Avalon Park Sun Orlando January 2023

Happy New Year, Avalon Park!

Happy New Year Avalon Park! As we kick off a new year and you are contemplating whether or not you need to leave the bubble to find something to do. You don’t! Whether you live, learn work or play here, or all four, there is something for you in Downtown Avalon Park.

As you know, Avalon Park is located between Alafaya Trail and Colonial Drive in beautiful east Orlando, it is accessible by the 528 / Beachline Expressway toll road and is 15 mins away from the 408 / East-West Expressway toll road, which means your out-of-Avalon friends can get here easily from anywhere in Central Florida to join in the fun. Once you enter Avalon Park, the appeal is easy to see. It is a thriving community where we, the locals, love to live, love to work and love to play, and there are ample opportunities to do all three. Here are a few of the highlights:

The Avalon Park Arts & Culture Center (13013 Founder’s Square Drive): AvalonArtsCenter.com As you walk through the Arts Center, which is free to enter, you will find rotating presentations of local artists’ and schools’ work that range from pencil drawings to paintings, from photography to jewelry and a multitude of different things in between. There are specific events sometimes during the weekends and in the evenings so be sure to check out the website and check the calendar. The Arts Center is open Fridays 5-9 pm, Saturdays and Sundays between 12 and 5 pm to view the exhibits, and select other times for special events. There is a gorgeous painted mural of butterflies on the outside of a building close by should you want to take some family photos, definitely Instagram worthy!

The Fifth Floor (3801 Avalon Park East Blvd.): The Fifth Floor is an innovative co-work space in the center of Avalon Park where you can use office space or a conference room depending on your specific needs, for an hour, a week or anything in between. The options are vast and the technology available in the space is up-to-the-minute. Working from home and have a conference call that you do not take at home due to distractions? You can rent a nearby, professional location with the technology you need to accomplish your day-to-day work needs. Discounts are available for some rental fees, so be sure to ask. If you need to concentrate and make some calls, and be in a secluded, professional area, you can use the space while your family waits for you downstairs to join them for lunch at the Marketplace.

The Marketplace at Avalon Park (3801 Avalon Park East Blvd.): Food halls have taken the general concept of a food court and elevated it to a next level dining experience. The Marketplace at Avalon Park is a food hall in downtown Avalon that is a thriving example of this up-and-coming trend in the industry, and it showcases the versatility that will be sure to keep this amazing concept thriving for a long time. The Marketplace at Avalon Park offers 12 options for food and drink, including Bowigens, a craft brewery tap room, The 1 Cantina, a stand-alone restaurant offering full table service, Rosso’s coffee shop, The General Store, where you can peruse a multitude of locally crafted novelties as well as indulge in

wine by the glass or by the bottle, and multiple food vendors with an array of menus sure to please every palette. You can choose from Korean BBQ, Poke bowls, Italian cuisine, Louisiana favorites, burgers and bar food, hot dogs, charcuterie boards and handmade ice cream.

In fact, Avalon Park has 28 dining options including some of these local ones with some new highlights that you might want to try:

• The New All You Can Eat BBQ at A-Aki Sushi and Steakhouse

• New Lunch Specials at Mejana Mediterranean Grille

• The Recently Opened Pico de Gallo and The Bakery

Other activities that Avalon offers are dedicated to your health and wellness. There are day spas, such as Spa Longevita, nail and hair salons to sit back and pamper your hands and feet, like InStyle Hair and Nails Salon, and if you need medical treatment, there are eye centers, physicians and dentists

Avalon Park hosts special events regularly in the community, for holidays or just to celebrate the local arts. Absolutely Avalon is the community’s multicultural celebration in April, where the community comes together to celebrate everything that makes Avalon Park Absolutely Amazing and features local arts, crafts and music. Oktoberfest is showcased with a large arts festival as well as having a beer garden and live music on the stage. Wine walks and the Craft Beer Festival hosted by the Avalon Park Rotary are also favorites in the community, as they allow mingling and walking along the sidewalks while visiting all of the local shops and establishments. The annual Chili Cook Off to Cure in January, kicks off a year of great events and is a fantastic way to sample amazing chili while raising funds for AdventHealth for Children. You will also want to stay tuned for other new events this year like the Vintage and Vines Market this March and Avalon Park Jazz Festival.

