By Jean Hayes, Times Staff Writer
Friday, December 3, 2010
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point recently announced its third-quarter Five Star Awards. From left are recipients Ed Palenik and Sue Mesi, and volunteer president George Niebler. A third recipient, Charlotte Kraus, was not available for the photo. Palenik began volunteering in 1993 and is one of the hospital’s courtesy cart drivers. He has volunteered more than 2,870 hours. Mesi began volunteering in August 2000. She volunteers in the outpatient lab and has logged 14,240 hours. Mesi is the chairwoman for the lab and has trained all of the new volunteers in that area. Kraus began volunteering in May 1997 and works in the surgical waiting room. She has logged in more than 2,460 hours.
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point announces its 2010 third-quarter Employee Excellence award, Essential Piece award and Service award recipients.
Employee Excellence awards are given in recognition of customer service and performance. Nominations are made by peers, supervisors and patients. This quarter, 11 were nominated. The three recipients include: Carlos Gonzalez (nuclear medicine), Shari Summerfield (registered nurse) and Gina Tannenbaum (neuro/spine).
Vera Blank (oncology), Chris Lopez (environmental services) and Amanda Scott (oncology) were the recipients of the Essential Piece award. The Essential Piece award recognizes employees for their outstanding customer service.
Service awards were presented to: Diane Kempel, Gregory Califano, Lachelle Inmon, Karisa Mounts, Lindsey Prater, Janet Goble, Shiela Dela Vega, Christina Sexton, Terri Danner, Colin Follett, Trang Le, Cynthia Lohr, Susan Webb, Tina Wise, Tracey Mulcahy, David Lucas, Victor Spitrey, Yvonne Buchanan, Patricia Hanson, Michelle Quiggins-Humphrey, Ramon Estampador, Janet Draughon, Kimberly Logan, Susan Schillace, Richard Murphy, Joanne Ruscio, Sue Volpe, Nancy Dahl, Malissa Barbee and Phoebe Perez.
Who's news
Alan Waishkey, an HPH Hospice Home Health wound care nurse, recently passed the National Alliance of Wound Care Certification exam. Waishkey, a licensed practical nurse from Port Richey, has been an HPH Home Health employee since 2003. HPH Home Health, a nonprofit affiliate of HPH Hospice, serves residents of Hernando, Citrus, Pasco and Pinellas counties.
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Camille Hernandez, a Dade City Commissioner and member of the Rotary Club of Dade City Sunrise, has been chosen from Rotary District 6950 (Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties) to be the team leader for the Rotary Foundation's 2010 Group Study Exchange program.
Hernandez and her team will leave for Australia on Feb. 27 for a month-long exchange. In May, incoming exchange teams from Australia will come to Pasco County.
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The West Pasco Chamber of Commerce announces that Linda Hawkins, Bonnie Howard, Sean Kline and Ginny Pierce are vying for the bragging rights to Governor of West Pasco, a post with no pay.
For a dollar a vote, chamber members can vote for their favorite. The new governor will be named at the Business Development Week Chamber Awards Banquet on Feb. 17. The deadline to vote is Feb. 4.
All proceeds will benefit the winner's favorite charity and the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce. Linda Hawkins of H&R Block is raising funds for Healthy Start Coalition of Pasco County. Bonnie Howard of Minuteman Press is raising funds for SPCA Suncoast. Sean Kline of the Center for Independence/New Freedom Transportation is raising funds for the Center for Independence. Ginny Pierce of ABCO Graphics & Printing is raising funds for PACE Center for Girls.
For information, call Joe Alpine at the chamber at (727) 842-7651.
Briefly
Connections Job Development has reopened at 5841 Main St., New Port Richey. The nonprofit serves thousands of local job seekers, providing no-cost services including computer training, resume preparation and interview clothing.
Sister Joan Foley, a medical mission sister, founded the agency and placement program that was originally operating in the Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church until the church sold the property.
A Community Development Block Grant fund through the Pasco County Board of Commissioners enabled Sister Foley to purchase the building on Main Street and cover the renovation costs to bring the building up to current code.
The West Pasco Chamber of Commerce held a rededication and ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 9 at the new location.
For information, call (727) 849-4724.
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Lennar home builders has joined the Mousethruthehouse.com Network, an innovative online system that provides home shoppers with free front-door-to-front-door video tours of hundreds of model homes throughout central Florida without leaving home.
Mousethruthehouse.com is a division of John Heagney Public Relations, the Tampa Bay area's oldest real estate public relations firm. For information, call (727) 942-2718 or e-mail heagneypr@aol.com.
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The American Family Plaza on Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills welcomes two new tenants:
•Bullfrog Performance at 5026 Gall Blvd. Call (813) 788-3663.
•Chatterbox Cafe at 5014 Gall Blvd. Call (813) 779-1763.
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The Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the 2010 Holiday Lighting Contest. Entries must be submitted by noon Wednesday. Judging will be held between 6 and 9 p.m. Dec. 11 to 15.
The chamber will recognize the winners at 9 a.m. Dec. 20 in the chamber's office, 38550 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills. Entries are limited to the Zephyrhills area (Morris Bridge Road on west, Kossick and Otis Allen on north, Forest Lakes Estates on east, and Chancey Road on south) only. Winners of the past two years are eligible for honorable mention only.
For information, call (813) 782-1913.
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Vendors are needed for a Senior Home, Health & Wealth Business Expo to be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 24 at West Winds Assisted Living facility, 37411 Eiland Blvd., Zephyrhills.
For vendor space and cost information, call Ann Yurgensen at (484) 363-0776.
Events
Florida Estates Winery, 25241 State Road 52, near Land O'Lakes, will host a wine festival and ninth birthday celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.
The event includes birthday cake and prizes, as well as sauces, arts and crafts, jewelry, music and an opportunity to sample the winery's offerings. Meet the winemaker and participate in an educational tasting. Pets are welcome.
For information, call (813) 996-2113.
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Service Corps of Retired Executives Pasco-Hernando Chapter 439 will present a free small business seminar, "Successfully Managing & Growing Your Business," from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at the Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Road, Hudson.
George Motran, a SCORE counselor, will address how to deal with the continual changes confronting small businesses in today's business climate.
No registration is required. For information, call the library at (727) 861-3040 or the SCORE office at (727) 842-4638.
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Service Corps of Retired Executives Pasco-Hernando Chapter 439 will present a free small-business seminar, "Advanced Use of QuickBooks," from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the New Port Richey Main Library, 5939 Main St.
Mike Kouremetis, a SCORE counselor, will present the seminar. The two-hour seminar, sponsored by the Land O'Lakes Branch Library, is designed for those with previous experience using QuickBooks, but who would benefit from utilizing the many more advanced capabilities of the system.
No registration is required. For information, call the library at (727)853-1265 or the SCORE office at (727) 842-4638.
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The Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will hold the 26th annual Tree Decorating and Lighting program from noon to 6:30 p.m. Sunday on the front lawn of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, 7050 Gall Blvd., Zephyrhills.
Entertainment will begin at 1 p.m. with the Blue/Silver Band. Santa will arrive about 3 p.m. (depending on reindeer traffic). The evening program with the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Community Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Marvin "Doc" Robertson, will begin at 5:30 p.m. The evening will end with the lighting of 54 Christmas trees and fireworks.
Guests are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket. Cookies and refreshments will be served. For information, call (813) 788-0411.