St. Petersburg College Planetarium and Observatory will host free shows on Friday nights at 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. The shows are first-come, first-served. Shows are 45 minutes long. Children ages 5 and older are welcome. The observatory and portable telescopes are available after the shows, weather permitting. The upcoming show “The Stars of Winter” will be Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27 and March 6. For information, call (727) 341-4772.
PFRWC LUNCHEON
The Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club will host a luncheon Feb. 6 at 11:30 a.m., at Seven Springs Golf & Country Club, 3535 Trophy Blvd., in New Port Richey. The guest speaker will be Walter Andrusyszyn, director of the University of South Florida’s program in National and Competitive Intelligence. The cost is $20. For information and reservations, call Fran Scerbo at (727) 597-3727, or email .
NEW JEWELRY CRAFT CLASS
Pasco County Parks and Recreation will host an ongoing jewelry craft class starting Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The class is for beginners and experts ages 18 and older. The cost is $6 per class, with the first day of class only free. For information, call (813) 929-1229.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES GROUP MEETING
The North Tampa Chapter of the National Active Retired Federal Employees Association will meet Feb. 6 at 11:30 a.m., at Piccadilly Cafeteria, 11810 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. Guests can arrive at 11 a.m., to go through the buffet line and pay for their own meal. The chapter is recruiting new members. For information, call Dave Galgani at (813) 949-5738.
CLASSICAL PIANO CONCERT
The School of Arts and Sciences at Saint Leo University will present “An Evening with Two Classical Pianists” Feb. 5 at 7 p.m., at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo. Margarita Glebov and Seyon Lee will perform a program of duets featuring the work of Bach, Rachmaninoff, Brahms and other composers. Admission is free. For information, call Allyson Marino at (352) 588-8662, or email .
VALENTINE PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Land O’ Lakes Boy Scout Troop 33 will host a Valentine pancake breakfast Feb. 7 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., in Rosary Hall at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. Tickets are $5 for adults, and $3 for children younger than 10. The total family cost will not exceed $25. Tickets will be sold after masses and during soccer on Saturday mornings, through Feb. 7. Proceeds will help pay for mulch at the church and Scout summer camps.
‘ROMANTIC NOTIONS’ EXHIBIT
The Downtown New Port Richey Art Gallery, 6231 Grand Blvd., in New Port Richey, will host an open house reception for the Romantic Era in art exhibit “Romantic Notions” Feb. 6 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The reception will include music and refreshments. The exhibit will run through Feb. 28. For information, call (727) 848-6500, or visit NPRGallery.com.
ROMANTIC STORY CONTEST
Craven Chiropractic, 5402 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 105 in Land O’ Lakes, is inviting area residents to share their most romantic story and is giving a $50 multiple restaurant gift card to the winner. Submit your story to , or drop a copy off at the office. Be sure to include your name and address on the entry. Stories will be published on Craven Chiropractic’s Facebook page. If requested, names will be withheld. Deadline for entries is Feb. 9 at 9 a.m.
Gem Estates: Refreshed and remodeled
Activities at Gem Estates have not slowed down now that the Christmas Holidays are behind us. We’re busier than ever. Seems like all the activities have increased in attendance. It’s great to have “newer” people bringing their thoughts, knowledge and ideas to inspire and refresh our usual programs.
The Coffee and Doughnuts Social Hour directed by our president, Al Bennett, brings a lot of inspiration to join the club programs.
Mary Kay Lynch, in charge of bingo games every Wednesday night, announced our first bingo game was a little short in attendance, but still had enough people to make it interesting. Our games are open to the public. Early Bird starts at 6:30 p.m., and regular bingo at 7 p.m., so come out to our park, you bingo lovers!
Prayers were said for several of our members who are ill or having a trying time. Betty York, recently moved north and is recovering from pneumonia; Millie Smith and Joe Casey recovering from painful shoulder surgery; Les Hoover, Betty Wilson still in rehab; and Neva Roy recovering from back surgery. Sure hope everyone is soon on the road to full recovery.
Gem Estates got a commendation from the Marine Corps because of our full contribution with Toys for Tots.
We had lots of visitors that came for the holidays. Bev and Ernie Martin entertained their daughter, Brenda, and son-in-law, Horace Moody from Pittston, Maine. Some recent returnees were Paul and Sylvia Griffin from Ontario, Canada, and also Ellie and Keith Brookins from Michigan.
Winners for our Monday euchre game were John Raab for the men, and Mae Slipp for the ladies.
The park yard sale was touted as the best one yet, even though we had a lot of competition with Pigz in Z’Hills going on at the airport, and a lot of parks were also having yard sales, plus there was a memorial service for Les Ott, a past president of our association who was instrumental in us buying our park and being individually owned. The service was at the Lutheran church.
Mary Kay Lynch headed the blood drive scheduled for Jan.22. It is amazing to see the Big Red Bus all over town.
Mary Ann McGouldrick and Lois Sprague are keeping our library in top shape. What a pleasure to be able to look for a certain author and finding it quickly.
Ron Raymond, our maintenance chairman, is doing a wonderful job, and as usual, it takes a lot of volunteers to accomplish all that has been done. Our really nice white fence and clubhouse have been cleaned by Bill Files, Ken Mann, Keith Babbitt, Steve Files, Gary Coons, Lou McGouldrick and Wayne Macomber.
The brush and weeds around the perimeter and around the entrance were cut and picked up by John Brogan, Bill Stacy, Marlin Thomas, Dan Bluhm, Butch Skidmore, Bill and Steve Files, and Don Perdue.
Ed Littlefield finished all the last-minute work in our newly remodeled kitchen area, while Earl Sprague did a much-needed job of washing the street signs and yield signs.
Once the addition to our clubhouse was completed, it gave us a chance to clean out a lot of stuff from our storage shed that we could put in our park yard sale. Vic Botting and our president, Al Bennett, did a good job of sorting out and deciding what to keep.
Dick Thompson is doing a great job of helping us with some super computer knowledge.
There are a number of January birthdays, including Ray Mercer, Beverly Martin, Joe Casey, Jack Massoll, Paula Beck, Bill Mayer, Randall Smith, Mary Ann McGouldrick and Barbara Cleavenger. Happy Birthday to all!
Steve and Joann Files are celebrating an anniversary this month.
By Lee Heffelfinger
Published January 28, 2015
‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’
Sunlake High School will present Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” musical at 6 p.m., on Feb. 4 and Feb.5, and at 7 p.m., Feb. 6 at the Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel, 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel. Advance tickets for Feb. 4 are $8, and $10 at the door. Advance tickets for Feb. 5 and Feb. 6 are $10, and $15 at the door. For information, call (813) 346-1000.