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Briefs

Barbershop chorus seeks eight singers

By TIMES STAFF WRITERS
Published June 7, 2006

The Palm Harbor men's barbershop chorus is looking for eight new voices to serenade others at public events, concerts and trips to nursing homes. You don't need to read music, as long as you can learn your part and hold a tune. Call Joe Roan at (727) 772-7043.

Workshop teaches ways to recovery, clear thinking

A workshop dealing with addiction, depression, bipolar disorder and co-dependency will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church, 4301 16th St. N, St. Petersburg. Topics will include how to use the inner "toolbox" for recovery, revaluing self-worth and how to rid distorted thinking. Cost is $5. For information, call (727) 822-3480 or (727) 418-3464. Future group sessions will be held in the Largo-Clearwater area.

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 to make recommendations to the court and ensure that the child has a safe, caring and stable environment. Volunteers receive comprehensive training and are supervised. For more information, call 727 464-6528 or visit the Web at www.guardianadlitem6.org

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 CDs and to assist with checking materials in and out. Call volunteer coordinator Cecile Creely at (727) 784-3332, ext. 308.

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 911 Senior Safety Phone Project. The phones are collected and then distributed as 911 emergency-only or "safety phones." Largo has a new collection site at 13225 101 St. SE. Call (727) 584-8172. For other collection and distribution site information, call (727) 570-9696, ext. 279.

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 of nonprofit 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.

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 (727) 531-0667 or Rita Garvey at (727) 446-3845.

Hurricane Katrina continues to haunt many of the victims who have since moved on to new lives in new locations. Many of the people who fled the storm and relocated still suffer from 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 the year.

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

If you're a student between the ages of 11 and 17 and interested in learning about naval traditions through participation in 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 to 13 and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets for ages 13 to 17. All cadets must be U.S. citizens, be in good moral standing, have a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average, be active in the community, be enrolled in middle or high school and be without dependents. Visit www.suncoastairsquadron.org for information or call 727 796-7322.

CLEARWATER - The Italian American Club of Greater Clearwater, 200 McMullen-Booth Road, has a pasta dinner and dance from 5 to 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday. 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 and 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 from 8:30 a.m to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays 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 toll-free 1-888-832-4314 or (727) 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 (727) 934-2085 or Walt at (727) 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 727 725-1788 or visit the Web at www.sonnylarosa.com

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

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.

Retired Derby Lanes greyhounds are available for adoption from noon to 2 p.m. Sundays at PetsMart, Clearwater Mall, 2625 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd. Anyone interested in adopting, providing a foster home or volunteering can call Greyhound Pets of America/Tampa Bay at 727 595-7852 or visit its 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 because of 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 toll-free at 1-866-271-4705 and press 7.

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 727 442-9041 or visit the Web site at www.ethep.com

Worknet Pinellas will help place and train military veterans. All career fields are eligible, and training is done by the employer on site. This program is designed to give assistance in training funds as well as provide support in getting needed uniforms, tools and supplies for the job. Active duty reserve and National Guard veterans are eligible. Call (727) 524-4344.

PALM HARBOR - Physiotherapy Associates, 35111 U.S. 19 N, Suite 100, offers aquatic classes for those with arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and chronic back and neck pain.

The classes, approved by the Arthritis Foundation, are also appropriate for those with diabetes, postrehabilitation needs or weight loss requirements.

Classes are conducted as part of a nonprofit program. They take place in a heated indoor pool and offer range of motion, flexibility and strengthening exercises.

Participants do not need to know how to swim.

To register or for information on fees and schedules, call (727) 210-0760.

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, (727) 298-3080, ext. 242.

[Last modified June 7, 2006, 02:00:17]