Project Pup saves the day

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Welcome to The Lealman Voice

Welcome to the Lealman Voice!

The Lealman Voice is all about keeping our community connected and informed. Each issue highlights local programs, events, and the people making a difference right here in Lealman. If you have neighborhood updates, upcoming activities, or success stories to share, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can keep the Lealman community strong, engaged, and moving forward.

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MEET THE TENANTS: Project Pup

Lealman Exchange is home to a variety of tenant organizations who serve our community and beyond.  Today, we are chatting with John Turner, President of Project Pup – our newest tenants!

Tell us a little about yourself and your organization.

I am the President of Project PUP (Pets Uplifting People), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit therapy-dog organization serving the Tampa Bay area. With over 32 years of experience in pet therapy, I have dedicated my life to strengthening the human–animal bond and bringing comfort, connection, and hope to people in need. I am also a Pet Tech K9 CPR & First Aid Instructor, committed to educating handlers and pet professionals on lifesaving skills that protect both people and pets in addition to being certified in several other pet areas.

For more than 40 years, we’ve helped strengthen the human–animal bond by bringing trained therapy dogs into schools, hospitals, senior communities, and local programs. We also offer Pet Tech K9 CPR & First Aid classes to help pet owners and professionals learn important skills that keep pets safe and healthy.

Tell us who you serve and how.

We serve children, seniors, veterans, first responders, patients, and community members by providing friendly, well-trained therapy-dog teams who offer comfort, connection, and emotional support. Our visits are designed to brighten someone’s day, ease stress, and create meaningful moments of companionship.

What drives your mission?

We believe deeply in the power of the human–animal bond. A simple interaction with a therapy dog can bring comfort, spark joy, and offer hope during challenging times — and that belief guides everything we do.

Do you have an accomplishment you are particularly proud of?

We’re proud to have been part of the Tampa Bay community for more than 40 years. Throughout that time, our volunteers and therapy-dog teams have supported thousands of individuals and partnered with countless local organizations to bring comfort and connection where it’s needed most.

What programs or opportunities are available to our Lealman neighbors?

We offer community classes that help families build positive relationships with their pets. These classes focus on developing well-mannered, confident dogs who are valued and trusted members of the household — and who help strengthen the overall well-being of the community.

To learn more about Project Pup, visit https://projectpup.net/ and follow them on Facebook / Instagram @projectpup.  

What's Happening @ LEX

View more events on the LEX Community Calendar!

Holiday Recycling: Check Your List Before You Toss

Pinellas County is making it easier for residents to recycle responsibly this holiday season with a helpful Holiday and Gift Giving Guide available on its website.

The guide breaks down which items belong in your recycling bin — and which ones can cause contamination if they’re placed there by mistake. While it may be tempting to toss everything into the blue bin after gift-opening, some holiday favorites actually need to go in the trash or be reused, donated or disposed of properly.

Nice (Recycle These Items):

• Wrapping paper (paper only)

• Cardboard boxes

• Paper boxes

• Paper cards and envelopes

• Catalogs

• Glass bottles and jars

• Plastic bottles and jugs

• Aluminum, tin and steel cans

Naughty (Do Not Recycle):

• Christmas lights

• Garland and tinsel

• Foil wrapping paper

• Ribbons and bows

• Bubble wrap

• Plastic air pillows

• Polystyrene foam

• Plastic utensils

• Paper and plastic plates

• Batteries

• Plastic bags

Placing non-recyclable items in the bin can contaminate entire loads, making recycling less effective for everyone. When in doubt, residents are encouraged to reuse items, donate what they can or place them in the garbage.

For more tips on holiday recycling and sustainable gift-giving, visit pinellas.gov/holiday-and-gift-giving-guide.

Wendy Wesley returns to the Lealman Farmers Market on January 4

The Lealman Farmers Market welcomes back Wendy Wesley on Sunday, January 4, for a morning of  cooking and nutrition demonstrations designed to inspire healthy, affordable meals for the whole family.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lealman Community Park, shoppers can learn practical cooking tips, explore nutrition-focused recipes, and take part in hands-on demonstrations that make healthy eating accessible and approachable.

