The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, will host a Veterans Appreciation talk, “Birth of a New Idea,” by Chaplain (Colonel) Janet Horton on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2 p.m.

Chaplain Horton will share her remarkable experiences and how her deep faith in the promises of the Gospel and the idea of unselfish service brought her to change minds and hearts of many in the military.

There is no fee to attend the talk. For those who want to visit the galleries, admission to the museum is always free for veterans and active-duty military as part of the Blue Stars Museum program. On this day, those accompanying veterans will also receive free admission to the museum.

About Chaplain Horton:

Chaplain Horton was recently inducted into the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Hall for Fame as one of the first women Army Chaplains. She is also the first woman promoted to colonel in the Army Chaplain Corps. Horton served in the Army for 28 years and during this time supervised religious support for Joint Task Forces in Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo. Additionally she was present at the Pentagon on 9/11 and was part of a chaplain’s team that prayed with victims and aided families.

An accomplished author, Horton wrote “Cracking the Camouflage Ceiling: Faith Persistence and Progress in the Army Chaplaincy During the Early Integration of Women in the Military.”

Owned and operated by the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call the Appleton Museum of Art at 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.

The College of Central Florida’s Patriot Blues Jazz Band and Combo will present “Songs,” featuring vocalist Kelsey Plante on Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Charles R. Dassance Fine Arts Center at the Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road.

The CF Jazz Ensembles will perform a poem of song, while vocalist Plante joins the big band and the combo for renditions of Stevie Wonder, Peggy Lee, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and more.

Greg Snider, the CF Patriot Blues Jazz Band director, is the Visual and Performing Arts adjunct professor for saxophone, clarinet and jazz and directs the jazz band, jazz combo and saxophone ensemble. He has a Master of Music Education with a focus on jazz studies from the University of Florida and a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance, also at UF. In conjunction with his teaching schedule, Snider performs multiple styles of music on the saxophone ranging from classical works to rock, pop and jazz and can be seen playing regularly within the Ocala and Gainesville area.

Doors open approximately 30 minutes prior to the performance. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for non-CF students. CF students, faculty and staff are free with CF identification. For tickets and more information, call the CF Box Office at 352-873-5810 or visit tickets.cf.edu. The box office is located in the lobby of the Fine Arts Center and is open Monday through Friday from 1-4 p.m. and an hour before show time. This event is sponsored in part by CAMPUS USA Credit Union.

The Visual Artists’ Society presents the “Best of the Season” exhibition beginning on Nov. 14 at the College of Central Florida Webber Gallery, 3001 S.W. College Road.

“Best of the Season” will be judged and juried by Janis Brothers, who is a multidisciplinary artist who uses video, installation, sculpture and drawing to explore human experiences. Her inspiration comes from the rural environment and her familiarity with loss and death. Through narratives and haunting aesthetics, her art explores the complexity of these universal themes. The public is invited to the opening reception and awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 5-7 p.m. The gallery opens at 4 p.m. and the exhibit and reception are free.

The “Best of the Season” exhibit has always been a favorite of gallery visitors. The theme of this year’s exhibition is “Artist’s Magical Moments.” Members of the Visual Artists’ Society were invited to create works relating to the theme.

VAS has more than 100 members from all over Marion County and Central Florida including professional and amateur artists, and many of CF’s talented students. VAS exhibits showcase a variety of styles and mediums, including more traditional paintings and photographs, as well as jewelry, sculpture and digital media.

The exhibit will continue through Thursday, Dec. 12. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The gallery is closed Friday through Sunday and college-observed holidays. For additional information, call 352-873-5809.

To learn more about CF, visit CF.edu.

The Homosassa Game and Fish Club presented a check for $4,528 to the CF Foundation for student scholarships. In 2005, the club partnered with the CF Foundation to establish an endowed scholarship for CF students from Homosassa and Citrus County.

“We are so grateful to the Homosassa Game and Fish Club for their annual scholarship support,” said Dr. Vernon Lawter, vice president, Regional Campuses at the College of Central Florida. “Their donation from monies raised through their tournament each year creates opportunities for students to fulfill their dreams and helps build a stronger community.”

The funds presented this year came from the 35th annual Cobia “Big Fish” tournament held in June.  The tournament is organized by a group of dedicated volunteers who not only wish to provide the Nature Coast with an exciting fishing tournament, but also want to raise funds to assist with various community needs and help local nonprofit organizations.

The CF Foundation, founded in 1959, is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that enhances the college’s programs and services through the development and management of private contributions and community partnerships. To learn more, visit CF.edu/foundation.

College of Central Florida Wind Symphony and Choral Ensemble will present a free fall concert on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Charles R. Dassance Fine Arts Center at the CF Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road. The Choral Ensemble will present music consisting of well-known folk songs and modern techniques, while the Wind Symphony will perform five pieces of music.

“I have no doubts that this concert will have people talking about our amazing music department for a long time,” said John D. Ash, associate professor of Music and director of the Wind Symphony.

