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Briefs

Candidate for Congress holds meet and greet

By Times Staff
Published November 29, 2005

SPRING HILL - H. David Werder, a candidate for Congress, will have a meet and greet at 6:30 p.m. today in the parking lot of the Little Red Schoolhouse Branch Library on Kenlake Avenue.

Anyone interested is invited to attend. No reading material will be handed out. Visitors who sign Werder's guest book will be invited to a barbecue dinner if he wins the 2006 election.

Werder is a Democratic candidate running in the 5th Congressional District.

Werder will also participate in a candidates forum that will be at 7 p.m. today in the Lake House, 1202 Kenlake Ave. The forum will also include Democratic candidates Glenn Claytor, who is running in District 44 of the state House; state Sen. Rod Smith, who is a candidate for governor, and John Russell, a candidate for Congress.

Free grief workshops are available through hospice

Hernando-Pasco Hospice will provide holiday grief workshops at the following locations:

--2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 5, and 7 p.m. Dec. 8, Hernando-Pasco Hospice, 12260 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill.

--2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 6, Hernando-Pasco Hospice, 698 S Broad St., Brooksville.

--2 p.m. Dec. 8, St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, 5030 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill.

The free 90-minute workshops are open to hospice survivors and anyone in the community who has lost a loved one. The program will provide tips on how to cope during the holidays and allow participants to share concerns. Hospice bereavement counselors will facilitate.

Those wishing to participate are asked to RSVP to hospice toll-free 1-800-486-8784.

Swiftmud speakers part of water awareness series

BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County Utilities and the Citizens for WATER will host the second session of the Hernando County Water Awareness Series from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at the Utilities Department, 21030 Cortez Blvd.

Topics include "Hernando County Hydrogeology - Where Does Our Water Come From?" presented by John Parker of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Also, "The Mysteries of the Green Swamp Revealed - How the Green Swamp Affects Hernando County" will be presented by Mark Barcelo of Swiftmud.

Refreshments will be served. The program is free, but reservations are requested. RSVP to Pamela Gaines at 540-4368, ext. 35140.

Church, waterfall painted on new county ornaments

Hernando County Tourist Development Council is offering its official Hernando County Christmas ornament collection for 2005.

This year's ornaments are the First Presbyterian Church on Bell Avenue in Brooksville and the Spring Hill waterfall. The artwork on both ornaments was created by local artist Cole Jay Mills. The glass ornaments are 31/4 inches in diameter and can be viewed online at the Tourism Department's Web site at www.hernandocounty.us

The cost is $15 plus tax for each signed and numbered limited-edition ornament and $10 plus tax for unsigned ornaments. Also, a limited supply of past years' ornaments (1997 to 2004) is available.

For information or to place an order, call Dawn Hogan at 754-4405 or send an e-mail to Welcomectr@co.hernando.fl.us

Club to sponsor seminar on "Our Current Crisis'

SPRING HILL - The Nature Coast Federated Republican Women will host a seminar, "Our Current Crisis: The Loss of Our Republican Form of Government," at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at Hernando County Republican Headquarters, 4660 Commercial Way.

The speaker will be Rebecca O'Dell Townsend of Tampa, an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney. The fund includes organizations and attorneys specializing in protecting First Amendment rights. Townsend is also an appellate attorney practicing before the U.S. Supreme Court, Florida Supreme Court and Florida's state and federal courts of appeal. She serves as president of the Suncoast Women's Republican Club Federated.

For information, call Laurie Pizzo at 428-8011.

Upcoming Angels on High event needs participants

SPRING HILL - Clubs, organizations and individuals are invited to participate in the annual Angels on High event on the grounds of the Spring Hill Community Association's Lake House at 1202 Kenlake Ave. Displays can be set up on the grounds Saturday and Sunday, with volunteers on hand to assist with setups.

The association has a step-by-step instruction sheet for creating a 4- by 4-foot plywood angel for any group or individual wishing to do so.

This year's holiday event will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 10 to 17. It will include live entertainment each night, visits from Santa Claus, food and refreshments, plus the lighted path of handcrafted angels floating among the trees.

