Hernando County business notes

Briefly

Brooksville Regional and Spring Hill Regional hospitals invite Hernando County residents and hospital employees to compete in a photo contest.

The winner will receive as much as $1,000 in prize money for submitting the best photo from the community or hospital facility (each hospital will award prizes).

In the community category, participants may submit photos of scenes and settings, landscape and architecture, or natural resources that make Brooksville and Spring Hill special. In the hospital category, participants should submit photos of Brooksville Regional or Spring Hill Regional hospitals.

The grand prize winner for the community category will receive $1,000, two first-place winners will receive $500 each, and two second-place winners will receive $100 each. In the hospital category, winners will receive $100.

For more information or to submit a photo, visit hma photocontest.com. Photos must be submitted by May 31.

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MTC Tech, a vocational school in Brooksville that offers a variety of medical classes, is offering four scholarships.

Those interested may submit a 1,500-word essay on "Why I Want to Go Back to School to Become a Phlebotomist" or "Why I Want to Go Back to School to Become a Nursing Assistant." The essays must be typed and mailed to the school by June 1. The essays will be judged by the school's instructors and advisory board.

MTC will choose one male and one female student in each category to receive a full-tuition scholarship for the programs. For the phlebotomist program, the scholarship does not include the cost of books; for the nursing assistant program, the scholarship does not include the state board exam fee.

Scholarship essays can be mailed to: Medical Training Classes Technical Institute, 661 S Broad St., Suite A, Brooksville, FL 34601.

MTC Tech is fully licensed by the Commission for Independent Education/Florida Board of Education. For information, call director Vanessa Guy at (352) 293-2474.

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To mark Memorial Day, a weeklong event to honor veterans and active-duty military members will be held at Toscana Crossing Golf Course, 7406 St. Andrews Blvd., north of Weeki Wachee.

Discounts will be offered from May 30 through June 5. With a military ID card, active-duty soldiers will receive 50 percent off, and veterans will receive 25 percent off for a day of golf.

The golf course is under new ownership, and renovations are under way. For information, call (352) 596-2019.

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During May, Chick-fil-A, 13143 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill, will offer a free breakfast item to Hernando County school employees from 6 to 10:30 a.m.

Employees must present a valid school ID and may choose either a Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit or chick-n-minis.

For more information, call (352) 596-2826.

Who's news

Brooksville Regional Hospital, 17240 Cortez Blvd., west of Brooksville, recently honored a number of employees for their years of service.

Employees with five years of service include: Aezaz Ahmed, Rebecca Bartos, Kimberly Bennett, Dennisse Berrios, Donna Carlsen, Janet Chapman, Nancy Christopulos, Lucy Delaney, Laurie Eubanks, Mary Evey, Ruth Leese, Cheryl Lichtenberg, Patricia Miljkovic, Erica Minton, Marlyn O'Sullivan, Amanda Pedersen, Edith Roa, Craig Sarkes, Lisa Telford, Kimberly Troutman, Deann West and Danielle Williams.

Employees with 10 years of service include: Deborah Brunner, Jeffrey Carlsen, Elizabeth Fernandez, Scott Gooch and Karrilyn Storts.

Employees with 15 years of service include: Belinda Bagarra-Manuel, Roy Davis, Latalia Gomez, William Imwalle, Catherine Paulding, Sandra Sander, Jane Tank, Charleen Williams and Patricia Zavesky.

Employees with 25 years of service include Beverly Aaron and Kathleen Jordan. Patricia Day was recognized for 30 years of service, and Bobbie Morgan for 35 years.

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Susan L. Thompson, a professional associate with Re/Max Advantage Realty of Spring Hill, 4320 Lake in the Woods Drive, Spring Hill, recently completed a luxury home marketing training course offered by the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

The course covered topics including demographics of the affluent, lifestyle segmentation, trends and amenities in today's luxury homes, and creating a marketing plan for the multimillion-dollar property.

The course is a step toward earning the certified luxury home marketing specialist designation.

Thompson is an award-winning Re/Max sales professional who has been in real estate since 2008. She specializes in gated golf communities and waterfront and luxury homes, and can be reached at (352) 398-6971.

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Spring Hill Regional Hospital, 10461 Quality Drive, Spring Hill, recently honored employee Mamie Fagin for 35 years of service to the hospital.

Events

Lennar will host a grand opening from noon to 3 p.m. today to showcase two new fully decorated model homes at the Welcome Center in the Cascades at Southern Hills community, 19724 Fort King Run, Brooksville.

The Cascades at Southern Hills is on Cotillion Boulevard off Southern Hills Boulevard, east of Broad Street, on the south side of Brooksville. The models include the Columbus and the Bonita.

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Service Corps of Retired Executives Pasco-Hernando Chapter 439 will present a free small-business seminar, "How to Manage and Grow Your Business," from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at Lykes Memorial Library, 238 Howell Ave., Brooksville.

The seminar is designed to provide small business owners and managers with insights into how to manage and grow their businesses.

Instructor George Motran, a SCORE counselor and retired accountant, will talk about how to deal with continual changes in the business climate.

To reserve a seat, call the library at (352) 540-6391 or the SCORE office at (727) 842-4638.

