December 2018 Activities of Hernando Audubon Society
Christmas Bird Counts
Hernando Audubon Society will organize two Christmas Bird Counts in Hernando County. These are among the more than sixty Christmas Bird Counts being planned in Florida, and the thousands scheduled throughout the United States and other countries. Christmas Bird Counts have occurred annually for 119 years, and are the longest running citizen-science bird project. Every year volunteers count birds within designated areas, providing important data to assess the health of bird populations and to help guide conservation action.
The Brooksville Christmas Bird Count will occur on Saturday, December 15, and will count the quantity and variety of bird species within a circle with a 7.5 mile radius from Bystre Lake. For more information or to be assigned to a team, contact Linda, 352-428-2629, [email protected]
The Aripeka-Bayport Christmas Bird Count will be on Wednesday, December 19, and will count all the birds from Pine Island in Hernando County to Crews Lake in Pasco County. For more information or to be assigned to a team, contact Bev at 352-686-0460 or [email protected].
Other Birding Trips of Hernando Audubon Society
Brooksville Wetlands: Saturday, December 1, 7:30 a.m., meet at the southwest retention pond at Walmart, 7305 Broad Street, Brooksville (intersection of US-41 and Wiscon Road). From there we will carpool to look for ducks, wading birds, and songbirds at various wetlands near Brooksville. For more information, text Linda at 352-428-2629 or email [email protected].
Beginning Birding: Friday, December 29, 8 a.m. at Chinsegut Conservation Center, 23212 Lake Lindsey Road, Brooksville. Learn to identify birds at feeders and during a short walk. There will be binoculars and bird books available for use. For information, text Linda at 352-428-2629 or email [email protected].
For more details about these activities, check hernandoaudubon.org All Hernando Audubon activities are free and open to the public.
Nature Coast 912 Patriots
On December 8, 2018 we will be having our Christmas party. Come one, come all for great food and fun. Time: 11:30 AM
Location: Praise Family Worship Center 17920 Meridian Blvd. Hudson Florida 34667
727-863-8989
Visit us on FaceBook at: faceBook/Nature Coast 912 Patriots
All our meetings (and parties) have an open door policy, so bring your family and friends.
Member’s please wear you Nature Coast 912 Patriots shirts.
Admission is free.
Christmas Collection for Guardian Ad Litem Children
The Betty Lykes Stringer chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy is in the process of collecting Christmas toys for Children in the Guardian
ad Litem program. These are children who have been removed from their homes for their own protection and who had to leave most of their belongings behind. The chapter is also collecting non-perishable food items to donate to local food banks. We are an organization that is concerned about preserving history and honoring our ancestors as well as all veterans. If you are interested in joining this fine, non-profit organization or learning more about us please contact Anne Brown, email: [email protected]
or phone: 352-345-8740. Come visit us to hear some great historical programs and learn about our Real Daughters, ladies still living, whose fathers served in the War Between the States.
Unitarian Universalist Church in the Pines will present a series of programs for December on the subject of hope.
Programs exploring aspects of hope will include: “Interactive Hopes and Dreams” presented by Dr. Andy LePage on Dec. 2;
“Hope and Justice ” by Rabbi Reb Tuviah Dec. 9;
“LGBT Panel ” by Brenda Auch and Karen Clarke Dec. 16;
“Candles—Hope and Light” by Ellen Paul on the 23rd; and
“Sabbath: Why Do We Need To Get Us Some” on Dec. 30.
Services begin at 11:00 a.m.every Sunday at The Heather community center, 9100 Nakoma Way, Weeki Wachee.
Hernando Youth Orchestra seeks Instrument Donations!
Have a musical instrument you don’t want? Please donate it to a worthy cause? The Hernando Youth Orchestra accepts most donated instruments (calliopes and Kazoos need not apply!) We pick them up, fix them up, and give them to eager young musicians, so your donated instrument helps the Orchestra—and young musicians—grow.
A future Itzhak Perlman is waiting to learn on your old violin. Call 352-600-9555 to schedule a pick up. Check us out: www.HernandoYouthOrchestra.org.
Tickets are now available for the 2019 Soup-a-Thon at St. Frances Cabrini on Saturday January 5, 2019. The seating’s are 11:30 to 1:00, 1:30 to 3:00, 3:30 to 5:00 and 5:30 to 7:00. There will be a minimum of 20 soups available at all times as well as bread and butter on all tables. This is all you can eat, one cup at a time, no carry out event… This the 9th year for this event and we have sold out each year, so get your tickets early. All proceeds from this event are donated to charity. This year we have soup donated from approximately 63 restaurants, just to name a few of these wonderful restaurants, Carrabbas Italian Grill, Fish Bones, Argento’s, Kally K’s, Cody‘s Roadhouse, Ruby Tuesdays, Chili’s, Greek City, Beef o Brady’s and many many more. Tickets are $7.00 per person and available the Church Office 5030 Mariner Blvd, 352-683-9666. or call Jack Hauser 238-1878; John Moonan 352-397-5817; Billy Luecke 352-428-0052; Bob Jost 352-345-1826, John Mazzuca 352-238-8001,Bud Quehl 352-596-6111or Dom Cuomo 352-584-5239. There are only 250 tickets for each seating, so get you tickets ASAP. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Boutique of Hope
As Christmas nears, we think of giving and what we can give to others. The Boutique of Hope wants to give cancer victims and survivors special gifts to make life better for you. WE CAN HELP YOU with wigs, special bras, turbans, hats, scarves and more, if only you will COME TO SEE US. We are located at 5244 Commercial Road near Golden Corral, and Jericho Rd. Thrift Shop, open every Wed and Thurs from 10-2. Please come and let us give you our smiles, hugs, and HOPE for a brighter holiday. We still need volunteers to staff and crafters to make scarves and turbans so please offer the gift of your time and call Claire at 428-4143.
