great goodie bag and a commemora-tive 10th anniversary Great Westchasemedal. All runners will also be enteredinto a raffle for great prizes. Awardswill be given for first, second and thirdplace finishes overall; for both maleand female Masters; and for both maleand female runners finishing first, sec-ond and third place in standard five-year age groups up to 75+.

The events will be held rain orshine. For more information pleasevisit www.Westchasewow.com/The-GreatWestchase/.


Community CalendarAll About Amore Cat Hospi-tal’s Official Grand Opening

Come join All About Amore CatHospital on October 26 from noon to3 p.m. as they celebrate their officialGrand Opening Event. In addition toprizes and food, there will also be catsavailable for adoptions and a KittyCostume Contest!

All About Amore Cat Hospital“We are a full service cat hospital

and we strive to provide the moststress-free experience for your felinefamily member,” says Dr. SusanMango. “We look forward to you al-lowing us to provide the care for yourkitty with compassion and love, afterall we are ‘All About Amore’.”

Dr. Mango graduated from RossUniversity School of Veterinary Medi-cine in 2006 and completed her clini-cal at the University of Florida. Shereceived her certification fromECFVG and PAVE and also holds aBusiness Management degree fromWestern New England College.

Dr. Mango truly cares about ani-mals and volunteers with Paws for

Friendship, Inc., a non-profit organi-zation of volunteers sharing the un-conditional love of their personal petswith people in need, throughout theworld(www.PawsForFriendshipInc.org). Shealso works with Lap of Love, a Veteri-nary Hospice and In- home euthanasiaservice (www.LapOfLove.com).

All About Amore is located at6178 Gunn Highway in front ofWalmart. For more informationplease call (813) 280-2928.

Happy Hour Fun to HelpSupport PurpleStrideTampa Bay 2013

This year, in communities acrossthe country, tens of thousands of peo-ple will participate in one of over fiftyPurpleStride events. These eventsrange in size from brief walks tolonger timed-runs, but they all shareone common goal – to end pancreaticcancer.

This year’s Tampa Bay PurpleStride event will take place on Novem-ber 2 at Albert Whitted Park in St. Pe-tersburg. In hopes of raising money


Community News Briefs

New Yoga Studio Open inWestchase

Last month, Westchase welcomedone of its’ newest local businesses –Studio 108 Yoga and Holistic Heal-ing, located at 11059 CountrywayBlvd. The new studio will offer a vari-ety of classes, including Hot 26+1,Hot Flow, their Signature Funky Flow,Power Flow, Beginner classes, Com-munity Vinyasa Flow, Prana Flow,Missy White’s 108 Asanas Beginnerand Advanced Series, Duncan WongInspired Yogic Arts, Yin Yoga, YogaNidra and Meditation. There are mul-tiple classes every day of the week, in-cluding their popular Hot LunchHour classes. Nutritional consultationsare available with Ayurvedic coach

Missy White for detox programs, in-creased energy, lifestyle changes,weight loss and overall health.

Opening SaleIn celebration of their grand open-

ing, Studio 108 Yoga is offering anopening sale, including $45 for 30 daysof classes or 3 Classes for $25. Thisoffer is limited to new students and is aone-time purchase only. For a completeschedule of their classes and to pur-chase opening sale specials or otherclass packages, please check out theirwebsite at Studio108Tampa.com. Booknow, appointments are filling up fast.

Studio 108 Yoga and HolisticHealing is located next to the Pub-lic Library in Westchase at 11059

Countryway Blvd., phone number(813) 343-8887. For more infor-mation or answers to your ques-tions please contact Heather Snyderby phone at (813) 495-1680, or byemailing [email protected] 108 Tampa is also the offi-cial home of the 108 Asanas(www.108Asanas.com).

75th Anniversary of a Mer-cury Theatre Original RadioBroadcast

October 30 will mark the 75thanniversary of Mercury Theatre’s orig-inal radio broadcast of HowardKnoch’s adaptation of H.G. Wells’The War of the Worlds. To celebrate,MAS Community Theatre will per-form a live staged recreation of thebroadcast at the Tarpon Springs Cul-tural Center on October 4, the RuskinFirehouse Cultural Center on October25 and the Carrollwood Cultural Cen-

ter on October 26 and 27. It will markthe first time MAS Community The-atre has toured a show in the BayArea.

Auditioning actors will be askedto read an excerpt from a play (fictionor non-fiction), poem, or other text oftheir choosing for no more than 60seconds. The audition will also includecold readings, exercises and games.Actors are encouraged to be familiarwith the original 1938 broadcast ofThe War of the Worlds and that styleof broadcasting. For more informationabout auditions, contact director RicSolerto-Brown [email protected].

The recreation of the originalMercury Radio Theatre broadcastof Howard Koch’s The War of theWorlds is being produced through aspecial arrangement with AnneKoch. For more information, visitCarrollwoodCenter.org.


