THE HIT LIST

CROSSED PURPOSES?

It’s a giant cross. No, it’s a cell phone tower.

Actually, it’s both. The 155-foot tall white cross on the property of Grand Island Baptist Church also doubles as a cell phone tower for Verizon and AT&T. The cross, which has been on the property since Dec. 2014, has both spiritual and practical purposes.

“Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead,” says Dr. Chris Orr, Senior Pastor of the church. “It’s a reminder that salvation is possible. Also, everyone has a cell phone in Lake County. Some places might have dead zones. However, in the event of an emergency, a life could be saved because our tower provides adequate cell phone coverage.”

At one time, Pastor Orr considered changing the church’s name to Church at the Cross. However, that idea was scrapped when leaders discovered there’s a church with the same name in Ocoee.

Regardless, the cross serves as a Lake County landmark.

“I live six miles away in Eustis and can see the cross when I’m coming out of my neighborhood,” Pastor Orr says. “For boaters on Lake Eustis, it’s a north compass point, and for boaters on Lake Yale, it’s a south compass point.”

FROZEN FUN

Get out of the Florida heat for a day at Winterland Adventures ice skating rink in the Leesburg Mall. The indoor recreational rink is decked out with winter decor, with the atmosphere of a chalet in the Swiss mountains. With low air-conditioned temperatures, you might forget you’re in Florida… just make sure to bring your jacket!

Skating is open to all ages, so bring the kids and grandma and grandpa for a day of skating and fun in the cold. You won’t need to leave for lunch, as Winterland’s Chalet serves a selection of soups, salads, nachos and pizza. You can also try one of the savory crepês, like the Lake Crepê with smoked salmon, cream cheese and avocado. Sweet-toothed visitors might like the A La Mode Crepê, fi lled with apples, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla ice cream, or a chocolate waffl e stick. Mom and dad can enjoy hot and cold drinks, including a selection of beer and wine.

Skate rentals are included in the price of skating, and discounts are off ered for active military and veterans. Private lessons are also available, or you can make group reservations for birthdays and other events. Lesson packages are available, as are 6-month memberships for skaters who can’t get enough of the ice, or Northerners who miss the cold.

WINTERLAND ADVENTURES ICE SKATING RINK

10401 US Hwy 441 Suite 404 // Leesburg Mall // 352.787.2111 winterlandadventures.com // facebook.com/winterlandadventures Open Friday 3pm-12am, Saturday 10am-12am, Sunday 11am-8pm Closed until further notice due to COVID-19.

JOYOUS JUICE

Something new just arrived at Mount Dora Marketplace; The Juice Box serves fresh, coldpressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls and health shots using local produce. Owner Isamarie Aymat, who is originally from Puerto Rico, always had a dream of owning her own store, and after working in a hospital for many years she

THEY NEVER HAD A CHANCE

The Dade Massacre, which sparked the Second Seminole War, occurred right outside of Bushnell.

On Dec. 28, 1835, nearly 200 Seminole Indians, hiding behind palmettos, ambushed 107 federal troops under the command of Maj. Francis Langhorne Dade.

For Dade’s troops, fi ghting a highly motivated enemy who had the element of surprise and knowledge of terrain was too much to overcome. Eight hours after the Seminoles fi red the fi rst shot, the bodies of U.S. soldiers were sprawled across the battlefi eld. Only three men survived. Two of the three died in ensuing hours trying to escape.

The Second Seminole War is the longest and costliest war against Native Americans in U.S. history.

Each January, more than 200 people converge upon Dade Battlefi eld Historic State Park to reenact the famous battle. Those portraying U.S. soldiers don blue wool uniforms; their Seminole adversaries with painted faces wear colorful headdresses and buckskin trousers.

decided to use her savings and fi nally do just that, opening The Juice Box in May of 2020.

Now living in Mount Dora, Isamarie creates her drinks using recipes she makes at home and by doing research on what people like. Many of the drinks she made at home she added to the menu, because they are often requested. Her favorite is the Palm Tree, a sweeter detox juice made with pineapple, celery, green apple, kale, ginger and spinach.

Customers often love the Palm Tree as well, along with The Rainforest and The Bahia. The Rainforest is made with spinach, parsley, green apple, cucumber, ginger and lemon. The Bahia is kiwi, papaya, pineapple, ginger and coconut water. You can also try a fresh-squeezed lemonade.

Smoothies are also fan favorites, especially the Caribbean Crunch, Tropical Island and Mango Breeze. The Tropical Island and Mango Breeze are perfect for tropical fruit lovers, while the Caribbean Crunch is a peanut butter oatmeal blend with honey, almond milk and granola.

The acai bowls are also very popular among customers. Acai bowls are $5.50, and include four fruits and three toppings. Toppings include things like Nutella, honey, granola, nuts, chia seeds, coconut fl akes and even bee pollen. The shop also serves parfaits with fresh fruit.