Sierra Club Adventure Coast Meet Up Wed. Dec. 12th features Cameron Jaggard
on “From the Coast to the Deep: Protecting Florida’s Marine Ecosystems”
Join us for the Sierra Club Adventure Coast Meet Up Wednesday, December 12th with Cameron Jaggard as we discover Florida’s forage fish, ancient corals, and seagrass savannas during a talk entitled “From the Coast to the Deep: Protecting Florida’s Marine Ecosystems.”
Cameron Jaggard is a principal Associate for U.S. Oceans, Southeast for The Pew Charitable Trusts. He will provide an overview of Pew, the importance of healthy marine and coastal ecosystems to Florida, and highlight two recent initiatives to protect ancient, deep-sea corals in the Gulf of Mexico and support new research on small, but important and mysterious forage fish and their relationship to predators, habitat, and environmental disturbances in Florida.
Cameron is outreach coordinator for Pew’s efforts to conserve Florida’s ocean resources, including forage fish, based in North Palm Beach. Before joining Pew, Cameron worked as an environmental consultant in Florida and with the Institute for Fisheries Resources in San Francisco, supporting protection and restoration efforts for salmon and their river habitat along the U.S. West Coast from California to Alaska.
6:30 pm Social. 7 pm Presentation and meeting at the Harvey Martin Democratic Center, 3432 Deltona Blvd, Spring Hill, FL. Facebook at Sierra Club Adventure Coast Committee. Email [email protected] or call 352 277-3330.
FLORAL CITY HERITAGE DAYS 2018
FOLKLIFE AND LIVING HISTORY DAY
FLORAL CITY, FL- The Floral City Heritage Council presents Folklife and Living History Day featuring the Historic Home Tour, access to the Floral City Heritage Hall Museum and Country Store, and the Demonstrators’ Field. The event will take place Saturday, December 1st from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Tickets for the Tour can be purchased at the Heritage Hall Museum, 8394 E. Orange Avenue, Floral City, FL; at any location on the Tour; or at the Information Tent located next to Ferris Farm.
Step back into the past and see how life was “back in the day” when you visit our Demonstrators’ Field or tour the eight historic homes and one historic garden. There will be folk music, authentic folk crafters, folk life daily living interpretations, delicious food and more at the Demonstrators’ Field. Visit the Floral City Heritage Hall Museum to see the current exhibit “Another Day, Another Dollar: Making a Living in the Old Days”, and learn more about this charming town that has been in existence since 1883. Shop our amazing Country Store and take home one of our beautiful and unique souvenirs.
The Demonstrators’ Field and admission to the Museum and Country Store are free to the public. The Historic Home Tour ticket is $10 per person, and children under 12 are free. This event is sponsored by the Floral City Heritage Council of the Citrus County Historical Society. Proceeds from this event are used for education and historic preservation.
More information can be found on Facebook @ Floral City Heritage Days and on Twitter and Instagram at #heritagedaysfc and on the Web at
www.floralcityhc.org.
The City’s “Best Christmas Decorations of 2018” Contest!
The City of Brooksville Beautification Board’s Annual Contest will be in full-swing again this year. All eyes will be looking at arrangements within our City limits to determine the winner for the holiday’s best decorative display. So get the holly a-flowin’, the lights a-showin’ and make Brooksville a holiday wonderland — all residential citizens and business owners are encouraged to participate and show your stuff!!
December 11th is the when the members of the Brooksville Beautification Board will determine the winners in two respective categories: “Best Residential Christmas Display” and “Best Commercial Christmas Display”. Make sure your property is lit up by 6pm for a chance to claim this year’s bragging rights!
Award winners will be recognized for their Christmas spirit by the Beautification Board along with the Brooksville City Council during Council’s Regular Session on Monday, December 17, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. Winners will be presented with a plaque and a recognition gift in appreciation.
Nominations of properties or questions can be directed to Dodie Barger at 540-3830.
ART IN THE PARK NAMED TOP 20 MARCH EVENT IN THE SOUTHEAST
The Southeast Tourism Society is proud to announce Brooksville’s Art in the Park 2019 has been named to its top 20 Festival and Events for the month of March 2019.
The Southeast Tourism Society is a travel industry organization that has saluted the region’s best events since 1985.
Art in the Park events will be held at Tom Varn Park, 306 Darby Lane, Brooksville, FL, Saturday, March 9 and Sunday, March 10, 2019, 10am-5pm.
The juried festival offers more than 160 fine art and craft exhibitors plus 2 days of live stage entertainment, featuring the Hernando Symphony Orchestra, Saturday at 1 pm performing “Pops in the Park.” The event also includes a food court, a student art show and a Kids’ Zone. The 35th annual Art in the Park is sponsored by the Hernando County Fine Arts Council. Admission is FREE. The $5 suggested parking donation helps support all the arts in Hernando County.
“The Southeast is home to unique and memorable events throughout the year.
In spotlighting the Top 20 festivals events each month, STS is not only giving these events the recognition they deserve but we’re also creating a quick reference and guide to some of the best festivals in the Southeast,” said Bill Hardman, president and CEO of the Southeast Tourism Society. “These events are important to the economic vitality of our communities and this is a way for us to acknowledge the time and resources organizers have tirelessly spent to create memories for their attendees.”
Events considered for the STS Top 20 recognition must be at least 3 years old and have attendance of at least 1,000.
STS, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Atlanta, GA., is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting tourism to and within 12 states- Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Art in the Park is FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. Visit HernandoArts.org or call Jan Knowles at (352) 279-5182 for more information.