Feel Better, Look Better, Live Better with Tampa RejuvenationBy Marcy Sanford

Tampa Rejuvenation Founder andCEO Brett Markowitz wants to helppeople lead healthier, happier lives. Dur-ing his 15 years in the health and fitnessindustry, he has seen many people whoeat right and exercise but still can’t loseweight; and has even seen some thatcontinue to gain weight despite effortsto lead a healthier lifestyle. He says,“Our patients come to us for many dif-ferent reasons. Some have always beenover weight; some have started to gainweight as they get older and can’t lose itdespite exercise and dieting; some aresuffering from depression and fatigue;some people are having sleep issues.And, for the most part, they all knowsomething is wrong but they just can’tpinpoint what it is. At Tampa Rejuvena-tion we work with each person to createan individualized plan for their body,hormones, and lifestyle to help them livea healthier, happier life.”

Tampa Rejuvenation opened theirfourth location in June in the Coving-ton Professional Park at 13648 Hillsbor-ough Avenue. “We opened this office inresponse to the need of our patients,”says Brett. “We had many people travel-ing from the Westchase area to come toour offices and we wanted to make iteasier for them.”

Tampa Rejuvenation’s doctors in-clude Johanna deVryer, MD – BoardCertified Internal Medicine; AgnesGreen, MD – Board Certified Anesthe-siologist; Jeanna Hepler ARNP – Inter-nal Medicine. Brett says, “Each of thedoctors are specialists within theirunique studies, and they all share a pas-sion for the field of anti-aging and howit is helping to change patient’s lives.They are all A4M credentialed – this iswhere they go for additional educationon how to slow up the aging processand prevent age-related diseases. Theyall work hand in hand to provide the

best patient care possible.” Since 2008, Brett and the board

certified doctors and professional per-sonal trainers and nutritionists at TampaRejuvenation have been helped hun-dreds of patients regain their energy andtake control of their lives. “Our doctorslook at the whole person and all of theirsymptoms and lab results to discoverwhat is happening with their body,” saysBrett.

Patients like 42-year-old Stacey haveseen amazing results. She says, “TampaRejuvenation offers a total healthylifestyle makeover. I have had exceptionalresults over the last few months follow-ing their program – a loss of 40 lbs ofbody fat while gaining several pounds oflean muscle mass. I have lost approxi-mately 22 inches from my bust, waist,hips, and thighs, not to mention the im-provement of my overall well-being.When I wake up in the morning none ofmy joints are screaming anymore and mychronic neck, back, and shoulder pain isgone. I no longer feel exhausted andrun-down throughout the day. Myblood pressure, cholesterol and restingheart rate have dropped significantly.Tampa Rejuvenation provides support tocover every aspect of a healthy lifestyleand gives you the right tools to achievethese results all in one place. They haveknowledgeable doctors, personal train-ers, and nutritionists on staff to helpevery step of the way.”

One of the many reasons TampaRejuvenation’s programs are so success-ful is that they recognize that no twobodies or body chemistries are exactlyalike. They use an integrative approachto determine the most suitable blend ofmedical weight loss, bio identical hor-mone therapy, clinical nutrition, and ex-ercise for each individual. Theprofessionals at Tampa Rejuvenationtake plenty of time meeting with eachpatient to assess their needs, challenges,and goals. Then, they perform diagnos-

tic testing to analyze your current healthand well-being. After receiving and re-viewing your lab results, your doctor willtalk to you about your health history, thesymptoms you are experiencing, andyour goals. Then your doctor will workwith a team of fitness and nutrition pro-fessionals to create a customized plan tohelp you reach those goals.

Brett says, “Our medical team iscomprised of on-staff physicians, clinicalnutritionists, medical assistants, and per-sonal trainers. Each patient has a team ofprofessionals to help ensure their suc-cess. We treat people for what is reallywrong with them instead of using aband-aid approach to treat symptoms asthey pop up.”

Brett says patients of all ages cometo Tampa Rejuvenation for help andthat there are many factors besides agingthat could be throwing your naturalhormone or thyroid levels off balance,including stress, genetics, lifestyle, andenvironmental toxins, which all can de-crease the proper healthy level for yourhormones.

Once Tampa Rejuvenation getsyour hormone levels back to normal,they continue to offer support and helpto their patients through an on-goingmaintenance program. The nutritionand exercise specialists will develop aplan just for you. “We have developedjust for Tampa Rejuvenation patients anIphone or Android application specifi-cally for our weight loss programs; iteven prints out a shopping list for you totake to the grocery store,” says Brett.You also receive a workout video andrecipes daily. The workout is tailored to

how many calories you are taking in andhow many you need to burn. The resist-ance training based work-outs are usu-ally 20 – 30 minutes long and can bedone at home.”

When your hormones are notright, it can affect so many areas of yourlife and can cause you to experiencesleep issues, weight gain, and a loss ofsex drive. Unbalanced hormone levelscan also cause you to be overly emo-tional, and tired all day long, includingwaking up tired.

Dr. Agnes Green (L) has a passionfor the field of anti-aging and how it

is helping to change patient’s lives.


If you are suffering from one ofthese symptoms, don’t spend anotherday feeling worn down. Talk to thehealth experts at Tampa Rejuvenationtoday to see what you can do to startfeeling better, looking better, and living-better. Brett says, “Tampa rejuvenationreally allows for long term success.”

