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Digest

Business digest

By JEAN HAYES
Published January 29, 2007

Briefly

In honor of National Mentoring Month, a statewide initiative to support Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs will take place at nearly 100 participating Arby's Restaurants, including those at 843 S Broad St., Brooksville, and 12915 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill.

Restaurant patrons will have the opportunity to donate $1 to support their local Big Brothers Big Sisters agency and receive Arby's coupons for their contribution.

The campaign will continue through January, but the coupons will be redeemable through the end of March. All proceeds collected will be distributed by ZIP code to the Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies that serve those areas.

* * *

Travel agents Kathryn Hoyt, Jon Sanders and Ravae Parker have recently opened "Travel Katz," "Jon Sanders Travel," and "Ravaes Travel," all YTB Travel Network Internet-based travel agencies to serve residents of Hernando and Citrus counties.

Web site visitors can plug in an upcoming trip they wish to take to receive pricing information, and then can book the trip without the additional fees or charges of a storefront agency.

In addition, these agencies offer individuals the ability to start their own agencies and own their own Web sites through YTB Travel Network.

People interested in becoming a YTB travel professional can view the company presentation and compensation plan online, or attend an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Mondays at the Best Western Resort, 6172 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee, or at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Crystal Glen Community Center, 964 Crystal Glen Blvd., Lecanto.

Hoyt can be reached at 277-7300 or via her Web site at www.travelkatz.com; Sanders can be reached at 277-4676 or at www.jonsanderstravel.com, and Parker can be reached at 397-0067 or at www.raveastravel.com.

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In an effort to bring more awareness of heart disease in women, the mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs have joined the "Going Red For Women" movement. For the mermaids involvement, the "little mermaid" will be wearing a red tail for every show in February.

Go Red For Women aims to capture the energy, passion and intelligence of women to work collectively to wipe out heart disease - the number one killer of women.

For information about Go Red For Women, contact Erica Rogers, senior communications/marketing director, at 727 563-8031 at her office, or at (813) 787-5566.

Who's news

Dan Gardner Audiologist, Inc., 5340 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, was selected by Magnatone Hearing Aid Corporation as its exclusive research clinic. The business will provide beta testing, consumer surveys and field studies for Magnatone.

Magnatone Hearing Aid Corporation, based out of Casselberry, Florida, has been a certified, FDA registered hearing aid manufacturer since 1967.

Gardner Audiology will conduct its reasearch out of both its Spring Hill and Crystal River centers. For information, call 666-8910.

* * *

Oak Hill Hospital, 11375 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill, has announced its "stars" - associates of the month - for January. Each month, an associate representing each of the hospital's three areas of service - nursing, ancillary and support - is chosen in a process that involves nominations and voting by the staff.

This month's stars are: Ken Ranfone, Jane Haggard and Margita Holop.

Ranfone, respiratory therapist, joined Oak Hill Hospital's respiratory therapy department in February of 1998. He serves as a respiratory therapist where he is involved in all aspects of respiratory care, oxygen therapy, ventilation management and much more. Ranfone and his wife, Carol, live in Spring Hill with their daughter Jordyn.

Haggard, environmental services technician, joined Oak Hill a year ago as an environmental services technician responsible for maintaining the cleanliness throughout the hospital. She has two sons, Robert Haggard, 39, and Bryn Newell, 35. She lives in Brooksville.

Holop, patient care assistant, has been working at Oak Hill since 1997. She is currently working on the fourth floor surgical floor as a patient care assistant. She and her husband Steven, live in Weeki Wachee. They have three daughters, one son and three granddaughters.

* * *

Chuck Wilson, president; Rachel Underwood; Wayne Adams, and Doug Cord, all with Wilson Technology Group, 3407 Rackley Road, Brooksville, attended a training seminar entitled, "Structured Cabling Installation" on Jan. 12.

The seminar was presented by Bruce Nardone from Leviton. Completion of the session certified Wilson Technology Group as a "Structured Cabling Installer" for Leviton. The seminar was held at Rexel Consolidation in Brooksville.

Wilson Technology Group is a Florida certified electrical specialty contractor specializing in telecommunication products, sales, installation and service for all businesses. For information, call 796-9891.

* * *

Jennifer Malkiewicz has joined the team at Karisma, a full-service salon at 1096 Commercial Way, Spring Hill.

Malkiewicz specializes in signature hair styling and corrective color.

Karisma is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For information, call 683-9289.

* * *

Chad Good, a certified arborist with the International Society of Arborists, has joined the company of Paff Landscape, 6288 California St., Brooksville.

With Good's expertise, Paff Landscape can now offer complete tree care services, in addition to lawn, sod, resodding and landscaping services the business has offered for the past 36 years.

For information, call 796-6654.

Events

The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon-cutting at Contours Express, 3087 Anderson Snow Road, Spring Hill, at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. For information, call Tracey Pager at 796-7502.

* * *

Senior Services Network of Florida, 9023 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee, will host a free informational class on reverse mortgages for senior homeowners at 11 a.m. today and 1 p.m. Feb. 1. For information or to reserve a seat, call 584-7226.

* * *

The $50 Investment Club will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Edward Jones office, 3296 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, across from Flammer Ford.

The club invests in stocks listed on the major stock exchanges. Visitors and new members are welcome. For information, contact Wynn or Ross Keith at 596-2649.

* * *

Forest Oaks Assisted Living Facility, 8055 Forest Oaks Blvd., Spring Hill, will have an Open House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 8.

The public is invited to tour the facility. Refreshments will be served. For information, call 683-3323.

* * *

The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have its second annual Rockin' Thru The Ages Super Party from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. March 3 at the Palace Grand, 275 Della Court, Spring Hill.

Tickets are $60 per person and include a dinner buffet and entertainment. Sponsorships are available from $100 to $2,000.

For information, contact Carla at 796-0697, ext. 15.

If you have announcements you would like to share with our readers, mail the details to Jean Hayes, Business Digest, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613-6174. You may also e-mail items to jhayes@sptimes.com or fax them to 754-6133. Items may be edited for length and clarity. Photos are published as space permits; they will not be returned.

[Last modified January 28, 2007, 23:19:46]