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Greater Trilby News

Serving the Tri-Community Area

Volume 4, Number 1     March/April 2008


FISH FRY     

 

Trilby United Methodist held a down-home country Fish Fry, February 28th. You could smell somethin’ in the air as you pulled up to the church to park. There were cars everywhere- folks from all over Trilby/Lacoochee/Trilacoochee and even Dade City came to enjoy the grits, slaw, tea, dessert and of course the headliner… FISH!!! Louie King, the Lay Speaker of TUMC, and the Trilby Masonic Lodge members provided some of the delicious food.  When asked what makes these dinners special, Pastor Dave Huff said, “This is a great opportunity to meet so many of the area’s residents and to have fellowship with them”.  Shirley Huff, Pastor Dave’s wife, added,” with crowds this big we need to have one in April”!  To learn more about Trilby United Methodist and their events, log-on to www.trilbyunitedmethodist.org or call the church at (352) 583-2577.

 

 

 

 

The Greater Trilby News

“Serving the Tri-community area”

Publisher:  The Greater Trilby Community Association, (GTCA)

Herb Green -- daddyherb2@earthlink.net

352-583-5936

Editor:  Jennifer Mihalinec – greatertrilbynews@gmail.com

352-583-4375

 

The Greater Trilby News is a monthly publication of The Greater Trilby Community Association, Inc., and serves the tri-community area consisting of Lacoochee, Trilacoochee, and Trilby.  This newsletter accepts articles concerning the association’s activities and articles of interest to the area.

TRI-COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR A WITHLACOOCHEE STATE TRAIL EXTENSION

 

What do you think about extending the Withlacoochee State Trail from Trilby to Dade City?  In the quest to find out the opinions of local residents and business owners in the Tri-community area, positive support for a possible extension was discovered. Traci Alford, whose family has owned and operated the world famous George and Gladys Restaurant for fifty years, stated:  “If the county extends the trail from Trilby to Dade City, this would bring more business to us here at George and Gladys’.”   Traci also felt that the extension of the trail would be a much safer option than going down Hwy 301 to Dade City.  Dade City residents, Ray and Pat Smith, also feel that an extension from Trilby to Dade City would be a great idea.  Mel stated that he would “definitely ride from Dade City to Trilby” if an extension was done.  Two of their friends visiting from New York, Mel and Barbara Reber, were first-time riders to the trail and had nothing but positive remarks about their bike ride.  When asked what they enjoyed most about the trail, they stated “the nature”!!!  They enjoyed spotting tortoises, various birds and the beautiful wildflowers.  Additionally, they found the benches along the trail useful and liked the fact that the horse trail was separate from the asphalt trail. 

 

Ridge Manor residents, Bill Underhill and Tammy Wheeles, favored a southern extension to the trail.  In regards to extending the trail, Bill stated, “the longer the better”.  He felt that there was plenty of trail to ride North of Ridge Manor as opposed to the short ride south.

 

If you want to potentially bike/walk/run to Dade City, call District One Commissioner Ted Schrader at 521-4274 or e-mail him at tschrader@pascocountyfl.net. 

 

L to R:  T. Wheeles, B. Underhill, B. Reber, P. Smith, R. Smith, M. Reber

 

Page 2 of 6            Greater Trilby News                             March/April 2008


 

LACOOCHEE CHURCHES COME TOGETHER

 

Saturday, March 1st, several churches in Lacoochee came together to have their first annual fundraiser benefiting the Lacoochee Community Cemetery. Funds obtained from the fundraiser were to aid in the upkeep of the cemetery.  Pastor Marvin Strickland of Oak Ridge Baptist church stated that the land was donated by the Mills Family in 1898.  The first grave in the cemetery dates back to 1898. The fundraiser consisted of a meal of pulled pork with side dishes and an auction. Several tents for the event were provided by Withlacoochee River Electric.   Pastor Marvin said,  “This is our first year and we plan to do this every year from here on out”.  

           

           

 

 

TRILBY ASSOCIATION HAS A RECREATIONAL CENTER

 

The Greater Trilby Community Association was recently donated the use of three acres and a double wide trailer off of Old Trilby Rd and Caboose. This recreational center, when finished, will provide a host of activities such as tennis, basketball, racquetball, football and a quarter-mile track to walk around. The association will also utilize the center for office space and youth/elderly activities. “The center is for everybody”, stated Herb Green, the President of TGTCA.  The land will boast a pavilion and a custom grill for events such as family reunions, community events, etc. Also there are plans to build a small stage for community concerts. 

 

We also are proud of the partnerships we have with the area’s surrounding colleges. St.Leo University students recently volunteered and cleaned up the whole property and the inside of the double wide. There are plans for them to come back soon to paint the outside green and gold (just like their school colors). If you want to donate/volunteer please call President Herb at 583-5936 or Vice President Denny 583-4375.        

