08.01.19 West Orange Observer by Orange Observer

W EST O RA N G E

Observer Windermere, Horizon West, Dr. Phillips

JCC hosts theater camp. PAGE 9.

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

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VOLUME 4, NO. 44

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Winning the paddle battle OARS member Meagan Goldsmith won big with her Junior National Team. PAGE 13.

Hear and now West Orange resident Gene Columbus noticed problems with his hearing while working for Disney in the 1980s, but that didn’t stop him from living a lifelong career in show business.

YOUR TOWN

MARCHING BAND PLANS GIANT SALE The Windermere High School Marching Band is holding a community garage sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, in the school cafeteria, 5523 Winter Garden Vineland Road, Windermere. Shoppers looking for bargains can find clothing for all sizes and ages, clothing accessories, games and toys, books, household items, kitchen appliances and furniture. The band is participating in the Bands of America Grand Nationals, in Indianapolis, in November. Money raised from the sale will go toward the trip.

STORY ON PAGE 4. Gene Columbus, former executive director of The Orlando Repertory Theatre, proudly held up his hearing aid and cochlear implant transmitter. Despite suffering from hearing loss, he’s lived a successful, lifelong career in entertainment.

Windermere starts budget process for next fiscal year Town council members voted to set a proposed millage rate of 3.74 for 2019-20 Fiscal Year. HANNAH SWAYZE NEWS EDITOR

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Horizon West Middle School held a sneak peek event Wednesday, July 24. SEE PAGE 10.

Windermere Town Council is getting a head start on budgeting for Fiscal Year 2019-20. On Tuesday, July 23, the council gathered for a workshop to discuss the town’s funds for the upcoming fiscal year. At the meeting, council members started by assessing the work Town

Manager Robert Smith already had done to balance the budget, which was approved tentatively at just over $6.2 million. Smith said this year the focus of the budget has been preparing financially for the new facilities and living up to last year’s promises made by the council when it raised the town’s millage rate. SEE TOWN PAGE 4

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THURSDAY, AUG. 1

YOUR CALENDAR

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

GALAXY CALMING JARS 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Windermere Library, 530 Main St. Relax by creating your own galaxy-inspired calming jar. Calming jars serve as simple meditation tools that you can use daily. Ages 18 and up. Registration required at (407) 835-7323.

FRIDAY, AUG. 2

BE A PAL TO YOUR PET 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, at the Windermere Library, 530 Main St. Whether they slither, swim, bark or meow, all pets need proper care. Explore how to take care of and be a great friend to your pet. Recommended for upper elementary. (407) 835-7323.

SATURDAY, AUG. 3

WINDERMERE HIGH MARCHING BAND COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE 8 a.m. to 1 p.m Saturday, Aug. 3, in the cafeteria of Windermere High School, 5523 Winter Garden Vineland Road, Windermere. Support the Windermere High marching band, find some bargains and enjoy some food trucks. The band has been invited to the Bands of America Grand Nationals, in Indianapolis, in November and is raising funds for the trip. For information, call (407) 347-0980. WOOFSTOCK CONCERT: MUD ROOSTER 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Yellow Dog Eats, 1236 Hempel Ave., Gotha. Enjoy the sounds of the band in this concert series at the restaurant. (407) 296-0609.

SUNDAY, AUG. 4

GRIEFSHARE: LOSS OF A SPOUSE 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, in the Building C Attic at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. ApopkaVineland Road, Orlando. This one-time free program is open to anyone who is grieving the loss of a spouse no matter how long ago the loss occurred. Learn how to process your grief and face the future with hope. Register at st.lukes.org/ GriefSharespouse. Email care@ st.lukes.org or call (407) 8764991, Ext. 262, for information.