There is no cost for the initialconsultation and the staff will gladly

check to see what your insurance willcover. Tampa Rejuvenation Westchaseis located in the Covington Profes-sional Park at 13648 HillsboroughAvenue and is open Mondays 11 a.m.to 7 p.m. and Thursdays 11 a.m. to 7p.m. For more information and a listof other locations, visit their web siteat www.TampaRejuvenation.com.Call today to schedule an appoint-ment at (813) 558-9500.

Dr. Johanna deVryer (front center) and her caring staff work hand-in-handto provide the best patient care possible.

(Fron L to R) Nicole, Anna, Mike, Johanna, Cheree, Candi.


The Grille at Westchase – Your Next Generation Sports Bar! By Alexis Selby

Recently undergoing some exten-sive changes, including new ownership,a new name, a great new look and acompletely revamped menu, in the pastyear The Grille at Westchase, previouslynamed Courtside Grille, has quickly be-come a huge hit among Westchase resi-dents. “There is nothing like us in thisarea,” says co-owner Sue Geigle. “Thereare other restaurants and other goodrestaurants, but there is nothing likeus.” Known for its upscale dining, anddeliciously unique food, The Grille atWestchase is so much more than youraverage sports bar. Featuring a familyfriendly atmosphere, complete with anarcade room, a beautiful covered patio,including a newly added cornhole game,and live entertainment on Fridayevenings, dining at The Grille atWestchase is always an entertaining ex-perience.

“We have implemented a lot ofchanges in the past year,” says Sue. Atfirst glance, most notable of thesechanges is the elegant new look, whichgreatly reflects the new direction thatthe restaurant aims to take. Anotheradded feature is the addition of moreflat-screen high-definition TVs and pro-jectors, which line the walls throughoutthe restaurant; meaning no matterwhere you sit you’ll have an excellentview of your favorite sports team.

“I had an awesome first-time expe-rience here last month,” writes customerJennifer. “I am a NFL fan from an out-of-town team. I arrived in a big groupof 12 for my team's 4:25 pm game on abusy Sunday afternoon. The hostessesand manager were amazing. Theywalked us around to show us all theopen tables with TV options and guar-anteed we could watch our game. Theywere so accommodating and helpful tomake sure our every need was answered.We had 4 kids with our group; they

were very well taken care of. Through-out the game we ordered a steadystream of appetizers, all of which werevery good. The draft beer is literally thecoldest beer I think I have ever had in abar, and that is saying a lot (I've had alot of beer in a lot of places). We willdefinitely be coming back. If you lovesports, good food, and good customerservice, this place does it right!”

Sue, who purchased the restaurantin May of last year with her husbandKevin, brother-in-law John Geigle, andfriends Paul Williams, David Williamsand Paul Walker, has been the drivingforce behind these new changes. Sheunderstands what it takes to run arestaurant, and strives to ensure thateach guest receives the most attentive,quality customer care. “Owning arestaurant is all about customer serviceand building relationships and I ab-solutely love it,” says Sue. “I have metthe most incredible people.”

“We really care about our guests andfocus on building relationships with ourcustomers,” adds Brian Whirlow, theGeneral Manager at The Grille atWestchase. “When people come in we tryto make them feel really welcome and wealways cater to their individual needs.”

Perfectly complementing the newlook of the restaurant is the introductionof an entirely new menu, featuring anice variety of options to choose from.“The quality of food has tremendouslybeen changed since we took over own-ership and we have a great new menuwith all new menu items,” adds Sue.

Appetizers include game-day fa-vorites such as Buffalo chicken dip,wings and nachos, as well as seared AhiTuna, stuffed mushrooms and grilledcheese baquettes. In addition to a hugeselection of burgers, sandwiches andmelts, their menu also boasts a deliciousselection of fresh salads, such as theirCaribbean Chopped Salad – made withfresh greens, red onions, red and greenpeppers, tomatoes, walnuts, craisins, andblue cheese crumbles, served with fat-free raspberry vinaigrette – and theirChef Chopped Salad – Salami, ham,turkey, Monterey Jack and Cheddarcheese, cucumbers, bacon, and hard-boiled egg, served with house vinai-grette.

A true testament to their new, so-phisticated appeal, The Grille atWestchase showcases a full liquor bar, awonderful wine selection, and some ofthe best cuisine in the Tampa Bay area,

including a large variety of lighter choiceoptions. Fresh off their Oakwood grill,The Grille Seafood Platter, flaunting amouthwatering combination of Mahiand shrimp skewers, served over a ricepilaf, accompanied by a side of freshveggies, is one of their specialty dishes,and with the first bite I could easily seewhy. The Mahi and shrimp, which wereseasoned with a light coating of spices,absorbed the natural flavor of the Oak-wood grill, giving them a subtly smokyflavor that was absolutely amazing, andthe Mahi, might I add, was cooked toexcellence, each bite flaking off perfectlyand simply melting in my mouth.

