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Business Briefcase

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By TONY HOLT

Published: September 21, 2008

eLayaway's July and August numbers show increase

TALLAHASSEE eLayaway recently announced its "Christmas in July" promotion offered through its merchants in July and August has resulted in a 30.30 percent increase in consumer signups along with a 35.74 percent increase in shopping cart dollar volume. eLayaway.com is similar to traditional layaway, allowing shoppers to buy a product online and pay for it in regular automatic installments and have it delivered upon full payment. Founded by Matt Ryncarz and Sergio Pinon in 2005, eLayaway.com is based in Tallahassee with more than 20 employees and staff. For more information, visit www.eLayaway.com.

Bright House scores highest in customer satisfaction

ST. PETERSBURG For the third consecutive year, Bright House Networks ranks highest in customer satisfaction among U.S. telephone service providers in the South, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Residential Regional Telephone Customer Satisfaction Study. The company provides digital phone services to nearly 700,000 customers. Bright House Networks customer satisfaction scores in the South region were highest for seven of the eight factors that make up customer service, according to the study.

AT&T and Samsung introduce new Rugby handset

ORLANDO It's fast, powerful and can take just about anything you can throw at it. AT&T Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America recently announced the availability of a new rugged, military-grade handset called Samsung Rugby, the first rugged handset to feature AT&T's breakthrough Video Share calling and to run on the largest Push to Talk network in the country.

Video Share calling is possible on AT&T's 3G network, which is the nation's fastest and is available in 320 major metropolitan areas across the country and will be in nearly 350 by the end of the year. Samsung Rugby allows a mobile workforce to be seemingly everywhere at once, with features such as Video Share and e-mail to reduce trips between work sites and Push to Talk to speed up decision making within work groups to reduce costly downtime. The Rugby will be available through select AT&T retail locations or at http://www.att.com/wireless for $129.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate. For a limited time, AT&T is offering small business customers the opportunity to activate five lines or more at a price of $79.99 on each device. For more information on Samsung Rugby, visit www.att.com/rugby. For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com.

HoneyBaked Ham to honor seniors with discount

SPRING HILL The HoneyBaked Ham Company and Café will honor the area's seniors beginning Saturday, Sept. 27. Customers who are 60 years of age and older can receive a 10 percent discount on products and lunch every Saturday. Just ask for your Saturday Senior Discount. The store is located at 4638 Commercial Way. For more information, call 352-592-2994.

Oak Hill's Nov. 7 golf tournament will benefit the United Way

SPRING HILL Oak Hill Hospital has announced it will once again hold its annual Oak Hill Hospital Golf Tournament, a four-person scramble to benefit the United Way of Hernando County. The tournament will begin at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7 and will take place at Silverthorn Country Club, located at 4550 Golf Club Lane. A hole-in-one contest will be sponsored by Rick Matthews Buick, Pontiac, GMC. A hole-in-one during the tournament will win a player a new car. Individual players' fees are $60, which includes the individual registration, player gifts, cart, green fees and lunch. Team sponsorships are $300 and they include four player registration, program recognition, a plaque with player gifts, a cart, green fees and lunch. A wide range of sponsorships also are available. The rain date is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 14 and the entry deadline is Oct. 24. The tournament is limited to 144 golfers. Those interested should contact Eddie Vandetti at 352-597-3053, or mail a check and entry form to Eddie Vandetti, Oak Hill Hospital, PO Box 5300, Spring Hill, FL 34611. All net proceeds will benefit the United Way of Hernando County.

The Grande luncheon will take place Tuesday

BROOKSVILLE The city's newest independent living community will hold a Business Professional Luncheon in the Sun Room at SunTrust Bank. The event will take place at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the corner of Jefferson and Main Streets. Attendees will hear updates on the facility's progress. It is located at the old Brooksville Regional Hospital along Ponce de Leon Boulevard. To RSVP, call 232-6025.

Leukemia/Lymphoma Support Group will meet Tuesday

SPRING HILL Florida Cancer Institute–New Hope will hold its Leukemia/Lymphoma Support Group from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23. The group meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope's Spring Hill Center, located at 10441 Quality Drive, Suite 203 in the Medical Arts Building next to Spring Hill Regional Hospital. Among the topics most frequently discussed are the importance of early detection, signs and symptoms of leukemia-lymphoma, prognosis, disease stages, the various treatment options and the latest research and treatment modalities. Speakers include physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers and others. For more information call Jeff Haight at 352-688-7744. Florida Cancer Institute–New Hope is affiliated with US Oncology, the nation's largest health care services network dedicated exclusively to cancer treatment and research. US Oncology provides extensive services and support to its affiliated cancer care sites nationwide to help them expand their offering of the most advanced treatments, build integrated cancer care centers, improve their therapeutic drug management programs and participate in many of the new cancer-related clinical research studies. Florida Cancer Institute–New Hope has six locations throughout Pasco and Hernando counties. For more information, call 1-888-206-0054 or visit www.FloridaCancerInstitute-NewHope.com.