TUESDAY, AUG. 6

CINÉPOLIS SUMMER KIDS SERIES 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, and Thursday, Aug. 9, at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. Enjoy a special screening of “Minions.” 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, Aug. 6, at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas – Hamlin, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. See “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” in this Cinépolis Handpicked series of cult classics and nostalgic oldies. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at cinepolisusa.com/home/ cinepolis-handpicked. SWEET TREATS WITH HEALTH BENEFITS Noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, or 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, at Orlando Health Medical Pavilion – Horizon

West, 17000 Porter Road, Suite 204, Winter Garden. Sit in on a demonstration of better-foryou treats where plants and their benefits are highlighted. Samples will be available. Program is free. Space is limited; call (407) 635-3303 to reserve a seat.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7

AFTERSCHOOL SNACKS: PUPPY CHOW 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, at the Windermere Library, 530 Main St. Want an easy treat for after school? Learn how to make this salty and sweet snack. Supplies are limited. Registration required at (407) 835-7323. GRIEFSHARE SUPPORT GROUP 10 a.m. to noon beginning Wednesday, Aug. 7, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. ApopkaVineland Road, Orlando. Persons grieving the loss of a loved one can attend this 14-week support group. Learn to journey through your grief toward healing and hope for the future. Register at st.lukes. org/care/#grief. Email care@ st.lukes.org or call (407) 876-4991, Ext. 262, for more details. MOTHER GOOSE ON THE LOOSE 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, at the Southwest Library, 7255 Della Drive, Orlando. Using rhymes, songs, puppets, musical instruments and more, young guests will interact together to help develop important pre-literacy skills. (407) 835-7323.

THURSDAY, AUG. 8

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER SUPPORT GROUP 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, in Building C Room 204 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road. This support group is designed for parents of children and teens on the Autism Spectrum. Share challenges, ideas, concerns, success stories, and fellowship. A trained facilitator from UCF CARD offers a brief topical lesson each month. Email care@st.lukes. org or call (407) 876-4991, Ext. 262, to register to attend.

SATURDAY, AUG. 10

EMPOW“HER” 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at Orlando Health Medical Pavilion – Horizon West, 17000 Porter Road, Suite 204, Winter Garden. Join the monthly learning events aimed at empowering young girls and women through education about their health. Dr. Shweta Patel will discuss women’s health concerns in a comfortable environment. Program is free. Space is limited; call (407) 635-3303 to reserve a seat.

TUESDAY, AUG. 13

CINÉPOLIS SUMMER KIDS SERIES 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, and Thursday, Aug. 15, at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. Enjoy a special screening of “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.” Tickets are $6 and include a snack pack with popcorn, fruit gummies and a small drink. (321) 250-3580.

CUISINE CORNER: PEACH PANNA COTTA 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, at the Southwest Library, 7255 Della Drive, Orlando. Join Chef Emily Roy from Publix Aprons as she demonstrates how to make a delicious peach panna cotta with biscotti crumble and blueberry compote. Registration required at (407) 835-7323. DATE NIGHT NOSTALGIA 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas – Hamlin, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. See “The Wizard of Oz” in this Cinépolis Handpicked series of cult classics and nostalgic oldies. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at cinepolisusa.com/ home/cinepolis-handpicked.

TUESDAY, AUG. 20

DATE NIGHT NOSTALGIA 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas – Hamlin, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden. See “The Goonies” in this Cinépolis Handpicked series of cult classics and nostalgic oldies. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at cinepolisusa.com/ home/cinepolis-handpicked.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 21

PARENTING SOLO SUPPORT GROUP 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Aug. 21 in the special-events dining room of Building C at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando. Join this weekly support group for single parents Register online at st.lukes.org/ care or call (407) 876-4991, Ext. 262, for more information.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Luxury apartments coming to Hamlin

Courtesy

The complex includes 11 residential buildings, one of which would have an interior corridor.

Vintage Horizon West could break ground this September. HANNAH SWAYZE NEWS EDITOR

While several plans are making their way through the Orange County government channels to fill in the spaces in the fast-growing Horizon West area, developers of a brand-new luxury apartment complex are ready to get started. Development and construction company TDK Construction, out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has plans to build 340 Class-A, multi-family units in Hamlin, the village center of Horizon West. The complex will be called

FUTURE PLANS Vintage Horizon West. The project’s planned location is a piece of land spanning 18.5 acres on the east side of Avalon Road and south side of Flamingo Crossings Boulevard. According to TDK’s vice president of development, Ross Bradley, the plans include 10 threestory apartment buildings, some with direct-access garages, a four-story building with interiorcorridors similar to a hotel design, and one standalone clubhouse. There will be one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Amenities at the luxury apartments will include quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances, electric car charging stations, a pet spa, public and private meeting spaces and a fitness center. Bradley said there will be ample green space in the complex with walking trails and several out-

door gyms will be set up like obstacle courses, replacing what would normally be a children’s playground. The design also will include a pool with private cabanas and various social areas such as fire pits and hammock gardens for residents to spend time in. “We really try to make it feel like a resort-style community,” Bradley said. At the request of the Development Review Committee, the construction of a traffic signal at County Road 545 and Fla-

