04.22.21 Southwest Orange Observer by Orange Observer

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Downtown Winter Garden showcases the arts. SEE 3.

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Developer details new proposal Windermere leaders learned more about a new downtown project. SEE PAGE 2. Keil Zepernick, right, performed motioncapture work in the “Venom” movie.

YOUR TOWN ADVENTHEALTH OPENS NEW ER Residents of Dr. Phillips have a new option for emergency care with the opening of the AdventHealth Palm Parkway ER. The 19,000-square-foot facility has 24 patient rooms, including two pediatric-friendly rooms to make ER visits less stressful for young patients; respiratory therapy; diagnostic imaging, including CT scans, X-ray and ultrasound; and a full-service laboratory. The facility is staffed by a comprehensive clinical team including board-certified emergency physicians and emergency nurses. The AdventHealth Palm Parkway ER is located at the intersection of Palm Parkway and Daryl Carter Parkway.

Sisters Caroline and Madison McCarthy play final game together. PAGE 15.

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Six-foot-10 Horizon West resident Keil Zepernick went from professional basketball player to stunt double and actor in some of Hollywood’s biggest movies and shows. STORY ON PAGE 4.

Lift Disability Network is hosting an event for the entire family at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 24. A fun painting party will be held both in person and virtually at that time. The cost is $35 per person and includes all painting supplies. Artist Jane Soto will be at the Lift office, and limited seating is available in person. When registering, indicate whether you want virtual or in-person. To register, visit bit.ly/3n3Fq1O.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Windermere council learns first details of redevelopment proposal Town Council members discussed a proposed project that would change the landscape of 2.17 acres of land at Main Street and East Sixth Avenue. ing is scheduled for the June 8 Town Council meeting. For the first hearing, Cornelius reminded attendees, no decisions would be made but feedback was encouraged. Cornelius said discussion of the project first began in 2019, when the applicant asked for up to 26,000 square feet. That number has since been reduced to less than 22,000 square feet. “The Development Review Board had the opportunity on an individual basis to look at the proposed concept plans, and to provide early feedback to the developer and applicant on issues and concerns they had,” he said. “Then, the applicant took that and prepared the preliminary development plan, and that’s what’s before you this evening. This preliminary development plan that you’re looking at — as

well as the Planned Unit Development rezoning — has been reviewed by your DRB board … A proposed downtown redeveland they did recommend approvopment project in Windermere al of both.” went before the Town Council The project would require for a first reading April 13, sparkdemolishing the existing building a couple of hours of discussion ings and constructing two new amongst stakeholders. commercial buildings. Currently The project would redevelop requested are 11,500 square feet 2.17 acres of land at Main Street of retail, 3,375 square feet of food/ and East Sixth Avenue with up beverage or restaurant use, and to 21,750 square feet of retail, 6,600 square feet of office space. restaurant and office space. The There would be a 20-foot-wide applicant, Windermere Downlandscape buffer with a 6-foot town Property LLC, is requesting wall on the back of the propto rezone and obtain a prelimierty, with parking and stormnary development plan to redewater retention inside that wall. velop the property. A right-in and right-out access Two weeks earlier, town planpoint would be located on Sixth ner Brad Cornelius and appliAvenue, with a full access point cant Jim Hall spoke with council on Fifth Avenue. members and residents about the The applicant requested a project in a public workshop. The waiver to the preliminary develsecond reading and public hearopment plan submission requirements, which is from providing proposed actual building façade “We’re looking to try to do something that kind of drawings. Since the property is located within the Town Center complements the new and ties into the old. The Overlay District, it is subject to design guidelines. architecture will absolutely follow the guidelines. It’ll certain “I will say from the start, a lot of questions are, ‘Why don’t we actually do something to complement and contribhave more details? Why don’t we have more information?’” Corute to the whole, as well as our project.” nelius said. “A preliminary devel— Jim Hall, Windermere Downtown Property LLC opment plan doesn’t necessarily provide 1-2P4C that level of wdetail 5932-260080 Horizon West ER Expert Care + Safety Message_Observer Media (regular)10.375" x 8" tthat .pdfa DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

lot of people want to see. … What the applicant has committed to — and they don’t really have a way around it — they have to meet the architectural design standards.” Jim Hall, principal at HDSI and a project representative, said the team believes getting into façades at this point is a bit premature, mainly because of how quickly the project scope can change depending on the necessary septic system. “Being that we’ve been in this for two years and the project was 26,000 square feet at one time, then 24, now it’s 22, and it keeps changing …. you spend a lot of money drawing up façades,” Hall said. “We have worked and worked with your staff to say, ‘We’d like to just do that at final design plan.’ We think it’s premature now to get in, and spend all that money. “We’re looking to try to do something that kind of complements the new and ties into the old,” Hall said. “The architecture will absolutely follow the guidelines. It’ll actually do something to complement and contribute to the whole, as well as our project.” In a comment submitted via email, resident Jason Roland said he is excited to see improvements that can benefit the town’s residents. “Even though the proposed plans are still early in discussion and approval, as a resident, I am improvements here 2 excited 7/28/20to see 12:27 PM

IN OTHER NEWS n Council members approved Resolution 2020-02, which allows for the purchase of a new Windermere Police Department vehicle up to $25,000. n Council members also approved purchase authorizations for five railroad right-ofway parcels.

that will lead to better parking, access and safety for those who utilize these businesses,” Roland wrote. “The ability to have a bit more diverse range of business in the town is always welcome.” During discussion, Council Member Bill Martini said he wanted to ensure residents had as many opportunities as possible to provide their input on the project moving forward and suggested another public workshop. “This first decision is going to get this ball rolling, so I want to make sure as many people as possible are comfortable from the onset,” Martini said. Mayor Jim O’Brien added that the applicant may have a tough time with no façade or architectural renderings to show the community. “It took us five years to get approval for town facilities,” O’Brien said. “One of the biggest barriers — in my opinion — looking back is that we didn’t really have a good layout and façades until much later in the process, and when we did, it was a gamechanger. I just think it’s going to be critical.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Oakland hears update on westend roundabout AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Artist Lemus put some more fluorescent touches on a mural at Pilars.

Downtown display

Jason and Kara Cannon Right: Winter Garden Commissioner Ron Mueller brought his cat, Andrew, to enjoy the event.

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In another discussion, Town Planner Jay Marder presented the first public hearing of an ordinance outlining a proposed K 5 - t h ro u g h - e i g h t h - g ra d e school off Oakland Avenue. The land is zoned residential but allows for a school. Family Christian School wants to move into the vacant Mosaic Church property on Machete Trail, which includes a 22,506-square-foot building on about four acres. The school currently meets at Beulah Baptist Church, in Winter Garden, and has fewer than 150 students. The commission discussed the traffic plan for student drop-off and pick-up and shared concern about the number of vehicles that would be entering and exiting Machete Trail, which intersects with Oakland Avenue and also crosses the West Orange Trail. Marder said the school would need someone to supervise the traffic. The first reading of the ordinance passed; the second reading will be held at a future commission meeting.

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inter Garden came alive with the sights and sounds of the arts throughout the Arts in April celebration Saturday, April 17. The ticketed, VIP event took participants on a walk through downtown Winter Garden to view curated exhibits at various businesses along the way. Highlights included a fluorescent mural in progress at Pilars, chalk art on the sidewalk outside City Hall, live music at Crooked Can Brewing Company and a glow-in-thedark children’s art exhibit. At the end of the evening, attendees gathered at SOBO Art Gallery to enjoy coffee and treats, as well as view a projection of artwork on the building.

The Oakland Town Commission has been given a timeline on the roundabout slated for the west end of Oakland Avenue near West Colonial Drive where it meets with J.W. Jones Road, Old County Road 50 and the West Orange Trail. Town Manager Steve Koontz updated the elected officials in a presentation at the April 13 Town Commission meeting. “It’s a rather complicated and somewhat dangerous intersection,” he said. “It gets very backed up in the mornings and in the afternoons. … It’s too close to (State Road) 50 to put in a traffic light.” The roundabout will be a joint project of the town and Orange County, and the county is managing it. Both are sharing the construction engineering and inspection cost of $300,000. The town started the design about four years ago when the Oakland Trails subdivision was being contemplated, Koontz said. The town has designed, permitted and acquired the rightof-way for the project, which will cost $2.3 million to construct. Oakland has worked with Metroplan Orlando to get funding by the state of Florida, Koontz said. The tentative schedule continues in July when the town will advertise for construction services. The job will be awarded to one of the bidding companies in October. Construction should begin mid-January and continue for 241 days, with a mid-September completion date. “We actually have our money for our portion of the project,” Koontz said. “Where we thought we might have a million-dollar project, we will pay about $250,000.” He warned the commission and residents that it will be a “very disruptive project” for eight months. The intersection will be moved slightly north; the West Orange Trail will be realigned, as well. This moves the traffic further away from Colonial and will provide an additional left-hand turn lane. It also makes it safer for trail users to cross. “Right now, if you try to ride your bike through that intersection, you have to look both directions and Old Highway 50 at the same time,” Koontz said. “You will have two crossings here, but

you will have to look only one way each time. It will be a much safer situation.” The town will disseminate lane changes, construction updates and other information to residents as staff receives details. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure we are out front with everything,” Koontz said. Complicating matters is a Florida’s Turnpike widening project from the Oakland exit to Minneola. During this project, the bridge on Oakland Avenue that crosses over the turnpike will be out of commission for up to 12 months so the turnpike authority can install a wider bridge. “As a reminder … we have no jurisdiction over the turnpike project,” Mayor Kathy Stark said. Koontz said residents who have questions can email him at skoontz@oakland.fl.us.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Man of action TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

