Avalon Park Sun Orlando November 2022

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You Belong in Downtown Avalon Park this Fall

Downtown Avalon Park is the perfect place to participate in some great holiday traditions, or start some new ones, this Fall! From starting your holiday shopping early at the annu al craft fair on November 12th or a family-friendly movie in the park, you belong in Downtown Avalon Park.

Fall in Avalon Park traditionally means the start of an event season with a wide variety of recreational amenities designed to get you – and your family – outdoors and active. With the weather changing, safe family-friendly events, miles of paths for walking and biking and local dining, there are many ways to start some new fall traditions this year.

Here are some of the other exciting family-friendly activities happening this fall in Downtown Avalon Park that are free and open to the public:

Movie Under the Stars

Bring your blanket or lawn chair and enjoy free popcorn, lo cal vendors, and a free movie in the park. The movie starts at dark but come early to enjoy a picnic dinner and meeting friends and neighbors.

November 18th: Brave December 16th: The Grinch

Location: Town Park, 3651 Avalon Park East Blvd., Orlando, FL 32828

Avalon Aglow

December 3rd, 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Indulge in the best of family holiday traditions at the 24th Annual Avalon Aglow holiday event. Watch the parade pre sided over by Santa Claus, sip hot cocoa as you shop at the local businesses, craft and maker vendors, laugh on the train ride around Avalon Lake, enjoy live performances, great food and Orlando’s premier winter fireworks extravaganza.

Food Truck Night

Join us at Town Park the 3rd Sunday of each month for beats and eats! Approximately 20 local food trucks featuring a va riety cuisine are available for families to try something new or get an old favorite all while enjoying music!

Fall Craft Fair

Saturday, November 12th, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Local vendor booths will feature homemade items such as holiday decorations, sweet treats, paintings, candles, plants and more!

Location: Town Park, 3651 Avalon Park East Blvd., Orlando, FL 32828

Turkey Trot

November 24, 7:00 a.m. Onsite Registration, 8:00 a.m. Race Start

Avalon Park Arts and Culture Center

13000 Avalon Lake Drive, Ste. 100

Open Fridays 5-9 pm, Saturdays Noon- 5pm, Sundays Noon5 pm. Serving as Avalon Park’s Arts and Culture hub, fea turing a gallery for 4 schools, 24+ artists, community events and more.

Join the Avalon Park Foundation for this Annual fun run 5k for a cause through Downtown Avalon Park. Run Now, Gobble Later.

Coffee Hour with BEAT

World War 2 in either the United States of America or Switzerland. A time in which those countries by and large had prosperity and the freedom to pursue anything you could dream of.

Life looked very different if you were born 80 years earlier. For example, in Germany, in your lifetime and in your country, you would have had been a part of 2 world wars, 2 hyper-inflations, no retirement benefits, and very limited health insurance, et al.

And still today, if you are born in most parts of Africa or Asia, life and opportunities look very different. I am thankful for the country I was born in, Switzerland, and the United States where I live and can pursue my entrepreneurial vision and dreams.

I am a believer in stakeholder capitalism,

which means that I operate to maximize not only my profits but aim with equal efforts for the benefits of my employees, customers, and the community at large as well. I am thankful to do business in western democracies in which I can pursue my dreams with a great degree of freedom.

I am thankful that 30 years ago, I was allowed to immigrate to America and become an entrepreneur. And let me tell you, I do not think there are many countries who would allow an immigrant to think “Big,” build a town from scratch like Avalon Park and so much more.

We are thankful for each and every resident, business owner, neighbor and guests. So, whether you whether you have lived, learned, worked or played in Avalon Park for 10+ years or just 1 year, would love to share your story. Please email info@ AvalonParkSun.com with your story to be included in future editions.

Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for making Avalon Park the best place to Live, Learn, Work and Play!

From the Desk of Commissioner

Maribel Gomez Cordero

Holidays are approaching and November is here! We have dedicated this time of the year to reflect and be thankful for all of the good that has occurred. This year, I give thanks to our community, which has bravely come together to help each other out in the face of the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. While we have seen many storms in Central Florida over the years, it always reminds us of the true character and compassion of our community.

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 daily from 9am to 6pm. Staff members from local and state agencies as well as from FEMA are available to assist you there.

Election Day is rapidly approaching. The election will take place on Tuesday, November 8th. You can go to https://ocfelections.com/ early-voting to find the early voting site closest to you. Voting is one of our most basic civil rights, and I encourage everyone to exercise it by voting on or before November 8th.