 

ACCESS Florida Logo

Automated Community Connection to Economic Self-Sufficiency


Apply for Food Stamps, Temporary Cash Assistance or Medicaid.

Apply for Food Stamps, Temporary Cash Assistance or Medicaid.

Report Changes to your Food Stamps, Temporary Cash Assistance or Medicaid case.

Check Case Status or Benefit Information.

Medicare Prescription Drug Program - SSA's Low Income Subsidy application.

Information for Hurricane Katrina Evacuees


These services are available 10 am to 1 pm,

Tuesday through Saturday

at the Trilby House (Community Center),

37452 Trilby Road

Across from the Trilby Post Office

This service is provided by GTCA in cooperation with the Florida Department of Children and Families

 

The Greater Trilby News is always looking for information and articles of local interest.  If you have a story or want us to write one for you, please contact Jennifer Mihalinec the News Editor at:

 

greatertrilbynews@gmail.com

352-583-4375

 



 

Page 3 of 6            Greater Trilby News                             March/April 2008


 

TRILBY COMMUNITY          ASSOCIATION PARTNERS WITH WILD THINGS’ TROLLEY TOURS

Submitted by:  Denny Mihalinec

 

The Greater Trilby Community Association is a 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit Organization, which provides social programs and services in the Tri-Community Area for its citizens, will be partnering with Wild Things’ trolley tours.  The Greater Trilby Community Center will serve as the “pick up” spot for visitors to the Tri-Community area. The Center’s location is 37452 Trilby Rd Trilby Fl, 33593.  The Greater Trilby Community Association is growing its many programs this year and this is an example of a positive service to its residents and visitors.  It will provide a way to promote the beautiful scenery and mostly THE RICH HISTORY of the Trilby/Lacoochee/Trilacoochee area.  Tours will initiate late April as stated by Randy Stearns the director of the tours. Contact Public Relations Director- Denny Mihalinec (352-583-4375/dmihalinec@gmail.com) and Randy Stearns (813-714-2555) for additional information.  

Denny and Jennifer Mihalinec with trolley similar to ones that will be used for the tours

 

THIRD ANNUAL TRILBY HOMECOMING

Trilby oldtimers and newcomers alike arrived at Charlotte Tomkow Whittington's Hunter Hill property on Saturday morning, March 15, for the Third Annual Trilby Homecoming.  The weather cooperated well and everyone attending was able to spend a pleasant day on the hill under the oaks.

The group began arriving after 10:00 and a covered dish dinner was enjoyed by everyone at noon.  This year's head count numbered 107 in attendance.

Not only were current Trilby residents present, but also former residents who were able to come back "home" and spend the day with old friends in Trilby.  Several retirees of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad attended, as well as descendents of old Trilby families who were learning more about their genealogy by attending.

One attendee, visiting Trilby for the first time, was Keith W. McMullen of Orange Park.  His grandfather was a dentist at Trilby from 1914 to 1916, whose office was located on the second floor of the Trilby State Bank building.

Among others coming back home to Trilby for the day was Omie Irene Worthington McDaniel of Orlando.  Now in her 90's, Mrs. McDaniel vividly remembers the day in late May 1925 that downtown Trilby burned and how she helped carry merchandise out of the Edwards store in a mostly unsuccessful effort to save items from the approaching fire.

The day was spent reminiscing and looking over old photos, making and renewing acquaintances.  Plans are already underway for next year's Fourth Annual Trilby Homecoming, always the third Saturday in March.

Mrs. Tomkow Whittington setting out desserts


Page 4 of 6            Greater Trilby News                             March/April 2008


 

HISTORICAL MARKER TO BE PLACED

 

Citizens of Pasco County are welcome to attend the placing of a historical marker for the Owensboro Community. The marker will be dedicated on Saturday, April 26 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at the Historic Owensboro Park of Old Trilby, which is located just past George and Glady's Barbeque Restaurant. The marker is being placed by the Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee, under the auspices of the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners.  The marker will be a "blue star" type historical marker, similar to the one located in front of the Greater Trilby Community Center. Longtime Local Trilbian Denny Mihalinec and a small group of Tri-Community residents set out in 2001 to provide a safe place to park and access the Trailhead of the 47-mile Withlacoochee State Trail.  Denny placed a request to Scott Black, a local Trilby Historian and a member of the Historical Committee in Pasco County, for a historical marker to be placed in the park upon its completion. The marker has since been obtained through Mr. Scott’s efforts. 

 

           

 

CHAIRMAN'S CORNER

By:  Scott Black

 

Wow!  I shook my head, rubbed my eyes, and re-read the notice several times... Trilby is getting its very own Dollar General Store?!!!

