0620 Hometown Happenings

Community Outreach

Yvonne Woods will offer community support from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday, June 22-25, at Hernando Today located at 15299 Cortez Blvd., in the Midway Plaza, Brooksville. Assistance on job skills, completion of applications, Dress for Success, and interview skills will be featured. For an appointment or more information, call Yvonne Woods at 352-585-7328.

"Saturday at the Market" farmers market will celebrate its first year in existence on Saturday, June 20. Drawings on the half hour for free produce, gifts, shrimp, honey, banana bread, flowers, etc. will be featured. The farmers market is held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday in front of the Hernando County Courthouse on Main Street in downtown Brooksville. The event is sponsored by Love Your Neighbor. A new addition is the Love Your Neighbor table featuring cookbooks and fresh lemonade for a donation. New or used cookbooks will also be accepted as a donation. Proceeds from the cookbooks and lemonade will be used to help the needy of the county. Also new is an entertaining guitarist, Papa Kurt, providing easy listening sounds of the '60s, '70s and '80s. Vendor inquiries for the farmer's market are welcome. Spaces are available for nonprofit organizations to be used for exposure and fundraising. For information, call Lisa Callea at 352-428-4275.

Music

Opera Lovers Club will meet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the Forest Glenn Retirement Community Center, 1431 Friar Tuck Lane, off Osowaw Boulevard, Spring Hill. Joe Tomaselli will be presenting the program. His guest will be Grace Desenos, who sang in the Metropolitan Chorus for many years. Desenos will talk about some of her experiences "backstage at the Met." New members and visitors are welcome. For information, call Kathy at 352-688-4741, e-mail nsauer@tampabay.rr.com or visit the club's Web site at www.naturecoastwebsites.com/opera.htm.

Community Events

Girl Scouts of West Central Florida will host a "Girl Scout Shout!" event from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 20, at Ridge Manor Park located at 34030 Ridge Manor Blvd., off State Road 50 and U.S. Highway 301, Ridge Manor. Games, hands-on activities, displays and information on Girl Scouts will be featured. Attend the event and make a Father's Day gift. Registration and troop placement information will also be available. For information, contact Roni at 1-800-881-4475 Ext. 1798 or e-mail rfrancois@gswcf.org.

Spring Hill Regional Hospital will hold a gold exchange from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, at the hospital located at 10461 Quality Drive, Spring Hill. Bring old, unwanted gold or silver in any condition and be paid for it immediately. Proceeds of the event will benefit the hospital's scholarship fund and various local charities. For information, call Pat at 352-666-8755 or Ann at 352-686-1291.

Spring Lake Community Club will hold its annual barbecue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at the community club located at 4184 Spring Lake Highway, Spring Hill. The cost is $5 per person, and children under 12 are free of charge. Hernando County residents are encouraged to attend. For tickets or information, call Pat at 352-799-5957.

Library Program

Hernando County Public Library System will feature its movie program as follows: at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at the Spring Hill Branch Library, 9220 Spring Hill Drive. After an accident, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark creates a suit that sustains his life. When he heals, he decides to use his technology to fight crime and leads a double life as Iron Man in this comic book adventure. The movie is rated PG-13 and runs 126 minutes; at 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at the East Hernando Branch Library located at 6457 Windmere Road, Brooksville. Bruce Willis stars in a farce as a high-powered "image consultant" whose life is turned upside down when he magically comes face-to-face with the pudgy, precocious 8-year-old version of himself who is not happy with the adult he has become. The movie is rated PG and runs 102 minutes; and at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at the Spring Hill Branch Library, 9220 Spring Hill Drive. A lonely doctor who once occupied an unusual lakeside home begins exchanging love letters with its newest resident, an architecture school dropout. Even though the two lived there several years apart, the letters seem to bridge time in this mysterious romance. The movie is rated PG and runs 105 minutes. The program is free of charge, and registration is not required. Light refreshments will be provided. For the movie title or information, call the Library Program staff at 352-540-6391.