A MOMENT OF CLARITY

Before Zepernick broke into the world of film, he found a home on the basketball court. Although both of his parents are somewhat tall — his dad is 6-foot-3 and his mom 6 feet — the New York-born Zepernick grew to a skyscraping 6-foot-10, which drew attention from college basketball programs looking for a big man. Zepernick ended up bouncing around colleges before fracturing his lower leg. Despite the injury, Zepernick found his way to playing with the Washington Generals — the wellknown adversaries of the famous Harlem Globetrotters. On the first tour, Zepernick once again was hurt. But that’s also when he discovered acting. “There are certain things where you have to spread your legs at the right time or you jump for the ball and open your arms to let the pass through, so you really try to make them look good,” Zepernick said. Zepernick’s basketball tour continued overseas for a short while before he played for a few teams in the NBA. It’s during this moment that Zepernick had one door close and another open. At age 23 — back in the earlyto mid-2000s — Zepernick was

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek

n one of the most memorable scenes in “Avengers: Infinity War,” the villainous Thanos finds himself almost overwhelmed by Earth’s mightiest heroes. There, on a desolate planet, the behemoth Eternal is held down by myriad means by Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Drax and Starlord, while Mantis sits on his shoulders and places him under a trance. As Iron Man and Spider-Man attempt to remove the infinity gauntlet on his left hand, Starlord loses his cool and wakes Thanos — who snags the gauntlet and goes on to beat the Avengers and take the mind stone before escaping. From a fan’s perspective, that scene — among the others featuring the character — are now a part of pop culture, and although everyone knows the voice of Thanos was done by actor Josh Brolin, no one really knows the actual man behind the CGI-created character. But one Horizon West man — Keil Zepernick — knows all about that scene and many others, because he was the stunt double in the motion capture suit playing Thanos. “I don’t really think about it, and you kind of hit that switch and it’s like, ‘OK, rolling and action’ and you’re just in character,” said Zepernick, whose 6-foot-10 frame helped him fit the bill as Thanos’ stand-in. “The iconic part in the movie where Thanos is kind of sedated, and I’m in there and Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. are holding one arm, and Bautista is holding my leg and Chris Pratt is yelling in my face, and I had Mantis on my shoulder and Josh Brolin is behind me saying lines. “I’m standing there and they’re all holding my arms and leg, and I’m just like, ‘This is freaking cool — I’m getting paid to do this,’” he said. “It was definitely interesting to be a fly on the wall, to say the least, but I have tremendous respect for all of them — I had a blast with all those people.”

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Keil Zepernick is seen here with the stunt team from Netflix’s “Thunder Force.”

The West Orange Times, West Orange Times & Observer and Southwest Orange Observer are published once weekly, on Thursdays. The papers can be found in many commercial locations throughout West Orange and Southwest Orange. If you wish to subscribe, visit our website, OrangeObserver.com, call (407) 656-2121 or visit our office, 661 Garden Commerce Parkway, Suite 180, Winter Garden.

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Keil Zepernick with Will Ferrell and others on the set of “Get Hard.” This is the motioncapture suit Keil Zepernick wore as the stunt stand-in for Thanos.

On set of the CW’s “Gotham” with Sean Pertwee and David Mazouz, who played Alfred and young Bruce Wayne on the show.

on the verge of signing a contract with the Dallas Mavericks before a serious case of food poisoning put him in the hospital. The worst part of it all, though, was that the hospital performed a spinal tap that went wrong, which paralyzed him from the waist down for two to three months. In the aftermath, Zepernick lost his contract, his then-wife left him and his agent drained his international bank account. For someone who fancied himself a hotshot at the time, it was a moment of incredible adversity and one that helped Zepernick get on the right path. “This is like, ‘Where am I at?’” Zepernick said. “It was a really humbling time, but I’m grateful for the experiences and the other things that I’ve had since then — it’s really kept me humble working in the film industry.” THE BIG TIME

After his moment of crisis, Zepernick went back to New York for a short time to work at a bagel shop for a friend, before going to West Texas to coach basketball with a

man for whom he had played for. A few years later, Zepernick moved to Florida to help a friend start a church, but it was a year into his time here in the Sunshine State when the unexpected happened: He was asked to become a stuntman at Disney. During one of the Indiana Jones shows, a man approached him about possibly joining. Soon, Zepernick decided to try. However, his audition was anything but smooth. “I didn’t know what I was doing, honestly,” Zepernick said with a laugh. “They did a private audition, and they had a guy, and they were like, ‘I want you to take this guy’ — who knew what he was doing — and he was like, ‘I want you to throw him against the wall,’ and I said, ‘I’m sorry?’ “I looked at him and said, ‘You’re OK with this?’” he said. “And he goes, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ So I literally grabbed him and threw him at the wall. … He hit the wall, and he came back really slow with hands on his knees and he goes, ‘No, no, you’re not supposed to actually throw me

against the wall — you’re supposed to go through the motion.” That moment was the birth of a new, unexpected career. Just a year into the Indiana Jones show, Zepernick had his first big break playing a big, bad Russian in the TV drama “Person of Interest” — that’s normally the kind of character he often plays, Zepernick said. From there, Zepernick found himself working with films like “Get Hard” with Will Ferrell, “Central Intelligence” with The Rock and Kevin Hart, “Alita: Battle Angel,” “The Avengers” and “Venom” — for which Zepernick donned the mocap suit as a stand-in for the villain. He even made a recent appearance in Marvel’s “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” and came close to playing Chewbacca in the most recent Star Wars sequel trilogy. “It’s been quite a journey,” Zepernick said. “It’s been a crazy kind of turn of events as each step has happened … but it’s been amazing. I feel very fortunate to be able to do some of the things that I’ve done.”

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Library manager checking out retirement Gregg Gronlund has been with the Orange County Library System for 30 years, watching the branches grow from card catalogs to worldwide databases. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

When Gregg Gronlund accepted his position with the Orange County Library System in 1991, there was no fast way to look up books and periodicals or conduct research. It was all done manually with the help of the card catalog — the wooden cabinet in the center of the building with dozens of drawers and thousands of files, one for each book, magazine and newspaper at the library branch. Gronlund’s career has seen the expansion of the county’s library system, the addition of local branches and a main call center, and the technological advancements that allowed for the inclusion of computers and databases. He always said he would retire when he turned 65. His birthday and his retirement day both fall on Saturday, April 24. Sarah Qronfleh, currently the assistant manager, will take over as branch manager. She has been at West Oaks for about 18 months and with OCLS for five years. Prior to that, she worked at the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library. Although Gronlund has been with Orange County for nearly 30 years, he has held probably 19 different jobs during that time, he said. “I’ve moved around a lot,” he said. “I started at the Southwest branch in the Dr. Phillips area and then moved to the main library,

As manager of the West Oaks Library, Gregg Gronlund oversaw the transfer of the Orange County Library System’s genealogy center to the Ocoee branch. Amy Quesinberry

and I worked in a variety of departments there for a couple of years before I became a manager.” His first management position was with the Winter Garden branch when it was on Palmetto Street, the building that now houses the Winter Garden Fire Rescue Department headquarters. A year later, he was back at the downtown Orlando branch, where he spent the next 15 years and ran the genealogy department. This role introduced him to the vast world of genealogy and lured him into searching his own family tree. He has traced a Swedish grandfather’s ancestry back to the 1600s. He served as president of the Central Florida Genealogy Society for five years and was on the board for 14. “His expertise and love of family

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history research helped the rest of the staff embrace genealogy, and now we are all comfortable helping our users trace their family trees,” West Oaks branch librarian Quinn Shasta said. In 2009, Gronlund moved to the management position at the West Oaks branch. Six years later, he and his staff were part of a massive project to help move the genealogy center from downtown to Ocoee. That has been a good experience for the library and the community,” Gronlund said. A full-time genealogist on staff offers classes and one-on-one service. During the pandemic, she continued her work via Zoom calls. The library edition of the Ancestry website, usually available only at the branches, can be accessed at home through June. Prior to the pandemic, Gron-

lund’s Genealogy for Night Owls events kept the branch open late on certain Friday nights so people could research their family history after hours. Several community grants from the city of Ocoee have allowed the West Oaks branch to provide extended services to patrons through the years. “We’ve been able to purchase Snap Circuits, and that’s an electronic kit that allows kids to be able to build things with circuitry and batteries and learn about that STEM kind of science,” he said. Another grant enabled the branch to purchase sewing machines to offer sewing and fabric art classes, including crocheting, knitting, applique and embroidery. “We offer those systemwide, but at West Oaks, people can come in

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

and sit down at a sewing machine,” Gronlund said. “We have been able to do that on Zoom, too. We’re looking forward to when we can do that (in person) again.” The pandemic forced a number of changes in the library system; Gronlund took it all in stride and made the changes necessary to keep the branch operating with as little disruption as possible. “Over the past year, Gregg ensured that safety measures were in place so that staff and patrons could feel safe returning to the library following the COVID closure,” Shasta said. “More recently, he oversaw the redesign of the branch, and we reopened in January with a beautiful new look and feel.” The West Oaks branch currently is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays to pick up grab-and-go items, check materials in or out and use a computer for one hour. The library system is preparing for its summer reading program — to be offered completely online this year. Children can pick up goody bags in July and enter into a prize drawing in August. “It’s just a wonderful experience to serve the public,” Gronlund said. “They’re so appreciative and grateful for our services and our resources, and it’s wonderful to be able to help them with whatever they’re doing in their life.” “Gregg believes in the library’s mission and feels lucky to work for OCLS, and that attitude is contagious,” Shasta said. “He wants library users to leave happy, and he’ll go out of his way to make that happen. I feel very lucky to have worked for him for the past 10 years.” In retirement, he plans to continue using the public library in his ancestral search. “That’s one thing I’m planning to do in retirement — make a website, mostly for genealogy, so I can share all my research,” he said. “I’ll probably have a couple blogs on there.”

