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HIGH FIVES

Brooksville developer and community leader Tommy Bronson recently received special recognition from the Southwest Florida Water Management's Coastal Rivers Basin Board for his commitment to water resources.

Bronson's commitment dates back to the 1960s, when he served on one of the district's five basin boards. He is currently a member of the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council.

The Coastal Rivers Basin Board chose to honor Bronson for his efforts to protect the Blue Sink watershed and his role as a member of the Hernando County Groundwater Guardians team.

Bronson, who owns the property where the Blue Sink is located, played a major role in the Hernando springs workshop by hosting a field trip to the Blue Sink and presenting a historical view of the sink. Bronson also participated in the cleanup of Peck Sink.

The Coastal Rivers Basin includes portions of Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties.

The Spring Hill Art League selected Beverly Black to be the featured artist showing at Withalacoochie River Electric Cooperative on Cortez Boulevard for the month of September.

Black was born in Illinois. She painted in high school, but not seriously. She moved to Central Florida in 1971. In 1994, she met Carol Rockwell and began painting, first in oils and later in watercolors. Black also painted with Diane Becker to learn portrait painting.

Bishop Theodore N. Brown, a longtime Brooksville resident, was recently honored at the 13th annual Point of View Productions Keeping Traditional Gospel Music Alive awards dinner and concert at the Orlando-North Hilton Hotel in Altamonte Springs.

Brown was presented with the outstanding bishop award. Other awards presented that evening included: outstanding deacon, educator, executive, female vocalist, male vocalist, musician, humanitarian and youth, among others.

Brown is the presiding prelate of the Florida Diocese and the Georgia Diocese of the Church of the Living God.

The awards dinner and concert, a Christian event, was founded by Point of View president/executive officer and owner Mel Couzart in 1991. Couzart was inspired to host the annual awards event to show recognition and appreciation to worthy citizens of the church, the community and the gospel recording industry.

The Humane Society of Hernando County recently sponsored the Humane Society Alley Cats bowling event for the Hernando County Sheriff's Office Youth Education Services program.

The program, known as YES, is guided by a board of directors that advises Sheriff Richard Nugent on the needs of the community's children, promotes awareness of the YES program and raises money to support youth programs developed by the Sheriff's Office.

Programs that come under YES include the school programs taught by deputies to students in third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades: Respect Others And youRself (ROAR), Junior Deputies, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), Harmony in the Streets summer day camp and the Beat the Heat neighborhood block party.

The YES board is also working on a program called Tomorrow's Heroes, which will bring recognition to young people who make a difference in the community, and a built-to-scale Safety Town for teaching safety to youngsters.

Bowling on behalf of the Humane Society were: U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, team captain; Paul Montante, board president; Kathy Whitman, board member, and David Whitman, a volunteer. Gus Guadagnino was the event chairman.

Members of the Florida Guard's First Air Wing recently completed installation of new radio and ground positioning satellite (GPS) equipment in the second of its aircraft based at the Hernando County Airport south of Brooksville.

Once installed, the Air Wing tested the new electronics. Training is ongoing as a new medical detachment is being formed; others are several weeks into a protracted mission observer training course.

The wing is recruiting ground and air crew personnel. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, not currently on active military duty and have no felony convictions. Previous military service is not required.

The wing drills are from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month at headquarters, 3151 Air Commerce Blvd., south of Brooksville.

Dr. Kimberly Clayton and the staff at Central Hernando Surgical Associates PA, 15435 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, would like to express a sincere thank you to everyone who attended our open house/ribbon cutting ceremony Aug. 6 and for making it a tremendous and exciting success.

Special thanks to Pat Crowley and the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce, Rob Foreman and Brooksville Regional Hospital.

Dr. Kimberly Clayton, owner, Central Hernando Surgical Associates

We wish to express our sincere gratitude for the wonderful hospitality shown to us by the Red Cross and the staff of Nature Coast Technical High School during the evacuation for Hurricane Charley.

They went beyond the call of duty in caring for us during this horrific time.

