Veterans Notes for the week of Feb. 19 to 24

Due to space considerations, the Veterans Notes sometimes contain only basic information regarding each post. For more information about scheduled activities, meals and more for a specific post, call or email that post at the contact listed.

+ The Citrus County Chapter of SCORE, in conjunction with the Veterans Fast Launch Initiative Program, will offer a free small business institute workshop for veterans. Veterans who are in business or planning to start a business qualify for this program. The workshop starts at 6 p.m. Friday, March 9, at the College of Central Florida Citrus Campus. The seminar will run for 11 weeks.
To apply, visit www.vetsfastlaunch.org\coupon-signup, print the coupon and call the college at 352-249-1210 and register for the workshop. Bring the coupon to the first meeting. The cost of the workshop is $100 and will be completely covered by the coupon.
For more information, call SCORE at 352-249-1236.

+ The U.S. Air Force is looking for prior enlisted men and women from all services interested in both direct duty assignments in previously obtained career fields or retraining into select career fields. Some of the careers include aircraft electronics/mechanical areas, cyber operation fields, and various other specialties. Enlisted career openings that include the opportunities to retrain consist of special operations positions and unmanned aerial vehicle.
Assignment locations are based on Air Force needs.
For more information, call 352-476-4915.

+ Citrus County Veterans Coalition has a new building holding freezers, refrigerators and all necessary requirements to provide food to veterans in need. Food donations and volunteers are always welcomed and needed.
The CCVC is on the DAV property in Inverness at the corner of Paul and Independence, off U.S. 41 north. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Appointments are encouraged by calling 727-492-0292.
CCVC general meetings are at 10 a.m. the fourth Thursday monthly at the DAV building in Inverness. All active duty and honorably discharged veterans, their spouses, widows and widowers, along with other veterans’ organizations and current coalition members are welcome. Members are encouraged to attend general meetings.
Annual membership donation is $10 for a calendar year or $25 for three years. The CCVC is a nonprofit corporation, and your donations are tax deductible. Current members should check their membership card for expiration dates, and renew with Gary Williamson at 352-527-4537, or at the meeting. Visit www.ccvcfl.org.

+ Blanton–Thompson American Legion Post 155, 6585 W. Gulf-to-Lake Highway, Crystal River.
All are welcome to join the post for a 4077 M*A*S*H fundraiser costume party at the post beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Dinner of open-face roast beef sandwiches and sides will be served at 5 p.m.; cost is $10. Entertainment will be by J&S starting at 6 p.m.
For information about the post and its activities, call Cmdr. Jay Conti Sr. at 352-795-6526 or visit www.post155.org.

+ American Legion Auxiliary Unit 155 meets at 7:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month at the post. The American Legion Auxiliary is the world’s largest women’s patriotic service organization with nearly 1 million members in 10,100 communities. The principles of the American Legion Auxiliary are to serve veterans, their families and the community.
Eligibility in the Auxiliary is open to mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, granddaughters, great-granddaughters or grandmothers of members of the American Legion and of deceased veterans who served during war time (also stepchildren); stepchildren; and female veterans who served during war time. Call Unit President Shawn Mikulas, 352-503-5325, or membership chairman Barbara Logan, 352-795-4233.
For more information, call Unit President Shawn Mikulas, 352-503-5325, or Barbara Logan, 352-795-4233.

+ H.F. Nesbitt VFW Post 10087, Beverly Hills, offers meals, bingo, golf, karaoke and pool. Review the monthly newsletter for activities and updates, and call the post at 352-746-0440. The VFW Post 10087 is off County Road 491, directly behind Superior Bank.
The Ladies Auxiliary will host a Chinese auction fundraiser on Saturday, March 3. Doors will open at 10 a.m. and drawings will begin at 1 p.m. Admission is $2.50 to benefit the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, which instills in students the value of citizenship service to the U.S., personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.
Hot dogs will be available for $1, as well as free dessert and coffee. For more information, call Bettie at 352-746-1989 or Donna at 352-746-5215.

