Pasco County Area Egg Hunts and Springtime Fun!

Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the Bunny Trail...

Here are just a few of the exciting events happening next weekend in our area:

SATURDAY, APRIL 7


Publix Easter Egg Hunt
Publix - Apex
16560 N. Nebraska Ave. (U.S. 41)
Lutz, FL
(813) 264-5590
7:00 a.m.
For all of those bright-eyed, bushy-tailed bunnies, here is an egg hunt to set your alarms for!

5th Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Hugh Embry Library
14215 Fourth St.
Dade City, FL
(352) 567-3576
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Pre-Kindergarten and elementary school children are invited to join in a Spring egg hunt (NOTE: children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver). See how many candy-filled eggs you can find, sing songs, and get a balloon from Silly Sam. The hunt starts at 10 a.m. Don’t forget to bring your Easter basket! 

Easter Eggstravaganza
New Port Richey Recreation & Aquatic Center
6630 Van Buren Rd.
New Port Richey, FL
(727) 841-4560
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
FREE Admission
Bunny Splash
12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
$3 per person
Egg hunts, games, candy, and visit the Easter Bunny at both events.

Easter Eggstravaganza
Tarpon Springs Sports Complex
150 Jasmine Ave.
Tarpon Springs, FL
(727) 942-5628
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
FREE Admission
Egg hunts, pony rides, coloring contests, visits with the Easter Bunny, and more!

Jellybean Jamboree
Land O' Lakes Community Center
5104 Land O' Lakes Blvd.
Land O' Lakes, FL
(813) 929-1229
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
$1 per person admission
Candy scrambles for different age groups, unlimited train rides, and refreshments.
 
Little Sunshine Spring Festival
Little Sunshine Preschool
9316 Little Rd.
New Port Richey, FL
(727) 868-9100
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
FREE Admission
Food, crafts, games, raffles, face painting, school supply drive, Easter Bunny visits, egg hunts, & more! Proceeds benefit the Foundation for Early Learning in Pasco and Hernando Counties. 

Paddling Pasco - Trip #4 - Aripeka to Sunwest Park

The next trip (Trip #4) as part of the Paddling Pasco program is scheduled for Sunday, April 15th from Aripeka (Aripeka Road - Norfleet’s Fish Camp) south to the future Sunwest Park (see location on Google Maps or property appraiser’s website – southernmost blue lakes along the Hudson coast). We will give a first hand look at some of the plans for this project which encompasses restoration of an old lime rock mine.


High tide in this area is at 10:45am, therefore we will be launching between 9:45am and 10am. Please drop boats off at Norfleet’s Fish Camp ($2.50 to launch) no later than 9:15am and park cars at the future Sunwest Park site. Last shuttle will leave the future Sunwest Park site between 9:30am and 9:45am. Trip is scheduled to be about 2 hours on the water.


This trip will cover some shallow water (10 to 12 inches) and areas with rocks and oysters. The coast is nearly all mangroves and inlets and bayous. During the scouting trip, we saw dolphins, lots of bird life and paddled up one creek that was FULL of fish. Once we get to the future park site we may have some time to play in one of the lakes and perhaps allow each other to test out each others boats to see what we might be missing! Also, please consider bringing a chair and lunch (we plan to cook hotdogs) to hang out for a bit after the paddle.

· To register please call with the following information: number of paddlers, provide contact information (email and phone) and how many will need to be shuttled. Please contact the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department at 727-834-3278 or 813-929-2760.

Other:

· This will not be a difficult trip unless there is a lot of wind.

· Please bring a completed waiver with you on the day of the trip.

· Please be prepared to pay the launch fee ($2.50).

· Consider bringing sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, sunglasses, camera (water proof), snacks and water, water shoes, towel, chair and lunch. We plan to cook some hot-dogs.

· We still have few paddling shirts available for $10.  Please advise us of size when you register. We are out of some of the sizes, but will consider another order if needed. We can order long sleeve also, but cost will go up. Funds go into a donation account to support this program.

· Rentals may be available if there is enough interest by calling Down South Kite and Paddle at 727-771-5484 or Windsong at 727-859-0213. All arrangements must be made with these two outfitters.

Summer Reading Enrichment Programs for Children & Adults

Reading Enrichment Programs for Summer

Swimming Lessons - 2012

Spring has sprung and this year it's hot outside! Time to start thinking about the beach and the pool.

Help your children (and yourself) have a fun, accident-free swim season this year by enrolling in one of the many swim lesson opportunities in the area. Here are a few in and adjacent to Pasco County:

Suncoast YMCA
Various Locations in Pasco and Pinellas Counties
http://www.ymcasuncoast.org/find-a-program/aquatics

Tampa YMCA
Various Locations in Hillsborough County & East Pasco County
http://www.tampaymca.org/ 

City of New Port Richey Aquatic Center
Swim lesson registration begins April 14.
Check their website for more information.

Pasco County Parks & Recreation Department
Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex, Land O' Lakes
(813) 929-1220
Veterans Memorial Park, Hudson
(727) 861-3033
Pools open to the public in June. Contact the sites for swim lesson information.

