This month the staff at WOW kicks off what we hope will become a much anticipated and useful annual feature: WOW’s Summer Camp Spectacular. We’ve reached out to summer camp directors and offered them a special advertising deal to get their registration forms into the WOW inserts. We also list these camp advertisers here. Combined with some solid advice on how to keep the kids entertained and happy this summer on our homepage, we hope this special feature offers some helpful opportunities for the upcoming months.

In putting the edition together, we’ve also developed some better ideas we will incorporate into the 2009 Summer Camp Spectacular, which will come out in March or April of next year. If you have a favorite camp director who enjoys working with the finest kids in Tampa Bay, be sure to pass this WOW on to them so that they don’t miss out.

May’s edition is also packed with great columns and news about your association, the CDDs, some of Westchase’s prominent charitable organizations and, as always, the great people that comprise our community. In addition, be sure not to miss WOW Book Reviewer Tracey Henry’s interview with author Julie Buxbaum here.

And if you’re looking for some chuckles, you certainly don’t want to miss Westchase residents’ reactions to our April Fool’s cover story. Those letters and phone calls can be found here.

In May, WOW’s board of directors will also be selecting the Westchase Volunteer of the Year. If you know a resident or a loved one deserving of this honor, please nominate them by May 10 by contacting me at Editor@WestchaseWOW.com. Be sure to include a description of their volunteer work that has made a difference in our community. We’ll be telling you about that generous individual over the summer.

As the busy summer months approach, please don’t forget to continue submitting your stories and news suggestions to WOW staff. In particular, residents who are vacationing out of state are reminded to bring along a WOW and snap a photo in an interesting place. Sharing your vacation this way in our WOW in the World contest could win you or your kids $100. See page 28 for more details.

In closing, I would be quite remiss if I did not end this brief note with the warmest wishes to all moms.

Happy Mother’s Day!