There are walking and bike trails throughout the community, as well as a dog park, and tennis and racquetball courts, and don’t forget about the kiddie play area with the splash pad and swings.

Avalon Park is a fully contained community that meets the needs of anyone who is living here or visiting temporarily. It has the ability to create an inclusive environment where there’s ample things to keep you entertained, with places to eat, shopping, health services and exercise areas. The community feeds your soul and your spirit while being functional for business, or pleasure. Everyone makes memories that they will take with them always, but they also leave a presence for the next person through the door, changing the experience just a little bit, from the very essence of the energy within.

Tanya Soto- Tanya.ProfSvcs4U@gmail.com - freelance writer, photographer and single Mum from the UK, currently living in Avalon Park, Orlando.

lbs.! Why? I wanted to get in shape, and it worked! When doing my annual executive physical the results were outstanding, on every level, all the blood values, fitness, blood pressure, heart rate et al. The Doctor said: whatever you do, just continue this way.

Health is the most important you could wish for in your entire live. With physical and mental health, you can conquer the world.

And that is what we want for the Avalon Park communities; to become the healthiest communities in Florida.

5 years ago, I was invited by APG’s Chief Human Resource officer Mari Robles, to attend a dinner given by AdventHealth with about 25 finalists in line to win a $150,000 grant. AdventHealth was looking for a company who could be made the healthiest company in Central Florida. I am proud to say that APG won the award and Advent started right away their program. It was great, from running or walking a 5K together to many lifestyle lessons and medical workshops.

We were told that one of the determining factors of being awarded the grant, was that our goal was to take the principles learned in the process and extend them to the communities that we build. And since we did that 3-year program, we thought about how to get the entire community to embrace it. And once again our great partner, AdventHealth introduced us to a great opportunity. This time the Avalon Park Orlando community was selected to do a pilot community health program. The pilot program begins this month with 30 participants, with the goal to continue adding additional participants at different benchmarks. We look forward to sharing more details with you on this fantastic program as it develops for the Avalon Park Orlando community.

Our goal remains to make Avalon Park Orlando one of the healthiest communities in Central Florida.

Advent Health and APG have been partners and friends for a long time. I am serving on their main Orlando Board since 2006, and our organizations have collaborated on many partnerships over the past 20+ years. Some of those include that AdventHealth is a tenant in the Keith A. Ewing Medical Office Building, Encore at Avalon Park Assisted Living and Memory Care and Advent Health have an affiliation agreement, and AdventHealth is a key sponsor to many Avalon Park events. Additionally, AdventHealth and APG are founding partners of the UCF Medical School in Lake Nona, and so it goes on and on. True friends and great partners!

I think to start 2023 with a goal like becoming the healthiest community in Central Florida, truly will be life changing for many, it definitely was for me when I went on to lose a quarter of my (excess) weight.

Happy New Year Avalon Park!

From the Desk of Commissioner

Maribel Gomez Cordero

I hope everyone had a GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON! Now that it is January, we find ourselves in a new year. In 2023, I hope that we will continue working together to ensure that our community remains a top destination both for visitors and new residents. New years are traditionally a time for renewal and new experiences, so I am sure that we will see a lot of great things in the coming months.

I would like to invite everyone to my Three Kings’ Day Celebration. This event will be held on Saturday, January 7th, 2023, at 11am at Downey Park (10107 Flowers Ave, Orlando, FL 32825). This event will be a toy giveaway that will also feature various public and private community organizations. Food and drinks will also be provided as well as live music. This is a great opportunity for families and kids in our District to have the memorable opportunity to experience firsthand

this beautiful tradition. This is a family friendly event where kids will not only receive a present but meet the Three Kings and enjoy a fun outdoor environment.

To those in need of assistance following the hurricane, I encourage you to visit the Disaster Recovery Center in Barnett Park at 4801 W Colonial Dr. This center is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm. Staff members from local and state agencies as well as from FEMA are available to assist you there.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like to receive my newsletter, you can email me at district4@ocfl.net or call my office at 407-836-5881.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!

