January 2016 FOCUS Magazine Violence Issue

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January 2016 FocusLakeCounty.com “A Catalyst For Conversation”

Crime in Lake: One City’s Story

Inside

Six Hands Chapter XI

2ND story

To Protect and Serve Lake County

More • The Letter of the Law in Lake • Foodie: Living Green Health Food • In Photos: Parades, Shovels & Paws

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FOCUS ON CONTENTS

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January 2016 | Volume 9 Issue 1 | FocusLakeCounty.com

FEATURES

8 Crime in Lake: One City’s Story

One city in Lake County may not be as bad as reported.

11 To Protect and Serve Bad Guys, Beware

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Lake County law enforcement is on the job.

12 Lake Legacies 16 Veterans History Project Eighth grader honors the Greatest Generation.

Sandy Minkoff: The Letter of the Law in Lake 19 Show the Love: Love Week A special week to bolster area schools.

17 Parady Perpetuates the Power of Gifting 4

MONTHLY

Publisher: Marc’s Remarks How far we’ve come...in a year.

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FOCUS On Philanthropy: Haven of Lake & Sumter Battered women are finding help.

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FOCUS On the Issues: Should Athletes Be Role Models?

A former athlete and a parent square-off on the subject.

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FOCUS On Mind: Learning From Others’ Mistakes With Licensed Mental Health Counselor James Szafranski.

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FOCUS Foodie: Living Green Health Food

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FOCUS On Education: Boys & Bow Ties

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FOCUS On Events: Calendar

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FOCUS In Photos: Parades, Shovels & PAWS

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FOCUS On the Arts: The Real “King” of Theatre

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FOCUS On Better Living: A New Year’s Solution For Your Health

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Six Hands: Chapter XI

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FOCUS On Home: From Farm to Table

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FOCUS On Lake County: Citizens Help “Keep Lake Beautiful” FOCUS Flashback: Cracker Cabin on Lake Minneola

Leesburg High graduate takes to the stage.

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With Lori Esarey of Total Nutrition and Therapeutics.

Got a story idea? Looking to advertise in FOCUS? Contact us for more information:

Scan the code to watch January’s FOCUS TV.

Red Apples Media 734 N. 3rd St., Suite 119 Leesburg, FL 34748 Office 352.801.7106 Email info@RedApplesMedia.com FocusLakeCounty.com Standards of accuracy: The goal of the writers at FOCUS Magazine is to

What’s a QR code and why would I use it?

You can download an app, such as Barcode Scanner, on most mobile phones from the App Stores on Android or Apple. Scanning the codes throughout this issue will take you deeper into the story with video content.

January 2016

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Michael Green gets his own guardian angel...or stalker.

With Interior Designer Leah Connor.

Advertisers warrant and represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. FOCUS Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All letters and their contents sent to FOCUS Magazine become the sole property of Red Apples Media and may be reproduced therein. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Red Apples Media. Use or duplication of material used in this publication is prohibited without approved written consent from Red Apples Media.

Publisher Marc Robertz-Schwartz Marc@RedApplesMedia.com

provide compelling stories that are accurate from the start. Being human however, we sometimes make mistakes. Please forgive us.

Managing Editor Anthony Rao Anthony@RedApplesMedia.com

If you notice anything that is incorrect, please do not hesitate to contact the editorial department and inform us. Call 352.801.7106 or e-mail info@ RedApplesMedia.com. The staff will fix the error in a timely manner.

Editor/Proofreader Stephanie Sherman SSherman@RedApplesMedia.com

FOCUS Magazine publishes 8,000 copies monthly and is available free at local Lake County businesses, offices, restaurants and other venues. Look online at FocusLakeCounty.com for location distribution listings.

FOCUS Magazine assumes no responsibility for photos and ownership of those provided or submitted by third parties. Any violation of ownership, copyright or intellectual property is solely the responsibility of the submitter.

Writers Lori Farfaglia; Bruce Brown; Emily Givens Photography Bonnie Whicher Photography; Devin Collins; Ashton Bracciodieta Contributors Leah Connor | James Szafranski, LMHC | Lori Esarey

FocusLakeCounty.com

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PUBLISHER: MARC’S REMARKS

What a difference a year makes. Hard to believe but with this issue, we’ve completed our first year of publishing FOCUS Lake County since Red Apples Media took it over. With that, we made immediate investments into improving the publication, including better quality printing, larger page format, 40% increase in circulation and we nearly doubling the number of points of free distribution. And, through our sister resources and partners, ramped up FOCUS Radio and FOCUS TV, both airing on Lake Sumter Television.

We had a very specific editorial mission when we started; to be “A Catalyst for Conversation.”

Our vision was never to direct the conversation, only to help start it. From racism to apathy, the local economy to building a business in Lake, and so many more topics of conversation. We continue to aim for both geographic and ethnic diversity in our publication, as well as being very careful to balance the positive stories in our community with those maybe not-so-positive that need to be addressed.

As a member of the Leesburg Education Advisory Committee, I committed to introducing a monthly column, FOCUS on Education. I’ve

grown cranky about the negative perception of Lake County schools, knowing full well that while we have significant issues that need to be addressed, there are also a plethora of amazing stories to tell, programs to highlight and people who deserve recognition for making a difference. We have a responsibility to go beyond the schools’ archaic letter grades and sensationalized stories, to bring balance and pride.

With the new year, we invite you to be more involved. Nothing is more important than feedback from our readers. Agree or disagree with a story, we want to hear about it. Story idea, we want to hear about it. Photo to share, we want to see it. Started patronizing one of our advertisers (or want to become one), we want to hear about it.

A friend in the publishing business once told me a monthly publication is like giving birth each month. Each issue has its own personality and you love it for different reasons (not to mention the labor pains that come with producing it every 27 days.) So with that, I look back on my first 12 “children” with pride, gratitude and accomplishment.

And best of all, no stretch marks!

Marc Robertz-Schwartz Publisher, FOCUS Lake County

A Healthier Lifestyle for the New Year with Total Nutrition and Therapeutics’ Lori Esarey

Be sure to watch the show on

M/W/F – 8am, 2:30pm Tue/Thu – 12pm, 6pm Sat – 9:30am, 7:30pm Comcast 13 Bright House 498 Florida Cable 4

Installation Gala Award Winners The Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce held its 79th Annual Chamber Awards and Installation Gala on Thursday, December 3. The night recognized the installation of new board members and awarded individuals and organizations for their work within the 2015 year.

The awards included, for Large Business Achievement, The Stokes Fish Company & Lake Trucking; the Medium Business Achievement Award went to Azure Water Company; the Small Business Achievement Award was given to Care Patrol; the

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Public Service Award went to the Leesburg City Commission; the Leadership Award was given to Freddy Williams of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake and Sumter Counties; the Humanitarian Award went to LassiterWare Cares; while the Entrepreneur Award went to Bob Tucker of Events by Miss Daisy; Businesswoman of the Year was awarded to Jessy Flinn of Gourmet Today; and the prestigious George O. Pringle Award was bestowed upon Ricardo Rojas Machado of Insight Credit Union.

print • digital • television • radio

Ricardo Rojas Machado (left) of Insight Credit Union was honored with the George O. Pringle award. Also pictured, Sandy Stokes and Tessa Hibbard.

Photo courtesy Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce

January 2016

On Philanthropy Hosted by J. Scott Berry

Organization: Haven of Lake & Sumter Counties Year Established: 1977

Watch it exclusively on

What is your not-for-profit status: 501(c)3 non-profit corporation Address: 2600 South Street, Leesburg FL 34748 • 352.787.5889 Web Address: HavenLakeSumter.org Description of Organization: Certified Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center.

Who do you serve and how: Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Providing unduplicated services that are free of charge.

Domestic violence, or battering is a pattern of abusive behavior used to control others. Battering can include physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and other controlling actions. Haven provides

support and resources to help in the battle for victims of such abuse.

What are you most in need of and why: The support and resources that Haven provides for domestic and sexual violence victims includes individual and group counseling, assistance in filing for victim compensation, courtroom advocacy and legal assistance, counseling for children, interpretive language services and a teen dating violence program. All of which cost money and require volunteers for the services offered.

Inspiring words: 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men are victims of domestic violence in their lifetime.

Haven is here to provide support and empowerment to get these victims out safely.

M/W/F – 5:30am, 9am, 12:30pm Mon/Fri – 8:30pm Tue/Thu – 5:30am, 3:30pm, 5:30pm Sat – 5:30am

Also on the FOCUS Lake County Channel LakeSumterTV.com

Guardian ad Litem Providing What Children Whether you’re 10 or 100, most of us can easily identify with what a child needs to grow and flourish in the world. Food, shelter, love and guidance.

And while we would all be right, at this time of the year, it would also be correct to say children, especially abused and neglected children, need to also be remembered.

In the 5th Judicial Circuit, which includes Marion, Lake, Hernando, Sumter and Citrus counties, more than 1,700 children are involved with our local dependency courts due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.

The majority have been removed from their homes due to their parents’ abuse of drugs and alcohol. They are far away from the joy brought by receiving a long-anticipated gift.

Although none of us would say holiday gifts are on par with the necessities of life, the members of Voices for Children of North Central Florida, Inc., the non-profit that supports children served by Guardian ad Litem,

January 2016

know they’re important. They know of their power to transform, empower and support.

Voices for Children and many of the more than 600 Guardian ad Litem volunteers serving these children, band together to engage in an Angel Tree project. They distribute children’s wish lists to local communities, businesses, organizations and big-hearted individuals. Once the lists are filled, the toys are collected and distributed just in time for the holiday.

While the gathering of gifts for some 500 needy children is no small undertaking, for the members of Voices for Children of North Central Florida, Inc., it’s necessary.

Guardian Bill Gray with some gifts that have been donated to the children who benefit from the program. Gray has been serving those children for five years.

