Residents get hooked on chartered fishing trips to the Keys

Two groups of Plant City residents took in some fishing during summer trips to the Florida Keys.

In July, Neil Roberts, wife Suzanne and their children Marissa, 23, Drew, 20, and Garrett. 17, visited Marathon. They included a chartered fishing trip.

The Roberts family came back to the dock with a bunch of yellowtail snapper, two muttons up to 12 pounds, eight mangroves to 4 pounds, a yellowjack and a 22-pound black grouper caught by Drew.

After a swim back and a cook-your-catch dinner, the family returned for some night snapper fishing.

It took a little while to get started, but once the rods started bending there were 30 yellowtail snapper and a few mangrove snapper in the fish box. The young folks did the fishing while Neil and Suzanne shared a bottle of champagne.

This month, another group from Plant City, Nate Davis, Chris Brewington and brothers Steve and Tommy Bonds also vacationed in Marathon and included a day of charter fishing.

Capt. Chris Johnson took the group about 18 miles south of Sombrero Light where they caught schoolies and gaffer-size dolphin, and a few yellowtail and mangrove snapper.

Christian women's group to meet Sept. 7

A luncheon sponsored by Plant City Christian Women's Connection will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 7 at Walden Lake Country Club, 2001 N. Clubhouse Drive.

The guest speaker is Carolyn Ersig. Music will be by Sherry Harrell. The meeting will feature fall fashions by Denise Young's Boutique.

Cost is $13. For reservations, contact (813) 752-3786 or cwcpcfl@msn.com.

Second-grader wins motocross

Dylan Varn, son of Leslie and P.J. Varn of Plant City, was recently named 2010 Loretta Lynn National Amateur Motocross Champion in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

The 7-year-old won racesin Florida and Georgia to qualify for the national race in Tennessee, held Aug. 7 at country singer Loretta Lynn's ranch. He rode his Honda 50 dirt bike in three races and was awarded gold in every race, making him the overall national champion.

Family members include grandparents Perry Varn and Jack and Debra Bryan, great-grandparents Ed and Joanne Varn, brother Jud Varn and sister Brooke Varn.

Dylan is a second-grader at Knights Elementary School in Plant City.

Polk events greet Plant City residents

LAKELAND - Plant City residents will have an opportunity to attend a free exhibition and lecture from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St.

The work of Lois Mailou Jones, one of the original Harlem Renaissance painters, will be on display. Tritobia Hayes Benjamin of the Division of Fine Arts and the Gallery of Art at Howard University in Washington will give a lecture at 6 p.m.

Cash bar and light refreshments will be at 7 p.m. at the museum, named one of Florida's top 10 museums.

Thanks to the efforts of the Plant City Arts Council, the museum will also hold a free open house for Plant City residents from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. The Lois Mailou Jones exhibit will be featured as well as free portrait sketches, entertainment, refreshments, art activities and a scavenger hunt. The local arts council has been promoting arts in Plant City for 36 years.

Roaring '20s theme at tea room event

The Roaring '20s Teatime will be Saturday at Camellia Rose Tea Room, 120 N. Collins St.

The fashion event will feature flapper costumes from the 1920s.

For reservations or details, call (813) 659-8287.

Community theater sets awards banquet

Plant City Entertainment will hold its 2009-10 Applause Awards Banquet on Sept. 11 at the Wesley Centre at First United Methodist Church of Plant City, 303 N. Evers St.

The cocktail dress event to help celebrate the community theater's season will start with a social at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7. Cost is $20, payable in advance.

Reservations are required by Sept. 6 by mailing a check payable to Plant City Entertainment Inc., to Dodie White, 2311 Walden Place S., Plant City FL 33566.

Women's Bible study starting Sept. 1

Martha Sue Skinner of Plant City is starting a community Bible luncheon for women.

The group will begin a study on Sept. 1 of "Going Deeper Still" by Beth Moore, Kay Arthur and Phyllis Shirer. This six-week study, open to all women, will be noon at ABC Pizza House, 114 N. Alexander St., Plant City.

For information, call Skinner at (813) 752-7630.

Art guild meeting to open season

The East Hillsborough Art Guild's first meeting of the 2010-11 season will be at 7 p.m. Monday at the Plant City Woman's Club, 1110 N. Wheeler St.

Members are asked to bring paintings from the summer for show and tell.

For information, e-mail ehag2010@gmail.com.

Lakeland group plans luncheon

LAKELAND - The North Lakeland Christian Women's Connection, affiliated with Stonecroft Ministries, invites area women to its luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 2 at Huntington Hills Golf and Country Club, 2626 Duff Road.

Cost is $15, payable pay at the door. Ann Combs from Ocoee will be the inspirational speaker. There will be a fashion show by Bon Worth in Lakeland. Soloist will be Yolanda Dyer.

Reservations are required. Call Dianne Metz at (863) 816-1511.