News Briefs: April 28

OTOW Lions Club major fundraiser

Where can you go for $40 and get $300 in fun money for the casino tables, have great snacks from WaWa, a cash bar and a chance to win a 65-inch Smart TV, a Spirits Wagon, a 50/50 drawing, a $100 money tree and lots of beautiful baskets? The answer is the On Top of the World (OTOW) Lions Club Casino Night on April 30. All of this will be held from 5-8 p.m. at the Town Circle Square Cultural Center.

For OTOW residents, tickets are available on Tuesday at the Recreation Center Craft Fair (you can also see some beautiful crafts from 9 a.m. to noon). On Thursdays, the public and residents can purchase tickets at the OTOW Farmers Market at the Square from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. You may also purchase tickets at Ameris Bank at Heathbrook, First Federal Bank at Circle Square, Scott Cameron Insurance on State Road 200, or call Lions Charlie Hassett at 352-291-2628 and Estelle Michelson at 352-895-7598.

Funds from this event will go to help children and veterans in Marion County. You don’t want to miss this fun event. We serve with kindness.

Master Gardeners spring plant sale

Marion County Master Gardeners present their annual spring plant sale from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 13, at the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala. Admission is free. Bring your own wagon.

Payments accepted by cash, check or credit card.

Native plants, herbs and perennials, pollinator plants, hummingbird and butterfly plants are on offer.

Master Gardeners are available for consultations.

A mobile plant clinic, soil test kits and melaleuca mulch vouchers are available. No pets, please.

For more information, call 352-671-8400.

Historic Home & Garden Tour

The Historic Ocala Preservation Society hosts its annual Historic Home & Garden Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 13. Six historic homes will be available for viewing around two of Ocala’s downtown Historic Districts. The starting location is 712 E. Fort King St., Ocala.

Guests will have the opportunity to purchase separate tickets (in limited quantity) for three one-hour workshops on floral arranging, candle-making, and how to create a festive charcuterie board. Workshops are at the Bryant House alongside local vendors who will have floral arrangements and gift items on display and for sale.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase at select locations.

Tickets are $25 and are available for purchase online at SpringHomeandGardenTour.eventbrite.com and in person at Your Hearts Desire, 915 E. Silver Springs Boulevard.

For more information, call 352-843-7540 or email hops-admin@historicocala.org.

Joy Lutheran next concert in series

Join us at Joy Lutheran Church for an afternoon of amazing singing by our very own Paul Hyatt. Take a musical tour of Europe and the UK with songs by Handel, Ralph Vaughn Williams, and Fauré (among others!) as well as some powerful selections from a few musicals: Les Miserables, Joseph, and West Side Story, to name a few. This is an event you won’t want to miss!

As always, concert admission is free, and all of our events are open to the public.

The concert is 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, at Joy Lutheran Church Sanctuary, 7045 SW 83rd Place, Ocala.

Church hosts day picnic, car show

Joy Evangelical Lutheran Church The Way is hosting Olde Fashioned Day Picnic Cruise In and Car Show from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 29.

Free food – yes, everything is free!

Live entertainment, face painting, games for all ages are available. All are welcome!

It’s located at 7045 SW 83rd Place, Ocala, off Southwest State Road 200.

Marion County Genealogy Society June meeting

The Marion County Genealogy Society invites you to attend our monthly educational meeting from 2-4 p.m. on June 15. We’re back, live and in person, at the Marion County Library at 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd. Room C!

This month’s program is “How to Research Local Records” presented by Arnold Davis. Mr. Davis focuses on Marion County and Ocala Records, but his approach works well in any community!

Please visit our website and register for this event.

Contact the Marion County Genealogy Society at 352-897-0840 and visit www.mcgsocala.org.

General Francis Marion Stamp Club

The General Francis Marion Stamp Club is meeting at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, at the sheriff’s substation, 9048 SW State Road 200. All stamp collectors, young and old, and those interested in sharing collections they have acquired are welcome to join us.

We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. For more information, contact Elliot at elliotn27@aol.com.

Ocala Youth Symphony Spring Concert

You are invited to the 24th Spring Concert of the Ocala Youth Symphony!

Come join us for an afternoon of magic as our musicians play classical works and contemporary pieces.

Our concert will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, at First Christian Church 1908 E. Fort King St. Ocala, in the sanctuary.

Concerts are free and open to the public, so bring a friend!

A love offering will be accepted.

Free clothing at church

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church is giving free clothing items to our friends in need from 10 a.m. to noon May 6. The church is on State Road 200 in Ocala.

Olde-fashioned day picnic, cruise-in, car show

Joy Lutheran Church and The Way are hosting an old-fashioned cruise-in and car show from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 29. The church is at the corner of Southwest State Road 200 and Southwest 83rd Place in Ocala.

Free food and games and live entertainment. Enjoy free fun for all ages!

VFW Post 4781 activities

Angela S. Santos VFW Post 4781 is at 9401 SW 110th St. Follow us on Facebook at Angela Santos VFW Post 4781. For information on any activities, call the Post at 352-873-4781.

