Poppy drive will help veterans, families

By Times Staff Writer
Published November 7, 2007

COUNTYWIDE

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 186 will have a poppy drive at various business sites throughout Hernando County on Friday and Saturday.

The drive is part of the nationwide poppy campaign started by the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary in 1921. Fields of poppy flowers survived the destruction in the fields of France and Flanders during World War I, and thus became a living symbol of the sacrifices soldiers of all nations had made.

Donations raised during the poppy drive will be used to help area veterans and their dependents. For information, call Lee Anderson at 666-8933.

BROOKSVILLE

Traveling World War II exhibit makes a stop

The Hernando County Tourist Development Council will sponsor the Florida in World War II traveling exhibit, which will make its Hernando County debut Saturday, coinciding with the 2007 Veterans Appreciation Parade in downtown Brooksville.

The exhibit will be on display at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 N Main St, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Veterans Appreciation Parade will be at 10 a.m., followed by a performance by the Hernando Youth Symphony in the open courtyard between the government center and courthouse buildings.

A ribbon cutting for the Florida in World War II exhibit will be at 11:15 a.m. and refreshments will be served.

The traveling exhibit, made available by the Museum of Florida History, presents an overview of this time in Florida history. Topic areas include the home front, military training in Florida, the German U-boat threat and Floridians in military service.

The exhibit will be on display in the government center through January and can be viewed during regular business hours. For information, call the Hernando County Tourism Bureau at 754-4405.

SPRING HILL

Dine with the Knights on Saturday night

The Knights of Columbus, St. Theresa Council 11877, will have a dinner from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the parish hall at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 1107 Commercial Way.

The menu will include roast chicken with potatoes, vegetables, roll, soup or salad, dessert, and coffee, tea or hot tea. The cost is $7 for adults and teens, and $4 for children ages 4 to 12. Sodas will be available for an additional 50 cents each.

Takeout orders will be available. For information, call 683-2849 or (727) 868-2289.

COUNTYWIDE

Even more placesto shop, shop, shop

The following craft shows, flea markets and sales are planned:

- St. Frances Cabrini Council of Catholic Women's Arts and Treasures Holiday Christmas Fair, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Xavier Hall, St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, 5030 Mariner Blvd. There will be Christmas, holiday and baby items. Breakfast and lunch will be available Friday and Saturday only. There will be raffles to win a variety of prizes, including a handmade quilt. Call 683-9666.

- Wesleyan Women of Fellowship Community Church yard sale, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, 13482 Lawrence St., Spring Hill. There will be Christmas items, hand-painted ceramics and other gifts. Proceeds will benefit church ministries. Call 686-4612.

- Flea market and bake sale at Ridge Manor West Community Center, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, 6376 Windmere Road, Ridge Manor West. Call Doris at 544-0540.

- Hernando County Democratic Executive Committee Precinct 20's bring-and-buy bake sale, 8 a.m. Saturday, near the Breakfast Club in the Seven Hills Shopping Plaza, County Line Road and Mariner Boulevard, Spring Hill. Baked goods, cookies, cakes, pies, candies and other goodies are needed for the sale. Call Jean Konski at 683-8799 or Gerri Harrington at 683-4629.

- Crafty Stitchers' Holiday Bazaar and 25th Anniversary, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Brookridge clubhouse, 8150 Hampton St., Brookridge. This year's event will include a variety of new booths selling items such as homemade strawberry jam, "gifts from the jar," homemade food items, plants, tote bags and "flip-flop" earrings at the jewelry shop. There will be raffles to win a hand-embroidered American state flowers quilt and a baby cross-stitch quilt. There will be a silent auction and door prizes every hour. Call Maryann Blatt, 596-9562.

SPRING HILL

Dance night away to aid children's hospital

The 25th annual Partners in Hope Ball to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will be Friday at the Palace Grand, 275 Della Court.

The event will include a show with Bennie Anderson and his Drifters, dinner and a silent auction.

Tickets are $75. Sponsorships opportunities are also available.

For information, call Nick Morana at 683-4945 or Gus Guadagnino at 799-5456.

HUDSON

Listen to love songsof old Broadway

The Center Company Singers from John Leggio's Center for the Performing Arts will present Broadway Love Song at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Show Palace Dinner Theater, 16128 U.S. 19.

The show will be a two-hour revue of love songs from favorite Broadway musicals.

Tickets are $7 if purchased in advance, or $10 at the door. For information, call John Leggio's Center for the Performing Arts at 683-8395 or visit the Web site at www.leggioarts.com.

BROOKSVILLE/SPRING HILL

Help to get through holiday grief periods

Hernando-Pasco Hospice will offer 90-minute holiday grief support workshops on how to cope during the holidays. The free workshops are for adults who have recently experienced the loss of a loved one, and are led by bereavement counselors.

The workshops will be offered at:

-2 and 7 p.m. Nov. 14, Hospice West Hernando office, 12260 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill.

-2 p.m. Nov. 15, Hospice East Hernando office, 698 S Broad St., Brooksville.

Preregistration is requested. Call toll-free, 1-800-486-8784.

Additional workshops will be offered in Hernando County in December. There are several others offered in Pasco and Citrus counties. For other times, dates and locations, visit www.hphospice.org.

BROOKSVILLE

Fundraiser to benefit local animal shelters

Three Dog Canine Supplies will have a donation box throughout November to benefit the Humane Society of the Nature Coast, Hernando County SPCA and Hernando County Animal Services.

Also, a Share the Bounty event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 17 at the business, 6099 Broad St.

During the event, donations of cash and items such as pet food, bottled water, collars and leashes, towels and cleaning supplies will be accepted. Animals will be available for adoption.

There will also be food, prizes and face painting for children.

Dog owners will be able to trade in their old, clean and usable collars and receive a 10 percent discount on purchasing a new one.

Funds raised will benefit all three local shelters. For information, call 797-4855. A list of necessities is available online at www.threedogcs.com.

COUNTYWIDE

Host families needed for foreign students

Youth for Understanding, an international student exchange program, is seeking host families in Hernando County.

To learn more about becoming a host family for an overseas student, call Tricia at 200-6891, or the national office toll-free at 1-866-493-8872, or visit the Web site at www.yfu-usa.org.

HERNANDO/PASCO COUNTIES

Group announces holiday concerts

Nature Coast Festival Singers will present Christmas concerts on the following days:

- 3 p.m. Nov. 25, Nativity Lutheran Church, 6363 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee.

- 7 p.m. Nov. 26, Wesleyan Village Church, 8168 Jasmine Drive, Brooksville.

- 3 p.m. Dec. 2, St. Mark's Presbyterian Church, 7922 State Road 52, Hudson.

The concerts will include choruses from the Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah, as well as other Christmas songs. The director is Jim Urbanski and accompanist is Kathy Hackemer.

There is no charge for the concerts, but freewill offerings will be accepted during intermission. For information, call Shirley at 597-2235.

COUNTYWIDE

Christmas program lets you be an angel

The Christmas Angel Program of Hernando County is in need of monetary donations or sponsorships of children for the coming Christmas season.

The Christmas Angel Program also continues to accept donations of used, working computers and computer-related equipment. Hard drives are reformatted to erase all sensitive information.

To make a donation or sponsor a child, call 596-1552.

[Last modified November 6, 2007, 21:38:34]