W E ST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 86, NO. 29
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BUG BITES
Children sample edible insects at Oakland preserve. PAGE 12.
‘We know they need help’ Oasis Winter Garden is collecting supplies and preparing to send a team to a shelter in McAllen, Texas, to serve released migrant families. STORY ON PAGE 4.
Meet Winter Garden’s first female fire lieutenant. 3. •
THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
YOUR TOWN PAPERS EARN STATE AWARDS
The West Orange Times & Observer and the West Orange Observer took home a combined five first-place editorial awards in their circulation divisions at the Florida Press Association’s 2018 Better Weekly Newspaper Contest award ceremony Friday, July 12, in St. Petersburg. The West Orange Times & Observer captured first place for Sports Page or Section, Photo Series in One Issue and Feature Story: Non-profile. The West Orange Observer, previously named the Windermere Observer, took first place for Sports Spot News Story and Sports Photo.
OCPS releases school grades No school in West Orange County received a grade lower than C. DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Results from the Florida Department of Education’s 2018-19 school and district grades show Orange County Public Schools has another reason to be proud. Danielle Hendrix
Oasis Winter Garden Lead Pastor William Karshima is leading his church in collecting supplies for migrant families in McAllen, Texas.
Oakland leaders reject rezoning for apartments Town commissioners voted 4-1 to deny the zoning change, which would have allowed the developer to build 242 units on 11 acres along West Colonial Drive. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR
The Oakland Town Commission has heard arguments for both sides of the luxury-apartment controversy that has plagued the small town since the plan was proposed earlier this year.
Gary and Dana English are selling 11.3 acres of their property on Johns Lake, at 17812 W. Colonial Drive, and LIV Development Inc. was negotiating to buy the land to build a 242-unit apartment complex. SEE REZONING PAGE 4
SEE GRADES PAGE 8
If you build it ... Eagle Scout candidate Griffin Willman is renovating the Windermere LL softball fields. SEE PAGE 15.
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YOUR CALENDAR
THURSDAY, JULY 18
I’VE DONE MY DNA – NOW WHAT? 11 a.m. Thursday, July 18, at the West Oaks Library, 1821 E. Silver Star Road, Ocoee. If you have received your autosomal DNA test results and are wondering what to do next, then this program might be perfect. Explore the best way to begin analyzing and working with your DNA matches. Learn pitfalls that you need to watch out for and discover how to make your DNA work for you. (407) 835-7323. COFFEE WITH THE TOWN MANAGER 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, July 18, at the Oakland Meeting Hall, 221 N. Arrington St. The town of Oakland is hosting a coffee time with Town Manager Steve Koontz so residents can learn more about town services and programs, ask questions and share their
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thoughts and ideas. Groups, churches or businesses interested in hosting a Coffee with the Town Manager event can contact Elise Hui at (407) 656-1117, Ext. 2110, ehui@oaklandfl.gov. RISE: CONVERSATIONS ON RACE & UNITY ‘UNDERSTANDING PRIVILEGE’ 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 18, at the Roper Co-Op Ballroom, 146 W. Plant St., Suite 210, Winter Garden. This communitywide event is hosted by Oasis Church Winter Garden and facilitated by Valencia College’s Peace and Justice Institute. It will provide a safe space to focus on our shared humanity with an exploration of race, privilege, bias, systems of privilege and oppression, and practical application. Refreshments included. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at eventbrite.com/e/rise-conversations-on-race-unity-tickets54097845111?aff=erellivmlt. (407) 905-4931.
SATURDAY, JULY 20
COUNTRY HOEDOWN 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at the Winter Garden Elks Lodge 2165, 700 Ninth St., Winter
FINANCING AVAILABLE
Garden. Enjoy an evening of food, drinks and live classic country music from Giddy Up Go. Doors open at 6 p.m., dinner is served until 8, and live music will be performed from 7 to 11. Tickets are $10 and include music and a barbecue chicken dinner with sides. (407) 656-2165. CUISINE CORNER JUNIOR: RICE KRISPIE TREATS 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 20, at the Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant St. Decorate a delicious treat while exploring the cosmos. Food will be served at this event; please see staff about specific needs concerning food allergies. Space is limited; registration required at (407) 835-7323. SUMMER BOOK CLUB FOR ART LOVERS 4 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at the SoBo Gallery, 127 S. Boyd St., Winter Garden. Adrienne Lee will lead a discussion of the novel “The Secret Supper,” by Javier Sierra. Cost is $10 for Winter Garden Art Association members, $15 for others. Wgart.org or (407) 347-7996.
TUESDAY, JULY 23
CINÉPOLIS SUMMER KIDS SERIES 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 23, and Thursday, July 25, at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. Enjoy a special screening of “Despicable Me 3.” Tickets are $6 and include a snack pack with popcorn, fruit gummies and a small drink. (321) 250-3580. DATE NIGHT NOSTALGIA 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas – Hamlin, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. See “The Big Lebowski” in this Cinépolis handpicked series of cult classics and nostalgic oldies. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at cinepolisusa. com/home/cinepolis-handpicked. DC VS. MARVEL 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at the West Oaks Library, 1821 E. Silver Star Road, Ocoee. It’s the ultimate superhero faceoff. Pick your side and challenge your abilities with trivia and activities. (407) 835-7323. MILK MONEY MOVIES: ‘HORTON HEARS A WHO!’ 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 23, at the Garden Theatre,
160 W. Plant St., Winter Garden. Sponsored by the city of Winter Garden, this summer series of family-friendly flicks costs $3 admission and includes a child-size popcorn and fruit juice combo. For tickets, visit gardentheatre.secure.force.com/ticket.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
CUISINE CORNER: WATERMELON WEDNESDAYS 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, at the Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant St. Bite into a new mid-week tradition: Watermelon Wednesdays! Representatives from the National Watermelon Promotion Board will show you new and delicious ways to prepare this refreshing fruit. Registration required at (407) 835-7323.
THURSDAY, JULY 25
EFFICIENT IRRIGATION WORKSHOP 6 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at the Windermere Library, 530 Main St. Orange County Utilities will discuss irrigation system management, timer setting and different styles such as drip and micro-irrigation. Seating limited; registration required at (407) 835-7323.
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West Orange homes given access to reclaimed water Two recent projects in Winter Garden and Ocoee have outfitted numerous residences with reclaimed water for irrigation use. HANNAH SWAYZE NEWS EDITOR
Shann Cliburn said there’s nowhere else she’d rather be than the Winter Garden Fire Rescue Department.
‘Mind over matter’ Shann Cliburn, of the Winter Garden Fire Rescue Department, earned a promotion to become the first female fire lieutenant in the city’s history. HANNAH SWAYZE NEWS EDITOR
Shann Cliburn wasn’t always so sure of what she wanted to do. An Orlando native, Cliburn worked as a lifeguard at Wet ’n Wild back in high school. As it turned out, she loved learning basic first aid, which led her to EMT school. But even then, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to pursue as a career. She considered marine biology and psychology. At one point, she even thought about being an accountant. All she knew was that she wanted to help people. Then, one day, a fire truck drove by. “I thought, ‘Well, how hard could that be?’” Cliburn said. Cliburn has been with the Winter Garden Fire Rescue Department for 17 years now. She started as a firefighter/EMT at Station 24 — when the city only had two stations — as the only female firefighter at the time. Since then, the department has grown, opening two new stations. Cliburn rose through the ranks of the department, serving in many different roles all the while. Over the past two years, Cliburn doubled up on classes until this past May, when she completed both paramedic school and her fire officer courses, all while working her three 24-hour shifts a week. Finally, on July 27, Cliburn was promoted to fire lieutenant. She is the first woman to hold the position in the history of the department. “I (didn’t have) this as my goal,” Cliburn said. “I just wanted to become a lieutenant. If I was the first female or not, that didn’t matter to me. I just wanted to be able to be a lieutenant for the Winter Garden Fire Department and, honestly, it’s an extra special … perk, I guess you would say.” She oversees A shift at Station 23, which she works with three other firefighters. Cliburn said the most rewarding part of her job is when she’s helping people.
Photos by Hannah Swayze
Shann Cliburn was presented a pin by Deputy Fire Chief Jose P. Gainza Jr., signifying her promotion to fire lieutenant at the Winter Garden City Commission meeting June 27.