Blessings, Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero

Lighthouse Works Presented with Employment Achievement Award at Annual National Industries for the Blind Symposium

Lighthouse Works, an Orlando-based organization that provides competitive job opportunities for individuals who are blind or visually impaired (BVI), recently accepted its fourth Employment Achievement Award in as many months. Lighthouse Works was recognized at the annual National Industries for the Blind (NIB) Training Conference and Expo for the third year in a row.

The recognition comes amid a milestone year for Lighthouse. Since the beginning of 2022, the organization has hired 245 individuals, and most recently celebrated becoming a workforce of more than 500 strong across Florida and 11 other states.

“Bringing home another plaque from NIB is truly an honor,” said Kyle Johnson, President and CEO at Lighthouse Works. “It’s a reminder of the hard work and dedication that our team members display every day while also demonstrating that a person’s unique disabilities does not hinder their ability to perform good work.”

Two Lighthouse Works employees were nominated for individual awards and had the opportunity to attend the conference, which was held in Northern Virginia, along with Lighthouse’s executive leadership team.

Interest Rates, Home Prices & The Federal Reserve

Real Estate is arguably the largest sectors of the economy and from an individual’s perspective is their largest investment where their mortgage payment is the largest part of a monthly budget and vehicles are usually the second. The Real Estate market is considered a Leading Indicator of the economy. Low Interest Rates and strong demand fueled the extra-ordinary rise in the cost of housing and rise in inflation.

INTEREST RATES: Enter the Federal Reserve, mandated to control the inflation introduced the first of 7 interest rate increases for 2022. Because the Real Estate market is so sensitive to interest rates it was the first to be impacted by the FEDs. With that being said, let’s look back over our 2022 Real Estate Market, specifically our 32828 area.

HOME PRICES: Unlike many other areas in the country the sales prices of home sold in the 32828 area have remained fairly stable. According to data from the Orlando MLS the average sales price of homes sold each month in 2022 is still higher than 2021. For example, the was a 16.7% increase when comparing Nov 2021 to Nov 2022, and an 11.6% increase in Dec.

LESS HOMES SELLING: The Federal Reserve’s objective to slow the real market has been successful. With the rise in interest rates, we are experiencing approximately 28% less homes being sold per month in 2022 when compared with 2021.

LENGTH OF TIME TO SELL: We’re also experiencing an increase in the number of unsold listings due to a decrease in demand for homes, and those that do sell, are taking on average 36 days. This trend may continue into 2023.

BUYER’S MARKET: With the decrease in demand for homes and the increase in homes for sale, it’s now a buyer’s marketing giving them the opportunity to take their time making a buying decision and the ability to negotiate a price. The strong sellers’ market homes were selling above the listed price (January – July) where-as in a buyer’s market homes are selling below the listed price, (August – December.)

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING? Now more than ever it’s critical to work with an experienced Real Estate Professional who understands the current market, who you can confidently consult. As someone who is looking to sell your home, an experienced Realtor will be able to offer sound pricing advice, essential to getting your home sold. If you’re thinking of purchasing a home the experienced Realtor will safely guide you towards an affordable home of your dreams.

Improving Health and Happiness in Assisted Living

Moving parents or grandparents into a senior living community can be a big transition for everyone involved. So many questions go into this next step in a loved one’s life. Where will they move? Will they like it? How will they get taken care of?

Choosing the right senior living is one step, but making sure a new resident is happy is another very important factor.

Being surrounded by a community has shown that it can improve the quality of life for longer, especially more than living alone. The idea of assisted living can be scary for some seniors, claiming they “don’t want to be in a home.” Research and becoming education on what different senior living home offers will allow you to choose the best option.

Ways to Improve Health and Happiness in Assisted Living

There are many ways to support a loved one as they make the transition into assisted living. Whether they are going into assisted living, memory care or senior apartments, each place offers residents entertainment, fitness and living arrangements that fit each unique situation.

Here are some ways residents can improve your way of life in assisted living:

Keeping up with fitness

Retirement communities often offer classes or group workouts. Pilates, yoga and water aerobics are great classes to get into as they are easier on the body, but are still impactful in keeping a healthy lifestyle. Exercise can also reduce stress, so a nice group walk around the community would be a great way to do this.

