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$189K grant to benefit Beacon makeover Thanks to a $189,375 grant from the Edward C. Fogg III and Lizbeth A. Fogg Charitable Trust, Beacon College will undergo an extreme makeover of the school’s academic buildings in downtown Leesburg. The grant will help defray an exterior re-facing of the one-block strip of storefronts the college acquired two decades ago to serve as the school’s academic mall. The nearly 12,000-square-foot space houses around 90 percent of the college’s classroom and laboratory space, and more than half of faculty offices. In line with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Beacon’s distinctive educational mission, the renovation distin i includes installing an elevator. Pending permitting and blueprinting, school officials expect renovations b to begin this spring.
Time to make a splash! The children’s splash park in Tavares, a seaplane-themed attraction at Wooton Park, 100 E. Ruby St., opens for the 2017 season from 10am to 6 pm April 10, and remains open during those hours on weekends through May 24. After that, the park is open daily from May 25 to Aug. 9, and then goes back to weekends Aug. 10 to Sept. 30. The cities of Clermont and Eustis also have splash parks for children to enjoy, and Leesburg is expected to debut its new splash pad this spring.
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Local bank builds veterans home United Southern Bank employees, executives, and board members are helping Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter build one of 14 houses at the Veterans Village in Umatilla. “We are honored to be able to continue our partnership with Habitat and to build affordable homes for our veterans in the city of Umatilla,” Mike Stephens, United Southern Bank senior vice president, says in a news release. The groundbreaking was in November, and the Village was planned to provide safe housing for those who served their country. Plans are for the team from United Southern to continue its work in the coming months. “We are grateful for United Southern Bank’s continued support,” says Habitat CEO Kent Adcock. “It’s wonderful to have a local bank, based in Umatilla, get involved in this community project. We couldn’t be more thankful for USB’s investment.”
