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Seniors are often the targets for a variety of scams, cons, and fraud, especially as the holidays are approaching. The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas Inc. and its Senior Victim Advocate Program will present the first in a three-part crime forum series Monday at the Senior Resource & Referral Center, 1281 Court St., Clearwater, beginning at 11:15 a.m. Tips to keep seniors from becoming victims of crime will be presented by Rayshell Poinsette, senior service officer with the Largo Police Department. Information on victim assistance, services and community resources will be available. All area seniors are invited to this free event. Call (727) 442-7772 to register.
The Historic Plumb House, 1380 S Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. in Clearwater, will have free tours from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the first and third Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday in December except Dec. 24 and 31. The house is the birthplace of Clearwater's first public school teacher, for whom Plumb Elementary is named. It is an original, Cracker-style house built in 1896. Call 399-1412, 446-4250 or 446-2676.
Sonny LaRosa's America's Youngest Jazz Band is seeking children ages 6 to 13 who play trumpet, trombone, saxophone, guitar or drums. Vocalists who will consider playing an instrument will also be considered. Call 725-1788 or visit the Web site at www.sonnylarosa.com
Throughout the month of December, Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park & Funeral Home invites the public to place an ornament in memory of their loved ones on its Memorial Tree in the lobby of the funeral home, 2853 Sunset Point Road, Clearwater. The ornaments are free and can be personalized with a name and message. Call 796-1992.
The Daughters of Italy Lodge No. 2825 will wrap holiday purchases at Barnes & Noble Bookstores, 23654 US 19 N, Clearwater, from through Dec. 9 from 4 to 11 p.m. Donations will be accepted and will support various lodge charities, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the National Alzheimer's Association and the Pinellas County Education Foundation. For information, contact Vincenza DiLberti at 447-6890 or 455-1521.
RCS Food Bank is accepting food donations of toys for the holidays. Toys will be accepted at the RCS office at 503 S Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Clearwater, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Those interested in organizing a food drive should call director Jamia Austin at 443-4031.
The Kiwanis Club of Springtime City/Clearwater will hold a membership drive during November. The organization's major projects focus on children and include Head Start, annual children's health fairs and sponsorship of school youth service organizations. Meetings are Thursdays at 6 p.m. Call John H. Williams at 418-6601.
CLEARWATER - The Upper Suncoast Dog Training Club, a not-for-profit organization, offers beginning through advanced level classes in agility, clicker training, conformation, junior handling, obedience and puppy kindergarten.
The club also hosts trials and provides opportunities to show your dog. The air-conditioned indoor club is at 2101 Logan St. near the Long Center. Call 727 449-8738 or check www.USDTC.org
The Suncoast String Band, which has performed in Pinellas County for more than 25 years, needs musicians who can play saxophone, banjo, violin, guitar, accordion or drums. Rehearsals are from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Clear Bay Terrace, 1770 Betty Lane N, Clearwater. The band performs music from the 1920s to the 1990s for area groups and organizations. Call band director Tom Barry at 734-2664 or Gene Rachal at 738-4546.
The Investigators of Nature kids club meets from 4 to 5 p.m. Mondays. The club for children ages 6 to 12 explores nature through hikes and hands-on projects. Cost is $1 with Dunedin rec card, $2 without. Call (727) 298-3271.
Unused cell phones can be lifesavers for seniors. The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc. and its Senior Victim Advocate Program are collecting used cell phones to distribute as 9-1-1 emergency or "Safety Phones" to seniors who are at risk. The cell phones are free to seniors and can only be used to access 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.
The agency has added two more distribution and collection sites for the Senior Safety Phone Project in Pinellas County, the Mainlands on U.S. 19 and Mainlands Boulevard in Pinellas Park, 217-0967, and the Senior Resource and Referral Center at 1281 Court St. in Clearwater, 442-7772. For information about the Senior Safety Phone Project or other distribution and collection sites call (727) 570-9696, ext. 279.
The Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowships are offered annually to women for graduate study in aerospace-related science and aerospace-related engineering. Applications for the 2006-07 fellowships are available at www.Zonta.org or by contacting Nancy Wright, Amelia Earhart Committee chairwoman of the Top of the Bay Zonta club, at wright99@tampabay.rr.com
Retired Derby Lanes Greyhounds are available for adoption every Sunday from noon-2 p.m. at the Clearwater PetsMart, Clearwater Mall, 2625 Gulf-to-Bay. Anyone interested in adopting, providing a foster home or volunteering can call Greyhound Pets of America/Tampa Bay at 595-7852 or visit their Web site at www.greyhoundpets.com
Imagine being taken away from your home, not knowing where you will go, leaving behind your favorite things. Now, imagine this through the eyes of a child. There are more than 4,500 dependent children in Pinellas and Pasco counties, due to child abuse, neglect or abandonment. Many of them need loving foster parents. For information on becoming a foster parent, call the Safe Children Coalition Recruitment Line at 1-866-271-4705 and press 7. Dunedin flotilla presents boat classes
The Dunedin flotilla is presenting boat safety and seamanship programs. Classes run through November. Most insurance companies will give a discount on boat insurance after presenting a certificate of completion. Call 735-0737.
The HEP Thrift Store, 1212 N Betty Lane, Clearwater, has vintage pieces, used furniture, brand name clothing, jewelry and knickknacks. The thrift store is part of the Homeless Emergency Project, a nonprofit organization that provides housing and supportive services for homeless individuals and families. Call the HEP office at 442-9041 or visit the Web site at www.ethep.com
The Literacy Council of Upper Pinellas has certified tutors available to teach individuals who wish to learn English or those who need to improve their reading and writing skills. Sessions are free, and hours are flexible. For information, call the Literacy Council at the Dunedin Public Library, 298-3080, ext. 242.