Socializing

There are instances where a new resident could feel isolated when first moving into an assisted living community, but there are others around you who are or have gone through the same thing. These communities hold planned events for residents to go to and mingle. There’s also a common space area where residents go every day to relax and be with other residents. This can include playing games of bingo, arts and crafts or reading a book. Making friends and doing different activities with them will help improve happiness and feeling a sense of belonging.

Frequent visits

Family and loved ones are important in this process; they help ensure the feeling of safety and comfort. Having one or even a few visitors each week will improve how a resident feels. If there’s a solution for a brighter day, receiving visitors is definitely on the top of the list.

Eating nutritious meals

There’s no stress of cooking your own meals anymore as assisted living communities make them for you. Meals are chef-prepared and have the ability to cater to specific medical conditions a resident may have. Meals are served three times a day, along with the option for healthy snacks throughout the day.

Creating a happy senior living community in Central Florida

At Encore Avalon Park, we want our residents to be a part of a happy, healthy environment. In addition to comfortable accommodations and delicious meals, our senior living community offers a full schedule of recreational and social activities for our senior residents, many of which are perfectly accessible for seniors in wheelchairs to enjoy.

Find out more about what makes Encore at Avalon Park the premier senior living community in the Central Florida area by calling 407-270-7500 and scheduling a tour.

Sunshine Ankle & Foot Experts January Health Fact

Why choose a foot and ankle surgeon?

Foot and ankle surgeons are the leading experts in foot and ankle care today. As doctors of podiatric medicine – also known as podiatrists, DPMs or occasionally “foot and ankle doctors” – they are the board-certified surgical specialists of the podiatric profession. Foot and ankle surgeons have more education and training specific to the foot and ankle than any other healthcare provider.

Foot and ankle surgeons treat all conditions affecting the foot and ankle, from the simple to the complex, in patients of all ages. Their intensive education and training qualify foot and ankle surgeons to perform a wide range of surgeries, for the full spectrum of foot and ankle conditions, disorders and injuries.

Sunshine Ankle & Foot Experts can help you!

Dr. Kiana Karbasi and Dr. Timothy Miller are currently seeing patients in downtown Avalon Park. Please call 407-863-3655 or visit us at www. sunshineankleandfoot.com to schedule an appointment! We love being a part of the Avalon Park Community and look forward to keeping it’s members SAFE and keeping them going!

If you are ever looking to start a business, look to see if a coworking space is the best path to success for you. Coworking spaces are where different businesses work side-by-side in an office space. They have slowly been on the rise and in 2019, there were nearly 19,000 coworking spaces all over the globe. These spaces are the perfect places for networking and saving up until you decide to go bigger. Starting up a business can be a daunting task at first, but finding the right coworking space for you will allow the process to become smooth sailing.

Benefits as a Startup for Coworking Spaces

1. Networking with others

What better way to grow your business than with other entrepreneurs in your office space? You have people who run other businesses around you at all times. Even during your morning cup of coffee, you can network with others.

Networking is one of the most essential parts of starting up a business since you want to get a strong base of customers to start with. Make sure to attend different workshops and gatherings in your coworking office and let the conversations flow.

2. On the more affordable side

No matter what, it’s going to take some money out of your pocket to startup or get your business running. However, investing in a coworking space first will give you some wiggle room. You won’t have to be spending the money for an office lease and the furniture that all goes in there.

Coworking spaces usually have a variety of memberships you can choose from that best accommodate your financial and business needs. Ranging from hot desks to your own private office, there’s many options to choose from.

3. Ability to have a work-life balance

Having to balance two parts of your life can be difficult and stressful. While dealing with a new business, you still have to oversee chores and bills to pay at home. Working in a shared workspace can relieve some of that pressure.

In your office, you’ll have a support system with people who are all trying to do the same thing: balance their work and life schedule. Working in the office will allow you to focus on the job at hand, while also knowing when to take breaks to not overwhelm yourself.

