Generations of mermaids have sprung from Weeki Wachee Springs, but now they have a new home to flash their fins.

Lecanto-based Mertailor, which is not new to the spotlight, is diving in with a new endeavor with an aquarium, including its own live mermaid show. The Mertailor Mermaid Aquarium Encounter is complete with fish, stingrays and a mermaid show, a lifelong dream of Eric Ducharme’s coming to fruition.

Ducharme’s magical creations have made headlines worldwide for his incredible success story – becoming fascinated with mermaids as a child, starting his own mermaid tail manufacturing business at the age of 14, gaining worldwide recognition for the quality of the product he creates. He is definitely a case of born-to-be-an-entrepreneur.

Mertailor hosted mermaid auditions at the aquarium for the past few days, where both Ducharme and Barbara Wynns, an instrumental figure in his journey to now, were present to discuss and judge the auditions.

Wynns was a Weeki Wachee mermaid from the 1960s and ’70s when the mermaids lived on the grounds of the springs and swam in the shows. In 2010, she met a young and enthusiastic Ducharme. She gave him an old tail they had and let him play in the springs, eventually getting him on the air-hose, which is what they use during shows to breathe while staying submerged. As a teenager, he got SCUBA certified and the park made him a prince in the show while also having him make tails for them.

“The day that Eric left Weeki Wachee, the idea for his own mermaid show was birthed,” Wynns said.

Until now, it was the lone place for professional mermaids to work, but, as Wynns said, “everyone who has left Weeki Wachee wants back in the water on the air-hose. There’s no place like it in the world.”

At the first day of auditions, Thursday, April 21, they had five potential mermaids and one merman show up to try out. They auditioned two at a time in the show tank, testing them on treading water without using their legs, breath holding, facial expressions, diving, backflips and even ballet moves like the pinwheel, front leap and bird arabesque. All of these are important for Ducharme and Wynns to determine whether the individual has both show potential and trainability.

“I did dance for 11 years, so I was familiar with some of the moves, but I’ve never attempted them underwater,” said Micah O’Leary-Wyatt, one of many who auditioned for a spot in the show. “It added a whole other element to it that was surprisingly more difficult than I had anticipated. But once I got in there, I felt comfortable.”

O’Leary-Wyatt called the show a “big deal” for Citrus County.

“I think it’s really going to help bring in profit for our tourism industry and just really help the community and give them something to appreciate locally,” she said.

Mertailor already has a number of mermaids on staff. Shows are currently at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

The biggest difference between the shows at Weeki Wachee and Mertailor is the difference in the water and aquatic life. Weeki Wachee, of course, is a freshwater spring while Mertailor’s aquarium is salt water-based, said Marissa Whittaker, a former Weeki Wachee mermaid who now does shows at the Mertailor aquarium, noting the sea life she swims alongside now isn’t what one would typically see in the spring-fed waters here. The aquatic life is truly what sets Mertailor apart from the well-known show at Weeki Wachee as well as the ever-enchanting mermaids dancing through the water.

The aquarium, which opened its doors to the public in December 2021, is home to marine life of all different kinds, including those both native species and from oceans around the world. In one tank are species from Florida’s natural springs, like the Florida gar fish and American bullfrog, while others included species such as the Peacock Mantis Shrimp and Two-Spotted Octopus.

In addition to marine life, the aquarium is also home to a flock of rescued macaws and cockatoos.

“Most people who buy these birds as pets don’t realize what goes into taking care of them and eventually decide they don’t want them anymore, especially since the lifespan of these birds is anywhere between 60-80 years, which is a lifetime commitment,” Ducharme said.

So, many of these birds end up under the care of sanctuaries or people such as Ducharme and his partner who are willing to open their homes to them. The aquarium has 10 macaws with plans of bringing in more that are currently being fostered by trusted parties.

All of the tanks in the aquarium were acquired secondhand and refurbished, either through Craigslist, Facebook marketplace or repurposing from other aquariums or amusement parks around the state. All of the woodwork in the aquarium was done by one of their employees in manufacturing who is a carpenter. The mermaid tank, which holds 15,000 gallons of water, was created especially for the aquarium by Waterdog Products Inc. in California.