Photo courtesy of Guardian ad Litem

To find out about upcoming events and training opportunities in your area, visit GuardianadLitem5.org

Story submitted by Marcia Hilty, Circuit Director, 5th Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program

FocusLakeCounty.com

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On the Issues Should athletes be role models for children?

We talked with a local former professional athlete and a parent to find out their opinions about role models for children. Here’s what they have to say on both sides of the coin.

It’s In The Game

As a former professional basketball player, I remember well Charles Barkley’s candid comment, “I am not paid to be a role model.” In fact, Barkley stated he is paid to play hard on the court and freely flaunted his offcourt escapades.

For my view on the subject of whether athletes should be role models, I go back to a conversation I had with a young boy during an NFL football game.

The network showed one of the players from the losing team and his stats for the season. The young boy expressed his “He sucks” opinion on a couple of factors that were surprising to hear. I was shocked to hear his tear-down of a professional athlete based on his low salary, no one knowing who he was, and his team’s losing record.

When I asked him, “Who do you like?” it was interesting to hear which athletes he chose to hold in high regard.

Identifying idol success, for that boy, was filtered or factored on money, wins, and publicity generated from train-wreck shenanigans off the field.

It seems as though sports networks are changing the way people see, respect, and admire professional athletes. If looked at like two ends of a spectrum,

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one side would have the triumphant sports performances, and the other end sharing the ‘can’t-get-it-together-train-wreck’ individual. So some of the perception kids have of athletes is in part, painted by the media.

Years ago, we all celebrated the performance highlight that expressed winning against all odds and celebrating sports with an unbelievable play capturing one moment in time. Now, we continue to do that and we have added another factor into it. Today we also shine a bright spotlight on the athlete who can’t get it right off the playing field, off the court, out of the pool, just plainly said...in life.

Back to my conversation with this young boy; it was interesting to hear how the athletes that would come up on the TV screen during the game were instantly judged by the young viewer as “accepted” or put into a category of “unworthy.” The trending factor in the opinion, outside of performance and stats, was current salary contract, anticipat-

Pat Burke HOOPS Life Founder and former professional basketball player

print • digital • television • radio

ed next salary contract, current shoe deal, who they were dating in real life, and so on.

Working very closely with area youth through the Hoops Life program, it appears there are two kinds of athletes that draw the attention of today’s kids. One is based on the “superhero” athlete who wears a proverbial cape, has a 50 million dollar contract and has the ability to fly. The other is the athlete who is a disruption to his team and is closer to jail than suiting up for one more game. In other words, solid citizen or embarrassment. What effect is this having on our kids? The reality

of it is, most parents also fit somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum. So the real question here is, “What is that boy’s opinion of his parents’ position as role models, along that spectrum?” The fact is, they will – and should – have a more profound impact on his vision of what a role model is than an athlete whom he will likely never meet, never speak with, never provide for him and never have the opportunity to guide him. But if his expectations of a role model are based on his athlete idols (or losers), I don’t know many parents who can live up to those expectations.

The Right Ones Should

The NFL was pressured into dropping the “morality” standards they previously held a player to because the NBA had no standards and allowed players to be extremely poor role models; like Dennis Rodman. Personally, I think there should be stringent morality clauses in each professional athlete’s contract.

I look at it this way: If the head chef at your favorite five-star restaurant was constantly in the news for being involved with drugs, prostitution, gambling, pedophilia, etc., would you continue to eat there? Or if your accountant was repeatedly arrested

for drug trafficking and tax evasion, would you continue to use them?

Further, if you had a personal emergency and were forced to leave one of your minor children in the care of one of these athletes for one month, would it give you reason for concern? Children look up to and model the behavior they see in all role models. In today’s age of broken homes, athletes become a critical role model and should be required to conduct themselves as such.

Steven B. Fisher, Concerned Parent

January 2016

On Stage

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2:30PM & 7:30PM The drifTerS $24/$26/$28 60 Years of Musical History! Up On The Roof • Under The Boardwalk

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CRIME SCENE: ONE CITY’S STORY

WRITTEN BY LORI FARFAGLIA

Approximately a year ago, some local television and print media outlets picked up and ran with a story that ranked the city of Leesburg as the 20th most dangerous city in Florida. The story was even titled “FBI Releases List of Most Dangerous Cities in Florida.” Another similar story claimed a different Lake County city, Groveland, was ranked the 18th safest city in Florida. So what is a Lake County resident supposed to believe? After reviewing both stories, FOCUS Magazine decided to get to the bottom of violence in Lake County.

Where did this story come from?

As it turns out, the poll that ranked Leesburg as the 20th most dangerous city in the state was compiled from statistics in a real FBI report. The Uniform Crime Report (UCR), is compiled from data gathered nationwide.

The information in the UCR is available to the public and can now be accessed on the internet. The UCR program was conceived in 1929 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, to meet the need for reliable uniform crime statistics for the nation. In 1930, the FBI was tasked with collecting, publishing, and archiving those statistics. The FBI collects the reported data but it does not rank or analyze it. The results of the report can be analyzed in any way, depending on how the group conducting the analysis or study wants to break it down. It is important to keep in mind that the details of studies like this can be interpreted to represent the interests of the group conducting or paying for the analysis. It is also paramount to remember the information on the UCR is only as accurate as what is provided by the reporting agencies. Not every agency in the state, or even the country, contributes to the UCR. Figures provided can also vary depending on the specific agency’s reporting requirements.

So what’s worth considering about this study?

Let’s begin with who paid for and conducted this study. It was released to media outlets by a home security

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company which is in the business of selling security systems to homeowners. The company paid for and compiled the information pulled out of the UCR. After more research and contacting the local FBI Field Office in Jacksonville, FBI Public Affairs Specialist, Amanda Videll, says the FBI cannot “confirm the results of the analysis” that was conducted by the company. The story was published in September 2014 and used the details provided in the UCR, but the story was not released by the FBI. Remember, the UCR is not analyzed by the FBI; it simply collects the data that local law enforcement departments provide.

Police Perspective As you might imagine, the Leesburg Police Department was very aware of the recent rankings of our Lake County cities and had their own perspective. Leesburg Police Chief Robert W. Hicks sat down with FOCUS Magazine and give us an inside look at how he believes the city is really doing.

Hicks conducted a comparison of his own, and found the city of Leesburg has had a steady decline in crime since 2001. According to Hicks, there were a few years (20042005) where the rate went up slightly, but overall it was down significantly. The Leesburg Police Department chooses to report all of the crime filed in the city to the UCR. According to Hicks, it’s important to remember Leesburg submits data on all the crimes “reported” to the police department, not the actual crimes “committed.” Meaning, if it is discovered that an incident did not really occur after a report is made, no one goes back and corrects it. For example, if someone calls in to say they think their home was burglarized and it is later realized that it was not a burglar who entered the home, but possibly a person known to the homeowner, no correction is made to the initial statement.

This can create a higher perceived rate.

What is causing a change in the crime rate?

Increases and decreases in rates occur

A deputy plays catch with a kid as the Leesburg Police Department held a Night Out at the Susan Street Sports Complex, to connect with the community and help them see there’s more to law enforcement than simply sending bad guys to jail.

Photo by Devin Collins

print • digital • television • radio

January 2016

depending on circumstances in the community at any given time. Like anything else, crime can be cyclical. It can increase during an economic downturn, or when there is an uptick in the dropout rate in the school system. In Lake County it often increases when a known offender has been released from prison. According to statistics provided by local law enforcement agencies, most crimes are committed by assailants who are known to their victims.

According to the Leesburg Police Department, if you look at the statistics for the city, in 2001 there were six murders, 262 aggravated assaults and 41 robberies. For 2015 there has been one murder, 93 aggravated assaults and 32 robberies. Over the past two previous years (2012-2013) there were no murders in the city at all. Overall, the city of Leesburg has had a double-digit reduction in crime over the last six years, while the population has continued to increase.

Perception Even though there is hard evidence on how many crimes are committed in Lake County, the public’s perception tends to be a lot harsher than reality. Thanks to social media, events may get blown out of proportion a lot more easily than before we had Instagram, Twitter and the like. By the time the story gets shared and viewed several times, facts can change drastically. For example, a shooting that happened on Griffin Road ending in an arrest, could be shared on Facebook as a hostage situation. Most people don’t follow up with the police department to see if there really was a hostage situation, they simply believe it because they read it on their friend’s post.

Chief Hicks gives another example of this when he quotes the murder statistics for Leesburg in 2001.

“When there were six murders in Leesburg back then, there wasn’t a public outcry over the violence.

People weren’t in fear for their overall safety in 2001. The difference – ­ there was no social media then to broadcast false information about the incidents,” Hicks said.

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Of course, there are good things occurring, even on Facebook, such as the incident earlier this year when a Leesburg officer helped a handicapped man across the road and it went viral. And there’s more.

Positive Happenings Because the poll that was originally publicized portrayed a negative perception of Leesburg, Chief Hicks thought it would be important to focus on some of the positive happenings around the city. The Leesburg Police Department is in the process of doing several things right to try to maintain a visible presence in the city in an effort to keep crime to a minimum. Hicks says the department is developing a 10-15 person

Increases and decreases in rates occur depending on circumstances in the community at any given time. Like anything else, crime can be cyclical. police and community roundtable. It’s a project designed to keep the community and the police communicating. Another program is the new bicycle unit. The unit is in the process of being outfitted now and should be up and riding soon. According to Hicks, bicycle officers have the ability to get up-close and personal with the community in a way that a typical officer in a patrol car doesn’t have.

The department is also about to roll out a new pilot program called the ACTION Team.

ACTION stands for Addressing Crime Trends

In Our Neighborhoods and will be released in the north sector of the city. There will be four officers permanently assigned to that area.