For those who prefer somethingfrom the land, their NY Strip steak is mypersonal recommendation. Also cookedon the Oakwood grill, this tender, juicy10 oz steak is served with roasted garlicmashed potatoes and seasonal vegeta-bles. The quality of the meat was superband the chef did a phenomenal job ofpreparing it, adding just the rightamount of spices, allowing for the inher-ent flavor of the meat to really be tasted.Another prime selection from the Oak-wood grill is their 10 oz Bone-in PorkChop. With the option to get it black-ened or grilled (I tried it grilled),

The Grille at Westchase features an extensive menu of delicious options to choose from, including their Bayou ChickenPasta (L) and their Oakwood grilled NY Strip steak (R).

OCTOBER 2013 11For Ad Info Call (813) 928-6124 or Visit NeighborhoodNewsFL.comWestchase Area Neighborhood News

whichever way you order it you will notbe disappointed – it was delicious!

A true signature at The Grille atWestchase, and a favorite among cus-tomers, you have to try the BayouChicken Pasta! With generous chunks oftender chicken, and yummy pennepasta, both of which are tossed in acreamy garlic tomato wine sauce beforebeing topped with Asiago cheese, thisentrée was every bit as heavenly as itsounds. Loaded with flavor, the sauce,which had a little kick to it, perfectlytied in the essence of this amazing dish!

If you are like me, and have a bit ofa sweet tooth, their Funnel Cake Friesare guaranteed to satisfy. A huge hit

among kids, these fried funnel sticks aredeliciously coated in sugar and cinna-mon and accompanied by two tasty dip-ping sauces – raspberry and caramel.Oh, and did I mention that after thefirst bite you will be hooked?

All You Can EatFootball Buffett

With an all-you-can-eat footballbuffet, every Sunday from 12 p.m.-4p.m. The Grille at Westchase is yourgame-day tailgate headquarters. Watchyour favorite team on one of their big-screen TVs as you enjoy an endless sup-ply of hamburgers, hotdogs, chickensandwiches, bratwursts and more. In-

cluded with the buffet are all-you-can-drink options as well, depending on thepackage you choose: $15 for soda andwater, $25 for domestic drafts and $35for all drafts (including imports) andwell liquors.

$5 College Game SaturdaysThe Grille at Westchase also offers

some great specials on Saturdays forthose who come to watch college foot-ball. Specials include $5 select appetizersand well margaritas, as well as $11 buck-ets of Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light,Coors Light and Mich Ultra. They alsohave $11.50 pitchers of Corona Lightduring evening hours.

Sunday BrunchFor a delicious brunch, complete

with waffles, an omelet station, freshfruit, bagels, pastries, bacon, sausage,corned beef hash, biscuits and gravy andso much more, stop by The Grille atWestchase on Sundays from 9 a.m. – 12p.m. for their all-you-can-eat breakfastbuffet for only $11.95.

But, the specials don’t end there;this sports bar also offers great dealsthroughout the week: Mondays – come in during the Mon-day night football game to enjoy $5select appetizers, $11 buckets of se-lect beer and $11.50 pitchers of Co-

rona Light. Tuesdays – in addition to kids eatingfree (with each adult entrée pur-chase), Tuesdays are also Build YourOwn Pasta Night. Wednesdays – come in for 2 for 1 fa-jitas all day.Saturdays – stop by during eveninghours to enjoy their fresh, neverfrozen, all you can eat snow crab. In-cluding endless sides and salad, foronly $24.95, this deal is too good topass up!

A Place for fun, friends, and deli-cious food, The Grille at Westchase isperfect for every occasion. Whether youare watching your favorite sports teamon one of their TVs, enjoying a relaxingdinner with your family, or sharing a ro-mantic evening with your significantother, one thing is for sure – this nextgeneration sports bar will provide youwith a wonderfully memorable diningexperience!

The Grille at Westchase is locatedon the corner of Countryway Boule-vard and Race Track Road at 13234Race Track Road in Tampa. Theirhours are Sun. – Thurs. 11 a.m. – 10pm and Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m. – 11p.m. For more information and acomplete list of specials please visittheir website at www.TheGrille.co orcall (813) 818-7433.

The Grille Seafood Platter (L) is one of their specialty dishes and is every bit asamazing as it looks! The Funnel Cake Fries (R) are guaranteed to satisfy

your sweet tooth.


her biggest support-ers. She not onlymakes beautiful jew-elry to support Livy’sHope but also speaksat events aboutepilepsy and disabili-ties.

In June of thisyear, the Scheinmanfamily launched Livy’sHope For A Cure, afundraising effort toraise money for theEpilepsy Foundation.Jon says, “After Livy'slast hospital stay dueto uncontrolledseizures, despite herearlier surgeries, wecould no longer sitidly by. So, we set outto raise as muchmoney as we could.We started by having lemonade standsin various locations (including one atthe final game of Westchase’s kickballleague in August). We also reachedout to kids across the country. On July27th, we had the first official Lemon-ade For Livy day and raised about$2,000.”