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

Crafting A Memory Board

arrange it however they want. While also being cre ative, seniors can have bonding time with their fami ly as they all look back at the seniors’ best memories.

How to create a memory board

The supplies needed for this little project are simple! - Poster board of your choosing

- Scissors

- Glue or tape

- Markers or sharpies

- Photos (use copies if possible, to keep the original ones in tact!) and other memorabilia they want to add

Memories are something precious in our lives and we want to hold on to them as long as we can. Un fortunately for some seniors, dementia makes this difficult. Memory loss and simple problem-solving tasks become harder for them and affect their dai ly lives. To help with this, seniors create memory boards to put their most cherished memories and keepsakes down so they can look back at it and see it visually in front of them.

What are memory boards?

Memory boards are a project that helps keep the past alive. Seniors can reminisce on either a certain period of their life, or their whole life on one board. The fun thing about this is they can decorate and

- Any other small decorations like magazine clip pings or stickers can be added as well

After all the supplies are gathered, seniors should sit down with family members and start thinking about core memories that stick out in their life. If they can’t remember some, their loved ones can bring up something that sticks out to them.

Memory boards should have some of the fondest memories from seniors’ lives. Think of where they grew up or their childhood. Where did they go to college? First job? Married? Any items or events that stick out? Almost anything can be thought of, but those are your first steps in asking what should be put on the board.

Once everything is gathered, seniors can do this with the help of their loved ones and create a board that holds a lifetime of memories on it.

Reminisce Old Memories and Create New Ones at Encore at Avalon Park

At Encore at Avalon Park, we understand how im portant it is for our senior residents to have the best experiences possible. This is why our seniors enjoy different social and recreational activities each and every day where they can meet and mingle with oth er residents. We are also happy to help our senior residents arrange friendly visits with old friends and family.

While visiting with loved ones, our residents can enjoy delicious meals at the Marketplace at Avalon Park, a nearby innovative food hall and event space that is within walking distance from our communi ty. No matter how they choose to spend their time reconnecting, the residents at Encore at Avalon Park are supported by dedicated staff members who are here to make sure they keep and maintain the con nections that are important to them.

For more information on our senior living commu nity or to schedule your virtual tour, call us at 407270-7500 today.

Pinecrest Academy Teacher/ Employee of the Year

Congratulations to both Coach Rosario and Nick for being honored as Pinecrest Avalon’s teacher/employee of the year! Go patriots!

Sunshine Ankle & Foot Experts November Health Fact

Your feet are a good indicator of your general health! Such conditions as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet. Foot ailments can be your first sign of more serious medical problems. Seek medical attention if you are experiencing symptoms that are not usual.

Sunshine Ankle & Foot Experts can help you! Dr. Kiana Karbasi and Dr. Timothy Miller are currently seeing patients in Suite 225 of the Keith Ewing Medical Building.

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!

East Lake Elementary Water Color Project

Fourth- and fifth-grade students in Ms. Fiore’s class at East Lake Elementary in southeast Orange County recently completed their lesson on water conservation and started working on their submissions to the annual Orlando Utilities Commission – The Reliable One (OUC) Water Color Project. Since 2006, the Water Color Project has taught future generations about water conservation and the importance of this natural resource through art. Students receive a lesson on water conservation and then develop artwork, messages

and slogans for submission for OUC’s annual Water Color Project calendar. OUC and Orange County Public Schools are partners in the program.

Over the past 15 years, more than 100 elementary schools and over 25,000 fourth and fifth graders have participated in the annual calendar contest. More than 5,000 calendars are distributed each year. Free calendars will be available for pick up at Reliable Plaza starting on January 2023.

Every global location of The 5th Floor is created equal, but each of them have unique features that make all 4 of them special. With the belief that every space must serve its community, The 5th Floor consciously works to celebrate each location and its people, to meet our members where their needs are. From Switzerland to Puerto Rico, every one of our co-working spaces has something that sets it apart from the rest.

The 5th Floor Muttenz - Flagship Space Ideation Space - Designed by Witzig, a leading office design company in Switzerland, The 5th Floor in Muttenz is equipped with an Ideation Space that challenges and reinvents what a workplace can be. Using their understanding of workplace psychology, the space was designed to stimulate creative problem-solving and ideation through its unique furnishings, such as a stage, a workbench, and prototyping equipment. It’s a meeting room, but it can also be so much more than that.