The officers will have business cards with their cell phone numbers so the people who are in those areas know that when they call the number they will get one of the officers they already know. The idea is to create familiarity between residents and law enforcement and make a long-term connection. Hicks says this takes community policing to a whole new level. Another noteworthy idea Hicks is considering is a program that takes high traffic areas and high crime areas and marries the two. Hicks says if you keep an officer in those areas on a consistent basis, working traffic, it creates a familiarity with his presence. This slows the traffic down and lets the potential offenders know the police are active. He says the hopes are that the program will promote awareness and keep driving offenses down while also keeping potential offenders at bay.

When Hicks took over as Police Chief of the Leesburg Police Department he made several changes. He changed the vision and mission statement to reflect the department moving to an overall community-based policing system.

He is working towards stability in the department by hiring and retaining qualified staff.

The city recently increased the starting salary for police officers as well as raised existing officers’ salaries.

Chief Hicks is aware there will always be ongoing issues and pereptions of crime in the city of Leesburg, but with the continued efforts of the police department along with community cooperation, the city can continue moving in the right direction.

FocusLakeCounty.com

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To Protect and Serve Bad guys, Beware

WRITTEN BY ANTHONY RAO Recently, a story hit the local news about a restaurant robbery that led the owner to chase down the alleged assailant. Though law enforcement does not recommend taking the law into your own hands, it illustrates the frustration some in Lake County feel about crime and violence in the community.

“One of the reasons my wife and I moved to Lake County is that we lived in Houston, Texas and there was a lot of crime. We didn’t think it would happen here in Lake County, which makes you kind of sad,” says Vinnie Vittoria, owner of Cousin Vinnie’s and Cousin Vinnie’s Sports & Burger Bar located inside the mall. He pursued the perpetrator by vehicle for nearly seven minutes in order to keep an eye on him until police arrived. “I was trying to draw attention to myself so others could respond by calling 911.”

Vittoria says he didn’t want to be a vigilante and gave up the briefcase containing money and other personal items, but afterward he wanted to make sure the man was caught. Experiences like this often change a person’s outlook on life.

“Everywhere I go, I am hyper-alert. It’s a weird feeling to be wary everywhere you go. It’s a feeling that won’t go away for a while. But you can’t let criminals change you.”

Some Facts It’s not all bad, in fact the most recent crime report released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows almost a 12% drop in crime throughout the unincorporated areas of Lake County from January–June of 2015. The data for the same timeframe in 2014 revealed a 4% drop.

“The Sheriff’s Office is proud of those numbers and attributes the consistent drop in crime to the partnership we have with the community,” says Lt. John Herrell, of the Office of Professional Standards with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

The LCSO routinely receives reports of drug activity and other types of suspicious behavior that help give them the upper hand. Sometimes those reports are spread on social media or in press releases from

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print • digital • television

county entities, such as Lake County Schools or communications departments. In December a man in Umatilla was spotted outside the high school taking pictures though he had no children enrolled. When questioned by deputies, they ascertained no crime was committed, so no charges were filed. It’s not clear what his intentions were, but incidents like this sometimes are actually motivated by people seeking to invoke police violence violating their civil rights. Rather than add to the problem, deputies do what they can to quell the situation. And parents can be vigilant by reporting such occurrences to the proper authorities.

“We always remind our citizens, ‘If you see something, say something,’ and that has worked well for us,” says Sheriff Gary Borders of the motto he and his staff are trying to instill in residents.

Sometimes even a bad experience for an individual or business can help lead to getting criminals off the streets. Like an early December burglary at Wayne Wicker Inc, Tractor and Turf Equipment in Leesburg, which saw nearly $15,000 worth of equipment stolen, but ultimately led to the shutdown of a much larger-scale theft ring, spanning numerous jurisdictions.

What Law Enforcement is Doing to Help Unfortunately bad stories can take away from the good things that are happening, such as programs, events and the like that can more readily connect the community with law enforcement.

The LCSO opened a full-service district office in Clermont to better meet the needs of the citizens living on the south end of the county and actually improved the overall communication with residents.

Plus, more “Town Hall” meetings, in which

the sheriff and his command staff visit various communities in Lake County to hear concerns, questions, or suggestions in order to make improvements. Also, a volunteer program in which citizen observers patrol different areas of the county has been implemented. This helps keep a watchful eye out for suspicious persons, traffic hazards, or criminal activity. Known as “COPS” (Citizens on Patrol), these volunteers add to the already vigilant deputies on the job. The LCSO also utilizes social media, such as Facebook and Twitter to communicate with the public in a timely fashion. It has also started hosting Coffee-With-A-Cop events at local restaurants.

These events provide a casual atmosphere for citizens to meet with and voice concerns to the deputies patrolling their neighborhoods and business districts.

“The dedicated men and women of this agency go out and do their best, day in and day out, to identify criminals, locate them, and put them in jail,” says Borders of the resolve that deputies display. “The dedication of these employees is truly unmatched.”

Other programs residents can take advantage of include online neighborhood watch programs such as NextDoor.com. These provide a social network of neighbors who keep a watchful eye and allows them to report to each other via the web or cell phone by providing instant alerts of suspicious activity.

Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do? In conclusion, the LCSO says experience shows it boils down to engaging the community and residents to cooperate in a supportive and helpful manner. But sometimes you may still find yourself face-to-face with crime.

“My hat’s off to these guys. I’ve never lived anywhere that has this much law enforcement, but criminals are more desperate and don’t care. Hopefully, I’ll be more aware and it doesn’t happen again,” says Vittoria of his recent bery experience. He’s robsince taken further handgun and firearms training classes so he can better handle a similar circumstance should it arise.

January 2016

On the Mind Learning From Others’ Mistakes As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor working at the Lake County Correctional Institution for 17 years I’ve seen a lot of violence. And although I’m not in that job any longer I still remember the issues many of the inmates dealt with and even how those of us on the other side of the bars can learn from their experiences and benefit ourselves.

An inmate’s status is one that lacks power and their issues are often magnified by that fact.

But the same can be true of many of the situations we might encounter outside those sort of confines. And there are strategies you can employ to interrupt a mood that could lead to a violent outbreak.

One example is the Serial Sevens, where you have a person do a mental exercise tracking down from 100 by seven. This often helps you forget the violent train of thought (or any train of thought for that matter) and snap you back to some semblance of reason. Victims can protect themselves too, by possibly helping offenders come to a more stable mental disposition depending on the circumstance. If you are dealing with someone you know to be violent be wary though, you may need to remove yourself from the situation and allow them to deal with it themselves.

Remember, everyone has buttons that can be pushed, and if you know better, it’s best to avoid those triggers. Humiliation is one of the biggest motivations behind violence, in fact many criminals I dealt with were thrown into a rage not just by disrespect but because they were shamed by someone else.

I remember a prisoner I dealt with who had eyesight problems and would sit and stare.

Often this was mistaken by other more sensitive inmates as some sort of slight directed at them, when really this man probably couldn’t even see them. And so it goes with

January 2016

many situations, a simple misunderstanding could lead to a fight that may have been avoided with the proper technique.

As an example, I once had a friend who had a rat problem and would use traps to catch the rodents. It helped me realize that once you set a trap like that all it might take is a feather to spring it. If you know you have a bad temper it’s important to allow that energy to be released in a more positive way before it turns violent. Think of a bottle of soda, if you shake it and immediately open it, you’ll get soaked. Just like that, if you are angry you need to slowly vent those feelings to avoid getting further agitated.

Exercise and diet can also aid in minimizing factors that initiate mood swings. Also, avoid putting yourself into situations you know can lead to irritation. It isn’t suppressing negative emotions but facing them that helps.

Therapies, whether in a group or as an in-

dividual can help. Even medications may be necessary; you’ll of course need to consult a professional for more advice that can help you and your unique situation.

As far as victims of violence are concerned, depending on the situation, seeking outside help may be advised. Whether it be counseling with a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist; or in extreme situations calling on law enforcement or some other mediator to intercede.

Remember though, whether victim or perpetrator, it’s sometimes better to choose your battles and live to “fight” another day.

James Szafranski is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Leesburg.

His career experience has involved dealing with children, adults and even inmates. License #MH-5506

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IN Sandy Minkoff: The Letter of the Law WRITTEN BY BRUCE BROWN Sanford “Sandy” A. Minkoff is a lawyer, now retired, that many in Lake County are proud to call friend. He has witnessed many changes in the county and has experienced its growth from an interesting perspective, having been involved in one way or another in his profession as a lawyer in the area’s real estate, utilities and business growth.

His family is from New York, and while attending college at the University of Tennessee, his parents moved to Clearwater, Florida in 1970. Minkoff graduated in 1972 and continued on to receive his law degree in 1976. He took the Florida bar exam in July 1977 and was notified in November of that year that he passed.

He applied for and was accepted, as an associate with the law firm of Ford, Cauthen and Robuck in 1977. The partners were Dan Robuck, of RoMac Lumber in Leesburg, Chris Ford, and David Cauthen. They had just taken on as a client, a Buick/Pontiac car dealership that was involved in litigation. Sandy worked with that client and the issues that ensued. However, in 1978, he decided to continue his education with the University of Florida and a special tax program that they offered. But that’s when fate stepped in. He became the attorney for the Lake County Planning and Zoning Board in 1978, a position he held until 1988. During that time, in 1980, Chris Ford asked Sandy to come back and rejoin the firm.

He was a Tavares City Commissioner for eight years from 1984 to 1992, started his own firm in 1988, and in 1995 was hired as the Lake County attorney, a post he held until his retirement on October 31, 2015. As the county’s attorney, he filled in as the County Manager three times: For a period of just one week, then again for 18 months, and then one more time for a period of a little less than a year.

“One of the best things about working with Lake County is that we had very few issues, especially between all of the participants; the judges, the commissioners, the employees and the constitutional officers. We had the best judges, far and above our neighbor counties. You often hear of problems in other counties where this person is

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suing that one, but not here in Lake.”

