CLUB CORNER
GRAPHIC: PHOTO, JEAN HAYES; PHOTO, Special to the Times, (6);; On Nov. 13, the Korean War Veterans, Nature Coast Chapter 174, conducted a flag retirement ceremony for the fourth-graders at Westside Elementary School in Spring Hill.
Chapter members who participated in the ceremony included: president John McMillan and his wife, Reberta; chaplain Steve Ackerman and his wife, Marie; quartermaster Ron Webber and his wife, Maryann; secretary Carl Chuman; first vice president Ed Hawley; and treasurer Lou Schneider. The wives are all members of the group’s auxiliary.
In addition, local Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts participated in the ceremony,
including: Ryan McDermott of Cub Scout Pack 432; Matt Stia, Shannon Thomas and Robert Cunningham, all of Pack 442; Catey Tallman and Kaitlyn Hensley of Girl Scout Troop 154, and Kelly Hughes of Troop 317. The Scouts were members of the color guard, which was led by Cub master Theresa McDermott.
Invited guests included Hernando County Sheriff Richard Nugent, Spring Hill Fire Rescue inspector Dana Panozzo, Spring Hill firefighters, principal Charles Johnson, vice principal Charley Smith, and the fourth-grade teachers and their students, parents, relatives and friends.
Those in attendance watched in silence as the student color guard presented the colors.
Several American flags that had become frayed, faded or damaged through use were properly destroyed. Only one flag, in according with proper flag retirement protocol, was burned in the presence of the guests.
Following the flag burning ceremony, all in attendance joined in the singing of God Bless America.
HIGH FIVES
Edward Worrell of Spring Hill was recently honored at a surprise 80th birthday party at the Olive Garden restaurant in Port Richey. The party was hosted by their children and their spouses, Cheryle and Ed Worrell Jr. and Lynda Jaffraint and her husband, Bernie.
Ed Worrell’s wife of 57 years, Dorothy, attended. Also present were: granddaughters and their families, Michele and Paul Petrosky; Deborah Davis with children Jordyn and Joey; Nicole and Daniel Smyth with daughter Ashlie; Brenae and Michael Soltis with daughters Whitney and Lindsey; Melissa and Jason Garner with daughter Skylin; Robin and Louis Galusso with children Louis Jr., Raquel and Danielle, and grandson Edward Worrell IV.
Fittingly, Worrell’s birthday cake was decorated in military style with a large 8th Air Force emblem in the middle. During World War II, Worrell was stationed overseas and flew many missions over Germany. He was honored with a Distinguished Flying Cross and other air medals.
Guests invited to the party were asked to follow a theme: “Bring 80 of anything, but nothing expensive.” Among the novel gifts Worrell received were a money tree with 80 $ 1 bills, 80 lottery tickets, 80 Hershey buds in a wooden chest, 80 quarters, dimes and pennies, 80 Reisen caramels, 80 roasted peanuts, 80 Tootsie Pops, a scrapbook with 80 pictures, 80 peppermint patties and a framed 80-word tribute titled “To Grandfather.”
NOTES OF THANKS
The ladies of the Wellington Book Club and the ladies of Book Worms of Spring Hill would like to give special thanks to Color Country Nursery on County Line Road for the generous donation of a tree, including the delivery and planting, to one of our members, Barbara Fay, who lost her firefighter son, Gerard Schrang, in the World Trade Center disaster. Schrang was with the New York Fire Department’s Rescue No. 3, an elite hand-picked unit.
A collection was made by the ladies to have a tree planted in Schrang’s memory, and through the generosity of the owner of the Color Country Nursery, we were not only able to have one but two trees delivered and planted.
Also, the remainder of our collection will be donated to his fire station in New York City. We hope the trees symbolize a new beginning and put an end to a sad and terrible tragedy.
Jeanne Pelton
Bookworms of Spring Hill
I would like to thank Hernando County’s golf courses for allowing the middle schools to use the courses for their golf season this past nine weeks.