CO.LAB - The 5th Floor in Muttenz is located in the county of Basel, also known as the life sciences hub of Switzerland. Basel hosts countless chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech companies, including Moderna and Novartis. The city is populated with young people and businesses on the cutting edge of scientific research, which is why The 5th Floor is the only co-working space with in-house laboratories, catering to the needs of independent researchers who require professional standards to conduct their work safely. CO.LAB provides direct access to certified chemistry and biology laboratories, as well as specialized tools, complimentary coworking desks, equipment rental, and a laboratory

waste disposal service.

The 5th Floor Puerto Rico Climate Resilience - The 5th Floor in Puerto Rico is conscious that the island is an environmentally fragile area that must be adapted for non-traditional office needs during times of crisis. With this in mind, the co-working space in San Juan has been equipped with resilient services, such as a 24/7 electricity source and fiber-optic internet cables.

The 5th Floor Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is the latest edition for The 5th Floor and the 1st location in Asia. The space is set to open its doors on 1st November to local entrepreneurs as well as global businesses who wish to build a foothold in the burgeoning Asian market. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from this space!

The 5th Floor Orlando

If you’re looking to kick off your startup, are running your own business, or just need a ready office space that is available for use, The 5th Floor Orlando provides a range of co-working spaces that are suitable for businesses of all sizes.

To inquire more about our co-working spaces, you can check out our website or call us today at 407730-3493.

Meet the Member: Stewart Title

Stewart knows how to take the worry out of title insurance and make closings a wonderful experience for everyone involved. We understand the ins and outs of title insurance in this market, and how to get deals done and make you happy.

We look at every interaction with you as a chance to build a long, mutually beneficial relationship – every phone call, every faceto-face meeting, every email and every click on a web page. It’s our people that make the difference. We’d really like the opportunity to get to know you.

Our Orlando team has more than 30 years of experience in real estate. Karen Kisner our branch lead, is a very well-seasoned escrow officer and will do what it takes to get the closing done. Monica Milbrath is our business development officer. Contact Monica at monica.milbrath@stewart.com or 407-515-7024 she will help you learn how we do business differently and why we are the right people to work with you.

Your trusted real estate services provider

At Stewart, we believe in building strong relationships, which are the cornerstone of every transaction. Every day, our loyal associates work hard to enable and protect real estate ownership for our residential and commercial customers – and Stewart has been doing so for well over a century.

Our company began in Galveston, Texas, in 1893, and has grown into one of the largest real estate service companies in the industry. Over the years, one thing that’s remained constant is our commitment to innovating and improving ourselves to meet the needs of our customers and the ever-changing market. Stewart is prepared for the future. Our deliberate and steady growth enables us to continue innovating and developing new solutions that will help us better serve our customers.

Learn more about how we can move you

forward at stewart.com.

Stewart Title at The 5th Floor

Stewart Title is located on The 5th Floor, just above the Marketplace at Avalon Park. Find them on Instagram and Facebook, as well as their website for more information.

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 Stewart Title and to reserve one of our accommodating co-working spaces, contact The 5th Floor Orlando online or call us at 407-730-3493.

Charities, Committees and Awards

November is a time for giving, preparing your business for the new year, and getting the final push to end the year strong. The East Orlando Chamber of Commerce gives back to local nonprofit charitable organizations at our Local Charities Luncheon on Wednesday, Novem ber 9th from 11AM to 1PM at the Holiday Inn East/ UCF. Join us as we recognize the following nonprofit charitable organizations Avalon Park Foundation, First Robotics, For the Love of a Veteran, Identity Ministries, Lighthouse Resource Center and East Orlando Cham ber Foundation. Each one of these Charities have been selected because of their involvement and service to the East Orange County communities. Attend this lun cheon to be introduced to these organization and learn about the work and services they provide. Additional ly, a giving tree is set up so you can select an ornament and donation to assist one of these charities.

As the Chamber prepares for 2023, we are reaching out to Chamber member volunteers to assist the staff in planning events and programs. These committees include the Board of Directors, Ambassadors, Coffee Clubs and all other events and councils. These are valu able opportunities to get exposure for your company and get noticed. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to Dorothy Hardee, Director of Opera tions, at DorothyH@eocc.org.

Finally in January, the East Orlando Chamber of Com merce will be recognizing our 2022 most deserving members and community contributors with our 2022 Chamber Business Awards. Nominations are open for the following awards.

