Hernando County business digest

Briefly

Walgreens stores across the county have signed on to help Gifts from Home send treats to troops serving overseas. The item for March: Wonka Bars.

Each month, Walgreens selects an item and asks customers to buy the item and place it in a collection box. Each store also has a display beside the box, featuring the top 10 items requested by the troops. Those items can also be placed into the collection box.

Linda Kidwell, who runs Gifts from Home, will pick up the items and pack them in care packages for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Participating Walgreens in Spring Hill are at 4096 Mariner Blvd., 14320 Spring Hill Drive, 7305 Spring Hill Drive, 16200 County Line Road, 4255 Commercial Way, 11180 Spring Hill Drive; in Brooksville at 13053 Cortez Blvd. and 20020 Cortez Blvd.; and in Weeki Wachee at 9819 Commercial Way.

Call Kidwell at (352) 684-4185.

Who's news

Vicky Tyree recently joined Summit Imaging, 12037 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill. Originally from southern Illinois, she most recently worked at Dreyer Medical Clinic in Aurora, Ill., and has five years of registration experience. For more information, call (352) 597-9008.

• • •

Michael Peranio and Toniann Ciappetta have been chosen to staff the newest Tropic Shores Realty office at 13571 Linden Drive, Spring Hill. The Peranio/Ciappetta Realty Group has more than 25 years of sales, marketing and customer service experience, specializing in residential, commercial, short sales and foreclosed properties. They can be reached at (352) 585-1037 or (352) 585-2149.

• • •

Elizabeth "Liz" Wern, a registered nurse at Brooksville Regional Hospital, has been named Health Management Associates' Corporate Nurse of the Year for Division 3. The division is comprised of 11 HMA hospitals in Florida and Georgia, employing more than 2,500 nurses. Wern began her career as a staff nurse in the intensive care unit at Brooksville Regional in 2005. She was designated a preceptor for the unit and was promoted to charge nurse in 2008. Wern will receive the award during a meeting in Orlando in March.

• • •

Jazzercise instructors Becky Mooneyham and Tracie Morse have earned master's certificates in the Further Instruction Training program. The program tracks continuing fitness education. Jazzercise encourages and requires instructors to be committed to staying current on fitness, health, nutrition and injury awareness, as well as business skills. Master's certificates are awarded to franchisees who earn more than 600 credits. Mooneyham can be reached at (352) 442-8595. Morse can be reached at (352) 796-4796.

• • •

David Souza Jr., president of Souvil Financial Services in Spring Hill, has partnered with others in a new venture. Souza is now co-owner of Sunshine Coast Resorts and Retreats, a company with a retreat center 45 minutes north of Spring Hill in Inglis. The business plans, designs and facilitates retreats, and also provides a location for individuals, companies and organizations to hold their own retreats. For information, call Souza at (352) 346-8102 or (352) 447-5333.

Events

Liberty Tax Service will offer free tax preparations for teachers and other school employees who are first-time customers today and Sunday at its office at 11047 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. For information, call (352) 666-1116.

• • •

Women Building Women will meet for lunch at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday in the Crystal Room at the Residence at Timber Pines, 3140 Forest Road, Spring Hill. The cost is $12 (cash or check). Call Kristina Wehlau at (352) 628-2232.

• • •

The Nature Coast Chapter of the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Oak Hill Hospital, 11775 Cortez Blvd., cafeteria conference room, Spring Hill. Dinner is included.

The topic will be identity theft and the red flag rule, presented by Lisa Abell.

The association is dedicated to the professional development of its members in health care practice management. Interested practice managers are invited. To reserve a seat, contact Rose Privitera at (352) 688-6219.

• • •

The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce has the following ribbon cuttings scheduled during the coming week:

• Pit Stop Bar & Grill, 14445 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Brooksville, noon Wednesday. For information, contact Paula Healey at (352) 796-7570.

• Preferred Property Associates Inc., 280 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill, noon Thursday. Contact Marisa Brewer at (352) 688-1303.