“It gets kind of strange — running into burning houses while people are running out of them — but I wanted to help,” Cliburn said. “I wanted to be an answer.” The promotion has certainly brought Cliburn out of her shell. She considers herself a shy, “behind the scenes” person, but said she’s incredibly honored to be the the first female fire lieutenant, even though it’s attracted some attention. “I’d like to say I have big shoes to fill, but there are no shoes to fit the spot,” Cliburn said. “So, I feel like I’m kind of the first person … to be an example of, so I just hope I’m able to fulfill that.” Also promoted at the same time as Cliburn was Kristi Richardson, who now works as a fire engineer. With both promotions, women are represented in every level of the city’s fire department, from Carollee Burrell as assistant chief to the female firefighters that serve throughout the city. Cliburn said she’s proud to work with a department that is open to change. “Our chiefs are great chiefs, and they’re open to new ideas, and they are proud to be where they are, which makes us proud to work for
them,” Cliburn said. “And it’s an honor to be here with this department. And some people stay, some people go, but — for me — this is the place to be.” When she’s not working, Cliburn is running, traveling to a new destination or visiting relatives. She said she loves spending time with her family and friends who she considers family. To anyone who is thinking about becoming a firefighter or just trying to figure out what they want to do in life, Cliburn offered some advice. “What’s important is to figure out what you want to do, and stick with it and know that you can do it,” Cliburn said. “And things come up. Your plans may change, and that’s OK. It’s OK to change your plans, but … stick with your end goal. It doesn’t matter who’s there to help you or who’s not there to help you. Just push through, and you can do it.” She said that even if you don’t think you have what it takes or you’re not where you want to be, you still can succeed. “I was just a little person (when I started out,) but I say if I can do it, anybody can do it,” she said. “Mind over matter, right?”
Almost 350 residences in Ocoee and Winter Garden now have access to reclaimed water thanks to two recent projects to preserve fresh groundwater in Central Florida. The construction of infrastructure for reclaimed water pipelines will deliver the water to 349 homes in Winter Garden and Ocoee as part of the cities’ projects to conserve fresh, potable water by utilizing wastewater. “It’s the wastewater that comes back to the city for processing after the potable water has been used,” said Jamie Croteau, assistant director of utilities in Ocoee. “So, it is wastewater that has been treated to a certain standard and can be applied for irrigation. And it saves you from using potable water, which is drinking water, on (your) lawn.” Both projects were funded in part by the the St. Johns River Water Management District’s cost-share program, which helps fund construction costs for infrastructure that gives residents access to reclaimed water. The Winter Garden project included retrofitting 221 households in the Stoneybrook West community by replacing certain potable water infrastructure with pipes for reclaimed water. In total, the project was $1.2 million — half of which was paid for by the city and the other half was paid for by Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the SJRWMD. The Ocoee project installed reclaimed water lines to 128 homes in Windermere Groves. The total cost of the project was $413,600, with the SJRWMD contributing 33% of the construction cost. Croteau said construction is almost finished with only a few meters left to install. Ocoee Assistant City Manager Craig Shadrix said not only is irrigating with reclaimed water cheaper for residents, but the water also contains more nutrients than potable water. “So, you could make the case that it’s healthier for your lawns and trees and shrubs,” Shadrix said.
Croteau said there is a higher demand for reclaimed water in Ocoee than the city can provide the infrastructure for. “We do have neighborhoods that actually request it and we just can’t get to,” Croteau said. “We have a … capital plan, and it goes through the neighborhoods that we would be retrofitting over the next 10 years.” According to the the city of Ocoee’s website, it takes the wastewater of three to five households to provide for the irrigation needs of one home. Croteau said the project is just one of the initiatives that the city undertook to ensure long-term access to potable water for residents. “We all know that the aquifer source is slowly going dry,” Croteau said. “It may be 100 years, it may be 200 years, but the waste-management agencies have all been working in concert to require local governments to conserve water, especially with the population growth that we’re experiencing.” According to Dale Jenkins, chief of the Bureau of Project Management at the SJRWMD, about 50% of water used in a household can be reclaimed and used for irrigation. “We don’t need to put drink-
“We do have neighborhoods that actually request it and we just can’t get to. We have a … capital plan and it goes through the neighborhoods that we would be retrofitting over the next 10 years.” — Jamie Croteau
ing water on our landscaping,” Jenkins said. “And so whenever we have an opportunity to work with our local governments to fund projects that put a lowerquality source on those types of applications instead of drinking water, then we’ve done a good job of protecting our groundwater supply and making those supplies more available for future use as well.”
Courtesy photo
Purple pipes signify transmission of reclaimed water rather than potable water.
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Pastor hopes to aid migrants DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR
T
o prepare his church to help migrant families at the border between the United States and Mexico, William Karshima knew he needed to see the situation with his own eyes. But nothing could have prepared him for the things he saw. Karshima, lead pastor of Oasis Winter Garden, barely made it through his sermon the Sunday after he returned from McAllen, Texas. “I was standing on stage and couldn’t contain the emotion.,” he said. “I think it’s better if you have the means to go and experience it, because it will change everything.” “I knew the reality is there — we have children and families that are suffering, but we’re not getting the real information,” he said. “It was hard for me to prepare my church to be able to serve the people who actually need the help. I decided that, for me to give my church the truth and to make a well-informed decision, we need to know what’s going on.” Karshima flew to McAllen the morning of July 1. He was not allowed to go into the detention center itself — this requires an invitation. However, he followed a bus of families who were released from the detention center and dropped off at a nearby bus station. “To know the real story, you have to connect with people (who) are going through the story,” he said. “We can go and ask anybody outside of these people, and everyone can tell you what they think or their opinion or perspective, but we need to go (to) the families (who) are going through this to ask, ‘What is your experience and what do you need?’ They’re able to tell you exactly what you need to know. I went with the intention to actually meet these families themselves and hear their story. The question I was asking is, ‘What happens to them after the detention center?’”
The issue has been before Oakland’s Planning & Zoning Board and the Town Commission multiple times. The first reading of the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use amendment, which designates the property Mixed-Use Activity Center, was passed May 7, and the second reading was set for July 23. But that plan is off the table after the Town Commission voted 4-1 at its regular July 9 meeting to reject the first reading of an ordinance amending the zoning map. Commissioner Sal Ramos voted against the rejection. The LIV project, called Johns Lake Residences, was proposed as two three-story apartment buildings and seven two-story carriage homes. The luxury development would have had 120 one-bedroom, 97 two-bedroom and 25 threebedroom units.