Military/Veterans

Marine Corps League, Detachment 708, will hold karaoke from 7 to 11 p.m. the third Saturday of every month at the Detachment located at 8405 Sunshine Grove Road, Brooksville. Dale and Nancy Shoemaker will be featured, and the Gunny's Galley will offer a menu of finger food plus the Leatherneck Lounge will be open for beverages. For information, call the Lounge at 352-597-7979.

VFW Post 8713 will hold its monthly fish and chips dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 3, at the Post located at 1681 East Jefferson St., Brooksville. The donation is $5 per person, and the dinner is open to the public. For information, call the Post at 352-796-4449 or Yvonne at 352-848-7988.

Arts/Crafts

Spring Hill Art League and Nanette's Spirit of the Hand Gallery will co-host a complimentary wine and cheese reception for local artist, Jana Withers, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 26, at Nanette's Gallery located in the Coastal Way shopping center at 13157 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville. Withers is an award-winning artist; and while her primary medium of choice is oil, her works also include pencil, pastel, watercolor and acrylic. The artist's work will be displayed through the end of July. For information, call Spirit of the Hand at 352-597-7391 or visit www.spiritofthehand.com.

Hernando County Recreation Department is seeking instructors to provide art classes during the daytime beginning in September at Delta Woods Park, 3400 Deltona Blvd., Spring Hill. The Recreation Department is interested in providing a variety of art through various instructors, such as watercolor painting and/or other forms of painting, and exercise/dance classes. If interested or for information, call 352-540-6363.

Community

Nature Coast Freedom Fest 2009 "For God and Country" organizers are seeking volunteers to help with this year's July 3 event to be held at the Florida Classic Park located at 5360 Lockhart Road, off State Road 50, just west of I-75, in Brooksville. Gates will open at 3 p.m. The event will feature country singer Rodney Atkins, a fireworks display, games, food and more. Admission will be $5 per person and $5 for parking. Volunteers are needed to help with the hospitality tent, admission gates, kids zone, set-up, and clean-up the next day. If interested in volunteering, call Brenda at 352-442-1673. For information about the event, visit www.naturecoastff.com or call 352-799-0687.

Hernando Beach Open Market is held every Saturday and Sunday at 3375 Shoal Line Blvd., Hernando Beach. The market is held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Farmers, musicians and artists are featured. The focus of the market is to support growth and embrace culture. Live music is featured at 6 p.m. Saturdays, and special events are planned for every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. including a monthly fine arts auction, antique road show, musician showcase, and executive chef demonstrations. The market is a place for artists to show and sell their work, musicians to play and meet other musicians, for farmers to sell their crops, and for local business people to network and introduce themselves to others in the community. For information, call Regina at 352-556-2639.

SHARP Crime Watch is seeking day and night patrollers and dispatchers. SHARP Crime Watch has been in existence for 27 years watching over the Spring Hill area. Patrollers are provided with radios and patrols his or her own area. Dispatchers keep close contact with the Sheriff's Department, Animal Services, Road Department, Code Enforcement, etc. SHARP makes daily calls to the elderly who live alone and will also watch someone's home when the residents are out of town. SHARP meets at 7 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Senior Citizens Club of Hernando County, 7925 Rhanbuoy Road, Spring Hill. If interested in volunteering, attend the monthly meeting or call 352-683-5936.

Rotary Club of Spring Hill Central meets every Thursday throughout the year at Silverthorn Country Club, 4550 Golf Club Lane, off Barclay Avenue, Spring Hill. Past Rotarians are welcome to visit. If interested in becoming a member, lunch with the group at 11:45 a.m. on Thursdays. For information, call Brooks Edwards at 352-666-4107 or Josh Kelly at 352-666-0068 or visit its Web site at www.shcrotary.org

Business

Ali Lassen's Spring Hill Professionals' Leads Club will conduct a "Night of Networking" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, at the AAA Auto Club office located at 1410 Pinehurst Drive, in the Hernando West Plaza located at the intersection of U.S. 19 and Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. The event is free of charge. Light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served, and door prizes will be awarded. Club members will give brief business descriptions, of which two will offer a 10-minute presentation about the services they provide. Speakers will be Tony Mortilla, marketing consultant for Port of Prints, Inc.; and Trina Bowden, a licensed insurance agent with AAA Insurance Agency. The club has several openings in various business categories for new members and offers non-compete classifications to avoid conflicts of interest. A membership fee is required to join the club. Visitors and members will exchange business cards. To attend the "Night of Networking" or for information, call Lois Bleicher at 352-200-4809 by Tuesday, June 23, or visit www.leadsfl.com

