Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Hometown Pasco

What's happening

By Times Staff Writer
Published February 19, 2006

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP HELPS SCHOOL: Stephanie Jones, retail district manager for Tampa area Cracker Barrels, and Cynthia Brown, acting general manager for the Cracker Barrel Store in Wesley Chapel, recently visited the Quail Hollow Elementary School art classroom of Carolyn Frances for a ceramic lesson with students.

Frances and co-teacher Aaron Wilson are art specialists at the Wesley Chapel school. Frances also works part time as a cashier at the local Cracker Barrel store.

For several years, Quail Hollow Elementary has enjoyed an active business partnership with the local Cracker Barrel store. Frances invited the managers to her art classes to thank them for new "art apron" donated by employees at the store.

The aprons came available as employees were promoted through the corporation's PAR system. A new employee is considered PAR 0 and, after one month's work, the employee is promoted to PAR 1. At that time the employee receives an apron with one star and their name on it. With each PAR level earned, an employee receives new aprons with the corresponding number of stars, up to PAR 4.

As Frances began to move up in her PAR levels she collected her own set of aprons and brought the older ones to school for students to use in art classes. She asked the management team at Cracker Barrel if other employees would consider donating their old aprons.

Employees at the Wesley Chapel Cracker Barrel responded by donating more than 60 aprons, far more than was needed for the two art rooms at the school.

The students have enjoyed the aprons and often arrive for class wondering what name or how many stars they will have on their apron for that day.

The Cracker Barrel management team has enjoyed the opportunity to see a true school business partnership in action.

The manager participated in an art project helping to make small clay ice cream bowls. Each of the near 1,000 students at Quail Hollow Elementary are making an earthenware bowl that will have a lead-free glaze applied and then fired in a pottery kiln. The bowls will then be washed and sanitized using the school cafeteria's sanitation system.

Quail Hollow teachers have also been participating by making large bowls after school. Students soon will have an opportunity to purchase their favorite teacher's bowl.

On March 28, students, parents and guests will enjoy an evening ice cream social and art show. At that time, the Quail Hollow Parent Teacher Organization will serve ice cream and toppings in the handmade bowls. The event is free for Quail Hollow students. There is a $1 fee for those who are not students at the school.

The ice cream social is an annual event, and more than 900 guests attended in 2005. Jones, Brown and the entire management team from the Wesley Chapel Cracker Barrel have been invited to this event.

For information about the Cracker Barrel PAR system or the store's business partnership with schools, contact Brown by calling (813) 973-4884.

For information about the ice cream social at Quail Hollow Elementary call Frances at the school at (813) 794-1100.

DURST APPOINTED AT SAINT LEO: Arthur F. Kirk Jr., president of Saint Leo University, announced the appointment of Maribeth Durst as vice president for academic affairs.

"We conducted a national search and brought four outstanding candidates from around the country to our campus from a pool of nearly 100 applicants. They all were very impressive, but we realized that we had in Maribeth the most experienced, knowledgeable and effective academic leader for Saint Leo of the entire group. She has done an exceptional job in every assignment she has undertaken over the years and earned the appreciation, confidence and support of the students, faculty and all of her administrative peers," said Kirk.

Durst has served as interim vice president since May 2005. She will continue to lead Saint Leo's School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business and the School of Education and Social Services, along with Cannon Memorial Library and the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research. She has worked at Saint Leo University for more than 25 years, leading the School of Education and Social Sciences since 1998.

In accepting the appointment, Durst said, "Dr. Kirk has transformed the institution, but his job is far from over. His vision of where he wants to take the university is both challenging and exciting, and I am honored to be part of it."

Durst received her bachelor's degree in sociology from St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas; a master of arts degree in anthropology from Syracuse University; a master's degree in social work from the University of South Florida; and her doctorate from New School for Social Research in New York City.

Durst has served in many leadership capacities at Saint Leo over the years. She is the liaison between Saint Leo and The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and twice served as the director for Saint Leo's SAC's Self-Study for Reaffirmation of Accreditation from 1998-2002.

Durst also has held the positions of chair of the division of freshmen studies, director of the social work program, associate vice president of academic affairs and enrollment, dean of academic programs, and assistant vice president of academic support services. She is a tenured professor of sociology and social work.

A past president of the Florida Academy of Sciences, Durst currently serves as social science section chairman. She served as a member of the Florida State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities, and is currently the moderator of the Delta Nu chapter of the Delta Epsilon Sigma national collegiate honor society.

Durst has twice received the "Outstanding Faculty Member Award" from the Saint Leo Student Government Union.

For information about Saint Leo University, visit www.saintleo.edu

QUILT SHOW: "Stand back here and look how fascinating," directed one visitor, as scores of guests strolled through the 26 large double sided racks with both sides covered with dozens of quilts. The recent Farm Fest and 16th annual quilt show at the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village on a chilly rainy morning seemed to enhance thoughts of a cozy warm quilt.

Rosemary and Marshall DePue of Zephyrhills, docents at the museum for more than 20 years, greeted visitors to the quilt show, handing out thin plastic gloves to those who could not resist the urge to touch the creatively stitched items.

