You can give a pet a lifelong home

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 21, 2007

COUNTYWIDE

Hernando County Animal Services has joined with the SPCA of Hernando County and Humane Society of the Nature Coast to participate in the Home 4 the Holidays worldwide pet adoption campaign. The goal is to find lifelong homes for the county's homeless animals.

The Home 4 the Holidays Pet Pageant will air on Hernando County Government Broadcasting, Bright House Channel 615, at 6 p.m. Saturday and Monday, 1 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. Thursday.

The pageant features pets from the local shelters who need loving homes. Those interested are also encouraged to visit one of the shelters:

- Hernando County Animal Services, 19450 Oliver St., Brooksville. 796-5062.

- SPCA of Hernando County, 9075 Grant St., west of Brooksville. 596-7000.

- Humane Society of the Nature Coast, corner of Wiscon and Mobley roads, Brooksville. 796-2711.

COUNTYWIDE

Audubon Society has hiking, birding trips

The Hernando Audubon Society will host the following activities in January:

- Weekiwachee Salt Marsh Safari - Hernando Beach to the Gulf, Jan. 5. This is a strenuous hike into a harsh environment. Those wishing to participate are to call Clay at 592-4949 for the time and meeting place.

- Bird Walk at Bayport, Jan. 12. This is a coastal birding trip to identify shorebirds and coastal inhabitants. Participants are to meet at 7 a.m. at the Hardee's at Commercial Way and Cortez Boulevard, Weeki Wachee. Call Bernie at 754-9030.

- Birding trip at Merritt Island, Jan. 16. Those going are to meet at 8:30 a.m. at the kiosk on the causeway to Merritt Island. Reservations are required by Jan. 5. Call Shirley at 683-9370.

- Birding at Mosaic Mines, Jan. 30. Reservations are required by Dec. 30. Participants are to meet at 8:30 a.m. sharp at the McDonald's in Mulberry. Call Shirley at 683-9370.

- Volunteer workday, 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 26 at Peck Sink. Those wishing to help out can call Linda at 754-9436 for information and the meeting place.

- The next Hernando Audubon meeting will be 7 p.m. Jan. 24. Snacks and beverages will be served before the meeting.

Frederick "Fritz" Davis, assistant professor of history at Florida State University, will present a program on the famed naturalist Archie Carr, who is credited with saving the loggerhead turtle.

AARP offers January driver safety classes

The AARP Driver Safety Program is a refresher course for drivers 50 and older. It is an eight-hour course provided in two four-hour classes.

The cost is $10. Participants must attend both segments to receive a certificate to submit to their insurance company for a possible rate reduction.

The following classes will be offered in January:

- 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 2 and 9, Spring Hill Enrichment Center, 11375 Cortez Blvd. behind Oak Hill Hospital, Spring Hill. Call 684-9302 to register.

- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 11 and 18, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 6193 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. Call 232-5609 to register.

- Noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 15 and 17, Forest Oaks Lutheran Church, 8555 Forest Oaks Blvd., Spring Hill. Call 797-7497 to register.

- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 16 and 23, Spring Hill Enrichment Center, 11375 Cortez Blvd. Call 683-8594 to register.

- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 17 and 18, Brookridge Club House, 8150 Hampton St., west of Brooksville. Call 666-4044 to register.

- Noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 18 and 23, Brooksville Enrichment Center, 670 Broad St., Brooksville. Call 799-3658 to register.

Class size is limited. To register, call the instructors at the above numbers.

BROOKSVILLE

Learn more about county's water supply

Hernando County Utilities and Citizens for WATER will present the next session of the 2008 Hernando County Water Awareness Series from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 4 at the Utilities Department, 21030 Cortez Blvd.

The topic will be "Hydrogeology of Hernando County and Why it is Important," presented by Mark Barcelo of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Those attending will learn about the source of Hernando County's groundwater supply and the importance of residents practicing water conservation measures.

For information, call Alys Brockway at 540-4368, ext. 35139 or visit the Web site at www.hernandocounty.us/utils/CFW/waterawareness.htm.

Freedom from Smoking orientation is Jan. 7

The Hernando County Health Department will provide an orientation for the Freedom from Smoking classes at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at the office at 15470 Flight Pat Drive, off Spring Hill Drive, south of Brooksville.

Classes will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Feb. 18, with the exception of a meeting Jan. 30, the 48-hour follow-up following the Jan. 28 "quit night."