Botanical

Spring Hill Garden Club will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at Forest Oaks Lutheran Church, 8555 Forest Oaks Blvd., Spring Hill. Members of the club maintain the plant nursery located at 1489 Parker Ave., off Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, and the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens adjacent the nursery. Visit the gardens anytime during daylight hours. For information, call 352-683-9933 or visit online at www.naturecoastbotanicalgardens.com

Fantasy African Violet Club meets at 1 p.m. the second Saturday of the month at the Spring Hill Enrichment Center located behind Oak Hill Hospital, 11375 Cortez Blvd. The club's objective is to learn about the propagation of African Violet species. All guests are welcome to attend a meeting. For information, call Thad Scaggs at 352-398-1679.

Orchid Lovers Club meets at 1 p.m. the third Saturday of each month at the Enrichment Center in the rear of Oak Hill Hospital, 11375 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville. The club usually has an informative speaker at its meetings and a show table of orchids grown by its members. A raffle is also held at each meeting. Newcomers are welcome, and it is not necessary to grow orchids to attend. For information, call 352-597-2895 in Hernando County, 352-563-2288 in Citrus and 727-856-3485 in Pasco.

Seniors

Hernando County AARP Chapter 1026 invites its members and guest to its monthly meeting at noon Thursday, June 25, in the Great Room at Atria Evergreen Woods located at 7030 Evergreen Woods Trail, off State Road 50, Spring Hill. A selected menu prepared under the direction of executive chef, Steven Westhoff, will be served. A speaker from Moffitt Medical Center will present "Sleep Disorders," and a speaker from Select Comfort will offer a presentation on the Sleep Number ® mattress. For reservations or information, call Bob at 352-596-0722 or Joyce at 352-688-6910.

Social

Out n' About Singles meets at 7 p.m. the first Saturday of each month at St. Andrew's Church, 2301 Deltona Blvd., Spring Hill. The club is a singles group for people 30-60 years of age living in the tri-county area of Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties. The group offers dining, picnics, listening to music, biking, walking, boating, going to movies and visiting area attractions and parks as well as supporting community and charity events. The group also meets for a meeting/social at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Dunkin' Donuts in the Coastal Way shopping center, 13179 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville. For information, call 352-797-6116.

Hernando Beach Club offers the following weekly activities at the club located at 3145 Flamingo Blvd., Hernando Beach: game night on the first and third Monday of the month, starting at 6:30 p.m., with bar bingo at 4 p.m. on some Sundays. Regular dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. every Friday. The cost is $10 per person for members, $12 for guests, with a cash bar available. Nonmembers can participate in two dinners without joining the club. Reservations are required by Wednesday evening. For reservations or information, call Marie at 352-596-9708. Visit the club's Web site at www.hernandobeachclub.com.

Sons of Italy, Nature Coast Lodge 2502, Order of Italy of America, holds a monthly dinner/business meeting the third Wednesday; a "social night" at a local restaurant monthly on the first Wednesday; three yearly dinner-dances; scholarship, Columbus Day and Christmas. In March, the Lodge sponsors a St. Joseph Day community Mass and complimentary spaghetti dinner. In September, annual picnic. Membership is open to all; it is not necessary to be of Italian heritage. Dues are $40 per person, plus a one-time payment of $15 to the state lodge. For information, call Gene Gesselli at 352-596-9456.

Workshops

Hernando County Extension Office will offer a free class entitled, "Basics of Landscape Design" at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at the East Hernando Branch Library, 6457 Windmere Road, Ridge Manor. From selecting the right plant to proper planting techniques, landscape design can seem challenging and frustrating. The class will cover basic principles of landscape design and installation to have a professional looking landscape without the professional cost.
In addition, a free class entitled, "Chinch Bugs in St. Augustine Turf" will be offered at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 24, at the Spring Hill Branch Library, 9220 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. The class will cover what a chinch bug looks like and how to identify the damage that they cause and how to treat it. Preregistration is not required. For information, call the Extension Office at 352-754-4433.