Housed in the Mabel Jordan Barn on the museum grounds, the display hall was crowded early with guests. A small blond boy grasped his mother's hand while fingers of the other hand gently twirled his soft blond locks as he looked at the bright designs and vivid colors. Around the room men, women and children of all ages were taking in the show.

The names of the quilts were as interesting as the designs in many cases. Bright red on white embroidery squares by Helga Curtis were titled Thimble Tots and Dragons. Hope Fox's creation using 20 squares each of a different pattern was called That Red and Black Thing. A Soft Flannel Coverup, was made with small squares of soft flannel, each accented with a large melon colored button. A baby blue positive and negative design with polka dots held a name tag saying it was made by Pat Gaston in 2006. These were a few of the many quilted items on display.

Many of the quilts were crafted by local residents.

The Hoffman Challenge traveling quilt show rounded out the display. In 1987 Betty Boyink and Holice Turnbow, from California, were the creators and founders of the Hoffman Challenge. According to the Hoffman Challenge Web site: "The Hoffman Challenge has grown to be a premiere traveling quilt, clothing, and doll collection. The quality of entries and a growing number of exhibit requests have led us to establish additional traveling collections. Currently, 12 collections travel coast-to-coast within the United States and to several Canadian locations."

Each year a specific fabric design is chosen by a group from Hoffman Fabrics. A challenge is then offered to quilt, clothing, accessories and doll makers to use the fabric to create original items.

Pieces of work are then submitted to be juried and judges select the award winners. The juried collections are organized in traveling shows to be exhibited by shops, fiber guilds, textile shows and museums such as the local one in Dade City.

The Hoffman Challenge display at the Pioneer Florida Museum contained a wide sample of created items.

Dutch Hex created by Sandy Curran of Newport News, Va., sported a large blue ribbon. Her 2 foot square piece was vibrant with orange and purple colors. Hanging nearby was Window In My Garden, stitched by Suzanne Weeks of Hamburg, N.Y. The small square was made with blue and rust colors with tiny stitches and hundreds of tiny beads accenting the design.

Information on display at the museum offered the opportunity for anyone to enter the Hoffman Challenge for 2006.

The new fabric has been chosen and is now available. More than 35 awards will be given for items created using the fabric. For information about the challenge visit www.hoffmanchallenge.com or call curator Kelly Gallagher-Abbott at 714731-2563.

Ellen Hudson, Gayle McClellan, and Carol Borgo attended the show together, observing and discussing the many featured items. Hudson, of Dade City, and McClellan and Borgo from Zephyrhills met in a quilting class and have quilted together for the past four years. The three friends were enthusiastically taking in both the local display and the items from the Hoffman Challenge.

Farther around the room Diane Maurer of Balm and her niece, Taylor Smothers, 9, of Brooksville were taking in all the details of Suzanne Parrish's Crazy Quilt.

Maurer shared her story of making a quilt for a grandson several years ago. She designed the quilt with cartoon characters in reds and yellows and for the inside padding she used a baby blanket of her son's, the new baby's father. The quilted creation is used as a wall hanging.

At one end of the display hall a long table displayed winners from the recent Kumquat Festival Citrus Challenge.

In the Quilts Category, Pat Noy captured first place with her Kumquat Tree Quilt. Second place went to Ruth Peterson and Sharon Covert carried home third place.

In the clothing category, Kathy Johnson won first place with mother and daughter aprons; Darlene Leosh captured second place; and Janey Wilton was awarded third place.

In the miscellaneous category, Barbara Barber won first prize with Doll in Rocker; Barbara Tabor took home second place; and Kathy Johnson was awarded third place.

The annual quilt show takes place the first Saturday in February each year. Along with the quilts display, other activities during the two-day event include horse pulling championships, a garden tractor pull, cane grinding and syrup making, and music.

For information about this event or any of the events at the Pioneer Florida Museum call 352 567-0262 or visit Web site www.pioneerfloridamuseum.org

CRYSTAL SPRINGS FOUNDATION RECEIVES GRANT: The Crystal Springs Foundation will receive a $1,800 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District's 2006 Community Education Grant Program.

Crystal Springs Foundation Inc. was awarded the funds for "Welcome to Our Watershed" workshops. This project will target approximately 20,000 seasonal adult residents of Crystal Springs and Zephyrhills.

The workshops will encourage residents to take an active role in protecting the portion of the Hillsborough River watershed that travels through their neighborhoods. Participants who complete the workshop series will be invited to join the Crystal Springs Preserve Watershed Watch Club and post a Watershed Watch Area sign on their property.

The project is funded by the District's Hillsborough River Basin Board. The Hillsborough River Basin includes portions of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties.

This year the water management district awarded 34 grants for a total of $151,278. The grants which are up to $5,000 each, help fund projects across the district that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.

The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the District's Basin Boards, the program is intended to motivate communities to get involved in water protection through various activities and educational formats.

This is the ninth year community education grants have been available.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's 2007 Community Education Grant Program will begin its application process in August if funding is approved by the basin boards. The deadline for applications is tentatively scheduled for September. To be added to the mailing list to receive the 2007 Application and Guidelines, call the District's Communications Department toll free at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4757.

[Last modified February 19, 2006, 01:09:21]