A local entrepreneur has combined flowers, education, wine and camaraderie to create a burgeoning mobile business.

After a four-week summer vacation, the St. Petersburg Greenhouse was back hosting area founders and business leaders at Thrive DTSP for Wednesday’s 1 Million Cups event. Erica Holland presented her growing company, The Roaming Petal, which brings floral design workshops to business events and home gatherings.

Holland, who launched her startup about 18 months ago, explained that Roaming Petal delivers the flowers and supplies for the workshops, where she provides step-by-step instruction on how to create floral arrangements.

“Really just educating people about how to take care of their flowers, keep them alive and keep them fresh, so that they can last a lot longer, and not just in our workshops,” said Holland after the event. “But also have fun – we like to have fun.”

A key aspect of the business, said Holland, is its mobility. That allows Roaming Petal to offer its services throughout St. Petersburg and the region at offices, events and homes – where she said the workshops could provide an added element to baby and bridal showers or birthday parties.

Holland said the surrounding area has eagerly welcomed her startup since it launched in February of 2021, and she recently hired her first two employees. She added that 1 Million Cups provides critical exposure for the city’s entrepreneurs and the panel of local business leaders offers creative advice and feedback on successfully growing a company.

“As well as giving that input of what I’m doing in the community and how we’re growing to other members that might not know who we are yet,” said Holland.

At the event, Holland explained that she came up with the idea for Roaming Petal during a trip to Bali. She said she “fell in love” with how the country incorporates flowers into its culture and began helping a local florist who taught her various techniques to care for them.

“What I realized was – that while lots of people love receiving flowers, getting them as a gift or purchasing them from their local grocery store or market, nobody tells you what to do with them,” said Holland. “So, we came up with a solution to bring education and fun together.”

After returning home, Holland created Roaming Petal and now shares what she learned in Bali. Over wine and conversation, her workshop’s attendees create floral arrangements and receive tips they can use in their personal lives.

Holland purchases the flowers Roaming Petal provides from wholesale companies in Largo and Tampa and only buys them as needed. She also eschews a storefront, which she said helps keep her overhead low.

Using Book and Bottle in downtown St. Pete as an example, Holland said she works with local businesses to identify open dates to host a workshop. They iron out details, like if the event’s ticket price includes wine.

Roaming Petal offers a two-hour floral design party that includes flowers, foliage and vases; private events that provide a mix of seasonal blooms and require a minimum of 10 participants; and a virtual workshop where the company delivers the flowers and live instruction occurs online. Prices vary accordingly from about $40-$60 per person.

Holland told the panel that her workshops typically include 10-20 people, and she would like their help expanding her service to larger corporate events with 20-40 participants.

“If there is a budget, we can kind of work within that,” said Holland of corporate functions. “Just bring different types of flowers or different types of elements to use versus the traditional stuff that we bring to our events.”

In addition to Roaming Petal, Holland works full-time as a graphic designer for a local advertising agency. She runs her company during the evening, on weekends “and every other hour in between.”

With the two recent additions helping her schedule more events, Holland hopes to continue establishing a presence in the community and successfully scale her business.

“I’m really just looking for connections,” she said.

For more information on The Roaming Petal, visit the website here.

The story of Pudgee’s American Eatery is a story of perseverance.

Even though its owner, John Sterling, served his last Pudgee’s hot dog and locked the front door of his Floral City business for the last time on Saturday, July 23, Sterling fought the good fight and is ready for his next chapter.

“It was time,” Sterling said Monday, Aug. 1, in a phone interview. “My house and vehicles are all paid for, and I have a camper we’ve never used and a granddaughter who’s never been camping or fishing.

“So it’s time to do fun, grandpa stuff,” he said.

That’s not to say saying goodbye to his faithful customers from over the past 23 years was easy.

“We’ve had incredibly great customers who stayed with us through everything,” Sterling said.

In the past two years, Sterling has had COVID three times, lost about a dozen employees at the beginning of the pandemic when he had to close for a month and they didn’t return, and he lost his 32-year-old daughter to Hodgkin’s Disease.

“That was the hardest,” he said.

Just prior to the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Sterling was set to open a second Pudgee’s in Brooksville.