Activities open to public:

Sunday brunch is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday for only $6 to $10. Menu items include: eggs, bacon, sausage patty, omelets, hash browns, toast, french toast, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwich with cheese and bacon or sausage, spaghetti and meatballs, meatball sub with chips, hamburger with cheese lettuce, tomato and/or onion and chips.

Bingo is 11 a.m. every Monday. Doors open at 9 a.m. Bring your snacks, lunch and beverage. Come out and enjoy the day, make new friends and maybe even win a game.

Wednesday lunches are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday dinners are 4:30-6:30 p.m. Price and menu varies.

The Banquet Hall is available to rent for that special occasion.

Honor Guard is available to provide military honors to fallen veterans.

Activities for members:

Dart League is 6 p.m. every Monday.

Show Me the Post is 1-3 p.m. every Tuesday.

Queen of Hearts drawing is 7 p.m. every Wednesday.

Horseshoe Competition is 1 p.m. every Saturday.

Bowling League is 2 p.m. every Sunday.

Friday entertainment: April 28 – Randy Stanley.

VFW meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month.

Auxiliary meetings are held at 6 p.m. the second Thursday of the month.

For more information on any activities, please call the Post at 352-873-4781.

Ocala Blue Star Mothers meet monthly

The Ocala Blue Star Mothers meet at 6 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month on the second floor of Arena 1 at the World Equestrian Center. For information, call Anne Parker at 843-504-0032. This is an organization for mothers of active duty military and veterans. See our website: https://ocalabluestarmothers.org

American Legion 354 starting auxiliary

If you’re a wife, daughter or sister of a veteran or husband of a veteran, post 354 of the American Legion is going to start an auxiliary. Please call Anne Parker at 843-504-0032 for information. The website is: www.alafl.org. The Post is at 10411 SW 110th St.

Ladies Night Out event in Ocala

North Central Florida Media is hosting the second Ladies Night Out from 4-8 p.m. Friday April 28, at the College of Central Florida Vintage Farm located at 4020 SE Third Ave., Ocala.

For a $10 admission, guests 21 and older may sip on two complimentary drinks, shop with market vendors, indulge in mini spa services, snap a free selfie photo, snack on light hors d’oeuvres and register to win Morgan Wallen and Bryan Adams concert tickets.

A full list of vendors can be viewed at www.937kcountry.com or windfm.com.

Brick City Brewers meet monthly

Do you enjoy beer, cider or mead? Are you interested in learning how these delicious beverages are made? Have you always wanted to make your own? Are you already a home brewer looking to share recipes or learn new techniques?

The Brick City Brewers, Ocala’s “original” home brewing club, meets monthly to share home brewed drinks, knowledge and recipes. We also raise money for charity events and participate in a number of beer festivals throughout the year. Come visit us at our next club meeting. All levels of interest and expertise are welcome!

For more information, check us out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/brickcitybrewers or e-mail us at brickcitybrewers2010@gmail.com.

Our next club meeting is at 4:30 p.m. on May 7 at Big Hammock Brewery & Bites, 103 SE 1st Ave., Ocala.

Barbershop quartets live at Ocala Civic Theatre

ACT 4–Ocala Civic Theatre, Inc. announces its spring fundraising event at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 10.

Join us as we present the Barbergators Chorus and Quartets featuring the Time Of Our Lives Quartet, highlighting a program of classic barbershop with a touch of doo-wop, gospel, pop, and comedy.

The Barbergators Chorus is a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the largest all-male singing organization in the world. They have been entertaining in the Gainesville area for more than forty years and regularly sing as part of the Arts in Medicine program at Shands Children’s Hospital.

This afternoon of entertainment will be held onstage at 2 p.m. on June 10 at Ocala Civic Theatre.

Tickets go on sale May 8 at $23 for adults and $10 for ages 18 and younger.

Buy tickets over the phone at 352-236-2274 or in person at the OCT box office from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. To buy online at any time, visit www.ocalacivictheatre.com.

Discover power of plants at new Discovery Center exhibit

The Discovery Center’s newest exhibit, Plantastic, is open to the public through Saturday, May 6, at the Discovery Center, 701 NE Sanchez Ave., Ocala. The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Follow Bobbi the Botanist on an adventure to see all the ways that plants power our world. Check out the mini hedge maze and be the insect in the larger-than-life flower garden.

General admission to the Discovery Center is $8 per person or $28 for a family of four. Annual memberships are also available for individuals and families. Additional educational opportunities include, StarLab Planetarium shows from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and STEAM Saturdays are available at 2 p.m. for a $3 add-on to the price of general admission.

For information, call 352-401-3900 or visit the Discovery Center page at www.ocalafl.org.

New meeting time for Toastmasters group

Southwestern Marion Toastmasters Club #1377184 is changing their meeting time to 3:30-4:30 p.m. the first and third Wednesdays of the month. We’re returning to in-person meetings at the Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall at 5200 SW College Road, Ocala (State Road 200, across from the BMW dealership).

There are many excellent reasons to join a Toastmaster Club. If you find yourself with leadership and communication challenges as a leader, it’s a great place to learn how to conduct a meeting, communicate clearly and lead skillfully. Some members love to brush up on and maintain speaking and leadership skills. Others just enjoy the camaraderie and fellowship from the open communication and testing of ideas that are part of every club.

