Local bake sale raises money for family

Four local children will be selling baked goods and lemonade Saturday to raise money for a needy family this Christmas.

The sale will be held from 9 a.m. to noon outside of Lemon Bay Barbershop, 1140 S. McCall Road, Englewood.

The children participating are Nina Bagley, Blaze Mann, Paxton Mann and Reed Mann.

They will donate money to make Christmas brighter for an Englewood family.

Suncoast Chorale concerts this weekend

The Suncoast Chorale will perform two holiday concerts this weekend, today at 7:30 p.m. at the Venice Church of the Nazarene (535 East Venice Ave., Venice) and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Englewood United Methodist Church (700 E. Dearborn St. Englewood).

Three concerts are scheduled during the 2006/2007 season. Season tickets are $30 and you can buy them at the door at either location. Individual tickets are $15. There is no charge for children and students.

This holiday concert will feature the full chorale and full orchestration -- harp, trumpets, trombones, tuba, timpani -- accompanying them. Roy Engler is the artistic director and John Renfroe serves as accompanist.

Deborah Hospital fundraising auctions

The Englewood Chapter of Deborah Hospital -- the hospital that specializes in treatment of diseases of the heart and lungs, and for over 80 years has never billed a patient -- is having its annual dual auction tonight: A Chinese Auction and a Live Auction.

Auctioneer Jill Amadon is making the trip from New Hampshire for the occasion. All kinds of new and like new items go for a reasonable price.

The fundraiser takes place at the Christ Lutheran Church at 701 North Indiana Ave -- S.R.776 and Artists Avenue. The bidding starts at 5:30 p.m. and continues until 10 p.m. Admission is $4, which includes cake and coffee or iced tea. Come early and have a hot dog and soda dinner.

For more information, contact Julie Whitcomb at 474-1430.

Lemon Bay Woman's Club Membership Tea

The Lemon Bay Woman's Club is holding a Membership Tea on Sunday at the historic club building at the corner of Maple and Cocoanut streets, one block north of Dearborn Street.

The hours are 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. All women of all ages are invited to come and learn what this organization is all about, what they do and how they do it.

The tea is an ideal time to get acquainted. Parking is in the vacant lot directly across Cocoanut from the clubhouse.

For more information, call Eleanor Stella at 941-697-2625.

Gardens of Gulf Cove holds Holiday Fair

The Garden Club Beautification Committee of the Gardens of Gulf Cove will hold a Good, Old-Fashioned Holiday Fair on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The fair will be held at the clubhouse, 6464 Coniston St.

Visit the Christmas Cabin, Oven-Delight Shop, the Greenhouse, Busy-Fingers Boutique, Needlework Nook and Barrels of Attic Treasures, Lunch will be served at the world-famous country kitchen.

Anyone wishing to donate items may call Mae Gannon at 941-697-0491.

A basket raffle and supper sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus #11553 will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at St. Raphael Parish Center, 770 Kilbourne Ave., Englewood.

The cost is $6 per person and includes six raffle tickets and supper of meatball sub, chips and soft drink. Extra raffle tickets will be available at the supper at a cost of $5 for 25 tickets. Each basket will have a theme and will be filled with gifts and items with a value of $20 or more.

For tickets/reservations and additional information call Mary Ann at 941-587-8404.

As usual, the sale will be held adjacent to the Blue Pagoda on Dearborn Street.

Proceeds will benefit the two local public libraries.

Plants available will be bamboo, bromeliads, bananas, small queen palms and assorted ornamentals, grown by club members in their own gardens.

Prices are very reasonable.

Lighted boats parade in South Gulf Cove

South Gulf Cove Yacht Club will hold its 13th annual Lighted Boat Parade beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

The parade is open to all residents of South Gulf Cove, not only to yacht club members.

Boats will assemble in the Burwell Waterway at 5:30 p.m. The boats will travel through the Burwell, Viscount, Tecumseh and Zephyr Waterways in South Gulf Cove.

Best viewing areas are empty lots along the parade route plus the bridge on St. Paul Drive overlooking the Zephyr Waterway.

