LEVY COUNTY JOURNAL AROUND LEVY COUNTY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2007 Community Events Friends of the Springs Want You Everyone is invited to join the Friends of Fanning and Manatee Springs Support Group. Our annual meeting will be held at Fanning Springs State Park Sat., Feb. 10 at noon. Lunch and entertainment, door prizes, and much more will follow the brief meeting. Park entrance is free with new memberships: Individual $10, Family $20, Sponsorship - $50, Business $100. A membership table will be set up at the ranger station entrance. Come out and meet the folks who work and play in these Tri-County treasures our state parks. For more information, please call Carlton Pierce at 352-490-8335. Parent Advisory Committee Behavior Workshop The District ESE parent Advisory Committee is holding a "Make and Take" workshop on managing behavior. Board certified behavior analyst Deanne Myer and regional assistive technology specialist Theresa Pender will help parents create schedules for their homes. Discussions on how to create and use reinforcement charts will also be conducted. The workshop will be held Feb. 10 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Levy County School Board room. Eighth Annual Ice Cream Social St. Albans Episcopal Church is having our 8th Annual Ice Cream Social, Feb. 1lth from noon to 2:30 p.m. Sugar-free cake and ice cream will be available. Donations of $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children will be accepted. Tickets are available at the door. We're located four miles north of Chiefland on Hwy. 19. Ya'll come! Junior Women's Club Open House The Williston Junior Women's Club is hosting an open house Feb. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. The clubhouse is located at 1049 NE Sixth Ave. The club is open to women between the ages of 18 and 40. Art League's "Taste of Europe" travel workshop Amsterdam.. .Vienna.. .Paris... sound like places you'd love to visit? Williston's Art League is hosting an informational meeting to share the opportunity to travel to major European centers of art. On Monday, Feb. 12, at 7:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall at the Williston First United Methodist Church, representatives of the Spirit of the International Art, Daniela Banatova and Anita Anderson, will talk to Art League members and YOU! Non-members are invited to attend this free meeting. The Spirit of the International Art, a non-profit organization established to promote American artists in Europe and foreign artists in the United States, organizes trips to European historic cities and famous museums as well as sponsors workshops in Europe. LAND CLEARING " DRIVEWAYS, PONDS, GRADING,F TRACTOR WORK, ROCK 6 DIRT.. Call: (352) 486-1117 Banatova, the president, hails from the Czech Republic and currently lives in Belleview. Her rich resume includes degrees in art as well as varied experiences throughout the art world. Her media include watercolor, acrylic and glass paintings. Native Floridian, vice president Anderson, who studied sculpture in college, taught acrylic and oil techniques in the adult education program at Central Florida Community College plus children's classes. Her murals hang in several Ocala businesses and private homes. Currently she gives private lessons in oils, acrylics and watercolors. Come hear what these ladies have to say. Bring a friend and enjoy the presentation and refreshments. For more information, call Art League president Helen Darling at 528-0911 or vice president Kay Staruk at 528-5675, email wcstaruk@atlantic.net. Vision Committee to meet The City of Chiefland Vision Committee will meet Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 12 p.m. at Bell's Restaurant. All interested persons are encouraged to attend. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with disabilities needing a reasonable accommodation to participate should contact the office of the City Manager at City Hall, 214 East Park Avenue, Chiefland, FL 32626 (352) 493-6711. Amber Bradley Benefit A benefit fish fry will be held Saturday, Feb. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ornan Masonic Lodge 117, 250 NE 6h Blvd. in Williston. The $5 dinner includes fish, hushpuppies, coleslaw and ice tea. Funds received will help with medical expenses for ongoing treatments Amber requires after being critically injured in an automobile accident Nov. 29. March of Dimes Fundraiser Drummond Bank and Tri-County Rental are holding a March of Dimes fundraiser until Feb. 22. A drawing will be held Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. for a Polaris ATV Youth Predator 50. Water Use Legislative Day and Family Day A legislative day will be held Feb. 23 in Fanning Springs. Presented by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs (FFGC) and the town of