The Hernando County Sheriff's Office graduated the 71st and 72nd classes from its Citizens Academy on June 24. The academy is designed to bring local residents closer to law enforcement officials. The sheriff's community relations specialist for the classes is Tracy DiMuro.
Graduates of the 71st class were Tom Murphy, Mary Murphy, Stanton Werner, Gloria Magee, Audrey Fairchild, Robert Fairchild, Ronald Weinert, Gloria Gilbert, Ethel Haight, Vincent Siberine, John Piraino, Brandon Leiseca, John Fremer, Lucy de la Cruz, Joe Pistorius, Janet Pistorius, Ronald Shaw, Renie Shaw, Lloyd Larsen, Ruth Larsen, Gene Scaglione, Mary Ann Scaglione, Adelaide Farnan, Ralph Maza, Harold Carl, Selma Carl, Mary Ann Campbell and Fred Campbell.
Graduates of the 72nd class were Ralph Baker, Marlene Baker, Helen Wolfe, William Wolfe, Debbi Kilgore, Bob Kilgore, Joe Kender, Ray Voit, Jeanette Stinnett, Bart Trowell, Jessica Stinnett, Carl Amato Jr., Helen Amato, Edward Smith, Anne Smith, Linda Heron, Jerry Chism, Jonnie Sprimont, Carolyn Nagy, Kalman Nagy, Carolyn Jones, Ray Jones, Keith Sellons, Viola Sellons, Lucinda Pappert, Rosalyn McInnis, Carmella Gregory, Bernard Reinhart, Susan Reinhart, Joe Reilly, Ted Cashell, Marie Picciano, Bob Picciano and Emilia Raia.
The next class begins Oct. 28. Individuals interested in attending the Citizens Academy may call 754-6830, ext. 310.
HIGH FIVES
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry, announced that duty officer Karen Lovett has been named the Florida State Firefighters' Association Dispatcher of the Year.
Lovett is employed at the Withlacoochee Forestry Center, near Brooksville. Prior to beginning her career with the Division of Forestry in 1994, she spent five years with the U.S. Forest Service.
Lovett was recognized for her knowledge and communication abilities, which help her excel in the emergency dispatch field. She maintains a calm, professional demeanor in the fast-paced environment associated with her occupation.
As a dispatcher, Lovett choreographs the timely response of wildland firefighting units and law enforcement officers during each emergency event that occurs on her shift. Her skills and abilities were recently displayed during the suppression of the 2,100-acre "Sweet Gum Fire" in Pasco County.
In addition to maintaining communication with the forestry personnel on the scene, Lovett coordinated the interagency response to the wildfire.
Lovett also performs various clerical and accounting tasks. She routinely volunteers to cover shifts when her co-workers are sick, helping to train new dispatchers and serving as an acting dispatch supervisor when necessary.
* * *
Sue Ball, executive director the Hernando County Family YMCA, was presented with two Recognition of Excellence awards by the YMCA 2004 Association of Professional Directors.
Ball was presented with the Financial Turnaround Management Award and the Operating Budget Management Award. For three consecutive years, Ball's impact on the YMCA's financial stability has exceeded expectations.
Ball relocated to the Hernando YMCA in October 2000 from the YMCA Association in Orlando. She began her career with the YMCA 20 years ago in Little Rock, Ark.
* * *
Emily Spath, 21, of Brooksville was recently "discovered" by Tami Smith, president of Nova Model and Talent Scouts, as she was leaving a gas station off U.S. 19 just north of Tarpon Springs.
Spath, an accomplished horsewoman who is a self-employed riding instructor, was stopped by Smith as she was walking back to her vehicle after purchasing gasoline and a snack. Smith was in town to hear auditions at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel. Smith and other scouts representing top agencies were scouting for models, actors, singers and dancers for the West Model and Talent Convention, to be held Aug. 13-16 in Los Angeles.
Smith asked Spath to audition. According to their Web site, Nova professionals provide services including convention scouting, industry seminars and coaching for conventions.
With no experience, Spath agreed to attend the audition and read for a few commercials. Later, she was asked by Smith if she had ever thought about modeling or acting, and if she was willing to move.
Spath was then introduced to Cheryl Anne Rossi with Rossi Entertainment. Smith and Rossi told Spath she had a "commercial look" and asked her to come back for a second interview the next day.
At the callback, the two agents asked Spath to represent Rossi Entertainment in Los Angeles at the West Model and Talent Convention. After a three-hour meeting with the two, Spath left with an acting coach, modeling coach, stylist, nutritionist and fitness trainer. She had four months to get ready.
In preparation for her trip to Los Angeles, Spath has been training and securing sponsors to help cover expenses. To date, she received sponsorships from Diane McAdams, Delena McGee, Western Stampede, Steve and Heather Overstreet, Todd L. Colbert, Stephanie Hewitt, Tanya Lynn Hope, Get Shot Photography, Tony Sullivan, Paul and Bethany Deppi, Mike and Susan Hoffacker, Diana L. James and Curves of Spring Hill.
She recently performed in Hooray for Hollywood at the Royalty Theatre in Clearwater.
