Community Calendar

Thursday, Feb. 14

World War II Vets

World War II veterans will meet Thursday, Feb. 14 at 11:30 a.m. for lunch at the Salt Creek Restaurant on Hwy. 349 in Suwannee.

On Feb. 22-25 the Keystone Airpark in Keystone Heights will host a vintage aircraft show. World War II air ships like the B-25, B-17 and B-24 will be on display.

For more information, contact Billie Cooper at 493-9368 or Dot Halvorsen at 542-7697.

Friday, Feb. 15

Business Council Meeting

The Nature Coast Business Development Council board of directors will meet Friday, Feb. 15 at 8:30 a.m. at the Levy County Road Department conference room, 660 N. Hathaway Ave., Bronson.

Monday, Feb. 18

Tourist Council

The Levy County Tourist Development Council will meet Monday, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Visitors Bureau office, 620 N. Hathaway Ave., Bronson.

For more information, call 486-3396.

Tuesday, Feb. 19

Community Action

The board of directors of Central Florida Community Action Agency will meet Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. in Bronson.

Call Monique Harrison at 378-5892, ext. 13 for more information.

Weight Management Workshop

Over 60 percent of people in Levy County are overweight or obese. Are you tired of carrying all that extra weight around? Tired of all those crazy diets?

The Levy County Health Department is conducting a two-part workshop on weight management on Tuesday, Feb. 19 and 26 at the Levy County Extension Office located at 25 N. Hathaway (27A) in Bronson.

Participants will learn how to count calories and determine portion sizes, plan and prepare healthy meals, create exercise programs and other skills. This class is being provided as a free service of the Levy County Health Department. For more information, call the Health Promotion Program at 352-486-3405.

Thursday, Feb. 21

Victory Museum

The U.S. Victory Museum in Archer, located in city hall, will be open Feb. 21 and Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

The museum houses memorabilia form World War I, World War II and the Korean War.

For more information, call Armand ZS. Caudron at 495-9339.

Homemakers Meeting

Bronson Home and Community Educators, (Homemakers), will meet Feb. 21 at 9:30 a.m. at the Levy County Extension Building. New members are welcome.

Peanut Producers Meeting

The 33rd Annual membership meeting of the Florida Peanut Producers Association will be held Thursday, Feb. 21 at the Jackson County Agriculture Conference Center, 2741 Penn Ave., Marianna.

Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. (CST) and is followed by the traditional smoked steak dinner.

Saturday, Feb. 23

Bark-N-Purr Fund-raiser

The Humane Society of Levy County, Inc. will host the "Bark-N-Purr" Charity Concert - BBQ Cook-Off and More Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Bronson Youth League, 220 Picnic St., Bronson.

Some of the events scheduled include a sanctioned barbecue cookoff with the Florida BBQ Association and the Disconnected K-9's performance.

A silent auction will be held featuring autographed NASCAR memorabilia, a cat tree, quilts and many more items.

Entertainers include the Rick Gordon Band and "Country Cousin Don" and Chris Cagle.

Tickets are on sale at Bronson Town Hall, Chiefland Farm Supply, Klover Leaf of Williston, Wishful Thinking of Ocala and Gainesville or on the web at www.humansocietyoflevycounty.com.

Gates open at noon and stay open until 9 p.m. Parking will be available at Bronson High and Elementary Schools.

Tickets for adults $15-$35; children: $6. Call 352-486-5705 for more information.

Thursday, Feb. 28

Life Line Screening

Life Line screening will be held at First Baptist of Chiefland Feb. 28 beginning at 10 a.m.

The screenings are non-invasive and can help reduce risk of a stroke.

Appointments are necessary. For more information, call 1-877-237-1287.

Upcoming

Newberry Watermelon Festival

The 63rd Annual Newberry Watermelon Festival will be held May 17 in Newberry.

The festival includes parades, pageants, food and other contests.

For more information, call 316-6628.

Dance Lessons

Square dancing and line dancing instruction have begun at the Chiefland Senior Center on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m.

For more information, call Art at 490-5619.

Wild Hog Canoe Race

The 31st Annual Wild Hog Canoe and Kayak Race will be April 26.

The event is hosted by AMVETS Post 88, Bronson, and the Levy Association for Retarded Citizens.

For sponsorship, or more details, visit the website at www.wildhog.wetpaint.com or contact Margie McGarva at 486-2535 or by e-mailing wildhograce@yahoo.com.

Garden Festival

The Fanning Springs Garden Festival will be held Saturday, March 15 at Fanning Springs State park, off U.S. 19.

Admission is free and the event will feature food, music, tours of native landscaping, training classes, plant identification experts, natural fertilizer information, insect and plant disease control and safe inexpensive watering tips.

For more information, visit www.fanningspringsgardenfestival.com.

Normandy Reunion

The Fraternal Military Association of the USA will tour the Normandy Invasion beaches, London, Bastogne, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and more departing from New York June 17.

Current, past military personnel, dependents, friends and others are invited to partcipate in this journey to commemorate the 64th anniversary of D-Day June 6, 1944.

For more information, call Sy Canton at 561-865-8495 or write 14130-C Nesting Way, Delray Beach, FL 33484.

Ongoing

Commodity Distribution

The USDA Commodity Distribution will be at the following locations:

March 6-12:30-2 p.m. Ag Building, Bronson

March 6-2:30-3 p.m. Town Hall, Otter Creek

March 8-9:30-10:30 a.m., Methodist Church, Chiefland

March 13-1-2 p.m., Community Center, Inglis

March 20-1-2 p.m., Lions Club, Williston

USDA is available to all eligible recipients. Certification will be available to those who have not registered. For more information, call 336-0839.

Bandsmen Needed

Brass/woodwind musicians are wanted for a future non-profit community band or ensemble that will play in the tri-county area. You must have your own instrument and a minimum of two years playing experience.

E-mail hkhutson@yahoo.com

City Forums

The city of Chiefland will host a series of forum designed to help create a vision statement for the city and to discuss possible options for future revisions to the city land development regulations.

Meetings planned are:

Vision Committee and Planning Board, Thursday, Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Vision Committee with the Business Community, Monday, Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m.

City Commissioner, Vision Committee, Planning Board, Monday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m.

All meetings will be held at city hall, 214 East Park Ave., Chiefland.

Black History Exhibit

The city of Chiefland is hosting a month-long exhibit celebrating Black History Month at the Train depot Museum.

The exhibit features photos and artifacts from Chiefland and Levy County and is hosted by Carolyn Cohens, a local artist.

The Train Depot will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday for visitors. The museum is located off Hwy. 19 at 23 SE 2nd Ave., Chiefland.

To arrange a guided tour for school children or larger groups call Laurie Copeland at 493-6711.

Nature Walks

The first Monday of each month is the Nature Walk at the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge.

The walk starts at 9 a.m. at Refuge Headquarters. These walks will go on each month through May. For information call Joan Stephens 352-463-1095.

Tax-Aide

Free Tax Aide Preparation and E-file with AARP Tax-Aide begins Feb. 1.

Sites will be open at libraries in Trenton (Monday 1-5 p.m.), Cross City (Tuesday noon-3 p.m.), Williston (Thursday noon-3 p.m.) and Chiefland (Friday noon-4 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) throughout the tax season.

Tax-Aide serves taxpayers of all ages with special emphasis on those age 60 and older. Guidelines for Tax-Aide are posted at area libraries.

Visit or call your library for an appointment.