Now, the Scheinman family, withhelp from friends and supporters, are

planning a much bigger special eventat Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater.Held on November 16 from 5 p.m. –9 p.m., The Imagine A Cure: WillyWonka Fundraiser will be a fun eventfor the whole family with variousrooms decorated like the rooms fromWilly Wonka’s chocolate factory. PopAmericana recording artist CarmenMagro, the singer and songwriter of

By Marcy Sanford

Having a child is a life-changingevent. So imagine how much your lifewould change if you had twins. Now,imagine one of them was born with adisability. How would that changeyour life?

For one family in the Tampa Bayarea, having twin daughters (one bornwith a major disability) has changedtheir lives in ways they could neverimagine. “My daughters, Hailey andOlivia (Livy) will be 9 in December,”says Jon Scheinman. “Livy was bornwith epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Herfirst seizure occurred about an hourafter she was born. She cannot walk ortalk or even sit up on her own, but shehas changed the lives of everyone shemeets. She has a glowing, radiantsmile that brightens even the darkestof rooms. She has undergone twomajor brain surgeries, a multitude ofhospital visits, and numerous medica-

tions but is still one of the happiestkids I have ever seen.”

Raising children is challenging,but when you add therapy sessionsand multiple visits to the doctor eachmonth, it would be easy and under-standable if simply “getting by” eachday became the family’s main goal.However, the Scheinman family hasmade it their mission to help otherfamilies of children with epilepsy anddisabilities; to educate people, and tofund research that will hopefully oneday find a cure for epilepsy.

Jon says their family has beenamazed to realize how much they canhelp other people and that they alsoenjoy being able to talk to other fami-lies about how to live life with a dis-abled child. “We originally started ourorganization called Livy's Hope tohelp raise money for Livy’s many ex-pensive therapies. When it was clearthat Livy's Hope could be so muchmore, we began using funds from any-thing we sold to help others as well.We deliver bracelets to girls in the hos-pital and provide Care Notebooks freeof charge to families providing care fordisabled children. The notebooks helpparents keep the abundance of neces-sary information all in one organizedplace.”

Livy’s twin sister, Hailey, is one of

Livy (L) with her twin sister Hailey (R)


“I Am Hope”, will entertain thecrowd with his passionate music, andFritzy the Entertainer will delight chil-dren with his antics as he plays therole of Willy Wonka. In addition togames and live entertainment, therewill be mini-golf, face painting, agreen screen photo booth, and a silentauction. All proceeds from the eventwill benefit the Epilepsy Foundationto fund research for a cure.

“Despite the rocky, emotionalroad our family has been through over

the last eight years, we think it is soimportant to give back and to make adifference in the lives of others,” saysJon. “We have spent countless hoursasking why Livy and our family hashad to endure these incredibly difficulttimes. But, helping people in need andinspiring those without hope has pro-vided a glimpse of an answer.”

You can get more informationabout Livy’s Hope and the ImagineA Cure fundraiser atwww.LivysHope.com.

The Scheinman family has made it their mission to help families of childrenwith epilepsy and other disabilities.

Brain Balance Achievement Cen-ters offer a medicine-free, education-based Brain Balance Program thatcomprehensively helps each childreach their fullest academic, social, andphysical potential.

The Brain Balance Center ofOldsmar, located at 4022 TampaRoad, is one of more than 50 BrainBalance Centers in the nation. Steadilygrowing because of their proven suc-cess with children diagnosed with is-sues like these, parents and families areembracing the individualized pro-grams available for their entire family.Using personalized and comprehen-sive assessment tools, the educatedand certified teachers, nutritionists,coaches and professionals at Brain Bal-ance assess your child’s difficulties, andthen work with your child, your entirefamily and even his or her teachers tofacilitate growth.

Brain Balance Center of Oldsmaris owned by Director Larry Polnicky,whose own son, Ben, made incredibleadvances in the program that they at-tended out of state. Larry was so im-pressed with the program that heopened the Oldsmar location so that

other children like Ben would be ableto make progress without medication.

How? The Brain Balance pro-gram believes that your brain canchange. That’s a bold statement, butwhen your child begins to speak, afterbeing told that they would not be ableto do so, or when your child’s gradesimprove dramatically despite beingtold that they wouldn’t be able to suc-ceed, the reality kicks in. There is an-other option, indeed, and thousandsof children’s lives have been improvedbased on this program.

Program Director, Heather Las-cano, takes the time to find out whatthe world looks like from your child’sperspective. She comes to Brain Bal-ance of Oldsmar after years in pharma-ceutical drug development as well asyears of patent, business, and contractlaw, and has used tools like yoga in herown small business to aid many peoplewith a variety of ailments. Her experi-ence, her “out of the box” approachand her dedication to truly helpingpeople make Heather a unique fit.

Is your Child Disconnected?This “brain-based, not drug-

based” program is based on Dr.Robert J. Melillo’s research on neu-robehavioral disorders. Dr. Melillo,who is a world-renowned neurologist,


“Brain Balance”Continued from page 1

professor and author, believes that allof these conditions, which were previ-ously thought to be unrelated, are infact related, and can be grouped intowhat is called Functional Disconnec-tion Syndrome. Brain Balance is not amedical facility, and so it does not em-

ploy doctors, write prescriptions formedications, or accept insurance.What it does do is offer hope, options,proven techniques and a personalizedapproach.

