News of the Nature Coast of Florida

Citrus County businessman Dixie Hollins took some heat recently during his third annual Roast and Toast charity event.

Hollins, owner of Citrus Mining and Timber, was honored as the event’s "roastee", with community members taking friendly jabs at him in the name of charity.

Part of this year’s proceeds will benefit Citrus Memorial’s Capital Campaign, which was launched in 2004 to raise funds for new facilities to meet the increased demands of a growing community. The planned Family Care Health and Education Center will be built through funds raised through this outreach.

The new center will be built at the Allen Ridge Medical Facility on County Road 491 in Lecanto and, as its name implies, will focus on health care education and family medical services ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics.

Hospital board members, physicians, nurses and staff initially donated nearly $500,000 to help fund the project, and after nearly five years of fundraising, the campaign has less than $140,000 left to raise. 

For information about ways to give to Citrus Memorial Health System, a 501(C)3 charitable organization, call 344-6560 or visit cmhfoundation.com.