Smart Growth Forum is scheduled for Tuesday

BROOKSVILLE The Hernando County Association of Realtors is inviting the public to the Smart Growth Forum. The event will run from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Realtors Building on Sunshine Grove Road. The speakers will include Hernando County Business Development Director Mike McHugh and SunTrust Tampa Bay President Dan Mahurin, among others. To RSVP, call 352-799-1971.

Rising Sun Café will host artist's reception Wednesday

BROOKSVILLE The Rising Sun Café will host an Artist's Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, for four local artists. The café is located at 10 S. Main St. A Florida native, Evie Harper is a self-taught artist who loves recreating creatures who inhabit the pristine coastline of Weeki Wachee through her one-of-a-kind wood and clay sculptures. She has exhibited and won numerous awards locally. Robert Hernaiz is a self-taught artist whose interest and love of art started back in New York at the age of 8. He works primarily with graphite pencil, watercolor pencil and ink pens to render detailed works of art. He also is an accomplished musician, composer and teacher. Patricia "Patty" Ritter joined the Spring Hill Art League in 2006 and is the current venue coordinator. Her medium of choice is oil paint on canvas. Lynne Simone works primarily in pastels, realistically capturing her subject's likeness and personality through layers of vivid color. The public is invited to attend. Coffee and appetizers will be served. For more information, call The Rising Sun at 848-0090.

Chamber's Monthly Membership Meeting is Wednesday

BROOKSVILLE The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce's September Membership Meeting will begin at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, at Silverthorn Country Club. It is located at 4550 Golf Club Lane. The cost is $12 for members and $20 for nonmembers. AT&T The Real Yellow Pages will sponsor the breakfast. For more information, call the chamber at 796-0697.

Institute will host Look Good Feel Better program Thursday

SPRING HILL Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope recently announced it will host the American Cancer Society's "Look Good…Feel Better" program once a month in its conference room. This month's meeting will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25. This is a free group program that teaches beauty techniques to women cancer patients to help combat the appearance-related side affects of treatment. "Look Good…Feel Better" is free and open to all women cancer patients in active treatment, not just Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope patients. Reservations are required. For more information and to make an appointment for one of the future sessions, call Mary Capo at 352-596-1926, Ext.150. Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope is affiliated with US Oncology, the nation's largest health care services network dedicated exclusively to cancer treatment and research. Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope has six locations throughout Pasco and Hernando counties. "Look Good…Feel Better" is held at 7154 Medical Center Drive. For more information about Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope call 1-888-206-0054 or visit www.FloridaCancerInstitute-NewHope.com.

Progress Personal Training will have ribbon cutting Thursday

BROOKSVILLE The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Progress Personal Training at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 25. It will be held at the Brooksville Gold's Gym, located at 20126 Cortez Blvd. For more information, call Shayne Cahill at 584-1192.

Summit for Youth is scheduled for Sept. 30

SPRING HILL The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee and other community service partners are sponsoring the first-ever Summit for Youth. The event will take place Tuesday, Sept. 30. This Summit is a think-tank opportunity for key community partners, social service agencies and the school district to come together to brainstorm solutions to improve key indicators for our youth in the areas of graduation rate, substance use/abuse, teen pregnancy and violence/abuse/neglect. Anyone interested in participating in one of the working committees is encouraged to contact Tracy Echols at success@theabundanceadvantage.com or 352-277-3322. There are $250 and $100 sponsorship opportunities available.

Presentation on managing medication will take place Sept. 30

HUDSON Dr. Troy Jarvi will be the featured speaker for an upcoming lecture on "Understanding and Managing your Medication." Jarvi will talk briefly about knowing when and how to take your medication, the safest practices in drug storage and purchasing, learning how medications work and how to monitor their effectiveness, what to do with your medications after a hospital stay and what to do when your medications change. This presentation is sponsored by Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point and will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at CARES Hudson Bayonet Point Enrichment Center, located at 12417 Clock Tower Parkway. The event is free to the public. Due to limited seating, reservations are required and can be made by calling 727-869-5498 or 1-888-741-5119.

Beach Bash will take place Oct. 3

HERNANDO BEACH Tickets are on sale for the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce Annual Beach Bash. The event will take place at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, at the Hernando Beach Club, located at 3145 Flamingo Blvd. Tickets are $15 per person. This year's theme is Surfin' FLA. For sponsorships and tickets, call 796-0697, Ext. 15.

