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Briefs

Library needs volunteers for Book & Gift Store

By TIMES STAFF WRITERS
Published May 31, 2006

CLEARWATER - Volunteers who like to be around books and people are needed at the Friends Book & Gift Store at the Clearwater Main Library.

A short training session is required. The store is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

To volunteer, call Rosalie Murray at 531-0667 or Rita Garvey at 446-3845.

If you're a student between the ages of 11 and 17 and interested in learning about naval traditions through participation in a variety of activities on and off the water, the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets, a nonprofit youth organization, offers valuable life and work skills like teamwork, leadership and citizenship. There are two types of programs, the Navy League Cadet for ages 11-13, and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets for ages 13-17. All cadets must be U.S. citizens, in good moral standing, have a minimum of 2.0 grade point average, be active in the community, and enrolled in middle or high school and without dependents. Visit www.suncoastairsquadron.org for information or call 796-7322.

CLEARWATER - The Italian American Club of Greater Clearwater, 200 McMullen-Booth Road, has a pasta dinner and dance every Tuesday from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 for members and $9 for nonmembers.

The club also holds dinner dances from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. every other Saturday. Tickets are $13 for members and $16 for nonmembers.

Call (727) 791-8698.

Local residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/blind or speech-impaired can receive specialized telephones and ring signaling devices at no cost. Eligible recipients must live in Florida for at least six months of the year. Telecommunications access for the hearing- and speech-impaired is funded by a surcharge on all telephone consumers' phone bills. Equipment is available by appointment 8:30 a.m-5 p.m., Monday through Friday through Deaf and Hearing Connection's main office or at satellite locations throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Free hearing screenings, other assisting equipment and hearing aids are also available. For information or to schedule an appointment call (888) 832-4314 or 399-9983.

CLEARWATER - The Kiwanis Club of Greater Clearwater is looking for new members. The club meets at 7:30 a.m. Thursdays at the Golden Coin Restaurant, 1844 N Highland Ave., Clearwater. Club projects include Head Start, YWCA and an annual UPARC fishing trip. Call Adam at 934-2085 or Walt at 441-4196.

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

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.

PALM HARBOR - The Palm Harbor Literacy Council seeks volunteers to help adults, many of them recent arrivals to the United States, learn to read, write and speak better English.

The literacy council provides free one-on-one tutoring to new residents, many of them foreign-born college graduates now working in the United States.

The council has 103 certified tutors but needs 50 more volunteers to work with students on its waiting list.

For information or to volunteer, call (727) 784-3332, ext. 211.

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.

Gulf Coast Community Care's Adopt a Grandchild program needs volunteers to mentor children. Children from birth to age 17 come to the program and are matched with a volunteer mentor. The mentors work four hours a week for a year. The children come from all backgrounds including those who need personal attention and those coming from an abusive home. Call 538-7460, ext. 3041 or 3013.

The Pinellas Community Orchestra needs musicians with orchestra or band experience. They perform in local nursing homes, churches and civic organizations. Rehearsals are from 1:30 to 3:30 Friday afternoons at Anona United Methodist Church, Indian Rocks Road, Largo. Call 595-1978.

A workshop dealing with addiction, depression, bipolar disorder and co-dependency will be held June 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 4301 16th St. N, St. Petersburg. Topics will include how to use our inner "toolbox" for recovery, revaluing our self-worth and how to rid ourselves of distorted thinking. Cost is $5. For information, call 822-3480 or 418-3464. Future group sessions will be held in the Largo/Clearwater area.

Hurricane Katrina continues to haunt many of the victims that have since moved on to new lives in new locations. Many of the people that fled the storm and relocated still have residual psychological and financial effects. A program that originally began in 2004 after Hurricane Charley devasted areas of Charlotte and DeSoto counties is offering help.

Project HOPE (Helping Our People in Emergencies) is an outreach and referral service aimed at helping Katrina victims living in the area rebuild their lives, emotionally and physically.

Programs offered include outreach, group and individual crisis counseling and referrals of resources within the community. Special programs focus on the most vulnerable of victims, children and the elderly.

Hurricane Katrina victims who live in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties are eligible.

Founded by the Florida Center for Child and Family Development, in conjunction with the Department of Children and Families, the program has been funded for the next two months and will likely be extended through the end of this year.

For information, call the Project HOPE Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-8255.

The Guardian ad Litem program needs volunteers to represent the rights of abused, abandoned or neglected children in Pinellas County. The job of the volunteer is to become familiar with a child and the child's case in order to make recommendations to the court and ensure the child has a safe, caring and stable environment. Volunteers receive comprehensive training and are supervised. For more information, call 464-6528 or visit the Web site at www.guardianadlitem6.org

Got an old cell phone you want to get rid of? The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas Inc. and its Senior Victim Advocate Program are collecting used cell phones for their 9-1-1 Senior Safety Phone Project. The phones are collected and then distributed as 9-1-1 emergency only or "Safety Phones." Largo has a new collection site at 13225 101 St. SE. Call 584-8171. For other collection and distribution site information call 570-9696, ext. 279.

PALM HARBOR - Do you like working with people, enjoy reading and have a few hours a week to spare? If so, the Palm Harbor Library is looking for you.

The library needs volunteers to help shelve books, movies, tapes and music CDs and to assist with checking materials in and out. Contact volunteer coordinator Cecile Creely at (727) 784-3332, ext. 308.

Duracell and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have developed the Power of Parents program, a nationwide child safety preparedness program designed to help families protect their children. The program helps to dispel the most common safety myths and reminds families of the importance of keeping an up-to-date photo of their child. To download the program visit www.duracell.com/parents

The Girls Guide to Giving is a directory listing of non-profit agencies throughout Pinellas County offering volunteer opportunities. Groups of young women can participate in projects such as peer interaction, service learning and "how to" projects. The guide lists agencies, contact information, group capacities and minimum age requirements and is available online at www.211tampabay.org or by calling 727 210-4233, ext. 4557.

[Last modified May 31, 2006, 01:58:10]