Minkoff was a part of the changing history in Lake’s public waste and water treatment facilities, citrus devter and rbara Lehman, his sis Ba astation, and re-routing of our current fe wi his th wi f of Mink ildren. roads and highways. It was during these brother-in-law, and four of his five ch by Lake County itte Photo Subm d years that Sandy became a witness

to, and was a part of, the geographiafter the freezes, that was reduced cal issues that shaped the county and to [13,500],” says Minkoff. Another freeze in Minkoff left a legacy in county government. For 1989 just added to the misery for the area as a example, Minkoff steered a committee whose citrus grower. members made changes in modernizing local library services — and increasing funding. In According to Minkoff, there was a period where fact, he’s left such a footprint that on October 6, people started to adjust to new and different 2015, commissioners honored him by proclaimbusinesses aside from citrus, but then things ing the day “Sanford A. Minkoff Day.” And Lake started to settle down as new people entered EMS honored him and his wife Barbara Lehman, into jobs that helped the community progress towho recently retired from the County Clerk’s ward what it is today. One of those adjustments Finance Office, for their work in transitioning was in the county attorney’s position, where the its organization from Lake-Sumter EMS. He has three previous attorneys had been fired. Minkoff five children, ranging in ages from 25 to 42, that was the fourth in five years when he got the job. were raised in Lake County and graduated from Tavares High School. One attended the University Much of the land that was lost to citrus later of Florida, one the University of Central Florida and one Florida State University. Now that’s what became the foundation of business development that we see today. If there was ever a silver I call diversity, or should that be diver-university.

His children, who now have children of their own, lining in any of the county’s history, it’s that the are spread out in North Carolina and Florida, with area is now one of the prime producers, not growers, in the citrus industry. one son still here in Lake County, working in the IT department.

Pink Shirts Rule When Sandy was a young lawyer, Lake County A Little Lake County History had only four judges, and none of them were Minkoff reflects that years ago Lake County was women. “There were only one or two women a more rural, agricultural place with a population lawyers. All of the facilities were housed in the of less than half of what it is today. In 1960, the new courthouse (now the administration buildpopulation was 57,383, then jumped to 69,305 ing), the judges knew all of the lawyers, since in 1970, and another big increase of 51.3% to there were only about 40 of us, and the judges 104,870 in 1980. The area was still primarily could keep tabs on who was doing what. They an agricultural area with a heavy stake in the almost always knew who was lying.”

Florida citrus industry. Things obviously changed over time as the population is now in excess of One of the circuit judges was “Buddy” Aulls, who 300,000. became a great mentor of Minkoff’s. “He was a very conservative man, wearing his short-sleeved Florida, and especially Lake County, experienced white shirt and tie. When you were in court and devastating freezes in 1983 and 1985, virtually he felt your hair was too long, he would call you destroying most of the citrus crops in our area. up to the bench and give you a card for a free Not since 1888 and 1889 had Florida and Lake County experienced such agricultural devastation, haircut.” Minkoff recalled that he would often after which the county began to grow again until wear a pink shirt just to get a reaction from Aulls. what took almost a century of regrowth, was wiped out during the 1980s. “There were approxWho says lawyers don’t have a sense of humor? imately 117,000 to 120,000 acres of groves, but

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January 2016

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Living Green Health Food Living Green Health Food is a nice cafe, juice bar, and health food store. They serve organic, gluten-free, raw foods, smoothies, and juices. They also have organic fruits, vegetables, supplements, kombucha, organic wine, and craft beer. They are open Monday-Saturday, 10am-3pm and accept all major credit cards. Periodically they have entertainment and the first Thursday of each month they host a porcelain pottery paint night.

My companion had a tuna salad wrap accompanied by spicy kale chips. It was made with organic tuna, vegan mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato, on a sprouted-grain bread wrap. It was very good and the spicy kale chips were different but very tasty.

I had a cranberry-walnut chicken salad, which consisted of romaine lettuce, organic chicken, celery, red pepper, cranberries and walnuts, with a side of homemade dressing.

I also had a Living Green smoothie which was made with coconut milk, orange juice,

kale, spinach, apple, pineapple, banana, and ginger which was very tasty. My companion had green tea.

They prepare many different types of smoothies, such as chocolate dream, peanut butter and jelly, and tropical bliss which all sounded very interesting.

The menu is varied and includes appetizers such as raw crackers and spread, to spring rolls.

The entree selections include raw spaghetti bolognese, raw pizza, lasagne, and a selection of sandwiches. Desserts include raw apple pie, brownies, turtle cheesecake and more.

Prices are very reasonable and the decor is sort of circa 1960s.

The service was very prompt and friendly. It is one of the few vegan restaurants that I am aware of in this area and if you enjoy vegan cuisine or want to expand your culinary horizons, it is definitely on my recommendation list.

For the full menu, including wine and beer.

Owner Michelle Kristof prepares one of her healthful creations.

Photo submitted by Michelle Kristof

Response: A Hard to Find Healthy Alternative Thanks so much for the review! My interest in health foods began when my children were born, and developed from a hobby into a way of life over the past two decades. I opened Living Green as a way to share my passion for high-quality organic and natural foods.

Living Green Health Food is located at 9726 US Hwy 441 in Leesburg.

Photo submitted by Michelle Kristof

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Through my knowledge and wholesome products, I hope to improve the lives of my customers and introduce Central Florida to the curative powers of good nutrition and lifestyle.

Everyday I feel blessed to come to work, thanks to

the amazing community my customers have helped create at Living Green. I look forward to seeing you soon.

You can follow all of the happenings here at Living Green by visiting our site LivingGreenHealth.com and following us on Facebook at Facebook.com/ LGRawks. Our menu is on the website, and we’re always posting updates, so stay tuned.

Michelle Kristof, Owner Living Green Health Food

January 2016

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corded interview. Benjamin says many of the veterans just start from the beginning and tell their story as if it happened yesterday.

“It’s remarkable how they can remember details down to specific dates, even days of the week. Their zest for life in their 90s has been such an inspiration to me.”

Benjamin Mack-Jackson was in the fifth grade when he thumbed through the pages of a history textbook and discovered his passion, World War II, although he was surprised to find only a few pages on one of the greatest conflicts our country has overcome.

Because of his interest in WWII, he was looking forward to reaching that section in history class, only to be disappointed with what he found in the textbook. From that moment, he made it his mission to learn as much as he could, not only about the war, but about the men and women who bravely defended America. He was determined to preserve the memories of the greatest generation.

Today Benjamin is a 13-year-old, 8th-grader with Lake County Virtual School and the founder of the “World War II Veterans History Project,” dedicated to preserving the memories of those who saved our country and the world.

He created the project on his own time, without any extra credit from teachers or public recognition. He felt it was important for his generation to not only take an interest, but to do what they can to preserve these memories that are quickly fading.

The highlight of the project is a website, WW2VeteransHistoryProject.com. The site features interviews with veterans talking about combat experiences, life before and after the war, and how military service has influenced their life in the past 70 years.

Every veteran who participates is asked approximately 20 questions during a video-re-

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The first interview was with Lt. Colonel Charles Konsler. He is a WWII veteran who Benjamin met at the Clermont Historical Society months before, when he was there with his family and discovered the WWII building. An Benja even greater surprise was findmin V eteran Mack-Jac ing Mr. Konsler inside - a real-life k s Hist ory Pr son taping WWII veteran with an amazing T oject for LS he story to tell, who volunteers regularly and TV. has donated his memorabilia to the exhibit.

Later, Benjamin decided Konsler would make saved our country from two a great first interview, so they sat together of the greatest enemies the world has ever surrounded by WWII artifacts and Benjamin faced, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany, started the conversation. With the success of and I now have the opportunity to interview Mr. Konsler’s account, Benjamin was ready to these brave men and women who fought on get the ball rolling. He discovered that what the front lines against fearsome and mercihe had believed was more than true – these less foes,” says Benjamin. veterans had important stories to tell and he knew he needed to work as quickly as he He encourages others to start similar convercould to preserve them. sations with veterans and make them part of the project. He’ll provide the questions to Since Konsler, Benjamin has interviewed anyone who asks and post the interviews on 15 veterans. He sometimes finds it hard to the website. “I believe the younger generabalance his project, maintain straight A’s, tion of America needs to open their eyes and and be a competitive swimmer, but says it’s truly realize what these veterans did for us,’’ worth it. He knows the staggering statistics, he says. “By sharing their stories, I hope to by 2036 there will be no WWII veterans left do just that.” and with 500+ passing on per day, he knows his project needs to be on the fast track. He If you are a WWII veteran, or know one works with local VFW and Honor Flight orga- who would be interested in being part of nizations to connect with veterans. the “World War II Veterans History Project,” contact Benjamin through his website, In the future, as there are fewer WWII WW2VeteransHistoryProject.com, or veterans to interview, Benjamin has plans to send him an email at Ben@WW2Vetbuild a section on his website to begin docu- eransHistoryproject.com, or go to his menting stories about veterans through the GoFundMe page to donate to his project at memories of their families. Currently, BenGoFundMe.com/ww2vhp jamin is working with Red Apples Media to See ad on previous page for air dates and bring his veteran interviews to Lake Sumter times for The Vetereans History Project exTV, beginning in January.

According to Benjamin, “Each veteran has their own unique story, their own feelings on what happened, their own experiences, and it’s my mission to preserve these stories not only for my generation, but for generations to come. I have been truly fascinated by our country’s military history since I laid eyes on pictures of combat,’’ he says in the “Message from the Founder” on his website. “I have always been grateful to the veterans who

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clusively on LSTV.

Scan the code to see the first episode of Ben Mack-Jackson’s Veterans History Project exclusively on LSTV.

January 2016

Scan the code to watch Parady’s Power of Gifting exclusively on

Greg Parady explains the Power of Gifting, exclusively on LSTV.

