HardisonInk.comTri-County Community Resource Center celebrates;17 bicycles go to winners

President and Chief Executive Officer of Partnership for Strong Families Stephen Pennypacker, Esq. (left, rear), stands with Patricia Medlock, the regional director for the Florida Department of Children and Families (center, rear), and Tri-County Community Resource Center Manager Beverly Goodman (right, rear). Sydney Medlock, Patricia's daughter, is front and center as she adds to capture the concept of children and families being the focus of available services found through the Resource Center and as a result of its partnership with many organizations and agencies.

Story, Photos and VideosBy Jeff M. Hardison © April 22, 2017 at 4:48 p.m.Updated April 23, 2018 at 9:38 a.m.     CHIEFLAND -- Scores of people came to enjoy fun, treats and access to a wide range of helpful organizations at the Tri-County Community Resource Center's third birthday celebration on Saturday (April 21). 

 

HardisonInk.comhttps://youtu.be/7A0tFxtqjSEIn this 18-second video, Molly the K-9 of the Levy County Sheriff’s Office indicates her (correct) belief that there are drugs in a package as she sits down to show her partner LCSO K-9 Deputy Gary Garboski that he now has probable cause to act on the action the dog performed. Another LCSO member of this special group at this event was Levy County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kevin Kinik, whose partner is Zombie the LCSO K-9.

https://youtu.be/DSveRudmiKMIn this 3-minute (plus) video Blitz the K-9 of the Chiefland Police Department demonstrates his skill with his partner CPD Officer K. Schultz. Officer Schultz narrates the demonstration while performing with his partner – a 5-year-old dog he has had since Blitz was a puppy.

Terrence Reed of Reed Automotive, and a potential candidate for the Levy County Board of County Commissioners’ seat currently held by County Commissioner Rock Meeks, stands with CPD Officer K. Schultz. The two gentlemen were among the scores of people at this celebration of the TCCRC.

HardisonInk.comEarl Beegle, a mobile customer service representative with CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion, stands in the doorway to the van he uses to help future employees find jobs and current employers post jobs. Beegle is among the people who operate the fleet of these mobile stations to help more people have access to finding jobs in the Citrus, Levy and Marion counties’ region. He is familiar with HardisonInk.com and when asked if he was a fan, he confirmed that. Hence, he is given the opportunity to hold a fan used to move air and cool a person in contrast with a fan of something (while that fan is also a promotional item for the daily news website.) The two words 'fan' used here are a homograph -- each of two or more words having the same spelling but different meanings and origins. They are a particular kind of a homonym, which is when there are each of two words having the same pronunciation but

different meanings, origins or spelling (e.g., to, too, and two).

Chiefland Fire Rescue Capt. Cal Morgan (left) and CFR Firefighter-Paramedic Rick Broccolo man the table for CFR. This group of paid and volunteer firefighters and medical professionals help people in the city and

in the part of Levy County around the city. They also assist other

HardisonInk.comdepartments very often. Capt. Morgan said the department has seen success in attracting qualified personnel recently.

LCSO K-9 Deputy Gary Garboski and Molly the K-9 of the Levy County Sheriff’s Office

(at left) and LCSO Sgt. Kevin Kinik (right), whose partner is Zombie the LCSO K-9, stand on either side of Madylyn Baker Johnson and LCSO Community Relations Division Sgt. Max Long. The little girl created artwork that says ‘I Stand With The Boys In Blue.’ Behind them are the tents of the Tobacco Free Partnership of Levy County and the space for the Levy County Prevention Coalition.

Chiefland Police Department Sgt. F. Macy (standing) is with CPD K-9 Officer K. Schultz as they stand with Madylyn Baker Johnson. The little girl created artwork that says ‘I Stand With The Boys In Blue’ that

HardisonInk.comshe gave to the CPD as well as art that she gave to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. Children all over the region have been sending their art to the law enforcement agencies to help officers feel some more comfort from this section of the public, who are among the whole that they protect and serve.Connie Conley, director of Levy County Transit, places a delicious hotdog in a bun. Catsup, mustard and relish were available for diners to add to their free hotdogs. Conley said her sister-in-law Donna Watson of The Barbecue Shack in the City of Fanning Springs

cooked these hotdogs. The Barbecue Shack is known for great food including – ribs, pulled pork, shrimp, wings and man different side dishes. Another free food item at the event were snow cones, being given away by Episcopal Children’s Services.

CPD K-9 Officer K. Schultz and his partner K-9

HardisonInk.comBlitz. Immediately behind these crime fighters are members of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Levy County Extension – including Levy County 4-H Agent Genevieve Mendoza and Levy County 4-H Program Assistant Josh Mathews.

University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Family Nutrition Program Assistant DeeDee Smith (left), who primarily serves Dixie and Gilchrist counties and Family Nutrition Program Assistant Katie Trimm, who primarily serves Levy County, stand next to a cow that is used to teach children how to milk a cow. Jolee Smith, DeeDee’s daughter, volunteered to demonstrate how to milk a cow for a photo opportunity. Both program assistants Smith and Trimm are with University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Family Nutrition Program for Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist and Levy counties. Another fun part of their exhibit was to help children make ice cream in a bag. The Family Nutrition Program teaches parents and children about healthy eating, and to focus on fresh ingredients.