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OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Fun at the fair

Conceiving Miracles

IF YOU GO

Strates Shows Inc. will bring food, rides and games to the Hamlin community from April 23 to May 2. TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

Do you like sausages the size of your arm, or funnel cake covered in powdered sugar? Or what about dizzying, high-speed rides or games of chance to win a prize? If you answered “Yes” to either of those questions, then rejoice: The first Hamlin Fair is coming your way this week. Strates Shows Inc. is bringing a smorgasbord of food, rides and games to Hamlin. The Hamlin Fair opens Friday, April 23, and runs through May 2, at 16313 New Independence Parkway, just north of Walmart. It’s going to have everything you’d want at a carnival, said James Strates — who co-owns Strates Shows Inc. with his brothers. “We are coming to Hamlin and opening on Friday to continue this great American tradition,” he said. “We’re gonna have all the bad (food) there that everyone shouldn’t eat except once a year. But there’s a lot of good food out there — and there’s a little bit of everything. And same for the rides: We’re going to have a merry-go-round, and Ferris wheels and music rides and kiddie rides.” A few of the rides include names such as the Fireball 2000 — Ring of Fire, Dizzy Dragon, Dream Wheel and Jumbo’s Flying Elephants, among others. Altogether, there will be 21 rides for visitors to check out. It’s the first time Strates is bringing the family-owned railroad carnival to Hamlin, and it actually happened out of sheer luck. Normally during this time of

COMING

THURSDAY, APRIL 29

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HAMLIN FAIR WHEN: 5 to 10 p.m./11 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 1 to 10 p.m./11 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, April 23 to May 2 WHERE: 16313 New Independence Parkway, Winter Garden (Just north of Walmart) TICKETS: Admission and parking are free. Mondays through Thursdays will be Family Fun Days, with $20 ride wristbands. On Saturdays and Sundays, ride wristbands will be $25.

the year, the traveling carnival would be up in New York, but because of COVID-19 and the stricter restrictions put into place in the Northeast, that wasn’t an option this year. Then, Strates’ brother — who also works in real estate in the area — was told about Hamlin by some friends in the real estate business and how developers were looking to do some kind of event in the fall. Strates said they are looking at possibly doing another event in the fall, but when it came to this week’s carnival, it was all about things working out by having an empty schedule and an open plot of land. “Lots that we can play come and go in part of the season, and then in other parts of the season is traditional fairs,” Strates said. “This is one of those where it’s not a traditional fair, you can tell what’s going on — (the lot) is going to be developed one day — so the higher and better use is not for a fairgrounds, it’s for development. Right now, it’s an opportunity where there is not anything going on.” For Strates — whose grandfather founded the traveling carnival in 1923 — being able to bring entertainment to the Hamlin community is a joy, and he hopes folks come out and enjoy a fun and safe time. “Right now, the events seem to be very successful, and people are coming out and setting records,” Strates said. “And it’s important to know that we take COVID-19 seriously — we continue to do the procedures that we’ve done.”

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OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

‘Godspell’ opens at Garden Theatre Creative Director Joseph Walsh and cast members have put their own spin on the 1971 classic musical. DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

“We all bring something different to the table, too. It’s really interesting, the different ideas that we bounce off each other.” — Eddie Ortega

What originally began decades ago as a project by drama students at Carnegie Mellon University has since blossomed into a lively Broadway musical — and it’s coming to Winter Garden. “Godspell” runs April 22 through May 23 at the Garden Theatre, and the cast has taken the original script from 1971 and put its own spin on it. Dr. Phillips High alumnus Eddie Ortega plays the role of Jesus, and he assures attendees “no one will ever see a ‘Godspell’ like this.” “There’s so many different versions of this show,” Ortega said. “A lot of people know the 2011 revival version, which is basically the work that we’re doing. They did their own spin on the original just like we did. … With (Artistic Director Joe Walsh) wanting to get the original version, it feels like we get to do that same work, and it’s a totally different ‘Godspell’ that no one will ever see because it’s our own. That experience I haven’t had a lot in my career, so I’m happy to be a part of that.” Ortega’s acting career has roots in participating in uplifting performances at his church growing up. However, his love for theater didn’t take off until his senior year at Dr. Phillips High, when the theater program was set to per-

IF YOU GO

Courtesy photos

The cast of “Godspell” always has fun rehearsing and bouncing ideas off of each other.

form “In The Heights.” Although he never had done a musical previously, he auditioned and earned the lead role. “I fell in love with musicals; I fell in love with acting and singing and dancing,” Ortega said. “After that, I decided I wanted to pursue it in college, so I auditioned for Florida State University — which is an incredible, top-10 program. I did not get in my first go-around, so then I spent a year at FSU training more and really figuring out the auditions I wanted and what it took. I auditioned again and got in my second attempt.” Since graduating from FSU, Ortega has worked around the country and even aboard a cruise ship overseas before COVID-19. His first chance to get back on stage came last fall, when he landed a role in the Garden Theatre’s production of “Ugly Lies The Bone.”

“I had such a great experience with ‘Ugly Lies the Bone’ that seeing ‘Godspell,’ seeing the role of Jesus as well, it was a dream of mine to do this kind of show, this creating-something-out-ofnothing show,” he said. “I knew I wanted to play the role of Jesus.” In “Godspell,” Jesus and his followers gather to share parables from the biblical book of Matthew, and together, they celebrate unity, spirituality and community. The musical features an eclectic rock score, including the international hit “Day by Day.” “The way it’s being directed and how the story goes is they’re in chaos, and they can’t find peace among themselves,” Ortega said. “This random guy — that would be me as Jesus — comes in. He’s a stranger to these folks, and they don’t really know what to do with him, but throughout the show, you see the peace they kind of need to

WHEN: Various showtimes, including ASL-interpreted and sensory-friendly performances April 22 to May 23 WHERE: Garden Theatre, 160 W. Plant St., Winter Garden TICKETS: Online at sforce. co/3amXUW7 or call the box office at (407) 877-4736

be able to exist and move through the world. He’s their teacher. He comes in and teaches them the right way to live. It’s a beautiful story.” Ortega describes the experience so far as a “party” and said the cast jells well. Most of all, Ortega is grateful for the opportunity to once again be part of a production with the Garden Theatre. “I was happy to do ‘Ugly Lies The Bone,’ of course, and I was grateful then, but to come back during this pandemic and do another show, I just feel beyond blessed,” he said. “My favorite thing is … being able to walk into a space and be a fool for five hours — just being able to do what I love after so many months of not being able to do it. There’s nothing like that feeling.”

Saturday, April 24th 9am-12pm Stop by The Blake at Hamlin to see

WHAT’S POPPING? Stop by The Blake at Hamlin to see

WHAT’S POPPING? GOURMET POPCORN OPEN HOUSE! You’re cordially invited to attend our

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You’re cordially invited to attend our

Join the Blake atGOURMET Hamlin for an POPCORN informative and fun Open House featuring the OPEN HOUSE! Purchase tickets at nehrlinggardens.org irresistible gourmet popcorn flavors of a local favorite. You can catch a glimpse of Purchase tickets at nehrlinggardens.org Join the Blake at Hamlin for an informative and fun Open House featuring the Enjoy coffee, mimosas and pastries while listening to our beautiful community, enjoy your choice of gourmet popcorn, and learn how to irresistible gourmet popcorn flavors of a local favorite. You can catch a glimpse of Member. Sogourmet “POP”popcorn, on intoand The Blake Office as a Founders live music and mimosas watchingand plein air artists the gardens. Enjoy coffee, pastries whileinlistening tosave up to $20K our beautiful community, Club enjoy your choice of learn how Sales to for a delicious treat and let us show you all we have to offer! save up to $20K as a Founders Club Member. So “POP” on into The Blake Sales Office art pieces in air ourartists online in artthe auction liveView musicoriginal and watching plein gardens.

$20 in advance, $25 day of the event

Purchase tickets at nehrlinggardens.org

View original art pieces in our online art auction and stock up on caladium bulbs for your spring garden. Masks required; entry times will be staggered.

for a delicious treat and let us show you all we have to offer!

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Enjoy mimosas and pastries and stockoriginal up on coffee, caladium bulbs for your spring garden. View art pieces in our online art auction Masks required; entrybulbs be and staggered. and stock up on caladium your spring garden. while listening totimes liveforwill music Masks required; times will be staggered. watching pleinentry air artists in the gardens.