Prizes will be awarded in the 25-foot and under, and 26-foot and over categories.

The South Gulf Cove Yacht Club's first lighted boat parade was held in 1993 and five boats participated. This parade has grown over the past years and we look forward to this year being our biggest and our best.

Call Tom Ireland at 698-1909 for parade information.

There will be a continental breakfast. Lunch will follow the four-person scramble. Prizes will be awarded.

Prices are as follows:

* Base hit: $65, includes golf and lunch for one person.

* Home run: $240, includes golf and lunch for four players.

Hole sponsors are also available.

For more information, call tournament director Scott Daughenbaugh 941-474-5575.

West Dearborn Street will be closed from Mango Street to east of Green Street (in front of Englewood Hardware) from 5 p.m. today until 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3.

The festival will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days of the festival. In addition to the shops of Dearborn Street, patrons are invited to visit the booths of more than 100 artists from around the country.

Proceeds from the event benefit Englewood Rotary Youth Foundation.

St. Raphael's holds raffle and supper

Saturday, Dec. 2, is the date and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. are the hours for an old-fashioned basket raffle and supper at St. Raphael Parish Center at Old Englewood Road and Kilbourne Avenue.

The cost of admission is $6. This includes six raffle tickets and a supper of meatball sub, with chips and soft drink. Each basket raffled will have a theme and will be filled with gifts and items worth $20 or more.

No reservations needed, just show up hungry and ready to win. Call Mary Ann at 941-587-8404.

Saturday Nite Live coming on Dec. 9

The Olde Englewood Village Association will host the next Saturday Nite Live on Dearborn Street on Dec. 9.

People are invited to come out and stroll the street, meet with neighbors and enjoy festivities in a relaxed environment.

The event will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the western end of West Dearborn Street.

The theme is "A Season For Giving."

Music will be provided by Lemon Bay High School Band, which is headed to the Orange Bowl in January.

There will be a Santa & Mrs. Claus Look-A-Like Contest a 8:30 p.m. Other festivities include ornament painting, a toy drive raffle, a merchant raffle and 50/50 raffle. Raffle winners will be announced at 8:30 pm at the bandstand.

Christmas refreshments will be available.

Rotonda Fiesta group hold dinner dance

The Rotonda West Fiesta Association will hold its December dinner dance at 6 p.m. on Dec. 9 at the American Legion Post #113 in Rotonda.

Reservations are due by Dec. 5. Call Jeanne Heitmuller at 697-0668 for information.

The Fiesta Association is open to all residents of Rotonda West and new members are welcome.

Band holds annual Winter Concert

The Lemon Bay High School Band invites the community to its annual Winter Concert on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. at the LBHS Performing Arts Center.

Admission is $6, of which $1 will go towards sending the band to the Orange Bowl in Miami in January.

Also, they will be raffling off some handmade fresh holiday wreaths and decorations, with those proceeds going towards the Orange Bowl trip as well.

West Charlotte GOP hold dinner dance

The Christmas Dinner Dance presented by the West Charlotte County Republican Club will be held Tuesday, Dec. 12.

Social time will be 6 p.m. with dinner served at 6:30 p.m.

All members are requested to bring an unwrapped gift for a boy or a girl, ages 3-16 years old. These will be distributed by the Marine Corps through their "Toys For Tots" program.

Music will be provided by "E- Z Street."

Reservations are a must and can be made by calling Steve Ahlrich at 698-4115 by Monday, Dec. 11. Dinner will be a choice of prime rib or grouper. Members and guests are cordially invited.

The event will be sponsored by the Rotonda VFW Post 10476 and Rotonda American Legion Post 113, and their ladies auxiliaries.

Guest speaker will be Rufus Lazzell, retired U.S. Army brigadier general. There will be a wreath toss into the Myakka River from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Marine Patrol boat, a helicopter flyover by the CCSO Aviation Department and Veterans Honor Guard rifle volleys and playing of taps.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 941-697-1123 or 941-629-3640.

County holds meeting on employment centers

Sarasota County government will begin the public phase of its major employment center study with a community meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice.

