Often neglected Catholic readers now have 3 new and unusual releases widely available.

Vero House Publishing, of Vero Beach Florida, has released three very different books for a very neglected market: America’s 75 million Catholics.

“Until I Return: Dawn of the Shining Darkness,” by Kenneth E. Nowell, is a Spiritual thriller based on prophecies of saints. This edge-of-your-seat, modern-day tale weaves two thousand years of Church history with the true prophecies you don’t know and the urgent warning you should never forget. The book’s unusual and, sometimes, provocative story makes this novel an ideal choice for Catholic book clubs. Catholic Answers Forums named it a top 10 pick for 2010 Catholic books.

Just out, is “Catholic Answers to Protestant Questions: A Concise Summary,” by Fr. John J. Pasquini. It is a convincing defense of Catholic beliefs based on Scripture and the Traditions that originated with Jesus and the Apostles. From the convert in RCIA class, to the cradle Catholic who has become forgetful or luke-warm in the faith, this simple yet profound guide is a book every Catholic will treasure.

Finally, “Transformed by Trouble: From Misfortune to Miracles,” by Ruth Werkowski, is an uplifting tale of triumph over tragedy. This lovingly faithful memoir describes how the author’s home and possessions were destroyed, and the prayers, messages and Miracles that allowed her and her husband to overcome their losses with an even greater faith.

All three books are available wherever books are sold or through the publisher’s website at www.VeroHousePublishing.com.

Boxing. To some, a sweet science. To others, a barbaric punch in the face contest. Either way, one man sees the highly competitive and grueling sport as his calling.

Dat Nguyen was born in Bien Hoa, Vietnam on October 10, 1982 as the son of a Vietnamese POW, and came to the States at age eight. After coming to the States, he began boxing after watching his brother kickbox in Hawaii, and almost instantaneously began showing promise after winning a Junior Olympic Title in 1996.

After graduating high school in 2000, he got a full scholarship to Northern Michigan University as a part of their Olympic boxing program. Adding to his success, he won medals at the 2002 and 2003 National Golden Gloves event, and is the first Vietnamese-American to win a spot at the US National Championships as well. He turned professional in 2004, and has amassed an impressive record of 17 wins and one loss with six wins by way of knockout.

I recently spoke with Dat about his career, future plans and his newly opened boxing academy in Vero Beach, Florida.

JD: First off – what made you want to become a professional boxer, and who were your biggest influences?

Dat: I think what made me really want to be a professional boxer was because when I was growing up, I saw guys like Oscar De La Hoya winning gold in the Olympics and I wondered why I never saw any Vietnamese in the Olympics for boxing. So I continued in that path and tried to make the Olympics. My biggest influences would be my mother, who worked very hard and sacrificed so much of her life to give my brothers and me a better life. So I wanted to do something special to make her proud.

JD: You`ve done some great things in the ring, and your record, silver medal in Golden Gloves and bronze at the US championships – as well as being the first Vietnamese-American to be in a US men`s challenge – reflects that statement. What was your proudest moment in your career, and why?

Dat: I think the proudest moment of my amateur career was getting to the final of the National Golden Gloves. The title of Golden Gloves has been won by many great boxing champions, and I wanted to be one of them. I fought hard for five nights with five different opponents to get to the finals but the judges were never in my corner. However, I still believe that it was my greatest accomplishment for getting there and it gave me the opportunity to showcase my talents on National TV for the first time.

JD: Is boxing a pretty hot thing in Vietnam? How does training over there differ from how boxers might train here?

Dat: Vietnam doesn`t have pro boxing right now, but I think the government is considering staging some big fights there soon. Vietnam is very new to boxing but there economy is booming and the people there are showing an interest in all things Western.  They are also developing their amateur team to compete against other Southeast Asian countries and eventually will try to earn their spot into the Olympics.

JD: Who would you say was your toughest opponent?

Dat: Honestly I haven`t faced any fighters of my caliber yet but I am sure there is still someone out there that will allow me to showcase my talent.   However, I feel like I haven`t been fighting at 100%, I`ve made some fights harder than they should have been. But I`m a professional athlete and my profession dictates that I perform at 100% 100% of the time – that`s why I have changed my work ethic. I`m working harder now than ever to make the necessary adjustment.