REAL ESTATE

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Aladar on Lake Butler estate sells for $2,555,000 A

home in the Aladar

ORCHARD HILLS

area residential real-

The home at 4978 Wildwood Pointe Road, Winter Garden, sold April 16, for $436,000. Built in 2016, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,610 square feet. The price per square foot is $167.05. Days on market: Three.

estate transactions from

ORCHARD PARK

on Lake Butler com-

munity in Windermere topped all West Orange-

The home at 14146 Jazz Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 13, for $467,500. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 2,533 square feet. The price per square foot is $184.56. Days on market: Five.

April 10 to 16. The home at 914 W. Second Ave., Windermere, sold April 16, for

OVERLOOK 2 AT HAMLIN

$2,555,000. Built in 2006, it has five bedrooms, five-and-one-half baths, a pool and 7,222 square feet. The price per square foot is $353.78. Days on market: 229. These are the highestselling homes in each community in West Orange.

zillow.com

The home at 914 W. Second Ave., Windermere, sold April 16, for $2,555,000. This home features views of Lake Butler.

GOTHA

HAMLIN RESERVE

The home at 10219 Windermere Chase Blvd., Gotha, sold April 13, for $475,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,180 square feet. The price per square foot is $149.37. Days on market: Two.

The home at 15336 Sugar Citrus Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 12, for $492,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,471 square feet. The price per square foot is $199.11. Days on market: 60.

HORIZON WEST

HICKORY HAMMOCK

WINDERMERE CHASE

ENCLAVE

The home at 11738 Hampstead St., Windermere, sold April 15, for $821,000. Built in 2015, it has six bedrooms, four-andone-half baths, a pool and 4,497 square feet. The price per square foot is $182.57. Days on market: Three.

The home at 16087 Black Hickory Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 12, for $542,500. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,843 square feet. The price per square foot is $190.82. Days on market: Four.

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HIGHLANDS AT SUMMERLAKE GROVES

The home at 15866 Sweet Lemon Way, Winter Garden, sold April 15, for $575,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 3,377 square feet. The price per square foot is $170.27. Days on market: One. INDEPENDENCE/ SIGNATURE LAKES

The home at 6185 Cypress Hill Road, Winter Garden, sold April 12, for $550,000. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,407 square feet. The price per square foot is $161.43. Days on market: Four.

The home at 5443 Bowman Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 15, for $449,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 2,656 square feet. The price per square foot is $169.05. Days on market: 280. PANTHER VIEW

The home at 14831 Winter Stay Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 13, for $575,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,662 square feet. The price per square foot is $216. Days on market: Two. SUMMERLAKE

The home at 15649 Porter Road, Winter Garden, sold April 16, for $490,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,232 square feet. The price per square foot is $219.53. Days on market: 20.

Rock the House is coming to YOUR house!

Friday May 7, 2021 7pm

https://event.gives/rockthehouse Virtual or not, it is the PARTY of the YEAR.

2 Ways to Attend!

Bob & Dianna Duffy

Rock the House from your house or Charlie Roper and Becky Roper invite you to a watch party at Pilars Loft!

The McKinney Family

Individual registrations also available.

Joan Guerin

(Individual)

Group Party ............... $500

(10 Guests)

Family Builder ........... $1,000 (15 Guests)

Home Builder ............ $2,500

WINTER GARDEN HOTEL

(20 Guests)

Community Builder ... $5,000

Artist: Susan Grogan

Alcohol Ink

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We welcome you to share in the fun of our online event as we showcase what West Orange Habitat for Humanity has been working on this past year, and what exciting things are to come! Join us for our very exciting online silent and live auctions to support building homes for families! You won’t want to miss it!

www.westorangehabitat.org www.facebook.com/WestOrangeHabitatForHumanity

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Family Ticket ............. $50

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

The home at 8135 Laughing Gull St., Winter Garden, sold April 16, for $450,000. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,818 square feet. The price per square foot is $159.69. Days on market: 23.

The home at 5181 Latrobe Drive sold April 15, for $1.24 million. Built in 1996, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths, a pool and 3,645 square feet. The price per square foot is $340.19. Days on market: 333.

The home at 16317 Wind View Lane, Winter Garden, sold April 13, for $554,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 3,397 square feet. The price per square foot is $163.09. Days on market: 12. The home at 15666 Pelican Cay Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 14, for $474,258. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,924 square feet. The price per square foot is $162.19. Days on market: Zero. WEST LAKE HANCOCK ESTATES

The home at 14258 Colonial Pointe Drive sold April 12, for $695,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,731 square feet. The price per square foot is $186.28. Days on market: Three.

MAGNOLIA PARK

zillow.com

The home at 14258 Colonial Pointe Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 12, for $695,000. It was the largest transaction in Winter Garden from April 10 to 16.

SNAPSHOT

Total Sales: 74 High Sale Price: $2,555,000 Low Sale Price: $192,500 WINDERMERE TRAILS

The home at 11788 Gray Rock Trail, No. 11788, Windermere, sold April 13, for $575,000. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 3,833 square feet. The price per square foot is $150.01. Days on market: Zero.

OCOEE

ARDEN PARK NORTH

The home at 2927 Foxtail Bend, Ocoee, sold April 15, for $399,500. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,251 square feet. The price per square foot is $177.48. Days on market: Five. BROOKESTONE

The home at 1800 Slough Court, Ocoee, sold April 15, for $470,000. Built in 2001, it has five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,123 square feet. The price

per square foot is $150.50. Days on market: 55. OAK TRAIL RESERVE

The home at 3014 Timber Hawk Circle, Ocoee, sold April 12, for $405,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,025 square feet. The price per square foot is $133.88. Days on market: Six.

WEST ORANGE PROVIDENCE

The home at 13120 Zori Lane, Windermere, sold April 15, for $975,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,893 square feet. The price per square foot is $250.45. Days on market: Three. TILDENS GROVE

The home at 12807 Jacob Grace Court, Windermere, sold April 14, for $900,000. Built in 2002, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,969 square feet. The price per square foot is $226.76. Days on market: Three. The home at 5328 Tildens Grove Blvd., Windermere, sold April

15, for $839,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, four-andone-half baths, a pool and 3,953 square feet. The price per square foot is $212.24. Days on market: Two.

The home at 13533 Magnolia Park Court sold April 13, for $592,000. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,814 square feet. The price per square foot is $210.38. MANORS AT BUTLER BAY

The home at 2500 Tryon Place sold April 14, for $913,000. Built in 1995, it has six bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,533 square feet. The price per square foot is $258.42. Days on market: Two.

WATERSTONE

RESERVE AT BELMERE

WINDERMERE

RESERVE AT LAKE BUTLER SOUND

The home at 11730 Bella Milano Court sold April 15, for $630,000. Built in 2004, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths, a pool and 3,110 square feet. The price per square foot is $202.57. Days on market: One.

ROBERTS LANDING

The home at 6219 Tiroco Way, Windermere, sold April 16, for $1.45 million. Built in 2014, it has seven bedrooms, five-and-onehalf baths, a pool and 5,221 square feet. The price per square foot is $277.72. Days on market: 26. BELMERE VILLAGE

The home at 942 Algare Loop, Windermere, sold April 15, for $463,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,550 square feet. The price per square foot is $181.57. Days on market: Six.

The home at 1239 Glenheather Drive sold April 15, for $627,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,123 square feet. The price per square foot is $200.77.

The home at 6348 Cartmel Lane sold April 16, for $840,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,931 square feet. The price per square foot is $213.69. Days on market: 41. The home at 9303 Sir Lawrence Court, Windermere, sold April 15, for $965,000. Built in 1991, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,452 square feet. The price per square foot is $279.55. SEE REAL ESTATE PAGE 10

356446-1

The home at 9062 Sonoma Coast Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 13, for $588,231. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,924 square feet. The price per square foot is $201.17. Days on market: Six.

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

ISLEWORTH

WATERLEIGH

The home at 8729 Eden Cove Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 16, for $595,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths, a pool and 3,000 square feet. The price per square foot is $198.33. Days on market: 42.

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

BAPTIST

First Baptist Church Pastor Tim Grosshans 125 E. Plant St, Winter Garden (407) 656-2352 Sundays: 8:30 AM Traditional 9:45 AM Bible Study 11 AM Contemporary Wednesdays: 6 PM Awana 2nd Campus: First Baptists Church @ Horizon West Sundays: 9:45 AM All Ages www.FBCWG.com

REAL ESTATE

CHURCH OF GOD

Ocoee Church of God Pastor Thomas Odom 1105 N. Lakewood Ave.,Ocoee (407) 656-8011

opendoor.com

The home at 4216 Willow Bay Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 12, for $700,000. It was the largest transaction in Winter Garden from April 10 to 16.

SAWYER SOUND

The home at 5036 Sawyer Cove Way, Windermere, sold April 12, for $1.55 million. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths, a pool and 3,615 square feet. The price per square foot is $428.77. Days on market: Three.

EPISCOPAL

Church of the Messiah 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11 AM, 7 PM www.ChurchoftheMessiah.com

METHODIST

WINDERMERE CLUB

The home at 12513 Butler Bay Court, Windermere, sold April 16, for $790,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,700 square feet. The price per square foot is $168.09. Days on market: 66.

