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Heather Acres gets piece of $213,000 pie

The county awards 36 grants to neighborhoods in unincorporated areas.

SEMINOLE - The Heather Acres community has received a 2004 Pinellas County beautification grant.

The neighborhood plans to use its $4,220 grant for plants, shrubs and maintenance of several large oaks at its entrance on 122nd Way near Millennium Park.

The Heather Acres project was one of 36 approved this month by the County Commission as part of the Neighborhood Enhancement Grant Project. A total of $213,000 was awarded to neighborhoods in unincorporated areas.

The grants are designed to promote safety, provide directional and identification information that promotes traffic flow, and build partnerships among community residents, organizations and the county.

Neighborhoods must make permanent physical improvements that fulfill a public purpose, by providing a public amenity, improving the appearance of the neighborhood, enhancing safety and/or creating an identity for the area.

Projects include community identification signs, landscaping, tree planting, entryway embellishments, cleanup campaigns and playground improvements. All improvements must be made on public property or on private property that is available for public use and enjoyment.

The maximum amount per grant is $10,000. The county does not require a matching contribution, but applications that include volunteer time and/or donated materials and services are usually given priority.

Eligible applicants include homeowner associations incorporated by the state; crime watch groups and community associations; and groups of residents.

Seminole's 8th Annual Music in the Park program at Seminole City Park will begin Sept. 10 featuring the Porchdogs' Cajun Zydeco music.

The fall schedule also includes Gypsy Wind (bluegrass), Sept. 17; Hunks of Funk ('70s and '80s disco), Oct. 1; Suzette Jennings and Moodswingz (R&B/jazz/Motown), Oct. 8; and TC Carr and the All Star Band (blues), Oct. 15. The program for Sept. 24 has not yet been determined.

The evening open-air music program in September and October has been popular with area residents, who come with their chairs and blankets to the park at 7464 Ridge Road for music and family activities.

Bauder Elementary School is looking for students from the 1992-93 fifth-grade class to help open a buried time capsule at 4 p.m. June 4. For more information, call Cheryl at the school, 397-4576.

Seminole area families are invited to join the Family Aquatic Swim Team program at the Seminole Aquatic Center at 9100 113th St. N.

The program is from 4-5 p.m. June 7 through July 29 and features lap swimming, water aerobics, swim lessons, a doggy derby, special events, and a beginner swim team for children 7-14. For more information, call 397-6085.

Keswick Christian School's athletic director, Karrmayne King, has been nominated for the Exceptional Sportsmanship Award by the Suncoast Basketball Referees Organization.

King has coached at Keswick Christian for 19 years, and has coached the 1998 Pinellas County Girls' Basketball Senior All-Star Team and the 2000 Pinellas County Volleyball Senior All-Star Team. Her teams have played in five state final four basketball tournaments, and two state final four volleyball tournaments.

She has trained basketball referees at the Suncoast Classic Boys and Girls Basketball Tournament and at a summer camp at Keswick Christian.

- News for Neighborhood Notebook may be e-mailed to SeminoleNotebook@knology.net faxed to 398-6054, mailed to Seminole Notebook, 13472 Bellewood Ave. N, Seminole, FL 33776, or called in to Sheila Estrada at 399-9197.