JD: You`ve opened up a boxing academy in Vero Beach – what prompted you to open it there? What`s your favorite part about teaching what you`ve learned over the years?

Dat: What prompted me to open up the academy was – first of all – I wanted to have a quality facility for myself to train at and be able to control my own destiny. The boxing gym is essentially my office, and I want to remind myself what I need to do to get to the top. Secondly, I wanted to apply my knowledge and experience to those who wanted to learn the art of boxing and also see it in a different light (the teaching side) and perhaps remind myself of the things I`m teaching.

JD: So what sets your academy apart from other academies a prospective student would seek?

Dat: I would say what sets my academy apart from others is the location and the atmosphere. I have the beach, park and the bridges nearby for the best training. Everything is very close. The fighters will get the best possible training without any distractions. The way I set up my gym is to create that extra motivation that people need for a good workout. I want to provide a unique atmosphere that people feel when they come into the academy.

JD: You`re still pretty much in your prime, so what are your main goals for the future? What can we expect from you?

Dat: My main goals right now are to work hard and give myself a 100% chance to be the best that I can be and give it my all to try to achieve my goals. You can definitely expect me to continue to work hard to get to the top.

JD: What advice would you give to aspiring boxers that want to make it?

Dat: They have to truly believe in themselves when no one else will and that advice goes for anything that someone is trying to accomplish. They have to use that as their motivation to work hard every day and to stay focused.

JD: Finally, any upcoming fights we can expect, and if so, when and where?

Dat: Right now I no longer have a manager who looks out for my career so I`m doing self-managing. My promoter has scheduled a fight for December 18th in Houston TX.

For more information on Dat and The Boxing Academy, Vero Beach, FL visit www.miracleboxing.com.

To hear an audio interview with Dat conducted by Judyth Piazza, visit http://thesop.org/story/20101110/judyth-piazza-scores-a-knockout-with-dat-nguyen-boxing-superstar.html

Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Sign-Ups for 2010-2011 School Year The School District of Indian River County’s Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Program is pleased to announce plans for sign-ups for the 2010-2011 school year.

The Voluntary Pre- Kindergarten program is a 540 hour instructional program that provides up to a full school day and a full school year of quality education and care at no cost to parents. To be eligible for this program, a child must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2010, and the family must reside within an eligible home school zone. The 2010-2011 School District of Indian River County’s Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten School Year Program will be offered at: Dodgertown Elementary, Fellsmere Elementary, Pelican Island Elementary, Sebastian Elementary, and Thompson Lifelong Learning Center.

• Families in the Fellsmere Elementary home school zone are eligible to participate in the lottery for the slots at Fellsmere Elementary.

• Families in the Pelican Island Elementary, Sebastian Elementary and Treasure Coast Elementary home school zones are now eligible for the lottery for the slots at either Pelican Island Elementary or Sebastian Elementary.

• Families in the Dodgertown Elementary home school zone are eligible to participate in the lottery for the slots available at their Dodgertown and may elect to be included in the lottery for the slots available at Thompson Lifelong Learning Center.

•  Families in the Beachland Elementary, Citrus Elementary, Highlands Elementary, Glendale Elementary and Vero Beach Elementary home school zones are now eligible to participate in the lottery for the slots available at Thompson Lifelong Learning Center. To find out your home school zone, please call the Office of Student Assignment at 564- 3145. The slots available will be filled through a lottery process, if there are more families interested in the slots than there are slots available. During the times listed below, interested families need to provide contact information and documentation of their child’s eligibility to the Pre-K Office. Documentation that is required for participation in the lottery selection process is: The School Board of Indian River County, Florida Karen Disney-Brombach District 1 Matthew McCain District 2 Carol Johnson District 3 Claudia Jiménez District 4 Debbie MacKay District 5

• Proof of the child’s age (ex: original birth certificate)

•  Proof of the family’s residency (ex: a bill for a service that you receive in your name at your current address) Documentation that is requested but not required for participation in the lottery selection process is:

• Child’s Social Security card (if available at the time)

•  Certificate of Eligibility from the Early Learning Coalition (only if parent has already obtained this document) The Pre-K Office Portable is located in the east parking lot of the Freshman Learning Center located at 1507 – 19th Street in Vero Beach. Dates and times for sign-ups are:

• Thursday, June 3, 2010 from 1:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M.