Individuals interested in sponsoring Spath may contact her at 584-1125.
CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Barbara Barsky, president of the Timber Pines Charity Fund, announced semiannual grant awards to six local human services agencies in June. Each organization received a check for $1,000.
Receiving grants were the Alzheimer's Family Association, the Dawn Center, Habitat for Humanity of Hernando County, Hernando-Pasco Hospice, Holy Ground homeless shelter and the Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind.
In addition, scholarship chairwoman Beth Johnson awarded three college scholarships, each for $1,000, to seniors at Springstead High School at the school's annual awards night.
The scholarship recipients were: Tasha Moore, who will attend Florida International University in Miami and major in international business; Matthew Barry, who will attend Flagler College and major in communications, and Timothy Wright, who will attend St. Leo University and major in prelaw.
RECREATION AND SPORTS
On June 4 and 5, Special Olympics Florida had its annual Senior Sports Festival at Lady Lake in Sumter County. The games were at the Villages retirement community. The athletes, all over the age of 35, competed in three events: bocce, horseshoes and shuffleboard.
Hernando County was represented by five finalists: John Holliday, Charles "Mac" Hughes, John Soroka, Mark Swiconek and Bob Voltaggio. There were 120 athletes from 17 counties who participated.
Voltaggio and Holliday won silver medals in their singles and doubles events in bocce. Hughes won a silver medal in singles and a gold medal in doubles pitching horseshoes. Soroka won a gold in doubles and a sixth-place medal in singles horseshoes. Swiconek won a bronze medal in singles and a gold in doubles horseshoes.
For information about Special Olympics, call 597-5003.
* * *
On June 25, the boys gymnastics team at Top Contenders Gymnastics Academy competed at the 2004 Amateur Athletic Union National Championships in West Palm Beach.
Everyone on the team qualified to go to the Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, in August.
Competing in Class 6 and 7 were: Daniel Bystry-Wells, James Bruce, Gage Maynard, Nathan Garcia and Forrest Swartzel.
In Class 6, Daniel Bystry-Wells (9-year-olds) took home five gold medals and one silver, earning first place with an overall score of 55.45. He scored a 9.35 on floor, 9.5 on pommel, 9.35 on rings, 8.95 on vault, 8.95 on parallel bars and 9.4 on high bars.
Also in Class 6, James Bruce (11-year-olds) took home four gold medals and two silver, earning first place with an overall score of 55.725. He scored a 9.0 on floor, 9.575 on pommel, 8.95 on rings, 9.4 on vault, 9.1 on parallel bars and 9.7 on high bar.
In Class 7, Gage Maynard (7-year-olds) took first place in the all-around with a score of 56.25. He scored a 9.2 on floor, 9.35 on pommel, 9.5 on rings, 9.4 on vault, 9.4 on parallel bars and 9.25 on high bar.
Also in Class 7, Nathan Garcia (7-year-olds) took fifth place with an overall score of 54.55. Forrest Swartzel (8-year-olds) took second place with an overall score of 57.05.
- Hometown Hernando welcomes reports on recreational and sports activities, both youth and adult, that do not normally run on the Sports pages. Send your news and results to: Jean Hayes, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613-6174.
NOTES OF THANKS
While young men and women in their teens and 20s usually get a bad rap, I just wanted to write and tell about some good news for a change.
It was the occasion of the Pais and Pedonesi wedding June 12. They had planned to have their ceremony at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Brooksville and their reception in the Pedonesis' beautiful back yard.
All the plans had been made, and the 80-by-40 tent had been delivered and set up, along with fans, lights, tables, chairs and decorations for 140 guests. I am an employee of A Special Occasion, an event and party planning business owned by Connie Charlton.
I had been unloading decorations early Saturday morning when we thought we heard a branch fall on the tent. Connie and my husband, Charlie, went to investigate and found that it had only fallen beside the tent.
All of a sudden, I heard a cracking noise, only to look up and witness a huge, 75-year-old tree crashing to the ground and right on the tent.
Charlie and Connie had heard the noise and literally ran for their lives. We weren't able to get the tree taken away in time to hold the reception there, so it was time to come up with a new plan.
We called St. Anthony, and, to our good luck, Hefferon Hall was available. Father Donnelly and his staff were gracious enough to let us have it for the evening. We began loading everything we could salvage back in the van with the help of Doug Edwards, proprietor of John Mason Catering.
At the hall, a sea of tables and chairs had to be removed to set up the room for the reception. It seemed helpless until the groom and his men arrived to help. With their help, the room was cleared in one hour, and then they helped us unload the van. If that wasn't enough, they even brought us lunch.
Everything turned out beautiful, and the wedding went as planned. But there was still the matter of putting the room back the way we found it. Once again, the groomsmen in their tuxedos and the bridesmaids in their gowns, along with some guests, pitched in to help.
As I witnessed their almost-choreographed teamwork, it really did my heart good to see such friendship and good-heartedness among them all. In this sometimes chaotic world that we live in, on what could have been a disastrous day, I commend them and their parents for raising them to be so thoughtful and helpful in an "all about me" world.
Linde WisnerSpring Hill[Last modified August 1, 2004, 00:17:04]