Anyone considering quitting smoking is welcome at the free orientation.

There is no cost to participate, as the enrollment fee is being paid for through a grant from the Florida Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

To register or for information, call Ann-Gayl Ellis at the Health Department, 540-6817.

Library book group to discuss 'Marley & Me'

The next gathering of the Brooksville Book Discussion Group will be at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 12 at Lykes Memorial Library, 238 Howell Ave.

The group will discuss the book, Marley & Me, Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog, by John Grogan.

The book is about John and Jenny Grogan, who are just beginning their life together when they bring home Marley, a wiggly yellow puppy who quickly grows into a 97-pound Labrador retriever.

It is a story of a family in the making and the neurotic, loving and loyal dog who teaches them what really matters in life.

Registration is not required. However, copies of the book are limited. For information, call Tina Mraz at the library, 754-4043.

State attorney general to speak in Brooksville

Florida's Attorney General Bill McCollum will speak at the Annuttaliga Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution's luncheon meeting at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks, 23446 Links Drive (off Croom Road).

McCollum will speak about the state Cyber Crime Unit, which targets child pornography and pedophile problems on the Internet.

A limited number of tickets will be available. The cost is $13 (with $1 benefiting the DAR's Hernando County Scholarship Fund).

The deadline to purchase tickets is Jan. 14. For tickets or information, call Lynette Grossenbacher at 544-8162.

SPRING HILL

Watch the classic film 'Roman Holiday'

The classic movie Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, will be shown at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Spring Hill Branch/Harold G. Zopp Memorial Library.

The 1953 film, which won Hepburn an Academy Award, is about a bored and sheltered princess who, while in Rome, escapes her guardians to experience a "normal" life and falls in love with an American newsman.

The movie is not rated, and there is no cost to attend.

Light refreshments will be served.

For information, call 540-6391 or 540-6374.

Take scuba diving lessons at the YMCA

Scuba lessons for adults and youths 12 and older will be offered from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting Jan. 8, at the Hernando County Family YMCA, 1300 Mariner Blvd.

The course includes six class and pool sessions.

Participants must be in good physical health. Upon completion, participants will be certified as open-water scuba divers. The certified instructors are Jack Farrell and Mark Butler.

The cost is $120 for YMCA facility and program members and $140 for nonmembers, payable to the YMCA.

There is a fee of $60 for the use of scuba equipment, payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Participants must have a mask, fins and a snorkel.

For information, call Farrell at (727) 861-3483 or toll-free 1-800-633-1633, Butler at (352) 214-1171, or the YMCA at 688-9622.

SPRING HILL

Registration for girls' softball is in January

Spring Hill Dixie Girls' Softball spring registration will be at Anderson Snow Park's softball pavilion on the following days:

- 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 11

- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 12

- 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 18

- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 19

The league is open to girls ages 5 through 18. The cost is $120 for the first player and $115 for additional children. A photocopy of each child's birth certificate is required and will not be returned.

The park is at 1360 Anderson Snow Road. For information, call 688-5570, send an e-mail to shdixiesoftball@earthlink.net or go to www.shdixiesoftball.com.

VFW post celebrates opening of new home

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10209 and Ladies Auxiliary will host a grand opening celebration Jan. 12 at the new post home at 14736 Edward R. Noll Drive, off Anderson Snow Road.

The opening ceremony will be at 11 a.m., followed by entertainment with Frank Dee's New York Orchestra from noon to 2 p.m. There will be continuous entertainment through the evening.

For information, call the post at 796-0398.

NEW PORT RICHEY

Tickets available for boxer rescue benefit

Tickets are now available for a dinner and show featuring the Legends of Doo Wop will be Feb. 10 at Sparton Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave. The event is a benefit for the Florida Boxer Rescue.

Doors open at 4 p.m., and dinner will be served at 5 p.m., followed by the show and a silent auction.

Tickets are $45 and $50. For information or tickets, call Candee at (727) 858-5627.

Florida Boxer Rescue is a nonprofit organization that rescues unwanted and abandoned purebred boxers in central and western Florida and finds them safe and permanent homes. Since its incorporation in February 2000, the organization has rescued and adopted out more than 2,400 boxers.

Information on the organization is available online at www.flbr.org or call toll-free at 1-888-612-5782 (call between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily).

[Last modified December 20, 2007, 20:25:10]