Trenton, the day is part of a two-day celebration called "Water: A Celebration of Life Naturally." The event is part of an educational initiative sponsored by COMMUNITY CALENDAR pi^L j* m L Thursday, Feb. 8 Valentines Craft Program at Library, Chiefland 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8- Monday, Feb. 19 State Fair, Tampa State Fairgrounds Saturday, Feb. 10 Friends of Fanning & Manatee Springs, Fanning Springs State Park, 12 p.m. Behavior Workshop, Levy County School Board 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 11 Ice Cream Social, St. Albans Church, Chiefland, 12 2:30 Covered wagon rides, Manatee Springs State Park Williston Jr. Women's Club Open House, 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12 Valentines Craft Program at Library, Bronson 5:30 p.m. Williston Art League, 1st United Methodist Church, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 Chiefland Vision Committee, Bell's Restaurant, 12 p.m. Valentines Craft Program at Library, Cedar Key 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 Benefit fish fry, Williston Masonic Lodge, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Covered wagon rides, Manatee Springs State Park Sunday, Feb. 18 Covered wagon rides, Manatee Springs State Park Monday, Feb. 19 Train Depot Museum Committee, Chiefland Depot, 5 p.m. Tween 'N Teen Game Night, Williston Library, 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20 Tween 'N Teen Game Night, Cedar Key Library, 5 p.m. Sons of the Confederacy, Bell Community Center, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21 Step-up, Williston, Linear Park, 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 22 Step-up, Bronson, Courthouse, 11 a.m. Tween 'N Teen Game Night, Luther Callaway Library, Chiefland, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 Step-up, Chiefland, Train Depot 10 a.m. Legislative Day, Fanning Springs Saturday, Feb. 24 Water Celebration, Fanning Springs State Park and Trenton Train Depot, 9 a.m. Cracker Days, Rainbow Springs State Park Sat. and Sunday, Feb. 24 and 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. FFGC to ensure that local government officials and residents understand state water resolutions. In 2005, FFGC called for changes to the Florida Water Resources Act. The changes were aimed at urging state lawmakers to put environmental and water resource protection on the same level of importance as growth and economic development. Changes to the act include new sections on water shortage orders, watershed management, revisions to improve water conservation strategies and reuse of reclaimed water. Legislative Day speakers include Suwannee River Water Mgmt. District volunteer board member Earl Maxwell Starnes; Richard Deadman of the Dept. of Community Affairs; Mark Hooks from the Dept. ofHealth; Hugh Thomas, from Suwannee River Partnership and Anresiden T. Moore, St. Johns River Water Mgmt. District board member. Events for Saturday, Feb. 24 include a springs celebration at Fanning Springs State Park and rural community celebration at the Trenton train depot. Activities will include music, canoeing, Native American painted pony and storyteller, painted rain barrel auction and educational displays. Food vendors will also be on hand. Cracker Days at Rainbow Springs The Friends of Rainbow Springs State Park, volunteers and staff present "Cracker Days" on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The park will be home to soap makers, quilters, basketmakers, wood carvers, corn grinders, spinners, wood turners, chair cancers and various other crafters and demonstrators. Mark Korurchak, a park ranger from Lake Kissimmee State Park, will explain what it was like to be a cracker cow hunter. Early Florida trapper Robert Wilson will spin a yarn or two. Terry Stidham from Dudley Farm State Park will be on hand demonstrating an old-fashioned wash day. Musical entertainment will feature Dunnellon's "Shade Tree Pickers," the sweet, down-home sounds of"The Lytle Family", and the "Back Porch Musicians." Duke Stoetzer will also come a calling with tales from a two-river town. J. Lester Dinkins will be on hand with revelations about the 1890s in Dunnellon. Dunnellon-reared A. Dix Stephens will be in the park Sunday talking about phosphate and how it created the boomtown, with excerpts from his book "Withlacoochee Notes." Admission to the park is $1 per person. It is north of Dunnello n on US 41 (the DeSoto Trail). Additional information is available at the Park or by calling (352) 465- 8555. Community Events Gardening Day at Rainbow Springs Rainbow Springs State Park will host "Gardening Day" Monday, Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Programs include Landscaping for Wildlife: Birds and Butterflies with speaker Sandra Marrafino at 10 a.m.; Native Plants for North Central Florida