Major Employment Centers are planned or existing concentrations of industrial, manufacturing, wholesale and office employment in Sarasota County identified in the county's future land use plan to promote economic development. MECs are generally over 100 acres in size and should be located near major transportation routes with convenient access for the working population.

The county's future land use plan currently identifies 14 MEC sites currently.

The MEC study is being conducted by Atlanta-based EDAW Inc., the consultant hired by the county this summer. The study is expected to take 10 months with completion in July 2007.

The purpose of this meeting is to gather suggestions and comments from people about the locations of MECs, the best mix of uses within MECs, and the types of employers the county should try to attract over the next 20 years. Staff from EDAW will also explain the importance of MECs to the county's economic development efforts, and how MECs affect the county's quality of life.

For more information, visit the county's Web page at www.scgov.net and click on the link for MEC Land Use Study under the Conduct Business column or call Sarasota County Planning Services at 941-861-5232.

The food drive will be used to feed the local needy during the holiday season.

Donations can be dropped off from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the office in Towers Plaza.

Missionary speaks to Women's Aglow members

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Venice Chapter of Women's Aglow will hold a nondenominational gathering for women.

The guest speaker will be Jan Solomon, a missionary who has served in 24 countries since 1973. Solomon will share samples of films "End of the Spear" and "Beyond the Gates of Splendor." These films travel to the jungles of Ecuador to experience the Waodani tribe, whose name means savage killers.

This tribe speared five missionaries in 1956 and now these very men are grandparents to her own children.

The gathering will be at the Lion's Club Community Center, just west of Jacaranda Boulevard on Center Road in Venice.

For more information, contact Pat at 484-5040.

Bring your own table service and a dish to share with fellow Hoosiers.

The program includes Readers Theater from the Lemon Bay Play House. For more information, call 941-697-1792 or 941-475-5187.

Boy Scouts sponsor turkey luncheon

On Sunday, Dec. 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Boy Scout Troop 36 is sponsoring a turkey luncheon in the Englewood United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 700 E. Dearborn St., to raise funds for their outdoor activities.

Carry-outs will be available.

The menu includes juicy fried turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, candied yams, roll with butter, and a choice of beverages and desserts. The $6 tickets ($3 children, age 12 and under) are available at the door or in the Lampp Building church office, Mondays-Thursdays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

For information, call David Roush at 460-0085, or Wilbur Malasics at 697-3856 or 286-0268.

There will be food served on china, music games, prizes and a mission program about India. RSVP to Susie at the church or sign up in the church foyer.

For more information, call Judy at 941-496-7790.

Archaeologist presentation at Warm Springs

This month, the Warm Mineral Springs/Little Salt Spring Archaeological Society will play host to archaeologist Margo Schwadron, who will discuss her most recent work on the "Tree Islands" in the interior of the Everglades. She will illustrate how these islands were first occupied during the late Archaic period.

Schwadron has worked for the National Park Service's Southeast Archeological Center in Tallahassee for the past 15 years as an archeologist. Her main interests lie in prehistoric Florida archeology, particularly the Gulf Coast, South Florida and the Everglades. The Warm Mineral Springs/Little Salt Spring Archaeological Society meets on the second Wednesday of every month in the Juliano Room of the North Port Library, on the corner of U.S. 41 and Biscayne Drive. The meeting this month is at 7 p.m. Dec. 13.

An update to the Englewood Community Redevelopment Area plan will begin with two public visioning workshops in December. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14, and Monday, Dec. 18, at Lemon Bay Park, 570 Bay Park Blvd., Englewood.

The visioning workshops will be conducted by Ted Brovitz of Stantec Consulting Services, which was recently hired by the county to perform the update. The CRA plan includes a project list, new projects, graphics and conceptual plans and maps. It guides the redevelopment effort of the CRA, which ranges from Forked Creek to the north, the Sarasota/Charlotte county line to the south, Morris Industrial Park and Englewood Community Hospital to the east and Manasota Key to the west.