WINTER GARDEN

CHURCH DIRECTORY

CHAPIN STATION This page thehome at 1033 Jilliam Way, WESTOVER CLUB appears weekly in The Westat Orange Times Observer and Garden, sold April 13, for The home 1900 Katie Hill&Way, Winter Windermere, April 12, for $383,500. Built in 2005, it has onlinesold at OrangeObserver.com.

$580,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths and five bedrooms, four baths, a pool 3,064 square feet. The price per To advertise in the Church Directory and 3,646 call square feet. The price square foot is $125.16. Days on 407-656-2121 or email perAdvertiseNow@OrangeObserver.com square foot is $159.08. Days market: Three. on market: 17.

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NON-DENOMINATIONAL

BRONSON’S LANDINGS

The home at 5015 Down Point The home at 2038 Rickover Place, Lane, Windermere, sold April Winter Garden, sold April 15, for 13, for $925,000. Built in 1999, it $529,000. Built in 2009, it has has three bedrooms, three-andfive bedrooms, four baths and one-half baths, a pool and 4,105 3,766 square feet. The price per square feet. The price per square foot is $140.47. Days on Advertise your Services orsquare Events foot is $225.33. Days on market: market: Three. on this page weekly. 48.

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125 N. Lakeview Ave Winter Garden Winter Garden tor The Rev. Canon Tim Trombitas (407) 656-2351 Service Times 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM 407-654-9661 • Prayer 9:30AM, 6 East Plant St, Winter Garden www.starkelakebaptist.org Phone – 407-656-1135 Fellowship 9:45AM, Service 10:05 AM Victory Baptist Church NDAY SERVICE 10:00 AM Purpose Web: fumcwg.org Church Orlando d us at: Theacf.net & Christian Academy CHURCH OF GOD 13640 W Colonial Dr. Ste 110, OCOEE CHURCH OF GOD 1601 A.D. Mims Rd,Ocoee UNITED APTIST Winter CHURCH GardenOF Pastor Thomas Odom CHRIST (407) 656-3097 1105 N. Lakewood Avenue, Ocoee ULAH BAPTIST (407) 654-9661 WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH 407-656-8011 or Casey Butner Sunday: 11 AM & 6 PM 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd. Sunday Service: 10:05 AM Beulah Rd, Winter Garden Windermere, FL 34786 Wednesday: 7 PM EPISCOPAL -656-3342 | BeulahBaptistWG.org Sunday Brazilian Service: 7 PM 407-876-2112 Worship times: www.VBCOCOEE.com CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH NDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30AM 9:00am Adult SundayService: School Saturday 6 PM 241 N. Main, Winter Garden NDAY SERVICE 11:00AM 10:00am Worship Services: 8, 9:30, & 11am, 7pm www.purposechurchorlando.org DNESDAY SERVICE 6:00PM www.windermereunion.org www.churchofthemessiah.com ST BAPTIST CHURCH E Plant St., Winter Garden -656-2352 NDAYS 8:30 am Traditional 5 am Bible Study 00 am Contemporary DNESDAYS - 6pm - Awana MIKE YOAKUM or Tim Grosshans PASTOR w.fbcwg.org Campus: P: 407.656.1520 UNDATION WORSHIP C: 407.758.3570 NDAYS 9:45 am - All Ages MYOAKUM407@AOL.COM ndation Academy High School 04 Tilden Rd., Winter Garden w.FoundationWorship.com -730-1867

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Starke Lake Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Pritchard PO Box 520 611 W Ave., STARKE LAKE BAPTIST NGLICAN Ocoee CHURCH (407) 656-2351 GLICAN COMMUNITY PO Box 520, 611 W Ave, Ocoee LLOWSHIP CHURCH www.StarkeLakeBaptist.org Pastor Jeff Pritchard

First United Methodist Church 125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden (407) 656-1135 Services: 9 AM Contemporary METHODIST 11:15 AMMETHODIST Traditional NON-DENOMINATIONAL FIRST UNITED PURPOSE CHURCH OLANDO CHURCH Viewable on YouTube13640 W. Colonial Dr., Ste 110,

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

TRAILSIDE STATION

The home at 749 River Grass Lane sold April 15, for $405,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,384 square feet. The price per square foot is $169.88. Days on market: Two.

TWINWATERS

The home at 1756 Fullers Oak Loop, Winter Garden, sold April 16, for $492,500. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 3,036 square feet. The price per square foot is $162.22. Days on market: One. HERITAGE AT PLANT STREET

The home at 773 Orange Belt Loop sold April 14, for $665,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, five baths and 3,782 square feet. The price per square foot is $175.83. Days on market: 163. LAKE COVE POINTE

The home at 717 Lake Cove Pointe Circle sold April 16, for $650,000. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths, a pool and 3,854 square feet. The price per square foot is $168.66. Days on market: Two. STONEYBROOK WEST

The home at 1225 Selbydon Way, Winter Garden, sold April 16, for $400,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,397 square feet. The price per square foot is $166.88. Days on market: Eight.

The home at 16566 Raven Rock Place, Winter Garden, sold April 15, for $577,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 3,036 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $190.05. Days on market: One.

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The home at 16820 Broadwater Ave., Winter Garden, sold April 16, for $612,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 2,954 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $207.18. Days on market: 21.

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The home at 12002 Windstone St., Winter Garden, sold April 12, for $485,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,529 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $191.78. Days on market: Four. WOODBRIDGE ON GREEN

The home at 4216 Willow Bay Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 12, for $700,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, four-andone-half baths, a pool and 4,209 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $166.31. Days on market: Zero.

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The home at 1130 Trailside Court, Winter Garden, sold April 13, for $365,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,320 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $157.33. Days on market: 23.

T U O

The West Orange Junior Service League is excited to host the 11th Annual Run for the Roses on 5/1. Thank you to all of the sponsors who are participating and helping us give back to our community. Please visit www.wojsl.com to learn more or if you would like to make a donation.

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The home at 713 Grassy Stone Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 15, for $526,000. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 3,269 square feet. The price per square foot is $160.91. Days on market: Two.

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

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COVINGTON CHASE

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

Parents of seniors: Senior Shoutouts now available! Hard work deserves to be recognized. That’s precisely why the Observer is creating an extra special Graduation section each year. In it, we celebrate seniors at all of our area’s public, private and charter high schools. Tell your graduating senior how proud you are of their accomplishments with a personalized Senior Shoutout. Ordering is easy! Just visit OrangeObserver.com/class-of-2021.

School Board recognizes April 28 as Denim Day The Orange County School Board proclaimed April 28 as Denim Day recognized by Orange County Public Schools. The purpose of the proclamation is to urge all employees and students to wear jeans on Denim Day to help spread awareness about the physical and emotional trauma that accompanies sexual assault, and to show support for survivors in our community. Denim Day is a designated day of international protest in response to the Italian Supreme Court’s overruling of a rape conviction in the 1900s.

Pam Gould to reveal design of new elementary Orange County School Board Vice Chair Pam Gould will host a virtual meeting to reveal the 100% design/ construction of the new elementary school opening in Horizon West Town Center. The meeting will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22. Attendees will be able to learn about the completed design and construction plans for Site 89-E-W-4, which will open in August 2022. To register, visit tinyurl. com/OCPS89EW4.

INFLUENCER OF THE WEEK

JACKIE CONOVER, FOUNDATION ACADEMY Jackie Conover is the curriculum and instruction specialist at Foundation. In her nine years at the school, she has worked in many capacities — from curriculum to technology. Some of her tasks include overseeing curriculum mapping, professional development and technology integration into the classroom. Last year, she worked on the team that switched the school to remote learning. She won the President’s Award in 2017 and 2019 and the Principal’s Award in 2020.

What brought you to your school? When we moved to the area in 2009, we were looking for a preschool for our son, and we found Foundation Academy. I am a product of Christian education, and I have always wanted the same for my children. I started as a parent, and within a couple years, I excitedly joined the Foundation family. What do you love most about your school? I love the heart of FA. We truly exist to work with families and the church to help our students build a firm foundation for their life. It is not just a motto — it is our heartbeat. What is your motivation? My relationship with Jesus is my motivation. He rescued me from trying to do life on my own strength, and I want to do everything I can to share His love with others. What is the most rewarding part of your job? People are the most rewarding part of my job! I have loved working with students, and now, to be able to work alongside our amazing teachers and administration is

REPORT CARD POSITION: Curriculum and instruction specialist YEARS AT SCHOOL: Nine years

such a privilege. I recently had the opportunity to develop our “Portrait of Graduate” with our faculty and staff. What do you like to do in your spare time? I love to spend time with my family and clean or organize! A wonderful Saturday for me is an early walk on the trail … time to clean the house and having a family meal together. Who was your favorite teacher when you were in school? Why? I would have to go with Mrs. Bell. She was my middle school/high school English teacher and newspaper adviser. She understood learning styles, and she could bring the best out of everyone. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why? I always wanted to be a teacher. I had to work hard for the grades I received, and the teachers who came alongside me made all of the difference. What is your favorite children’s book and why? Growing up I would say it was

“Where the Sidewalk Ends,” by Shel Silverstein, but now, I would have to go with “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.” What are your hobbies? I love to walk on the trail. I should be running, but walking is just so much more fun! I also love to make chocolate chip cookies. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? I wish I could make everyone love one another. It would change the world. If you could only listen to three bands or artists for the rest of your life, what would they be and why? I would pick Lauren Daigle. … Her songs really capture her relationship with the Lord. My second would be Michael Bublé, because he does a great job covering a wide variety of those old jazz and soul songs. Andy Grammer would be my third. His songs are fun, uplifting and hopeful.