with speaker Jane Weber at 11:30 a.m. a guided tour of the Native Plant/Butterfly Garden with Charles Stevens at 1:30 pm. The Audubon Society and the Native Plant Society of Citrus County will be on hand with displays and information. In conjunction with Gardening Day and "Spring at the Springs" the annual Native Plant Sale will be held on three days, Saturday Feb. 24 through Monday, Feb. 26. Native and non-invasive drought-tolerant Florida-friendly plants will be for sale at the park entrance. Additional information is available at the park or by calling (352) 465-8555. Relay for Life-A fun-filled, overnight event to raise money for the fight against cancer The American Cancer Society, Suwannee Valley Unit is recruiting teams to participate in Relay for Life a community event that allows individuals to join in the fight against cancer. Grab your sneakers and join us Apr. 20 and 21 from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Chiefland Elementary School or Williston Elementary School. Recruit individuals from your family, clubs, schools, businesses or churches to form teams. All the money raised goes to research, advocacy, patient services and education. In each community, cancer survivors are invited to begin the Relay by walking the Survivors' Victory Lap around the track. Then team members take to the track. One person from each team remains on the track throughout. After dark, a Luminaria Ceremony is held in memory of those who have lost their battle with cancer and in honor of survivors. Relay for Life began as one man's battle against cancer. In May 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt walked, jogged and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Wash. His run raised $27,000. Last year, more than 3 million Americans participated and more than 500,000 cancer survivors walked the opening laps. Relay for Life raised $350 million in 2005. For more information or to volunteer, please call Jamie Bellamy at 1-888-295-6787 x 119. AARP Spring Fest and Craft Show The AARP Spring Fest and Craft Show will be Sat., Apr. 14 at Linear Park in Williston. Crafts, food vendors and local non-profits are urged to contact AARP. Call M. Craig at (352) 528-3323. Applications are available at the Williston Library and Chamber of Commerce, or call Lynn Mooney at (352) 528-4920. I BRONSON SELF STORAGE (352) 486-2121 HOURS: Monday Friday 10 am 5 pm Saturday 10 am 3 pm 839 E Hathaway Ave Behind Dollar General Closed on September for Labor Day Donate Blood during February Do something sweet with your valentine this year when LifeSouth hosts "Bring a Date and Donate" blood drive throughout the month of February. The diver will be held at LifeSouth's Chiefland donor center located at 120 East Rodgers Blvd. between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursdays, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays, and 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays. All donors will receive a coupon compliments of Hungry Howie's Pizza and Subs, a recognition item and a free cholesterol screening. Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh 110 pounds or more and have a photo ID card. For more information call toll-free (888) 795-2707 or visit www.lifesouth.org Levy County Library Programs Levy County libraries are a great place for kids to spend time after school for special programs and activities. Events are coordinated by librarian Jenny Rodgers and are arranged by age. Group activities are held for children in three groups. Children to six years of age can join the preschool group; the After-School Program focuses on kids from seven to 10, and the Tween 'N Teen Program is for kids between the ages of 11 and 17. Other programs include the Born 2 Read group and a Birthday Club. Those who register for the Birthday club receive a free book for their birthday. The photo contest deadline for teens from sixth through twelfth grades has been extended to Feb. 28. Participants can enter up to two photos that define their live at this time. They will receive a free camera when they register. Photos are posted inside the libraries and voted on with pennies cast. Winning photos will be posted in area businesses. Information is available at the branch libraries. AARP Tax-Aid begins Free Tax Preparation and E file with the Tax-Aide Program is now available and ends April 15. Sites will be open at libraries in Trenton (Mondays 1-5 p.m.), Cross City (Tuesdays 1-5 p.m.) and Chiefland (Tuesdays 4-8 p.m. and Friday 12-4 p.m.). This program serves taxpayers of all ages with special attention to those 60 and older. Taxpayers should bring photo id, Social Security cards for all dependents, and all tax documents (W-2s, SSA, 1099s, interest/dividend statements, unemployment, childcare provider info, etc.) related to your return, continued on page 20 Page 2