“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
President and CEO / Matt Walsh, mwalsh@yourobserver.com Editor and Publisher / Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com
HOW TO HELP
Karshima spent time at the bus station talking to some of the families about their experience. He also met with the director of a nearby Catholic shelter, which was taking in the families and offering them showers, clothes, food and more. There, he spent time serving food and giving supplies to the families. Although Karshima heard reports that the detention centers are clean and migrants are given whatever they need, his experience was quite the opposite. The shelter smelled of urine and body odor. Children were lying on the ground, some balled up, and he could see how sick they were. The families were cold, hungry and hadn’t showered or brushed their teeth in some time, he said. “I couldn’t see someone coming from a very clean environment,” he said. “Coming from that place, it’s less than a five-minute drive, and these kids are coming in saying they haven’t showered or brushed their teeth for days. Some of these families told their story of sleeping on the floor. When you come into the shelter, the shelter really smells of urine. As soon as they come in the volunteers try to get them showers and give them clothes, but they’re not coming in well taken care of. People came in and said, ‘When we crossed the border, it rained on us, and we came to the detention center and our clothes dried on us.’ “It’s just really heartbreaking
Rezoning denied CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
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“Road to Serfdom,” 1944
Danielle Hendrix
FACING REALITIES
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Town Planner Jay Marder made a presentation July 9, as did Tim McEachern, of LIV; and Matt Smith, attorney with Lightsey & Associates. Each provided updated information. Amid public concerns that the area schools already are overcrowded, Smith said Orange County Public Schools officials provided statistics and said the apartment units would generate only about 68 students. Residents questioned the zoning of surrounding properties, the aesthetics of a three-story building and whether this would set a precedence for other apartments. They questioned the Englishes’ plan to renovate and remain in their home, saying they could later decide to sell the property for a second phase of the apartment complex. Gary English said the family hopes to get their 1928 home
to see that, but then some people go on social media and say these families are taken care of,” he said. “I’m in the midst of these families, and I felt like the truth is here but nobody is willing to talk about the truth for whatever reason. It’s just really a heartbreaking situation.” HELP ON THE WAY
After spending the day serving the families and hearing their stories, Karshima was able to call his wife around 8 p.m. to tell her what he had seen. “I was trying to tell her what I experienced, and whenever I tried to say something, I felt like I was living my day again,” he said. “I just started weeping and I told her, ‘I just cannot talk.’” Karshima knows what it is like to be a refugee. A native of Nigeria, his house was burned three times, and he saw people die in front of him. “I know what it means to run for your life but be desperately in need of help, wondering if someone would show up and care,” he said. “I told my church, ‘We need to let these families know that we care.’ We don’t know their whole story, but we know they need help, and that’s all we need to know. Right now, they need to know that we care.” He came back to his church with a list of supplies the Catholic shelter is collecting for the migrants. This includes basic hygiene necessities, diapers and clothing
IN OTHER NEWS n The Town Commission, under the consent agenda, voted to accept the donation of a small parcel of land at the corner of Hull Island Road and the West Orange Trail that contains the Hull Family Memorial. The memorial, which honors Simeon Benjamin Hull, remains the property of the Hull family. The staff also will proceed with an agreement with the homeowners’ association of the Hull Island at Oakland neighborhood to maintain the area and monument. The developer had approached the town with a plan for a neigh-
placed on the National Register of Historic Places and are selling the 11 acres to fund the renovations. The commission has been touting housing diversity for months, but in a move that surprised most of the people attending the meeting, Commissioner Mike Satter-
Through July 25, residents can collect and drop off donations for the migrant families at Oasis Winter Garden, 607 Avalon Road, Winter Garden. Supplies can be dropped off at the church on Sundays — there are services at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. — or at the collection box outside the main doors weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Financial donations also can be given at pushpay. com/g/oasiswintergarden. Select “Refugee Outreach.” For more information, call (407) 905-4931 or visit oasiswintergarden.com. The church is collecting the following supplies: n Toothpaste n Toothbrushes n New underwear n New socks n New or gently used shoes n Small toys (things that can fit in one hand) or a small doll, preferably brown skinned n Deodorant n Diapers
of all sizes. Through July 25, Oasis is collecting donations that will be taken to the shelter July 27. The church also is sending a team of 12 that weekend to serve at the shelter again. “The church is excited for the opportunity to be a part of these people’s stories,” he said. “People are giving; their heart is broken, but they’re so thankful they can do a little to be able to serve. Almost everybody is bringing what they can. It’s been very hard and very emotional for everybody, but again, we are so grateful that we can play a role in their story.”
borhood entrance monument on the site. n The commission accepted a utility easement over the south 20 feet of property owned by West Orange Baptist Church. This will allow the town to continue the sewer east of Tubb Street and allow several commercial and institutional businesses in the area to immediately connect. n Elected officials passed the first reading of a fair-housing code that pertains to the town’s application for a $600,000 Community Development Block Grant.
field made a motion to reject the zoning map amendment, essentially shutting down any plans for building an apartment complex on the property. When making the motion, he said now is not the right time for this project.
Managing Editor / Tim Freed, tfreed@OrangeObserver.com Design Editor / Jessica Eng, jeng@OrangeObserver.com Community Editor / Amy Quesinberry, amyq@OrangeObserver.com News Editor / Hannah Swayze, hswayze@OrangeObserver.com Sports Editor /Troy Herring, therring@OrangeObserver.com Associate Editor / Danielle Hendrix, dhendrix@OrangeObserver.com Staff Writer / Eric Gutierrez, egutierrez@OrangeObserver.com Multimedia Advertising Executives / Ann Carpenter, acarpenter@OrangeObserver.com Cyndi Gustafson, advertising@OrangeObserver.com Terri Hope, thope@OrangeObserver.com Creative Services Francesca Davidson-Di Fiore, fbannerman@OrangeObserver.com Advertising Operations Manager / Allison Brunelle, abrunelle@OrangeObserver.com Office Coordinator / Accounting Ashley McWilliams, amcwilliams@OrangeObserver.com
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The West Orange Times & Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. The paper can be found in many commercial locations throughout West Orange County and at our office. 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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THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
Winter Garden commission receives legislative update The commission also approved the final phase of AdventHealth’s Winter Garden hospital. HANNAH SWAYZE NEWS EDITOR
REP. THOMPSON PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS: n An amendment to House Bill 385, which will designate a segment of State Road 535 as Robert L. ‘Bob’ Billingslea Highway. Billingslea is a former Disney executive and Windermere resident. n An 800% increase in funding for the arts. The state budgeted $21,400,000 for the arts during the recent session. n Legislation addressing wireless communication while driving, discrimination regarding employment and housing and health benefits for firefighters with cancer.
Police Chief Steve Graham swore in three new police officers at the Thursday, July 11, meeting.
their fines and fees before their right to vote is restored. “Even if they’re on a payment plan, it’s like buying a car and saying until you fully pay for it, you won’t be able to drive it,” Thompson said. “There’s a lot of litigation already around that bill.”
medical offices. Commissioners also approved a site plan for the construction of a new Goodwill retail location. The new building, set for 14190 W. Colonial Drive, will be 25,000 square feet and include parking and a covered drop-off area.
SITE PLANS APPROVED
TABLED ORDINANCES
Commissioners approved the site plan for a seven-story, 300,000-square-foot medical tower at 2000 Fowler Grove Blvd. The plan is for the last phase of AdventHealth Winter Garden. Previous phases included an emergency department and
Commissioners tabled multiple ordinances related to a senior living complex at 12920 and 12921 Reaves Road. The ordinances are for the rezoning and annexation of the land on Reaves Road to allow the development of the Stoneybrook Senior
Living project. Plans included a three-story independent-living building, a two-story assistedliving building and 10 detached two-car garage buildings, recreation areas and stormwater infrastructure. According to City Manager Mike Bollhoefer, the ordinances were tabled because of feedback the city received at the Planning and Zoning Board meeting, which also voted to table the project. The ordinances were tabled until an unknown date. The next Winter Garden City Commission meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25.
It’s Tough Out There!! May of 2019 was the Hottest Recorded in Central Florida History Followed by 3x’s the Historically Reported Average Rainfall Matthew’s Hope has Experienced Explosive Growth with the Addition of 136 New Souls to Our Care in Just These Past 14 weeks! We are Thankful for All the Gifts We Receive Around Christmas However the Need is Year Round. Please Consider a One Time Mid Year Gift so We Will Not be Forced to Back Down on Services During the Summer. You Can Help Make Our Christmas in July Fundraising Campaign a Success by Donating Now. We Thank You in Advance for Your Support! You Can Donate Using a Credit or Debit Card by Calling 407-905-9500 or Online at www.MatthewsHopeMinistries.com You May Send a Check to 611 Business Park Blvd. #101 Winter Garden, Florida 34787 Garden Party Reservation or Sponsorship now for just $100 Deposit
Text SANTA to 41444 to Make a Donation from Your Cell Phone Now
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Winter Garden city commissioners heard about the latest happenings in Tallahassee when Florida Rep. Geraldine Thompson delivered a legislative update at the Thursday, July 11, commission meeting. In addition to representing District 44, Thompson serves as the democratic ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and as a member of the Civil Justice Committee, Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight and PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee. Thompson said she supported several bills that passed this year, including legislation that upgrades and streamlines 911 systems, exempts images of mass violence from public record and allows local regulation of micro-mobility devices like ride-share scooters and bicycles, among others. “My major focus this year was on elections, and we saw in 2018 three recounts,” Thompson said. “We saw overheated voting equipment in some of our counties trying to feed through ballots. The machines overheated (and) jammed up, and so (a) major focus was trying to prepare us for 2020 so that Florida is not in the national spotlight again for our voting procedure.” Thompson also wrote a bill that eventually became part of Amendment 4, requiring individuals with felony convictions to pay all of
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THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
Finding the Lost Sheep expands community ministry A former church building on Klondike Street is being turned into an outreach center for the community. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR
Anthony Hodge is used to challenges. He has faced them for most of his life, so having a front door break is a minor issue. It will take more than an old building to stop the pastor from pursuing his mission of creating the best life possible for everyone, young and old, in the neighborhood in which he grew up. Hodge, a former drug dealer who started his east Winter Garden street ministry about 15 years ago, has found a way to further spread God’s word in the community. He was gifted a former church building at 784 Klondike St., and he is turning it into a community center, a place where teenagers can go when they’re bored; where children can go for structure, games and snacks; and where parents safely can leave their kids for the day. “Kids come in and out during the day; they know they can come here,” Hodge said. “We want par-
INFORMATION Anyone wanting to help can call Anthony Hodge at (407) 340-4898 or email him at findingthelostsheep@yahoo. com.