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The Association of Fundraising Professionals Nature Coast Chapter will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Carrabba's Italian Grill, 16525 Pointe Village Drive, Lutz.

The speaker will be E. Paul Dietrich, president of E. Paul Dietrich & Associates. Dietrich, a certified fundraising executive and gift planning consultant, will speak about setting up and maintaining a successful planned giving program at a small nonprofit.

The association represents more than 30,000 members in 206 chapters around the world, working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs.

The Nature Coast Chapter was chartered in 2009 and includes members throughout Pasco and Hernando counties.

The meeting is open to members and nonmembers. Cost is $25 and includes lunch. Advance registration and payment are required. Visit www.afp- naturecoast.org or call Craig McCart, chapter president, at (727) 834-5479.

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Career Central will present a hurricane preparedness seminar for businesses from 8:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday at Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., New Port Richey.

The event is free for businesses and includes breakfast. The event sponsor is Knowledge Quest Education Solutions.

Topics to be covered include: "Be Red Cross Ready," "Protecting Yourself Before the Storm and What You Need After the Storm," "Where Do Businesses Fit Today?" and "Restoration After the Storm."

For information or reservations, call (352) 200-3027.

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The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly membership breakfast meeting Wednesday at Silverthorn Country Club, 4550 Golf Course Lane, Spring Hill. Networking and business card exchange begin at 7:15 a.m.; the program begins at 7:45 a.m.

This month's sponsor is the Hernando County Education Foundation, and the program will be presented by Hernando County school superintendent Bryan Blavatt.

The cost is $12 for chamber members and $20 for nonmembers. For information, call Carla Hayes at (352) 796-0697.

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The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon-cutting at noon Thursday at Akel Dental, 5445 Commercial Way, Spring Hill. For information, call Dr. Amir Akel at (352) 596-9900.

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Green World Path, 1665 Donto Way, Brooksville, will offer a free educational program on organic eating while saving money at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The speaker will be Yvette Palomo from the Weston Price Foundation, Hernando County Chapter. Staffers will offer tours of the facility and garden. For directions, call (352) 799-0200.

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The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals Committee will have its monthly Business Social Networking event at 6:30 p.m. Friday at R Beach Restaurant, 4054 Shoal Line Blvd., Hernando Beach.

Committee members are encouraged to bring a friend, employee or co-worker. For information, contact Doris M. Rodriguez, committee chairwoman, at (352) 556-5105 or doris@ dmrodriguezlaw.com.

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Nature Coast Business Professionals, a nonexclusive networking group, will meet at 8 a.m. Friday at Silverthorn Country 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 naturecoast businessprofessionals.com.

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The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce will offer a WordPress 101 workshop for creating websites and blogs from 1 to 5 p.m. June 1 in the chamber's training room, 15588 Aviation Loop Drive, south of Brooksville.

Participants are asked to bring their own laptops and work along with the teacher. The course will be taught by Christopher Fiffie of Instant Images Inc.

The cost is $99 for chamber members, $129 for nonmembers. A certificate of completion will be awarded to those who complete the workshop. Only 25 seats are available. The deadline to register is Tuesday. To register or for information, call the chamber at (352) 796-0697, ext. 228, or e-mail training@hernando chamber.com.

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The $50 Investment Club will meet at 8:30 a.m. June 3 at the Edward Jones office, 3296 Commercial Way, Spring Hill. New members are welcome. For information, call Ross or Wynn Keith at (352) 596-2649.

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AAA Auto Club South, 1410 Pinehurst Drive, Spring Hill, is the starting point of the second annual Cruising for Critters Poker Run to benefit the Humane Society of the Nature Coast. Motorcycle riders are invited to ride, play poker and benefit the community.

The event begins at 9:30 a.m. June 5 with registration and a free breakfast at the AAA office. Kickstands go up at 10 a.m. Riders will make five stops for cards, and have lunch at the Humane Society of the Nature Coast. The game ends with the last card dealt at the Cotee River Cafe, 12830 Shady Hills Road, Spring Hill.

Those who preregister will receive a discount on prepurchased poker scorecards. Participants can preregister at www.cruisingforcritters.com, at the Humane Society of the Nature Coast shelter at Wiscon and Mobley roads, Brooksville, or at the AAA office in Spring Hill. A special gift pack will be given to all canine critters that come out for the start of the event.

Scorecards prepurchased are $10 for one or $20 for three. Scorecards the day of the event are $12 for one or $25 for three. Additional scorecards will be available to purchase on the day of the event.

The grand prize is a piece of artwork commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Harley-Davidson Co. by Scott Jacobs, valued at more than $1,500. A variety of door prizes will be awarded.

For information, call Trina Bowden at (352) 683-3446, ext. 2242.

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The Hernando Builders Association, 7391 Sunshine Grove Road, west of Brooksville, will host a lead paint certification class from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 8.

The cost is $275 for HBA members and $300 for nonmembers, and includes breakfast and lunch sponsored by Sherwin-Williams.

For information or to register, contact Brenda McDaniel at the HBA office at (352) 596-1114 or via e-mail at Brenda@Hernando Builders.com.

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.