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County asks volunteers to work at center, library

The Hernando County Tourist Development Department and Hernando County Public Library System is seeking volunteers to help at the Welcome Center and the East Hernando Branch Library, both east of Brooksville. The Welcome Center is on Cortez Boulevard at Interstate 75. The library is at 31170 Cortez Blvd., in the Sunrise Plaza.

Anyone interested in volunteering can call Joyce at the Welcome Center, 754-4405, or Nancy at the library, 754-4043.

SPRING HILL - The Arc Nature Coast will host its annual Halloween Dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 24 at Spring Hill Elementary, 6000 Roble Ave.

The dance will include a DJ, pizza, music and dancing. Door prizes will be awarded. Admission is $2 per person. The Arc Nature Coast is a nonprofit organization that provides services and supports for developmentally disabled Hernando County residents and their families. The dance is open to the public. Donations of door prizes are appreciated.

For information, call Nancy, 592-5652.

Hernando County high school juniors and seniors can participate in a program at Flammer Ford in Spring Hill for a chance to win a 2004 Ford Focus Zx3.

For the first three marking periods during the school year, starting with the marking period that is ending this Friday, each A grade will be worth two entry forms. Perfect attendance also gets two forms, and each B grade will get one entry form.

At the end of the third marking period, 20 finalists will be drawn, with one of the 20 finalists being drawn to win the car, donated by Flammer.

Students are required to visit the dealership on Commercial Way to present their report cards and fill out their entry forms. The winner must be present to win, and will be responsible for any taxes, title, tag and registration fees. All information will be shredded after the contest.

The purpose of the program is to promote good grades and attendance. For information, call Flammer Ford at 686-8255.

BROOKSVILLE - Chinsegut Nature Center will sponsor these events:

Reptile/Amphibian Expo, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18, at Chinsegut Nature Center, 23212 Lake Lindsey Road, north of Brooksville. The event will include talks, walks and live exhibits of native reptiles and amphibians. There will be door prizes, a frog-calling contest, puppet show and food available. Some of the tours/exhibits will include sea turtles, a gopher tortoise burrow (through an infrared video camera) and venomous snakes.

Big Pine Bird Walk, 9 a.m. Oct. 21. Participants are to meet at the Big Pine Tract parking lot off Old Crystal River Road, and should bring binoculars and a bird book.

Pioneer Day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 1, at Chinsegut Nature Center. The event will feature storytelling, skillet-throwing contest, demonstrations in cider pressing, spindle chairmaking, broommaking, cane weaving and ropemaking, as well as encampments, games, period music, hearth cooking and more.

All activities sponsored by the nature center are free. For information, call 754-6722.

WEEKI WACHEE - The Tampa Bay Buccaneer Cheerleaders and Weeki Wachee Mermaids will compete in a "Friendly Game of Volleyball" at 1 p.m. Saturday at Weeki Wachee Springs' Buccaneer Bay, 6131 Commercial Way.

Seating will be available one hour before the game. The game will be officiated by Hernando County Sheriff Richard Nugent and others from the Sheriff's Office. The cheerleaders and mermaids will be available after the game for photos and autographs.

Admission will be $10 plus tax, which includes admission to both the attraction and water park. For information, call 596-2062 or visit the Web site at www.weekiwachee.com

SPRING HILL - Hernando County Emergency Management will offer a three-day Community Emergency Response Team class from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, Oct. 18 and 25 and Nov. 1 at Career Central, 7361 Forest Oaks Blvd.

Residents from Forest Oaks, Berkeley Manor, Regency Oaks, Bridgewater Club Apartments, River Country, Timber Pines and any other area communities are invited to participate in this free class.

CERT teams receive training that enhances their ability to prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate against a major emergency or disaster. The CERT is organized under the Hernando County Emergency Management Office with instructional and operational support provided by Hernando County Fire Rescue, Brooksville Fire Rescue and Spring Hill Fire Rescue.

For information or to sign up for the class, call Emergency Management at 754-4083. Applications can also be downloaded from the Web site at www.co.hernando.fl.us/em/communit2.htm

The Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System offers free preschool screenings for children ages 3 to 5 who are not in kindergarten. The testings are for youngsters who might have problems with speech, hearing, motor coordination, concepts and/or vision.

Spaces are available on the following 2004 testing dates:

Jan. 14, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1214 Broad St., Masaryktown.

March 3, Westside Elementary, 5400 Applegate Drive, Spring Hill.

March 24, Spring Hill Elementary, 6000 Roble Ave.

April 7, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, 4340 Calienta St., Hernando Beach.

May 5, Suncoast Elementary, 11135 Quality Drive, Spring Hill.

May 19, Moton Elementary, 7175 Emerson Road, Brooksville.

Appointments are required. Because screenings are often fully booked, it is recommended to make appointments early. Call Cathy at 797-7021.

BROOKSVILLE - The Hernando County Kennel Club will host an A Match Dog Show on Nov. 22 at Florida Classic Park on Lockhart Road, off Cortez Boulevard, east of Brooksville. Judging will start at 9 a.m.

The show is open to AKC purebred dogs. Entries will be accepted through Nov. 1. For entry forms, costs and information, call Elaine or Lee, 688-0554.