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Nativity Comes To Life In Ruskin

Photo courtesy of Ruskin United Methodist Church

Members of the Ruskin United Methodist Church youth group prepare to portray angels, shepherds, kings and the Holy Family at a Living Nativity.

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 17, 2008

RUSKIN - They'll all be there - the shepherds, sheep and goats, angels, three kings, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and a donkey - at a live Nativity scene portrayed by the youth group of the Ruskin United Methodist Church on Saturday. Two programs will take place, at 6 and 7:15 p.m., on the church grounds, 105 Fourth Ave. N.W.

The event is free. Church members will provide refreshments, and church youth will distribute goodies to children who visit. Children may pet the animals. Call (813) 645-1241.

Sew Much Comfort Aids Soldiers

The Ruskin Woman's Club of District 8 of the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs continues its mission to provide adaptive clothing to wounded soldiers. This was made easier recently by a $1,000 grant provided by the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Wimauma.

Wal-Mart's district manager, Dave Chmura, presented a check to club members Carol Fagot and Sonja Council. Rafael Rodriguez, store manager, and member Kim Manning also were present.

Sew Much Comfort volunteers create clothing that can be put on, over or around casts and other apparatus while people recuperate from injuries. Many recipients are local men and women who have been wounded in Afghanistan or Iraq.

The club needs materials and people to sew. To donate or volunteer, call Sue Prophet, chairwoman, at (813) 642-9635. To learn more, visit www.sewmuchcomfort.org.

Local Students Know Their Citrus

HAINES CITY - Eight students from the Shields Middle School and Lennard High School FFA citrus teams attended the State FFA Citrus Career Development Event Nov. 18 in Haines City. They were two of 44 teams that competed in the state championship.

Students prepared for two months for the general knowledge exam. They learned to identify varieties of citrus by their leaves, fruit and rootstocks, and to recognize dangers common to the Florida citrus and horticulture industry: pests, predators, pathogens, parasites, weeds, diseases and nutrient deficiencies.

The participants were Rebecca Knowles, Hunter Walker, Hope Witsell and Justin Nobles of Shields and Joshua Stanaland, Randall Casey, Lucas Worley and Kole Peterson of Lennard. They were accompanied by Erin Elsberry, the agriscience/FFA adviser from Lennard, and Diane Cannon, the student adviser from Shields.

The Lennard chapter earned fourth place from among the high schools. Shields took second place from among the middle schools.

Award plaques will be presented to the chapters in June at the state FFA convention in Orlando.

CARE Announces Board Members, Grant

The Critter Adoption and Rescue Effort recently elected new board members for 2008-09.

They are President Laurie Clemency, Vice President Chris Vergallito and Secretary Linda Earles, all of Riverview; Treasurer Lori Bruno of Bradenton; and Kelly Mariskanish of Sun City; and Hillary Stewart and Tim Otte of Apollo Beach.

The shelter received a $1,000 grant from the Interfaith Council of Sun City Center to revamp part of the shelter to accommodate small-breed dogs.

"CARE now has room in the kennel for 11 primarily larger breed dogs, and the new space would allow us to house five or six smaller-breed dogs," said Don Hinderliter, volunteer administrative coordinator.

CARE volunteers would like to take the diminutive pooches into nursing homes to enrich the lives of residents who love pets but cannot adopt them. These mini-mutts also are easier to transport, so volunteers could take them to homes or organizations for demonstrations in hopes of stimulating adoptions.

For information about volunteering or adopting a pet, contact Hinderliter at (813) 645-2273.

No Time To Read The Bible?

RIVERVIEW - The Frenzie Life Theatre will present "The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged)" at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Barn Theatre at Winthrop, 11349 W. Bloomingdale Ave.

The play was written by Adam Long, Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, the same authors who created "All the Great Books" and "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare," with additional material by Matthew Croke.

Michael Mercer directs 62 characters played by three local actors, Tyler Comstock, Stephen Cosgrove and Pedro Amaral, in this amusing and sometimes irreverent race from the appearance of Adam and Eve to Judgment Day.

How irreverent is it?

"I am one of five children raised in a Southern Baptist home," said Beverly Mercer, Michael's wife and co-founder of the theater troupe. "My father was a minister of music and youth. I find the show satirical, crazy and groan-inducing fun. Three out of four of my siblings would feel the same way."

The show is not recommended for children younger than 13; children younger than 5 will not be admitted.

General admission tickets are $15. Tickets for seniors and students with identification are $10. The box office opens an hour before show time. Tickets may be placed on hold by calling The Frenzie at (813) 655-0789. Only cash and checks are accepted.

For details, visit www.the frenzie.com.

Art Visible Around Town

SUN CITY CENTER - Each month, the Art Club of Sun City Center chooses a member whose work will be displayed around town. The December artist is Fred Esposito.

Esposito's enthusiasm for painting started with a child's watercolor set given him by his wife during a recuperation period. He has since developed an eclectic technique, from realistic to abstract, and he likes to experiment with various media.

His paintings can be seen this month in the Sun City Center Library, the Sun City Center Chamber of Commerce, the Sun City Center Golf and Racquet Club, Wachovia Securities, BankUnited, SouthShore Community Bank, A 1 Connection Realty, the Community Information Center and the Art Room Showcase.

Holly Jolly Square Dance

SUN CITY CENTER - Do-si-do and ho-ho-ho with the Sun City Center Swingers Square Dance Club at a Holly Square Dance with pre-rounds from 7 to 7:30 p.m. and plus dance with rounds from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday in Community Hall, 1910 S. Pebble Beach Blvd.

Van Coble will call; Mary Wiewiora will cue.

The club sponsors dances every Friday night throughout the year, but there will be no dance Dec. 26.

Call (813) 633-1297 or (813) 633-8780.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, e-mail neighbors@tampabay .rr.com or call (813) 657-4531.

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