ents to know there’s a curriculum here that’s Biblical based. This keeps them off the street because there’s a lot going on out there.” Hodge knows how unforgiving the streets in his community can be — in May, a 16-year-old was abducted and killed on the east side of the city, and, in a separate incident two weeks ago, a young teen was arrested on charges of murder a few blocks away. Hodge roamed those same streets decades ago as a drug dealer and drug abuser before serving time in prison and receiving what he says was a call from God in 2000. He was facing 70 years behind bars, he said, and expected to die in prison. But then he gave his life to Jesus, he said, and his term ultimately was reduced to less than three years. FINDING THE LOST SHEEP
“I stopped doing the things I was doing — selling drugs and using drugs — but I never stopped going to church,” Hodge said. “God started bringing back to me all the things he spoke to me in prison.” When Hodge and his wife, Sharee, started the street ministry Finding the Lost Sheep in 2004, their goal was to share God’s word with those he felt needed it most — the drug abusers, the drug dealers, the gamblers, the lost. The program was welcomed by some in the community but not all. The couple persisted, offering a listening ear, a kind word, a prayer and a relation-
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Anthony Hodge is creating a welcoming space for children and families called Restore Hope for Youth. It has opened in a former church on Klondike Street in Winter Garden.
ship with God — and people started responding. The ministry continues to hold tent revivals twice a year in addition to the street outreach and Christmas outreach. “I have walked into the crack houses and the gambling houses and prayed with them,” he said. “They would stop in the middle of their gambling … because I was
a part of them at one time … and we would pray together and they would give an offering. They’re receptive to it; it’s not forced on them. They need the gospel. They need good news.” Through Finding the Lost Sheep, the Hodges started a church in 2017 in Ocoee, Restored Life Church Worship Center. Both serve as pastors there.
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Hodge said there are plenty of churches in east Winter Garden and he felt a community center was a greater need. “That’s why I transformed this from a church into more of a community development,” he said. “Because we’ve got to reach out to the kids.” Hodge started attending True
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on the streets and was ready to do something to someone, the first thing that came to mind was, ‘How would that make Mama feel?’ That love my mother had for me is why I’m where I’m at doing what I’m doing today. “Even when I was strung out on crack, she loved me,” he said. “She loved me and always told me about Jesus.” Hodge sees himself in many of the troubled people in his neighborhood, and his love of his community empowers him to make it better. He said this building is a gift from God and will be a useful tool for reaching the young people in the neighborhood and impacting their lives. It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, and Hodge said he is counting on members of the community to help him with the younger generation. “We have some bad things going on in our community,” he said, referring to the two recent shootings involving teenagers. “This is for guys in that age group, as well. Every morning I come here, I go and walk all around the community looking for young guys, teenagers, to bring down here.” Hodge wants to create programs of interest to teens, including fishing trips and campouts, and he’s looking for volunteers and people with program suggestions. But older residents can benefit, too. There are plans to incorporate a Monday night men’s program for participants to converse openly about issues affecting them. Adults have approached Hodge about computer classes, as well. “I’m open to anything, because I can’t do this by myself,” Hodge said. “Everyone has to work together.”
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Pentecostal Church of Jesus after a member approached him in 2006 and asked if he could help with some tasks. The aging building was built in the 1940s, and the congregation was small and mostly elderly. The church elders made the decision to close the church last year, and they gifted the building and property to Finding the Lost Sheep. “When I opened the front door, part of the door fell off,” he said. “I looked inside and thought, ‘What am I going to do here?’ I’m thinking, ‘How did a house of God get this way?’” The interior needed work, too. Taking it one project at a time, Hodge has slowly been restoring the center. Before this community center can be fully operational, though, a few renovations need to be made to the building. The bathroom ceiling needs to be repaired, and one of the rooms needs paint and floor tile. Hodge also is hoping to secure a donation of a small refrigerator for storing drinks and snacks. “We’re going to need donors and sponsors because there’s a lot of crime in this neighborhood,” he said. “This is where I was. I knew my mother loved me. If my mother hadn’t loved me, I wouldn’t have love for anyone. … When I was
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“When I opened the front door, part of the door fell off. I looked inside and thought, ‘What am I going to do here?’ I’m thinking, ‘How did a house of God get this way?’”
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are highlighted in each report card, the information provided allows parents, teachers, students and the community a more holistic view of each school’s progress. Data is collected by OCPS’ Accountability and Improvement Office, Bobinski said. New this year is the inclusion of individual school grades. In the 2017-18 report cards, school letter grades were not part of the information provided in the report cards. “These report cards reflect the priorities of our stakeholders and our commitment to provide a complete, well-rounded education for all children, so it’s important to report back to the community on how each school is doing,” Bobinski said. “While a single letter grade does not tell the whole story of our schools, we are pleased with these gains,” Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins said. “Congratulations to our students, teachers, principals and staff for their incredible work. As always, we appreciate families and the community for their untiring support.”
Each report card contains five feature tables and charts that display the following data: demographics, school climate, college and career readiness (high school only), Florida statewide assessments, and visual and performing arts participation. School report cards can be viewed at ocps.net/schools/report_cards. For further information on understanding school report card data, visit bit.ly/2JIENro.
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On July 11, the district announced it had earned an A grade, demonstrating an increase in 10 of the 11 components reported. According to OCPS, college and career acceleration reflects the greatest gains, followed by graduation rate and mathematics learning gains. The results were good to OCPS’ schools, too: The number of A traditional schools in OCPS continues to rise, with 63 earning an A this year compared to 55 in 201718. The district added that the percentage of traditional schools earning an A increased to 33%, up from 29% in 2017-18. Additionally, 59% of Orange County schools earned an A or B this year, compared to 53% last year, and no schools received an F. The 2018-19 OCPS school report cards released last week include the school’s letter grade, but there is much more to each report card than just a letter. Updated school report cards began in 2017, after OCPS sent a survey to stakeholders asking about what indicators they would like to see. In the past, the statewide accountability system was more focused on student performance based on statewide assessments. OCPS decided to provide the bigger picture in a school report card. The purpose of the updated school report cards, said OCPS Director of Media Relations Shari Bobinski, is to expand available information about each individual school. “The information displayed includes student demographics, climate survey results, attendance, participation in visual and performing arts courses, student performance on statewide assessments, extracurricular activities, magnet programs and much more,” Bobinski said. Although school letter grades
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With less than six months left until 2020, Orange County officials are preparing for the task of conducting the upcoming census. The census is done every 10 years by the U.S. Census Bureau, and county officials will play a large role in counting every person living in Orange County. At the national level, the census also counts every person living in the United States and U.S. territories. “The idea is for us to work as a local community to make sure that we get as accurate of a count as possible,” said Lavon Williams, manager of the Orange County Community Action Division. “What we try to do with our local Complete Count Committee is reach out to the trusted voices of the community — businesses, nonprofits, faith, health, education, social services — everything we can try to reach out to people who can encourage people to take the census. The first reason why it’s so important is because we use the census data to determine our representation in government at federal, state and local levels. That’s how we determine our districts and representatives in Congress and state legislature.” Getting an accurate count also is important, Williams said, because population determines the share of federal and state dollars that come down to the local government. Many of the funding programs at the federal and state levels are based on formulas, and at the root of most of those formulas are statistics from the census, he said. This year, $675 billion will be available nationwide based on the census, and Orange County needs its fair share of those dollars. Kelly Finkelstein, senior public information officer for Orange County, added that county programs that receive this funding include Head Start, free and reduced school-meal programs, low-income energy assistance, adoption and foster programs, and federal student aid. “In the business and nonprofit arenas, everyone needs accurate information about the population for planning purposes and so forth,” said Melvin Pittman, chairman of the Orange County Complete Count Committee. “It’s very important to have an accurate count. As much as Orange County and Florida are growing, we’ve got to know that count and where they’re living.” Williams said that the committee is just now starting to gather data and begin analyzing. Although there is no estimate for how many people are living in certain areas experiencing high growth — such as Horizon West and Lake Nona — it’s not hard to guess where people are going based on building permits being pulled. The committee will be pulling in county planning staff to see where they’re projecting and seeing future growth, Williams said. Much of the growth Orange
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ORANGE COUNTY COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE “Complete Count Committees are nationwide volunteer committees established by state and local governments and community leaders to increase awareness and motivate residents to respond to the 2020 Census,” according to Orange County’s website. Residents are invited to join the Orange County Complete Count Committee, which helps ensure a complete and accurate count of the community. The campaign timeline runs from June 2019 to July 2020. Join the Complete Count Committee by registering at OCCompleteCount@ocfl.net. For more information, call (407) 836-9333 or visit bit. ly/2xZ5GC1.
