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Hometown Citrus

What's happening

By Times Staff Writer
Published June 26, 2005

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Cheryl Phillips of Lecanto and John Kolley of Sugarmill Woods were recently elected as chair and vice chair, respectively, of Citrus 20/20 , a citizen-based, not-for-profit visioning and strategic planning organization established in 1996.

Phillips, the owner and operator of the Palm Terrace Village mobile home community for seniors and co-owner and president of General Aluminum, has been a member of Citrus 20/20 since 1997. She is also the vice chair of Citrus County Water and Wastewater Authority; a founding member of Keep Citrus County Beautiful; a co-chair of the Taste of Citrus; and a member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, Citrus County Builders' Association. Phillips is a 2002 Leadership Citrus graduate and was the Rotarian of the Year for 1994 and 1995 for the Rotary Club of Central Citrus.

Kolley, a retired educator and past candidate for the Citrus County School Board, has been a member of Citrus 20/20 since 2002. Additionally, he is the treasurer on the board of Early Learning Coalition of Citrus and Sumter Counties, and a 2003 graduate the Citrus County School District's Little Red School House Academy. In 2004, Kolley was awarded the Marine Corps League, Citrus Detachment No. 819, Distinguished Citizen Award for work with the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign.

On June 6, 19 members weighed in at TOPS Chapter FL387, Beverly Hills. The best loser was Darlene Drafts with a one pound loss. The runnerup was Donna Frank with a one-half pound loss. The KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) best loser was Betty Allan. The jackpot of $l.55 went to Millie Meyer.

The Red, White and Blue game began. Frank gave a program about sugar, and Mabel Thorne will do a program on June 27.

Longtime member Ann Jaffer is moving to Flagler Beach soon. She will be missed.

The chapter meets each Monday with weigh-ins at 3 p.m. and a business meeting and program from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Beverly Hills Community Building, One Civic Circle. Persons interested in visiting this weight loss support group may do so one time before joining. For more information, call Jackie Dean at 527-8405.

Inverness resident Bobbie Jack was named Citrus Memorial Hospital's Employee of the Year for 2004 at CMH's Hospital Week Service Awards ceremony in May. She previously had been recognized as a Class ACT Champion of the Month in 2004. Her fellow Champions of the Month for 2004 were also recognized at the ceremony. Class ACT stands for "Attitude, Communication, Teamwork."

Jack is mammography supervisor in the CMH's diagnostic imaging department and is responsible for operations at the CMH Medical Office Building as well as for the CMH mammography installation at Genesis Women's Center in Inverness.

She was described by department manager David Wells as dedicated to making women's health and lives better, a person who enjoys life, enjoys work and loves people.

"She's so caring and compassionate," Wells said, "that women request her services year after year for their mammograms. Turning an unpleasant procedure into a pleasant encounter is quite a feat." A CMH employee for 19 years, Jack has been the employee leader of the hospital's award-winning American Cancer Society Relay for Life efforts. Under her leadership, CMH turned in more than $11,000 last year and $14,000 this year to fight cancer.

Citrus Memorial Hospital thanks Jack for being a role model for customer service and for compassionate professionalism.

Dr. Edward Dodge, former Citrus Memorial Hospital medical staff member, shared insights from his new book at a recent presentation at the hospital titled, A Passion for Health. Copies of the book, Tim's Story: A Spiritual Perspective on Health, were on sale at a signing after the talk, and Dodge donated profits to the hospital's capital fundraising campaign.

Approximately 30 people attended the presentation, held in the hospital's auditorium. Dodge sold 23 books at the signing after the discussion, resulting in nearly $150 in profits for the Citrus Memorial Health Foundation.

"We're very honored and grateful," said Chris Pool, the foundation's development director. "To hear him speak was a privilege, and his generosity is incredible."

Dodge's book details his philosophy that one must nurture body, mind and spirit to achieve true health.

Dodge also discussed the USDA's new food pyramid and stressed making diet and exercise changes slowly.

"Do you like a gradual approach when your plane is landing," he asked the audience, "or do you like a drastic, fast approach?"

The presentation was part of the Citrus Memorial Hospital SHARE Club's ongoing outreach efforts. The club regularly presents programs, support groups, health screenings, trips and other activities. Membership is free. For information on the SHARE Club, call 344-6513.

In September, the SHARE Club will host another presentation and book signing by Dodge. Again, he will donate all book sale profits to the hospital's capital campaign.

Donald and Shirley (Zeigler) Patton celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary May 28, 2005, with a surprise party with family and friends and an RV trip with friends to Alaska. They were married May 28, 1955, at Lealman Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, and retired to Lecanto.

Mrs. Patton was born in Tampa, and raised in St. Petersburg. She is a graduate of Northeast High School and a homemaker. Mr. Patton moved to St. Petersburg in 1949 from Grants Pass, Ore., and retired as a master sergeant in the Air Force after 20 years, serving two tours in Vietnam.

They enjoy RV traveling and camping with family and have four daughters and four grandchildren.

Editor:

We would like to take this time to thank everyone for coming out for our Benefit for the Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation on June 18. The turn out was a great success. Without you all, we could not have pulled together so much for such a worthy cause. We would also like to express our thanks to the following businesses and people who helped this special night come together with their donations of raffle prizes and food:

Joe and Staff from Pizza Hut of Crystal River; Warren Hill from Crystal River Harley Davidson; Jesse Fisher; Cindy Ladd from P.O.E.T.S Karaoke; Tish Tramontana; Russ' Coffee Depot, Crystal River; Sue's Hallmark, Homosassa; Designs by Nerissa; Home Depot, Crystal River; Domino's Pizza, Crystal River; Applebee's, Crystal River; Sportsters, Crystal River; Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park; Old Mill Tavern, Homosassa; Body Repair Shoppe, Crystal River; Homosassa Springs Florist; BP Gas Station, Homosassa; Seagrass Pub, Homosassa; Adrian's Gift Baskets, Crystal River; Parrotheads of Citrus County; and MacRae's Homosassa.

A special thank you to: Emerald Gypsy, our houseband and brothers Mark, John, Ronnie, Shades, Randy and soundman Eric; to Steven, Dustin, Carissa, Liz, Rick and Paula for helping us with the footwork on the flyers and donations; Cindy for her great work emceeing for the night and selling raffle tickets; Scott and Tessa Wagner for handling( with great expertise) the 50/50 drawing; Paula for taking charge of the food table; Carissa and Carin for their great work behind the Bar (you guys ROCK!); Brandon, Ken and Dustin for their work at the door and spillages.

We appreciate you all, and again, our thanks.

Mark and Jane Davis, The Gypsy's Den, Crystal River; Mark Lunsford, Homosassa