The aquarium part of the mermaid experience was completely unplanned, so Ducharme dedicated most of his time initially to researching how to open an aquarium and proper care of the animals and sea life through reading manuals and textbooks published by zoologists and marine biologists, as well as reaching out to other facilities for advice on getting started. Ducharme personally learned how to care for each and every animal under Mertailor’s roof.

“It’s been a big learning curve, but my goal is not to exploit these animals, only to use them as an educational tool for our guests,” he said.

The goal of the aquarium is to provide people with an opportunity to interact with a species in a controlled environment in order to give them a better appreciation for that species to then take with them back out into nature.

“The hope is that with this knowledge about these animals they might be outside, see trash on the ground in the environment where these species live, and decide to pick it up so that it doesn’t cause harm to these species,” Ducharme said.

His ultimate plan for the aquarium is to be able to develop a marine life rehabilitation facility with the capacity to help the manatees and turtles in the springs.

For information about the aquarium, call 352-513-3278. Mertailor is at 4100 W. Gulf-to-Lake Highway, Lecanto.

These athletes will be featured in the Florida Athlete of the Week Poll early this week. Come back and vote for who you think should be the Athlete of the Week.

This list is not intended to be comprehensive

Amir Wilson, Lecanto

Wilson knew he was up against one of the state’s top running backs and he took that personally. The Lecanto back went for 312 yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns.

Brendyn Colella, Zephyrhills

Talk about see something, say something. Colella must’ve seen Gulf’s Ethan Holewski set a new Pasco County passing record for touchdown passes in a game and wanted to one up him. The Bulldogs’ signal caller threw eight touchdowns on 12-of-17 for 327 yards.

Greg Smith III, Sumner

Despite in a losing effort, Smith III was electric and Sumner certainly didn’t lose because of him. Smith III had 193 yards rushing on 27 attempts and completed 20-of-30 for 245 yards, two touchdowns.

Antwan Smith, Booker T. Washington

Can’t deny one of the best rushing performances came down in South Florida this past week. Smith rushed for 325 yards on 20 attempts and helped lift the Tornadoes to a 27-13 win over Carol City.

Levontai Summersett, North Fort Myers

The Red Knights won in convincing fashion 49-13 over Barron Collier and Summersett was a big reason why. The running back rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown in the win.

Cole Tabb, Choctawhatchee

Trailing at one point 28-6, it looked like any comeback attempt would be futile. Think again. The Indians behind a 300-yard all-purpose game from Tabb, came-from-behind to defeat St. Augustine on Saturday.

Jerome Brazan, Crestview

When you’re down 21-20 in the fourth quarter to your heated rivals with just minutes to spare, what do you do? You lead a game-winning drive. That’s exactly what Brazan did for Crestview, throwing the go-ahead 44-yard touchdown pass to beat Niceville.

Micah Hudson, Eastside

Going into a game in which Eastside had defeated North Marion during the regular season, Hudson and the Rams needed to do it again. Hudson led the way with 139 yards and scored two touchdowns in the 27-14 region quarterfinal win.

Romelo Ware, Lake Highland Prep

Playing for the Class 6A Sunshine State Athletic Conference championship, Ware came through in a big way. Ware rushed for 195 yards and scored two times in a dominating 44-8 victory over Mount Dora Christian.

Taevion Swint, Kissimmee Osceola

The Kowboys had to hold off a furious comeback attempt by the DeLand Bulldogs, but Swift was a primary factor in the win. Swift finished with 169 yards rushing and scored twice in the playoff win.

DJ Pickett has four touchdown catches as the Bulldgos dispatch Gulf in Class 3S-District 7

ZEPHYRHILLS, FLORIDA – This tiny town 30 miles North of Tampa hasn't changed much in decades.

The immediate downtown area is well beyond quaint. It has a few antique stores and restaurants, but not much else. Sure, there is some sprawl on US Highway 301, but tight zoning laws have kept it in check while some neighboring towns have gotten out of hand.

Even Zephyrhills High School's Bulldogs Stadium at Tom Fisher Field has the look and feel of a throwback to the past. They still sell boiled peanuts at the concession stand and the pregame music includes the likes of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing,'' John Mellencamp's "Small Town'' and Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger.''

