WINNERS:

Most Creative: Cocoa the Hershey’s Chocolate Lab Bar (chocolate lab). Funniest: Midnight the Elephant (black cat with grey elephant).

Too Cute to be scary: Riley the Lobster (English bulldog with red colored lobster costume).

Old Lutz School House Craft Show

MIDFLORIDA Credit Union announced the completion of five new branches in the Tampa market with a grand opening celebration at each of the full-service locations with free food, a chance to win one of five Apple iPad2 giveaways, plus special checking offers and a below-market car loan rate. Those branches are located at 2255 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, 19203 N. Dale Mabry Hwy in Lutz, 10950 Cross Creek Blvd and 20401 Bruce B. Downs Blvd in New Tampa and 3202 W. Waters Ave. in Tampa.

Denise Hopkinson started her small scrap-booking store in 1998 when scrapbooking was just starting to take off.

Hollie’s Farm & Garden hosted its third annual Christmas Balloon Glow at 20545 County Line Road in Lutz. The Balloon Glow offered spectators a breathtaking view of inflated balloons lighted by their burners. Spectators got an opportunity to get up close and walk around the balloons inflate in their launch position on the field, but do not ascend. As the pilots fire their burners, the balloons glow against the blackness of the night sky offering the unique beauty of the glow.

Linda Adamo, the Lutz Little League, and the bereaved families of Hillsborough County in conjunction with the Worldwide Candle Lighting, held a vigil for local families on December 12, 2010 at Lutz Little League. Readings, special music, and the reading of children's names were done in a solemn and respectful manner on a blistering cold Sunday night. Families brought a picture or remembrance of their child that was put on a table. The Adamo’s donated the candles and holders and the lighters to start them.

Addison Hall 4, Lily Hall 2 and their cousin Anna Sussman 4 of Land O’Lakes admire the vast collection of little toy soldiers at Christmas house at the Old Lutz Schoolhouse.

Broadway Dancesations studio held an open house to celebrate their new location at 1408 North Dale Mabry, Suite 106, in Lutz. Free giveaway drawings, a dance team fundraiser, ribbon cutting and performances were held. For information, call (813) 960-3025 or visit www.Broadway-Dancesations.com.

The Lutz Cub Scouts, Pack 12, worked with the Homeless Ministry of the First Baptist Church in Lutz, 18116 US North 41, to assemble gift bags for the homeless. They will then distribute approximately 70 gift bags to a homeless shelter downtown Tampa on the Thursday night before Christmas. The cub scouts will also make Christmas cards for the people on the street. Information about this event is below.

Lutz Arts and Crafts Festival organizers are hoping for nicer weather and a larger turnout after a 2009 event where attendance was less than half its normal total. Jack Beverland of San Antonio was a vendor for the first time at the Lake Park Arts and Craft Festival last year.