Parady Perpetuates the Power of Gifting WRITTEN BY MARC ROBERTZ-SCHWARTZ

Back in 2013, Greg Parady made national headlines for his random act of extraordinary kindness of paying down a reported $20,000 in WalMart layaways right before Christmas. What made the act so extraordinary was that it lacked any planning or premeditation. It was simply a series of amazing coincidences, speaking at the right moment, to a man who already had a philosophy of generosity.

Two years later, and Parady’s approach to the power of gifting is much more methodical. What most touched Greg was how his 2013 actions inspired others to do the same on a scale suited to each individual’s means and generosity. So this past December, Parady – along with members of his team at Parady Financial Group – challenged some area fourthgraders to be catalysts of kindness. If one person, during a few hours of one day, in one store, back in 2013 could have such an impact, imagine the impact if, over 1,000 elves, if you will, were empowered to make a difference!

Parady identified and worked with the administrators and staff at Wildwood Elementary, Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary and The Villages Elementary of Lady Lake, to distribute $25 pre-loaded gift cards to all the fourth-grade students at those schools for them to give away.

Go ahead and do the math, we’ll wait...

The kickoff of this exercise included sharing the concept of giving and “the snowball effect” of generosity, by sharing Parady’s newly-published

January 2016

children’s book, What Would Santa Do? You see, the vast majority of these kids are on free or reduced lunches which is based on family financials. So the mere idea of asking a fourth-grader to give away $25 rather than pocket it, is in itself an extraordinary test.

As the final piece of the assignment, students wrote an essay as to what they did with the $25, how they did it and why they did what they did. This is the second year Parady levied the challenge and some of last year’s letters make up the pages of What Would Santa Do? A video crew from Red Apples Media, the parent company of FOCUS Magazine Lake County, had the chance to join Greg as he followed up with the schools and was introduced to some of the student Santas. Their stories of love, generosity and caring were captured for a documentary which will begin airing in January on Lake Sumter TV (visit LakeSumterTV.com for airtimes, schedule and channels.)

For Greg Parady, the next step of his effort to opening people up to the possibility of generosity, is to make it year-round. “Sure, it’s easy to be in the giving mood at Christmas. Whether it’s

from the heart or trying to earn some last minute points, the opportunities are abundant this time of year. But what if we lived lives of generosity all year-round? It’s not always about money. Sometimes it’s about being generous with common courtesy, your knowledge, your talents, your passions.”

Parady’s book, “What Would Santa Do?” is available at the Parady Financial Group offices in The Villages. All proceeds from the book are donated back to the Parady Cares Foundation to circulate the funds into the next community education project. Call 1-800-Retired.

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On Education Boys & Bow Ties

WRITTEN BY ANTHONY RAO When you were a child, who did you imitate? It may have been one of your parents, a teacher or another respected adult in the community. For many children, mentors to mirror are hard to come by, or more are necessary to help them see the leadership qualities that can help them set their future on the right path.

With that in mind, the administration at the Beverly Shores Elementary School in Leesburg has begun a new program, Boys & Bow Ties Leadership Academy.

“What we noticed is there were several students who needed extra support for grades, behavior and attitude. We found that in our different roles, as administrators and guidance counselors, we were frequently discussing the same students. As a result, we identified the top 50 students and decided to put a plan in place for them. They have abilities but are not realizing their potential. We are going to help them meet their academic potential from a leadership standpoint,” said Principal Monica Gordon.

Local churches and non-profit organizations have heeded the call and will be providing male mentors for the students. The Citadel of Hope’s Apostle Dannie Williams, the group Men of Distinction’s Pastor John Christian, also a Leesburg City Commissioner, the Frontier Church’s Pastor Steve Yates, Faith Community Church’s Pastor Jason Kelley, the Genesis Center’s Pastor Ken Scrubbs and Pernell Mitchell with Drug Free, Inc. are amongst the people who will be helping with these efforts.

“We have tutoring and we are in contact with parents, but concentrating efforts on leadership training to help connect these boys to their future is the goal of this program. We can make a difference. With a focus on leader-

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ship, we can not only impact their outer appearance, but also the inside of how they feel. Male mentors are the mirror for their future,” continues Gordon.

Just like the mentors who will be guiding the boys, the students will be required to wear black bottoms, white shirts, a belt, nice shoes, and of course, a bow tie (which can be any color.) Before the induction ceremony in January, mentors will have a chance to assist the boys and their families in choosing suitable attire. Helping them take pride in how they look is one of the ways that the program is trying to bolster the confidence the children need to be successful.

Four times a month the mentors and students will gather on Wednesday afternoons to have meetings covering character development and community involvement. These meetings will also include a chance for the mentors and other community leaders to speak with the children about how they can make the right choices now to put themselves on a path to a successful future.

Yolanda Presley and Calvin Brown, the school’s Potential Specialists, are going to provide liaison services between the parents, children and mentors.

Helping bridge the gap from the campus to the home in hopes of affecting the outlook of the entire family and the future of their children.

to make sure that we offset issues that could stifle these boys. We want to raise their grades and help them academically, but also we will monitor more than scores. Their behavior in and out of the classroom will help invoke character development for all of their activities,” says Presley.

Eventually, as students become more invested in the program, Principal Gordon wants the boys to adopt a community project or event to take them off campus to see what they can do to make a difference. The goal is to have that set up by the school year’s end.

Not to worry, the girls aren’t being left out.

The reason the Boys & Bow Ties program is begininning first, is that upon examination of student circumstances, 95% of the students they needed to target were boys. Plans are in place to start a girls’ Leadership Academy once the boys’ program is underway.

If you or your organization are interested in getting involved, whether to mentor, contribute financially, or possibly to offer your services as a speaker for one of the program’s meetings, you can contact Presley or Brown at Beverly Shores by calling 352.787.4175.

“We need to be intention- Mentors from the Boys & Bow Ties program are preparing to kickoff the proal and impact- gram January 20, with an induction ceremony taking place on January 14.

Photo by Bonnie Whicher ful in order

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January 2016

Show The Love

WRITTEN BY EMILY GIVENS

Dozens of projects, tens of thousands of donated dollars, and thousands of volunteer hours later, Love Week teammates are encouraging you to accept the challenge of transforming your own neighborhood this February.

What is Love Week? Imagine if all of Lake County residents spent their time, money and/or energy focusing on loving the people in their own backyards. What if the hundreds of church groups, boat clubs, insurance businesses, canasta card groups, soccer teams, dance troupes, and Red Hat ladies decided to tackle different small projects that are needed in our community? What if local businesses donated materials, food, services, or commodities to help a family in need or a school in disrepair? There are thousands of possibilities and the ripple effect could be life changing.

One opportunity to contribute is to run in the Love Week 5k in Fruitland Park which funds the Fruitland Park food pantry. Last year over 300 runners came to work off their holiday calories and join together for a worthy cause. The race is February 13 at 8:00am.

Registration is open on RaceRoster.com for $25.

Last year, churches and businesses jumped into the schools to donate materials and elbow grease toward projects that schools did not have money or manpower to handle themselves. Teams completed projects such as trimmed trees, replaced benches, dusted, pressure-washed, gardened, and even replaced an entire bathroom.

The tradition will continue this year when hundreds of volunteers storm school campuses on President’s Day while children are out of school.

January 2016

Runners gather at the finish line at 2015’s Love Week 5k run in

One example of this Fruitland Park.

Photos submitted by Emily Givens relationship is Morrison United Methodist Love Week wants to inspire you to spend Church’s partnership time thinking about the needs in your comwith Carver Middle School. Last August, munity and where/how you can get involved.

Morrison adopted Carver Middle School as Love Week projects are also in need of cash “their” school to support. Carver is currently donations for materials. These can be sent revamping their entire school to institute its to Morrison United Methodist Church, 1005 new Individualized Learning Plan style of West Main Street, Leesburg, FL 34748, teaching. The faculty is gathering projects ATTN: Emily Givens, LOVE WEEK. Donations that need attention and sending them to to Morrison will be spread throughout all Morrison so they can gather volunteers and Leesburg schools that turn in projects. acquire materials for these projects. Since the school is transforming its “pods” into For more information about Love Week representations of universities and colleges, projects, becoming a donor, or sponsoring Morrison’s volunteers will paint walls, hang a project in your city, please contact Emily school flags, repurpose furniture, and redo Givens at 352.516.9169. bulletin boards. Many area churches are doing the same with other schools in Lake To register for the Love Week 5k register at County.

RaceRoster.com/events/2016/6517/ love-week-5k-run Obviously, an immediate result of this volunteer effort is the instant beautification of our schools with little to no stress on the a school’s limited budget. But the more lasting and less tangible effects include restoring a sense of neighborhood pride, growing awareness of the schools’ actual needs and goals, having the teachers feel appreciated, and reminding ourselves that our local schools’ success depends on our constant support.

These efforts and results translate to almost any and all projects that can be found around Leesburg and the rest of Lake. Choosing to donate your President’s Day to an elementary, middle or high school is only one of the thousands of examples of small acts of kindness that can produce a ripple effect Volunteers for Love Week packed close to 20,000 leading to a more loving community.

meals with Deliver the Difference at Morrison United Methodist during last year’s event.