County is experiencing is coming from Horizon West. In fact, according to the county’s Horizon West Town Hall presentation, the Horizon West area accounted for 46% of the county’s single-family detached residential permits in 2018. It also accounted for 32% of the county’s townhome residential permits and 42% of the county’s overall residential permits. According to the Town Hall presentation, the Horizon West area represents just 4% of Orange County. While rapid growth makes it difficult to project an estimate for how many people live in the county, that is exactly what the census is for. And although it’s the 2020 Census, residents can get involved now. “We’ve formed a Complete Count Committee and meet every third Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Orange County Internal Operation Center (on South Street),” Williams said. “If people are very passionate or interested in how we’re going to reach out and get involved, the time is now.” By April 1, 2020, Orange County households will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census and residents will have three options to respond – online, phone or by mail. Participation is required by law. New for the 2020 Census is the ability to complete the survey online via smartphone, computer or other Internet-enabled device. Williams said that the goal is to have kiosks at all community centers where people can go to complete their survey. Residents also are encouraged to go to local libraries that have computer labs. Until then, anyone interested in the process is encouraged to join the Complete Count Committee. “We want to encourage people to participate in the committee,” Williams said. “We need those trusted voices in the community to be there.”
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Orlando Choral Society hosts first summer camp
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High-school singers from around Orange County have been given an opportunity to learn from a Grammy Award-winning teacher. The Orlando Choral Society, formerly known as the Garden Community Choir, will be working with high-school students for the first time this summer with the launch of its new, weeklong choir camp for high-school students. The camp takes place July 21-25 at First United Methodist Church of Orlando, 142 E. Jackson St. Although registration for the camp is already closed, the public is invited to attend a free concert where campers will showcase what they’ve learned. The concert will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 25, at the church. The inaugural camp has been made possible through a grant from the Universal Orlando Foundation, and will be led by West Orange High Choral Director and Grammy Award winner Dr. Jeffery Redding, as well as other local music instructors. “We are thrilled to bring a new choral camp for teens to the Orlando area,” Redding said. “With this opportunity, we are truly growing toward our vision
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of offering music to everyone. We have a tremendous amount of gratitude to the Universal Orlando Foundation for allowing us to accomplish this. I encourage everyone to join us for the performance on July 25. You will not regret enjoying the talents of these incredible students.” Orlando Choral Society Assistant Director J. Christine Le, who is also a chorus teacher at Olympia High School, said the camp is designed to prepare students who wish to audition for the Florida Musical Education Association’s All-State Concert Chorus. She said the five songs the campers will learn will be the same five songs they’ll need to know for the all-state auditions. “It’s a really tough audition process to get into all-state, so this camp is geared on focusing on preparing students for the allstate auditions,” Le said. “What campers are going to experience academically is we are going to help them with music theory (and) we are going to help them refine their sight-singing skills. When you audition for all-state, you have to take a music-theory test and you have to take a sightreading test, and that’s a very competitive process. … Students who are really aspiring to be a part of all-state in 2020 are going to have superior preparation (with this camp).” Le added that, because the Orlando Choral Society consists of adult-only choirs, the sum-
SING NEXT SCHOOL YEAR The Orlando Choral Society is a nonprofit, music organization consisting of three separate, adult choirs: the Garden Choir, Voci del Cuore and the Outreach Choir. It’s open for anyone with a passion for singing to join, and rehearsals for the non-auditioned Garden Choir are held during the school year at 7 p.m. on Mondays in the band room in West Orange High School, 1625 Beulah Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787. For more information visit, orlandochoralsociety.org.
mer choir camp is the first time it has gotten high-school students involved with the organization. She said the camp will be bringing together students from West Orange High School, Olympia High School, Lake Nona High School, Edgewater High School and University High School. “I really think this (type of camp) is needed,” Le said. “I’ve talked about it in prior years with my colleagues who are teachers in OCPS about the need for this. … For the Orlando Choral Society, I think it’s really wonderful that we are now tapping into our teen, school-aged community, because the Garden Choir and Voci del Cuore are adult-community (choirs). We are expanding our vision. We are opening up new choirs in future years to come and we’re trying to expand the people we reach, and we’re starting with different ages. The fact that we are now offering opportunities to high-school students, I think, is really exciting.”
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Dancers from Shooting Stars Dance School are competing for Best Performance of 2019.
Shooting for the stars Local performers in a Clermont dance company are competing for an industry award and are hoping to garner the most votes by July 31. AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR
Chain-link fence pieces line the stage, and a large rocking platform sits behind them. Dressed in glitzy black leotards, the Shooting Stars Dance School performers climb, rock and dance, hoping the routine will earn them enough votes to give them a “Best Performance of 2019” award. This is the second year in a row that the company is being recognized for the Industry Dance Awards. Last year, the studio won the People’s Choice Award at the Applause Talent dance competition. Shooting Stars is the only Flor-
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West Orange High School dance team, where she teaches, reviews and perfects the dancers’ performances. The rising senior also leads the practices and the team at football and basketball games. “My part in The Climb begins by working with the gates in the front of the stage,” Welch said. “We support the gates as much as possible to help support the girls who are jumping on top of them to feel as safe as possible. The gates are also not the easiest to work with. A lot of teamwork is required to make sure they rotate at the same time and move as smoothly as possible. “I always try to put all of my energy into the dance, especially when we are dancing as one big group, because those are the sections when we can really impact the audience,” she said. “Towards the end of the dance, I assist in catching Tatum (Russo), who jumps off of the rocking prop in the back. In order for this part to go as smoothly as possible, we all get to the base of the prop as quickly as possible, we make eye contact with Tatum so she knows we are ready, and we whisper cues to make sure we are all together in getting Tatum up into the next lift. “Overall, my role, and everyone’s role, is to bring so much energy, power and precision to the stage so that the judges cannot look away,” Welch said. After graduation, Welch would like to participate on a college dance team and teach dance around the United States during the summer. She also is considering majoring in dance, as it can be applied as a therapy to certain diseases. “All I know for sure is that I want to continue my dancing, no matter what,” she said. To watch the performance and to vote, go to bit.ly/2LUCjZF.
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WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd. Windermere, FL 34786 407-876-2112 Worship times: 9:00am Adult Sunday School 10:00am Worship www.windermereunion.org
This page appears weekly in the West Orange Times & Observer and online at OrangeObserver.com. To advertise in the Church Directory call 407-656-2121 or email AdvertiseNow@OrangeObserver.com
NON-DENOMINATIONAL
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 125 N. Lakeview Ave Winter Garden Service Times 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM Phone – 407-656-1135 Web: fumcwg.org
312577-1
CHURCH OF GOD
PURPOSE CHURCH OLANDO 13640 W. Colonial Dr., Ste 110, Winter Garden 407-654-9661 • Prayer 9:30AM, Fellowship 9:45AM, Service 10:05AM
MIKE YOAKUM PASTOR
Jesus said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” John 15:5
P: 407.656.1520 C: 407.758.3570 MYOAKUM407@AOL.COM
1333 EAST CROWN POINT RD. OCOEE, FL 34761
125 E. PLANT STREET • WINTER GARDEN
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 125 E Plant St., Winter Garden 407-656-2352 SUNDAYS 8:30 am Traditional 9:45 am Bible Study 11:00 am Contemporary WEDNESDAYS - 6pm - Awana Pastor Tim Grosshans www.fbcwg.org 2nd Campus: FOUNDATION WORSHIP SUNDAYS 9:45 am - All Ages Foundation Academy High School 15304 Tilden Rd., Winter Garden www.FoundationWorship.com 407-730-1867
Chantal Key, Delany Bush, Bayleigh Miller-Ulrich, Katie Kovar, Tatum Russo, Chloe Davis, Christian Campbell, Alexa Tarquine and Arie Francois, all of Clermont. Two of the dancers, Hendricks and Welch, acknowledge the teamwork involved in the routine and are excited to see how far it will go in the competition. Hendricks starts the performance on the rocking prop before moving to the middle of the stage. “Right into it I’m doing crazy things,” she said. The recent graduate of Ocoee High School has been a dancer since she was 3. She leaves Aug. 28 for New York City to attend Pace University. “I’m going for the dance program,” Hendricks said. “I want to be able to dance Broadway, I want to be able to dance backup, I want to be able to dance on a cruise ship. I just want to do it all. … I hope the Lord just continues to open doors.” Welch has been dancing for 15 years and currently is captain of the
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THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL! AGES 1-6 Enrollment for Ages 1 - 2 Begins September 1st
Interested in a Montessori Education, with a Christian Worldview, for your preschool child? Learn more now by emailing Meagan@MatthewsHopeMinistries.org
Preschool & Daycare
Please Come Out and Meet Our Staff and Take a tour of the facility. 407.905.9500 | 740 9th St., Winter Garden, FL 34787
MatthewsHopeMinistries.org | www.facebook.com/MatthewsHopeFirmFoundation/
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Beulah Baptist Pastor Casey Butner 671 Beulah Rd, Winter Garden 407-656-3342 | BeulahBaptistWG.org SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30AM SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00AM WEDNESDAY SERVICE 6:00PM
Star Dance Alliance owns several competitions, including Star Power and Applause, and ranks several dances. The Climb earned the most points in the SDA power rankings and was No. 1 during the entire season. The show also earned a perfect score at Star Power Regionals, in Lakeland, as well as a Victory Cup at Nexstar Nationals, in Orlando. Dancers in The Climb performance are Riley Welch and Hugo Hollander, both of Windermere; Jennie Seamon, Shay Henderson and Maggie Kelley, all of Winter Garden; Destini Hendricks, of Ocoee; Geovani Figueroa, of Groveland; Erykha Boulay, of Lecanto; and Maia McClone,
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BAPTIST
ida studio recognized in the Best Performance category this year. Melissa Stokes, the owner of Shooting Stars, in Clermont, choreographed the show, called The Climb, which features 18 dancers from West Orange and South Lake counties. Dancers, who are 15 to 19 years old, began working with the unusual props last year and started on the routine in January. If the routine wins the title of Best Performance, Stokes will fly out to Los Angeles for the prestigious 2019 Industry Dance Awards. There are 10 nominees up for the title, and the winner is decided by community vote. The Climb has already been turning heads in the dance world.