Southwestern Marion Toastmasters invites you to join us. Contact David Wesenberg at dwesenberg3@cfl.rr.com for more information about how to get started.

Circle Square Commons farmers market

Circle Square Commons is hosting a weekly farmers market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday. The market is in On Top of the World at 8405 SW 80th St., Ocala.

Local chapter of Florida Sewing Sew-Ciety

Looking for a friendly, general sewing group to sew clothes, accessories, home/gift items and charity projects? We’re the Ocala Chapter of the Florida Sewing Sew-Ciety (FSS), a state-wide organization.

The annual membership is $20. All levels of sewing are welcome.

We meet at 8:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at 9048 SW State Road 200, Ocala (located at the back of the Sheriff’s Substation near the entrance to the Oak Run Community).

If you’d like more information, please contact us at chenry@atlantic.net.

Ocala Lions Club meetings

Ocala Lions Club meets from noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday at the Ocala Golf Club, 3130 E. Silver Springs Blvd.

Newcomers are welcome; membership is not required in the golf club. Call David Leigh at 352-425-2865.

American Legion meetings

American Legion Post 354 meets every third Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the West Marion Moose Lodge, 10411 SW 110th St., Dunnellon.

For information, call Commander Roy Hofer at 352-322-1422.

South Ocala Chess Club at Freedom Library

The South Ocala Chess Club meets 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Friday morning at Freedom Library. The club has really grown in recent months and we usually have at least 8 to 10 players. Players of all ages are welcome.

All levels of skill are welcome. A number of the regular players are experienced or intermediate level players.

Please bring a chess set, if you have one.

For information, call Rich at 321-514-1073. The club also has a group page on Facebook and at Chess.com.

SW 200 Corridor Quilt Guild

The SW 200 Corridor Quilt Guild meets from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the second and fourth Friday of each month at the Southwest District Sheriff’s Office (9048 SW State Road 200). Our mission is to enhance the growth and knowledge of the “art of quilting” through the inspiration, creativity, and friendship of its members by sharing quilting techniques and patterns through active participation in teaching/learning with one another. All level quilters are welcome.

For more information, email us at sw200corridorquilters@gmail.com.

Recruiting, retention free seminars

North Central Florida Media is hosting a series of free seminars to help business owners and managers lower turnover using radio for employee recruitment and retention. The seminars will be held at the following dates and locations:

May 16, 8:30-11 a.m., at the College of Central Florida Klein Conference Center in Ocala

May 17, 8:30-11 a.m. at the UF Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Gainesville

May 18, 8:30-11 a.m. at the Wildwood Community Center in Wildwood

The dynamic Chris Stonick of Stonick Recruitment will explain how to increase the effectiveness of your online recruitment site, increase employee morale, and more. Stonick is a nationally-recognized radio retention, recognition and recruitment thought leader. Attendees can earn two free SHRM PDCs or SPDCs.

Registration is free at www.ncfmgroup.com/recruit. For more information, call 352-622-5600.

Free food every Thursday at church outreach center

Revealing Truth Ministries Outreach Christian Center offers fresh food from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday. We are blessed to be a blessing to our community each week: no questions asked.

For information, call 352-209-7515.

The center is at 7575 SW 62nd Court, Ocala.

Line dance classes

Intermediate level line dance classes are offered from 3-4 p.m. every Wednesday at H2U above Bank OZK of Ocala on State Road 200 (8375 SW S.R. 200).

Museum of History & Archaeology events

All programs begin at 2 p.m. the third Sunday of odd months in Green Clover Hall at 319 SE 26th Terrace. Receptions following the programs in the museum itself. Admission is free to members and $5 to nonmembers. Individual and family memberships are available for sale at events.

May 21 – Robert Jacob, author/historian, speaks on the Pirates of the Florida coastline and the golden age of piracy.

July 16 – Dr. Joe Knetsch, historian and author of many books, speaks on the maritime heritage of Florida, including the history of St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers.

Church lists services

Christ’s Church of Marion County invites you to join us every Sunday. Services begin each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School classes for all ages. We offer four adult classes on a variety of topics. A synopsis of each class is available on our website.

Our Worship Service begins at 10:30 a.m. with our praise team leading a blend of familiar hymns of the church as well as contemporary praise songs with a full praise band.

This Sunday, April 30, is Family Day – and will also be “Country Sunday.” We encourage you to wear your “country best and celebrate Jesus.” Dr. Ray Hawkins, Elder will continue the series book of 1 John with a message to inspire you. The Christ’s Church Worship Choir will also present special music.

On May 7, lead pastor Ray Burhart continues the sermon series from the book of 1 John with a message to inspire and challenge all. Children ages 6 weeks through grade 5 meet in Children’s Classes under the direction of Katie Davenport, Children’s Director.

Christ’s Church of Marion County is located at 6768 SW 80th St. – just off State Road 200. For more information on all our events or for directions, visit our website at www.ccomc.org or contact the church office at 352-861-6182.