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Community Invited To Newcomers Club's 'Pounding'

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 11, 2009

BRANDON - The Brandon Newcomers Club welcomes people new to the area and those who have been here awhile, and members want to share their knowledge of the environs.

To that end, the group invites all to a "pounding" at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 18 at Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association, 619 Vonderburg Drive. Members each will bring a wrapped pound of something, and each gift will be sold at auction at the gathering.

Members will eat lunch together after the meeting at Ruby Tuesday, 1812 State Road 60 E., Valrico.

The group plans book discussions, craft workshops, bunco games, couples' bridge games, gardening and gals' night out events monthly.

The Book Club will meet at 10 a.m. Feb. 25 to discuss "Them Bones" by Carolyn Haines. Call Betty Cocchiolla, co-chairwoman, at (813) 681-6933 for details.

The Out and About group will take a trip to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota on Feb. 26. Contact Sheila Hill, chairwoman, at (813) 643-4213 for information.

The Brandon Newcomers Club also offers scholarships based on grades, volunteerism and employment to relatives of members. The deadline to apply is March 1. Applications will be available at the pounding or by contacting Hilda Hiner at FlaMomHH@aol.com.

For information about the club, call Mary Ann Hartman at (813) 681-7558.

Painting, Drawing Lessons Offered

Artist Carol Karow, member of the 50-year-old Brandon League of Fine Arts and the National League of American Pen Women, has been teaching art classes in the Brandon community since 1999 at the Brandon Recreation Center, 502 E. Sadie St.

"It's a way for me to give back to the community," Karow said. "It's fun, too!"

Ongoing classes at the center are pay-as-you-go. They are for novices and experienced artists ages 16 and older.

There is space available in Karow's charcoal-drawing class from 10 to 11 a.m. Mondays. The fee is $4 per class. "This is a perfect study period for hand-eye coordination," Karow said.

Karow's oil painting class also is open to new students. It meets from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Thursdays and costs $6.50 per class.

Karow graduated from the Ringling College of Art and Design, where her focus was fine art.

"My favorite, favorite thing, since I was a little kid, is portraits - dogs, people, horses," Karow said.

She described her defining moment of fame. When 10 Ringling students tried out to be artists for Hallmark Cards, she was the only noncommercial artist selected. She never worked for them, however. Instead, she married Chris Karow, another artist, and they drew happily ever after.

For information, including a supply list for students, call the Brandon Recreation Center at (813) 635-8179, or Karow at (813) 681-7324.

Church Hosts Healing The Heart

Unity in Brandon's spiritual leader, Deri Joy Ronis, will present a Healing the Heart workshop from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at 115 Margaret St., Suite D. The suggested minimum donation is $15 per person.

For information about Unity in Brandon, call (813) 263-6155 or visit www .unityinbrandon.org.

Durant Thespians Sell Memory Plaques

DURANT - Anyone wishing to be remembered or to memorialize another person may buy a 1- by 3-inch memory/honor plaque for the back of a seat in the Durant High School theater to benefit Durant Thespian Troupe 5444 and the Durant Thespian Boosters.

Ed Mason, theater director and Thespian sponsor at the school, said, "We've been in business for 14 years, and some of the equipment is fading fast and needs ... repair or replacement." Budget cuts may not leave the drama troupe with funds for much-needed improvements, such as curtains, an enhanced sound system, replacement lights, materials for upcoming productions and student development.

"We need to help our students in any way possible," said Theresa Graves, president of the boosters.

The plaques, which will adorn the backs of audience seats, cost $75 for the center orchestra section, $50 for the side orchestra and $25 for the upper-rear sections.

"The plaques can be used to honor the memory of someone who is no longer with us, to honor individuals or groups that have been influential to Durant," Mason said, or "alumni could make their marks in the theater that they performed in."

For order forms, visit www.theatredurant.com. For information, contact Mason at (813) 757-9075, Ext. 280, or edward.mason@ sdhc.k12.fl.us, or contact Graves at theresa.graves @sdhc.k12.fl.us.

Speaker To Bring Healing Touch

VALRICO - A healing conference featuring Norma Dearing, author and founder of The Healing Touch, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 21 at Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church, 604 N. Valrico Road.

The Healing Touch, based in Jacksonville, is a Christian radio ministry that combines prayer, Bible study and personal testimony to help people who are hurting physically, spiritually or emotionally.

A $25 registration fee includes the conference and lunch. Babysitting is available but must be reserved at pre-registration.

For details or to register, contact Pete Soto at (813) 681-2889 or PeteSoto827 @hotmail.com or visit www.hiepiscopal.org. For information about The Healing Touch, visit www.healing touchministries.com.

Annual Night Of Art Auction

The Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Shalom will hold its 10th annual art auction featuring works from the auction house Regency Fine Art of Norcross, Ga., at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the synagogue, 706 Bryan Road. The evening will feature hors d'oeuvres, a bar, silent and live auctions, drawings and door prizes.

The cost is $10 in advance, $12.50 at the door.

A free, post-event art sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 22. Samples of the oil paintings, lithographs, serigraphs, etchings, fine art prints and celebrity, movie, TV and sports collectibles and memorabilia that will be offered can be viewed at www.regencyfineart.com.

To purchase tickets, call Congregation Beth Shalom at (813) 681-6547.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, e-mail neighbors@tampa bay.rr.com or call (813) 657-4531.

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