“We really try to make it feel like a resort-style community.” — Ross Bradley

mingo Crossings Boulevard will be required before developers are granted a certificate of occupancy. TDK Construction has been active in the Florida market for a few years now, with projects in Destin and Amelia Island, according to Bradley. “There’s just tremendous job growth and population growth in that area, and that’s really what attracted us to that region,” Bradley said. The company recently finished construction on a project similar to Vintage Horizon West, Vintage Winter Park, near Full Sail University. Leasing currently is wrapping up for the the 332-unit complex there, which Bradley said was incredibly popular. He said the apartments averaged 50 leases per month.

The Orange County Development Review Committee approved several development plans, including: n A Taco Bell/Pizza Hut in Hamlin at the intersection on Hamlin Groves Trail spanning 3,956 square feet on 1.03 acres of land n Various commercial buildings off S.R. 429 and New Independence Parkway

Bradley said the team expects to break ground on Vintage Horizon West in September and start leasing in a year. He said the project likely will take two years from start to finish.

Windermere officials tackle disaster-relief funds The town of Windermere still is looking to sort out FEMA funding from 2006. HANNAH SWAYZE NEWS EDITOR

As Windermere town officials look ahead to next year’s budget, disaster-relief funds are causing them to look back almost 15 years. Currently, the town is working around approximately $483,000 of emergency-relief funds that were held back from the Florida Department of Emergency Management to be applied to a balance from the funds de-obligated, or requested for return, from hurricanes Jeanne and Francis back in 2004. “When you’re running a municipality or a town, especially one that has a $5 million or $6 million budget, you need to be certain about these things in order to properly budget, to properly plan for the (next) disaster,” Windermere Mayor Jim O’Brien said. “And without that kind of assurance … it just makes it very difficult for us to do our job.”

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

In 2004, the town received $1 million in relief funds to be used in the wake of hurricanes Jeanne and Francis from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a public-assistance agency that provides aid to state and local governments in times of disaster and the Florida DEM. In late 2015, almost a decade later, Town Manager Robert Smith said the town of Windermere was notified that during the review process, FEMA decided to de-obligate a little more than $498,000 of the initial amount, saying the town did not competitively bid the cleanup services and did not need the full amount. Having already spent the initial funds, the town, aided by both an attorney and tax and accounting firm, decided to appeal the decision after finding more than $430,000 of appealable funds, town records show. The town argued not only did it use the funds correctly, but under the Stafford Act the funds could

not be de-obligated because the expenditures were reasonable and used for the purpose of the grant. In 2016, during the appeal process, FEMA requested Final Requests for Information (RFIs) for additional documents regarding the timing of the appeals. The town submitted the documents within the allotted time, but the DEM missed the deadline, according to a memorandum to town officials from the Gray Robinson attorney’s office, detailing the process. According to the memorandum, the FEMA regional director denied the appeal as untimely. The town appealed that denial, but it was denied again by FEMA, saying the final decision had been made. This exhausted the town’s options for appeals regarding Francis and Jeanne funding. In the meantime, in 2017, Florida was hit by Hurricane Irma, causing damage to the town, for which the town of Windermere applied to FEMA for monetary assistance. In the aftermath of Irma, the town was approved for $625,017 from FEMA. However, instead of making the full amount available to the town, the DEM will withhold $483,837 to apply to the

town’s balance from the previous hurricanes, Smith said. CURRENT EFFECTS

The town has been budgeting around the funds in question since the storm. According to O’Brien, a road pavement project that was promised to residents was paid for out of the town’s reserves after being delayed about six months. “While we still have good reserves for a town our size, but, you know, these things truly do matter,” O’Brien said. “Three or four hundred thousand dollars matter to a town with a budget of $6 million.” O’Brien said the town is talking to staff at the DEM and Florida legislators to try to release at least some of the funding. O’Brien said FEMA and DEM staff changes frequently, but they’ve now pinpointed people to talk with about the DEM releasing more of the Irma funds to the town when it is distributed. “The problem with that is, while that is short-term relief, that means the next storm … the next time we’re working with the state and local government, we’re going to start at a deficit,” O’Brien said.