NOMINATE YOUR INFLUENCER

— AMY QUESINBERRY

Do you have an “unsung hero” at your school? If so, please nominate him or her for our Influencer of the Week feature. Nominations can be sent via email to contact@orangeobserver.com.

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

OBSERVER SCHOOL ZONE

Courtesy photo

The next stop for the school’s Odyssey of the Mind team is at the world finals in June.

Gotha Odyssey team takes first The Gotha Middle School Odyssey of the Mind team took home first place at the state competition and now will prepare for the world finals in June. TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

Imagine being a child at the airport with your family and accidentally grabbing the wrong bag — a bag belonging to the mystical Mary Poppins. Now imagine taking a peek inside, only to fall into a fantastical world where you meet colorful characters and seek a

means of escape. That’s the general premise of the eight-minute skit that helped Gotha Middle School’s Odyssey of the Mind team win first place in a recent state competition. The annual competition — which is a creative problemsolving program involving students from different academic levels (from kindergarten through college) — requires

teams to choose one of five problems to solve creatively. For the Gotha team, overseen by Alessandra Romano and her husband, Roberto Sanchez, the final choice was to run with the performance question that asked students to create a short theatrical piece showing a character going from the real world to an imaginary place — and back. Along with the story, the cre-

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ation of props, acting and writing also fell on the shoulders of students. They began to prepare last October. “The team starts brainstorming on what are other different worlds that are related … so different worlds could be someone dreaming, or Alice in Wonderland fell in a hole and is in Wonderland now,” Sanchez said. “Some of this team landed on Mary Poppins, and Mary Poppins, nobody knows where she came from, but she is definitely not from this world.” In this first of three components — with others being style and spontaneous question on the day of the competition — the group of 17 students, which included Romano and Sanchez’s oldest daughter, began developing the idea. As the story goes, a boy named Maxwell is with his family — including his mean bully of a sister — at the airport, when the bag mix-up with Mary Poppins happens, and he falls into her bag. In that world, Maxwell is welcomed by a captain — like in the movie — as well as penguin characters; one of which is a villain who wants to use Maxwell’s coins to escape and become a movie star. By the end, Maxwell escapes from Poppins’ bag because he finally stands up against the penguin villain, before standing up to his sister in the real world — it’s ultimately the creative solution and moral that was needed as part of the challenge, Sanchez said.

GETTING CREATIVE

With the script written, the next phase was to start building the props for the skit. Most of what was created for the skit came from each student’s own homes. Meanwhile, to make Mary Poppins fly during the play, the students created a metal-framed box that has two bungee cords hooked to a harness worn by a student. Combining the box with a rolling black backdrop featuring stars that seem to move gives the sense of falling, which was used to help characters go from one world to the next. Between the flying contraption, props created with found items and a motorized device that could play a violin, wind chime and a beat-up drum with one single motion — based on Bert’s one-man band in the movie — the team wowed the judges and walked away with the Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award. Following the win, the Gotha team will present at the world finals in June. Although for Sanchez, it’s more about the journey than the destination. “I always tell them the competition itself — or the competition day — is just the reward,” Sanchez said. “The actual experience — or what you’re actually getting — is all those months of preparation … how to use a drill, how to do brainstormings and how to deal with teammates who might not be thinking the same thing you do; all of that is the prize.”

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

THESE OLD TIMES

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION

THROWBACK THURSDAY APRIL 21, 1966 There was a time when downtown Winter Garden was home to multiple auto dealerships, including Thriftway Chevrolet Co., located at the intersection of Plant Street and Highland Avenue. The business advertised in The Winter Garden Times its new custom camper with special equipment for outdoor living. “Make life more enjoyable,” it promised. “Go where you want, stop when you like,” the ad stated. “You’re free as the breeze! … A Chevy Custom Camper will add a most pleasurable new dimension to your life.”

85 years ago

Windermere held its annual Play Day. More than 200 people were present when the schools of Windermere, Gotha, Vineland and Beulah competed. Gotha won a cup for winning the most points in the field meet, with Vineland coming in second and Windermere a close third. Superior Cleaners, owned by W.E. and H.B. Goodrich, was damaged by fire. An Ocoee news boy discovered the fire, which was believed to have been started by a smoldering boiler coal thrown into the woodpile.

80 years ago

Following the Lakeview High School senior play, “Footloose,” three members of the cast broke out in measles: Margaret Cappleman, Howard Ficquette and George Eby.

75 years ago

Herbert Pounds, captain in the Air Corps during World War II, was elected commander of the Hugh T. Gregory Post 63 of the American Legion, succeeding W.B. Burch.

70 years ago

Edgar M. Henderson received word from postal authorities that the U.S. Senate has approved his nomination by

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 That sow 4 Surfer’s bud 8 Slamming, as a door 15 Yukon SUV maker 18 Unlikely story 20 1987 cyberpunk film 21 Regatta stick 22 “Feel like enjoying the beach hut together?” / “Up for splitting the fare, Ms. Gasteyer?” 24 Fight finisher, briefly 25 Break up 26 “The ___ Squad” 27 Bark sound 28 Chop

FROM THE ARCHIVES In April 1994, this home was prepped for its August move from its original location on Oakland Avenue to its new site on Tildenville School Road. Dan McKinnon IV, originally from North Carolina, settled in the Tildenville community on land he purchased from the pioneer Willis family; he constructed this house in 1908. Louis and Mildred Hornstein purchased the home in 1933 upon McKinnon’s death. West Orange County’s rich architectural legacy is captured in “Sundays in the South,” a book written by Kay Cappleman and illustrated by Rod Reeves. Copies are available at the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation. Call (407) 656-3244 to arrange for purchase.

The mission of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is to preserve the heritage and architecture of Winter Garden while creating new cultural experiences. The Foundation also preserves the material culture of West Orange County, using it to educate the area’s youth on the community’s rich history. Congressman Syd Herlong and President Harry S. Truman for the position of postmaster at Winter Garden. He replaced Mrs. J.S. Kirton, acting postmaster since the retirement of Wrather H. Reams in 1949.

55 years ago

The Jaycees held a successful Fish-A-Thon for children ages 5 to 13 at the pond on South Lakeview Avenue and West Cypress Street. Pat McClung caught the largest fish, a 2-pound bass, and received a new spinning rod and reel. your vacation, Mr. Luthor!” 110 Travel permit 113 Suffix for “lime” 114 Money exec 115 Word before “heat” or “humor” 116 Judge’s perch 117 Diarist Anais 118 “You call this a mushroom?!” / “This seems dull, Mr. Grissom!” 124 Trawling need 125 Assumption 126 Coppertop battery brand 127 “Heehaw!” source 128 Fiery insects 129 Boatloads 130 Ctrl-Alt-___

Skate Clenney was named champ and earned a rod and reel for catching 34 fish. Ray Ussery donated rods and reels and all the fishing worms, and Ed Bekemeyer, of Bekemeyer’s Sporting Goods, donated rodand-reel prizes, too.

49 New York City’s ___ River 50 Risque 51 Kindle purchase 52 South Korea’s capital 53 It may be home-cooked 57 Stir-fry vessels 60 ___ Mahal 61 Tractor-trailer 62 Numero after due 63 ___ crust (elite) 64 Falafel holders 66 Jack’s value in blackjack 69 Pesto vegetable, at times 70 “Downton Abbey” countess Crawley 71 Bad, as a loser 72 Cabo’s peninsula 73 Some cosmetics bellringers 74 Marquee boxing matches DOWN 78 Leave home but not go 1 Was atrocious too far? 2 “Gimme that!” 79 Newspaper essay 3 Pacific climate woe 80 Ties the knot 4 “Dynamite” K-pop band 83 Explosive letters 5 Shout from the stands 87 Number of spaces in 6 Los ___, New Mexico tic-tac-toe 7 Everglades wader 88 Flat-topped hill 8 Garment with cups 90 Canal to the Hudson 9 Member of “The Squad” 91 Immense from NYC 10 Hawks’ and Hornets’ org. 92 Qatari leader 93 Times past 11 Survivalist’s kit 94 Muscular “Guardians of 12 He flew too close to the the Galaxy” character sun 95 Watson’s co. 13 Like some yogurt 101 “More!” at a concert 14 College app stat 102 Combed (through) 15 Tied the knot 104 Ocean motion 16 Flip out in public 29 Tattoo canvas 55 Lincoln, familiarly 82 Glowing 105 Take off on a plane trip 17 Royal symbol 30 “Sit atop a caretaker’s 56 Amazement 84 Sound receiver 106 Made level 19 Long.’s counterpart shoulders!” / “Stay alert, Mr. 58 180 degrees from WSW 85 Ready for harvest 107 ___-Barbera 22 Director Anderson Fleming!” 59 Primary 86 “Come along!” 108 What breaks up $1,000? 23 Ice cream brand 37 Apt things to put in the 61 Move closer to a screen, 89 “Don’t reveal how you 109 Italian fashion house 30 Taekwondo level indicator dryer? say lost weight!” / “Persevere, 111 Regatta boat 31 Fitzgerald of jazz 39 Clearance event 65 Horse’s morsel Mr. Danson!” 112 Sounds of understanding 32 Kiln hidden in “roasting” 40 Strong ales 67 Thieves’ hangout 116 2021 Super Bowl champ 33 Forearm bone 97 Most popular ride at 41 What it takes to tango 68 “Don’t forget the deli 118 “Ask Me Another” 34 Tush Disneyland? 43 “OK, ___ bite!” spears!” / “Any is fine, Mr. network 35 Lounging wear 98 Crystal ball, for one 44 Suddenly bite Paul!” 119 Yang’s complement 99 Google revenue sources 36 Pairs 46 Lawn game 72 Punch sound 120 Real ending? 100 They fit into 105-Across 38 Nintendo console 48 “Switch the machine 75 Mess around musically 121 “Moines” lead-in 41 Weary worker’s cry off and on!” / “Enough, Mr. 76 Regular lifters, informally? 103 “Really, though?” 122 To’s partner 42 Crowdsourced site 77 “Fuhgeddaboudit!” 105 Glasses choices Garfunkel!” 123 Admirer 45 School grp. 81 “Queen Sugar” creator 107 “This fine three-story 53 Interlocked 47 Idyllic garden 54 KALLAX shelf unit seller DuVernay place is on me!” / “Enjoy

