Audubon Society Plans 75th Anniversary Celebration

The Audubon Society's Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries will celebrate 75 years with an art exhibit featuring historical bird artwork by John James Audubon and modern large-scale water bird etchings of Tampa artist John Costin.

The event will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday in TECO Hall Atrium, 702 N. Franklin St.

In 1933, Tampa pathologist H. R. Mills, a member of the Florida Audubon Society and the National Association of Audubon Societies, traveled from Tampa to find a bird colony island that he had heard rumors about "in the wilderness of Tampa Bay." He found the colony on Green Key, south of Riverview and east of Gibsonton. It was devastated with gun shells scattered, dead birds and empty nests.

He decided to fund the hiring of a warden, Fred Schultz, a resident of Bloomingdale, who became the first Audubon warden patrolling the area. During the last 75 years, the mission of the Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries has expanded to protect water bird populations of Florida and habitats that support them, from Citrus County to Charlotte Harbor.

Ann Hodgson is the sanctuaries manager; she is assisted by Ann Paul and Mark Rachal.

The event is sponsored by Tampa Electric Co., Mosaic Fertilizer, John and Janet Costin, and Mallory Lykes and David Belcher.

For information about the celebration or the sanctuaries, call (813) 623-6826.

Taste Of Tampa Bay Scheduled Saturday

More than 40 restaurants, caterers and vendors will provide food and beverage samples at Saturday's Taste of Tampa Bay.

The 24th annual event will be at 7 p.m. at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and along the Hillsborough River. GrillSmith, Oystercatchers, The Columbia and Blue Bell Creameries are among participants in the taste, which benefits the arts center's education and outreach program.

General admission tickets are $80 and available by calling (813) 229-7827

Sunday In The Arts Is This Weekend

YBOR CITY - Las Damas de Arte will present Sunday In The Arts, an annual exhibition and fundraiser, from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundayat Teatro on Seventh in Centro Ybor, 1600 E. Eighth Ave.

Sunday in the Arts, open to the public, is a juried show, featuring more than 50 Tampa Bay Area women artists. Works shown include paintings, drawings, ceramics, photography, sculpture, fiber, jewelry and mixed media.

The event also features entertainment by the LaRue Nichelson Group; food and drinks will be served.

Las Damas de Arte raises scholarship money for students at the University of Tampa, University of South Florida, Hillsborough Community College and local high schools, and for nonprofit organizations with art needs.

General Admission is $40 in advance and $50 at the door. Patron tickets are $75. To order tickets, send checks payable to LDDA to P.O. Box 13988, Tampa, FL 33681

For information, call Jacqueline Selitto at (727) 510.7656.

Ybor City Group Sponsors Sale

YBOR CITY - The Historic Ybor Neighborhood Civic Association will have a Neighborhood Yard Sale from 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Centennial Park, 1800 E. Eighth Ave.

The Ybor Saturday Market in the park and the Ybor Art Walk will be at the same time.

Vendor tables will be available for $10. To secure a table, email Tony La Colla at alacolla @hynca.com or go to ww.HYNCA.com

Talent Show Set For Musicale

HYDE PARK - The Friday Morning Musicale will have a talent show with original piano composition, songs, dances and comedy as part of this month's meeting.

The meeting will be Friday at the Federated Club building, 809 Horatio St. It begins at 10 a.m. with George Gershwin, led by member Rivers Tyler. The talent show is at 11 a.m. and is under the direction of program chairwoman Dee Lobo.

A buffet lunch will be served following the program. Luncheon hosts are Jo Hanes, Dolly Burns, Mary Goodson and Giovanna Barrows. The lunch is $5 and reservations are required by calling (813) 258-4752.

Garden Groups Plan Meetings

SOUTH TAMPA - Master Gardener Marina D'Abreau will speak about Wicked Weeds when the Sunset Park Garden Club meets at 10 a.m. today.

The meeting, open to members and guests, will be at the group's clubhouse, 4624 W. Browning Ave. It will be followed by a potluck luncheon with attendees asked to bring a dish to share.

For information call Jayne Smith at (813) 837-4533.

•The Moonlight Garden Circle will meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bloom, 3005 S. MacDill Ave.

The circle is for gardeners whose only free time is weekends and evenings.

For the meeting, members will embark on a treasure hunt through the plants at Bloom to choose their favorite plants and bring them to Bloom owner Julie Lohoefener.

For information call Ruby Sugar at (813) 789-3330.

Luncheon Features Cokie Roberts

Cokie Roberts, a political commentator for ABC News and senior news analyst for National Public Radio, will be the speaker a luncheon sponsored by the Tampa Chamber of Commerce and WUSF Public Broadcasting.

The event will be at 11:15 a.m. April 16 at the Tampa Convention Center, 333 S. Franklin St.

Tickets are $50 with table sponsorships available. For tickets, see www.tampa chamber.com/ci_events.asp.

Dancers Featured At Luncheon

SOUTH TAMPA - Professional dancer Roy Stone and his students of LaVelle Hall will showcase their performance at the April luncheon, sponsored by the South Tampa Christina Women's Connection and Stonecroft Ministries.

The event will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 9 in Fellowship Hall at South Tampa Fellowship, 5101 Bayshore Blvd.

Speaker Carolyn Ersig will describe her life from orphaned child to a doctor's wife, mother of four and a part time truck driver.

Tickets are $15 with reservations needed by Tuesday by calling (813) 831-1976 or (813) 839-3959.