Tampa Bay Times du lieu suivant : St. Petersburg, Florida • 63

2 Monday, December 25, 2006 St. Petersburg Times PAS OP Land 0'Lakes Office: 24038 R. 54, Land O'Lakes, FL 33559 X- tampabay.comopi inion Guest column I Georgi Davis Dade City Office: 37951 Meridian Dade City, FL 33525 NEWS W. Pasco News (727) 869-6238 Dade City Bureau (352)521-6540 Land 0'Lakes Bureau (813) 9094606 Circulation (352) 860-7361 ClubCommunity Events (727)869-6238 Obituaries (727)869-6235 Religion News (352) 521-5757 ext 29 Sports (727)869-6261 Weddings (800) 333-7505 ext 8735 Port Richey FAX(727) 869-6233 Land 0'Lakes FAX (813) 909-4611 Dade City FAX (352) 521-6520 Pasco Times Port Richey Office: T1321 U.S. 19, Port 34668 DELIVERY Call to subscribe, report delivery problems, for billing inquiries, vacation hold or other customer service.

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Pasco (727)849-0044 Land 0'Lakes (813) 909-4600 Dade CityE. Pasco (352)521-6510 Telecommunications Device for the hearing impaired (727) 869-6205 lllRULilliaill! families and good friends. It went on to tell me that Christmas was not about all those gifts and goodies we purchase and prepare. Christmas is about reflecting on the peace and purpose of life, not just at Christmas, but all year long. The word "silent" kept coming through the message.

It reminded me of how silent the snow is Up North. If you have never experienced that silence, you can't possibly know what I am talking about. I can only assure you that with a fresh snowfall comes muted traffic, silent footsteps and a world that is embossed and made perfect by that snow. If it snows on Christmas Eve, the carols coming from the churches take on a different kind of music. It is a quieter music that gives peace to both mind and soul.

I finished my crying jag and went about writing letters to my children telling them just what I wanted for Christmas this year. I told them that above all else, I really wanted to be with them, to sit in a pew in our church on Christmas Eve and experience that peace with them that comes from holding candles together and singing together Silent Night. I told them I wanted to sit with them and languish in the pride I have for each of them. To raise three children and know they have each reached adulthood with very few problems gives peace to the soul. Although we will not be together this year, they will be in my heart.

I wish everyone a silent night that brings peace from within for the families that hold the world together and make it a better place. Georgi Davis lives in Hamosassa. Guest columnists write their own opinions on subjects they choose, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper. Comfort Specialist" COMMITMEXI I I RELIABIl ITV I Buy a Trane XL19i Comfort System before December 31, 2006, and get an 16 Months Same As Cash Financing! fl Owned Operated STAFF BillStevent Michael MoscardinI UsaBuie Bridget Hall Gmmet C.TBowen Larry Beasley Linda Raab JimChristensen, Robbie Parham Jm LThompson North Suncoast editor As. N.

Suruoast editor Centraleast Panco editor Night city editor Editor of editorials General manager North Suncoast marketing manager North Suncoast circulation manager Pasco County circulation manager Regional circulation manager North Suncoast ADVERTISING Classified Retail Dade City (352) 521-6530 521-6530 Land O'Lakes (613) 909-4603 909-4603 Port Richey (727)848-3277 842-9465 Internet (727)893-8665 tampabay.com advertisement NASA's Secret Backpain Relief Revealed to Public Washington, D.C. A new free report has been released that reveals how breakthrough medical technology is offering new hope for disc and sciatica sufferers. Discover how research has proven nonsurgical spinal decompression 86 successful in treating debilitating back pain. Find out how and why astronauts don't have back pain and how NASA's accidental discovery lead to the most promising treatment today. For your free report entitled, "How Space Age Technology Is Solving Back Pain Without Drugs Or Surgery!" call 1-800-762-3154 for the toll-free 24 Hour recorded message or go to www.discpainnomore.com DrTudd 220921-01 Cisco Internet Services Computer Programming IT Security Networking Services Web Development Specialist OrWKMO'W-01 Pain Procedures Epidural Injections Trigger Point Injections Facet Blocks Auto Injuries Welcome 9W t213JOIOl 1 Years in Business 16 Monms Same As Cash16 Mortis Deterred Pavmenl.

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Inside I decided that one of my golfing Santas should stand under the tree, so I moved him, too. We are having friends over for Christmas Day dinner, so the task of decorating the table came into play. I searched high and low for napkin rings and place mats for the dinning room table. This took me to six stores before I found what I liked. I bought Bayberry candles, which seemed to have been nonexistent for many years.

I felt my decorating was complete. It was a good thing I started early, because I still had presents to buy, wrap and send Up North. I quickly discovered I had outgrown my perfectionism on this matter. I wrote checks to the teenagers in the family, knowing full well they would rather select their own gifts. I purchased cute little outfits for the babies.

I found quality sweat shirts for the men in the family and chose one for each in a different color. For the women, I found some lovely, soft sweaters. Here, again, I purchased four in different colors and appropriate sizes. I felt great! The shopping was completed. It then dawned on me that I had spent more time decorating the house than on gifts.

I was feeling a trifle guilty that my home was more important than my presents. But then I received an e-mail from a friend. It was one of those video e-mails with pictures and music. Sometimes I open these, sometimes I don't But this time I was drawn to see what the "Silent Night" message was about I sat glued to the computer. Tears began to well in my eyes and before the message was finished, I was crying out loud.