4. Make your own schedule

One of the main benefits that draws people into coworking spaces is

flexibility. We all have lives and sometimes things out of our control pop up that we need to attend to. Usually, co-working spaces never close. Depending on the type of membership you have, you’ll have an option of 24/7 access to your office. Even if you don’t decide to have that membership, you still know you have the freedom to leave if an emergency pops up and not have to worry about closing the office down.

Another form of flexibility is not being tied down to an office lease. If your business is growing and you want to move to another office, you’ll have to wait until your two-year lease is up. Not being tied down to a location can also allow you to move to where the target audience of your business is.

5. Bounce ideas off one another

Two, three and many more brains are better than one. Working in a shared space can create many new ideas to come up. If you’re stumped and can’t think of something, don’t hesitate to ask someone in the office for some help or ideas. Throwing thoughts out there and hearing feedback will allow you to think of things you’ve never thought of before.

Even though you know your business thoroughly, it’s always inspiring to hear someone else’s point of view about a topic. It could possibly be game-changing. Always be open to new ideas as this was what a coworking space was built for.

A Coworking Space Right Here in Orlando

When looking for a place to start your business, consider The 5th Floor as the beginning of your business journey.

The 5th Floor Orlando offers modern and high-quality workspaces, concierge-level services that are completely customized to our tenants’ specific needs, and a convenient location above Marketplace at Avalon Park. Our lockable cubicles, hot desks, and private offices are perfect for ambitious individuals looking for a workspace perfect for facilitating collaboration and fostering productivity. And our high-tech conference rooms are an excellent space to host your workshops, meetings, and events.

For more information about how to get started and to reserve one of our accommodating coworking spaces, contact The 5th Floor Orlando online or call us at 407-730-3493.

The 5th Floor Global News: Supporting Excellence Everywhere

When you work at a T5F office, you could be sharing your space with some of the movers and shakers of industry, no matter where you are. Each T5F global location is chosen with great care and attention to detail for how our co-working spaces can support and enhance local industries and cutting edge entrepreneurship. This year, T5F’s flagship location in Muttenz, Switzerland was home to not one, not two, but three of the Top 100 Swiss startups in the year of 2022!

The three partners who have received this recognition are: Qnami, working to develop the field of quantum sensing, Resistell, a biotech startup redefining antibiotic susceptibility testing, and Tolremo Therapeutics AG, a company researching improvements in cancer therapy. Given that Muttenz is the hub of life sciences in Switzerland, it is no coincidence that all three of these stellar businesses are cutting edge ventures in STEM. Keeping our client needs at top of mind, our space has intentionally incorporated features to support STEM research and development. These facilities include the two in-house CO.LAB laboratories that come with chemistry and biology research equipment, materials, and waste disposal services that adhere to industry standard safety requirements. Our members in T5F Muttenz gain access to professional-grade equipment and research spaces for a fraction

of the regular cost, allowing young startups like Qnami, Resistell, and Tolremo Therapeutics AG to make their mark, even without huge amounts of capital.

T5F has had the privilege to support members of this community via our co-working space located right in the heart of the Muttenz city, across from the transport hub where thousands of commuters pass through every day. More importantly, it is located right next to Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (FHNW), the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. Understanding that the field of life sciences research is deeply intertwined with academic institutions, our location meets the needs of bright and eager students starting out on their own. At the same time, we are the home of university-affiliated initiatives, such as Qnami, which originated from the University of Basel, and Tolremo Therapeutics AG, which started as an initiative by ETH Zurich, one of the top science and technology universities in the world.

When you become a part of The 5th Floor, you can rest assured that you will always be in the best company, no matter where you are in the world. We pride ourselves on bringing out the best in our members, because we believe in going above and beyond to meet their every need.

EOCC Welcomes the Board of Directors

The East Orlando Chamber of Commerce welcomes the 2023 Board of Directors. The incoming Board Chair, Eric Gray, Executive Director for the Christian Service Center, and East Orange County Resident will take the gavel starting January 1st, 2023. The outgoing Board Chair Martha Santoni, Government Relations Program Manager for Nemours Children Healthcare System and Lake Nona resident recently thanked the Board of Directors for their support and commitment during her tenure. She will continue her service taking over the Immediate Past Chair role by sitting on the Executive Committee.