Oak Hills Golf Club hosted Fox Chapel Middle School; Brooksville Golf and Country Club hosted Parrott Middle School; The Heather hosted West Hernando Middle School, and Spring Hill Golf & Country Club hosted Powell Middle School. The Dunes Golf Club at Seville hosted the middle school county championship match.
The golf courses allowed the students to practice and play for free while also giving lessons when the staff had time.
This wonderful gesture is greatly appreciated, and the citizens of Hernando County should be made aware of the tremendous support received by these golf courses.
Once again, thank you to the Hernando County golf courses from all the golf team members and coaches.
Dana M. Cottrell, golf coach
Fox Chapel Middle School
VETERANS
Robert L. Hobbs of Brooksville was recently appointed Florida state chapter representative for the USS Intrepid Association of Former Crew Members.
Hobbs served on the Intrepid from 1955 to 1957 in the refrigeration-air conditioning repair gang. He retired from the Navy in 1968.
The association, based at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City, represents the 50,000 men who served aboard the Intrepid from World War II in 1943 to the Vietnam War.
The Intrepid was decommissioned in 1972, and in 1982 was brought to New York through the efforts of the late Zachary Fisher.
Former crew members in Florida, including squadron members and Marines who served on the ship, are urged to contact the association toll-free at 1-800-343-2811, or contact Hobbs at (727) 856-0770.
Members of the Rotary Club of Brooksville played an important role at the Hernando County Job Fair at the Hernando County Fairgrounds on Sept. 21 and 22. The club supplied the food and refreshments for the hundreds of job hunters and job vendors, as well as a lunch for almost 50 students from Hernando High School prior to the opening of the job fair.
This was the fourth consecutive year that Rotarians have performed this community service. Hamburgers, hot dogs, fruit, chips, crackers and drinks were available for the crowd.
Brooksville Rotarians who participated at the job fair included: Gwynn Blair, Richard Trump, Brenda Cason, Shack Turner, Liza Paul, Fred McKenna, Elaine Perry, Karen Nicolai, Christine Kostis, Kathi Ruebeling, Duane Chichester, Denise Nelson and Sue Wetherington.
Recent additions to the Rotary Club of Brooksville membership roll are: Sue Wetherington, Gary Russell, Dudley Hampton, Rob Foreman, Juanita Sikes, Christine Kostis and Tim Robinson.
For information about membership in the club, call 796-1143.
The First Hernando Republican Club vice president Anna Liisa Covell introduced Joyce Malone, guest speaker at the club’s October meeting. Malone is the deputy director of Citizens for a Sound Economy, a national, nonprofit foundation of grass roots activists concerned with the economy.
Malone’s presentation was centered around identification and education of citizens at the grass roots level to fight for less government, lower taxes and more freedom.
First Hernando Republican Club president Scott Simmons recognized state committeeman Tom Hogan Sr.; state committeewoman Gail Samples; the chairman of the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee, Frank Colletti; and Sandra Nicholson, Hernando County School Board member, who were all in attendance.
Eight members of the Hernando County Democratic Women’s Club of Florida attended the state convention Oct. 11-13 in Boca Raton, including Beverly Brown, president, Janet Bailey, Ellen Thomas, Carol Maas, Opal Zeledon, Marie Zeledon, Kay Campbell and Jean Konski.
During the convention, Thomas was honored with a lifetime membership in the state club. According to club members, she has been the driving force behind the Democratic Women’s group in Hernando County. She has served as secretary and president and has served on several committees, including ways and means, which she is currently serving on.
Thomas was active in politics in New York before she and her husband, Joseph, moved to Hernando County. She is a member of the Democratic Executive Committee and the Democratic Club of Hernando County.
In addition to Thomas’ award, the local group received an award for its scrapbook, which contained clippings and photos highlighting the year’s activities.
Members of the Hernando County Democratic Women’s Club are members of Region 4 in the state of Florida. Region 4 is one of the regions where membership has increased significantly in the past year, particularly in Hernando.
The convention sponsored several workshops, including a representative from Emily’s List and effective ways to get out the vote. Attendees were able to hear three gubernatorial candidates, including Janet Reno, Lois Frankel and Daryl Jones. Members of the Florida Legislature spoke at a luncheon.