• • •

Hernando Biz ... Net-Connecting for You, a networking group, will meet at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at Silverthorn Country Club, 4550 Golf Course Lane, Spring Hill.

A minimal dues structure is in place. Members are asked to attend at least three meetings a month and to order breakfast from the menu.

New members are welcome. Contact Ray Heter at (352) 688-1900 or via e-mail at rheter@cortezcommunitybank.com.

• • •

The Nature Coast Human Resources Society, the local chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management, will present Manuel Zurita, director of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Tampa field office, on Thursday at Silverthorn Country Club, 4550 Golf Club Lane, Spring Hill.

Registration and breakfast are at 7:30 a.m.; the speaker's presentation will be 8 to 9:15 a.m. Zurita will speak on the language of EEOC law. Cost is $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers. For information or to register, visit nchrs.shrm.org.

• • •

Green World Path, 1665 Donto Way, Brooksville, will offer a free class on food density, plant health and plant protection at 6 p.m. Thursday. The speaker will be Ray Nielsen. Staffers will offer tours of the facility and garden. For information, call (352) 799-0200.

• • •

The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly Networking at Noon luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at Carrabba's Italian Grill, 12957 Cortez Blvd. in the Western Way Plaza, Spring Hill. The cost is $10 per person with a reservation, $15 without reservation and $20 for nonmembers. Cancellations must be made 24 hours prior to the event. Deadline for RSVP is Wednesday; call (352) 796-0697.

• • •

Nature Coast Business Professionals, a new nonexclusive networking group, will meet at 8 a.m. Friday at Silverthorn Coutry Club, 4550 Golf Course Lane, Spring Hill. The group's goal is to develop long-term relationships with other business professionals. There are no membership fees.

Call Deborah Cutlip at (352) 684-9137 or visit www.naturecoastbusinessprofessionals.com.

• • •

A group of grass roots cancer research program advocates will begin their "Tour de Moffitt" Capitol Ride on Sunday. The ride is a 300-mile bicycle journey from Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa to the state capitol in Tallahassee.

The public is invited to meet and cheer on the cyclists as they stop for snacks at 8 a.m. March 15 at AAA Auto Club South, 1410 Pinehurst Drive, Spring Hill. The cyclists plan to continue their tour about 8:30 a.m. Beginning at 10 a.m., the community is invited to attend more events at the AAA office, including free vision screenings by Sears Optical; free auto inspections by Mike's Auto Body; free samples by Outback Steakhouse and Nellie's Restaurant, and a free ride in the AAA race car simulator. To RSVP, call Sharon Brandon, insurance manager, at (352) 683-3446, ext. 2241.

• • •

The Hernando Builders Association and its Spike Club will host their annual golf tournament at Dunes Golf Club at Seville on March 31. Check-in begins at 11 a.m., and lunch is 11 a.m. to noon. Tee time is at 12:30 p.m.

Participants will have the opportunity to win a house if they make a hole-in-one at a predetermined par 3. The winner can choose one of these options: inventory home valued up to $150,000 built by one of the sponsoring HBA builders; a new home valued up to $150,000 built on the winner's lot in Hernando County by one of the sponsors, or $150,000 cash used as a down payment on a home on the winner's lot in Hernando County built by one of the sponsors.

Sponsors include Artistic Homes, BJH Construction General Contractors, Hartland Homes, Pastore Custom Builders, Ron King Construction and Royal Coachman Homes. Entry in the amateur-only tournament is $100 per player and is open to the general public as well as HBA members. The tournament is a four-person team scramble with a shotgun start. Entry includes lunch, cart, greens fees and refreshments.

There are 28 team slots available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for entry and payment is March 22. Entry forms and rules and regulations are available online at HernandoBuilders.com or at the HBA office at 7391 Sunshine Grove Road, west of Brooksville. For information, call (352) 596-1114.

If you have business announcements you would like to share with our readers, mail the details to Jean Hayes, Business Digest, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613-6174. You may also e-mail items to jhayes@sptimes.com or fax them to (352) 754-6133. Items may be edited for length and clarity. Photos are published as space permits; they will not be returned.