LOOKING FORWARD

As the town begins the process of budgeting for the next fiscal year, Smith said the town also has to think about future storm damage and other expenses that can arise. “You always want to save for a rainy day,” Smith said. “Not only for a (named) storm, but we also, in 2013, had a microburst that came through town that cost the town about $250,000, and that wasn’t a storm that was declared an emergency so we had to eat that entire cost.” So far, the town of Windermere has received slightly more than $20,000 for Irma recovery. O’Brien said he was hopeful the town and the agencies can come to some kind of agreement that works out fairly for both parties. “Really it’s about just doing what’s right by your smaller municipalities, because we’re the tip of the spear in terms of all these efforts for disaster,” O’Brien said. “And we need to know that at the end of the day if we do things correctly, and in accordance with the rules, we are going to be reimbursed appropriately.”

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

A sound victory ERIC GUTIERREZ STAFF WRITER

The start of Gene Columbus’ lifelong career in musical theater and entertainment can be traced back to a simple teenage crush he had on his sister’s best friend. “I started my career thanks to my sister who was taking dance lessons, and her best friend was the most beautiful girl in the whole world,” Columbus said. “I was 14. She was 16, and she needed a dance partner. She was absolutely mortified to have to dance with her best friend’s little brother, but I was perfectly fine with the situation.” Although he never went out with the girl, that crush led Columbus to taking ballet classes, which got him into doing musical theater. He would then go on to work a 38-year career in entertainment and show business with the Walt Disney Company and later worked an 11-year career as executive director of The Orlando Repertory Theatre. But his lifelong success in entertainment didn’t come without its challenges. Columbus has suffered from hearing loss since the 1980s. “At one point, it became apparent that my ability to hear was making it more and more difficult for me to navigate,” Columbus said. “In the early years when I was with Disney, I was a stage manager, and as a stage manager, I wore headsets. Back in the 1970s, technology was not very good. There were no limiters (on the headsets) or any squelching down of the really loud, loud noises. … I’m a living example of the kind of damage that would

be the consequences of that (type of noise).” Over the years, the 78-year-old West Orange resident tried various hearing aids, but it still was difficult for him to hear anything. Oftentimes, he would have to rely on the help of others to explain things to him at a loud volume. Although he struggled to hear throughout much of his life, that all changed in January after he received cochlear implants that helped improve his hearing. AUDITORY OBSTACLES

Columbus was born in Pennsylvania but was raised in Denver, Colorado. He also lived in Los Angeles for a number of years, and although he started his career in entertainment as a ballet dancer, he earned extra money doing film work in L.A. In 1970, Columbus began a career with the Walt Disney Company that would span decades. He got his start with Walt Disney Productions working with a national/ international touring arena show called “Disney On Parade.” “I spent about seven years touring the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Central America, London, South Africa, Australia (and) New Zealand,” Columbus said. “It was like going to grad school (for entertainment). It was quite an extensive learning experience, not only for the company, but for me.” After touring the globe, Columbus went to Walt Disney World in 1977 to work as an entertainment manager. Much of the work he did involved productions and managing “all aspects of entertainment,”

“I’m a joyful person and I always try to look at the brighter side of life.” — Gene Columbus

he said. A few years after going to Disney, he noticed something wrong with his hearing. “When I finally went to a doctor, the doctor asked me if I was in the military because the ear damage was similar to that of somebody that was firing off a Howitzer,” Columbus said. “(I had) severe damage. My eardrums were scarred in my right ear more so than my left at that point.” Columbus added that his hearing loss developed over time. After finding out the extent of the damage to his hearing, Columbus’ career with Disney moved on to staffing, interviewing and evaluating employees. “Now I look back on those young people that I interviewed and we hired for Walt Disney World, and they’re the ones running the place now,” he said. THE JOY OF HEARING

