A nonprofit fatherhood group based in the Live Oak Preserve neighborhood has grown to nearly 120 members across Wesley Chapel and New Tampa since launching in April, Neighborhood News first reported Oct. 21.

Dad Skool, founded by retired firefighter Jason Centeno, holds monthly "Dad Next Door Club" meetups at the Grand Oak Clubhouse off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. The gatherings mix pizza, poker and comedy on the TV with structured check-ins where fathers share wins, swap advice and talk through stressors like work, finances and marriage.

Centeno, a father of six who spent 23 years in the fire service, told Neighborhood News reporter Joshua Gabel he saw local dads letting their mental and physical health slip under the grind of parenting. He started small a few years ago, throwing a cul-de-sac party the day before Father's Day with water slides and games. That annual tradition grew. This year's Father's Day event drew more than 300 people, according to Neighborhood News.

The push to formalize came after friend Michael Paskas, who had been running similar dad gatherings elsewhere in Tampa Bay, invited Centeno to a movie screening. The two mapped out what Centeno describes as a "fraternity of fatherhood."

At a Sept. 4 meetup attended by about 15 fathers, Centeno stacked pizzas while Dave Chappelle played on the TV and a poker table stood ready. In one corner sat a crash test dummy named Hugh with the words "You Here" on his chest. Hugh stands in for every dad who skipped the event, Centeno told Gabel.

Centeno opened the floor for weekly wins. One dad announced a new business. Another said he had won $300 in Las Vegas. A third told the room he was being deployed the next day, drawing applause.

"It's a community for dads, in a world where there aren't enough (supportive) communities for us," Jay Colley, Centeno's neighbor and an early Dad Skool supporter, told Neighborhood News.

Beyond the monthly meetups, the group has hosted a family movie night, a Labor Day barbecue and a "Dads Not Working Happy Hour" at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Sept. 15. Miguel DeLeon, founder of the Dads Figure It Out Foundation, spoke at the September meetup about his Game Day Experience program, which connects families facing hardship with sporting events.

Dad Skool is a registered Florida nonprofit with IRS 501(c)(3) status, according to DadSkool.org. Its volunteer board includes a licensed psychologist with a background in men's mental health. Centeno told Neighborhood News he hopes to expand the model across Tampa Bay and eventually provide resources for homeless men.

Fathers interested in joining can visit DadSkool.org or text Centeno at 813-812-0218.

Upcoming Dad Skool events:

The organization’s current website says its Nov. 7 Pirate Bus outing is canceled. That cancellation applies to the group outing, not the Badass Beerfest itself. Families should check the site for current events and RSVP requirements.