But don't' think for a second that the team that plays in that stadium is stuck in the past. A very clear statement was made Friday night as the Bulldogs defeated New Port Richey Gulf, 56-27, in a Class 3S-District 7 regional playoff game. These Bulldogs are anything but conservative.

As long as Nick Carroll is the coach and Brendyn Colella is the quarterback, the offense will be on the cutting edge and not the kind of ground-and-pound offenses that so many past Zephyrhills teams have been in the past. Colella established a new Pasco County record with a ridiculous eight touchdown passes. Yes, eight.

"I had no idea what the record was,'' Colella, a junior in his first year as a starter after transferring from nearby Wiregrass High School, said. "I didn't have a clue until they told me on the sideline right at the end. It's a great honor.''

The victory sets up a match-up with the winner of Saturday's game between Lecanto and Pasco at W.F. Edwards Stadium.

"My girlfriend doesn't know it yet,'' Carroll said. "But we're going to Dade City (on Saturday). That's going to be our big date on a Saturday night.

A Lecanto win would put the game in Zephyrhills. A Pasco win would put it in Dade City. But that wouldn't mean a lengthy trip for the Bulldogs. Their long-time rivalry with Pasco is known as the Nine-Mile War because that's the precise distance between the two schools.

Although official passing stats will not be available until Carroll and his staff do a film review Saturday morning, it's probably safe to say that Colella's total passing yards weren't all that much shorter than nine miles.

"We wanted to let Brendyn air it out,'' Carroll said. "That was the game plan.''

As a result, Colella and the Bulldogs (8-3) looked like Dan Marino in his heyday with the Miami Dolphins. Colella had five touchdown passes by halftime Not surprisingly, it started on the game's third play with a 35-yard touchdown pass to sophomore touchdown- machine D.J. Pickett. All totaled, Pickett caught four touchdown passes.

But Colella spread the wealth. Freshman sensation Fred Adams caught two touchdown passes. Jakobe Campbell and Theodore Sands each added a touchdown catch.

Ironically, Colella's performance came exactly one week after current Gulf quarterback Ethan Holewski established a new county record with seven touchdown passes in a 52-0 victory against Anclote.

Holewski didn't have a bad game, but it was nothing compared to what he did against Anclote. He was a two-way threat, scoring on a first-quarter run and making several nice passes. But Holewski,, a senior, didn't get a lot of help from his teammates, other than Antonio Muniz, who had two rushing touchdowns. The Buccaneers, who were in the playoffs for the first time since 2014, end their season at 7-4.

The Zephyrhills defense didn't exactly dominate. But the Bulldogs were able to step up at several crucial moments. One came with 1:35 left in the first half when Jaden Jones sacked Holewski to interrupt a Gulf drive. In the first quarter, Tristan Lennon recorded a sack to put Gulf at its own 4-yard line.

LECANTO, FL – The cliche saying it all starts up front is literal for the Lecanto Panthers going into the start of summer and practices beginning on August 1st.

When it comes down to what the Panthers will rely on the most coming off a 4-6 campaign in 2021 it is their offensive line. Lecanto head coach Chop Alexander believes, with three key returners back up front on the offensive line along with a slew of skill players, the Panthers should be able to take the next step in a tough 3-Suburban, District 6.

“I think it all starts with our offensive line. This year we have three key returners led by Burke Malmberg, Nathan Lightfoot and Matt Turner,” Alexander said. “Our key skilled positions will consist of Darius Gainer, Donovon Foster, Travis Labelle, Wyatt Diaz, Amir Wilson and Caden Moore.”

Lecanto’s district plays out to being one that could be a toss up amongst five schools that didn’t finish any better than .500 in 2021. River Ridge finished 5-5, with the Panthers at 4-6, Gulf 3-6, Citrus 3-7 and Fivay at 2-8. With a strong showing in the spring, Lecanto has a chance to win the school’s first ever district championship.

“I am very pleased we are in a district that looks to be very even when it comes to competition,” Alexander said. “We still have our work cut out for us, our school has never won a district championship before.