In his book, Disconnected Kids, heexplains how these conditions all find

(top row, L-R) Heather Lascano (Program Director), Andrea Bartelloni(Academic Evaluator and School Liaison), Henri Lasane (Sensory Motor

Evaluator), Bonita van Dorseer (Teacher and Parent Group Leader)(bottom row, L-R) Anne Sweeny (Teacher), Maria Mogollon (Assistant

Director), Patricia Hoover (Sensory Motor Coach) Not pictured Susan Rose (Sensory Motor Coach)


a commonality in the way that thebrain works, and while if you were totake a child with any of these condi-tions and give them an MRI Scan, orany other number of medical tests,there would be nothing to find. Thebrain is not damaged. These issues areall connection issues, and research hasproven that the left hemisphere of thebrain and the right hemisphere of thebrain have distinct responsibilities,abilities and functions. Most of us caneasily be labeled “left-brained” or“right-brained” but research hasfound that when one-half of the brainhas a deficiency, it leads to these con-nectivity issues, which can result in a“disconnect” between a child andtheir ability to learn, communicate andsucceed. The goal is to challenge thehemisphere of the brain that is show-ing a deficiency and to stimulate it sothat it will learn to function.

One parent said, “We drive 2-1/2hours one way and our son is worthevery minute and mile spent on theroad. Just 20 sessions and my son’sreading fluency and word reading hasmarkedly improved. We are so proudof him! He loves coming to Brain Bal-ance. His confidence has improvedgreatly too. Thank you to such anawesome team of professionals whounderstand and care about children

with learning challenges. It’s also asoft place to land as a parent.”

Another parent writes, “”I am soproud of Jalon. I’m also so thankful toBrain Balance for all that they havedone and are continuing to do forhim. I have been telling everyoneabout Brain Balance and I will keeptrying to spread the word because Ibelieve in this program. Unlike anyother therapy, Brain Balance treats thewhole child. They were the first to runblood tests and do other extensivetesting to test every level from Jalon’sprimitive reflexes to food sensitivitiesand identify the weaker hemisphere ofJalon’s brain. Once they received theseresults they were able to come up witha program that addresses his sensory,academic and dietary needs. The resultis that in just a couple months Jalonhas made amazing strides and is nowmeeting or surpassing his peers inmany areas.”

The Brain Balance program is tai-lor-made for each individual child andgenerally works with children fromkindergarten age to ninth grade. Eachprogram generally consists of one ortwo 12-week after-school programs,where each child participates in arange of activities that help them toimprove the connections betweenboth hemispheres of their brains.

One of the best parts of the BrainBalance Program is that the educatedand experienced staff realizes thatwhen a child is effected, the entirefamily is effected, and as a team, theygather around to give the child thesupport that he or she needs fromevery angle. The program itself givesthe child a physical and cognitive ac-tivity program that will, in time,change the way the brain reacts. Com-bined with the right nutrition, andarmed with the role that nutritionplays in your child’s behavior, certainbehaviors can be changed right away.While we’re all comfortable with tradi-tional allergies, there are foods thatmay affect the way your child learns,or reacts. It may be strawberries thatare the trigger, or the ingredient thatholds their favorite candy together,but with an understanding of all ofthese things, progress can be made.

Focusing on areas such as academicperformance, social abilities, cognitivefunction, sensory and motor skills, vi-sual-spatial organizational skills and nu-trition, your child will be given everyopportunity to make advances that youmight not have thought possible.

Polnicky says, “In a study where60 of the students had ADHD, 82%of those students were shown to nolonger exhibit any signs of ADHDafter one 12-week program.” He adds,“Two-thirds of the students improvedby two grade levels, and one-third ofthe students actually improved by fourgrade levels; 100% had some improve-ment, and 0% had no improvement, soeven if I didn’t know from personalexperience that this program worked,we have the research to back us up.”

One parent wrote a testimonialsaying, “Brain Balance truly made ourhome more peaceful. He is a com-pletely different child than when hestarted the program. What you offerto kids and their families is priceless!”

Is this Program for your Child?The Brain Balance Mission State-

ment is “to make the Brain BalanceProgram available to as many childrenas possible, that each child may reachtheir greatest physical, mental, socialand academic potential.”

If your child has been diagnosedwith a neurobehavioral disorder likeADHD, Dyslexia, Autism or As-perger’s Syndrome, Tourette’s, or anynumber of learning disorders, don’tlose hope. There are answers beyondthe drug store.

The best way to find out moreabout Brain Balance is to come to oneof their free information events. TheBrain Balance Center of Oldsmarholds parent lectures where parentsand professionals alike can gain aunique window into a child’s brainfunction. Their lectures offer insightinto how the brain normally developsand what may interfere with the stagesof typical development.

Parents can also come in for a freetour, sit down one-on-one with theCenter Director and see for them-selves what all of the buzz is about.

