MEMBER MICRONEWS

 

YOUTH VILLA LUNCHEON IS MAY 20, 2015
The annual Youth Villa Luncheon will be held on May 20, 2015 at the Bartow Civic Center. Catered by Curly Tails, the cost is $10.00. per person. Rotary and other Civic Clubs have agreed to use the luncheon as their meeting date. Andy Bean, the PGA tour golfer is keynote speaker.  During the luncheon, long-time Villa Golf Tournament player Herb Dixon, who is 95 years old, will be honored. Dixon has played in the Villa every year except the year he was inducted into the African American Golfer Hall of Fame in 2012. Emcee is Sheriff Grady Judd. For more information, please call Karen B. Guffey, (863) 533-3131.

EXCEL CLASSES LISTED FOR POLK STATE COLLEGE
CLEAR SPRINGS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Microsoft Excel 2013 $159 per student per level Level 1: April 15th       8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Enter & edit data, labels & formulas; work with functions; format cells; format & print worksheets; create charts Level 2: April 22nd      8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Work with large worksheets; use 3-D formulas; apply special cell formatting; sort & filter lists; use Excel's auditing features; work with templates Level 3: April 29th       8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Create nested functions, create combination charts & trendlines; export/import data; create PivotTables & PivotCharts; perform what-if analyses; use Goal Seek and Solver utilities; record macros All classes held on Wednesdays at: ATC-1125  Advanced Technology Center at Clear Springs Polk State College, Bartow Campus

Don't Miss Main Street's New and Improved Farmers' Market
Main Street Bartow has launched its new Wednesday Farmers Market at Fort Blount Park, at the corner of Main Street and Broadway Avenue in downtown Bartow. The market will be held each Wednesday from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. The vendor fee for a 12’ x 12’ space is $20.00 per Wednesday paid monthly in advance, or $25 on an occasional basis. For further information or a Farmers Market Vendor Form, contact Main Street Bartow at 863-519-0508, or email lsimpson@mainstreetbartowfl.com.
     Are you interested in investing in the Main Street Bartow Mission? It's easy to join Main Street Bartow, click here. Be sure to tell them you heard it from the Chamber!

YOU CAN RENEW YOUR DL IN BARTOW!
     The Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles introduces Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW), which is available at DMAR Business Centers USA, LLC. DMAR, located at 300 E. Summerlin Street, Bartow, 33830, will play host to FLOW the third Wednesday of each month for the next four months, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For a list of what documentation you may need, visit www.gathergoget.com or call (850) 617-3995. FLOW 2015 scheduled dates for Bartow are: April 15, May 13, June 17, July 15. For information call (352) 284-0039.
 
2015 CARILLON CLASSIC
     Runners and walkers who plan to compete in the 2015 Carillon Classic 5K Run & Walk on Saturday, May 2 at Bok Tower Gardens must register on or before Wednesday, April 8 to take advantage of a $5 early registration discount and to be guaranteed a dri-fit style t-shirt.     
     The deadline for creating or joining a team also is April 8.
     The early registration fee is $25 for adults and $15 for students in grades 1 through 12 and includes a guarantee of a Carillon Classic t-shirt. After April 8, the fee increases by $5 and the t-shirt cannot be guaranteed. There is no extra cost to form a new team or join an existing one. The fee includes a one-day pass to Bok Tower Gardens on race day for runners/walkers and members of their families.
     For details on the Carillon Classic 5K, including registration forms for both individual and team competition, go to <http://www.fprapolk.org/calendar-page/2015-carillon-classic-5k-run-walk/>.
     Runners and walkers can also register on the day of the race starting at 6:30 am, with the race starting at 7:30 am sharp, rain or shine.
     The 2015 corporate sponsor list currently includes Mosaic, Watson Clinic, the Bike Shop Sebring and Cheryl Beckert State Farm Insurance. Prospective corporate sponsors can make a commitment or obtain information on the various levels of sponsorship by calling Chair Marybeth Soderstrom at 863-838-9762 or sending her an e-mail at marybeth.soderstrom@careersourcepolk.com.
     The first three Carillon Classic 5K’s drew a combined total of nearly 1,100 runners and walkers, raising more than $11,000 for charity.
     Regular event updates on the 2015 Carillon Classic 5K Run & Walk be obtained by visiting the event’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/#!/CarillonClassic5kRunWalk.



