Twilight Saga Teen Party at Elsie Quirk Library Bring your blankets and pillows to the Elsie Quirk Library on Saturday, Mar. 20, 2010, for a Teen Party featuring a Twilight Saga Double Feature! The party is from 6 to 10:30 p.m. and for ages 11 and up. Pizza and snacks will be provided! Call 941-861-1212 to register.   "Spring is in Bloom" Family Celebration Create beautiful flower bouquets, dazzling egg decorations, precious animal baskets, illuminating butterflies and more at North Sarasota Library, Saturday, Mar. 20 from 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. You can also decorate your own cookies and participate in a spring treasure hunt! We will have a storytime every 20 minutes during the event. To register, please call 861-1363 or visit the North Sarasota Youth Desk by March 15. Click here to open the PDF version of the flyer.   Local events offer creative ways to bone up on nutrition Local community health advocates are adding some spice to National Nutrition Month with three different events in March at the Venice Public Library. Shopping for what is “healthy” can be a complicated and confusing adventure with hundreds of different products lining the aisles of your local market. Additionally, balancing healthy nutrition needs while staying within a budget can challenge the thriftiest, health-conscious shopper. In response to that challenge, local health advocates have developed some creative ways for residents to get accurate information on nutrition through a series of “hands on” programs. The National Nutrition Month events are as follows: •Nutrition Bingo – 3 p.m., Wednesday, March 17. There will be prizes. •Nutrition Expo - 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday, March 20 The featured activities include opportunities to build a cookbook, a healthy cooking demonstration, healthy eating story time and craft activity for kids, and the premier showing of the Healthy Shopping DVD developed by the Laurel/Osprey/Venice/Nokomis Community Health Action Team. Free copies of the DVD will be available at this event. •Nutrition Panel Discussion – “Eating Healthy on a Budget,” 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 30 These events are sponsored by members of the Laurel/Nokomis/Osprey/Venice Community Health Action Team (LOVN CHAT), Sarasota County Extension Office and Friends of the Venice Library. For more information, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 or visit www.CHIP4health.org.   Teens Can Make Their Own Videos at the Libraries In honor of Teen Tech Week (March 7-13), Sarasota County Libraries are offering workshops to give teens the opportunity to write, tape and edit a 30-60 second video. Videos will then be uploaded to the Internet. This group project will give teens the experience they need to make their own videos. Workshops are scheduled at these libraries and times: Selby Library - Sunday, March 7 at 1:30 p.m. North Sarasota Library - Tuesday, March 9 at 3:00 p.m. Fruitville Library - Wednesday, March 10 at 4:00 p.m. Elsie Quirk Library - Saturday, March 13 at 10:00 a.m. North Port Library - Saturday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m. Gulf Gate Library - Monday, March 15 at 4:00 p.m. Teens must get their parents to complete permission slips to upload videos to the Internet. Please register by contacting the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 and ask about Teen Tech Week Video Workshops at the library.   Free Community Pharmacy coming to North Sarasota Library The Community Pharmacy’s Outreach Program will offer free medications to eligible patients beginning Feb. 25 at the North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd., Sarasota. Hours: • 10:30 a.m. to 1p.m. every Thursday, except holidays. • No appointment is necessary. Who is eligible: Clients complete an application for services that includes proof of residency and income, and that verifies need. How the program works: • Trained volunteers help patients apply for medications from pharmaceutical prescription assistance programs. • The Community Pharmacy dispenses up to a 60-day maximum supply per year to eligible patients. • Medications are delivered by mail to patients’ homes or physicians’ offices every three months for up to a year. • No narcotics or controlled substances are available. Additional information about the Community Pharmacy program, eligibility and the application process is available online at www.cpsarasota.org. The on-site pharmacy portion of the program in Nokomis dispenses prescription medications, medical supplies and over the counter items including diabetes meters and strips, cold and cough medicine, pediatric mediations, adult diapers and other items. Couriers will transport the prescriptions and supplies to the Newtown site. Community Pharmacy clients include those who have lost their jobs, homeless persons and people who can’t afford prescription insurance or pharmacy co-pays. “The Community Pharmacy is a great program designed to reach people who may not otherwise have access to these types of services,” said Sarabeth Kalajian, general manager, Sarasota County Library System. “This program is a perfect complement to our CHIP Health kiosks which offer free access to health and wellness information.” The Community Pharmacy of Sarasota County, Inc. provides free medication and professional pharmaceutical care to qualified uninsured and working-poor Sarasota County residents. Since 2008, the agency has dispensed and advocated for over $1.5 million dollars worth of prescription medication, over the counter medications and medical supplies. The offices are staffed entirely by community volunteers. For more information contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 and ask about the Community Pharmacy program at Sarasota County Libraries.   Tax Preparation by AARP at the Libraries starting in Feb. AARP volunteers will offer free tax preparation services at 5 libraries. The schedule as of Feb. 18, 2010, is listed below.* For more information on tax preparation at the libraries, please contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000. Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Library Mon, 2/1/10 to Wed, 4/14/10 Mon and Wed, 10 am to 5 pm Fruitville Library Mon, 2/1/10 to Thur, 4/15/10 Mon, Tues, Wed, Thur, 10:00 am to 1:30 pm Gulf Gate Library Mon, 2/1/10 to Thur, 4/15/10 Mon, 3:15 pm to 7 pm Thur, 12:15 to 4 pm Sat, 10 am to 1 pm North Port Library Thur, 2/4/10 to Thur, 4/15/10 Thurs, 10 am to 4 pm Selby Library Mon, 2/1/10 to Thur, 4/15/10 Mon and Tues, 3 pm to 7 pm Wed and Thur, 1 pm to 5 pm * Note: More times will be added as they are announced.