Led by Mason Gibson, the Appalachian Gospel service is a re-creation of those typical in the 1950s throughout Appalachia. The audience is transported back in time to the mountaintop church of Shady Grove in east Tennessee for participation in an afternoon “sing,” complete with live bluegrass music, ‘barbershop’ Gospel singing, traditional mountain hymns and Bible storytelling. A free ticket is required for the event.

Florida Tech’s 5th Botanical Fest Plant &Garden Sale features plant and garden vendors, food vendors, and guided tours of the historic botanical garden. Visitors can tour the new Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts featuring the theme “Speaking with Thread: the Narrative of Textiles.”

The community is invited to participate in a flag retirement program sponsored by the American Legion Post 55 and Cub Scouts Pack 551 from Clermont.

The Scouts will be joined by active service men and women along with veterans dating back to World War II as they march carrying flags to the American Legion Hall. There, Eagle Scout candidate Michael Sulsenti has built the only flag retirement furnace in more than a 20-mile radius. The Scouts will perform a retirement ceremony on a flag.

Wootson Memorial Church is proud to present “Strategies for Surviving in a Down Economy,” a financial seminar designed to promote the wellbeing of your family’s financial health. Scheduled subjects include: Refinancing, Overview on Credit, Credit Repair, Bankruptcy, and Short Sales (Free Foreclosure Prevention Packet Included) *There will be a question and answer session so that you can ask experts specific questions. This event is open to the public. There is NO COST for the seminar. However, we ask that you bring CAN GOODS.

Enjoy festive foods, live entertainment, street performers, stilt walkers, jugglers, tight rope walkers, fire eaters and much-much more. Listen to the great New Orleans style Marching Jazz Bands, Cajun Zydeco and Blues all live on three stages. Then sit back and enjoy the spectacular Main Street Mardi Gras Parade at 7 p.m..

The Emergency Vehicles Past and Present Car Show benefits the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Foundation Inc., a non-profit charity. Highlights of the event are the past and present emergency vehicles, but this show is open to all vehicles. To help support this event, pre-register by March 19 and pay only $15. Or pay $20 when registering after March 19. To cruise, the cost is $10 per person and you must register by March 19. Cruise: Sheriff’s office and end at the inmate work farm at the intersection of CR-35 and CR-464, Ocala.

On the last Wednesday of every month, a medical mobile unit will be on site to give medical attention to homeless people. To qualify as homeless the person can not have a residence in his or her name and no insurance. Free food and clothes will be given out while supplies last.

The Rollins College English department will be hosting their annual Winter With The Writers events in January and February. The visiting authors are Andrea Barrett, Kay Ryan, Andre' Dubus III, and Barry Lopez. There will be readings by the author of that week, on-stage interviews, and signings, followed by a reception with wine and hors d'oeuvres provided.

Valentine's weekend makes us think of love, but great love is not only between humans. Friday night, February 12, Audubon Park would like to honor our beloved pets. Dress them up and bring them down to the heart of the garden district. You can parade your pal around our shops while we serve you pinot and beer. There will be bands, art openings, and enough doggie treats for all. Finish or start your crawl at Juicy Temples and Shoot, and have your photo taken with your dearest friend, by renowned photographer, Eric Sutton. Don't own a pet? That's okay, too. Bring a cherished human, whether your mate or best friend. We here in Audubon Park love you all.

Local romance novelists Dara Edmondson, Louise M. Gouge, Shauna Hart, Catherine Kean, Gennita Low, and Michelle Young will greet fans and autograph copies of their books in a special Valentine’s book signing

Just in time for Valentine's Day, reserve your seats to see live, on stage, the world's most enduring love story, Romeo & Juliet, directed by Morgan Russell.   This adaptation of the classic tale of love and death is both lively and accessible to young audiences. Romeo Montague and pals sneak into a ball given by the rival Capulet family, and there he first glimpses the beautiful Juliet. Later, beneath her balcony, he declares his loves which she embraces fully.

In the wake of the catastrophic disaster in Haiti, a new organization, "Kombit Pou Haiti,"  (Creole for "Working Together for Haiti"), has partnered with the University of Central Florida Alumni to  host an earthquake relief banquet to aid in the relief effort. Funds will go to the American Red Cross.  Call for corporate sponsorship.

LYNX will be making changes to these routes: Links 26, 50, 125, 426 and 434 and PickUp Lines 601, 602 and 612. Also to be discussed will be the discontinuance of Link 442 and addition of PickUp Line 641. Changes effective April 25, 2010.

Join News 13’s Ybeth Bruzual at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort for the American Red Cross of Central Florida’s Valentine’s Rendezvous.

Saturday, Feb. 13 spend a passionate night in Paris and enjoy French inspired cuisine, live cabaret entertainment, and complimentary child-care services by Red Cross certified Babysitters.

Community-based Care of Seminole is offering foster and adoptive parent training to Seminole County adults.

Weekly farmers market featuring locally grown products; crafts; free entertainment; food and drink; pets welcome on a leash.

Three days and two nights of live music,  camping , art , vendors, and more. Fun for the entire family. 20 bands on two stages.

Double Exposure African Americans Before and Behind the Camera. Double Exposure showcases vintage photographs from the Amistad Center for Art & Culture’s historical collection of art and artifacts with photo-based art by contemporary African-American artists.

The family event will celebrate the Florida scrub jay, the only bird unique to Florida. Visitors will learn about the bird, which is a threatened species, and the scrub habitat where it makes its home. The festival will offer live music in the Deltona Amphitheater, guided nature walks in Lyonia Preserve, presentations and activities for children in the LEC, and environmental displays .