+ Edward W. Penno VFW Post 4864, 10199 N. Citrus Springs Blvd., Citrus Springs, 352-465-4864. Wi Fi is now available at the post; bring your laptop or any other item that will access the Internet and enjoy the free service.
All are welcome to the pork chop dinner from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24 at the post. Cost is $8.
Information regarding any post events is available at the post or call 352-465-4864.

+ Disabled American Veterans Chapter No. 70 meets at 2 p.m. the second Tuesday monthly at the chapter hall, 1039 N. Paul Drive, Inverness, at the intersection of Independence Highway and U.S. 41. The chapter hall is on the corner of Independence Highway and Paul Drive.
We thank veterans for their service and welcome any disabled veteran to join us from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. any Tuesday or Thursday at the chapter hall. This is also the time that we accept donated nonperishable foods for our continuing food drive.

Our main function is to assist disabled veterans and their families when we are able. Anyone who knows a disabled veteran or their family who requires assistance is asked to call Commander Richard Floyd 727-492-0290, Ken Stewart at 352-419-0207, or 352-344-3464.
Service Officer Joe McClister is available to assist any veteran or dependents with their disability claim by appointment. Call 352-344-3464 and leave a message.
Ambulatory veterans who wish to schedule an appointment for transportation to the VA medical center in Gainesville should call the veterans’ service office at 352-527-5915. Mobility challenged veterans who wish to schedule an appointment for transportation to the VA medical center in Gainesville may call the Citrus County Transit office for wheelchair transportation; call 352-527-7630.
For more information about chapter activities, veterans’ benefits or membership, Call Ken Stewart at 352-419-0207; leave a message, if desired, should the machine answer.

+ Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Unit No. 70 meets at 2 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at the chapter hall, 1039 N. Paul Drive, Inverness.
The auxiliary plans a visit to the VA nursing home(s) and needs toiletry items such as packaged razors, combs, hairbrushes, toothbrushes, shampoos and deodorant to fill ditty bags, They are also accepting cotton material and yarn to make ditty bags, lap robes, wheelchair and walker bags for disabled veterans.
The auxiliary membership has grown to include many more extended families. Call Auxiliary Commander Linda Brice at 352-560-3867 or Adjutant Lynn Armitage at 352-341-5334 for information.

+ Eugene Quinn VFW Post 4337 and Ladies Auxiliary, 906 State Road 44 E., Inverness.
The public is welcome to join the post family for the annual Chili/Cornbread Cook-off and Chinese Auction Sunday, Feb. 26. Doors open at 1 p.m.; judging at 2 p.m. with prizes for first-, second- and third-place winners.
Auction tickets go on sale at 1 p.m. with drawings to pick the winners at 3 p.m.
Stop by the canteen and pick up a current monthly calendar.
Call the post at 352-344-3495 for information about all weekly post activities, or visit www.vfw4337.org.

+ The American Legion Wall-Rives Post 58 and Auxiliary, 10730 U.S. 41, Dunnellon.
Dunnellon Young Marines will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesdays.
Free AARP tax services will be available 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through April 11. For more information, call Wayne Sloan at 352-489-5066.
The public is welcome at bingo at 6 p.m. Thursdays.
For information about activities and the post, call Carl Boos at 352-489-3544.

+ Rolling Thunder Chapter 7, a POW/MIA awareness group, meets at 10 a.m. second Saturday at the VFW Post 10087 in Beverly Hills. Call Bob Bruno, secretary, at 352-201-1228.

+ A Marine Corps League Ladies Auxiliary Citrus Unit meets at 1 p.m. the third Tuesday monthly at the VFW in Beverly Hills. New members are welcome. Membership fee is $30 a year. Female relatives ages 16 or older who are a wife, widow, mother, stepmother, sister, daughter, stepdaughter, grandmother, granddaughter, aunt or daughter-in-law of honorably discharged Marines and FMF Corpsmen are eligible to belong to the Marine Corps League. Female Marines (former, active and reserves) and associate members are eligible for MCLA membership. Call President Elaine Spikes at 352-860-2400 or Secretary/Treasurer Joan Cecil at 352-726-0834 for information.