• Small EOCC Member Business of the Year

• Large EOCC Member Business of the Year

• Nonprofit EOCC Member of the Year

• Dedication & Service EOCC Member of the Year

• Volunteer EOCC Member of the Year

• New EOCC Member Up & Comers Awards (New Members from January - December 2022)

• Young Professional of the Year (Open to anyone 40 & under doing business serving the East Orange commu nity)

• Diversity & Inclusion Award of the Year (open to any business serving the East Orange County community)

• Public Servant of the Year (open to anyone support

ing the East Orange County community)

• Woman of the Year (open to anyone supporting the East Orange County community)

If you know of a business or individual who is deserv ing of any of these awards, complete and submit an on line nomination form no later than November 10th. To nominate a candidate please complete the online form at using the QR Code or this link. https://form.jot form.com/eastorlandocc/eocc-business-awards-nomi nation-for Nominees will be posted in December and winners will be announced at the January 2023 Awards Ceremony.

The East Orlando Chamber strives to help your busi ness grow and many members are doing the same. If you would like more information regarding Chamber opportunities, network building and more, contact us today.

For over 75 years, the Chamber has been a leader in Ad vocacy, Community Engagement and Regional Con nections. Visit www.EOCC.org or call 407-277-5951 to learn how more about these and more business devel opment opportunities.

COMMUNITY ARTS

Avalon Park Arts & Culture Center

Relocating to Permanent Home Historic Space for Local Artists, Schools and Exhibitions to be Featured Coming this December.

to change the way the world lives, learns, works and plays by building places and programming like the ACC, where all members of the community can feel a sense of belonging.”

Since the grand opening of the ACC last April, there have been three themed exhibits, featuring over 40 artists and four local schools. The performing arts also came on board with performances from the Orlando Opera, Orlando Philhar monic, and the Avalon School of Music. Additionally, activ ities like the sewing club and paint and sip events were also introduced.

ACC will open its first exhibit, which will be a holiday-theme, in the new space during the communities’ annual holiday event, Avalon Aglow, on December 3rd, 3:00 – 9:00 pm. Thereafter, regular operating hours will continue to be Fri days 5:00 – 9:00 pm, Saturdays and Sundays Noon – 5:00 pm and for special events.

The new site is located at 13013 Founder’s Square Drive, which is one of the first buildings constructed in Downtown Avalon Park. The new space adds character and history, while giving it a more visible space in Downtown Avalon. With the new layout, artists will continue to be able to show off their work in a more visible way to the community. Over 40 local artists and schools will continue to be represented with all levels and mediums.

“The community has embraced the ACC with open arms and I’m excited for the opportunities the new location will pres ent,” said Stephanie Lerret, SVP of Marketing and Communi ty Relations for Avalon Park Group. “We activate our mission

The Avalon Park Arts and Culture Center allows schools, rotating artists, and organizations to showcase their diverse works from all mediums. ACC is a non-profit organization that relies on volunteers and donations for their operations. For more information on submitting artwork, becoming a volunteer, donations or getting involved in the program ming, email Info@Ava lonArtsCenter.com. Sign up for the news letter online to stay upto-date with news and events!

The Avalon Park Arts and Culture Center “ACC” announced today that it will be relocating to a new permanent location this fall.

Coming together to create a healthy community

Get Well Soon

How many times have you heard (or used) the expression “Get Well Soon”? It’s perhaps the most common idiom used when acknowledg ing that someone is sick or injured. But there is another important part of this expression; the ad dition of “soon.” This simple “add-on” is there to demonstrate the understanding that to “get well” is a process that takes time.

Although many people will use the terms health and wellness interchangeably, there is a signif icant difference. While health is a state of being free of illness or injury, the Global Wellness In stitute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.” In other words, health is passive or static while wellness is an active and individual pursuit, providing each one of us self-responsibility for our own choices, behaviors, and lifestyles toward an optimal state of health and wellbeing. But don’t misunderstand, while we can all pursue wellness, that pursuit is un doubtedly influenced by the physical, social, and cultural environments in which we live.

So how do you know if you are “well” or not? Start by taking an inventory of your health and happiness in the four major areas of wellness:

Physical Wellness: Do I have the energy and abil ity to do what I want?

Emotional Wellness: Am I able to name my feel ings and manage them in appropriate ways?

Spiritual Wellness: Have I connected to some thing greater than myself that provides me with meaning and purpose?

Social Wellness: Am I aware of how I and my actions impact others?

As you construct your own “wellness checkup”, it’s important to note that this is not to suggest that we now have additional things to do to feel better, but that we have options; new, optimistic ways to navigate what it means to be intentional ly and holistically well while feeling the impact of so much change and challenge that exists in the world around us.