For an extra burst of energy, try one of their ginger, turmeric or wheatgrass shots, or add whey, maca or spirulina powder to a smoothie or juice.

THE JUICE BOX MOUNT DORA

334 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora // 352.602.9560 facebook.com/pg/thejuiceboxmtdora Open Wednesday-Sunday 10am-6pm

A FREEZE TO PLEASE...

UF Health Leesburg Hospital and UF Health The Villages recently provided a collection of heart-healthy recipes in “Cooking for the Heart” cookbook. Here is a beverage recipe from the cookbook that is ideal on a hot summer day.

FLORIDA FREEZE

1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup grapefruit juice 1/2 cup pineapple chunks 1/2 medium banana

Place ingredients in a blender. Mix until creamy. Serve over crushed ice. Serves 2. Nutrition information per serving: 86 calories, less than 1 gram total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 mg sodium.

SHALL WE DANCE?

After teaching ballroom dancing for 30+ years, Carson Humphries recently opened his fi rst dance studio, Legacy Ballroom, 923 E. Alfred St., Tavares.

He grew up in the dancing world and began teaching at 16.

“This is a place people can be happy and learn what they want to learn,” says Carson, who has taught students in their 80s. Some have gone on to win national dance competitions. He has enjoyed helping students feel at ease on the dance fl oor, whether it was for a cruise, wedding dance, or a night on the town.

“I love seeing people achieve what it is they want to learn,” he says. “I like the teaching part more than anything. It’s really about the journey, helping people get where they want to be, and I like seeing the ‘Aha!’ moment of ‘wow, I can do this!’”

He says dancing is good for one’s balance and overall health. His personal favorite dances are the bolero, waltz and swing.

“Dancing is good for your mind and body control,” adds Carson. “And for a lot of people, it’s exciting when they see that they really can do it. The majority of people just don’t think that they can.”

110 AND GOING STRONG

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Woman’s Club of Leesburg was fi rst organized in October of 1909 with eighteen members. Throughout their now 110-year history, the Woman’s Club of Leesburg has done much to provide fi nancial and physical help to their community through charities and other organizations. The club was created “for the purpose of aiding, improving and beautifying the town,” according to their website.

President of the club, Beth Doetsch, who was elected in the club’s April meeting, emphasizes that the women are “dedicated to volunteerism and fundraising.” Some of the traditional fundraising projects that take place yearly are a fashion show, which is expected to take place in April of 2021, and a fundraising project around the holidays during which they sell Georgia pecans. “They’re delicious. That’s a club favorite,” Beth adds.

The club supports breast cancer awareness, and each October they have raised funds by selling decorative fl amingos. This year they’re planning on selling an additional item; a pink hat with fl amingos on it. The money raised goes to the LIP (Ladies in Philanthropy) foundation, and UF Health Leesburg Hospital. The women also donate their time to Leesburg functions, last year participating in the Christmas parade and dressing as elves.

“The Women’s Club of the country historically started libraries, so we support our local library,” Beth says. During the COVID-19 pandemic, throughout the summer some of the women got together and raised over 550 pounds of food that was donated to a local food pantry. As for members and others in the community that weren’t able to get out during quarantine, the group sent sympathy cards and has a “sunshine committee” that they are currently working on expanding.

GFWC of Leesburg has also donated many artifacts to the Leesburg Heritage Society, such as tea sets, crystal punch bowls, and many photographs from their last 110 years of service. “In the last 12 months we have had 12 new members join us and we have swelled to 42 members, so we’re totally excited about the opportunities that we have through that,” Beth says.

They will have a president’s tea and training and orientation session for new members later this month and will visit the Leesburg Heritage Society “because we are trying to create a historic committee to bring those traditions back to our meetings,” she adds.

The group’s main focus this year is to restore the historical perspective “so that new members will appreciate and understand the kind of club that they’ve inherited,” Beth says. The GFWC is internationally known, and has state, national and international impacts, but in their home of Leesburg, the Woman’s Club focuses on providing scholarships to women in the city, supporting local charities through volunteerism and donations, and remaining a pillar of the community for years to come.

GFWC WOMAN’S CLUB OF LEESBURG

womansclubofleesburg.com facebook.com/GFWC-Womans-Club-of-Leesburg

THE GIFT OF LIFE

Organ, eye and tissue donors are everyday heroes, according to DonateLifeFlorida.org.

Did you know:

• One organ donor can save up to eight lives. • One cornea donor can return sight to those suffering from blindness. • One tissue donor can restore health to more than 50 people.

The Florida Coalition on Donation, Inc., aka DonateLifeFlorida.org says about 5,700 children and adults in Florida await life-saving organ transplants. Across the U.S., that number stands at 120,000. To learn more or to register to be a donor, go to DonateLifeFlorida.org.