The truth is that people comefrom all around the world, and crossstate lines to come to Brain BalanceCenters. Their innovative, holistic ap-proach to children and families haschanged the lives of thousands of peo-ple. We are lucky to have a Brain Bal-ance Center right here in Oldsmar.

The next free informationalevent will be held on Saturday, Oct.12 at 10 a.m and will feature:Ending the Struggle: Understandingthe Brain Balance approach to im-proving academics, behavior and so-cial skills without medication. PleaseRSVP as seating is limited.

The Brain Balance AchievementCenter of Oldsmar is located at4022 Tampa Rd., Suite 6. For moreinformation or to schedule a tour,please call 813-475-6977. You canalso email them directly at [email protected], orvisit Brain Balance online atwww.brainbalancecenters.com.

They also take it a step further bymaking sure you feel as comfortableas possible and helping you to find asolution that best fits your needs.Outstanding customer service and in-dividualized personal care are top pri-orities at each appointment andprocedure and the TEAM takes thetime to recognize what makes eachpatient’s situation unique and devel-ops a dental plan that best fits theirdesired goal.

Only the Newest andGreatest Dental Technology

Equipped with the latest andmost innovative dental technology,Mangrove Bay Dentistry offers digitalx-rays, which are not only more effi-cient, but also emit about 90% less ra-diation than the traditional film. Inaddition, this new type of x-ray pro-vides a clearer and more concise rep-resentation of your teeth because thebeam is more directly focused. Thereis less shadow and more highlightingwhen it comes to the quality of the x-

ray. Furthermore, there is practicallyno wait time for processing, becauseno chemicals are needed for process-ing the films, thus, help protectingour environment

Mangrove Bay also takes theguesswork out of diagnosing dentalissues by using an intraoral camera totake photos of your teeth. This spe-cial camera produces color pictures,allowing you to see the problem foryourself firsthand and in color. Thisclears up confusion and helps patientsto understand both the diagnosis andwhat the next steps involve. This typeof camera is especially beneficial to pa-tients interested in cosmetic servicesbecause it provides clearer photos ofdiscoloration and unevenness of teeth.

Continuing Education – ThePower of Patient Knowledge

Dr. Tran and his TEAM regu-larly attend dental conventions bothin and out of state, including, mostrecently, the Florida National DentalConvention and the West Coast Dis-trict Dental Conference. By continu-ally updating their education, theTEAM at Mangrove Bay Dentistry isable to stay up-to-date on current


“Mangrove Bay”Continued from page 1

procedures and techniques, enablingthem to better educate their patientson potential and preventable dentalconcerns.

Since each patient’s situation isunique, Dr. Tran is careful to considerparticular conditions that may influ-ence the dental health choices of a pa-tient. His entire TEAM is on boardtoo; “Our credentials matter very lit-tle to patients if we are not meetingtheir needs”, says Dr. Tran.

Patient education is taken just asseriously as the treatment provided.During each visit, all patients are in-troduced and made well equippedwith new dental knowledge. Dr. Tranalso invites adult patients to bringtheir children so they can experiencean exam room setting in an effort tohelp ease anxiety and fears beforetheir first visit, setting the stage fortrust before the first appointment ac-

tually takes place. Dr. Tran says “If achild is exposed to the dental settingbefore there is a problem, the child ismore likely to be comforted when aproblem occurs.” Dr. Tran makes ef-forts to nurture this important foun-dational piece in his practice withchildren. Again, the power of knowl-edge at any age helps to ease discom-fort and prevent potential dentalhealth concerns before they have achance to occur. Dr. Tran and histeam also extend their knowledge andteachings to local area schools wherethey have participated on numerousoccasions for school health days aswell as the Great American Teach-In.

At Mangrove Bay Dentistry, cus-tomer service and building meaning-ful relationships with patients is at thecore of their practice. This, alongwith many other factors sets Man-grove Bay Dentistry at the top of


their field. “We are more concernedwith making our patients feel com-fortable and getting to know their in-dividual needs and goals rather thanover scheduling and having themwait.”, said Dr. Tran; a recipe that hasprovided Mangrove Bay Dentistrywith the sweetest of results – an arrayof patients whom they also call theirfriends. So whether you are visitingfor a routine exam or a more complexcosmetic procedure, Mangrove BayDentistry has the methodology,knowledge and experience to guaran-tee your visit will leave you smiling

from ear to ear! Mangrove Bay Dentistry is lo-

cated at 13998 West Hillsboroughin Tampa. Appointments may bebooked online at www.Mangrove-BayDentistry.com or by calling(813) 891-9898. Hours are Mon. –Fri. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. with eveningappointments available. Please visit,like and follow them on Facebookfor announcements, dental posts andcustomer appreciation opportunties;and check in future issues of theWestchase Neighborhood News forupcoming holiday specials.


By Bill Moline

If you had told me 14 years agothat Rotary International had travelopportunities, I’m sure I would nothave known what you were talkingabout. Now, it would be a differentstory; in the last three years I’ve beenon a Rotary District Conferencecruise, almost went on a RotaryFriendship Exchange to Russia, and,most recently, a four week trip to Tai-wan, the Republic of China. The Tai-wan trip ranks in the top few of themost exciting things I’ve done in mylife; flying helicopters in Vietnamranks number one.