 

Sure enough, there it was on the government agenda for Pasco County with a staff recommendation.  What great news for our community!

 

To be situated in the "apex" between U.S. Highways 98 and 301, just north of the Cumberland Farms store and south of Tyer's Mobile Home Ranch, with two entrances, the new stand-alone store will be accessible from both highways.  Arguably, I'm sure it will be called the "Trilacoochee" store and for good reason, actually, and I'm all for it in the spirit of good Tri-Community relations, but first a little history...

 

For background, you're going to have to "imagine" with me a little here, but try to think of our community before U.S. Highway 98 and without a four-lane U.S. Highway 301.  It has only been in the past 50 years or so that those modern highways have appeared, although there was the earlier Fort King military road. But try to erase these current roadways from your mind and imagine an earlier Trilby.  Try to imagine what we now call Old Trilby Road as the main north-south " federal highway" through Trilby...that stretch was once considered "modern" because it was paved (or the "hard road" as oldtimers would call it).

 

Now also picture the absence of fences, a period of time known as "open range," when cows roamed freely (even in the roads).  Without fences, people would freely ride their horses and buggies and early automobiles in all directions, not just where there were roads, and paths were easily made across what we would now think of as "private property," but no one seemed to mind back then.  You could really go somewhere directly "as the crow flies" a lot more easily during that era.

 

Without the modern highways bisecting our area and without fences in the way, I think you can see how the proposed location for the Dollar General Store would have once been considered Trilby, without any other considerations.  Platted streets (never built) for the town of Trilby were designed with this section of land in mind.  It was all just a short jaunt across the field from the "hard road" (Old Trilby Road).  Today, you have to drive up and over and down, just to go what was once an even shorter "shouting" distance.

 

The late Una Mickler Dees described to me the very first Trilby school, which would have been located roughly about where the new store is to be built.  It was called "Wake Forest Academy" in honor of a school in North Carolina where her family and some other area pioneer families once lived.  It was a rather well built wood-frame building and was among the earliest efforts to import "civilization and culture" to this area.  That namesake North Carolina school, by the way, is the same prestigious institution now known as Wake Forest University.  A later two-story red brick school would later be built about a thousand feet west, across what is now U.S. Highway 98, in the area now being considered for residential development.

 

As I now bring you back to the future, I know you will join with me in welcoming Dollar General Store to the community and thank them for their efforts in helping small communities, like ours, enjoy a compatible new level of economic development.  Yep, it will likely be called the "Trilacoochee" store, and I'm very happy with that, but now you know..."Long ago, not far away" was once a fair place in the making that we still call Trilby.

 



Page 5 of 6            Greater Trilby News                             March/April 2008


 

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

 

“Wow! I mean Wow! We’re on the move!”, states Herb Green the Greater Trilby Community Association President. Herb outlined many programs and projects TGTCA is undertaking in 2008-2009 for you, the Tri-Community residents.  The exciting programs/projects are as listed: 

 

1. TGTCA will be expanding the services available through the Access Center. The Access Center is where one can apply for Medicaid, food stamps and Pasco 211 services (social services).   In addition, the Pasco County Library System has agreed to provide additional services to add to access such as employment assistance. They are offering a representative from the library to be on hand the same days that Access is open.  The hours for both the Access Center and employment assistance will be Tuesday-Saturday from 10 am-1 pm.  Any questions, please contact the Trilby Community Center at 352-583-4150.  Please leave a message if needed. 

 

2. Greenways and Trails donated a 1,400 sq. ft. building and three acres to use for our planned recreational complex for use by families, the youth and elderly of Tri-Community.  Various events, reunions and meetings can be held at the complex. Plans for the complex call for amenities such as tennis and basketball courts, a field for football and soccer, 1/4 length track, pavilion, amphitheatre for concerts, areas for horshoes and badminton and much more!  The ongoing operations of the complex will require donations from the community and volunteers-- we need your help!!!!  It will also offer several offices for our already established programs such as security patrol, a youth/teen room, senior citizen room, arts/ crafts rooms and group meeting rooms for the community to utilize.  It will also have a fully functional kitchen and two bathrooms. Contact Herb Green at 352-206-0444 or Denny Mihalinec at 352-583-4375 for additional information and to get involved!! 

 

3. Our 2nd Annual Fourth of July family picnic will be held at Trilby Manor Park. This event is for  you, our neighbors in Tri-Community. The Greater Trilby Community Association wants families from all over Trilby, Lacoochee and Trilacoochee to come and meet your neighbors and old friends to play, socialize and mingle.  Make sure to bring the kids and grandkids!! Our Committee Chair, Linda Sherill, has big plans for this event.  If you want to help, please e-mail her at  WSHERRILL7@aol.com. 

Get ready for food, games and prizes!!