Ash is the director of Bands for CF and has taught music education since 1998 as a high school band director and music teacher. He has received numerous awards, accolades, and nominations, ranging from the Lee County Fine Arts Teacher of the Year, to having several groups perform in state championship performances, and multitudes of other performances. He has performed as the principal tuba for the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, Kingsport Symphony Orchestra, East Tennessee State University Wind Ensemble, Classic Brass Quintet, Emerald Coast Brass Quintet and Virginia Wind Symphony.

“The students have been working very hard on a very unique and varied program of music. I am confident the audience is going to have a fantastic evening,” said Jason Longtin, associate professor of Music and director of the Choral Ensembles.

Longtin is a National Board Certified Teacher, been involved in musical theatre production for 20 years and taught at Lyman High School (Longwood), at Crystal River High School, and at Florida Virtual School. Choirs under his direction have performed throughout the United States, Italy and Switzerland. As a composer, his music has been performed throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe. Longtin has served on the State Board of the Florida Vocal Association.

Doors open to the public 30 minutes before these Visual and Performing Arts performances. Tickets are not required. For more information, call the CF Box Office at 352-873-5810.

The College of Central Florida is conducting Health Sciences program information sessions on Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m.-noon at the Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus, 15390 N.W. Highway 19, Chiefland. Potential students can stop by to ask questions about any of the CF Health Sciences programs.

Sessions provide details about admissions criteria, program requirements, costs and more, including the limited-access component. While any student meeting minimum criteria is encouraged to apply, not all applicants may be accepted. A point system is used to score all applications. Residents in CF’s service district of Marion, Citrus and Levy counties will receive residency points in the application process.

There is no waiting list for any of the Health Sciences programs and some programs have part-time enrollment options and offer evening/weekend classes.

Upcoming information sessions include:

Nursing (Associate Degree Nursing, Bridge, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

• Thursday, Dec. 12, noon-1 p.m. Potential students must attend this session before applying to any of the programs.

Emergency Medical Services

• Friday, Nov. 1, 6-7 p.m.

For information about any of the programs or sessions, call 352-873-5817or 352-854-2322, ext. 1655.

The College of Central Florida invites recent high school seniors and those looking to advance their career to an open house on Friday, Nov. 8, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. in the Citrus Learning and Conference Center, 3800 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto.

Future students are encouraged to stop by and receive assistance with the application process, financial aid, placement testing, academic advising and registration for spring semester, which begins Jan. 8.

To apply for financial aid at the event, please bring these documents: Federal Student Aid ID available at fsaid.ed.org; email address; 2017 W-2 and Federal Income Tax Forms (1040, 1040A or 1040 EZ) of you and/or your parents (if you are a dependent student); 2017 untaxed income (Social Security, disability, workman’s compensation, etc.); driver’s license or state ID; Social Security card; spouse or parent’s Social Security number and date of birth.

For Florida residency verification, please bring a copy of your Florida driver’s license and a copy of your Florida vehicle registration or voter’s registration. Students under the age of 24, parent or guardian information is needed.

Additional open house sessions will be held on at the Ocala Campus Friday, Nov. 1, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. in the Ewers Century Center, 3001 S.W. College Road, Ocala; and on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus, 15390 N.W. Highway 19, Chiefland.

For more information, visit www.CF.edu/openhouse or call 352-746-6721.

The College of Central Florida’s Visual and Performing Arts Department will present an Instrumental Recital on Monday, Nov. 4, at 12:30 p.m. and a Piano and Vocal Recital on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 12:30 p.m. in the Charles R. Dassance Fine Arts Center at the Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road.

These recitals will feature piano, vocal and instrumental performances by students who are currently enrolled in CF music classes. Students will perform musical selections ranging from popular to classical to secular.

“CF music students work hard all semester to meet specific performance benchmarks for their level, and performing in front of an audience is a valuable educational experience for them,” said Dr. Allan Danuff, associate vice president of Arts and Sciences. “I hope members of the community can join us in celebrating what they have achieved.”

The doors open to the public approximately 15 minutes before each performance. Call the CF Box Office at 352-873-5810 for more information. Admission is free and no tickets are required.

The College of Central Florida invites recent high school seniors and those looking to advance their career to an open house on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m.-noon.at the Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus, 15390 N.W. Highway 19, Chiefland.

Future students are encouraged to stop by and receive assistance with the application process, financial aid, placement testing, academic advising and registration for spring semester, which begins Jan. 8.

To apply for financial aid at the event, please bring these documents: Federal Student Aid ID available at fsaid.ed.org; email address; 2017 W-2 and Federal Income Tax Forms (1040, 1040A or 1040 EZ) of you and/or your parents (if you are a dependent student); 2017 untaxed income (Social Security, disability, workman’s compensation, etc.); driver’s license or state ID; Social Security card; spouse or parent’s Social Security number and date of birth.

For Florida residency verification, please bring a copy of your Florida driver’s license and a copy of your Florida vehicle registration or voter’s registration. Students under the age of 24, parent or guardian information is needed.

For more information, visit www.CF.edu/openhouse or call 352-658-4077.