About Rotary InternationalRotary International is the oldest

(1905) business networking, commu-nity and international service organiza-tion. It has 1.2 million membersworldwide; it’s in over 200 countriesand has over 34,000 clubs. This year’sslogan, “Peace Through Service” isvery much in tune with the interna-tional projects we do. We are about to

eradicate Polio in the world in just afew years; it has taken us more thantwenty years to get here, plus $1 bil-lion and thousands of people walkingvillage to village to administer the vac-cine to over 2 billion infants.

The Rotary International (RI)Group Study Exchange (GSE) pro-gram is an all-expense paid, businessand cultural exchange between twoRotary Districts – in this case, RotaryDistrict 6890 (Hillsborough, Polk,Highlands and Hardee counties) ex-changed teams with District 3520(Taipei, Taiwan). The teams consist ofa Rotarian Team Leader and 4-5 teammembers who are not Rotarians, notrelated to Rotarians, are 25-40 yearsof age, have worked in an industry forseveral years, and can leave work for30 days. The last requirement reallynarrows the field. After I was selected(I had lived in Taiwan over 50 yearsago) I had 8 applicants for 4 spots andinterviewed all for professional appear-ance, demeanor, flexibility, willingnessto do what it takes to make a goodimpression in a foreign country and

represent Rotary International.

Understanding the cultureWhen we visit a foreign coun-

try, do we really “get a feel” for theculture when we stay in an Ameri-can hotel and eat at Western-themed restaurants? In GSE westayed with Taiwanese Rotarians intheir homes and changed hostsevery four days. We generally atebreakfast with our host families,lunch with the team and our dayhosts and dinner again with ourhost families. Our days were spentvisiting the industries of the teammembers so they could see howtheir industry does business in Tai-wan, in addition to visiting culturalplaces like temples, shopping areas,museums, theaters and vacationspots.

Building RelationshipsTo have friends – real friends –

in a foreign country, it takes morethan a handshake and a smile. Liv-ing with them, dining with them,

An Experience of a Lifetime!

After a tour of the Presidential Palacewith our tour guide (in red) and hosts

Jim and Andy. The Presidential Palacewas actually built by the Japanese whenthey occupied Taiwan from 1895-1945.


lar the Taiwanese Rotarians, were thewarmest, most generous, kindest, andmost humble people I have ever met.In my heart I had always believed thatAmericans, in spite of our “Ugly Amer-ican” reputation, were the world’swarmest, most generous and kindest(but definitely not the most humble)people I had known, but now I knowwe have a long way to go to match theTaiwanese. For example, on one occa-sion our team was out taking picturesin downtown Taipei and became dis-oriented. Luckily, his host wrote theaddress of his condo in Chinese just incase. When he realized that he was losthe asked a passer-by for help. She didnot speak English at all but he showedher the address and she walked him 6blocks to the front door of the condobuilding. He was blown-away by herkindness. This type of incident actuallyhappened twice – both times resultingin the same outcome. We were simplyunprepared for the level of warmth andgenerosity exhibited by the Taiwanesepeople. Their economy is also doingwell and we met several businessmenand women who own more than onebusiness. My team and I could speakfor hours on our experience and areright now making the rounds to Ro-

tary Clubs who want to see our presen-tation. If you are interested, we alsoaccept offers to speak at other organi-zations.

A Little About MeRetired and living in Carroll-

wood, I, a military brat, was born inTokyo, Japan. I have a Bachelor ofScience Degree in Applied Science andEngineering from the U.S. MilitaryAcademy at West Point, NY, and aMaster of Science Degree in Aeronau-tical Technology from Embry RiddleAeronautical University. I have 23years of service in the U.S. Army andU.S. Air Force, flying both rotarywing aircrafts as well as high perform-ance jet fighters; retiring as a USAFLieutenant Colonel. A decorated Viet-nam Veteran as an Army helicopterpilot, I was awarded the DistinguishedFlying Cross, Purple Heart and 41 AirMedals throughout my career. I havebeen a Rotarian for 14 years, am aPaul Harris Fellow and Past Presidentof the Tampa Hyde Park Rotary Club.

For more information on Ro-tary International, or more specifi-cally Rotary District 6890 (WestCentral Florida) please visitwww.Rotary6890.org.

sharing in their religious beliefs (wewent to many Buddhist Temples),hoisting a few adult beverages (if youpartake) and discussing world situa-tions and concepts of freedom anddemocracy is very exciting and re-quires some thought and preparation.I got in more than one discussion ontopics such as cameras in their down-

town area, cameras in their cars (youcan’t lie when your accident is video-taped) and assorted other issues.

My AssessmentWhile Taiwan had changed con-

siderably in the last 50 years since I hadlived there, it was all for the better.The Taiwanese people, and in particu-

One of our first visits was the Neihu Tzu Chi Society, a non-profit that pro-vides healthcare to the poor. This is the headquarters where they do educa-

tional TV and radio and have a huge recycling facility.

Westchase - Vol. 2, Issue 10, October 2013

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