During the workshops, people can share their thoughts and suggestions about the plan, which was adopted by the Sarasota County Board of Commissioners in 1999. People who cannot attend the workshops can submit written comments by e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by regular U.S. mail to Englewood CRA, 693B Old Englewood Road, Englewood, 34223.

Stantec's contract with the county requires completion of the update by April 2007.

Vendors and displays and information tables will be set up at 8:30 a.m. at Kerrigan Circle Park off State Road 776. At 9 a.m., parade participants will assemble at River Beach Road and the El Jobean Fishing Pier, and at 10 a.m., the parade will step off from Commercial Road and River Beach Road.

The festivities will include the arrival of "Ole Santa" in El Jobean.

The alternate site in case of inclement weather for vendors, displays and information tables will be the El Jobean Community Center, 14344 Jamison Way.

Those interested in participating must respond by Nov. 24. The event is free for the public.

Gaelic and Celtic Fest coming to Rotonda

Rotonda Elks Club will hold its annual "Gaelic and Celtic Festival" from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 9 and10 at the Elks Club, 303 Rotonda Blvd. E., Rotonda.

Performing from noon until 5 p.m. each day will be nationally known hammer dulcimer artist Marcille Wallis and friends; fiddle champion Matt Miller; Boston's own Don Pigeon on guitar, vocals, mandolin and flute; Brendan Nolan, an Irish balladeer from Dublin; Juniper, a guitar/vocal female Celtic duo from Tampa; guitar & concertina duo Irish Creme; Scotland's Elly Gilmore; folk singer "Goody" Haines; Ring of Emerald dancers and a bagpiper in full costume.

There will be games, reenactments, merchandise and food vendors.

Admission is $8 per day, with proceeds benefiting Elks charities. Parking is free. The public is invited.

For information, call 941-697-2710.

A Christmas card lane will be on display for all to view after the parade is completed, and interested parties are invited to participate. All you need to do is make a card out of foam board, cardboard or wood. Place your greeting on the card and bring it to the El Jobean Park on Kerrigan Circle on the day of the event by 9 a.m. Stakes for small signs will be provided. Signs should be in good taste, depict Christmas greetings and should not be too large to move.

Parade entries and cards will be judged by Gerrie Morgan, Diana Harris and Lindsey Williams; and ribbons will be awarded for first, second, third and honorable mention. All those interested can contact Randy Spence at 941-629-3640 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for entries.

The grand marshal for this year's festivities will be Gail Giles, a well-known El Jobean resident. Enjoy a day of floats, vendors, food, displays, information tables, music and a K-9 demonstration by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.

Vendors, and those with information tables and displays are requested to supply tables and chairs and be in place at the park by 8:30 a.m. Parade entries will assembly at the El Jobean Fishing Pier parking lot on River Beach Road at 9 a.m. for a safety check. The parade will commence at 10 a.m. from River Beach Road and Commercial Road to El Jobean Park, ending at Railroad Avenue.

Twelve groups of birders, ranging from new birders to experts will attempt to count all the birds found within a 30-mile diameter circle, centered on the junction of Henry Street and U.S. 41 in Punta Gorda.

For more than 100 years, Audubon chapters from as far north as Canada to parts of South America have taken part in this annual count.

Interested members of the public, specially ones capable of identifying our more common local birds, are welcome to take part in this day-long event.  

As each group has its own area, there is no specific starting point, so anyone wishing to join should contact count organizer Tony Licata at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 941-505-9775. For more information on the rest of the season's activities, visit the Web site www.PeaceRiverAudubon.org.

Toys can be dropped off there from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays. Toys will be given out from Dec. 4 through Dec. 21.

The Florida Boating Card is issued upon successful completion.

The cost is $40 per student, $20 for spouse or child. Lunch is included.

There will be refreshments, singing and socializing. There may even be a visit from Santa Claus. The event is free and open to all.

It is off State Road 776, next to the Day's Inn. There will be coffee, doughnuts, lunch and door prizes. For more information, call 941-473-5679.

Grove City Planning Committee meets

The Grove City Planning Committee will meet Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m., at the Lions Club, 4611 Placida Road, Grove City.

The public is invited.