Radio Clubs

Spring Hill Amateur Radio Club (SHARC) meets at 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of every month in Cafeteria Room 2 at Oak Hill Hospital Building A located at 11375 Cortez Blvd. Anyone interested in Ham Radio is welcome to attend. Testing for an FCC license is conducted at 6:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month at the same location. The club operates a 2-meter repeater on 146.805 MHz (no tone). Every Tuesday except meeting night, the club conducts a Club net at 8 p.m. Anyone with a Ham Radio license is welcome to participate in both nets. For information, visit the club's Web site at www.kf4ixu.org or call Ed at 352-684-7623.

Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Club invites those interested in HAM radio to join the group on its radio net at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday nights on the club's repeater WA4GDN, 146.670 MHz and read the club's newsletter at www.gulfcoastarc.org. For information, call John at 727-848-7785.

State Clubs

Wisconsin Club has planned a trip to the Hard Rock Casino on Sunday, June 28. The bus will leave from the Sweet Bay supermarket parking lot located at the intersection of Mariner and Northcliffe boulevards, Spring Hill. The bus will leave at 11 a.m. and return at 6 p.m. If interested in attending, call Carol Zellmer at 352-666-2974. Meetings will not be held during July and August, but the club will continue to have its social outings during the summer. Annual dues are $8 per person, and membership is open if either partner has lived in Wisconsin. For information, call Carol at 352-666-2974.

Illinois Club of Spring Hill will meet at 1 p.m. Friday, July 3, at Forest Oaks Lutheran Church, 8555 Forest Oaks Blvd., Spring Hill. The annual red, white and blue potluck luncheon will be featured. Coffee will be available, but bring a beverage of choice and a dish to share. The object of the club is to promote fellowship, social and fraternal activities for former residents of Illinois. In addition to monthly meetings, activities include eating out at a local restaurant each month and group travel opportunities. Annual dues are $12 per person. All former Illinois residents and their partners are invited to join the club or to come as a guest prior to making a decision to join. For information, call Patricia Godfrey at 352-597-0346.

Seniors Activities

Senior Citizens Club of Hernando County offers the following activities at the hall located at 7925 Rhanbuoy Road, Spring Hill: bingo will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday, and card games are held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Monday and Thursday. For information, call Barbara at 352-683-2440. For information regarding crafts, line dancing and Weight Watchers, call the club. Group road trips such as Biloxi, Sterling and Hard Rock plus cruises are periodically arranged for members and their guests. Club membership is $20 annually. For information, call the club at 352-596-1095.

Thrift Shops

Karen's Kit 'n Kaboodle (St. Andrew's Thrift Shop), 2301 Deltona Blvd., Spring Hill, has announced its summer hours as follows: from 9:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Monday through Friday. The boutique-style shop features a bag sale the second Tuesday of the month. Donations are appreciated and can be left in the shop during hours of operation or in the drop-off bin after hours. To volunteer or schedule pickup of large items, call 352-686-1114.

Jericho Road Ministries has a new thrift store in the Winchester Plaza located at 5260 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, in addition to its stores located at 16479 Wiscon Road, Brooksville, and in the Sunrise Plaza at 31170 Cortez Blvd., Ridge Manor. An expanded book department is featured at its thrift store located at 15319 Cortez Blvd. (State Road 50), Brooksville. All stores are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Clothing for adults and children, household items, furniture, kitchenware, toys, as well as numerous specialty items are available for sale. The Ministry has a women's shelter, Mary's House, which is located at 1163 Howell Ave., Brooksville. The thrift stores were established for the purpose of supporting the Jericho Road Men's Rescue Mission Shelter located at 1090 Mondon Hill Road, Brooksville. Donations are welcome and can be brought to any of the thrift stores during business hours or larger items can be scheduled for pick-up daily. For information or to schedule a pick-up, call 352-797-9009.