CONVERSATION PARTNERS by Freddie Cheng; Edited by David Steinberg

CELEBRITY CIPHER

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“G MN WIY ZSMPVLEP EA GNNGZSMPWL ASEN BMFMP DIE DYPW WE MNYSGXM, JECVCU ZEGPZ WE M LWSMPZY PYD DESCV.” – ZYESZY WMRYG

“PTJEDKJCRCFCZI VCZODHZ EDVTP, ZOT GSZT DG ZOT JTXPTZSPI ZOPDHBO ZOT SBTJ.”

– SPCTF NDPGASK Puzzle Two Clue: N equals D

WEST ORANG E HISTO RY

OBSERVER

Puzzle One Clue B equals J

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

04-22-21

APRIL 22, 2021

HIGH

SPORTS

Olympia sophomore Cameron Friedman has had several top-10 finishes across the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter events. Page 16.

SISTER ACT

The Dr. Phillips boys water polo team’s hunt for its first state title came up short in a 22-11 championship game loss against Miami Gulliver Prep Saturday, April 17. The runner-up Panthers (17-3) saw multigoal outings from Sam Collinwood, Liam Ortiz, Brady Kossoff and Colin Bryant — each scored two goals apiece for the Panthers.

The Windermere boys track-and-field team walked away with the Class 4A, District 9 title Saturday, April 17. The Wolverines — who finished 20 points ahead of Olympia and 30 points ahead of Dr. Phillips — saw wins in the 3200-meter relay (Adams, Braswell, Buck, Cavalcanti), 3200-meter run (Hallie Buck), 1600-meter relay (Hill, Noto, Rivers, White), triple jump (Nasir White) and javelin (Ryan Flournoy).

It was a big day for the Dr. Phillips girls track-and-field team, as the Panthers won the Class 4A, District 9 title Saturday, April 17. In the win, the Panthers — who beat rival Windermere by 16 points — took home victories in the 3200-meter relay (Claytor, Lis, Connolly, Little), 1600-meter run (Katie Ranck), 300-meter hurdles (Amari Sims), 800-meter run (Ranck) and pole vault (Resa Akers).

In West Orange baseball’s 20-1 thrashing of Wekiva Thursday, April 15, junior Tyler Spassoff had a field day at the plate. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and three-runs scored in the victory. Teammate Ricky Reeth added more offense for the Warriors by picking up a double, home run, five RBIs and two-runs scored.

Troy Herring

In their final season playing together, Madison and Caroline McCarthy were a force on the field for West Orange’s girls lacrosse team.

Sisters Caroline and Madison McCarthy just finished their last season playing together on the lacrosse field for West Orange High girls team.

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

here’s always been a myth regarding siblings and the ability to communicate in ways that seem almost telepathic in nature. If you ask sisters Caroline and Madison McCarthy, they agree that maybe — just maybe — there is something to that myth. On the lacrosse field this past

SEE SISTERS PAGE 16

Legacy High retires Chambless’ No. 14 Gehrig Chambless, who died last April at the age of 21, was a three-year starter and a program-defining player at the school.

In Windermere Prep softball’s 15-0 win over Orlando Christian Prep Thursday, April 15. Sophie Shaik led the way for the Lakers, going 3-fo-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and three-runs scored. Pitcher Gracie Wallace threw a fiveinning complete-game no-hitter while striking out four.

year for the West Orange High girls lacrosse team, the duo wreaked havoc on opposing teams, and they attribute their success to their unique bond and ability to communicate. “We have, like, code words almost, so we know where exactly to go, and I think that both of us have done really good in our lacrosse careers,” said Caroline

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

Troy Herring

Former Legacy baseball coach Jack Chambless hugs Jaden Oyola after his late son’s jersey number was retired.

Under a cloudy sky at Bob Sorenson Fields, Jack Chambless stands on the same baseball field where he once coached his Legacy Charter baseball program.

Next to him is current Eagles coach Trent Hopper and Athletic Director Russell Hunt, who stand still as the PA announcer begins the ceremony 20 minutes before the start of the Legacy/Foundation Academy game. It’s an emotional moment for Jack Chambless, as Legacy junior Jayden Colon hands him a plaque before throwing his arms around him — which is then followed by another hug from Jaden Oyola. This jersey retirement for his late SEE GEHRIG PAGE 17

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

SPONSORED BY MARK’S FLOORING AND SHANNON TILL/STATE FARM IN FOWLER GROVES

Cameron Friedman Olympia sophomore Cameron Friedman is in his first full season with the school’s track-and-field team, and he has found a place as a solid sprinter for the Titans. This season, he had several top-10 finishes across the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter events. He’s also racked up trophies with the school’s relay teams.

When did you first get into running track? I started with track last year, actually. Olympia didn’t really have a coach at the time, and I just did what the other kids were doing. The main purpose for doing it was for football — I wanted to get faster and learn how to run fast for football. As a receiver, I needed to run, so track was my way of learning how to do that. Then, we got a really good coach — James Hampton — and from there, I fell in love with it this year and started taking it seriously. What has been the biggest difference between football and track? I would say the mental aspect of it, because both of these sports are more mental than skill, but track has a little more skill than football. But when it comes down to the workouts and you running that race, I feel like it’s more intense, and I get more nervous than I would be before a football game. What is your favorite part about running track? My favorite thing is the people I’m surrounded with. That feeling after doing horrible in a race and the support (around you), and not just being put down or spoken down on or belittled. I can go out there and

THE BASICS SCHOOL: Olympia GRADE: Sophomore AGE: 16 SPORTS: Track, football EVENTS (TRACK): 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter

come in last place and still be all right because I know I can do better than that, because my teammate and my coaches support me after the race. What is the most challenging part about running track? Getting your mind right and focusing on phases of the races and getting ready to execute, because once you get out there, it’s not the same — you actually have to get out there and run it; it’s not like practice. Is there a highlight moment for you so far? This year, I’ve taken a big leap. Last year, I didn’t even really know anything about track — I just went out there and ran. My times saw big (improvements) this year because I’m starting to realize how important they are, and once I realized the pace that I’m at, it could get me to college just as football can. When did you realize that track could possibly lead to something special for you? I believe it started in practice. In football, say we do some drills and stuff or go into a game, and I realize how much better I am than the person next to me. In practice, I started realizing that, and going into the meets, I started to realize that, and so I wanted to figure out, “Well, how good am I in this sport?” — TROY HERRING

Troy Herring

Sisters build LAX legacy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

McCarthy, a senior who just finished her last season. “We always kind of look up ahead of time, and as soon as we get the ball, we kind of know where each other is on the field already. “So as soon as we get it, we can immediately pass, and people aren’t expecting us to pass to each other that quickly,” she said. “It kind of throws the other teams off-guard, because they don’t see anything coming. We don’t actually say stuff out loud — we just kind of know.” On draw plays, the younger Madison McCarthy — who just wrapped up her sophomore season — takes the draw and will set up her sister in a specific spot. From there, it just works, Madison McCarthy said. Getting to that level of comfort and anticipation doesn’t just come without work. SISTER, SISTER

Despite being exactly two years, two months and two days apart, Caroline and Madison McCarthy are basically twins — and they often get mistaken as such. The two share the same mannerisms, look similar and spend tons of time with each other. It’s also how Madison McCarthy got into lacrosse — she followed her sister. In the summer going into seventh grade, Caroline McCarthy started playing recreation ball, and Madison McCarthy didn’t want to miss out. “We always did the same, similar sports — like whenever she did basketball, I did basketball — and then she started lacrosse and she had a lot of fun with it,” Madison McCarthy said. “I saw her doing it, and I was like, ‘Oh, I want to try that.’” The two started playing on a

recreational team before being split up during a season with the Orange Crush Lacrosse team. It was fun, but the two missed playing on the same team, Madison McCarthy said. The sisters were reunited again for the 2020 season at West Orange, with Madison McCarthy joining the team as a freshman, while Caroline McCarthy was going into her junior year. It was a big moment for Madison McCarthy, and Caroline McCarthy went over everything she could think of to get her comfortable and ready to play at the high school level. “When she was coming into high school, I was just kind of like, ‘OK, Maddie, it’s you and me, kind of,’ because all the older girls had graduated, and it was kind of our year to take over the team last year,” Caroline McCarthy said. “I was just kind of like, ‘We just need to come up with our own plays so that we always have something to run no matter what.’ We’re really close off the field, so we have really good connection on the field … and I think that’s why we play really good together.” ONE LAST RIDE