 

4.  We now have the Trilby Association Beautification Program (Garden Club).   Shirley Huff is the Chairman of the program. Shirley has already received two truckloads of plants from the Blanchard Family Ranch where the annual Steeplechase is held.  The Association is looking into placing new “welcome” signs and creating a new community sign for visitors to see all the organizations and groups in the area. So many exciting things are happening in this committee.  To help, donate or volunteer… please call Shirley at 352-583-2577.

 

5. Our 4th Annual Fall Festival and Safety Rally will be held September 27, 2008. This event keeps getting bigger and bigger every year!  We hope to serve several hundred kids and families this year!  We also are adding our bi-annual Tour de Trilby ride/walk/run/skate to this already impressive event for area families in Pasco County.  Please go to www.trilbyfl.com to pre-register and sign up.  All proceeds go to help build The Wilton Simpson Recreational Complex for Tri-Community families and kids right here in Trilby!  To help out, please call Kathy Riley at 352-583-4994.

 

6. The Greater Trilby Newsletter Edition will be out for the March/April 2008 Edition in local stores such as Farm Basket in Lacoochee, the Trilby Citgo, George & Gladys Barbeque Restaurant, the Blanton Citgo, the Dade City Chamber of Commerce and in the Trilby and Lacoochee Post offices.  Please support this newsletter as it provides you with your news and event information. We are looking for business sponsorships with the newsletter. It is a $25/month donation for a regular business card space. Six and twelve-month specials are available.  Please call Reporter/Salesman Denny Mihalinec or The Editor-Jennifer Mihalinec at 352-583-4375. If you have an event or special happening that you would like to appear in the newsletter, please send an e-mail with accompanying  pictures to  greatertrilbynews@gmail.com.  Do you have a wedding announcement, special recipe, or community project you want the area to know about send them in no later than 1 week before the beginning of every month......  

 

7. Trilby offers a Food Bank& Clothing Locker that is provided by Trilby United Methodist Church in partnership with TGTCA’s Access program at the Trilby Community Center.  Call 352-583-4150 or 352-583-2577 for additional info. 

 


Page 6 of 6            Greater Trilby News                             March/April 2008


8. Coming Soon- Your Community Association is working hard for you, citizens of Tri-Community! We are bringing back PAINT YOUR HEART OUT TRI-COMMUNITY. If you know of an elderly person or family who needs a hand up, have them call us to paint or clean up their yard. Our organization is going after a grant to help with paint supplies and materials. We are working hard to form Tri-Community as a Enterprise Zone for small businesses.  We have partnered with Pasco County to do a needs assessment for the entire area. This will enable us to ask for Community Development Block Grant funds in the near future. Our goal is to rebuild the area with its rich history in mind. Yes, we plan to rebuild the area. We have also partnered with USDA Rural Development/State Legislatures. We will have 100+ college students walking the streets soon to ask what you think the Tri-Community needs are. If you are interested in shaping the design and future of the area, we have a Growth & Development Committee already formed making decisions for the entire area. Another big project is getting the Withlacoochee State trail extended from Trilby to Dade City. We are also working hard to bring industry to the Lacoochee Industrial Park, improving roads and bringing multi-style housing to the Tri-Community area.  We are encouraging East Pasco Habitat to work with us to build affordable housing in Trilby/Lacoochee as well.  If you want to donate or volunteer,

please call Denny Mihalinec or Pastor Dave Raley at 352-583-4375. 

  

9. TRI-COMMUNITY HAS A GROWING SECURITY PATROL!!  The Greater Trilby Community Association, which started Trilby's first ever security patrol, has fully grown into its own. The Program has expanded to Trilacoochee/Lacoochee as one big force of citizens working together with help from the Sherriff’s Office. It is now called THE TRI-COMMUNITY CRIME WATCH and SECURITY PATROL UNIT. Fifteen members from Trilby, Lacoochee and Trilacoochee have the task of calling in crime, reporting suspicious behavior and they are certified by The Pasco County Sherriff’s Office. The Patrol has a police car and is very active at night and during the day throughout Tri-Community. To learn more or to get involved call Herb Green at 352-583-5936.

 

I want you to know that you have some of the most dedicated group of pastors, business leaders, community leaders and board members that I have ever seen working for you the Citizens of Tri-Community. Everyone is a volunteer- no one is paid. We you could use your donations, volunteerism and participation on the many described committees. Also, if you see a need and want to provide it in the community let us know. We can bring you on board in some capacity and help you help the community. 

 

We are a Registered 501 (c)(3) Non-profit organization that means your donation is tax deductible. 

Come join us!

 

President,TGTCA

Herb Green

 

The Greater Trilby News is always looking for information and articles of local interest.  If you have a story or want us to write one for you, please contact Jennifer Mihalinec the News Editor at:

 

greatertrilbynews@gmail.com

352-583-4375