The East Orlando Chamber Board members serve as representatives of the membership and are representatives from participating businesses who have an interest in supporting the business community in East Orange County. These individuals are the sounding board for the President/CEO and staff providing expertise, guidance for the Chamber. The following board members are returning to serve for another 2-year term ending December 31, 2024.

- Barbara Bombalier, Welbro Building Company

- Evelyn Cardenas. Central Florida Auto Dealers

- Jennifer Englert, The Orlando Law Group

- Karen Jensen, Orlando Health

- Fred Kittinger, University of Central Florida

- Lora Miller, CHEP/CHEP Charitable Foundation

- Graciela Noriega Jacoby, Heart of United Way Central Florida

Also returning to the Board is Sabrina Persaud, Nadini Marketing & Printing as Ambassador Chair and Don Whyte, Suburban Land Reserve as the Trustee Liaison.

The Chamber also welcomes 4 new faces joining the Board for the 2023-2024 term.

- Gabriel Preisser, General Director, Opera Orlando

- Gloryvel Morales, Assistant Vice President, Trustco Bank

- Sami Haiman-Marrero, President/CEO, Urbander

- Dr. Sobia Kahn, Provost, Valencia College East & Lake Nona

Returning Board members whose term ends on December 31, 2023 include:

- Jessi Blakely, Tavistock Development Company

- Joey Genovesi, Kolumi Corp.

- Dr. Cap Jadonath, Orange Technical College

- Christine Kefauver, Brightline

- Roger Lear, OrlandoJobs.com

- Erich Maschhoff, TD Bank

- Dena Sandy, Cubix, Inc.

- La’Tonya Stark, Orlando Regional Realtor’s Association (ORRA)

- Chase Tikker, AdventHealth

Andrew Cole, President/CEO, stated “I am very excited to work with this talented and devoted Board. We have great individuals who will help us continue to grow and provide exceptional programing and benefits for our members. We also have a wonderful staff who with the support of the Board members will make the Chamber successful in 2023.”

The East Orlando Chamber of Commerce is a leader in Advocacy, Community Engagement and Regional Connections in east Orange County. Visit www.EOCC.org or call 407-2775951 to learn how more about benefits and business development opportunities.

9th Annual Chili Cook Off!

Do you think you can cook the best chili? Put your cooking skills to the test in the 9th Annual Chili Cook Off to CURE. Over the years, talented cooks have created some fun and tasty chili that has brought the community together saying “Wow, this is the best chili ever!”.

The chili competition includes three awards that are possible to receive: People’s Choice Chili, Homestyle Chili (this can be anything), and Traditional Red Chili. Not wanting to cook chili? There’s more chances to win with contests like a cornhole tournament, 50/50 raffle and much more!

Kids can enjoy this event with a Kid Zone offering many activities for them to participate in throughout the event. Bring the whole family out for food, games, music, and fun for East Orlando’s favorite community fundraising event! All proceeds raised from this event go towards pediatric oncology at AdventHealth for Children.

The cook off will take place January 28 in Town Park, from 10am to 4pm. You can purchase tickets here to attend.

To learn about how you can become a part of this event, visit here to learn more. As always check back on Avalon Park Orlando’s website for more information.

Coming together to create a healthy community

Get a Healthy Start to the New Year

There’s a stigma out there that eating healthy is expensive, lacks flavor, and is hard to maintain long term. I like to subscribe to the idea that eating healthy is much easier and tastier than it sounds. Not everyone will agree and I understand that. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you need to become a vegan or vegetarian. It doesn’t mean you need to count every calorie, check fat grams, or even eliminate your favorite foods. What it does mean is that you can impact your health is a positive way by making small changes to your daily eating habits. In the same way you would approach your exercise routine, set small goals, and change those habits a little at a time. Before you know it, your body will be craving things like a cold, crispy sweet apple over an entire box of chocolate.

The best advice to set you into a positive mindset is not to think of it as a diet—because it’s not! You should feel free to eat as you would like, whenever you want. Those cravings you have are real, and, if ignored, may send you into a downward spiral that will only end in you feeling overwhelmed and defeated. Far too often, we go on extreme diets we can’t maintain which keeps us from developing any long-term, healthy eating habits.