When most people are asked about “how to get well” the answer is the same — it’s not about us ing your treasure to buy something for yourself, but using your time to truly care for yourself. It’s a journey of choices and small steps to care for yourself. Optimal wellness is unique for each of us, but the ability to fulfill our obligations as well as our dreams is the common goal we all share. By proactively making wellness a life priority, we are equipped to better manage whatever life throws at us — expected and unexpected.

It starts by making choices to “get well” and then taking small steps along the journey to care for yourself. Sustainable self-care can be as simple as drinking more water, moving more, finding time to meditate, going outside in nature, spending time with loved ones, volunteering to help others, or simply smiling more. In other words, choose to take care of YOU even in simple ways, and well ness will follow. When we internalize wellness, we are able to activate the benefits in everything we do, which in turn not only keeps us well but spreads to others as that reminder we all need “Get Well Soon!”

COMMUNITY CORNER

Teachers of the Month:

Avalon Elementary: Camelot Elementary:

Castle Creek Elementary:

East River High School: Stone Lakes Elementary: Bithlo High School:

Timber Lakes Elementary:

Avalon Middle School:

Timber Creek High School: Moss Park:

Eagle Creek Elementary:

Joe Brown

Cassidy Pearce

Kathy Van Til

Mr. Jose Gainza

Carmon Salicrup

Mrs. Gavilanes

Sarivette Escobar

Billy Bass

Patricia Kretzer

Meghan Whiting

Jean Heredia

Rotary Club of Avalon Park Donates “Happy Dollars” to Local School Affected by Hurricane Ian

The effects of Hurricane Ian are longer-lasting for several local area schools due to flooding and water damage. By word-of-mouth, the Rotary Club of Avalon Park learned that Riverdale Elementary is a school who suffered a great loss to classroom furniture and supplies.

Many of the teachers lost most, or all of their belongings. This includes books, curriculum resources, supplies, and many personal classroom items. The school also had to relocate to East River High School while the necessary repairs are underway – a huge adjustment for the staff, teachers and students.

Rotary Club contacted the school and developed a partnership plan. “Riverdale Elementary is in great need of supplies and we are sharing their Amazon wish list with our club members to restock items,” stated club president, Jean Zambrano. “In addition to the supplies, we are donating our Happy Dollars collected each week, for six weeks to purchase materials to make supply bins for the student’s desks. These added cubbies are a great necessity as the desks do not have

a drawer or tray for the kids to store their classroom supplies.”

In addition to classroom essentials, the school is concerned about the upcoming holidays and the increased number of families in need which has significantly increased due to the aftermath of the storm. Annual Thanksgiving baskets for families typically offer perishable food like boxed mashed potatoes, dressing, macaroni & cheese, canned veggies, rice, dinner rolls and beans. A small gift card to help purchase a meat like chicken, pork, or a mini cooked ham or turkey are usually included a well.

Anyone interested in donating towards this service project, please contact the Rotary Club of Avalon Park: avalonparkrotary@gmail. com.

Come by and check us out! We meet every Wednesday at 7:30 am at the Avalon Park Community Center, 13401 Tanja King Blvd. http://www.rotaryclubofavalonpark.org

Orange County Closes Road on East Side

Partridge Lane closed due to soil erosion caused by flooding.

Partridge Lane is currently closed between Forsyth Road and Diamond Drive as crews with heavy equipment work to shore up a drainage canal bank.

Orange County’s Stormwater Management Division continues to closely monitor

water levels and drainage systems in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

Detour signage is in place, but local traffic is still allowed so citizens can access their homes on Partridge Lane.

Orange County Public Works is working to reopen Partridge Lane to all traffic as soon as it is safe to do so.

Lighthouse Central Florida Helps Teens Transition to Independence

Lighthouse Central Florida wants to thank the community for continuing to provide financial support that allows the nonprofit to deliver crucial, no-fee services to clients living with vision impairment or blindness.

The Transition program provides students with skills and experiences to successfully transition from high school to postsecondary activities, such as college, vocational school or employment.

The Lighthouse team recently brought students on a field trip to a local store for a scavenger hunt. Participants were challenged to find items they liked and that they would want to have in their dorm room. They wrote down the name of the product and its price. When they returned to Lighthouse, they shared their list. While comparing costs of everyone’s items, they discussed the difference between “needs” and “wants” – an important skill to understanding managing a household budget.