“I invested a lot into that place, and we were set to open,” he said. “We had our final inspection and they said we had to redo the hood and part of the roof – $76,000.

“We pulled the plug before that restaurant could open because we couldn’t find anybody to put on a new hood,” he said. “We just kept getting punched in the face.”

Sterling had experienced “getting punched” before when Pudgee’s was a simple roadside stand on U.S. 41 in Floral City.

The self-described “hometown boy” and Citrus High School Class of 1979 graduate “who gave the county its first original hot dog stand,” as he told the Chronicle in 2011, opened his stand in 2001.

Prior to that, he drove a gas tanker truck for 26 years and lived in Ohio for 10 of those years.

His job on the road took him all over the country, where he sampled lots of good food.

When he returned to Citrus County, he opened Pudgee’s All American Hot Dogs as a roadside dining attraction.

It was a small trailer with just enough room for a cook or two, and several tables outside under a canopy. The colorful trailer was plastered with signs, cartoons and whimsical photos all about hot dogs.

In December 2012, after more than a decade in business, Pudgee’s failed a fire inspection and the cost to bring his trailer up to code would’ve been more than the trailer was worth, Sterling said at that time.

“I’ve had inspectors, code enforcers, food inspectors, everyone inside this place,” he had told the Chronicle. “No one has ever raised any flags of any sort, because we never had any issues. We’ve never tried to be above the law.”

Sterling announced he would be closing Dec. 29, 2012, but after an outpouring of support from his customers and the community, Sterling was able to comply with the code and his business was saved.

Five years later, Pudgee’s roadside stand closed in December 2017 and reopened March 3, 2018, in the then-newly built Stagecoach Square – just blocks from his old stand on U.S 41.

As he looked back on his 23 years with Pudgee’s, Sterling said he, and also his son, Chris, who had worked side by side with him as a cook, thoroughly enjoyed providing Pudgee’s’ customers with the best product they could make.

“What has happened, the cost of everything has gone up. When I first started Pudgee’s, hamburger was 83 cents a pound,” he said. “We just weren’t making enough to pay the bills, and we couldn’t find employees to cook for a second shift so we could stay open at night. You can raise your prices, but how much are you going to pay for a hot dog?

“I didn’t get into the business to see how much money I could get from people; it was always about giving families an affordable meal.”

Sterling, 62, said closing is bittersweet, but the stress is “off my chest – almost.”

“I think I’m in better shape now than when I was struggling to survive, so it’s all right,” he said. “It’s actually very all right. It’s actually all good.”

On July 24, Sterling posted this statement on Pudgee’s Facebook page:

“The Pudgee family wants to thank you all for the last 23 years here in Floral City, but it’s time to say goodbye. The last couple days have been quite overwhelming with your love and support ... the good news is, be on the lookout for Pudgee’s to reopen in the future with new owners.

“We will definitely keep you posted. Thanks again for all of your support and we will miss you all.

“Forever thankful, Pudgee.”

On June 16, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received report of a stolen golf cart in Floral City.

The victims are a snowbird couple from Michigan who are up north for the summer. A neighbor who watches their property while they’re away notified the couple that their golf cart had been stolen from their carport sometime during the night.

The neighbor later told them he believed he saw the stolen golf cart, now painted red, at a residence on Old Floral City Road.

Deputies drove to the area where it was reportedly seen and came upon a male driving the red golf cart down the road. One of the deputies recognized the driver to be Leonard Laurain, who he knew from prior encounters to not have a valid driver’s license, according to Laurain’s arrest affidavit.

They proceeded to conduct a traffic stop of Laurain who acknowledged he knew he is not supposed to drive the golf cart on the roadway, but that he was just trying to get to a friend’s house down the road.

At this time, another deputy arrived on the scene as backup.

Laurain told deputies that the golf car did not belong to him, but he didn’t know who it belonged to. According to Laurain, he woke up that morning to the golf cart being parked in his front yard in its current condition – painted red with the roof, seat and windshield removed. He said there was a note attached to it with no name or address and requesting him to paint “pin stripes” on it.

So, he said, that he decided to drive the golf cart to friend’s house, moved the seats and roofing assembly to his back yard, and drove to his friend’s when he was pulled over.

