Community service hours
Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes is looking for teen volunteers to join its team.
Teens who volunteer at the shops can earn community service hours for scholarships, school programs and more.
And, teens can learn new skills, receive hands-on training and gain retail experience. Duties include tasks such as greeting customers, sorting donations, stocking shelves and organizing merchandise.
Youth ages 15 and older can complete an online application at Gulfside.org/thrift-shoppes, or stop by any of the five shop locations to talk to a store manager and apply. New volunteers will receive an on-site orientation and training in the store of their choice, and they can save up to 50% when shopping in any of the shops.
Locations include Lutz, Dade City, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Hudson.
For information, call (800) 561-4883.
Back-to-school bash
Westfield Citrus Park, 8021 Citrus Park Town Center in Tampa, will host a Full Inclusion Back-to-School Bash on July 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event focuses on families with both neuro-diverse and neuro-typical children.
There will be a “Quiet Hour” when the ‘doors’ open an hour prior to the event for children on the spectrum or with sensory disorders. Both vendors and guests are asked to wear masks, but a DIY mask-making station will be provided. There also will be a touchless photo booth with characters, and plexiglass partitions on tables.
Families must register in advance for a child to receive a backpack. Some vendors will offer school supplies and take-home activities. Admission and all school supplies (while supplies last) are free.
For information and to register, call (727) 674-1464, or visit EventBrite.com.
Micro-credential courses
Saint Leo University now is offering a new form of high-quality instruction that allows adults to pick up new skills or knowledge in a short period of time through highly focused courses.
Rather than seeking degrees, those opting for these courses will be enrolling to earn micro-credentials from the new Center for Alternative Pathway Programs.
For mastering the material in certain courses, learners will be awarded a digital Saint Leo
‘badge,’ which is a formal acknowledgement that can be added to resumes and online documents, and whose validity employers can trust.
The badge signifies a micro-credential the way a diploma represents the completion of a college degree program.
Saint Leo launched the Center for Alternative Pathway Programs to address the continuing education needs in the American marketplace, according to Cindy Lee, director of the center.
Those who have completed some level of formal education or workplace training still find that they may need to learn new techniques, business processes or programs, or revisit material, Lee said, in a news release.
Saint Leo faculty and consultants designed the courses on topics such as cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, grantsmanship, and exam preparation for the Project Management Professional credential.
The roster of badge-bearing courses will be expanded, and Saint Leo expects to have more by the end of the calendar year.
Also, the Center has a catalog of a variety of other self-paced, career-oriented online courses from MindEdge Inc.
Prices are set for all courses individually, and all payments are handled digitally.
For more, visit SaintLeo.edu/micro-credentials.
Donation drive
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices will be collecting donations during July for the Pasco County School District’s ABC (Assist, Believe & Care) Program, which was created to provide financial assistance to students and their families who are experiencing economic hardship.
Money donated goes into a fund that teachers can use when they see or learn of a need a child may have.
Cash donations may be made at any of the tax collector locations in Pasco County.
For information on the ABC campaign and other charitable giving programs, call Assistant Tax Collector Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.
Saint Leo plans reopening
Saint Leo University’s plan to reopen its University Campus is rooted in the concern for the health and safety of all students, faculty, staff and visitors.
The transition will be a methodical process and vary depending on the different needs and working environment of each department and location of the university, according to a news release from the school.
Stage One of returning to campus is expected to remain in place through Aug. 14, unless there are changes to the situation, which university officials will continue to monitor.
Saint Leo’s steps to ensure a healthy work environment:
- Every employee must be tested for COVID-19 and report negative results before returning to work.
- AdventHealth provided drive-thru anterior nasal swab testing on campus in early June.
- Daily monitoring is required, including temperature/fever checks.
- Face masks or face coverings must be worn by all staff working on site when in the presence of others and in public settings, both indoors and outdoors.
- Social distancing practices will be employed. Employees must stay at least 6 feet away, even when wearing a mask, and keep groups to less than 10 people.
- Work areas during Stage 1 will not exceed 50% capacity.
- Deep cleaning processes are being used aligned with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hand-sanitizing stations are at all major building entrances, elevator stops and high-traffic areas. Employees should wipe down commonly used surfaces, too.
- Elevators will be limited to one person per trip. Stairwells will be one-way for routine use and marked accordingly.
- Employees must bring their own meals or purchase grab-and-go items available in Benedict’s Coffeehouse. During Stage One, the Dining Hall and the Lions’ Lair will be closed.
- Those reporting to work could have staggered schedules to accommodate those entering and exiting buildings.
- Only visitors with essential university business will be allowed on campus, and are required to follow the guidelines of face masks and social distancing.
The university is planning to reopen all on-ground classes at University Campus on schedule, in August.