Coming into this last year as a senior, Caroline McCarthy knew she had to go out with a bang on the field while also enjoying what games she had left with her sister. “I just knew that I had to leave everything I had on the field this year, since I wasn’t going to play in college — I just knew this was my last chance,” Caroline McCarthy said. “And especially having Maddie to play with, — I just wanted to make her look good … and just kind of leave our mark on West Orange history with girls lacrosse.” Madison McCarthy shared that sense of urgency, too. Orig-

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inally, there was fear that a season may not even happen, but when those worries dissipated as spring arrived, Madison McCarthy was more than eager to suit up for one last season on the field with her sister. “I was really excited to play this year,” Madison McCarthy said. “Last year, (Caroline and I) were two of the starting middies with another senior, so whenever the senior left, I knew it would be up to me and Caroline, and so I was just hoping for a full season because it’s the last of me and Caroline playing together.” By season’s end — which came in a district semifinal loss to rival Windermere Tuesday, April 13 — the Warriors amassed a solid 11-6 record, and the two sisters were the top two scorers on the team. As Caroline McCarthy now prepares for graduation — before attending LSU in the fall — her sister is looking to continue a tradition at West Orange for the next two years and possibly follow her to LSU in a few years. “I’m going to try and follow her wherever she goes,” Madison McCarthy said with a laugh. “Hopefully, I’ll like it. And if I do, I’ll follow her there.”

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Gehrig Chambless honored son, Gehrig Chambless — a three-year starter for the program who died April 26, 2020 at age 21 — is special. “This morning, I came out to the field by myself to put up the banner for Gehrig and to soak everything in one last time — that was the hard part,” Jack Chambless said. “The ceremony gives me a lot of closure — gives my family a lot of closure — that Legacy would make official what had been in the works for probably a couple of years now.” From here on out, Gehrig Chambless’ No. 14 will not be worn by another player, and to Hopper, that’s the best way anyone could be honored in the game of baseball. For Hopper — who was the infield coach during Gehrig Chambless’ freshman, sophomore and senior seasons — it was a moment that hit him harder than he had anticipated. “It choked me up a little bit; I didn’t expect that to come,” Hopper said. “But as a baseball player, he was as good as it gets, and that’s how you do things in baseball — you remember it. “I thought it was fitting, and I thought it was representative of the way he plays, because I don’t know if I’ve ever coached a kid as good — he was just a joy to watch,” he said. “It was a good night.” REMEMBERING GEHRIG

When Gehrig Chambless was a part of the Legacy program, he was absolutely electric. In his three years — 2016 to 2018 — starting at catcher, he was known for being a fiery competitor. It paid off on the field as he racked up both huge stats and honors to boot. As a sophomore, he was featured in the USA Today sports section after he tied the national high school record for most triples in a game when he hit four of them on March 2 against Wildwood.

He was Legacy’s first All-District selection in 2017 and 2018, and named Class 3A, District 5 Player of the year. He was also selected as a Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American. When Jack Chambless looks back on all those years coaching his son — which started when Gehrig Chambless was just a kid — one specific memory has always stands out. “In 2018, we were playing The Master’s Academy in the second round of the district playoffs — we were way down and in our last at-bats in the bottom of the seventh inning; Gehrig was on deck,” Jack Chambless said. “I looked over at him and noticed he was wiping his eyes. He turned and slowly walked all the way to the third base coaching box, and with tears in his eyes, he looked at me and said, ‘Thanks for coaching me all these years.’ He hugged me, walked up to the plate and got a base hit to keep the game alive.” Gehrig Chambless always played with emotion, and that was part of what made Hopper appreciate him even more. In fact, Hopper’s most colorful memory he has of Gehrig Chambless came during a moment of frustration. “Jack was always on the guys about controlling emotions, and I remember him coming around third and a guy making a play and he was going to score on it, but the first baseman scooped the ball out — or something happened where it was like, ‘Ain’t no way he is going to catch this ball’ — and the dude caught it,” Hopper said. “And he took his helmet, and when it hit the ground, it bounced at least 30 feet in the air — he was so angry. “It was one of those points that at any other time Jack would have lost his mind, but he was like, ‘He just wants it,’” he said. After finishing at Legacy, Gehrig Chambless became the school’s first baseball player to make it to the collegiate level — becoming a key force

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at Palm Beach State College in 2018 and 2019. Even today, years later, Gehrig Chambless holds just about every record in school history as a catcher. Although Gehrig Chambless is no longer alive, having the game of baseball — and the school — immortalize him and his old No. 14 in such a way is something that the Chambless family will never forget. “This helps with the healing,” Jack Chambless said. “It’s just great to know in the tradition of baseball that this type of thing is done for people who have big impact, whether they’re living or gone.”

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WEST ORANGE OBITUARIES PAUL L. ANDERSON DIED THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021.

WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU with Florida Power Company, where he was involved with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and enjoyed his subsequent work in storm restoration, traveling around the country serving those in need. A visitation was held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 19, at BaldwinFairchild Funeral Home in Winter Garden. Funeral services were held at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 20, at West Orange Baptist Church, located at 200 S. Tubb Street in Oakland, Florida. A celebration of Paul’s life took place immediately following the services at the Winter Garden Elks Lodge, beginning at 3 p.m., for all who wished to honor him.

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It is with heavy hearts that the family of Paul Lamar Anderson, of Lake City, announces his passing on Thursday, April 8, 2021, at the age of 61. Born Aug. 15, 1959, in Orlando, Paul was a lifelong resident of Winter Garden before moving to a place he called “God’s Little Acre” in Lake City in 2013, where he planned to retire. Paul will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 15 years, Jo Anderson; sister, Andrea Mane; brothers, Wade Anderson (Janeann) and Sly Cawley (Jan); children, Kandy Bustos and Misty Roberts; along with six grandchildren; and one great-grandson. He was preceded in death by his mother, Imo Jean Mane, of Winter Garden; and father, Jim Wilson Anderson, of Alabama. A man of strong faith and convictions, Paul never met a stranger and will be forever loved and remembered by his numerous friends, colleagues, relatives and extended family. A 1977 graduate of West Orange High School, he had a successful 20-year career

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Protect Yourself and the Environment with Lake Apopka Natural Gas District

very April, Lake Apopka Natural Gas District (LANGD) joins thousands of public natural gas utilities across the country to celebrate National Safe Digging Month – educating and reminding people to call 811 before starting any digging or excavation project. In case you’re unfamiliar, 811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number and plays an essential role in keeping communities safe. According to Common Ground Alliance, nearly two in five U.S. homeowners will put themselves and their communities at risk in 2021 by digging without calling 811 first. In fact, underground utilities are damaged every six minutes.

flags, so no one unintentionally disrupts use natural gas through a public utility. Natural gas is also the cleanest-burning an underground utility line. fossil fuel and research shows that natuFor LANGD, safety is always top-of- ral gas releases 45% less carbon emissions mind for its customers, community and than coal and 30% less carbon emissions indispensable field workers. 2020 marked than oil. the 10th consecutive year the utility was named a winner of the APGA’s Safety Alex Epstein, author of The Moral Case Management Excellence Award for con- for Fossil Fuels, argues that, when it sistently operating safely at the highest comes to natural gas, we usually only levels. By calling 811 before you dig, you hear one side of the story. He says we are can do your part to keep the Apopka, Cl- taught to think of the negatives of fossil ermont and Winter Garden areas safe for fuels, their risks and side effects, but not their positives, which include the ability residents and visitors alike. to provide affordable and reliable energy. In addition to National Safe Digging Month, LANGD will also celebrate Earth On Earth Day, and every day, LANGD Day April 22 to educate local commu- is committed to providing factual innities about the environmental benefits formation about natural gas for all the natural gas has to offer. Over the last two communities it serves. If you’re looking years, natural gas has been a hot topic for an energy mix that is abundant and in the United States and many common cost-friendly, natural gas might be the misconceptions have spread about its key right fit for you. characteristics.

If you have plans to dig in Florida, whether it be a major home renovation or simply planting your favorite spring flower, it’s important to call 811, or submit an online ticket at Sunshine811.com at least two business days before you plan to put a shovel in the ground. Doing so will en- Natural gas is an important component sure that the locations of underground in our world’s energy supply, and over 6 utilities will be marked off with paint or million homes and businesses nationwide

want to learn more about national safe digging month and the eco-friendly benefits of natural gas? Visit Sunshine811.com or contact a member of the Lake Apopka Natural Gas District team today. To learn more about making the switch to natural gas, visit www.langd.org, call the LANGD marketing team at (407) 656-2734, ext. 307, or email marketing@langd.org.