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WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER
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Personalized care with compassion and excellence. Sophia Torre, left, and Riley Cravens prepared to pop flavor-coated crickets in their mouths during ONP camp.
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articipants in the Oakland Nature Preserve’s summer camp program spent the week of July 8 to 12 learning about insects during “Backbone Not Required!” Entomologist Christy LeDuc gave a presentation on spineless creatures, including insects, spiders, snails and centipedes, and told students interesting facts, like how 100 grams of peanut butter contains an average of 30 insect fragments and 100 grams of chocolate averages 60 fragments. “My mom loves chocolate, and I love chocolate, and I don’t know how I’m going to tell her,” one camper said. LeDuc told participants there are 1,462 recorded species of edible insects, and on Thursday, July 11, campers were offered a freeze-dried cricket in one of
Staffer Rachael Cravens, right, assisted Samantha Dawson and Giselle Kenealy after they caught an insect in their net.
three flavors: sour cream, bacon and cheese or salt and vinegar. About half of the students elected to try the crunchy snack.
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CAROL MAE MORRIS DIED TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2019.
Carol Mae Morris was born on Feb. 16, 1929, in Wadsworth, Ohio, at the beginning of the Great Depression. She entered this world with a headful of Shirley Temple curls, and throughout her baby, toddler and adult years those curls became her instant trademark. She was a beautiful woman, not only on the outside but on the inside, and her infectious smile made others smile back instantly. She was raised close to Pymatuning Dam, Pennsylvania, on a farm, where her father, Leland Sulzbach, was a farmer who raised cows and horses and sold milk to the Amish. Her mother, Rhea, did linotype for a newspaper, which was owned by her great-aunt, Nellie Harter. Carol’s first job was at the Nabisco Company in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where she made material for parachutes. On April 12, 1953, she married Loren Brent Morris; and on Feb. 19, 1954, their only child, Pamela, was born in Akron, Ohio. In 1960, the family moved from Ohio to Orlando, Florida, and Carol went to work at the West Orange Bank of Ocoee, where she was employed as a drive-in teller, proofreader and bookkeeper. Eight years later she was hired by the First National Bank of Winter Garden, Florida, where she held the position of drive-in teller and
bookkeeper until her retirement from Wells Fargo Bank. In April of 2013 she was named the West Orange Ocoee Senior of the month; she was one of the original members who joined the West Orange Seniors from the organization’s inception. She enjoyed being a member and loved singing in the choir, attending bingo, crafts, domino games, exercise classes and the monthly senior lunches, and she found great pleasure traveling on their many senior bus tour excursions throughout Florida and the United States. In her spare time, Carol loved gardening. She raised orchids, roses and violets and delighted in nurturing and tending to her flowers and raising various types of household plants on her back porch. She found immense pleasure in caring for, loving and raising her family dogs; one family cat, Miss Princess; and Lassie, her horse from her childhood days on the family farm. On May 29, 2019, Carol and her daughter were involved in
a head-on auto collision. Mrs. Morris passed away on June 4 at age 90 at Orlando Health from injuries sustained as a result of the accident. She passed away with her daughter and family friend by her side, surrounded by her precious Lord and Father as her beautiful soul entered the Kingdom of Heaven. Her daughter, Pam, gratefully extends a special thanks to her friends and Holy Family Church for their many condolences, phone calls and prayers. A special thank you to the Orlando Health Critical Care and trauma team nurses for their compassionate care of her mom, Carol Morris, prior to her passing away. Carol will be sadly and sorely missed by her surviving daughter, Pamela. She was predeceased by her husband, Loren; her parents, Leland and Rhea Sulzbach; her brother, James; and sister, Eleanor; and many other family relatives. Mrs. Morris was a devoted Christian church member of Holy Family Episcopal Church, where she attended services every Sunday, come rain or come shine.
I lOVE WEST ORANGE
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THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
CLEONE BARNES DAVIS SEPT. 9, 1926 – JULY 1, 2019
Cleone Barnes Davis, 92, of Ocoee, Florida, left her earthly body and was released into the light of God’s love Monday, July 1, 2019. She passed peacefully, the way she lived her life. Cleone had a beautifully sweet soul. A devoted wife and mother, she raised five daughters. Cleone was active in her political party, church and community. She loved to read and had a “library” of books. She’d start each day with her newspaper, coffee and a powdered doughnut. Even though she was a working mom, Cleone always put her family first. She had a clever sense of humor, a sharp intellect and was blessed with a lively spirit. She was a good neighbor and friend. Cleone worked for General Electric in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and Court of Flags Resort in Orlando. She was the daughter of Guy and Eva Barnes of Syracuse, New York, and the wife of Richard Dempsey Davis, the love of her life. She was predeceased by her parents; her husband;
her brother, Don Barnes; and daughter, Becky Rice. She is survived by daughters, Marilynn Davis of Sylva, North Carolina; Debbie Landers (Chuck) of Fairview, North Carolina; Nancy Kirkpatrick (Tim) of Greer, South Carolina; Carol Davis of Ocoee, Florida; and sister, Nadine Watkins of Syracuse, New York. She is also survived by 10 loving grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. A celebration of life service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 29, at Collison Carey Hand Funeral Home, Winter Garden, Florida. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
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The West Orange Times and Observer is hosting this weekly contest, and winners will have their photograph featured and receive a $20 prize. To enter, email your photo, along with your name, city and a caption, to amyq@orangeobserver.com; put “I Love West Orange” in the subject line. Please include your mailing address to receive your prize.
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Have you been hearing those noisy frogs with all this rain? Here’s one that moved into a birdhouse. “I’ve been waiting for a bird to move in and got very excited when I saw this brown head peeping out at me,” said Marilyn Roofner, of Windermere, who snapped this cute photo.
“Home of the area’s first certified therapy dog. Feel free to stop in and say hello to Charley Girl! Let her be YOUR Superhero!”
WEST ORANG E HISTO RY
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WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER
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THESE OLD TIMES
OrangeObserver.com
THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION
JULY 14, 1966 The Winter Garden Times advertised its advertising services in a 1966 edition, hoping to catch the eye of Mr. Merchant: “Have you resolved to build traffic and to make sales soar? Are (you) determined to get the best ad-tools available to make this possible? Have you figured your ad-budget most effectively?” At that time, the weekly newspaper office was at 18 N. Boyd St., Winter Garden, currently the home of The Deli Downtown. The office’s phone number remains the same. The paper also offers top-notch advertising services in print and online.
