Business Digest

By Times Staff Writer
Published March 10, 2008

HCA fundraising effort nets $30,000

HCA hospital employees in Pasco and Hernando collected more than $30,000 for the American Heart Association's Nature Coast Heart Walk.

Employees from Oak Hill Hospital, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point and Community Hospital collaborated to make this year's heart walk effort a success. The three hospitals comprise the Pasco-Hernando market of the HCA West Florida Division. The hospitals fielded teams made up of individuals who collected sponsorships for the walk. In addition, fundraisers were conducted by staffers at all three HCA facilities.

Briefly:

Gardner Audiology, 5340 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, has been selected again by Magnatone Hearing Aid Corp. as its exclusive research clinic. The business will receive a $50,000 credit grant for the study, and will provide beta testing, consumer surveys and field studies for Magnatone.

Magnatone, based in Casselberry, has been a certified, FDA-registered hearing aid manufacturer since 1967.

Dan Gardner, audiologist, will conduct the research out of his Spring Hill, Crystal River and Zephyrhills centers. For information, call 666-8910.

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All three Imperial Cleaners are accepting prom gowns for the less fortunate. The business will dry-clean dropped-off prom dresses for free, in order that they be ready for those who need them.

Imperial Cleaners is looking for a local charity or organization willing to work with the business to make sure the dresses get to those who need them.

Locations include 11146 Spring Hill Drive and 5081 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, and 1224 S Broad St., Brooksville. For information, call Paul or Helen at 596-4644.

Who's news:

Wendy Dotson has been named account executive for the southern part of Hernando County with Amedisys Home Health Care of Brooksville, 16348 Cortez Blvd., Unit B, Brooksville. Call 796-0349.

Dr. Kimberly Clayton has announced the opening of her new business, For You Medical Aesthetic, at 6475 Oregon Jay Road, west of Brooksville. For information, call 592-7700.

Thomas Assante has been appointed director of health information management at Oak Hill Hospital. He has served in the HCA system as assistant director of health information management at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point for the past six years.

Dr. Michael W. Higgins has been elected chief of surgery at Brooksville Regional Hospital. Higgins is a graduate of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University in North Miami Beach. His office is at 10429 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, and he can be reached at 688-6035.

Events:

The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly Business After Business Social from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at 7153 Broad St., Brooksville. The event is sponsored by Capital City Bank.

Food and beverages will be available. For information, call 796-0697.

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Kristina Wehlau will hold a free networking meeting for women from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Country Kitchen, 20133 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville.

A presentation will be given by Dr. Parveen Vahora, a fellowship-trained and board-certified gynecologist who specializes in minimally invasive and innovative procedures.

RSVP to Wehlau by noon Tuesday at 628-2232 or by sending e-mail to candleladykristina@hotmail.com

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The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have the following ribbon cuttings this week:

- Minuteman Press, 14482 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. For information, call Elizabeth Bandaly at 597-3118. A grand opening celebration will follow.

- Quality Exotic Birds, 7349 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, 11:30 a.m. Thursday. For information, call Roseann Carlino at 835-4040.

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The Spring Hill Professionals Chapter of Ali Lassen's Leads Club will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Boston Cooker Restaurant & Oyster Bar, 5375 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill.

The speakers will be Joe Jeffords of J&J Pest Away and Michelle Jennings of Permanent Cosmetic Centers.

The cost for lunch is $13, to be paid at the meeting.

For information, call Lois Bleicher at 200-4809.

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A Gold Medal Winning Wine Tasting will take place from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Friday at Pristine Liquors, 14381 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. Strong Tower Vineyard wines, including recent Florida International Wine Competition gold medal winners and the wine maker, will be featured.

The event is free and open to the public. For information, call 666-1088.

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The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly Networking at Noon luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at Scotto's Bistro, 6172 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee.

The cost is $10 per person with a reservation, $15 at the door without a reservation and $20 for nonmembers. RSVP to Patty Himmelerger at 796-0697, ext. 18, by Wednesday.

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The HoneyBaked Ham Co. & Cafe, in conjunction with Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, will have a fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

HoneyBaked Ham will donate a percentage of total sales on these two days for the cause. For information, call Diana at 592-2994.

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A Fun Day will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Dairy Queen and the Fun Zone on Suzanne Drive, off Commercial Way, in Spring Hill.

A mini golf tournament will be from 10 a.m. to noon; the cost to enter is $5. Prizes will be awarded.

Proceeds will benefit the Arc Nature Coast. For information, call 544-2322 or 666-4653.

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The Animal Health Veterinary Clinic, 13160 Jacqueline Road, west of Brooksville, will have its grand opening from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Drs. Deborah Rodriguez, Francisco Collazos and William Stocker, along with the staff, invite the community to celebrate the practice's purchase from Stocker by Rodriguez. For information, call 596-8326.

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The Cortez Cancer Crushers, Cortez Community Bank's Relay for Life team, will host a barbecue and yard sale from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the bank, 1000 S Broad St.

The cost of a meal is $10, which includes ribs, baked beans and coleslaw. Take-home orders will be available. Proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society. For information, call Kathy Vidal or Michelle Turney at 799-6000.

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Service Corps of Retired Executives, Pasco-Hernando Chapter 439, will offer a free workshop, "How to Write an Effective Business Plan for Small Businesses," from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 17 at the East Hernando Branch Library, 6457 Windmere Road, Ridge Manor West.

Reservations are recommended. For information, call Mary GaNun at 540-6394 or the SCORE office at 727 842-4638.

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 March 9, 2008, 20:07:28]