+ Hunger and Homeless Coalition — Anyone who knows of a homeless veteran in need of food, haircut, voter ID, food stamps, medical assistance or more blankets is asked to call Ed Murphy at the Hunger and Homeless Coalition at 352-
382-0876, or pass along this phone number to the veteran.

+ Leroy Rooks Jr. VFW Post 4252 and Ladies Auxiliary 3190 N. Carl G. Rose Highway, State Road 200, Hernando; 352-726-3339. Send emails to vfw4252@tampabay.rr.com.
Everyone is welcome. Post and auxiliary meet at 6:30 p.m. every second Thursday.
Post honor guard is available for funerals, flag raisings and nursing home visits.
The public is welcome to the Friday night dinner and dance at 5 p.m.
See our post activities: Google us as VFW 4252, Hernando.

+ Dumas-Hartson VFW Post 8189 is on West Veterans Drive, west of U.S. 19 between Crystal River and Homosassa. Call 352-795-5012.
VFW membership is open to men and women veterans who have participated in an overseas campaign, including service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Korean Campaign medal remains open, as well. Call the post at the phone number above for information.

+ Joe Nic Barco Memorial VFW Post 7122, 8191 S. Florida Ave., Floral City. For information about the post and its activities, call 352-637-0100.
Friday is AUCE fish or three-piece chicken for $7.

+ American Legion, Beverly Hills Memorial Post 237, 4077 N. Lecanto Highway, in the Beverly Plaza, invites all eligible veterans and their families to visit our post and consider joining our Legion family: American Legion, Sons of the American Legion (SAL), or American Legion Auxiliary (ALA). Color Guard/Honor Guard accepting volunteers.
Beverly Hills Memorial American Legion Post 237, by approval of its Executive Board on Jan. 22, and by those members present at the Jan. 26 general membership meeting, has changed its regular meeting time to 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday monthly beginning Tuesday, Feb. 28. Contact the post at 352-
746-5018 for more information.
American Legion Riders Chapter now being formed. Visit the post for printed schedule or visit the website at www.post237.org. For information, call the post at 352-746-5018.

+ The Korean War Veterans Association, Citrus Chapter 192 meets at the VFW Post 10087, Beverly Hills, at 1 p.m. the first Tuesday monthly. Any veteran who has seen honorable service in any of the Armed Forces of the U.S. is eligible for membership if said service was within Korea, including territorial waters and airspace, at any time from Sept. 3, 1945, to the present or if said service was outside of Korea from June 25, 1950, to Jan. 31, 1955. For information, call Hank Butler at 352-563-2496, Neville Anderson at 352-344-2529 or Bob Hermanson at 352-489-0728.

+ Allen-Rawls American Legion Post 77 and Auxiliary Unit 77 meet the first Thursday monthly at the Inverness Highlands Civic Center at 4375 Little Al Point Road, Inverness. Call Post Cmdr. Norman Brumett at 352-860-2981 or Auxiliary president Marie Cain at 352-637-5915.
The post will host a dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the center. On the menu are creamy onion soup, cabbage soup, baked steak with mushroom gravy, baked chicken mashed potatoes, green beans, candied carrots, dinner rolls, assorted desserts, coffee, iced tea and soda. Cost is $8; children younger than 10 eat for $4.
Entertainment will be provided by Bernie at the keyboard. Profits from the dinner will be used to support the American Legion programs such as for children and youths, Boys State, Boy Scouts, Americanism, school medals and more. For more information, call Post Cmdr. Norman Brumett at 352-860-2981 or 352-476-2134, or the day of the dinner at 352-726-0444.

