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Schools

Brooker educational center needs help

By Times Staff Writer
Published January 6, 2008

EAST LAKE

Looking to help out? Friendly, outgoing volunteers are needed at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center as exhibit hall docents and summer camp assistants. Call 453-6800.

COUNTYWIDE

Volunteers needed in mentoring program

Gulf Coast Community Care needs volunteers age 30 and older for its mentoring program.

Volunteers are matched with children who need a positive adult role model. There is a need for volunteers for children of all ages.

No experience necessary, no costs. Volunteers spend a few hours a week in activities like reading, fishing, baking, teaching a craft or visiting a park. Call 479-1841 or 479-1825.

COUNTYWIDE

Don't fall for plots to 'fix' your water

Pinellas County and city of Clearwater officials say they have received complaints that at least one local water treatment company claims to represent the county to gain entrance to homes and inspect faucets or hot water heaters in an effort to sell expensive water treatment systems.

The companies are not endorsed by or affiliated with any government agency, and county utility employees would never try to sell an "upgrade" to a home's plumbing.

Consumers should be wary of unexpected visits or gifts from water companies, sales people who add thickening agents to water to solidify harmless minerals, high prices and scare tactics, officials say.

To learn more about Pinellas County water quality, call (727) 464-4000. To learn more about Clearwater's water, call (727) 562-4600.

To investigate a company's business history, call the Department of Consumer Protection at (727) 464-6200 or visit www.pinellascounty.org consumer and click on "Check a business."

Clearwater officials say residents who feel they have been misled should call the state Attorney General's Economic Crimes unit, 3507 Frontage Road, Suite 325, Tampa, FL 33607 or call the office at (813) 287-7900.

COUNTYWIDE

Hellenic association offers scholarships

The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association has applications available for more than $5,000 in high school and college scholarships awarded by AHEPA's Pinellas Chapter No. 356 and the Daughters of Penelope, Pelias Chapter No. 186.

Applicants must be 2007 high school graduates or current college students.

Applicants do not have to be of Greek descent, but they must be a family member of a current member of the Order of AHEPA or the Daughters of Penelope. Call chairman John Tsagaris at (727) 791-1040 for an application or visit www.ahepad2.org or www.ahepa.org.

COUNTYWIDE

Hearing-impaired program expanded

The Deaf and Hearing Connection for Tampa Bay has expanded its no-cost telephone loan services, which include amplified telephone and equipment usage, at the following locations: Largo Library, Clearwater Library, Palm Harbor Library, Dunedin Senior Center, Safety Harbor Library, the Upper Tampa Bay Library, St. Petersburg Sunshine Center, Gulfport Senior Center and the Gulf Beaches Library. Call (727) 399-9983 for dates and times.

CLEARWATER

Friends of Libraryseeking donations

CLEARWATER - Before silverfish overrun your old paperback collection, why not donate it? The Friends of the Library Book & Gift Store in Clearwater's Main Library is seeking donations of paperback books in good condition for resale in the store.

Bring your donations to the Main Library or call Judy Bazata at 461-6272 if pickup is needed. Although the store is seeking donations of current and collectible books, it will accept other books as well. What it doesn't use will be part of the next semi-annual book sale Feb. 27 to March 1.

Proceeds from the Friends of the Clearwater Library bookstores are used to enhance the Clearwater Public Library system.

The store also needs volunteers to work certain days and hours. A short training session is required. The Friends Book & Gift Store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Work hours are variable, generally two to four hours a week. To volunteer call Rosalie Murray at 531-0667 or Rita Garvey at 446-3845.

COUNTYWIDE

Are phone books cluttering your home?

New phone books have arrived, so recycle that old one.

Residents with curbside collection in Belleair, Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo and Oldsmar can put their old phone books in their curbside recycling bin. Other residents can go to one of 40 dropoff locations around the county.

Most dropoff sites have bins labeled "phone books." If not, put the phone books in the "mixed paper" or "magazines" bins but not in the "newspaper" bin. For a list of phone book recycling sites, visit www.pinellascounty.org/utilities or call (727) 464-7500.

Pinellas residents discard more than 2-million phone books annually.

To reduce the number of phone books delivered to your office or house this year, call Verizon at toll-free 1-800-888-8448 or Yellow Book at toll-free 1-800-929-3556.

PINELLAS PARK

They've got stories waiting to be shared

The Tampa Bay Storytellers Guild Story Swap meets the fourth Sunday of every month (except November and December) to share stories.

The public is invited to attend and share their stories.

Each program has a theme.

The programs are at 3 p.m., the fourth Sunday of each month, at Pinellas Park Station, 5851 Park Blvd.

For more information, call Billie Noakes at 647-8057.

COUNTYWIDE

Make a differenceand mentor a child

Gulf Coast Community Care needs volunteers age 30 and older for its mentoring program. Volunteers are matched with children of all ages throughout Pinellas County who need a positive adult role model. Many of the children are in foster care or live with a single parent who is going to school and working. No experience is necessary. There are no costs. Volunteers spend a few hours a week doing simple activities such as reading, fishing, baking, teaching a craft or visiting a park with a child. For more information, call Beverly at 479-1841 or Bonnie at 479-1825.

COUNTYWIDE

Bothered by litter? Call this number

Keep Pinellas Beautiful has a new 24-hour litter reporting hotline residents can use to report litter problems: (727) 210-4663.

The litter hotline is designed for large-scale litter problems or those that pose a public safety hazard, such as cases where items could create traffic problems. Examples include:

- Road or environmental hazards.

- Illegal dumping.

- Areas with major litter problems, such as storm drains with shopping carts or bulky items in them, or places like businesses with widespread litter problems.

The hotline is not for reporting code enforcement problems such as overgrown lawns or minor instances of littering.

Action to remove the trash/litter is taken by Keep Pinellas Beautiful Staff or coordination with the appropriate city or county department.

Callers will need to provide a street address or intersection, description of the litter problem and a contact phone number. Keep Pinellas Beautiful will coordinate with the appropriate city or county departments to address litter reports.

For more information, call (727) 210-4663 during regular business hours or visit the Web site at www.keep pinellasbeautiful.org.

COUNTYWIDE

Sign up to help collect for Tampa Bay Harvest

Tampa Bay Harvest is an all-volunteer organization that collects food from restaurants, supermarkets and other sources to donate to food pantries and other local organizations that help feed the hungry. Volunteers are needed to transport food, help with coordinating and record-keeping, and assist with food-collecting events. Call 538-7777, ext. 1.

[Last modified January 5, 2008, 22:02:33]