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. All proceeds will benefit local charities. For information, call the association at 666-4746.

Support program event honors family caregivers

SPRING HILL - The Family Caregiver Support Program will sponsor a day of celebration, recognition and appreciation for family caregivers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at Atria Evergreen Woods, 7030 Evergreen Woods Trail. The event will include entertainment, door prizes and gifts for family caregivers.

All Hernando County caregivers are invited to this free event. A family caregiver is someone who cares for a chronically ill, disabled or elderly loved one in their home or other living arrangement, such as a nursing home.

Reservations are required. Call the Family Caregiver Support Program toll-free 1-800-717-3277.

Calendars from Humane Society ready for purchase

The Humane Society of the Nature Coast has a 2006 calendar for sale that features local pets that participated in the Pet Expo photo contest. The calendar also includes shelter alumni, and days of interest to pet lovers are denoted.

Calendars are $15 each and can be purchased at the shelter at Wiscon and Mobley roads south of Brooksville. Checks can be mailed to: Humane Society of the Nature Coast, P.O. Box 10328, Brooksville, FL 34603.

Calendar orders will also be taken at the Spring Hill Elementary School Flea Market and Holiday Sale, which will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at 6000 Roble Ave. (at Mariner Boulevard), Spring Hill. "Santa Paws" will be on hand for pet photos, which will cost $5 each.

This is the Humane Society's first local calendar. Proceeds will benefit the orphaned animals at the shelter. For information, call the shelter at 796-2711.

Group sponsors history essay contest for students

Daughters of the American Revolution, Winding Waters Chapter, is sponsoring two American history contests for middle school and high school students.

The first contest is for students in fifth through eighth grades. The title of the essay is "Benjamin Franklin - More Than a Revolutionary." The length of the essay must be between 300 and 600 words for fifth-graders and between 600 and 1,000 words for sixth- through eighth-graders. One essay from each grade level will be selected and forwarded to the state competition.

The second is a Christopher Columbus contest for students in ninth through 12th grades. The title of the essay is "The Santa Maria to the New World and the Apollo Mission to the Moon: Christopher Columbus and the Astronauts." The essay should be no more than 750 words. One essay will be selected and forwarded to the state competition.

All essays must be submitted by Dec. 9.

Judging will be based on historical accuracy, adherence to the topic, organization of material, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation and neatness.

For information, call Phyllis Scales at 596-9341.

VFW Post 10209 collects goods for holiday baskets

SPRING HILL - Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10209 and Ladies Auxiliary are collecting donations of canned goods and nonperishable items for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for needy Hernando County veterans and their families.

Those wishing to help may bring donations to the post, 15166 Spring Hill Drive. For information, call 796-0398.

Kiwanis selling tickets for Breakfast with Santa

SPRING HILL - The Kiwanis Club of Spring Hill is selling tickets for its annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa, from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 6193 Spring Hill Drive.

Tickets are $3 each, which includes all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, bacon, juice, coffee, tea and doughnuts. Children 2 and younger are admitted free.

Santa and Mrs. Claus, along with two holiday mermaids from Weeki Wachee Springs, will be available for pictures. Prizes will be given to the children. Raffle tickets will be sold for a cash drawing and prizes.

Tickets will also be sold at the door. All proceeds will go to local children's charities. For information, call 683-7668.

Holiday concert to feature harmonizers and vocalists

WEEKI WACHEE - Tickets are available for the Hernando Harmonizers Christmas concert, 2 p.m. Sunday at Nativity Lutheran Church, 6363 Commercial Way.

The concert will also feature the Hernando D'Lites female quartet and local school-age talents Shawn and Jessica Doolittle and Sarah Coit. After the performance, there will be a Holly Jolly Flamingo Fest, which will include refreshments, caroling and Santa Claus.

Tickets are $12 each; admission for children 10 and younger is free. For information, call John Healy at 683-6980 or the church at 597-1456.

[Last modified November 29, 2005, 11:08:42]