80 years ago
Ruth Bekemeyer became the bride of Jose Manuel Valdes at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Bekemeyer.
75 years ago
Memorial services were conducted at the First Baptist Church of Winter Garden for Lt. Col. George B. McMillan and Pvt. William C. Bray. The two young men were cousins and were killed in action within a month of each other.
65 years ago
Bill Tilden appeared before the Winter Garden City Commission to explain his intention to subdivide the 10-acre tract north of Dillard Street School. This is part of the nearly 30 acres of remaining farm land between Winter Garden proper and Winter Garden Shores. Orange County commissioners have indicated their willingness to have a public park and boat-loading area on the south end of Lake Apopka, in Oakland.
45 years ago
Newspaper advertisement: Put on your raccoon coat, grab your favorite flapper and head for the Ramada Inn West. Beginning at 9 p.m., it’s Moonlight Cocktails. You can stay all night for just $10 a couple.
THROWBACK THURSDAY
FROM THE ARCHIVES The home of Thomas Eugene Heidt (1883-1962) and Ethel Janie Ware Heidt (1892-1964) once stood in the family citrus grove, six miles south of Winter Garden near Speer Lake. Thomas was the son of Winter Garden pioneers Solomon Robert Heidt and Sarah Elizabeth Powell Heidt, who are both interred at the Powell Cemetery in south Orlando. Three generations of Heidts lived in this family home. Betty Heidt Goodwin, Thomas and Ethel’s granddaughter, recalls hearing her Aunt Tommie tell the story about the family dog eating its food — only it actually was a black Florida panther.
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.
40 years ago
Griffin’s Men’s Wear in the TriCity Shopping Center, Winter Garden, was robbed of $96 and one hat. It was the first armed robbery in its 33-year history. Following the incident, the clerk quit her job.
20 years ago
Church of Christ of West Orange held a concert to raise additional funds for the Relay For Life of Stoneybrook and the American Cancer Society. Winter Garden Christian pop group Adam’s Road performed,
as did former “American Idol” contestant Luke Menard. Jon Johnson, a 23-year veteran of the Winter Garden Police Department, was promoted to deputy chief. His role was to assist Chief Jimmie Yawn in all aspects of the department.
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JULY 18, 2019
SPORTS
Erika Pearson Couch is getting stronger every day at CrossFit Winter Garden. Page 16.
HIGH
Willman gives back to Windermere Little League
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This upcoming Friday, July 19, Foundation Academy and Central Florida Christian Academy will be competing in the “Throw Down in O-Town” 7-on-7 tournament at Windermere Prep. The tournament will kick off at 8 a.m. and will feature several games throughout the day.
Troy Herring
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CFCA will be the site of the fourth annual FBU football camp on Saturday, July 20. The camp is hosted by Excel Speed Training and will feature coach Lo Wood, CFCA football coach Jeremy Campbell and Trenchman Academy coach Aaron Jones. The event will go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with registration starting at 9 a.m. Registration cost is $10, which comes with a T-shirt and lunch.
A Boy Scout with the Winter Garden-based Troop 210, Griffin Willman is helping fund renovations at the WLL softball fields for his Eagle Scout project. TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR
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In a 4-1 loss in the second game of the Winter Garden Squeeze’s doubleheader against Sanford on Saturday, July 13, Wesley Faison led the way once more at the plate. The junior out of Texas State went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Through his 26 games played, Faison has picked up 25 hits, five home runs and 15 RBIs.
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This past week Foundation Academy announced a slew of new hires to take over multiple athletic programs. Krystal Thomas-Smith will be joining the volleyball and basketball coaching staff, while Victor Rodriquez will take over as the school’s first lacrosse coach. Chandler Warren will help as a coach on the football team, as he also helps with the middle-and high-school baseball and basketball programs. Lastly, Chad Sundermyer and Jen O’Neill will be building the new swim program at the school.
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In the Winter Garden Squeeze’s 5-3 loss to Sanford on Thursday, July 11, Clarion University junior Bryce Jackson still managed to have a solid outing as he would go 2-for-4, with a double, home run and an RBI.
TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR
T
he pinging sound of a metal bat meeting leather rings out. As the baseball screams its way toward the shortstop, first base umpire Jarred Neal gets into position just past the bag. Neal keeps his eyes hawkishly focused at first, as the runner and ball approaches the bag at full speed — they meet almost simultaneously. In the span of a nanosecond he has to make the call — was he out or safe? Without hesitation Neal shouts “Out!” with an emphatic tone while signaling the play’s outcome with a clenched fist. The call was right, but that’s just some of the responsibility that comes with wearing the blue shirt. “My whole goal isn’t to just be out here and make the right calls — my goal is to be out here and do everything correctly,” Neal said. “I don’t want to miss anything. You can’t wait — you really have to be a part of the game and in it.” That kind of love for the game and that mentality to get the job done — despite all the grief that umpires are put through on a regular basis — is required to do things correctly as an umpire. With that in mind, it’s hard to believe that just last year Neal wanted nothing at all to do with baseball. WHOLE NEW WORLD
Being a part of the baseball community was something that Neal SEE NEAL PAGE 16
Troy Herring
MAKING THE CALL
The world of umpiring can be a difficult place, but for first-year guys like Ocoee High graduate Jarred Neal, it’s a path back to the sport he loves.
When it comes to picking an Eagle Scout project, the options are pretty vast. Many times Boy Scouts take their time to figure out what exactly they want to do, while others like Griffin Willman know right from the get-go: Helping renovate the Windermere Little League softball fields. “This was pretty much my first choice,” said Willman, a member of Winter Garden-based Troop 210. “I knew my Eagle project was coming up, so I had a few ideas, but this is the first one that I acted on and it’s gone pretty well, I think.” The end goal for Willman was to raise $5,000 to build a gazebo, while also repainting benches and installing solar lighting at the ballfields located behind Windermere Elementary School. Since his plans to renovate the parks kicked off back in November, things have been rather slow going, Willman said. The GoFundMe page, which has been up for the last three months, has only raised $820 through 17 people. Funding wasn’t the only issue that has been a thorn in Willman’s side, as other outside forces have slowed his progress down a bit. “It’s been kind of a slow process that has taken me awhile,” Willman said. “It’s been kind of tough because I’ve had to get all of these permits, and it turns out that the Little League doesn’t own all the softball fields — part of it is owned by The Manors Homeowners Association. So I had to get in contact with them, and get approval from them, and that took several weeks. “Then I had to get a permit for the gazebo from the town of Windermere, so it’s been a pretty lengthy process to build this gazebo,” he said. SEE RENOVATING PAGE 17
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SPORTS SPOTLIGHT
WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER
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OrangeObserver.com
THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
SPONSORED BY MARK’S FLOORS
Erika Pearson Couch A member of CrossFit Winter Garden, Erika Pearson Couch didn’t know what to expect when she joined the gym, but since then she’s found a community that supports her endeavor to stay healthy and in-shape. And with the soon arrival of a grandchild, the native Kentuckian has all the more reason to get healthy.
How did you first get into CrossFit? Actually, the company that I work for, Kelly’s Foods — my boss decided he was going to pay the larger portion of the membership. CrossFit was something that I always wanted to do, but was financially unable to do.
THE BASICS
What has been your favorite thing about doing CrossFit? My favorite thing is just the community and the support that the other members give you. Last week, I was doing a really, really hard workout, and one of the guys who was working out with me and on my very last run, he went out and ran the 400 with me — even though he was done with his workout. What was it like when you first started? I had not ever done any CrossFit workouts. I had done some Boot Camps a few times, but it’s completely different than CrossFit, because CrossFit involves not only the cardio aspect of it, but also the strengthening aspect with the weights. What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself since you started? Probably the strength — I’m lifting more than I ever thought I would ever be able to lift.
GYM: CrossFit Winter Garden ORIGINALLY FROM: Kentucky TIME DOING CROSSFIT: 2-and-a-half years DAY JOB: Kelly’s Foods in Winter Garden Troy Herring
day, because the workouts do get difficult — especially this time of the year when it’s 100 degrees or so. Do you have a favorite workout you like to do? I like kettlebells — just about any weightlifting I enjoy doing. I like to deadlift, I like to back squat — those are some of my favorite things. Is there one workout that you absolutely hate? I don’t like doing wall balls. That’s where, for women, you throw a 14-pound ball to the 9-foot mark — you squat down, you throw the ball to the 9-foot mark, you catch it, you go into the squat and you throw it back up to the 9-foot mark. What do you hope to get out of doing CrossFit? I think that I’ll definitely stick with it for the long term. I just hope to be healthier — I’m not a young lady, so I hope to stay healthy as long as I can. I have a grandbaby coming in a couple of months, so being able to do things that I want to do and be physically able to do them is important to me.