Prostate Cancer Support Group will meet Oct. 6

BROOKSVILLE The Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope will hold its regular "Man to Man" prostate cancer support group at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6. Cosponsored by the American Cancer Society, "Man to Man" meets on the first Monday of every month at the Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope's Brooksville Center, located at 7154 Medical Center. Among the topics most frequently discussed are the importance of early detection, signs and symptoms of prostate cancer, prognosis, disease stages, incontinence, impotence, the various treatment options including hormone therapy and medications and the latest research and treatment modalities. Speakers include physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers and others. For more information call Mary Capo at 352-596-1926.

Anderson to be guest speaker at Oct. 7 support group meeting

SPRING HILL The Florida Cancer Institute - New Hope recently announced Dr. Norman H. Anderson will be the guest speaker at its upcoming women's breast cancer support group meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7. The support group will meet at its center, located at 7154 Medical Center Drive. Anderson is chief executive officer of the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute in Ocala. He graduated from the University of Florida's College of Medicine in Gainesville, where he also completed his internship and residencies at the Division of Radiation Oncology. He also holds undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mechanical engineering from the University of Central Florida and a degree in clinical psychology from Emory University in Atlanta. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call Tambra Randazzo at 592-8128. Florida Cancer Institute – New Hope is affiliated with US Oncology, the nation's largest health care services network dedicated exclusively to cancer treatment and research. It has six locations throughout Pasco and Hernando counties. For more information, call 1-888-206-0054 or visit www.FloridaCancerInstitute-NewHope.com.

Florida Farm Bureau annual meeting will be held Oct. 8-10

ORLANDO Hundreds of farmers and ranchers from across the state will convene Oct. 8-10 at the Peabody Hotel in Orlando for the Florida Farm Bureau Federation's 67th annual meeting. Organized around the theme "Growing for Tomorrow," the meeting will offer events centered on Florida Farm Bureau Women, Young Farmers and Ranchers and legislative action and education. Voting delegates will elect the president and vice president and adopt the policies that will guide the organization during the next 12 months. For more information on the annual meeting, contact Rachel Kudelko at 352-378-8100, Ext. 1030, or e-mail her at Rachel.kudelko@ffbf.org. Information may also be found at http://floridafarmbureau.org/annual_meeting. The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state's largest general-interest agricultural association with more than 140,000 member-families statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, the federation is an independent, nonprofit agricultural organization.

Caregiver Support Group will meet Oct. 9

SPRING HILL Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope will hold its Caregiver Support Group at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9. The group meets the second Thursday of every month at the Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope's Spring Hill Center, located at 10441 Quality Drive, Suite 203 in the Medical Arts Building next to Spring Hill Regional Hospital. For more information call Dorothy Hiller at 352-688-7744.

HBA supports H.E.L.P., application deadline is Oct. 17

SPRING HILL The Hernando Builders Association would like to encourage the citizens of Hernando County to learn more about the Housing Enhancement Loan Program (H.E.L.P.). The Hernando County Housing Authority is now accepting applications for this program, which is designed to provide assistance to seniors and very low income residents who are experiencing conditions in their home that pose a threat to the health, safety, or welfare of the household occupants and may not meet current health, fire and building codes. The H.E.L.P. program will provide zero interest loans of up to $37,000 to help senior households with the cost of repairs. To qualify, applicants must meet certain age and income requirements and the residence must be a house and not a mobile home. Applications are being accepted until Friday, Oct. 17. For more information, call the Hernando County Housing Authority at 352-754-4160.

Sponsorships, booths still available for Oct. 18 Health Fair

BROOKSVILLE Sponsorships and booths are still available for the fourth Annual Hernando County Health Fair, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 18. The annual event has drawn as many as 2,000 visitors. Various sponsorship packages are available starting at $500. The Health Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Brooksville Elks Lodge 2582, located at 14494 Cortez Blvd. More than 65 local health care businesses share information, give demonstrations and provide free health screenings for the community. Interior booths are available for $135 and a limited number of outside booths also will be available for $110. Complimentary samples from local food establishments will be available as well as live music and entertainment. Flu shots will be offered for $30 each (Medicare and most insurances will be accepted). Current presenting sponsors include Oak Hill Hospital, Brooksville and Spring Hill Regional Hospitals, the Nature Coast Community Health Center, Elks Brooksville Lodge 2582 and Hernando County Health Department. Media sponsors include Hernando Today, WWJB AM Radio, TBO.com and News Channel 8 On Your Side. Additional major sponsors include Florida Cancer Institute–New Hope, Gulf Coast Spine Institute, Hernando Gastroenterology Associates, Hernando Orthopedic and Spinal Surgery – Dr. Michael Higgins, Medicare Health Options, Spring Oaks/Forest Oaks The Grand, Stolte Eye Center, Summit Imaging, THE Bus and WellCare. For more information, call Denise Nohejl at 352-544-5206.

