12/22/2011 Letters to the Editor

Inaugural ‘Cops for Kids’ a success
The Dunnellon Police Department hosted its inaugural “Cops for Kids” program Wednesday, Dec. 14, at the Dunnellon Walmart. The event was a success.
Children from all over the Dunnellon area arrived and were paired with a Dunnellon Police Department officer or staff member. The children were provided meals from Gruff’s Tap and Grill and enjoyed dinner with the employees before they were given gift cards to shop inside Walmart.
After choosing gifts, the children walked back outside to have their gifts wrapped by volunteers from Cross at the River Cowboy Church while they enjoyed fresh cookies provided by Cadence Bank. After collecting their wrapped gifts, children were picked up by their families and provided with a Christmas turkey and fixings provided by Sweet Bay.
Officers were approached by customers asking about the program, as they explained the program, they quickly asked how they could become involved.
As the children’s families arrived to pick them up, they smiled with pride as they loaded up all the gifts they had chosen for each family member. Officers and staff members discussed their adventures during the shopping trip.
Children were encouraged to purchase a gift for themselves even though most of them wanted to spend all of their gift card funds on family members. You could hear the officer’s heartfelt comments to each of the parents as they described their experience and time with the children.
The gratefulness expressed by each child was felt by each volunteer, officer, staff member and even Walmart employees. This program could not have been a success without the generosity of our sponsors who went out of their way to give a child a special Christmas.
Sponsors included: Sweet Bay, Gruffs Tap & Grill, the Dunnellon Community Thrift Shop, Riverland News, Cross at the River Cowboy Church, Dollar Tree, Dunnellon Elementary School, Romeo Elementary School, Helen & Richard Reynolds, Joanne Huston, Sgt. Jacob and Monica Gonzalez, Sue Lavac, Dunnellon City Hall; Women’s Club of Dunnellon, Howard and Denise Rowland, Robert Schmidt, Chief Joanne Black, Walmart, Beth Wear, Cadence Bank, Roger Weathersby, American Legion Post 58, Bonnie Fischer, Gifts from the Heart; Dunnellon Middle School TV Productions, Dunnellon & and Girls Club, Kathleen Hanish, Officer Carolina Rolfes and the Dunnellon Police Department.
Chief Joanne Black
Officers, Staff
Dunnellon Police Department

God brought us a wonderful person
God is good!
We would like to thank the angel for blessing our family in Walmart Thursday night. As my husband and I were in Walmart buyng items for our three kids’ Christmas parties at school, an older lady came out of nowhere and insisted she buy our three kids whatever they want for Christmas.
We were so overwhelmed, we didn’t know what to say. She took each one and let them pick out new bikes and whatever else they wanted to go with it, adding up to $500.
She explained to us that God has blessed her and she needed to share with us.
“God sent me to you,” is what she said!
Thank you so much! She wouldn’t give us her name, she said that didn’t matter.
God is good all the time! Just remember, when you think you might have lost touch with him, He is always there.
Merry Christmas to All! Keep Christ in Christmas!
Sincerely,
The Hickey Family

A Christmas Story for all to hear
On Monday, Dec. 12, I was taking a routine trip into the Dunnellon library with my sister-in-law. We got to the library and sister-in-law couldn’t find her wallet. We remembered putting it on top of the car as she put a sweater on, it must have fallen off.
The usual panic followed ... having to cancel all credit cards, get a new driver’s license, plus there was about $90 in it. We back-tracked, looked everywhere we could think of and no luck. What a mess.
We went home to start the long process. In about half an hour the doorbell rang. The police! Oops, what have we done wrong? Lt. Joiner with the Marion County Sheriff’s office flashed a familiar driver’s license at us. The wallet was found on the side of the road by a retired Army helicopter pilot, who went to great measures to turn it in to the sheriff’s office.
Naturally, the wallet was intact. Hey, it’s Christmas!
That’s when things like this happen. It’s much appreciated.
Paul Marker,
Dunnellon

Kiwanis thanks community for Red Kettle support
The Kiwanis Club of Dunnellon wishes to thank the many people of the Dunnellon area who contributed their time and resources. Their generosity helped make this year’s Red Kettle Campaign a financial success.
This campaign has been conducted by the Kiwanis Club every year since 1984.
Kiwanis appreciates that Winn Dixie, Walgreens, Walmart, Woods Barber Shop and Blue Run Bicycles permitted Kiwanis to use their property to conduct the drive. In addition, thank you to Cadence Bank for counting the funds collected.
Without the help of the many people and organizations, the success of this campaign would not have been possible.
Bill Laterza
Kiwanis Club of Dunnellon
Chairman, Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign

