Hometown

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 12, 2007

Clubs and Organizations

Members of the Kiwanis Club of Brooksville volunteered their time serving refreshments at the Hernando County Parks and Recreation Department's Halloween Harvest Festival on Oct. 25 and 26 at the Hernando County Fairgrounds.

Members who worked during the two-day festival includedScott Smith, Margot Smith, Karen Beasley, Steve Smith, Joan Lynch, Sanford Duryee and Clayton Lynch.

The festival offered games, hayrides and a haunted house. Contests included a pet masquerade, a costume contest for all ages and a pumpkin-carving contest.

Proceeds from refreshments sold by the Kiwanis Club will benefit the kids' summer camp offered by the Hernando County Parks and Recreation Department and the Rotary Club's dog park.

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The Arc Nature Coast's Aktion Club sold hot dogs and drinks at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Brooksville on Oct. 25 and 26.

Coca-Cola of Brooksville donated all the drinks and the use of a trailer; and Wal-Mart donated a $50 gift card so the club could purchase hot dogs and toppings.

The Aktion Club raised more than $400, to be matched by the Wal-Mart Foundation. The Aktion Club is part of the Rotary Club of Brooksville. Members of the club participate in many volunteer projects in the community.

Money raised at the event will be used to purchase items to make gifts for local nursing home residents. For information, call Debby Bruce at 592-5619.

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To kick off their annual poppy drive, members of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 186 in Spring Hill invited U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite to be the first to receive poppy flowers this year.

The drive was held Nov. 9 and 10 at local businesses. The nationwide memorial poppy campaign was started by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary in 1921. The poppy flower was the one touch of beauty that survived amid the terrible destruction of World War II in the fields of France and Flanders.

Wearing the little red poppy signifies honoring the dead and helping the living.

The work of making the paper poppy flowers is done by disabled veterans in government hospitals across the country as a way for them to earn some income. The poppies are distributed by volunteers, and all donations received are used to help veterans and dependents of the disabled and deceased.

There is no set price for the poppies; the donor determines the amount to be given.

Veterans

Marine Corps League, Spring Hill Detachment 708 presented a memorial plaque to Barbara Smith, widow of former member Dr. Harry L. Smith, who died in March.

The plaque featured a DVD of the memorial service for Dr. Smith. The recognition heralds his many years of service to his country and the detachment. The plaque was presented to Mrs. Smith by members Jack Yaskulski and Steve Witt.

Barbara Smith is president of the Women's Auxiliary at Detachment 708, and she carries on the tradition of giving demonstrated by her husband.

Dr. Smith was a veteran of the Pacific Campaign in World War and the Korean War. He was recognized as one of the "Chosin Few," a survivor of the battle at the Chosin Reservoir, remembered by Marines as the Frozen Chosin because of the bitterly cold weather and being grossly outnumbered by the enemy.

Dr. Smith served in Detachment 708 for 13 years as a member of the honor guard. The detachment's Dr. Harry L. Smith Scholarship Fund is just one of the many ways he will be remembered.

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[Last modified December 11, 2007, 21:03:35]