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The Clyatt House Learning Center staff are among the partners who showed up for the celebration. Jamie Pitts, a toddler teacher, paints the face of Tyler King, 4. He attends the Pre-K program at Old Town Elementary. To find out more about how to enroll in Head Start or Early Head Start, or Voluntary Pre-K, please call the Clyatt House Learning Center at 352-493-7304 or send an email to info@chlc.us.

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Tyler King, 4, of Old Town shows the football painted on his face as his sister Tayler King, 6, observes a man taking a picture of her little brother.

Diana Child, who is the director of the play Noises Off (left), and Tri-County Community Resource Center Manager Beverly Goodman (right) pause for a moment in between one of the opportunities where they were giving away free bicycles to free ticket holders. In the background Robert Wells of Meridian Behavior Health Services

HardisonInk.comlooks on from under the tent that group manned.

Pastor Alex Christian and his wife Velma Christian stand on either side of the table in front of the area for First United Methodist Church of Chiefland. This church is among the strongest charter partners for the TCCRC. First UMC Chiefland is among the churches that notes it is ‘A Church Without Walls’ and it continues to grow in its community outreach ministry as well as in other areas.

Members of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shared how the FWC serves the people of Florida while conserving fish and wildlife. On the water, one of the things these state law enforcement officers do is to help people remember about laws to keep them safe.

HardisonInk.com      The Tri-County Community Resource Center is located at 15 N. Main St. in Chiefland, and the party was in the northern adjacent field.     This event heralds the third such annual celebration as the Tri-County Community Resource Center (TCCRC) goes into its fourth year of existence to help the residents and visitors of Levy, Dixie and Gilchrist counties.     As in past years for this annual event, there was a very strong show of support by a plethora of groups that are connected as partners with the TCCRC.     Among the many highlights were the door prizes of 17 bicycles given to children for free as a result of random drawings of winning tickets.     There was a bounce house available for fun again, and law enforcement officers who work with canines put on demonstrations to show how their furry, four-legged partners assist them in their job of protecting life and property.     President and Chief Executive Officer of Partnership for Strong Families Stephen Pennypacker, Esq., came to see how the event unfolded under the leadership of Tri-County Community Resource Center Manager Beverly Goodman.     The Partnership for Strong Families helps provide for many of the resource center’s needs, although there are many other donating entities and individuals.     The resource center is a central focal point for the complete spectrum of human services for people of all ages who may be helped in Levy, Dixie and Gilchrist counties with everything from guidance to hands-on care – and more.     Cupcakes, hotdogs, snow cones and other treats were available as well. A bounce house, face-painting and other enjoyable activities helped entertain children throughout the event.     Beyond the partners noted in the photos above, there were also representatives from: Haven, which was previously known as Haven Hospice; the Levy County Prevention Coalition, which is an anti-drug pro-positive lifestyle organization.     Another group at the event was Healthy Start of North Central Florida. This groups serves people in the Tri-County Area of Levy, Dixie and Gilchrist counties. Care Coordinator Kathleen Cooper was among the people from this group.     The goal of Healthy Start is to reduce infant mortality, reduce the number of low birth weight babies, and improve health and developmental outcomes. They help clients from pregnant women, through families with babies who are up to the age of 3 years old.     Representatives from Healthy Start were ready, willing and able to provide people with information to help in this regard.

HardisonInk.com     Another agency present was the Florida Department of Health for Levy, Dixie and Gilchrist counties.     Three Rivers Legal Services Inc. -- a non-profit law firm dedicated to the provision of quality civil legal assistance to the poor, abused, disabled and neglected, and to empowerment through preventive legal education sent representatives.     Three Rivers Legal Services was established in November of 1977 after the merger of Storefront Legal Aid in Gainesville, and a legal aid component of Suwannee River Economic Council in Live Oak.     This group serves people in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor and Union counties.     The Florida Department of Children and Families, as noted in the photo, had representatives to assist people. The DCF had a strong presence at the celebration of the Tri-County Community Resource Center, with several fun activities and many brochures with information. Among the DCF leaders who came to the event was DCF Regional Managing Director Patricia Medlock, who drove from Jacksonville to help celebrate the second birthday for this center.     Alachua County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) was on the scene.     Candi Morris of the Florida Department of Health’s WIC program in Alachua County said WIC helps women, infants and children in Levy, Dixie, Gilchrist, Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Suwanee and Union counties.     Among the many other partners celebrating success at the TCCRC are Furever Friends Rescue; Another Way Shelter – a shelter for abused women and children; the Tobacco Free Partnership of Levy County; the North Central Florida Regional Housing Authority (which had games and prizes, was attractively decorated and included friendly, fun and sociable individuals to help with housing needs).     For more information about the Tri-County Community Resource Center, please look at its webpage by clicking HERE http://www.pfsf.org/resource-centers/tccrc/.