TAVARES — Those considering signing up for the Second Annual Elder Symposium to be held Thursday, May 5, should act fast as seats are quickly filling up for this highly anticipated program at Lake Receptions, 4425 Highway 19A, Mount Dora

The symposium will feature a host of speakers from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., including the ever-popular elder-issues speaker Jack Levine and newly appointed State Secretary of the Department of Elder Affairs Carole Green.

Levine, the founder of Advocacy Resources, through an array of public speaking engagements at seminars, workshops and community events routinely shares pertinent information and encourages advocate enthusiasm for critical issues facing elders.

Green, a former state representative who represented parts of Lee and Collier counties, was appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to the secretary position in March 2005. Her address at the symposium will be her first ever in Lake County.

While these two speakers alone will provide plenty of excitement at the Elder Symposium, Green is expected to honor a Lake County municipality by announcing the city's participation in a special program targeting senior issues. Symposium attendees will get to hear the exciting announcement firsthand.

The proposed agenda for the program sponsored by the Lake County Elder Affairs Coordinating Council is as follows:

I. Welcome - Lake County Commissioner Catherine Hanson

II. "To Drive or not to Drive" - Fran Carlin-Rogers, Consultant, and Brenda Ruff, Senior Resource Alliance.

III. "Planning for the Future: A Basic Primer on Medicare and Medicaid" - Twyla Sketchley, JD Sketchley Law Firm, Tallahassee

IV. "A Question of Balance" - Bernadette Cavis, Alterra National Memory Care Center

V. Lunch

VI. "Bridging the Generations Advocating for Families with Passion and Power" - Jack Levine, President of Advocacy Resources

VII. "State of the State" - Secretary Carole Green, Florida Department of Elder Affairs

VIII. "Close" - Kathy Haviland, Lake County Elder Affairs Coordinating Council.

For more information or to reserve a seat for the $20 Elder Symposium, call Robbie Hollenbeck, Special Projects Coordinator for the Lake County Department of Community Services, at (352) 343-9454 or e-mail rhollenbeck@co.lake.fl.us.

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Contact information:
Christopher Patton
Communications Coordinator
Office: (352) 343-9609; Cell: (352) 455-0445
cpatton@co.lake.fl.us