Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Digest

Friend to run in marathon for women

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 20, 2006

COUNTYWIDE

Brooksville resident Judy Hensley will run in P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon in Phoenix on Jan. 14 to honor friend Jean (Teele) James of the Masaryktown area, who was recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also know as Lou Gehrig's disease.

James had to leave her position with the Hernando County school system and soon will be without health insurance. Hensley is selling raffle tickets to win an array of gifts, such as a sterling silver bracelet from Taylor Jewelers, a baseball signed by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo and gift certificates from area merchants. The drawing will be Jan. 2.

Proceeds will help continue James' physical and speech therapy. Donations are welcome; checks may be made payable to Jean James and mailed to Hensley at P.O. Box 513, Brooksville, FL 34605. For information, call 796-1047.

AARP plans classes to help older drivers

AARP will conduct its Driver Safety Program classes at these locations in January:

- 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 3 and 10, Spring Hill Enrichment Center (behind Oak Hill Hospital), 11375 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill. Call 684-9302 to register.

- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 12 and 19, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 6193 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. Call 666-9916 to register.

- Noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 16 and 18, Forest Oaks Lutheran Church, 6155 Forest Oaks Blvd., Spring Hill. Call 666-4044 to register.

- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 17 and 24, Spring Hill Enrichment Center. Call 232-5609 to register.

- Noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 19 and 22, Brooksville Enrichment Center, 670 Broad St., Brooksville. Call 799-3658 to register.

The course, open to anyone 50 and older, costs $10.

Upon completion, each participant will receive a certificate to submit to his or her insurance company for a possible rate reduction. Class size is limited; call to register.

BROOKRIDGE

The Diamonds to play concert at clubhouse

Brookridge Entertainment will present the Diamonds in concert Jan. 11 at the Brookridge clubhouse, 8150 Hampton St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and show time is 7.

Tickets are $15. Advance tickets are available; tickets will be sold at the door, if still available.

For information or tickets, call Barb at 597-4620.

BROOKSVILLE

Lady Elks schedule fashion show, lunch

The Ladies of the Elks will host their annual Fashion Style Show at noon Jan. 6 at Brooksville Elks Lodge 2582, 14494 Cortez Blvd.

Fashions will be presented by Denise Boutique on Wheels, with several Lady Elks as models. Lunch will follow the show.

Tickets are $8.50. For information, call Mary Owens at 596-4454 or Inge Malone at 686-8751.

Chinsegut Nature Center to host events

Chinsegut Nature Center will host the following events in January:

- Chinsegut Nature Center Night Walk, 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 5. Participants will look and listen for owls, bats, flying squirrels and other creatures of the night. Bring a flashlight and insect repellent.

- Creating Backyard Wildlife Habitat, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 9. Participants will learn how to create ideal habitat in their back yards for mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies, bats, and other Florida wildlife.

Programs are free and are at the nature center, 23212 Lake Lindsey Road, north of Brooksville. Seating is limited, and reservations are needed. Call 754-6722.

Extension Office offers ServSafe training, test

A food managers certification course and ServSafe certification test will be offered Jan. 18 at the Hernando County Cooperative Extension Service, 19490 Oliver St.

Training and the exam are $100; the manual is $40. Training will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by the exam.

There is no "exam only" option, and walk-ins will not be admitted.

Certification is required in Florida for food managers of all establishments licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and selected licenses of the Health Department.

All agencies accept the ServSafe certification.

Registration is required by Jan. 11. Call the extension office at 754-4433.

Voice your opinions to legislative delegation

The annual meeting of the Hernando County legislative delegation will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 5 in the County Commission chambers at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 N Main St.

The purpose of the meeting is to allow community members the opportunity to share their concerns with members of the Legislature. Members include state Reps. Robert Schenck and Charles Dean and state Sens. Mike Fasano and Paula Dockery.