In addition to the demos, the market will feature a variety of SNAP-friendly vendors alongside local farmers, food producers, and small businesses offering fresh ingredients and locally made goods. The Lealman Farmers Market continues to focus on reducing food access barriers while supporting local vendors and community wellness.

Whether you’re coming for fresh produce, nutrition education, or to support local businesses, the January 4 market offers something for everyone.

Lealman Farmers Market
📅 Sunday, January 4
⏰ 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
📍 Lealman Community Park

Local author brings magic home in Mr. Carter’s Chessboard

Lealman author Merry Ruthe Wilson is inviting readers of all ages into a world where imagination heals, courage matters and magic might be closer than we think.

Wilson recently published her newest book, Mr. Carter’s Chessboard, a whimsical and heartfelt story set in St. Petersburg that blends fantasy, family and the quiet power of hope. While the book is accessible for younger readers, it’s equally written for adults who still believe there’s room for wonder in everyday life.

The story centers on Dan Carter, a musician forced into early retirement after crippling arthritis robs him of his ability to play the saxophone. Seeking comfort, Dan spends his days playing chess against himself — until one morning, when an “ordinary” marsh rabbit steps out of a glowing chessboard and offers a real challenge.

That moment opens the door to “the Realm,” a magical world filled with brave, endearing creatures in need of Dan’s help. As he joins them in their fight against an evil force threatening their paradise, something extraordinary begins to happen in the real world: Dan’s hands begin to heal. With encouragement from a group of charismatic felines known as the Jazz Cats, he’s playing music again.

Balancing Dan’s adventures is his daughter’s growing concern that her father is slipping into fantasy. When she commits him to a care center, the stakes rise — not just for Dan, but for his grandchildren, who are abducted into the Realm by the sinister Spider Queen.

Wilson both wrote and illustrated Mr. Carter’s Chessboard, bringing the story to life through her own artwork. The book is available in paperback on Amazon.

Beyond her latest release, Wilson has published children’s literature, fiction and nonfiction, memoir and poetry. She moved to Florida with her family in 1956, earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and later completed graduate work at the University of South Florida. Over the years, she has worked as a teacher and columnist.

A Lealman resident since 2012, Wilson is also the creator of the Facebook group Friends of Raymond H. Neri Community Park and is eagerly anticipating the park’s reopening in February 2026.

Mr. Carter’s Chessboard is a reminder that stories — like communities — are built on imagination, resilience and the belief that it’s never too late for a little magic

Lealman Fire Department delivers gifts to 3,000 kids on Christmas Eve

Via WTSP

A fire truck arriving on your street with sirens blaring might not normally be a sight you want to see.

But the call the Lealman Fire Department responded to on Christmas Eve brought a new meaning to a timely response.

Before making his way around the world overnight, Santa Claus — joined by the department’s firefighters — paid a visit to a few dozen homes in Lealman, a community neighboring St. Pete.

The firefighters and Santa arrived on a fire engine with bikes, dollhouses and toys for over 3,000 children throughout the community. The department’s firefighters spent the past year putting aside funds from their own paychecks, so they could participate in this annual tradition. They also received donations from retailers and businesses.

“We're delivering presents to all the kids in all the housing areas, the apartment complexes, mobile home parks, places like that,” said Division Chief Jim Millican. “They see Santa Claus. They're super excited. Puts a tear in your eye.”

In addition to gifts, the department is bringing Christmas dinner to 1,000 families and a full Christmas, which includes dinner and toys, to 85 families. 

Families that received gifts were brought to tears as well, saying Christmas wouldn’t be the same without these firefighters’ generosity.

“I've been really rough on work and everything else, and it's been really hard. They wouldn't really have much of a Christmas if it wasn't for them,” parent Ashley Burch said. “It means everything to me. They love seeing Santa.”

It may not have come in the bright red sleigh they were expecting, but Wednesday’s call was proof that Santa doesn’t always need reindeer to deliver Christmas joy.

Hello Lealman