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On Events January 5, 19, 26; 10:30 AM - 1 PM January 7, 21, 28; 9:30 AM - 12 PM Genealogy Help Sessions Pastfinders Genealogy Society Cooper Memorial Library For more info 352.242.9805 January 8; 5:30 PM - 9 PM Family Food Truck Night Historic Downtown Clermont For more info 352.247.4640 Every Saturday; 8 AM - 1 PM Leesburg Saturday Morning Market Downtown Leesburg LeesburgSaturdayMorningMarket.com

January 9; 7 PM The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Clermont Performing Arts Center ClermontPerformingArts.com

January 7, 14, 28; 7 PM - 11 PM 19th Annual Mardi Gras Mixers Call for Locations For more info 352.365.0053

January 14; 5 PM - 7 PM Pastfinders Genealogy Society Sam Metro, Author, Guest Speaker Cooper Memorial Library For more info 352.242.9805

January 9; 5 PM - 10 PM Leesburg Food Truck-n-Flick Night Towne Square FoodTrucknFlick.LeesburgPartnership.co

January 23-24; 7 AM - 8 PM Florida Rush Cup Soccer National Training Center FloridaRushSoccer.com January 30; 10 AM - 2 PM New Beginnings-Community Health & Wellness Fun Fair First United Methodist’s Wesley Center For more info 352.617.8788

Every Sunday; 9 AM - 2 PM Farmers’ Market Historic Downtown Clermont For more info 352.247.4640 Tuesdays; 10 AM - 12 PM Groom and Love a Rescue Horse DreamCatcher Horse Ranch & Rescue Center For more info 407.702.8332 Thursdays; 10 AM - 12 PM Horse Ranch Trail Riding Club-Ladies Only DreamCatcher Horse Ranch & Rescue Center DreamCatcherHorses.com

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January 7; 9 AM PEAR Park’s Wildlife Watch Post Grand Opening-Ribbon Cutting PEAR Park Wildlife Conservation Area For more info 352.253.4950 January 9; 7:30 AM - 11 AM Quarterly Bird & Butterfly Survey PEAR Park Wildlife Conservation Area For more info 352.253.4950 January 9; 5 PM - 7 PM Exhibit Opening-“Follow Your Heart” Leesburg Center for the Arts For more info 352.365.0232 January 11; 5:45 PM Free H&R Tax Help AMVETS Post 2006 For more info 352.357.7575 January 15-17, 22-24, 29-31 Norman Is That You? Melon Patch Theater MelonPatchPlayers.com

January 16; 11 AM Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade/March Towne Square For more info 352.365.3592 January 23; 10 AM - 1 PM Family History Fair Leesburg Public Library For more info 352.728.9790

January 5, 19; 9 AM Board of County Commissioners Meeting Admin Building, Commission Chambers For more info 352.343.9888

Every Thursday; 6:30 PM Yoga Classes at Unity Church 826 East Dixie Avenue For more info 505.967.9312

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January 7, 14, 21, 28; 4 PM - 5:30 PM Conversational Spanish Tavares Public Library For more info 352.742.6204 January 7; 7:30 PM Tavares Civil War & WWII Roundtable Tavares Civic Center For more info 352.357.8476

January 2016

January 10; 3 PM - 4:30 PM Tea in Literature Tavares Civic Center For more info 352.742.6204

January 21; 5 PM - 8:30 PM Family Food Truck Night Sunset Park, Downtown For more info 352.735.7100

January 11; 3 PM - 4 PM Zentangle Art Club (Ages 10-16) Tavares Public Library For more info 352.742.6204

January 22-24; 11 AM Florida Highwaymen Art Show Sale & Benefit 530 N. Donnelly Street For more info 352.383.4050

January 11, 25; 6 PM Lake County School Board Meeting Admin Building, Commission Chambers For more info 352.253.6500

January 22; 7 PM US Stones - Rolling Stones Tribute Mount Dora Community Building Theatre For more info 352.735.7183 January 22-24, 28-31 Funny Money – A Farce Sonnentag Theatre at The Icehouse IceHouseTheatre.com

Every Thursday; 8:15 AM - 1:30 PM Lake County Farmers’ & Flea Market Lake County Fairgrounds For more info 352.357.9692 January 27; 10 AM - 11 AM Nature Sprouts (Ages 2-5) Trout Lake Nature Center For more info 352.357.7536

Every Sunday; 9 AM - 2 PM The Mount Dora Village Market Elizabeth Evans Park MountDoraMarket.com

January 30; 10 AM - 3 PM Mount Dora Health & Fitness Expo Donnelly Park For more info 352.537.9988 January 30; 3 PM & 7 PM Assisted Living: The Musical Mount Dora Community Building Theatre For more info 352.735.7183

Every Tuesday; 9 AM - 1 PM Lady Lake Farmers’ Market Log Cabin Park For more info 352.552.1266

January 8; 6 PM - 8 PM Mount Dora Art Stroll Downtown Mount Dora For more info 352.383.0880

January 16; 6 PM “Make a Toast at the Roast” CFA Honors J. Scott Berry Harbor Hills Country Club For more info 352.365.0232.

January 9; 7 PM Sandy Anderson’s Dolly Parton Tribute Mount Dora Community Building Theatre For more info 352.735.7183

January 19; 7 PM America Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center TheSharon.com

January 14; 7 PM Phoenix Rising - Guy Saint-Clair Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra St. Patrick Church For more info 352.589.1500

January 26; 7 PM Johnny Rivers Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center TheSharon.com

January 15-17; 8 AM - 5 PM Renninger’s Antique Extravaganza Renninger’s Antique Center For more info 352.383.8393

January 2016

January 30-31; All Day Art in the Park Log Cabin Park For more info 352.753.6029

Every Wednesday; 2 PM - 5 PM Play Canasta Howey-in-the-Hills Library For more info 352.324.0254 January 12; 8 AM - 10 AM Workshop-Using the Internet in Business The Villages Public Library, Wildwood For more info 352.399.0050 January 16; 6 PM - 9 PM South Lake Animal League’s “A Fetching Affair Gala” Trilogy Orlando, Groveland For more info 407.342.8876 January 26; 6:30 PM Altrusa Bunco Tournament Fundraiser Wildwood Community Center For more info 352.267.4549

January 16; 6 PM LSSC Foundation Annual Campaign Wrap-Up & Quarterly Board Meeting Magnolia Room, Leesburg Campus For more info 352.365.3506 January 23; 2 PM & 7:30 PM January 24; 2 PM Toronto All-Star Big Band Paul P. Williams Fine Arts Auditorium Leesburg Campus For more info 352.365.3506

January 30; 12:30 PM - 4 PM Sweet Treats for the Arts Fashion Show Fundraiser Lake-Sumter State College For more info 352.552.5467

FOCUS Magazine Lake County

Go to FocusLakeCounty.com and Like the FOCUS Lake County Facebook page to find more events information.

FocusLakeCounty.com

23

IN PHOTOS

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS CHRISTMAS PARADE

The annual Howey-in-the-Hills Christmas Festival is one of the largest events for the town of just over 1,000 residents. Besides the parade this event features a craft show, live entertainment, food vendors, and a car show. It usually attracts over 600 visitors trying to catch a glimpse of the festivities.

PHOTOS BY MARC ROBERTZSCHWARTZ

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print • digital • television • radio

January 2016

IN PHOTOS LSSC SOUTH LAKE GROUNDBREAKING

Lake-Sumter State College broke ground on a new Science-Health building at its South Lake campus in Clermont. It is set to house the new Health Sciences Collegiate Academy, a four-year educational program offering incoming 9th graders in South Lake County high schools early exploration of careers in the health sciences.

HSCA partners include South Lake Hospital, Lake County Schools, Montverde Academy, and the University of Central Florida.

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY RAO

January 2016

FocusLakeCounty.com

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IN PHOTOS PAWS THERAPY DOGS

PAWS Therapy dogs are encouraging reading amongst kids at the Fruitland Park Library every second Thursday of the month. In December, children were treated to a special Christmas-themed event when the pooches visited to help them get the most out of their books. Local students are able to use Advanced Reading points from the reading as extra credit in school.

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY RAO

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print • digital • television • radio

January 2016

Resolve For a Healthier Pet in 2016 352.787.8533

NorthgateAnimalClinic.com

2473 Citrus Blvd. • Leesburg, FL 34748

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8am-5pm

Wellness Exams Vaccinations Laser Therapy Microchips In-house Diagnostics Digital Radiography Dentistry Senior Wellness Management of Chronic Illness Allergy Testing & Management Parasite Screening & Prevention Pain Management Surgery Dr. Kathie Robinson Veterinarian

Dr. Richard “Bailey” Clark Veterinarian

Dr. Thomas Piekunka Veterinarian

The Real “King” of Theatre confidence, but contributed to him finding his voice – both literally and figuratively.

do their own productions of well-known shows.

Ja’Quan, in the lead role of Mufasa, demonstrates how to perform that role.

Once he found his voice, the next step was a road trip to Austin, Texas to audition for the show, American Idol. Unfortunately he didn’t make it past the first round. They liked his voice but rejected his look – he didn’t fit the Justin Bieber-type they were seeking. This did not stop Ja’Quan though as he was on the verge of a major turning point in his life - when on Facebook he discovered BreakOutBand.com, where young artists can submit recording demos.

Through that connection he learned how to make his own music and become a musical artist, and he even befriended the producers. His current musical goal is to release a professionally-mastered album of Christian music in two years.

The making of the DVD brought him to New York during the summer after his senior year, where he stayed at an apartment in Queens for two weeks, accompanied by Manke. There he lived the life of a real New York performer – riding the subway to the performance hall and rehearsing for 13 hours a day, learning the choreography and then shooting the performance numbers. It was quite a whirlwind and also a humbling experience, one that helped him learn more about who he really was, just prior to starting college at Southeastern University in Lakeland. Now he is focused on music, and the worship aspects of music, which is his real passion. He’s currently a worship leader at Trinity Assemblies of God in Lakeland.