For further information, contact Audrey Shinske at 698-0142

"Our holiday wish this year is a simple one: To find homes for all of the pets in our shelter," stated Deborah Robbins Millman, executive director of the shelter. "HSSC never closes its doors to abandoned pets; that means, we truly need the community's support to find homes for all of our cherished charges. This holiday season, we invite people to give themselves and their loved ones the loving gift of a shelter pet."

All pets adopted during this time period receive a special starter kit. For more information, stop by the shelter at 2331 Fifth St., Sarasota; or call 941-955-4131.

Suncoast Statesmen sing at St. Francis

At 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, The Suncoast Statesmen of Charlotte County will present an accapella Christmas concert at St. Francis of Assisi Church.

The group consists of 45 voices and quartets. Tickets aren't necessary; however, a free-will offering will be taken.

For more information you may call the parish office, 941-697-4899.

St. Francis of Assisi is at 5265 Placida Road, Grove City.

Nature walk Dec. 6 at Lemon Bay Preserve

The plants found in the scrubby flatwoods, restored wetlands and spoil areas adjacent to Lemon Bay will be highlighted during a free nature walk from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 6, at Lemon Bay Preserve, 5472 Kenisco Road, Venice.

Denny Girard, a Sarasota County volunteer, amateur botanist and Florida Native Plant Society member, will lead the walk through the preserve, which is one of many public lands available through Sarasota County's Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program. In addition to numerous subtropical plants, Lemon Bay Preserve supports nesting bald eagles, Florida Scrub jays and gopher tortoises.

Space for this walk is limited to 25, so call to reserve a spot. If the walk is filled, future walks are available. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a light jacket, a hat, sun screen, insect repellent, drinking water, binoculars (optional), camera and hand lens (optional).

Participants can reach Lemon Bay Preserve by taking I -75 to Exit 193 (Jacaranda Boulevard). Turn left onto Englewood Road, then turn right onto Cypress Road and head west. Turn left at Mangrove Road and left again on Heron Road. Turn right onto Seneca Road, following it until it becomes Kenisco Road. Park along the right side of Kenisco Road just beyond entrance gate to the preserve.

From State Road 776, turn west on Manasota Beach Road. When the road curves left, turn right on Belvidere, then right on Pheasant, left on Macon and right on Osprey. Turn left on Seneca to Kenisco.

For more information about this or other nature walks, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 861-5000 and ask for Natural Resources.

'A Christmas Carol' performance

"A Christmas Carol," based on the book by Charles Dickens, will be performed by the Charlotte Players now through Dec. 10 at the Cultural Center of Charlotte County Theater, 2280 Aaron St., Port Charlotte.

The box office will take reservations starting Oct. 30. Tickets are $13 for adults and $7 for students. Call 941-625-4175, ext. 220.

There will be a benefit performance at 8 p.m. Dec. 6 for the Interfaith Interagency Network of Charlotte County. For tickets to that performance, call 941-206-2034.

Medicare Part D reviews available

The Charlotte County Council on Aging announces that Medicare Part D reviews can be scheduled through Dec. 31. Any changes to your Medicare Part D insurance would be effective starting Jan. 1. The later you wait, the more difficult it will be to meet the Jan. 1 start date, according to council officials.

To make an appointment, call 941-627-2177 and bring a list of medications along with your Medicare card to the Council on Aging office. This is a free service provided by COA in conjunction with SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders).

'Rotonda Rocks' at Woman's Club meeting

The Rotonda West Woman's Club will have their monthly day meeting at noon, Wednesday, Dec. 13, at the Rotonda American Legion, 3436 Indiana Road.

This will be the annual Christmas program featuring a skit, "Rotonda Rocks," written by President Carol Ullrich and starring RWWC members and guests.

Lunch for the December meeting will be a buffet for $7.50, which is to be paid for upon arrival at the American Legion. The cost of lunch includes tax, tip and coffee or tea. The doors will not open until noon and reservations are required.

Members and their guests should contact Carol Ullrich, president, 941-697-9494 to make your reservations.