To learn more about Lighthouse Central Florida or to make a financial contribution, visit www.LighthouseCFL.org

The Season of Giving - Avalon Park Foundation

The Season of Giving is upon us and the Avalon Park Foundation is busy doing just that. The Avalon Park Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Created by neighborhood volunteers inspired to serve others, this Foundation leads friends and neighbors to take part in positively influencing our community.

This year the Avalon Park Foundation celebrates 10 years of impacting Avalon Park and surrounding areas. Partnering with local businesses and receiving donations from residents, the Avalon Park Foundation is able to provide goods and fund initiatives to better the community and lives of the people that live here; free school supplies for hundreds of children, free Thanksgiving meals for local families, thousands of dollars in scholarships awarded to Timber Creek graduates, these are just a few of the ways the Foundation gives back to those in need, right here in our community.

In November, the Avalon Park Foundation is hosting two fantastic events where residents can get involved. The annual Adopt-a-Family Food Drive and Turkey Giveaway provides Thanksgiving meals to local families. For years, the Foundation has partnered with local elementary schools, receiving the number of families that could use assistance for a complete Thanksgiving meal. With sponsorships from local Avalon Park businesses and food donations from residents, gift bags are packed and delivered to schools for family pickup. Partnering with Publix in Avalon Park, gift cards are also included for families to purchase turkeys.

There are many ways for residents to get involved in this event. With drop boxes throughout the area, please consider

donating non-perishable food items at any of the following locations – Marketplace at Avalon Park, Encore at Avalon Park, Avalon Park Property Owners Association, and Avalon Park YMCA. Monetary donations are also accepted at www. avalonparkfoundation.org On Tuesday, November 15th at 6pm, volunteers are welcome to get food items packed up and ready for drop-off. These events are great family volunteer opportunities, as parents have shared they cherish these moments that provide their children the experience in caring for and serving others. The Avalon Park Foundation keeps it simple – it’s about neighbors serving neighbors.

Another exciting event this November is the annual 5K Turkey Trot. Join your community neighbors and “Wobble before you Gobble” this Thanksgiving morning, November 24th at 8am. The Avalon Park Foundation hosts multiple 5K races to keep the community healthy, active, and offers a gathering place for fun. You’ll see the competitive runner, morning walker, and families pushing strollers at these 5K events. It’s a great way to support, get involved, and have fun. Registration for the 5K Turkey Trot can be done at www.avalonparkfoundation. org. On-line pre-registration ends November 18th, race day registration opens at 7am.

The Avalon Park Foundation is always looking for residents to join a committee leading events for fundraising, community service, and helping those in need. To get involved contact via email to info@avalonparkfoundation.com, follow Avalon Park Foundation on Facebook for social media updates, or visit www.avalonparkfoundation.org

20th Avalon Park Pickleball Tournament

Pickleball is growing fast. Basketball star LeBron James is also a pickleball player and just bought a pickleball team. Pro golfer Jordan Spieth and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo plan to play in an exhibition pickleball tournament this month There have been recent articles about the explosive growth of pickleball in the Washington Post and NY Times.

See the funny meme attached with pro golfers Tiger Woods and John Daly talking about playing pickleball even though the hurricane coming. It is very fun to play, very social, and a little addictive too. We want to grow the game in Avalon Park.

“One of the oldest residents in Avalon Park,

Beverly Middleton, loves the Avalon Park lifestyle and celebrated her 98th birthday October 1st with some new wheels! Beverly lives in Village 3 with her daughter Debbie and Chuck Schandel. She loves to gamble and to watch Avalon Park pickleball tournaments. At our last tournament we had fun playing blackjack. Beverly plans to make it to 100 years old and I am sure she will.

Debbie and Chuck celebrated Debbie’s October birthday at Skydive Key West by doing a tandem jump from 10,000 feet with a 40 second freefall over the turquoise waters of Key West!”

Submitted by Ed Lynt

19th Avalon Park Pickleball Tournament Recap

Basketball star LeBron James recently invested in a pro pickleball team because it is the fastest growing sport in the U.S., and he loves to play. Here in Avalon Park, our 19th Pickleball Tournament was won by Colleen Potter and TJ Messineo who went undefeated, 6-0. If you and your family haven’t tried pickleball you are missing out on a lot of fun. Both Tanja King

and South Village have 2 pickleball courts, painted on the tennis courts. Go give it a try. Watch for Celebrity Pickleball coming soon including pro golfer Jordan Spieth and former Cowboy’s quarterback Tony Romo competing. Stay active.

Report by Ed Lynt. Photos by Janet Bellacera.