Despite the damage to his hearing, Columbus never let it get in the way of working in entertainment. He retired from Disney in 2008 and went on to serve as the executive director of The Orlando Repertory Theatre until his recent retirement in July. Although he got his cochlear implants in January, it wasn’t until recently that he was able to enjoy the fullest extent

of a theatrical production. “For a very long time, I could not hear, and going to the theater became extremely difficult,” Columbus said of his life before the implants.“I came to see a show here (at The Orlando REP) last night … and how joyful it was to sit in the audience and be able to hear the dialogue (and) to hear and understand the lyrics. My goodness, I have been missing out now for a very long time. It’s almost like going back to the theater again for the first time.” In addition to the work he’s done with Disney and The Orlando REP, Columbus has also done a lot of volunteer work related to the arts, and once received the Volunteer of the Year award from United Arts of Central Florida. Much of his volunteer work revolved around the production fundraiser for Edgewood Children’s Ranch, which he’s been involved with for the past 36 years. He’s also worked on productions for the UCP Gala for the past 21 years. He was a professor at UCF as well and plans to teach there again in the fall. Throughout all those years of show business and volunteering in the arts, Columbus always has had to overcome his hearing loss. In spite of that, he’s conquered it all with a smile. “I’m a joyful person and I always try to look at the brighter side of life,” he said. “Having severe hearing loss should not be a deterrent for people to continue to bring value (to their lives).”

Car stolen in Windermere area neighborhood Police are reminding residents to keep their cars locked and have valuables out of sight. TIM FREED MANAGING EDITOR

An investigation is underway by the Windermere Police Department after several vehicles were burglarized and a car was stolen earlier this month. Officers responded to a rash of car burglaries that took place between 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, and 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 24, in The Manors subdivision. According to the Windermere Police Department, multiple cars

were burglarized and a 2002 Jeep Wrangler was stolen outside the home at 2526 Carter Grove Circle. Another vehicle was burglarized at 2506 Tryon Place. It’s a rare occurrence in the town of Windermere, said Detective John Allen, adding that the town saw just two incidents in June and three so far in July as of Friday, July 26. “Five in a two-month period is a fairly small number compared to what you might see in other jurisdictions,” Allen said.

According to the Windermere Police Department, all the vehicles were unlocked and several of them had keys left inside the vehicles. “Don’t make it easy for your car to be stolen,” Allen said. “There are things that people can do to reduce the risk … not leaving your keys in your car. If you’re going to leave valuables in your car, don’t leave them in plain site. If you’re going to leave something in the car, put it in the trunk or hide and cover it up. If you can, bring it inside. … Take your valuables out of the car and lock the car.” The stolen vehicle had a plate number of EEAC95.

Allen said cameras are an inexpensive and efficient way to help catch car burglars. Nearby residents are being asked by police to review any video footage they might have between 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, and 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 24, for suspicious activity. Anyone with information relevant to the investigation is encouraged to contact the Windermere Police Department at (407) 8763757 and speak with Detective Allen, who also can be reached by emailing Jallen@town.windermere.fl.us.

Town pushes to provide quality healthcare to employees CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“(This means) putting more money into sidewalks, multimodal, the water design, putting money back into parks and recreation, all while making sure they maintained the amount of money that we put in every year,” Smith said. In March, the town voted in a referendum to take on a loan of $5.2 million to pay for the new facilities for public works, administration and the police department. This fiscal year, the budget includes the payment of $300,000 toward that debt. The town is currently still in the design phase of the project but hopes to break ground on the one-story complex in the spring

of 2020. The council also voted to set a proposed millage rate at the recommended rate of 3.74 for the upcoming year. According to Smith, one of the biggest challenges with balancing a budget, especially a small one, is affording healthcare for the town’s employees. The budget needs to accommodate the market’s rising costs and still provide quality care. “What you don’t want is to become a tax burden on the general public to subsidize that healthcare,” Smith said. “So we try to find that balance.” One of the money-saving strategies the town uses is consolidating services and subcontracting ser-

vices out to other municipalities and businesses. A few examples include contracting out studies for civil engineering like the town has done in the past with Wade Trim. “You have one pot of money and all these things and all these prices that are increasing, so (it’s) just finding innovative ways to get these things done without having to increase that rate,” Smith said. The city also utilizes an agreement with the city of Ocoee to use its fire rescue services, as opposed to developing its own or paying Orange County, saving the town approximately $400,000 a year. The council approved the proposed balance budget at its workshop. The next step is to have the

budget adoption hearings, which are open to the public. These hearings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, and 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 23 at Town Hall. “It’s always difficult to maintain the financial viability of the town while maintaining the level of service (and) the quality of life of the residents without increasing the millage rate or adding additional associates,” Smith said.

