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Program explores plight of black bears

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published August 6, 2006

Black bears once roamed throughout Florida, including some keys. Today, the range is restricted to isolated pockets and Florida lists the species as threatened.

Pat Kiesylis of the Defenders of Wildlife will present The imperiled bears of Florida from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road. She will reveal the world of the black bear and explain why preserving it is so important. The program is free, but advance registration is required.

For information on Florida black bears, go to the Defenders of Wildlife site, www.defenders.org, or to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission site on Florida black bears, http://myfwc.com/bear.

The environmental education center also is offering these programs soon:

- Florida undiscovered: the wildlife art of Peter Gerbert is on exhibit through Sept. 29. Gerbert's acrylic paintings capture wildlife and their habitats in realistic detail.

- Book time featuring Eliza and the Dragonfly by Susie Caldwell Rinehart for children 3 to 5 years old from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Thursday . The program costs $1 per child and advance registration is required.

Call 727 453-6800.

Library offers programs for all ages

East Lake Community Library, 4125 East Lake Road, offers these programs weekly:

- Teen puppet theatre at 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. The teen library council writes, produces and stars in puppet shows for all ages.

- Toddler story time at 10:15 a.m. Tuesdays. Babies, children up to 3 years old, and the adults accompanying them will listen to stories and sing songs.

- Bedtime story time for all ages at 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Wear your pajamas to a bedtime story with a craft.

- AM coffee cafe from 10 to noon Fridays. Have coffee and a snack while browsing the stacks.

Call (727) 773-2665.

Kiwanis club available for fundraisers

The Palm Harbor Kiwanis Club is ready to flip pancakes throughout the coming school year to raise funds for schools. Kiwanis provides the pancakes, sausage, butter, syrup, plates and labor.

The group also needs new members, especially teachers, to teach children leadership and community service in the Kiwanis service clubs in schools.

Call Gene Davis at (727) 939-0678, John Burnham at (727) 785-8782 or Carl Heifetz at (727) 375-9383.

AAU baseball team holding fall tryouts

The Florida Panthers AAU competitive baseball team is having fall season tryouts today for players under 11 and under 12 as of April 30.

For a tryout form, go online to http:/www.leaguelineup.com/elpanthers. For times and locations, call Andy Contafio at (727) 376-0228 or (727) 271-5249.

Congregations offer meals, tai chi

Congregation B'nai Emmunah, a Reform Jewish synagogue at 3374 Keystone Road, works with Mt. Moriah AME Church, 722 S Disston Ave., to feed the hungry on Sundays. Volunteers meet at 2:30 p.m. at the Tarpon Springs church to prepare a free meal they serve from 4 to 5 p.m.

The synagogue also is offering tai chi and chi kung classes for all ages at 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays with certified instructor Jim Rosenthal. Nonmembers are welcome. The cost is $40 per month.

To volunteer or to sign up for classes, call (727) 938-9000.

If you have news or photos about East Lake schools, churches, businesses, neighborhood groups, community organizations or people, call Theresa Blackwell at (727) 445-4170, fax it to her at (727) 445-4119, e-mail tblackwell@sptimes.com or mail material to her at the Clearwater Times, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756.

[Last modified August 6, 2006, 07:34:03]