Food vendors have been announced for Oct. 18 Health Fair

BROOKSVILLE Food vendors for the 4th Annual Community Health Fair have been announced. The following local food establishments will offer complimentary samples of their signature items to those who attend the fair – Boston Cooker, Brooksville Natural Foods, Chick-fil-A, Coldstone, Honey Baked Ham, Marco's Pizza, Mediterranean Pita Grill, Panera Bread, Papa Joe's, Publix and Starbucks. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Brooksville Elks Lodge 2582, located at 14494 Cortez Blvd. There will be live music and entertainment and flu shots will be available for $30. (Medicare and most insurance will be accepted). For more information contact Denise Nohejl at 352-544-5206.

Look Good Feel Better Support Group will meet Oct. 22

SPRING HILL The Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope will hold its Look Good Feel Better Support Group at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22. The group meets the third Wednesday of every month at the Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope's Spring Hill Center, located at 10441 Quality Drive, Suite 203 in the Medical Arts Building next to Spring Hill Regional Hospital. For more information, call Peggy Dome at 352-688-7744.

New Residents Reception is scheduled for Oct. 30

WEEKI WACHEE The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will hold its New Residents Reception at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at Weeki Wachee Springs Attraction. There are indoor and outdoor tables still available for chamber members. A $20 discount is being offered for those who book for both the October and March events. The deadline is Sept. 25. For more information, call 796-0697, Ext. 15.

Candlelite Fitness offers water aerobics

BROOKSVILLE Candlelite Fitness Center in Brooksville offers water aerobics classes in its heated pool from 10 to 11 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 11 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursday. The day classes are free for members and the evening classes are $2 for members. All classes for nonmembers are $5. Water aerobics promotes strength and cardiovascular fitness while reducing the risk of muscle or joint injury by supporting the body with the buoyancy of water. Candlelite Fitness is located at 955 Candlelight Blvd. For more information, call 799-1977.

Rotary Club of Spring Hill Central meets every Thursday

SPRING HILL The Rotary Club of Spring Hill Central meets every Thursday throughout the year at the Wellington Clubhouse, located at 400 Wexford Road. Past Rotarians always are welcome to visit. Those interested in becoming a member are encouraged to have lunch with group members at 11:45 a.m. every Thursday. For more information, call Brooks Edwards at 666-4107 or Josh Kelly at 666-0068. The Web site is located at www.shcrotary.com.

Chamber offers marketing opportunity

SPRING HILL The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce is offering its members the opportunity to market their business with table top space at any of the upcoming monthly membership meetings. The cost for the table top is $50. For more information, call the chamber at 796-0697.

Dawn Center offers free speaker's bureau

SPRING HILL The Dawn Center, Hernando County's domestic and sexual violence shelter, has a free speaker's bureau available to organizations that are interested. Advocates at the center can offer seminars on domestic and sexual abuse and keys to prevention. For more information, call Morgan Moeller at 592-1288.

Local women's business network meets twice per month

SPRING HILL The Hernando County Home Business Women's Network group meets twice a month. The Spring Hill Chapter meets on the first and third Wednesday and the Brooksville Chapter meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. This is a non-compete group for women who are home-based, own their own store or office and are entrepreneurs. The members network to help one another promote products and services as well as helping in the community. For more information on meeting times and locations, visit www.hchomebusinesswomensnetwork.com.

Dawn Center launches online store

BROOKSVILLE Supporting the Dawn Center is now as simple as shopping online. The Dawn Center recently launched its new online store featuring T-shirts, mugs, stationary and more. At www.cafepress.com/DawnCenter, people can buy items featuring original artwork created by students along with other items that promote the Dawn Center's cause. Proceeds go directly to supporting the vital services offered by Hernando County's domestic and sexual violence center. Those who cannot find what they are looking for at the center's online store, users also may shop for the cause at GoodSearch.com. The GoodShop feature allows users to shop at an online mall featuring hundreds of stores with up to 37 percent of the sale benefiting the Dawn Center. For more information, call 352-684-7191.

Business Briefcase, compiled by Tony Holt, is published each Monday. News releases must be received by the Wednesday before the desired publication date. Items of interest include employee promotions, company openings, closings, expansions and relocations, business celebrations, classes, lectures and special events. Send news to Hernando Today, 15299 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, Fla. 34613, or e-mail them to wholt@hernandotoday.com.

Business Briefcase, compiled by Tony Holt, is published each Monday. News releases must be received by the Wednesday before the desired publication date. Items of interest include employee promotions, company openings, closings, expansions and relocations

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