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Amphibian fitness Eat The Frog Fitness is opening a new location in Hamlin. TIM FREED MANAGING EDITOR

Ready to make a leap forward and get in shape? Eat The Frog Fitness plans to open its new Hamlin location in late fall, giving Horizon West residents a place to chase after their fitness goals. The location is set for a space between Abbott’s Frozen Custard and The Pizza Press in the Hamlin plaza off New Independence Parkway. It’s a boutique fitness franchise that’s picking up steam in Central Florida, with new locations set for Oviedo and Maitland, as well. “What makes it super special is the fact that we are a boutique fitness studio and we offer classes 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Studio Manager Domi-

IF YOU GO

For more information about Eat The Frog Fitness Winter Garden, call (407) 287-9239 or visit eatthefrogfitness.com.

nique Gobeil said. “That means people can come in at any time of the day and take a class. Some of the classes are live-coach led — so real people and personal trainers are leading those workouts — and then we have, during the not-sobusy times of days, virtual coaches.” The latter is led on screen through Tad — an animated, green instructor that walks you through the workouts and the proper form. Gobeil said the equipment used at Eat The Frog Fitness also is unique. There’s an emphasis on low-impact machines, so rowers and bikes are used for cardio instead of treadmills, she said. For strength sessions, Eat The Frog Fitness uses TRX cables, sandbags and Nubells, which are circular dumbbells that go all the way around the wrist to keep the weight evenly distributed and prevent wrist-joint pain. They’re all decisions made by Bryan Clay, a decathlete, 2008 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist and Eat The Frog Fitness co-founder. He wanted the studio to reflect his own workout regimen when he started the company alongside business entrepreneur Joe Culver. “He has an Olympic style in the workouts itself, but it’s not made just for athletes,” Gobeil said. “It’s created so that beginners and athletes can both take advantage

“It’s created so that beginners and athletes can both take advantage and gain from the class.” — Dominique Gobeil, studio manager

and gain from the class.” Gobeil said new members get a free fitness assessment at the beginning of their membership, thus developing an eight-week program to work toward whatever goals they might have. Members can take three different styles of classes: Strength, Cardio and FlexCore, which focuses on power, agility and core strength. Heart-rate monitors — or Frog Pods — also are used to keep track of how hard everyone is pushing themselves during a class, allowing trainers to customize programs even further for members. “(Coaches) can figure out where their starting point is, and every eight weeks they can take another fitness assessment and customize a program to make sure they are reaching the top of their game,” Gobeil said. But what’s the story behind the name “Eat The Frog Fitness”? Gobeil explained that it’s derived from a Mark Twain quote that

Tim Freed

Studio Manager Dominique Gobeil is excited to help Horizon West residents work up a sweat at Eat The Frog Fitness.

goes, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day.” “What we ask people is, ‘What’s your frog?’” Gobeil said. “For a lot of people, your ‘frog’ is fitness. Fitness is something that’s really difficult, it’s a challenging task to

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Confidence coaches building character The women behind Young Star Musical Theatre hope to build confidence among their students through the performing arts. ERIC GUTIERREZ STAFF WRITER

Young Star Musical Theatre is open to elementary, junior high and high school students of all skill levels that are looking to learn about the performing arts.

Courtesy photos

Shmaine and Lexy Shepherd are the mother-daughter duo who run Young Star Musical Theatre in Winter Garden.

before Christmas break.” Although YSMT recently had its one-year anniversary locally, the program has been around for much longer than that. YSMT was created by Lexy’s grandmother, Barbara Shepherd, in the 1980s in Los Angeles. Barbara created YSMT to enrich the lives of children and families through the magic of theater. In 2001, Shmaine took YSMT to Prescott, Arizona, and grew the program from 11 children to more than 100 within two years. In keeping up with the family business, Lexy

continues her grandmother’s mission of enriching the lives of children through YSMT today, but here in Central Florida. “A lot of my kids say that they never feel left out (and) they never feel like they’re not welcome,” Lexy said. “That’s really important because you don’t think of things like that until a kid tells you. My mom always says that we’re ‘confidence coaches’ because parents will come up to us and say, ‘Oh, my kid is so shy. They don’t raise their hand in school. They don’t have very many friends.