Members should remember to bring toys for DASH, their (mitten) gifts for patients at Englewood Health and Rehabiitation Center on Drury Lane and also gifts for their assisgned child.

There will not be an evening meeting in December. For further information, contact Ullrich at 941-697-9494.

Symphony of Trees is now open

The 16th annual Symphony of Trees festival has opened at the Charlotte County Historical Center.

An event of the Historical Center Society, Symphony of Trees features holiday trees, festive wreaths and centerpieces decorated to support local nonprofit organizations. Visitors have the opportunity to place bids on the entries, and the highest bidder on each item purchases it directly from the organization that entered it. A variety of gift items handmade by local crafters will be offered for sale at Santa's Workshop. There will also be a number of raffled items, with tickets available for $1 each or six for $5.

All non-profit organizations are invited to participate. Because of limited space, applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Businesses and individuals may also enter a tree or wreath on behalf of the nonprofit organization of their choice.

Hours for the event are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission to the event is $2 for adults and $1 for children, with proceeds benefiting the Historical Center. Visitors may vote for their favorite tree wreath and centerpiece. Nonprofits with winning entries in the "People's Choice" awards will receive an additional $100 cash prize.

Symphony of Trees will be open daily through Dec. 4 at 22959 Bayshore Road in Charlotte Harbor, and is sponsored in part by the Charlotte Sun and Weekly Herald. For more information, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact Debra Fabiszak at the Historical Center, 941-629-7278.

Explore the Manasota Scrub Preserve

County residents can explore plants in the scrubby flatwoods and natural wetlands of Manasota Scrub Preserve during a free nature walk on Wednesday, Dec. 13, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sarasota County volunteer, amateur botanist and Florida Native Plant Society member Denny Girard will lead the walk at the preserve located at 2695 Bridge St., Englewood.

Manasota Scrub Preserve is one of many public lands that are available through Sarasota County's Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program. In addition to numerous subtropical plants, visitors may hear the great-horned owl or northern quail or see evidence of bobcat and gopher tortoise.

Space for this walk is limited to 25, so call to reserve a spot.

If the walk is filled, future walks are available. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a light jacket, a hat, sun screen, insect repellent and drinking water. Binoculars, camera and hand lens are optional.

Participants can reach Manasota Scrub Preserve by taking I -75 to Exit 193, then traveling south on Jacaranda Boulevard for 5.3 miles to Englewood Road. Take Englewood Road south to Manasota Beach Road and turn right, then left on Bridge Street.

For more information about this or other nature walks, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 861-5000 and ask for Natural Resources.

FOP fundraising cruise coming in January

The Florida State Fraternal Order of Police, District 3, announces its fundraising "Cruise to the Caribbean," scheduled for Jan. 13-20 with Norwegian Cruise Lines. This cruise fundraiser will benefit the Disaster Relief Fund, which was established to provide immediate support for emergency services in the event of a disaster by supplying food, water, generators and other emergency supplies.

A "cruise night" for the Port Charlotte area will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Robert E. Lister Memorial Lodge, 23300 Harper Ave. The public is invited to attend and sign up for the cruise to help support local law enforcement in their fundraising goals. The Norwegian Cruise Lines Dawn sails from Miami to the eastern Caribbean with stops in Samana, Tortola, St. Thomas and Great Stirrup Cay. Rates start at $679 per person including all port charges and taxes. For more information, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or go to www.yourtravelexperts.com and click on the FOP logo in the lower right corner.

District 3 FOP encompasses lodges from Cape Coral to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and Lakeland. There are 14 lodges in the district, including Lodge 66 in Port Charlotte, Lodge 33 in Cape Coral, Lodge 3 in Sarasota, Lodge 57 in Venice and Lodge 70 in Bradenton.

Line-dance classes held at Tringali

To keep healthy, fit and have fun, people are invited to come join our line dance class.

The classes are held every Wednesday and Friday mornings at Tringali Park Recreation Center. Beginners classes are from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Higher levels are from 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The classes dance to all types of music, not just country.

The cost is $3 per class. For more information, call Tringali Park at 473-1018 or Eileen at 240-2522.