The Herald-Advocate Thursd..,1 January 6, 2005 PAGE ONE Project Hope Helps St. Michael's Catholic Church Remodel Clothing And Food Center Help: ig remodel clothing and food distribution center were Georges Denis, Michael Cruz Jr. and Michael Cruz Sr. Project Hope provides emergency crisis counseling and resource referral. Community providers include Peace River Center, Tri-County Human Services and Winter Haven Hospital. PHOTOS BY JIM KELLY Margarita Sanchez, Gail Keller, Mary Henry and Mary Abalos help church distribute food and clothing to the poor and needy. Abalos is coordinator. The center is located north of the church on Heard Bridge Road in Wauchula. Abalos said the center needs donations of blankets, sheets, towels, dishes and children's clothes. Judah Wins World Title Stephen Judah. a 2002 Hardee Senior High School graduate, wiho broke the state record in the bench press in his senior year. recently had another big accomplishment. Judah, son of Karen Dom le and Sonny Judah, became the 2004 world bench press champion, breaking his own state record by lifting 485 pounds. A member of the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Mountain Home AF Base in Mountain Home, Idaho, won the world title at "the. Peppermill Hotel and Casino in Reno, Nev, where the 2004 World Association of Bench iPress and Dead Lifter iWABDL) world chamn pionships were held in November. His parents and several other family members and friends were on hand to "nimess his achjeement. When asked ho\v he felt about his accomplishment. Judah related his COURTESY PHOTO Wauchulan Stephen Judah, reigning world champion in the bench press, displays trophies he won recently. Do you want to be healthy inthe New Year? The Diabetes Control Program at the Hardee County Health' Department is starting a walking club. This is great opportunity if you are looking for a low impact workout with many rewards: a Controlled Blood Sugar, SLower Cholesterol Weight Loss If you are interested in joining, call the Hardee Couny Health Department at (863)773-4161 Ext. 217 or 218. 1 6.1C ic 1 6.1.sc " lifelong dream to compete and become the world champion. He has made the choice hot to go pro- fessional at this time, waiting on the possibility) of bench press becoming an Olympic event. Learn About Plants And Wildlife Free information on the natural resources of Florida is available. Funded by a grant from the Southwest 'Florida Water Management District (.SWFWMD), information on environmentally sound practices, can be obtained from the- Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center. The information is also available for pickup at the Pioneer Park Cracker Museum in Zolfo Springs and the Hardee County Cooperative Extension Office at 507 Civic Center Drive, behind the Agri-Civic Center at Stenstrom and Altman roads west of Wauchula. Topics such as places jo visit where new residents can learn about native plants and %wildlife, the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program, tips and facts from other environmental organizations and the natural resources of southwest Florida are included in the *free environmental package. The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center Inc. is a pri- vate, non-profit corporation whose mission is to offer environmental education, recreation, research and preservation land management to citizens and .visitors from Polk, Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto .and Charlotte counties. For the free information, e-mail the Center at chec@sunline.net or call 941-575-5435, or the Hardee County Extension Office at 773- 2164. SWFWM D's mission is to man- age the water and water-related resources within its 16-county area, * which includes Hardee County. Central to the mission is maintain- ing the balance between the water, needs of current and future users while protecting and maintaining the natural systems that provide these areas with their existing and future water supply., For informa- tion, call 1-800-423-1476 or visit 'the, website @WaterMatters.org. Georges Denis of Project Hope and Nancy Alvarez pose by clothes. Project Hope helps people in emergencies and is sponsored by Tri-County Human Services in Lakeland, which serves Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties. . Dorothy Rivers and Angella Smith help with project. Clothing is given to the poor and needy from 9 a.m. until noon on Monday and Wednesday, and 9:30 to 11:30 on Saturday. Food is given away on Saturday at noon. Jones Plays For CMS Mules 10 HOURS A MONTH! That's all it takes to speak up for a child. Volunteer to be a Guardian Ad Litem. 773-2505- (If office unattended, please leave message.) By JOAN SEAMAN Of The Herald-Advocate Bowling Green native Theo Jones is now playing hoops in Missouri. The Hardee High graduate, son of Theron Jones and Cathy Evans, of Bowling Green, transferred to Central Missouri State University last fall. The ,Warrenburg, Mo. school, which is in, the NCAA Division II's Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) conference, started the 2004-05 season with a 7-0 win streak and is :'currently ranked fourth in the MIAA with its 7-1 record. The Mules are averag- ing 85.4 points per game,, and are ranked third on both offensive scor- ing. and rebounds and first in blocked shots. Jones wears No. 1 o6 the 15-man roster of coach Kim Anderson, which features six seniors and five junior transfers, including Jones, who came from St. John's River Community College in Palatka. At St. John's, Jones lettered for two years under head coach Horace Jefferson, averaging 17 points and four assists per game, earning first- team honors in the All Mid-Florida Conference. Named an outstanding student athlete, after gaining his associate's degree, he transferred to Central Missouri State University on both athletic and academic scholarships. He is a criminology major.