WATSON CLINIC ANALYST EARNS CERTIFICATION
     Watson Clinic is proud to announce that Kimberly Downs, an analyst in the clinic’s Continuous Improvement Department, recently earned a Six Sigma Black Belt certification by the American Society for Quality (ASQ).  This distinction testifies to Downs’ level of proficiency in and comprehension of the highest level of quality practices within the healthcare field. As an essential component of Watson Clinic’s Continuous Improvement Department, Downs is devoted to enhancing the patient experience by analyzing and improving upon the processes related to their care and the day-to-day operations.
In addition to her work with Watson Clinic, Downs has been an influential presence in her community by serving on the Polk County Sheriff’s Advisory Council, and as chair and co-chair of the auction committees for the American Heart Association’s Polk Heart and Stroke Ball.  In addition, she serves on the board of directors for the Florida Association for Healthcare Quality Area 6.  The ASQ is a global community of people dedicated to recognizing and fostering quality ideas and tools that make the world a better place.  For more information on the organization, and the honor of achieving certification, visit www.asq.org.

FLORIDA MANUFACTURING CAREER FAIR
     Florida Manufacturing Career Fair, on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 from 2PM-6PM. This free event will be held at Polk State College Advanced Technology Center located at 310 Technology Drive Bartow, Florida 33830.
     Manufacturers, colleges and state agencies are teaming up to hold the first-ever Florida Manufacturing Career Fair, on April 22, 2015, in every region of the state. Manufacturing jobs in Florida today are high tech and high-paying, leading to rewarding and satisfying jobs that support middleclass families. Florida’s manufacturers are growing, expanding and hiring employees. They are looking for individuals with a good work ethic, a desire to contribute to a successful business, team players, an aptitude for STEM skills, and a desire to learn, succeed and excel.
     TRADE College, other college and STEM career academy high school students, veterans, individuals changing careers, and others who are ready to go to work should attend the Florida Manufacturing Career Fair. Manufacturers that have job openings will be on site to interview attendees.
    Join CareerSource Polk on April 22 and match your manufacturing company with awesome career seekers! Here is a link for registration:
https://www.careersourcepolk.com/employers/fmcfregister/

FLORIDA BLUE OFFERING SMOKING CESSATION TOOLS
Want to quit smoking? Florida Blue is offering a quit smoking class on April 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Join Central Florida AHEC for this free Tools to Quit class. Free nicotine replacement patches, gum and lozenges. Please call 1-877-252-6094 to register.

LELAND FAMILY MINISTRIES TO HAVE FUNDRAISING DINNER
     A fundraiser for Leland Family Ministries' Mosaics Community Cafe - a new restaurant coming to downtown Bartow, is set for Thursday, April 16, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 500 W. Stuart Street.
     Taste of the South is sponsored by Terrie Lobb Catering. As an introduction to the "pay as you can" concept to be used in the Mosaic Community Cafe, a donation is asked for the meal. Suggested donation is $7. The meal includes fried chicken and all the fixings, banana pudding and drink.
     For more information, or to preorder, call Leland Family Ministries at 863-519-0000.

BARTOW HIGH SCHOOL SEEKING MENTORS
Bartow High School is in need of mentors from the busioness community. Mentors can help students to be able to:
o Brainstorm positive behavior choices
o Take responsibility for homework, attendance, class participation
o Speak confidently about home or school issues.
o Engage in activities that build character, job or college preparation skills, service ethic, and citizenship roles
o Academic support
     Mentors will also receive training by the district personnel.
     Please keep in mind that to become a mentor, you must comply with the school board’s policy of background check requirements by submitting a volunteer application with a $25.00 money order for a Florida Department of Law Enforcement background check. Volunteer applications can be found at the School Board website.
     If you are interested in becoming a mentor at Bartow High School, please email the program coordinator, Mrs. Ola Harb, ola.harb@polk-fl.net. --- School address is 1270 S. Broadway St. Bartow, FL 33830. Phone number is (863) 534-7400. Please leave Ola Harb a message if you call.

SPCA CONSIDERING BOARD NOMINEES
SPCA Florida's is now considering candidates for the Board of Directors who will be elected at the SPCA’s annual meeting in June 2015. If you are interested, or you know of someone who would be interested in serving on the board, please visit this website link that has details and the online/printable nomination form:
http://www.spcaflorida.org/board-of-directors/become-a-board-member/