2019

Lexy Shepherd has been doing musical theater practically her whole life, but she later learned that she preferred the behindthe-scenes work over being center stage. “I grew up in my mom’s (theater) program,” Lexy said. “I was at every rehearsal, and I worked with my mom every day since I was 5 (years old).” Today, Lexy, 23, runs Young Star Musical Theatre with her mother, Shmaine Shepherd. The two Horizon West residents recently honored the theater’s one-year anniversary on July 23. YSMT is an after-school, theaterarts training program for students ages 6 to 18. The program is open to students of all skill levels, as no prior theater experience is required to join. Students meet twice a week on Fridays and Saturdays at the Right Combination Dance Studio. “From August through December, (our students) learn a show, and we pick a show basically around our kids based on what we think they’ll enjoy (and) what can showcase them all,” Lexy said. “We don’t want to do shows that have limited parts because we like to make sure that all the kids are always having fun and always learning something. They learn a show in four or five months in the fall, and we usually put it up right

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They’re so shy, always.’ And then they’re in our group, and I could not tell you who is shy because they’re not shy. They’re confident. They’re strong. … It’s just so rewarding to hear when they step out the door that, in the real world, they are confident and strong and don’t care about what people think about them.” The YSMT students are from all over West Orange County, but most come from Winter Garden and Windermere. When the program started locally, there were 12 students who signed up for its first summer camp last year. That number grew to 27 for YSMT’s first production, “Seussical the Musical,” in August 2018, and grew again to 43 students for its second production in January. Lexy hopes that those numbers continue to grow. “I have kids from all over,” Shepherd said. “I have kids mostly from Winter Garden (and) Windermere. I have kids from Dr. Phillips. I have kids who live by the airport. … I have kids from Clermont, but (they’re) mostly

IF YOU JOIN Those interested in joining the Young Star Musical Theatre for its 2019-20 show season can register in person from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Right Combination Dance Studio, 15497 Stoneybrook West Parkway, Winter Garden. Additionally, online registration is now open at iloveysmt.com.

from this side of town.” As YSMT gears up for its upcoming show season, Shepherd already is planning out what’s next for the program. She’s working toward making YSMT into a nonprofit organization, and she’s hoping to have her own facility for YSMT in the near future. Eventually, she hopes to have another branch of YSMT closer to the east side of Orange County, like Winter Park.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

From finance to film Horizon West resident Robert J. Smith is a financial advisor-turned-filmmaker who studied screenwriting to help him recover from serious car accidents that limited his mobility.

IF YOU GO

“NEXT!” will be released on Oct. 12 and screened at Cinépolis IMAX, 5500 Grandview Parkway, Davenport. The next day, the film can be watched on Smith’s Internet Movie Database (IMDb) page at imdb.to/2Ob59HY.

Eric Gutierrez

Robert J. Smith, center left, is joined by some of his crew and cast members from his latest short film, “NEXT!” on the stage at Hagan O’Reilly’s Irish Pub in Winter Garden, which is where the film was shot. Pictured from left: actor Varvara Haggins, actor Natalie Maskulak, Smith, Production Assistant Kelly Riese, Production Assistant Brittany Bryant and Director of Photography Scott Fitting.

ERIC GUTIERREZ STAFF WRITER

After sustaining neck and spine injuries from a couple of car accidents, Robert J. Smith’s mobility became very limited for a number of years. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to continue to walk, so I thought, ‘Maybe I should think about looking at a second career,’” Smith said. Although the injuries limited his movements, he didn’t sit idly by as he recovered. Instead, he kept himself busy by going back to school and studying film from two different schools — the University of California, Los Angeles and Full Sail University — at the same time. Today, he’s back on his feet and recently completed filming his 66th short film with his production company, Robert J. Smith Productions. “It keeps you busy — taking two college courses at the same time, or basically completing two degrees