• Friday, June 4, 2010 from 8:00 A.M. until Noon

• Tuesday, June 8, 2010 from 2:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M.

• Wednesday, June 9, 2010 from 8:00 A.M – Noon

• A special sign-up date has been scheduled for those families interested in the School District of Indian River County’s Voluntary Pre-K program located at Fellsmere Elementary. Interested Fellsmere families should bring the same documentation listed above and come to the office at Fellsmere Elementary on Monday, June 7th, 2010 anytime between the hours of 2:30 P.M. and 4:30 P.M. or Fellsmere families can choose to come to the Pre-K Office Portable located in the east parking lot of the Freshman Learning Center during the scheduled times on June 3rd, 4th, 8th and 9th, 2010.

Contact information and complete eligibility documentation must be received at the Pre-K Office no later than Noon on June 9, 2010, to be included in the selection process. A computer generated, random selection process will be applied to the contact information and all families will be notified in writing of the outcome for their child, either Acceptance or Wait Listed. Letters will be mailed out the week of June 21, 2010. Notification letters for parents of accepted children will include specific directions for completing the registration and enrollment process with the Pre-K Office.

If a child is not selected to participate in the School District of Indian River County’s School Year Voluntary Pre-K program, notification letters will include information for families to access their child’s Voluntary Pre-K services from either another eligible Voluntary Pre- Kindergarten provider during the school year or from the school district during the summer prior to their entry into Kindergarten. Additional information regarding a complete listing of eligible Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten providers for Indian River County for the 2010-2011 school year can be obtained from the Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee Counties at 1-877-220-1223 extension 260.

Please contact Kim McCorrison, School Readiness Coordinator, in the Pre-K Office at 564- 4169 with any questions or for additional information.

Vero Beach, FL (Vocus/PRWEB ) May 7, 2010 — Southern Fulfillment Services (SFS), an industry leader in direct-to-consumer fruit and gift shipping, has announced the acquisition of Citrus Country Groves and two retail store operations located in Pinellas County on the west coast of Florida, .

Citrus County Groves stores — located in Seminole and Clearwater — now join SFS’ 60-year old brand, Hale Groves, and further establishes the company’s foothold in the Florida citrus and gourmet foods industry. The acquisition complements Southern Fulfillment Services existing national gourmet food brands, including gift citrus and fruit baskets.

“Citrus County Groves has enjoyed a consistent prominence on Florida’s Gulf Coast,” said Kristin DiPentima, Retail Manager for SFS. “Joining the stores under the SFS umbrella lets customers experience the best in citrus and gourmet foods, whether they’re shopping for a gift basket or something creative to make for dinner.”

SFS also operates Hale Groves and retail store Hale Groves River Market in Indian River County in Vero Beach, Florida. Southern Fulfillment Services is an industry leader in fruit and gift shipping and both the Hale and Citrus County Groves stores embrace Florida nostalgia and Florida citrus at its best.

“With 21st century technology, consumers can buy from a catalog at home, the convenience of the internet, and even visit our stores in person,” says DiPentima. “We love to see familiar faces return year after year in Pinellas County, and the combination of the Hale and Citrus Country Groves gives SFS access to a completely new customer base.”

Tourists exploring Florida can discover the best quality produce, spices, gourmet goodies and handmade crafts in the state, while local Floridians have more options to shop, knowing they can rely on the same excellent standards they have come to expect.

Citrus County Grove stores will operate under the existing brand names and catalog titles, which include Holiday Citrus and Orange Blossom Groves.

About Southern Fulfillment Services:
Southern Fulfillment Services (SFS) is a privately owned Florida-based company with production facilities in Vero Beach, Florida, Harlingen and Palestine, Texas. SFS currently owns multiple catalog brands related to citrus and gourmet food categories. Southern Fulfillment Services also provides private label fulfillment for national catalog and internet companies.

Source:Free PRWeb