In general, you should try to base healthy eating habits around these food groups:

• Vegetables: Should play a fundamental role in most meals. They are low in calories, yet, full of important micronutrients and fiber.

• Fruits: A naturally sweet treat—fruit provides micronutrients and antioxidants that can help improve health.

• Lean meats and fish: Meat and fish have been the major sources of protein throughout evolution. Look for leaner cuts of meat and increase your poultry and fish intake. Remember that baking, roasting, and grilling are all healthier alternatives to deep frying.

• Nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes: Are not just for vegan and vegetarian diets. High in important nutrients, they are also great sources of fiber and protein. Nuts and seeds are considered some of the best sources of healthy fats you can find.

• Eggs: Whole eggs pack a powerful combination of protein, beneficial fats, and micronutrients.

• Dairy: Dairy products such as natural yogurt and milk are convenient and low-cost sources of protein and calcium.

• Healthy starches: Starchy foods like potatoes with the skin, quinoa, and whole-grain bread can be healthy and nutritious.

• Herbs and spices: These are often very high in nutrients and beneficial plant compounds. Dried or fresh, they can pack a ton of flavor into your cooking.

Remember no foods need to be eliminated, however, some foods should be limited or saved for special occasions.

• Sugar-based products: Foods high in sugar, espe-

cially sugary beverages, are often linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as other chronic diseases.

• Trans fats: Sometimes called partially hydrogenated fats have also been linked to many chronic illnesses, including heart disease.

• Refined carbs: Foods that are high in refined carbs, such as white bread, are linked to overeating, obesity, and other metabolic diseases.

• Processed foods: Often these are disguised as healthy alternatives, but make sure you read the label as they usually contain a high amount of sugar or sodium to make them taste better.

Optimal health goes way beyond just nutrition. Exercising, restful sleep, proper hydration, and minimizing stress are all crucial to your success

Make it simple and easy to follow small steps at a time. Allow for some balance and enjoy your treats. The total elimination of the foods you enjoy may increase cravings and decrease your long-term success. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate to help you control portion sizes. The adage “our eyes are bigger than our stomachs” really does apply. What’s right for you might not be right for your brother, sister, friend, or significant other. Find your balance and stick with it. Have a safe, healthy, and happy new year.

*Always consult your physician if you have questions about your specific needs based on your specific health condition.

COMMUNITY CORNER

Avalon Park Pickleball Update

Pickleball returned to the incredible U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) National Campus facility in Lake Nona Dec.1-4 where over 1,000 amateurs and pros competed in the Hertz National Pickleball Championship. Michele Byrne, who lives in South Village but trains at Cady Way Park in Winter Park because Avalon Park does not have real pickleball courts, won a Silver Medal with her senior doubles partner Jan Croud. Other Avalon Park pickleball amateurs who competed at USTA included Matt Salamon, Corey Coljeski, Caleb Deckert, Debbie Schandel, and Ed Lynt.

This Orlando tournament saw both World #1 pickleball pros Ben Johns, 23, from Austin TX., and Anna Leigh Waters, 15, from Delray

Beach FL., each win another Triple Crowngold medals in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Anna Leigh is in the latest issue of Forbes as one of the 30 game changers under 30 years old who are changing tomorrow today. They won in a standing room only USTA pickleball stadium broadcast live on the Tennis Channel, YouTube, and Facebook. In Avalon Park, 9 teams competed in our December pickleball tournament won by Pam Geronimos and Matt Salamon 7-1.

Pictured are Michele Byrne and Jan Croud; Pam Geronimos and Matt Salamon; Ben Johns; Anna Leigh Waters; and the Avalon Park December tournament group photo.

Report by Ed Lynt

Coming in 2023: Rotary Club of Avalon Park Brings Back Two Major Events!

Many of us had to put a pause on certain events during the pandemic and it took a while to bring them back to the public. The Rotary Club of Avalon Park proudly announces two major events on the calendar for 2023!

3rd Annual Poker Tournament will be held on Super Bowl Saturday, and the stakes are high!