The message played Silent Night as pictures of snow and families flashed before my eyes. What it was really saying was that Christmas is a time of silence and peace spent with Share your opinions world. He also speaks at nationally prominent conferences where he focuses on prevention and quality of care. He has truly taught me more than any teacher I have ever had. His commitment to this community and to health care in our country is demonstrated in his volunteer work to community service and his active involvement in numerous local, state and national organizations such as the American Heart Association, CARES and Pasco-Hernando' Community College, to name a few.

As an advocate, he is constantly promoting health and education by working closely with elected legislatures at the local, state and national levels. Just a few of his accomplishments are student health promotion, antismoking campaign, emergency cardiac and stroke care, research and indigent health care. I have only touched on just a small part of this man. It would take a book to elaborate on all he does for our community and our country. I am sincerely honored and thankful that this Santa chose our community to live and practice in.

Who is this Santa? He is a cardiologist who continually gives every moment of every day throughout the year. He doesn't have a white beard or a big belly but has a heart full of compassion and caring: Dr. Rao Musunuru. Pauline Kidd-Przepis, Hudson Cast of thousands helped toy effort On Saturday, Dec. 16 more than 200 elves hosted 1,026 Recently, a morning newscast did a segment on stress during the holidays.

Their "expert" told us about women getting stressed during this season of giving, the reason being they were left with most of the decorating, most of the shopping and most of the cooking. The "expert" explained that women tend to want to make everything perfect for holidays. They want the house to look Davis perfect, the food to be perfect and they try to pick out the perfect gift for each individual on the list I admit I am as guilty as those women. I want everything to be perfect. I started early decorating the house, inside and out, so it would look festive for Christmas.

I carefully placed my lit deer on the side of the house, my lighted candy canes in the back of the house, and my cute little Christmas tree in the front I placed snowmen on the side of the driveway, wreaths in each window and a Santa Claus on the side that faced the pool. I planted poinsettias in pots and placed them strategically around the flowerbeds. I put up a tree on the lanai, one in the living room and another in the dining room. The stockings were hung carefully on the fireplace mantel and all my cute ceramic Santas were placed on coffee tables and end tables. A few days later I woke up and decided it really wasn't perfect.

I moved the tree from the side window on the lanai to the back window. I moved the lighted wreath from the shed window and placed it on a beam on the outside of the patio. I had to drill a hole in the beam to place it there. This I did in the rain. One of my candy canes quit lighting, so I moved my little snowflake lights to where Your letters Cardiologist is a Santa all year Do you believe in Santa? We have one here, in our community, who gives all year long, unconditionally and sincerely from the heart.

He has touched many lives, especially my family's and mine. My one wish this holiday season is that I could give to him just a portion of what he has given to me. My gift to him is to share with you what I know of him. During the past 25 years of my nursing career in this community, I have personally witnessed the heartfelt, compassionate care he gives to patients and their families, including my own. There were many times when he would show up in the unit where I worked at the hospital on the night shift in the wee hours of the morning to check his patients one last time before heading home.

His dedication to his patients never stops. His caring extended beyond his patients to the point that he was instrumental in the establishment of a nationally recognized heart center for our community. He elevated cardiac care in this community to a world-class level. He is truly committed and dedicated to continuing education as evidenced by his involvement in our local schools and colleges. He strives to make this medical community the best through lectures and teaching at the bedside.

For the past 14 years, he organized, hosted and spoke at one of the largest cardiac conferences in the country in Palm Harbor. He' had Well-renowned speakers in cardiac care come from all over the ft- 4 Dade City Brooksville New Port Richey Spring Hill www.phcc.edu 1-877-TRY-PHCC Offering Comprehensive Care For: Si I go to tampabay.comletters families in selecting toys, bikes, socks, underwear, toothbrushes, shoes and food for each of their 3,153 deserving children from five distribution sites and their captains: Dade City, Jessica White and Sylvia Salazar; Zephyrhills, Tom Graef and Ken Keith; Land O'Lakes, Mary Anderson and Laura Quintana; Wesley Chapel, Anna Fulk and Sue Hilton; and Tri-commu-nity, Pastor Dave Raley. Two local toy distribution sites remained open to assist families throughout the week that we may have missed during the Saturday distribution. Our 2006 Toys for Tots of East Pasco program contained several important elements. We have a beneficial relationship with the Pasco public school system and Premier Community Health Care.

These counselors select and register families they consider needy. This helps ensure that we assist our poverty-bound children Hying in each local community. Other basic program elements include gathering, storing, sorting and distributing our collected toys. The list of helpers includes thousands of individual toy donors, hundreds of volunteers and our faithful print media, which allowed us to project our program goals and needs to the community. Lastly, my brother Marines of the Zephyrhills Marine League Detachment, 1124 and Anna Fulk and Sue Hilton.

Their efforts enabled us to assist additional deserving families throughout the week before Christmas. Our mission is clear: "Let no tot be sad on Christmas Day!" Bob Loring, Toys for Tots of East Pasco Herniated Disc Sciatica Spinal Stenosis Minimally Invasive Surgery Kvnhnnlastv i II-STOPflew Revolutionary Treatment for Spinal Stenosis Port Rlcfiey 9tEL BrooSssuiSle i 11906OakTrailWay 'JESSES Accepting Medicare most insurance plans including Blue CrossBlue Shield, Aetna, United, Cigna, etc. Sell your stuff. 877-321-SELL t. Petersburg mcs In the know.

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