Thanks to all for Tree Lighting ceremony
The city of Dunnellon coordinated and revived this year’s Light Up Dunnellon, and I was extremely thankful for everyone’s participation on Friday, Dec. 9, making this event a success. 
Dunnellon Community Choir kicked off this special night and entertained us throughout the ceremony with their outstanding vocals led by David Thomas, choir director. Following Mayor Fred Ward’s welcome, Pastor Eddie Fulford of the First United Methodist Church of Dunnellon, delivered a profound invocation followed by Councilwoman Lynne McAndrew lighting the now 20-foot Christmas Tree.
Oh my how it has grown! I remember when we planted that 5-foot tree after the construction of the new city hall. Councilwoman Penny Fleeger then kicked off the decorating of the tree followed by all of the city departments, Chamber of Commerce and businesses.
I would like to express our gratitude to Harmony Pre-School, Ready Set Go Day Care and Dream, Believe, Achieve Learning Center for their participation. It was such an enjoyable sight to watch as the children adorned the tree with their hand-made decorations.
Prior to the arrival of Santa Claus, Vice Mayor F.C. Stark provided closing comments and expressed his gratitude to all the participants and guests. Dr. Abraham Robinson, pastor of the New Second Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, then closed our ceremony with an eloquent benediction helping to remind us of the true meaning of Christmas.
We are very appreciative of the food and beverage donations provided during the event by Carmela’s Restaurant, Simply Seafood, The Bakery, Pizza Joint and the Chamber of Commerce. The evening would not have been a success without the decorations donated by Walmart and city employee Dan Adams. City employee Anthony Santacross displayed his creativity once again by making a star for the top of our tree.
Thank you to city employee Mandy Roberts for donating goodie bags to all the kids (who) attended the event.  I would also like to thank city employees Michelle Leonard, Frances Daniel, Mike Goff and Eddie and Angie Esch for their help in coordinating, participating and cleaning up after the event.
As always, thank you to Jeff Bryan and the Riverland News for their coverage of this joy filled night.
Merry Christmas to All,
Dawn M. Bowne
City Clerk

Businesses, chamber launch adopt-a-classroom
Let’s help our teachers educate our youth. Our kids are our future. Our teachers are doing their part. Now it’s our turn to help. There are many kids who want to learn but without the basic supplies, they are behind the 8 ball before they even get started. Especially now with the state cutting the education budget more and more each year. We are teaming up with Dunnellon Elementary School.
By adopting a class, we can help our teachers, it can be as simple as supplying a few students in the class you adopt with the basic learning tools like paper and pencils or crayons or a folder, or as much as helping keep a teacher’s class room always stocked with everything they need.
You can give your adopted class’s teacher a gift card each month to help curb the cost of extra supplies for science projects or general needs. Or work with the teacher on an as need bases. It will be a personal choice between you and the teacher of the classroom you adopt. You can adopt a class through your business, as an individual, family group or civic organization. You can adopt the classroom your kids or grandkids are in.
Viola Soffe with the Stitch Niche and Beverly Leisure with the Chamber of Commerce are teaming up for this cause. I have already spoken to several different businesses here in town and they are ready to help.
Personal Mini Storage, AAA Roofing, Volunteer Thrift and Dunnellon Thrift stores are already signed up plus several individuals have agreed to help. If this is a challenge you are ready to take on till the end of the school year, call and say “Sign Me Up.”
I will be more than happy to add your name to the list. Call the Stitch Niche at 465-8000 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays or 352-445-0728, anytime. We are planning a get together for the teachers and you to meet in early January.
Viole Soffe
Dunnellon

Instructor thanks all for wonderful luncheon
I would like to give a big Happy Holidays to all of my Senior Water Aerobics exercise classes and the 70 of you who participated in my annual Christmas luncheon. We had a delightful time.
I would also like to thank Don of Bentleys Restaurant for a wonderful buffet and great service.
The participation of our Dunnellon businesses for promotional incentives to our senior citizens was extremely generous. They were: Pets Plus, Go for Donuts, Captain Bob’s Airboat Tours, The Blue Gator, John Simms Singing Tours, China House, Dunkin Donuts, Local Legends Sports Grill, Pavarotti’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, Subway, Ye Old Sub & Pizza Pub, Sonic, China Wok Restaurant, Too Your Health Spa II, Behind Closed Doors Ministry, Cherise Blair, Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics, Bentley’s Restaurant, Owens Produce, Walmart, Winn Dixie, Sweet Bay, Fans Are a Breeze, The Dunnellon Turner House Florist, Vernon Martin Salon, N 2 Style, Illusions of U, Bellisima By Zory, Patsy & Company Salon, Dunnellon Meat & Grocery, Rainbow Jewelers, The Bakery, Scissors Hairstyling, Fingers and Toes by Melissa, Myriam’s Restaurant and Face the Day Clinical Skin Care by Elaine.
As promised I told the attendees where all of you are located and hope everyone else in the area will shop local. Thank you to everyone who participated to make this a success.
Beverly Simmons,
Water Aerobics Instructor
Too Your Health Spa II