As Laurain talked with the deputy, the others made contact with both the victim’s neighbor and Citrus County Golf Carts through which they were able to confirm that the golf cart was the stolen golf cart of the victims. However, the number plate of the golf cart which would contain the serial number has been freshly removed.

Laurain then allowed the deputies to return to his property to collect the other parts of the golf cart. Upon entering his backyard, according to the arrest affidavit, deputies observed red paint splatter on the ground and the floor of a small detached shed which was open, as well as a paint brush with the same red paint on it and an air hose with fresh red paint on it.

Before the deputies could make contact with him again, Laurain had run into his house and locked the doors. Multiple attempts were made to get him to come out, but none were successful.

The victims’ neighbor soon arrived on the scene and was able to positively identify the golf cart as the one stolen. They then took the golf cart and parts and returned them to the victims’ residence.

Before leaving the scene, deputies were approached by Laurain’s neighbor who had visible red paint on his hand and forearms. When asked where the red paint was from, he got nervous and told deputies that he had just painted a flamingo statue at his residence. After more questioning, he changed his story and said that he provided the red paint and sprayer to Laurain, but didn’t help him paint the golf cart.

Following recorded confirmation of the details of the incident by the victims and their wish to pursue charges against the suspect, deputies arrested Laurain on Thursday, July 28, at his residence and he was transported to the Citrus County Detention Facility without incident.

Laurain has been charged with one count of sell/possess/conceal/dispose of vehicle with altered numbers, one count of grand theft ($750 or more but less than $5,000), and one count of burglary of an unoccupied residence unarmed. He was issued a total bond of $17,000.

Oh, that we could all go out with such a blaze of glory serving our community as Carol Wood did!

President Carol Wood has certainly set a shining example for us. She and her husband, Kelley, joined the Floral City Garden Club in 2018 and immediately they became very involved in club activities. She had just returned home from the annual short course offered by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, when she suddenly passed away on June 8 at her home in Brooksville.

It can easily be said that Carol fully participated in life. From her early years on, her life reflects a broad interest and involvement in a wide variety of subjects. Outgoing and observant to the needs around her, she was a constant contributor or instigator for programs that helped others. Yes, when she saw a need and there was no program, she started one.

This mindset carried over into these past five years when she applied her management, personnel and fundraising skills to the work of the national, state, district and local garden clubs. Carol was involved at all levels.

At the time of her passing, she had been heavily involved in the Florida Federation of Garden Club to include, Wekiva Youth Camp and the S.E. E. K. youth environmental course serving in chairmanship capacities as S.E.E.K registrar and awards sponsorship chair. She was on the state executive board as corresponding secretary. In addition, Carol served the demanding role of chair of the 2022 State Garden Club Convention and of the upcoming 2023 State Garden Club Convention.

At the national level, Carol was registrar for the National Garden Club convention and at the District V level she served as Secretary to our own Floral City Garden Club member, Director Donna Thomas.

Our local Club members will miss her greatly, as Carol was currently president of the Floral City Garden Club.

As president of our local club, she demonstrated all the characteristics of a great leader. Her kindness to all stands out, as does her understanding and empathy for others. Carol was always willing to look at new events and ways of approaching a situation, shining forth with a positive attitude in these times of divisiveness as a bright example for us all. You will be sorely missed, Carol!

To assure the continuity of the Garden Club, Kelley Wood, Carol’s husband and an active member of the Floral City Garden Club, held a meeting at his home on June 15. He will provide the needed assistance to First Vice President Janie Stewart, as she assumes the presidential role. Marcie Mason will assume the first vice presidency and Diane Lamoureux the second vice presidency for one year only. The club welcomed new members Cynthia Trudeau and Angela Salzer, who will be included into the annual Year Book.

The Floral City Garden Club will resume meetings on the second Friday monthly beginning on Sept. 9 at 11 a.m. in the Floral City Community House at the Town Center. Meanwhile, the club members will continue to maintain their Community Gardens on Tuesdays at 8 a.m. June 28, July 26 and Aug. 30.

For more information about the club and the monthly Horticulture Hints by Horticulture Chair Kathy Lingusky, visit www.floralcity gardenclub.com; or, call Janie Stewart at 954-557-5982.

Penny Clymer hadn’t planned on having a lakefront home at the Singing Forest Mobile Home Park in Floral City.

