1. Death of a Friend
2. Hurricane Response Exhibit
3. Sandhills and Salamanders Educators' Workshop
4. GatorSport is a 2-day sports camp which is free for adults
with physical disabilities.
5. Great American Cleanup
6. JOB ANNOUNCEMENT! Gainesville Aquatic Director
7. Florida Museum of Natural History
8. Grants
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WEBSITES
www.kacb.org, Keep Alachua County Beautiful!
www.leg.state.fl.us Florida Legislature's home page
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/ Florida Museum of Natural History
CALENDAR
Mar 24 Challenge Karate tournament, Kanapaha MS, Reg. 8 am,
(Benefits Am. Cancer Society)
Mar 24, 25 Kanapaha Garden Festival
Mar 25 Summer Activities Fair, 1-4 p.m. Florida Museum of Natural
History
Mar 31, Apr 1 Spring Arts Festival
Mar 31-Apr 7 Sustainable Agriculture Week celebrating local
farms, farmers, and food:
Mar 31 Haile Plantation Farmer's Market (5300 SW 91 Terrace) 8-1
pm
Apr 2 Healthy Families Nutrition Forum Sidney Lanier Cafeteria,
312 NW 16th St 6:15-8:15 pm
Apr 4 Union St. Farmer's Market (Hippodrome) 4-7 pm
Apr 7 Farmer's Market, Bloom and Berries Spring Festival (corner
of 441 and 34th St.) 8:30-1 pm
Apr 7 Poe Springs Moonlight Canoe Trip
Apr 14 Poe Springs Art-N-Park 10 am
Apr 20-21 Hurricane Response Exhibition, Gainesville Airport
Apr 21 Great American Cleanup raindate Saturday, April 28, 2001
Apr 21 Cheerleading sign-ups @ Alachua City Rec. Center
Apr 28-29 Sandhills and Salamanders Workshop
May 12 Poe Springs Moonlight Canoe Trip
May 19th Great Strides Walk registration 8:00 am, the walk at
9:00 Kanapaha Park
Jun 9 Poe Springs Moonlight Canoe Trip
June 24 End of Fl. Museum Natural History Exhibit on Extinction
Jul 20-21 Gator Sport Camp for adults with disabilities, Carolyn
Hanson chanson@hp.ufl.edu
Jul 21 Wheelchair Basketball, 3 pm Florida Gym
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Werner Paul Schuman died Thursday, March 15. He was an integral
part of Hawthorne Area Recreation Association, and involved with
county recreation for a number of years. He believed that too
many kids go unserved by our communities, and worked to bring
more opportunities to their lives.
We have too many dedicated individuals in Alachua County unrecognized or under-appreciated by the parents, families, and the rest of our community. It's time that we put together an annual, countywide banquet honoring those unsung individuals and groups responsible for improving the quality of lives here in Alachua County. I propose the first award be given in honor of Werner P. Shuman.
I'll work on it. I've asked a few to join me. Call me. Alison alilaw@gru.net 338-0606
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HURRICANE RESPONSE EXHIBITION
The 3rd Annual North Central Florida Hurricane Response Exhibition
is scheduled for April 20 and 21 at the Gainesville Regional Airport
Flightline. The showcase exhibit is a U.S. Air Force Hurricane
Hunter aircraft. The 2-day event is free to the public. <http://www.floridahurricane.org/>
--Steve Abrams
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SANDHILLS AND SALAMANDERS
A Natural History Workshop for Educators and Nature Lovers
You are invited to this overnight nature immersion workshop for educators and others on North Florida Natural History. Meet your local flora and fauna in situ, and see how Florida's web of life is interwoven. Hunt for aquatic insects in the lakes; stalk lizards in the daylight, and frogs at night; learn what the life histories of our common birds and trees have to tell us about cooperation and living together.
April 28-29, 2001
9:00 AM to Sunday, 11:00 AM
Camp Crystal Lake in the heart of north central Florida
Call to register before March 31, 2001.
Volunteers are needed to help run the workshop. Call Maria
if you are interested in helping.
--Maria Minno (352)375-3028 <minno@gator.net>
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GATOR SPORT, WHEELCHAIR FENCING, ETC.
In our fifth year, GatorSport is a 2-day camp free for adults with physical disabilities. Held primarily on the UF campus, the purpose of the camp is to provide sport and recreational opportunities for people with recent injuries and chronic disability. This year we offer wheelchair fencing along with wheelchair racing, tennis, basketball, quad rugby, swimming. We are expanding to include all adults with physical disabilities (but not cognitive or mental disabilities) who may or may not use a wheelchair. We have had amputees who use prosthesis and ambulate attend the camp. Most of the coaches have a disability and are high caliber athletes, which makes this a credible camp.
Our campers vs. coaches wheelchair basketball game is a good event for the public to see how physical wheelchair basketball is. It will be 3-4 pm on July 21 (Saturday) at Florida Gym.
This year's camp is July 20-21 and is hosted by the Department
of Occupational Therapy at UF.