+ U.S. Submarine Veterans (USSVI)-Sturgeon Base meets at 11 a.m. the first Saturday monthly at the American Legion Post 155, 6585 W. Gulf-to-Lake Highway, Crystal River. Visitors and interested parties are always welcome. Call Base Cmdr. Billy Wein at 352-726-5926.
n American Legion Post 166 meets 1:30 p.m., first Saturday monthly at the Dumas-Hartson VFW Post 8189 Ladies Auxiliary facility on Veterans Drive, Homosassa, on the west side of U.S. 19 at Dixon’s Auto Sales across from Harley-Davidson. We meet in the small building to the left of the main building. All former and current post members, as well as all interested veterans, are cordially invited to be a part of American Legion Post 166.
For information about the post or the American Legion, call and leave a message for the post commander at 352-697-1749. Your call will be returned within 24 to 48 hours.
 

+ Seabee Veterans of America (SVA) Island X-23 welcomes all Seabees and Honeybees to its monthly meeting at 10:30 a.m. the third Tuesday monthly at Citrus Hills Country Club, Rose and Crown restaurant, Citrus Hills. Call John Lowe at 352-344-4702.

+ Citrus 40/8 Voiture 1219 and Cabane 1219 conducts its meetings at 7 p.m. the second Thursday monthly at the American Legion Post 155 on State Road 44 in Crystal River (6585 E. Gulf-to-Lake Highway). For more information about the 40/8, call the Chef De Gare Tom Smith at 352-601-3612; for the Cabane, call La Presidente Carol Kaiserian at 352-746-1959; or visit us on the Web at www.Post155.org.

+ Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) meets at 2 p.m. the third Tuesday of January, March, May, July, September and November. All combat-wounded veterans, lineal descendants, next of kin, spouses and siblings of Purple Heart recipients are cordially invited to attend and to join the ranks of Chapter 776. To learn more about Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 MOPH, visit the chapter’s website at www.citruspurpleheart.org or call 352-382-3847.

+ Marine Corps League, Samuel R. Wall Detachment 1139 will conduct its regular meeting at 7 p.m. the third Wednesday monthly at DAV Post 70 in Inverness at the intersection of Independence Highway and U.S. 41 North. All Marines are welcome. Call Jerry Cecil at 352-726-0834 or Wayne Howard at 352-634-5254.

+ Marine Corps League Citrus Detachment 819 meets at 7 p.m. the last Thursday monthly at VFW Post 10087 on Vet Lane in Beverly Hills, behind Superior Bank. Social hour follows. All Marines and FMF Corpsmen are welcome. Meet new friends and discuss past glories. Call Morgan Patterson at 352-746-1135, Ted Archambault at 352-382-0462 or Bion St. Bernard at 352-697-2389.

+ Gilley-Long-Osteen VFW Post 8698 is at 520 State Road 40 E., Inglis, one mile east of U.S. 19. The Men’s Auxiliary meets at 7 p.m. the second Monday. LAVFW meets at 5 p.m. and the membership meeting is at 6:30 p.m. the third Wednesday at the post.
Call the post at 352-447-3495 for information about the post and its activities.

+ Fleet Reserve Association, Branch 186 will meet at 3 p.m. the third Thursday monthly at the DAV Building, Independence Highway and U.S. 41 North, Inverness. Call Bob Huscher, secretary, at 352-344-0727.
 

+ American Legion Herbert Surber Post 225 meets at 7 p.m. the third Thursday monthly at the New Testament Baptist Church of Floral City, 9850 S. Parkside Ave. adjoining Floral Park, southeast side. All eligible veterans are welcome to join.

+ Landing Ship Dock (LSD) sailors meet at Denny’s in Crystal River at 2 p.m. the fourth Thursday monthly. Call Jimmie at 352-621-0617.

+ Suncoast U.S. Navy Armed Guard and Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II meetings for 2012 will be at 11:30 a.m. at Kally K’s restaurant in Spring Hill on the following dates: March 10, April 14, May 12, Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10 and Dec. 8.