Ja’Quan Floyd performs in a local production From middle school on he became very during high school. involved in performing in musicals, espe Photo submitted by Renne Henne cially during his senior year, so he was very excited when he received a call from Kelly Manke of Carousel Theatre Productions in WRITTEN BY STEPHANIE SHERMAN Leesburg; she had seen him playing the character of Simba in a local community production and Ja’Quan Floyd may become a household name invited him to perform in Beauty and the Beast at one day so remember you heard it here first. He was born in the small Florida town of Stuckey and the Atlanta Junior Theater Festival. raised in a rural environment, usually barefoot and playing with his favorite animals – cows from Unbeknownst to him there were Disney executives in the audience who were so impressed by his uncle’s nearby pasture. As a self-described his performance that they awarded him a “golden odd-looking kid with skinny chicken legs and big ticket” to audition for a secret instructional DVD ears, he was constantly picked on in school. He they were making. It wasn’t until three months wasn’t good at sports and lacked self-confidence, later that he found out not only that the DVD was so in middle school he began asking God for for the play The Lion King Jr, but also that he was guidance to discover his natural gifts and talents, one of 24 chosen out of over 2000 kids across the influencing him to join the worship team at his nation who auditioned. For as long as he could church, the Lady Lake Assembly of God. While remember Ja’Quan had dreamed of being part attending Carver Middle School in Leesburg, he of the Broadway play The Lion King, so when he joined the choir and started to perform in musiwas given the lead role of Mufasa on the instruccals, where he gained confidence through playtional DVD he was very excited. The instructional ing roles of confident characters. This led to his joining the Tropic Troupe Children’s Theater Group DVDs are created to teach young people how to perform the songs and choreography in a format when he was 15 years old. It was an important that local theatre companies can easily follow to turning point in his life that not only boosted his

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This past summer, just after his freshman year in college, Ja’Quan taught music from The Lion King while on staff and traveling with WinShape Camps. WinShape Camps was started by Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A restaurants, to provide a camp experience that would enable young people to sharpen their character, deepen their Christian faith, and grow in their relationships with others. During his 10-week travels to communities around the US, he was able to combine his spiritual life with his love of music and The Lion King, by teaching the message of Jesus Christ along with a workshop on The Lion King.

Ja’Quan’s primary goal now is to share all he’s learned so far in his life and use his experience and vision to help other young people. He feels young people today are losing hope and he wants them to know and see that if you work hard and put yourself out there you can do big things with your life. In particular, his desire is to be a male role model as he feels there is currently a lack of positive male role models. He wants to be a “light” to others in whatever form that takes religion, music, life coaching. He’s grateful for everything life has brought him already and what’s still ahead. From the lights of the theatre to being a light in the world...

January 2016

“Bisson in the Morning” With Legendary Radio Veteran Ron Bisson

Now on My790AM 7am to 9am Monday - Friday Office: 352.787.7900 • Studio Line: 352.787.WLBE (9523) Streaming Live at My790AM.com LIVE! Radio every first & third Thursday at 1:30pm, plus watch us on LSTV & on the web!

January 2016

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On Better Living

A New Year’s Solution For Your Health If your resolution this year is feeling or looking better, you must start by defining what that means to you.

Before a person can embark on the mission of obtaining better health they must first know what being “healthy” is to them.

It’s the new year and too many times people start it off by setting unrealistic resolutions for themselves. Let’s be honest, resolutions FAIL to be solutions to the issues at hand. If you desire change and want to set new goals for yourself, consider a fresh approach this year. Change requires changing (an action word). It means taking action. Instead of just setting general goals such as, wanting to lose weight or sleep better, sit down and lay out an Action Plan. One with steps that you will follow through on to reach that goal with measurable success markers. The questions are, “How can I succeed? What steps do I take in the right direction?”

If your resolution this year is feeling or looking better, you must start by defining what that means to you. Before a person can embark on the mission of obtaining better health they must first know what being “healthy” is to them. I envision “my best health” as waking up every morning with energy to do the things I need and want to do, energy and endurance to take on the day, resilience to deal with stress, and clarity of thought. That sort of life doesn’t happen by accident and without purposeful living.

Once you have a clear definition of what you want to achieve and know is needed to do to reach your goal, it’s time to set simple daily,

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weekly and monthly action steps. A daily health check list may look like the following: Drink ½ your body weight (in ounces) of water per day.

Eat 120 grams of protein. Go to bed by 9:30 pm.

Don’t eat more than 75 grams of carbs per day.

Walk 10,000 steps a day.

Instead of seeking to achieve all of these in a week, you may start with one, mastering each before adding another. Solutions to problems occur one step at a time using measurable goals and taking action steps to get there. Consider your first step to obtaining your health goal being elimination of just one thing out of your diet.

Sugar, particularly found in soft drinks, can truly weigh you down. Excess sugar contributes to inflammation, fatigue and endurance problems.

Another simple step is to add a supplement.

Considering that 90% of all disease states are a result of inflammation, start with a quality fish oil or multivitamin. Take it daily.

The purpose of moving daily is to improve circulation, achieve blood flow, maintain range of motion, flexibility and decrease the risk of injury.

Move daily. Find something you like and get to it.

Seeking solutions rather than resolutions in the new year may help you find success in 2016.

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You can achieve your best health at any age and under any conditions, however, failing to have an action plan will certainly result in failure. I propose this year you take a new approach: Start out with a clear plan, put some action steps in place, get an accountability partner, seek sound nutritional advice (TotalNutritionandTherapeutics.com), and stop making excuses why you can’t and start believing that you can!

Whatever you do, have a happy – and especially a healthy – new year.

Lori Esarey MS, ARNP-C, CFT, ABAAHP, FAARFM Masters in Nutritional & Metabolic Medicine Total Nutrition and Therapeutics TotalNutritionandTherapeutics.com

Scan the code to see Total Nutrition and Therapeutics on FOCUS Radio.

January 2016

Bringing Hope to Life Resolve to stay mentally healthy this year The holidays are over and the new year has begun. We can help you deal with the pressures and stresses that this time of year brings. Make a resolution to keep your mind and body healthy. LifeStream provides services to over 22,000 individuals each year and still the need grows.

We can help you today, we’re just a phone call away.

For Services • 24 hour Access Center 352.315.7800 | 866.355.9394 (toll free) To donate, call 352.315.7527 or visit us online

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RedApplesMedia.com • 352.801.7106 January 2016

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31

Chapter XI

Haven’t read the first ten chapters of 6 Hands?

Go to FocusLakeCounty.com to find them and the continuing serialized story.

WRITTEN BY DEVIN COLLINS Michael once again reflected on his journey.

After his brush with death and the unexpected reappearance of a lost love, Brea, his spirits had been somewhat lifted. Nevertheless, he was still unable to let go of some of the negative experiences that came before. Trying to remain positive, he decided to celebrate his latest victory at his favorite watering hole. He sat down in a booth and ordered a glass of wine. He promised himself he would only have one, since what he was really celebrating was cheating death after being drunk behind the wheel. As he waited, a beautiful young, blonde woman slid into the booth across from him. Michael looked at her, perplexed. “Can I help you?”

“I’ll have whatever it is you’re having.”

“What I’m having,” explained Michael, “is a moment to myself. Who are you?”

The young woman smiled. “Someone who’s here to listen. You looked like you were in deep thought.”

****** Michael awoke the following morning, his head pounding. He wearily leaned up in bed, confused as to how he ended up here. His most immediate thought was Brea. If she knew he blacked out from drinking so soon after the accident, she would kill him herself. A knock startled him.

He staggered to the door and cracked it open.

He was surprised to see standing outside was the same young, blonde woman. Her smile was slightly awkward and it was obvious she was embarrassed being there. Nevertheless, she maintained her shy grin.

He promised himself he would only have one, since what he was really celebrating was cheating death after being drunk behind the wheel. As he waited, a beautiful young, blonde woman slid into the booth across from him.

“Yes?” Michael asked in a hoarse, tense tone.

“I came by to make sure you were alright.”

Michael didn’t smile. He looked around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in close to whisper. “It’s a secret.”

“Do I know you?”

“How about you share your secret and maybe I’ll share mine.”

“I’m not surprised you don’t remember. I helped you back here last night after the bar.”

For a few minutes, all was silent. Figuring he had little to lose, Michael finally spoke. “I don’t know why I do what I do. When I end up in the ground, not many will show up to my funeral.”

He paused to reflect. “So many people I’ve hurt.

Too many to count.”

Michael didn’t respond but glared at her. The girl smiled and began to back away. “Listen. Last night...you said some things to me...things that made me think about what you asked me.”

“Nobody’s beyond forgiveness.”

“Yes, you asked me to come along with you. I thought you were crazy.”

“Really? You should tell that to some of the people who refuse to forgive me.”

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The girl chuckled and Michael grew annoyed.

“Asked you?” Michael said surprised.

“Keep thinking that. Goodbye.”

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The door slammed. Michael walked away and breathed a heavy sigh. He gathered his things and soon found himself back in his car, heading onward. ***** A few hours later, in upstate New York, Michael pulled up in the driveway of a small, Victorian-style home. Knocking, he was greeted by a short, elderly woman. She glared at him.

“Mrs. Beckley?” Michael responded nervously.

The woman didn’t say anything.

“Is your husband home? I’m Mr. Green. I was his employer...”

“I know who you are,” Mrs. Beckley stated coldly.

“I was wondering if I could speak with him?”

“Afraid you’re a few years too late.”

If Michael felt low before, this statement pushed him lower. His heart sank as he struggled to find words. “I’m...I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Again, you’re too late.”

Michael had a sinking feeling. He knew where this was heading. “If there’s anything I can do...”

“All this time, I hoped and prayed I’d never see you again.”

Michael stood with his head bowed, ashamed.

“Are you religious, Mr. Green?”

“Yes.” Mrs. Beckley scoffed. “Then you already know where you’re going when your time is up.”

Michael was nearly broken. He knew it was pointless. For every step forward, it seemed he took two steps back and got kicked in the gut for added measure.

January 2016

Live Stage Reading and Finale For the past 11 months, Focus Lake County Magazine has shared the journey of fictional character Michael Green in the serial story, “6 Hands.”

Join the local authors who have helped advance the story month after month for this one-night only live stage reading of the past chapters and learn Green’s fate as the final chapter is unveiled. Limited seating and emceed by Eustis Mayor Michael Holland with all proceeds benefiting LifeStream Behavioral Center Foundation.