Ruth Keefer and Mary Jane Madia, Brookridge

The Hernando County Family YMCA hosted the annual Aquatics Special Olympics on Aug. 7. Twenty-six athletes competed in games at the Y's pool for a chance to advance to the area competition in Dunedin on Aug. 21 and the state competition in Altamonte Springs on Oct. 8 and 9.

The opening ceremonies got under way with athlete Mark Swiconek serving as race announcer. Swiconek was honored as the latest inductee into the Florida Special Olympics Hall of Fame.

There were 15 races in all, including a 25-meter freestyle swim, 25-meter breaststroke, 25-meter backstroke, 25-meter relays and 15-meter assisted and unassisted races. The athletes had trained at the Y for several months prior to the event.

The competition was friendly, with all of the athletes cheering each other on. Many family members and friends attended.

Following the races, award ribbons were presented. There was a luncheon party, organized by Angie Bierwiler, a Special Olympic management team member, and her volunteers.

Hernando County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jim Powers awarded each athlete a T-shirt and a key chain from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.

The results of the 25-meter freestyle race in Division F-3 were: Patricia Markey, first place. In Division M-4: Xavier Fremmer, first place, and Cole Stape, second place. In Division M-3: Vince Hardina, first place, and William Terry, second place. In Division F-2: Kayla Bierwiler received first place; Danielle Adams, second place; Rosemary O'Brien, third place, and Kassy Ayala, fourth place. In Division M-2: Daniel VanSanten received first place and Bob DiBlais, second place. In Division F-1: Christy Hill received first place; Eryn Diemer, second place, and Angela Click, third place. In Division M-1: Kris Garlock received first place; Sean McGuire, second, and Theo VanSanten, third.

The results of the 25-meter breaststroke in Division F-101 were: Rosemary O'Brien, first place, and Kassy Ayala, second. In Division F-102: Christy Hill took first place, and Kayla Bierwiler, second place. In Division M-101: Angela Click received first place, and Kris Garlock, second place.

Results of the 25-meter backstroke in Division M-201 were: Bob DiBlasi, first place; Vince Hardina, second, and Cole Stape, third. In Division M-202: Xavier Fremmer took first, and William Terry, second place. In Division M-203: Sean McGuire won first place. In Division F-201: Danielle Adams took first, and Eryn Diemer, second place.

Results in the 15-meter assisted Division 1 competition were: Delajuan Boggs, first place, and Aaron Nelson, second place.

Results in the 15-meter unassisted Division 1 were: Morgan Bartlett, first place; Beverly Davis, second place, and Joshua LaBarge, third place.

In the 4x25-meter freestyle relay race, Team 2, consisting of Daniel VanSanten, Theo VanSanten, Kris Garlock and Sean McGuire, took first place. Team 1, consisting of Angela Click, Kayla Bierwiler, Christy Hill and Eryn Diemer, received second place. Team 3, consisting of Rosemary O'Brien, Kassy Ayala, Bob DiBlasi and William Terry, came in third.

The team of Xavier Fremmer, Jeremy VanSanten, Vince Hardina and Kristina Terry won the 4x25-meter freestyle relay unified race.

- Hometown Hernando welcomes reports on recreational and sports activities, both youth and adult, that do not normally run on the Sports pages. Send your news and results to: Jean Hayes, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613-6174.

Dr. James DeLuca, a local dentist who was recently activated by the Army Reserve and is serving in Tikrit, Iraq, shared a few words on his experiences with his friends and patients back home in Spring Hill.

"My service to country is minor in comparison to the contributions that our soldiers are making on a daily basis. Although I am delighted to offer the residents of Spring Hill my insight on the Iraqi war, I have a tremendous aversion to becoming the center of attention.

"There are a lot of young men and women from all over Hernando County who are serving in the same capacity. They are the real heroes."

Those wishing to write DeLuca can do so at: Maj. James G. DeLuca/Dental, 67th Combat Support Hospital, Camp Speicher, Tikrit, APO, AEO9323.

DeLuca was commissioned a major in the Army Dental Corps after serving with the Navy and Coast Guard since 1987. He joined the armed forces when he enlisted in the Navy Reserve as a seaman recruit. After graduating from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, he was commissioned as a lieutenant.