SPCA Thrift Shop, 9075 Grant St., adjacent to the shelter, Brooksville, is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Housewares, books, games, toys and clothing for the entire family are featured. All clothes are $5 a bag. All proceeds from the thrift shop benefit the care and upkeep of the animals at the shelter. Donations are welcome and can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays or Fridays, but large furniture or appliances cannot be accepted. To reach the SPCA shelter and thrift shop, take Sunshine Grove Road (off State Road 50) to Taylor Street, then turn left onto Grant Street. For information, call the thrift shop at 352-592-4709.

Daystar Lifecenter Thrift Store, 7120 Hope Hill Road, off State Road 50, Brooksville, is open from 8:30 a.m. to noon Fridays and Saturdays. Clothing, crafts, furniture, housewares, books, small appliances, electrical items and Christmas decorations are offered. The store is located one-quarter mile behind St. Anthony Catholic Church. To schedule a pickup or for information, call 352-799-5930.

Community Outreach

People Helping People of Hernando is being formed to help feed the homeless and hungry on the west side of Hernando County. The interfaith group will serve food from 4 to 6 p.m. the second and fourth Sunday of each month, beginning June 28, at the Hernando County Senior Citizens Club, 7925 Rhanbuoy Road, Spring Hill. For information, call Cecil Bradley at 352-247-6748.

"Saturday at the Market" farmers market will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday in front of the Hernando County Courthouse on Main Street in downtown Brooksville. The event is sponsored by Love Your Neighbor. A new addition is the Love Your Neighbor table featuring cookbooks and fresh lemonade for a donation. New or used cookbooks will also be accepted as a donation. Proceeds from the cookbooks and lemonade will be used to help the needy of the county. Also new is an entertaining guitarist, Papa Kurt, providing easy listening sounds of the '60s, '70s and '80s. Vendor inquiries for the farmer's market are welcome. Spaces are available for nonprofit organizations to be used for exposure and fundraising. For information, call Lisa Callea at 352-428-4275.

In addition, Love Your Neighbor provides a free community dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. every Sunday at American Legion Post 99 located at 208 East Fort Dade Ave., Brooksville. A food pantry, bread table, toiletries table, and clothing distribution will also be provided. Everyone is welcome. For information, call Lisa at 352-428-4275.

American Legion Post 99 and Love Your Neighbor, the group that feeds the homeless and needy, hosts a Third Saturday Flea Market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the American Legion, 208 East Fort Dade Ave, in downtown Brooksville. Clothing, household items, furniture and toys are featured. Funds raised will benefit Love Your Neighbor's outreach to the less fortunate and American Legion service projects. To donate items or for more information, call John Rudny at 352-573-8756 or e-mail at jpr777@hotmail.com.

Fraternal

Past Exalted Rulers Association of Aripeka Elks Lodge 2520 holds a breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to noon the first Sunday of each month at the Lodge located at 9135 Denton Ave., Hudson. The varied menu breakfast is cooked to order. The cost ranges from $2 to $4.50, and a bottomless pot of coffee is $1 each. In addition, the House Committee of the Lodge offers an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to noon the third Sunday of each month. The cost is $2 per person, with a varied menu at other prices with a special each month. Bottomless pot of coffee is also available at $1 each.
Also, the Lodge holds bingo every Sunday. Early bird is held at 4:30 p.m., with bingo at 5 p.m. Food is available for purchase. For information, call the Lodge at 727-863-2520.

Seniors Programs

Mid-Florida Community Services provides nutritious meals year-round to seniors age 60 and over. Seniors are welcome to visit any one of its four dining sites within the county. In addition, the Meals on Wheels program provides nutritious lunches five days a week to seniors who are homebound. The daily contact by the program's volunteers ensures a visit by someone who provides companionship, while checking on the person's health and well being. Volunteers are welcome, and donations are appreciated. For more information, call 352-796-1425 or 352-796-0485.

Experience Works, a senior work force solution, provides information and assistance with employment and training to income eligible seniors age 55 and older. For information, call Amy at 352-200-3042.