Monday, February 1 at 7pm; Bay Street Theatre, Eustis Call 352.801.7106 or visit EventBrite.com (search LifeStream) to reserve your tickets now.

Ticket donation $10 $1.54 EventBrite.com surcharge added.

“When my husband needed help, when he was in the hospital and we couldn’t even afford decent insurance, we begged you to help. You sent us a letter, a form letter I’m sure you’ve sent to countless others with a computerized signature, telling us that there were no benefits you could provide. You’re the reason my husband is no longer with me.”

Mrs. Beckley was in tears. She struggled to contain her rage. “You...took him… from me.”

“I know there is nothing I can say or do to get you to forgive me...”

“Then why are you here?” she asked bluntly, interrupting him before he was finished.

“Because I’ve seen the kind of a person he is.”

“You don’t know what kind of a person you’re dealing with. What kind of a person he was.”

“Maybe not who he was, but I’ve seen who he wants to be. That has to count for something.”

Mrs. Beckley remained silent but tears started to roll down her cheeks. Alice offered, “People change. We can’t let the past dictate the future.”

“Goodbye, Mr. Green,” Mrs. Beckley said, slamming the door shut in his face.

***** Later that night at a local diner, Michael sat in a booth, alone. He drank a cup of coffee, thinking to himself about the people whose lives he had ruined. People who hated him and could never forgive him.

***** Later that day, there was a knock on the door.

Mrs. Beckley answered and in the doorway was the young blonde woman. She smiled.

Alice suddenly sat down across from him.

Michael looked at her, now angered. “Outstanding! How is it you keep showing up at the worst times? I thought I made it clear. Get lost.”

“What can I do for you, Mrs...?”

“And yet here I am.”

“Hello, my name is Alice. I am wondering if you had a moment to talk?”

“I think that’s called stalking. What do you want?”

Mrs. Beckley hesitated.

Alice held up six fingers. Michael looked at the fingers, then back to her, surprised. “Six Hands,” she said with a grin.

“Someone whose family was affected by your actions, but can look beyond the pain you caused us and see the man you’re trying to become, rather than the man you once were.”

Michael was stumped. “How?”

Michael shook his head. “You got a name?”

“You were drunk. Drunk people talk. Plus, I followed you and talked with that last lady you spoke with. Took some convincing, but she eventually came around. She’s probably still mad but nevertheless, she softened.”

Alice smiled. “Whitney. Alice Whitney.”

Michael stuttered, “Hoping...for a new beginning.”

“I want to talk to you about something...a little personal.”

Mrs. Beckley looked at her. “I don’t know you.”

“You talked with a man earlier today, Michael Green.”

Mrs. Beckley grew upset, retreating to the house. “I’m sorry. I think you should go.”

Before she reached the door Alice jumped in front of her. The two looked at one another.

Mrs. Beckley was upset, Alice remained calm.

“Who are you?”

Alice grinned. “I told you. I’m someone who’s here to listen, not judge.”

“I understand your frustration, I do,” Alice said.

Michael nodded, still confused. “Why?”

“You couldn’t possibly,” Mrs. Beckley responded.

Mrs. Beckley was silent. Confused.

“Nobody’s beyond forgiveness. People change, hopefully for the better. I think you are one of those people. When I first saw you, I wasn’t sure who you even were. I heard one thing, but saw another.”

“He visited my father. Tried talking to him...”

“You don’t know me. I don’t know you.”

“Why are you here?” Mrs. Beckley cut her off angrily.

“I know you better than you think. That’s my secret.”

“My father said the same thing.”

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Michael was at a loss. Alice smiled and stood up, looking down at Michael, who was shocked.

“New beginnings. Everyone needs one sooner or later.”

Alice turned and began to walk away. “Hey,” she heard from behind her. She turned back around and looked. “Who are you?”

While Michael looked up at her, stunned, Alice silently reflected on the discussion she had with her divorced parents, Arnie and Elizabeth, about Michael. Her father rejected Michael for the pain he caused. Her mother, on the other hand, granted forgiveness during his visit to her inner city classroom. Now, standing in a diner in upstate New York, Alice finally understood. Her frustrations were now eclipsed by her compassion for this man who sat before her. A man looking for redemption. Looking for a chance at new beginnings.

Devin Collins is a shooter-editor at Red Apples Media and an aspiring author, having written a number of unpublished short stories.

January 2016

From Farm to Table

As we begin a new year, we look at making changes in our lives from fitness to career goals, and a range of other possibilities. In interior design and decoration, we are in the midst of “everything old becomes new again” – almost. Antiques have long been considered valued relics of a past when craftsmanship was key. One of the most sought after pieces in interior design right now is the farm table. The more character the table has, the better. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see this trend yet, you are probably thinking – “I’m not country, a farm table wouldn’t work for me.” Don’t be so sure! Long considered part of country-style decor, it is now one of the hottest pieces being used in modern design.

I prefer a farm table that has a solid, thick top of 2” or greater, preferably in a rustic, weathered wood or even a slab of concrete with a wood base or wooden legs. That’s right – concrete! The concrete tables are usually considered to be “all weather,” and can be used indoors or out, depending on the material used for the base. Many of the concrete tables are custom made or “made to order,” as the construction process is lengthy, requiring weeks of concrete drying.

The farm table can be paired with a range of chair styles from rustic to modern, and even benches. I prefer a rectangular table with a couple of traditional high back chairs on the ends and smaller modern chairs flanking the two longer sides of the table.

As I have mentioned before, don’t be afraid to mix the styles. It’s an interesting time in interior design. Mixing styles lends character and makes design fun! Use this time of refreshing and renewing to express yourself through design.

Have fun with it!

Leah D. Conner Facebook.com/Leah-DConner-Interior-Design

Scan the code to see Leah D. Conner on LSTV’s “Profiles.”

LeahDConner.com

Serving The Villages & Lake County

352.414.6556 Se Habla Español AireMasters1.com

CALL TO WE M DAY ATC OR BE H AT ANY E STIM ATE

Honesty Above All Else Licensed & Insured #CAC1815401

January 2016

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On Lake County:

Citizens Help “Keep Lake Beautiful” ties directly to the citizens adds to a sense of ownership and pride in the community.”

In the March 2015 issue of FOCUS Magazine we asked residents of Lake County, “What Makes You Mad?” Of the many responses we received, Commissioner Leslie Campione was vocal about the litter in the community, saying, “Litter, litter, litter gets me mad. On the side of the roads in Lake County. I go out sometimes, I put a pair of gloves on, take a bag and I just collect litter on the sides of the road near my house. I just can’t understand people who throw stuff out the window. We really could come together as a county and try to get all that cleaned up and take a little more pride in how everything looks.”

U.S. taxpayers spend an average of $11.5 billion each year in litter clean-up programs And Lake County isn’t the only problem area in the country. It’s estimated by the U.S. Department of Public Safety that taxpayers spend an average of $11.5 billion each year in litter clean-up programs. In fact, one estimation puts each piece of litter collected at a cost of 30 cents. Which at first glance might not sound like much, but with each highway mile in America containing about 16,000 pieces of litter, it adds up quickly.

Now, Lake County is doing something about it with a new app to get citizens involved in the

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clean-up efforts. Lake County’s Geographic Information Systems Division, coordinating efforts with Keep Lake Beautiful, a volunteer organization, created the Litter Reporter app allowing people to report and pinpoint areas of litter on a map for easy monitoring. This simple mobile application, within the county’s Crowdsource Reporter, can be found online at GIS.LakeCountyFL.gov/CrowdSource/

The mission of Keep Lake Beautiful is “To beautify Lake County by engaging our community.” In May, Lake County became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading nonprofit agency which focuses on building and maintaining vibrant communities. In September, around 130 volunteers collected nearly six tons of litter and debris during Lake County’s inaugural Keep Lake Beautiful clean-up, hosted simultaneously in Groveland, Leesburg and Sorrento.

For more information about Keep Lake Beautiful or to become a volunteer, call 352.343.9639 or visit LakeCountyFL.gov/KLB

The Litter Reporter is usable on mobile devices and desktop computers, and allows users to submit data about a particular area, as well as attach photos.

If a site has already been identified, other citizens can “like” it to raise its clean-up priority.

Keep Lake Beautiful will monitor submissions and propose efforts and community events as needed. As sites are cleaned up, they are removed from the map so citizens only see current areas of concern.

“The long-term goal of Keep Lake Beautiful is to reinforce the mindset that residents can keep their community clean by taking litter with them and disposing of it in proper receptacles,” said Campione, who spearheaded the Keep Lake Beautiful initiative.

“However, when residents do see litter along our roads, this app will let them easily report it to us so that we may quickly take action. Giving reporting capabili-

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January 2016

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FLASHBACK

CRACKER CABIN ON LAKE MINNEOLA Circa 1890 Before air-conditioning was invented, Florida settlers counted on nature to cool their homes. They surrounded their homes with wide verandas that shaded walls and windows; and built windows that were open to cooling breezes but protected from summer sun and seasonal rains. Also topping off their houses with clever cupolas and clerestories to vent interior heat. These common-sense design elements are the roots of Florida’s original architectural statement – the Cracker-style. The origin of the term “Cracker” is from many early settlers that were ranchers who used the “crack” of a whip to round-up cattle – a sound that became a trademark. Native Floridians were called Crackers, and their homes were called Cracker cabins; one such is pictured here on Lake Minneola.

Lake Minneola is also known for the 2007 discovery of a sunken steam launch that can be traced back to the early 20th century.

Steam launches were used on Lake Minneola as tow boats to pull ferries of residents to the lake for picnics. Divers found a piece of the deteriorating steamer about 16 feet long by 8 feet wide, on the bottom of the lake, 22 feet below the surface. Little is known about its history.

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