“In the past 40 years, the most wins we’ve ever had is six. We have to overcome the old mentality, we are not supposed to win. I strongly feel this is a team that could be one of the greatest in school history, if we play to our potential.”

A big reason for optimism when it comes to the Panthers is their overall spring performance. Going up against an experienced Nature Coast group that went 8-4 last season, Lecanto held its own and just narrowly lost 26-24. Despite the loss, Alexander was able to take the good with the bad from the spring game.

“I was surprised that our team wasn’t afraid at all,” Alexander said. “Usually anytime we go against powerhouse teams we tend to get defeated before the game even starts. Sorta like the “Mike Tyson effect.” I felt like we had a great plan going into the game and our kids executed their assignment most of the night.”

Summer training has focused more on core strength and cardio conditioning, as Alexander believes that’s one of the reasons Lecanto lost to Nature Coast. As 7-on-7’s, summer weightlifting and conditioning are in full swing, the Panthers seek to capitalize as they look poised to make a run towards a possible district title in the fall.

“This summer we have been focusing a lot on building our core strength,” Alexander added. “We have stepped up our conditioning immensely.”

“I felt that conditioning was the reason we lost our spring game, but I will never have our team step on the field poorly conditioned ever again. The 7-on-7 has been great. The attendance has been great and anyone who comes to see us play in the fall will see a stronger, more disciplined and well conditioned team.”

Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.

Those who find themselves suddenly parenting children who aren’t biologically theirs, although they may love them as if they are, most likely feel unprepared, maybe overwhelmed.

They may wonder about resources available to them. How do I navigate the court system? My empty nester friends don’t want little kids at their backyard barbecues – how do I meet new friends in the same situation I’m in?

When Jon and Shirl Elder’s granddaughter, Ally, came to live with them, they quickly realized they needed help.

They decided to start small and form a group at their church, Seven Rivers Church in Lecanto.

The group, originally called Grand Love, is now called Relatives As Parents (RAP) to include non-grandparents as well.

“We all have different backgrounds and know different things, so it’s good to be able to share information,” Shirl said.

She said they sometimes have guest speakers, such as lawyers and representatives from local agencies who can educate them on the court system or filling out forms or resources and benefits available to them.

“Because Ally is considered to be in foster care, she is eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families,” Shirl said. “We get a small stipend and she gets a scholarship for school (Seven Rivers Christian School). She also gets free college.

RAP meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Thursday monthly during the school year, in the Seven Rivers Church staff office building second floor conference room. Child care is provided.

St. Anne’s Episcopal Church has also started a group for grandparents or other relatives raising children. The group is “non-religious and non-denominational.”

The programs consist of moderator-led discussions and separate guided discussions for the youth.

This program meets from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month from September through May. A light dinner is provided and there’s no cost to participants.

The church is at 9870 W. Fort Gulf Island Trail, Crystal River, FL 34429. Call the church office at 352-795-2176, ext 105, or Tom Thomas at 352-634-5516.

Kids Central offers an entire Kinship Care program, from case management to support groups and services such as advocacy, legal assistance, intergenerational activities and holiday and back to school assistance.

“We get referrals from agencies and the schools about families, and those who accept our services, we provide case management; we make sure they are getting Medicaid for the children and any other benefits through Access Florida that they may qualify for,” said Tawnya Drent, Kids Central Kinship Supervisor.

She added, although the current official count is 14,000 children in kinship care throughout Judicial Circuit 5, there are probably hundreds more they don’t know about who could benefit from their services and resources.

As for a support group in Citrus County, pre-COVID they had one that met at a local church, but since then the church changed leadership and the group could no longer meet there, Drent said.

“Right now we’re looking for a place to meet, a church or community center that’s willing to donate space to our program,” she said.

They need a space for two hours a week, a space for adult caregivers to meet and a separate safe space for children. Kids Central provides child care staff.

“We have the people in Citrus County who want to continue the group; we just need a place to meet so we can get it going again,” Drent said.

For information about Kids Central Kinship Care program, go online at www.kids centralinc.org, email: Kinship Care@KidsCentralInc.org or call 833-586-0235.