Seal Swim School
Locations in Lutz, Tarpon Springs, and South Tampa
www.sealswimschool.com

Maureen's Swim Academy
Locations in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties
http://maureenswim.com/

Making Waves Swimming
Private and small group lessons in your own pool - Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties
http://www.makingwavesswimming.com/

College and Financial Aid Fair

As a father of four children, Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-09) understands that determining the next step for your child after high school graduation can be difficult for both parents and students alike.

Bilirakis is pleased to announce that he is hosting a College Fair from 10 a.m. – noon on Saturday, March 17th, at Palm Harbor University High School, 1900 Omaha Street, in Palm Harbor.

"Simply navigating the maze of the admissions and student financial aid process can make an already anxious situation even more complicated," Bilirakis said. "I understand how stressful this time can be, but examining your options early on can ensure that your child receives the quality education they deserve."
The free event is open to the public and will offer one-stop shopping for students and parents, providing them with the opportunity to learn more about available financial aid resources and the admissions process, as well as speak with school representatives face-to-face.

The college fair will feature representatives from regional colleges, local career education and technical training schools, and the service academies. In addition, the fair will include breakout sessions with admissions officers from the University of Florida, financial aid experts from St. Petersburg College, and representatives from the military service academies.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Bilirakis' Palm Harbor office at (727) 773-2871.

WHAT: College and Financial Aid Fair
WHO: Rep. Gus Bilirakis; College admissions officers and financial aid experts
WHEN: 10 a.m. – noon on Saturday, March 17th, 2012
WHERE: Palm Harbor University High School, 1900 Omaha Street, Palm Harbor, FL 34683

Confirmed institutions include:
University of Florida
United States Military Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Naval Academy
United States Air Force Academy
United States Merchant Marine Academy
University of Tampa
Florida Atlantic University
Devry University
University of Central Florida
St. Petersburg College
Rasmussen College - Land O'Lakes Campus
University of South Florida - Tampa
Eckerd College
USF - St. Petersburg
Keiser University - Tampa Campus
University of North Florida
Clearwater Christian College
pTEC - Pinellas Technical Education Centers
Nova Southeastern University
Pasco-Hernando Community College
Pasco-Hernando Community College
Saint Leo University
University of Miami
ITT Technical Institute
Florida College

Volunteer Opportunity

Vol+Press+Release+March+2012

Quilt Show - March 9-11, 2012

The West Pasco Quilters' Guild biennial quilt show is happening this weekend at Veterans Memorial Park in Hudson!

Dates: Friday-Sunday, March 9-11, 2012
Times: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday
Location: Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Road, Hudson, FL 34669

This year's theme is "A Kaleidoscope of Colors".  Scheduled events include a live large quilt auction, a silent auction for smaller quilts, door prizes, a boutique, food, lecture & demonstrations, a wall quilt challenge, and several vendors.  For more information visit the West Pasco Quilters' Guild, Inc. website.

FREE Preschool Pass for SeaWorld & Busch Gardens

If you are a Florida resident with a child who is 5 years old or younger, that child is eligible for FREE admission to SeaWorld Orlando AND Busch Gardens Tampa Bay for all of 2012!  Simply go online and register for the FREE SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Preschool Pass.  You will receive a voucher that you will need to print and take to the front gate ticket window of either park with a certified copy of the child's birth certificate.

Florida residents can purchase a 2012 Fun Pass for the price of a one-day ticket to Busch Gardens.  So, if you are the parent of a child 5 or younger, you can pay for one day's admission for the adults and older children in the family, get your younger kids their Preschool Passes, and enjoy the fun of Busch Gardens for the rest of the year!  For more information, to purchase your Florida Resident Fun Pass, or to register for the Preschool Pass, visit http://seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-tampa.

Dress for Success - S.O.S. Weekend

Ladies!  Have a gently-used business suit that you just don't need anymore?  Maybe it doesn't fit right, or you've retired or changed jobs and that suit is just taking up valuable real estate in your closet.  If so, take it by any Dress Barn location this weekend (March 1-4, 2012) for the Dress for Success S.O.S. (Send One Suit) Weekend!

Dress for Success is a is an international not-for-profit organization offering services designed to help their clients find jobs and remain employed. Each Dress for Success client receives one suit when she has a job interview and can return for a second suit or separates when she finds work.   For more information, visit their website at www.dressforsuccess.org.

AARP Foundation Women's Scholarship Call for Applicants

The AARP Foundation Women's Scholarship Program is helping win back opportunity for low-income, 50+ women by funding education, training, and skills upgrades that can lead to better employment and increased financial security for women and their families.

Since 2007, The AARP Foundation Women's Scholarship Program has awarded scholarships to more than 800 eligible women — facilitating their entry into programs they could otherwise not afford, and ultimately assisting in their recession recovery efforts.

The scholarship program is made possible by AARP Foundation with generous support from Walmart Foundation and AARP.

The scholarship application period for the 2012-2013 academic year will last from Wednesday, February 1, 2012, at 9 a.m. CST until Friday March 30, 2012, at 5 p.m. CDT.

For more information and to apply, click HERE.