Come join us for a fun night of poker on February 11 to raise money for the Second Chance of Florida Foundation. Space is limited to 100 players and all attendees must present a valid form of ID at registration. The VIP Experience includes admission at 6:00 p.m. with choice of seating.

Cash prizes are as follows:

• 1st place: $3000

• 2nd place: $1000

• 3rd place: $500

• 4th - 10th place will have various other prizes

Players must be 21 or over to play. Please read ticket description to see what is included with ticket purchase. For more information

The 4th Annual Rotary Craft Beer Festival will be held on March 25 in the heart of Avalon Park! This charity fundraiser event is presented by Loyal Source and a portion of proceeds will benefit various charities selected by participating brewers. The last few years have been a boom for the Orlando Craft Beer scene with numerous new breweries opening up and several more in the works - it’s an exciting time for craft beer enthusiasts! The 2023 line up is being assembled now and will be

announced soon. The focus again this year will be on local ORLANDO area brewers.

Advance Ticket Sales will be available through Eventbrite (search “Rotary Beer”) starting on Christmas Eve (Saturday 12/24). There will be a link to purchase on the Facebook Event Page. Tickets will be limited and are expected to sell out!

VIP tickets will get you in at 3:00 p.m. for an extra hour, a few special release beers, and an event t-shirt. General Admission starts at 4:00 p.m. and the event ends at 7:00 p.m.. It’s going to be a great day to drink local! Are you getting thirsty? Cheers!

Interested in getting involved with Rotary? They meet every Wednesday at 7:30 am at the Avalon Park Community Center, 13401 Tanja King Blvd. To follow RCoAP: https://www.facebook.com/ www.rotaryclubofavalonpark.org

After much deliberation and due to the fact we only had two nominees for this month, we decided to give the award to both nominees since we felt both deserved it. So with that being said, the Timber Creek Athletic Department would like to recognize and congratulate both senior, Peter Nesheiwat and sophomore, Alex Beck on being voted as our Male and Female Nuno’s Cafe Student Athlete of the Month for November/December. They both exemplified what it is to be a true “Student Athlete” on the field and in the classroom with their hard work, sportsmanship and teamwork.

Peter Nesheiwat (Sr)

Boys Varsity Wrestling

Peter was nominated by Coach Cone and Coach Buckridge. Peter is a leader in the wrestling room and on campus. He is off to a fantastic start to his senior season posting a 13-0 record with 5 pins. At the Danny Byron Invitational, he beat 4 top 10 ranked wrestlers in the state. He also finished 1st at the Bobcat Round Robin. Peter is also heavily involved in the PIT Crew program at school working with students who have special needs.

Peter started wrestling when he was kindergarten and stuck with it until 7th grade. When he moved to Florida,

he started back up again when got to high school. Peter has been playing football too since he was little and recently started competing in Track & Field (shot put, javelin and discus). He hopes to get into a great college after graduation to study to be a lawyer and wrestle in college. In his free time, he enjoys wrestling, playing football and fishing. Peter enjoys being outside and hanging out with friends and family.

We are so proud of you Peter! Keep up the hard work –you are destined for great things!

Alex Beck (S0)

Girls Varsity Soccer

Alex was nominated by Coach Angeles and Coach Corbo. Alex posted 7 goals, 3 assists in her first 8 games of the season. Alex has shown leadership and dedication to school work and soccer at high level. She continues to learn and develop both on and off the field as a responsible and talented young lady. Alex also excels in the classroom maintaining a 4.6 GPA while taking multiple AP and Honors courses.

Alex started playing soccer competitively when she was 8. She has aspirations to play soccer in college and is undecided about what she will major in. When Alex is not playing soccer, she enjoys spending time with friends. A few fun facts about Alex is that she used to be a gymnast and likes to sleep a lot.

Extremely proud to have you represent our female student athlete of the month Alex – well-deserved!

https://timbercreekathletics.com/2022/12/23/ tc-athletics-spotlight-our-nunos-cafe-student-athletes-of-the-month/?fbclid=IwAR1mRtH38a77h6I2nZXC9DTsGXUIeUoa3dBTHoU4WEfRHDkcBjuKmz-YIuI&mibext