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Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Awards

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 31, 2006

High Fives

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Manager Art Yerian presented employee awards to four employees at the annual holiday gathering. The park usually gives two awards annually, the Walter Elliott Award for Public Service and the Russel Parks Employee of the Year Award. Employees nominate fellow employees for the awards. This year there was a tie for each award. Yerian decided to recognize all four employees for their exceptional contributions.

Winners of the Walter Elliott Public Service Award for 2006 are toll collector Cathy Ermann and park services specialist Marla Chancey. The Walter Elliott Public Service Award was established in 1997 and is presented to a staff member who demonstrates exemplary public service to the park staff, our park visitors and the community.

In announcing Ermann as one of this year's winners, Yerian noted that, "Cathy Ermann has worked for DEP since we became a State Park in 1989. ... She takes pride in her employment, from displaying merchandise and keeping shelves well-stocked, to cheerfully helping visitors to enjoy their experience of the park fully."

Also receiving a Walter Elliott Public Service Award this year is Chancey, a park services specialist. In recognizing Marla's contributions, Yerian noted that "She is always willing to take the lead on any special event or volunteer and citizen support organization project. Chancey coordinates one of the largest volunteer programs in our agency that is used as a model for other parks. She is an effective communicator and is well-respected by the staff."

The Russel Parks Employee of the Year Award was established in 1990 to recognize employees who are dependable, reliable and who frequently go unrecognized for the work that they do. This year's recipients are park rangers Patti Williams and Frank Tramontana.

In presenting the Russel award to Williams, Yerian said, "Williams has worked for the Florida Park Service since 1980, and her leadership skills, positive attitude and willingness to learn new things make her an exceptional employee. ... Her resource management knowledge really fits into our park's needs along Pepper Creek and with new exhibit areas along the Wildlife Walk."

In speaking of Tramontana,Yerian notes, "This employee came to work at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in May 1998 and since, has literally worked everywhere in the park. He started as a park attendant, where he worked in maintenance and grounds keeping. Now as a park ranger, he ... is constantly looking for ways to improve the quality of the park's exhibits. Tramontana uses his skills and creativity in a variety of maintenance duties and always has visitor safety at the front of a project."

* * *

Dante Caldera was named Volunteer of the Year at Citrus Memorial Hospital for his dedication to the patients, families, employees and other volunteers. He was honored at the annual Christmas Party attended by over 250 volunteers.

Caldera has given more than 10 years of service and donated more than 6,000 hours.

Caldera was nominated because he does his job in a very professional manner. He often visits his volunteers that are ill or calls volunteers that have not been able to come in for a long time.

He is an excellent trainer in his department and works with all the new people until he feels they are competent to complete the tasks of the job. He represents the Auxiliary in professional uniform and always has a smile on his face.

A number of years ago the emergency department asked for volunteers and when Caldera heard of the request he immediately volunteered to chair this important and demanding position.

Also, several years ago a need arose for someone to audit the Auxiliary books. Calling on his past experience in this field, he again volunteered for this additional duty.

Veterans

Korean War Veterans, Citrus Chapter 192 are seeking new members. Any person who has seen honorable service in any of the Armed Forces of the United States, defined as Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard, said service being within Korea including territorial waters and airspace from Sept. 3, 1945 to June 25, 1950 within, and without fromJune 25, 1950 to Jan. 31, 1955), or who served honorably in Korea from Feb. 1, l955 until the present is eligible for membership.

The group meets monthly at 1 p.m. first Tuesday at the Citrus County Resource Center, next to the VA Clinic off County Road 491, on W Marc Knighton Court, Lecanto.

Call Hank Butler, 563-2496; Paul Salyer, 637-1161, or Neville Anderson, 344-2529.

Clubs and Organizations

At their monthly luncheon on Nov. 8 at the Citrus Hills Golf and Country Club, 264 members of the Citrus Hills Women's Club enjoyed a buffet, music, a special jewelry sale, and the annual specialty baked and craft items drawing.

The event raised nearly $2,500 for the club to use at the end of the year for scholarships and charitable donations.

The jewelry was donated to the club by Pat and Kent Serota of Brooklyn, N.Y., friends of club member June Dunn. The music during lunch was provided by Silver and Ivory, a duo featuring Nancy Gordon on the flute and Carol Whitten on the piano.

Club President Carol Peterman thanked co-second vice presidents Kathy Kirker and Pat Helms and the Ways and Means Committee members; Bake Sale Chairman Gretchen Benedetto and her committee; and the women who did the baking and made the crafts for the wonderful job they did in making this event a huge success.

Club members also contributed 75 jars of peanut butter, 121 cans of fruit, and 53 miscellaneous food items to help stock the Citrus County Family Resource Center pantry.

Membership is open to women living in the area defined as The Villages of Citrus Hills. For information about the club visit its Web site, www.chwc.info, or call, Carol Peterman, at 860-2818 or Diane Christianson, at 637-6963.

* * *

On Dec. 3, members of the Nature Coast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship bid a fond adieu to longtime member, and principal organist/pianist, Catherine Snyder.

Mrs. Snyder was presented with a plaque, commemorating her many years of devoted service to the Fellowship. She studied music at the Sherwood Music School in Chicago, and came to Citrus County in 1983 with her husband, a retired physician.

She is moving to a retirement home in Jacksonville, where she can be closer to two of her children.

Notes of Thanks

Editor: I would like to use your forum to express my heartfelt gratitude to those people in the community who have been good to me in the days and weeks following the death of my daughter and two of my grandchildren.

On Nov. 21, my daughter Aime and two of my grandchildren, Michael and Laurel, were killed in a car accident. Within minutes of getting the news my home was filled with people.

The support, love and prayers of people were critical over the next few days as I flew to Nashville, where the other child in the car, Lily, remained in critical condition at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.

While I was in Nashville, my friends and members of the community arranged a musical fundraiser to help my family handle the cost of the funeral for the three who died.

I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to all who helped me during those days, some who led me through the first hours, some who arranged the benefit on my behalf, and those whose prayers and support carried me through.

I am happy to report that Lily is now doing well. She and her little brother Jonah are living with my daughter and her husband.

I would especially like to thank my folk music community, the congregation at Unity Church, my co-workers and employer at Citrus 95 and Fox 96. There are many more, some I know, and many I don't know, who helped. Thank you. Your prayers and support are appreciated.

Mike Roberts, Homosassa

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[Last modified December 30, 2006, 20:27:10]