One of Apopka’s leading pest control services is celebrating its 40th anniversary next week. All Seasons Pest Control (ASPC), home to Apopka’s biggest roach, will be hosting a gathering at Halls on Fifth for those in the community to celebrate with them.
“It’s a big accomplishment for us, as a small business, to be here for 40 years,” Wayne Levesque, owner and operator of ASPC, said. “I always wanted to thank all my customers for supporting us. Small businesses are the backbone of our country, our state, and our community. Hopefully, the Apopka community will continue to support small businesses like us.”
The event will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, at Halls on Fifth, located at 15 E 5th St. ASPC has partnered with the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce and the Apopka Serves Foundation to make this event happen.
Guests attending the event will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and cake, and guests can then choose their own adventure at any of the Fifth Street food and beverage options.
ASPC has been serving the Apopka community since 1985, providing pest control, rodent service, subterranean termite service, and lawn treatments for residential and commercial properties. The company also offer a Do-It-Yourself Pest Control retail store located in their office at 435 W Main St., Apopka.
“I just started it as a job,” Levesque said. “I never thought that it would get to be 40 years. It wasn’t really one of my plans to stay in it that long, but we love Apopka. Apopka has been good to us, so we just kept on working.”
The company has been family-owned and operated since its founding and continues to be a standout among Apopka area businesses. Wayne and his wife Terry run the businesses together and have been long-time Apopka residents.
The Levesques have deep family ties in Apopka, with both of their children graduating from Apopka High School and two grandchildren currently attending Wolf Lake Middle School and Apopka High School.
The Levesques moved to Apopka in 1980, following their marriage in 1979. Since then, they have been heavily involved in the community and local non-profits. They have also been active members of the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce since 1996.
“We’ve learned to be involved in the community, not just be in the community,” Terry Levesque said.
Wayne served on the board of directors for the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2012 and was chairman from 2011 to 2012. He was named Businessman of the Year in 2006. Terry was honored as Businesswoman of the Year in 1998. Together, they received the prestigious Bernie Roberts Award for Outstanding Chamber Member of the Year in 2010.
ASPC has been repeatedly voted Best Pest Control Company in Apopka since 2010. ASPC is also home to the largest roach in Apopka, an annual contest that used to invite the community to compete to see who has the gnarliest roach. The winning roach is mounted in a case for display at ASPC.
Wayne said he started the contest as a marketing strategy to bring his business into the public eye at a low cost. Before COVID-19, which forced the cancellation of the contest, ASPC accepted entries for the biggest roach every year between September 11th and 22nd. He said it worked wonders and soon became the thing he and ASPC were known for.
Wayne is also famous for his appearances in a human-sized roach costume that he wore frequently. He has since retired the costume but hinted it may make an appearance at the anniversary event.
Wayne said his favorite memories from the competition were the year a Wekiva High School science class got involved. The students were promised extra credit from their teacher if they participated. One of those Wekiva students won the competition, earning $100 for the win and $100 for his class.
The Levesques said they will continue working for the community until they feel they can no longer do so. Wayne said his future may include some relaxation in his favorite costume, but not before he leaves a lasting legacy in Apopka.
“We’re going to continue,” Wayne said. “We are now 65, so we’ll see how it goes. There is a retirement someday in our future. But for now, we’re just going to keep working and serving Apopka.”