For you, what’s the hardest part about CrossFit? Probably just the same as any other workout regimen. It’s just staying consistent and staying motivated to go every-
—TROY HERRING
Athlete of the Week sponsored by:
After a year of self exile from the game of baseball, Jarred Neal has found a passion in umping.
Neal puts on the blues CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
was born into as the son of a high-school coach. Growing up he watched his dad take to the dugout, and as he got older he saw his older brother play at the University of West Florida before getting drafted and eventually making his way into coaching. Meanwhile, his older sister ended up going into coaching after playing at the University of Central Florida, and his younger sister just finished up an incredible career at UCF. Then there was Neal — who split his time pitching at West Orange, Apopka and finally at Ocoee, from which he graduated in 2014. From there he bounced around three different junior colleges and also played for the Winter Garden Squeeze. But then, two years ago at the age of 21, Neal realized something: He wasn’t going to go far as a player, and the only other option at the time was to go into coaching — something he had no desire to do. “I didn’t want to be a coach like my dad, because my dad is a high-school baseball coach and I know what a high-school baseball coach makes at the end of the year. … I don’t want to work at a high school, that’s not my goal,” Neal said. “Now don’t get me wrong, I could do it and I’m sure I could find a way for somebody to give me an opportunity, but do I really want have my career in the stake of kids? And that’s where I drew the line.” What followed the epiphany was a year of exile from the sport he grew up loving while he worked delivering medical supplies — though after a while he started to miss being on the field. Luckily for Neal, fate intervened.
On a grocery run to pick up chicken back in October, Neal ran into a man who turned out to be the FHSAA assigner for Orange and Seminole counties, and that’s where Neal was introduced to the world of umpiring. “He sent me to a clinic with his group, and I kind (of) knew the game, so I knew what I was looking for,” Neal said. “I had success, and as I continued I found more success and confidence, and then I started getting better training from different umpires. Everything they’d tell me — I kind of just say, ‘Ok, if you tell me that, I’m going to do it every time.’” A NEED FOR A FEW GOOD MEN
Out in Sanford this past weekend, Neal was one of a handful of young umpires — in the sea of mostly veteran guys — officiating a Perfect Game Tournament. And it’s good to have those veteran guys around to show younger umpires the ropes, but there has been an issue over the last few years when it comes to drawing in people. No one knows that more than Adam Bates, the general manager of the Winter Garden Squeeze and umpire assignor for American Sports Officials — the organization that also oversees officiating for Winter Garden, Windermere and Dr. Phillips little leagues, alongside eight other leagues in Central Florida.
“The need — I don’t like using the word catastrophic — but it’s a catastrophe,” Bates said. “It’s just high demand. “But if I get them ready here, you don’t want to lose them — but if life takes them in another direction, then that means you’ve helped out an assigner in another part of the country,” he said. And that need extends past just people who are bored and have nothing to do — there has to be a dedication and love for the game. Though if you ask a coach or player, the biggest desires are are simple. “As a coach, I would like to have them allow me to have a voice,” said David Ocasio, who coaches baseball in the Winter Garden Little League. “It’s not necessary that I’m going to argue with you, but I need to show my team that I’m behind them. It’s a partnership here.” When you take into account all the varying aspects of umping, it’s not a job made for everyone. That said, for budding umpires like Neal it’s a possible road to something that could lead to something bigger. “Obviously I’m just going to see where the road takes me, to start,” Neal said. “I’ve heard of these bigger camps that I would like to get in — and all these clinics — just to see how far I can make it up (the ladder).”
“My whole goal isn’t to just be out here and make the right calls — my goal is to be out here and do everything correctly. I don’t want to miss anything. You can’t wait — you really have to be a part of the game and in it.” — Jarred Neal
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Renovating with purpose
Of all of the things being worked on as a part of his Eagle Scout project, the gazebo is the heart, and for good reason. “Right now there’s not a lot of great sitting areas and the teams like to meet up before and after games to discuss whatever they’re doing,” Willman said. “So I think it’s going to be a great area for them to get together.” The addition of more shaded space is something that’s welcomed by the coaches, players and parents who have to deal with the hot Florida summers every year. And honestly, it’s something that has been needed for a long time, said Rex Smith — who coaches softball in the WLL
organization and helped Willman get everything in order with the project. “It’s going to be awesome to have out there at the fields,” Smith said. “There’s a big tree you can stand under, but that’s pretty much it. There’s no place to go — other than the stands — to sit down, so I think just to have a place (where) the girls can gather … it’s what we need.” Willman and Smith’s connection has been established for a short while now, as Smith coached Willman’s sister last year. Being around the league and the fields was the biggest inspiration for this specific project. Luckily for Smith, and the others who often frequent the ballparks, Willman and a
’N SAY by Paul Coulter CROSSWORD SEE Edited by David Steinberg
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Winter Garden Squeeze fall to Diamond Dawgs
I
n its rubber match with the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (24-3), the Winter Garden Squeeze (4-20-1) took an 11-1 loss in rainy conditions at The First Academy on Wednesday, July 10. Outside of two doubles for Dalton Shuffield, the only offense the Squeeze could muster up would be a hit from Marcus Judd and a run scored by Wesley Faison on a wild pitch — which was preceded by three straight walks.
HOW TO HELP GoFundMe: http://bit. ly/2G3veC8
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Bobby Head, left, taps gloves with pitcher Jacob Burr following a play.
Head Coach Terry Abbott walks to the dugout after a visit to the mound.
48 “___ Ben Adhem” (Leigh Hunt poem) 49 Greek played by Anthony Quinn 50 Brings back on board 51 “Q ___ queen” 52 Matthew’s question 54 Baton bearer 55 Glide on ice 60 Alternative to net 63 Something to weigh in on? 64 Idea-focused talk type 65 At attention 67 Dragged one’s feet 68 1953 John Wayne role 70 “___ alive!” (horror movie cry) 71 Vittles 72 Wrinkly fruit 73 Hammer part 77 WWII landing craft 78 ___’acte 79 “The Obsession” author Roberts 80 Extra staff member? 82 Raid rival 84 Last word of “America the Beautiful” 86 Cheese with an orange rind 87 Fashionable folks 89 Abbr. on an envelope 90 “The Simpsons” bartender 92 Way back when 94 Like some elephants 97 First Hebrew letters 98 “Amen!” 99 Puccini opera set in Rome 100 Self-love direction 101 Bully 103 Big name in small construction 104 Hallmark.com selections 105 Go all-in 106 Meetings that are never boring 110 Artist whose initials were R.T. 111 Cooking thickener 113 Building near a silo 115 Debatable 116 “Assuming that’s true ...” 121 Court
— TROY HERRING
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.
“NJHU W SWVTI JHEVP HZFWT’ FYWDH ... JHEVWUR JWG SYV IJH SWVTI IWGH NET ZWBH OLTIWUR YLI YS XEWZ.” –OYO PKZEU “NLDEN VOP IRDDF CGZDEN. ... Z VMTVFN SPMZPYPX CGVC CGP OZEGC NLDE VC CGP OZEGC BLBPDC JLRMX JGVDEP GZNCLOF.” –KPCP NPPEPO Puzzle Two Clue: S equals B
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
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THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
Puzzle One Clue: X equals J
Troy Herring
Griffin Willman and volunteers spent eight hours getting the gazebo up.
handful of volunteers worked eight hours to get the wooden gazebo up on Saturday, July 13 — completing the main aspect of the renovations. So what about the rest of the money and other renovations? Willman still plans to keep the GoFundMe page up with the hopes that he’ll reach his $5,000 mark, but if not, then he’ll adapt his plans, he said. If he gets enough money to cover the solar lighting that would light the pathway leading to the fields, then that would be perfect, he said. If not, he’ll direct funds to cover the gazebo and concrete poured at its base, and any money left over would be donated to Windermere Little League. While the project has become a big part of his summer, the recent valedictorian of Windermere High School is working on a bit of a time crunch as he tries to finish everything up before he goes to Gainesville to start his first year at the University of Florida. But until then, it’s all about giving back to the organization that has played a role in his family’s life. “I just really want the league to grow and improve,” Willman said. “They’re always needing donations and renovations … and I just really want to help the league.”
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