Anyone wishing to address the delegation should contact Schenck's office to be placed on the agenda. Each speaker will be allotted three minutes. Budget request forms will be available at the meeting and are also available at Schenck's office, 12503 Spring Hill Drive (Lincoln Center), Spring Hill.

For information or to be placed on the agenda, call Schenck's office at 688-5005.

Orientation planned for smoking cessation

The Hernando County Health Department, 300 S Main St., will conduct a free orientation for its Freedom from Smoking program at 6 p.m. Jan. 9.

The program will be offered at 6 p.m. Tuesdays from Jan. 16 through Feb. 27 at the Health Department's Brooksville office. An additional session will be offered Feb. 1, which is a Thursday, after quit night, Jan. 30.

The cost for the program is $25. For information or to register, call Becky Martin at 540-6800, ext. 82148.

SPRING HILL

YMCA to host seminar to help smokers quit

The Hernando County Family YMCA will host a "Quitting Smoking Just Got Easier" seminar from 5 to 6 p.m. Jan. 4 in the Y's activity center, 1300 Mariner Blvd.

The speaker will be Dr. Scott Gebhardt, who will discuss new treatments in breaking the smoking habit. For information, call the Y at 688-9622.

Tickets available for benefit fashion show

Tickets are available for a fashion show Feb. 24 to benefit Hernando-Pasco Hospice.

The show will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Palace Grand, 275 Della Court. Fashions will be presented by Fine Lines Boutique, which offers attire and accessories for women of all ages, heights and sizes.

Also, emcee Aliki Gable of Sarasota will showcase her line of colorful, hand-painted silk clothing for women size 14 and larger.

Tickets are $30 and include lunch, entertainment and raffle prizes. Tickets are available at Fine Lines Boutique, 1361 Kass Circle, or call 666-8843.

Church has tickets for two groups' concerts

The Community Performing Arts Guild at Mariner United Methodist Church will distribute free tickets from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 2 for the following concerts:

- The Blackwoods, Jan. 13. This is an award-winning musical family that sings country hits and gospel favorites.

- The Hughes Brothers, Feb. 3. The Hughes Brothers are the owners of the landmark Celebrity Theatre in Branson, Mo. The five brothers perform everything from today's country hits to old Western classics, as well as Broadway and gospel favorites.

Both shows have two performances, at 2 and 7 p.m., at the church, 7079 Mariner Blvd.

For information, call 544-1068.

NEW PORT RICHEY

Chorus to offer free song, dance program

Suncoast Harmony Chorus will offer a free four-week program of singing and dancing, barbershop style, at 7 p.m. Tuesdays from Jan. 2-23 in the Gulf High School chorus room, 5355 School Road.

The program is open to women age 18 and older. Participants will learn new songs and choreography and will perform at the chorus's show March 10 at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge. Prior musical training or the ability to read music is not required.

Suncoast Harmony Chorus is the west-central Florida chapter of Sweet Adelines International Singers. It is a women's barbershop chorus with more than 40 members in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties.

Car pools are available. For information, call Cindy at 597-4376 or visit the Web at www.suncoast-harmony.com.

HUDSON

Polish-American club plans dinner-dance

The Polish-American Social Club will host a New Year's Day dinner-dance at the club, 7615 New Jersey Ave.

Doors open at 12:15 p.m. The dinner selection is prime rib or chicken cordon bleu, which will be served from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Dinner will include a champagne toast.

Dancing to Music by Jeanne will be from 3 to 6 p.m.

Tickets are $20 for members and $22 for nonmembers. To ensure dinner selection, reservations should be made by Dec. 22. Call Marcella at 597-5908 or Genia at 683-5360.

Elks' dinner includes steak cooked to order

Aripeka Elks Lodge 2520 will offer a steak dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday at the lodge, 9135 Denton Ave.

Dinner includes a steak cooked to order, baked potato, vegetable, salad, dessert and coffee.

Tickets are $11 and are available in the lounge (11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily).

Tickets are limited. For information, call (727) 863-2520.

[Last modified December 19, 2006, 21:49:25]