Carolyn Hanson CHanson@hp.ufl.edu, 846-1023
Dept. of Occupational Therapy- UF
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GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP
There have been lots of letters to the editor and sound-off items in the Gainesville Sun recently about litter. Here's your chance to help! The Great American Cleanup is scheduled for
Saturday, April 21, 2001 Raindate of Saturday, April 28, 2001.
Keep Alachua County Beautiful will set up at West Side Park
beginning at 8 p.m. Participants can pick out a site in advance
or sign up for one that day. Supplies such as bags, trash pokers,
paint and painting equipment, tools, gloves and data cards will
be available. A T-shirt will be issued to the site coordinator
at the beginning of the day and to all volunteers who have filled
out a data card recording their work. There will be a Thank You
Party from 1 to 3 p.m. complete with pizza, Pepsi and other goodies.
Also, there will be entertainment and prizes. At the clean-up
sites there will be treasures hidden in the trash. If April 21
is not convenient any cleanup or beautification project done between
March 1 and May 15, 2001 will count as part of the national spring-cleaning
project.
--Jeane Rochford KACBeautiful@aol.com 371-9444
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JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Aquatic Supervisor, $28K-$41K City of Gainesville
Gainesville needs somebody to supervise employees, training, lessons, etc. for the three public pools in Alachua County. For details, phone 334-5077 or fax 334-3588. http://www.state.fl.us/gvl
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FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Our Weakening Web: The Story of Extinction
February 10 - June 24, 2001 http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/>http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu
I went to extinction exhibit for an hour, and I plan to return.
It IS a must see: plenty for children of all ages to see, to touch,
to hearwheels to spin...buttons to push...and learn about extinction
and conservation. Exhibits feature many "stuffed" creatures
set up in their natural habitats...beaches, caves, woods...push
buttons by the name of birds and hear the song it sings! See creatures
found on an ocean floor. Another section depicts a northern forest
including chestnut trees and a place to read about the disease
that almost wiped them out. So many sections to see...can't describe
them all. Models of all kinds of creatures that lived during the
time of dinosaurs that are no longer with us...from the water
and the land. Of course nothing can replace taking a walk in the
real woods...but this exhibit helps one appreciate the importance
of conservation and preservation efforts now. I highly recommend
it for families with children of all ages. Can't beat the price...admission
is FREE! Go see it...or you'll be sorry you missed it!
--Mary Anderson <m2vision@atlantic.net>
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GRANTS
1) The Foundation For Exceptional Children Has Grant And Scholarship Programs
The Foundation for Exceptional Children is a national organization
committed to improving the lives of children and youth with disabilities.
Currently, the foundation is accepting applications for Minigrant
Awards. The FEC minigrants program provides funds to schools,
community groups, and other centers of learning for innovative
educational programs. Between 20 and 30 grants are awarded annually.
Minigrant awards of up to $500 will be made for innovative education-related
projects that directly benefit gifted children or youth and/or
children and youth with disabilities. For more information, contact
the foundation at:
1920 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191 (703) 264-3507
http://www.cec.sped.org/fd-menu.htm
--Tanya Ott, Village Ebrief - March 5, 2001
http://FR Doc.01-5654
ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES - Notice of Availability
of Financial Assistance for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs;
This Notice announces the availability of financial assistance
for the FY 2001 Basic Center Program for Runaway and Homeless
Youth (BCP) and FY 2001 Street Outreach Program (SOP).
SUMMARY: The purpose of this program is to establish or strengthen
locally controlled, community based programs that address the
immediate needs of runaway and homeless youth and their families.
Services must be delivered outside of the law enforcement, child
welfare, mental health and juvenile justice systems. The program
goals and objectives of the Basic Center Program are to alleviate
problems of runaway and homeless youth, Reunite youth with their
families, and encourage the resolution of intra-family problems
through counseling and other services. Strengthen family relationships
and encourage stable living conditions for youth; and Help youth
decide upon constructive courses of action.
http://FR Doc.01-5592
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Thank You,
Alison
The intent of the RecConnection e-letter is to unite recreation efforts and information in Alachua County. Your comments, articles, and information are vital to our success. We reach over 1,000 people via email.
Websites: http://alachua-recreation.gru.net
http://www.afn.org/~recreate
GRASSROOTS and SUPPORT:
Middle School Programming: Carl Harness Harnesscs@ci.gainesville.fl.us
Elementary Afterschool Scholarships: Elizabeth Bondy <bondy@edu15.coe.ufl.edu
Cone Park (Gainesville): Tom Hawkins thawkins@atlantic.net
Greentree Park (Gainesville): ACTION, Dave Hill dnbhill@digital.net
Hawthorne: HARA, Werner P. Schuman <hara@afn.org
Jonesville: Debbie Kennedy, 332-5713, and ACGARPA, Tom Trscabinets@aol.com
462-4902
Morningside: Penny Weber, President 334-2170
Paynes Prairie:
Squirrel Ridge Park Gretchen Howard Gch@sa.co.alachua.fl.us 337-6174
Waldo: Henry Drake <SagoDr@aol.com (352)468-2298
Windsor: Juanita Biles jkbracin@bellsouth.net 373-2812, 538-3235
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"Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you
were a year ago."
-- Bernard Berenson