But that’s exactly what she and her neighbors have right now. Recent heavy rains flooded the park/pond area in front of their homes and now the water is roughly 8 feet from her back porch.

She’s one of the lucky ones. Her neighbors on the other side of the park have water up to their homes and must use four-wheel drives to get out or rely on the generosity of neighbors to bring them food and other supplies.

Making matters worse, the floodwater is right up to the park’s wastewater lift station. If the water gets into the station, residents could have untreated water in their backyards and it becomes a health issue.

To fortify the station, residents have placed sandbags around it. But they worry that a few more heavy afternoon thunderstorms will be too much for the flooded water. This has been going on for at least a week-and-a-half.

“We just keep getting more water and more rain and there’s no place for it to go,” said Clymer, who’s lived in the quaint mobile home park for 15 years.

Never seen it this bad

“Unfortunately, I think this is going to get worse before it gets better,” said Will Bryant, environmental health director with the Department of Health in Citrus County. “We need individuals in the park to take practical steps to protect themselves from this act of nature."

Resident Rod Kosares said neighbors at Singing Forest “look out for each other” and if there’s an emergency where someone can’t get out due to the deep water, someone with a truck would be there in minutes to help them.

“I don’t think anybody’s seen it this bad,” said Kosares, who surveyed the scene in a golf cart with his dog. “We dodged a bullet with (Tropical Storm Fred). If that had gone through, we would be evacuating residents.”

Kosares said there’s an increased fear that alligators and snakes will start filling the pond.

Resident Dave Barnes said there are about a half-dozen homes surrounded by the deepest water.

“The park is trying to pump it out (but) there’s not a whole lot they can do with it,” he said.

Looking for guidance

Singing Forest, at 8640 E. Keating Park St., is managed by Tampa-based Bedrock Communities.

Rhonda Stroud, executive vice president with Bedrock, said the company has called the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Southwest Florida Water Management District for advice on fixing the problem.

“My biggest concern is the residents,” Stroud said. “We’ve done everything we know to do. We’re looking for guidance.”

Stroud said there are 200 mobile homes at the park: About 150 people are living there now and another 50 are still wintering somewhere else. The facility is limited to people 55 and older. She said Bedrock will visit the park every day to monitor the situation.

Two weeks ago, residents were playing shuffleboard in the park. Today, the court is under water. The bridge leading to a gazebo is sticking up from deep water. The blue metal benches recently installed for residents to relax on are submerged. Police tape cordons off the flooded areas.

The water has come up in the last two days, Dale Bennett, vice president of facilities with Bedrock.

“We’re hoping it will come down,” he said.

Portable toilets on the way?

Bryant said the equipment in place at Singing Forest was not designed to handle such flooding.

What can be done to resolve the issue?

“The park owners can set portable toilets and handwashing facilities up on the dry areas and make sure the people continue to have safe drinking water,” he said. “Other than that there is very little that can be done at this time.”

Pumping away the water likely will not work, he said.

“Because of the high groundwater, it’s like trying to drain the ocean from a hole on the beach.” Bryant said.

Singing Forest is not alone

Singing Forest Mobile Home Park is located about a quarter mile from Floral City Lake, which is part of the Floral City Pool, said Dr. Mark Fulkerson, chief professional engineer with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).

Much of Singing Forest is in a low-lying area that is isolated from the lake, meaning water in the lake is not connected to the flooding at Singing Forest. Floodwaters in the mobile home park are higher than water levels in Floral City Lake.

Fulkerson said a drainage retention area sits near the center of the park. Approximately 55 acres of land in that area drains to that pond.

The Floral City area has received close to 40 inches of rainfall this summer, including over 15 inches of rain so far this month.

All this rain has filled the retention pond and is causing flooding on several streets and properties, Fulkerson said.

Soils are saturated and the water table is full, so it can’t drain down into the soils as well.

“The flooding in Singing Forest has nowhere to go because it is the low area,” he said. “The ground is much higher between there and Floral City Lake.”

Other low-lying areas in Citrus County are experiencing flood issues for the same reason.

“Since it can only evaporate or soak into the ground — not very well right now — the water is likely going to stay there if we keep getting heavy rainfall,” he said.