at the same time,” Smith said. “I was busy writing and working till 3 (o’clock) in the morning sometimes. You’d have deadlines, a lot of times at midnight, so I was working probably 60 hours a week just going to school, and I was able to do that without having to get up and around and walk. I could just sit and write, so it helped (me) recover.” Smith’s latest film is called “NEXT!” and Smith wrote, shot, produced and even starred in the film itself. “NEXT!” tells the tale of a casting director on the search for a suitable Juliet for a production of Shakespeare’s classic, “Romeo and Juliet,” but he learns that finding his Juliet may be as difficult as finding a suitable wife. The casting director finds himself in — what Smith calls — a “love square” between himself and three of the actresses who auditioned as Juliet. “The whole premise of it is casting for ‘Romeo and Juliet” and the subtext, or the subplot, is a love story because it’s ‘Romeo and Juliet,’” Smith said, adding that he plays the role of the casting director in the film. “Rather than the

typical ‘love triangle,’ we actually did a ‘love square,’ so it’s the casting director and three women rather than two.” Smith, 54, originally is from Detroit and moved to Florida in 1984. He moved to Windermere in 2013 and then moved to a home in Horizon West in 2018. He shoots many of his films in locations throughout Winter Garden and West Orange. In fact, he shot the entirety of his latest film, “NEXT!” inside Hagan O’Reilly’s Irish Pub off of Marsh Road in Winter Garden. “We film here in Winter Garden,” Smith said. “We did a film that we actually shot some of it here (at Hagan O’Reilly’s) and some of it in downtown Winter Garden at Celebrity Medical (Center). We did like a ‘(Dr.) Jekyll and (Mr.) Hyde’ remake.” Before he began filmmaking, Smith worked as a financial advisor, but he decided to change careers after the car accidents. He was rear-ended while at a stop sign in 1987. The driver

was going about 50 mph, and the crash broke his neck. Ten years later, he was rear-ended again while at a stoplight by another driver going about the same speed, and that crash broke his back. While recovering from that accident, he decided on a career change and started studying screenwriting. In 2014, he got into another accident that

worsened his already-injured back. By that point, he had already begun making films. Smith said he graduated from Full Sail as the valedictorian of his class, and he’s been making films for about 10 years now. Although he worked in finance before he switched careers, he said he always was interested in writing and films. “The writing was what intrigued me the most, and I had some stories to tell,” Smith said. “Rather than just (going down) the traditional journalism route — and sure, I write articles and we write books and things — it’s just a little more exciting doing the screen writing and bringing stories together.” He might have just wrapped up filming “NEXT!” but he already has a sequel for that film planned, along with a number of other film projects up his sleeve. He’s had about 14 different surgeries because of his injuries and still has to go through ongoing treatment. But he doesn’t let that keep him down. “I’m still recovering,” he said. “I still do two hours of physical therapy every single day. … It’s a lifelong process … but, man, I’m walking, I’m happy, and I couldn’t be happier.”

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Preschool co-op preps for back to school Horizon West-based preschool co-op Teach Beside Me combines hands-on parent involvement with a play-based curriculum. DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Imagine a preschool-type setting where you can sit beside your children and be directly involved in their education as they learn, play and grow. That’s exactly the concept that Melanie Johnson, Casey Ibanez and other Horizon West-area moms set out to create two years ago when they launched Teach Beside Me. Now, with the new school year looming on the horizon, TBM has grown to the point where there is a waitlist. TBM is affiliated with Citrus Church in Horizon West. It’s a preschool co-op with small groups of parents and preschoolers in various age groups. Everyone gets the chance to interact and socialize, and the preschoolers are introduced to numbers, letters, shapes, words and more. “It started off with a few moms interested in doing an organized, structured preschool lesson with curriculum,” said Johnson, TBM’s

preschool coordinator. “They wanted to teach alongside of them, meaning they can be teachers and they can kind of be there for each step of their kids’ (education) as they learn and progress without having to enroll in a daycare or preschool.” Teach Beside Me follows the Orange County Public Schools calendar, and parents’ roles in sharing the teaching responsibilities make it a truly cooperative venture, Johnson said. Johnson has a background in early-childhood education, having once served as the director of College Park UMC’s Child Development Center. However, it always was a dream of hers to be a stay-at-home mom. So, when she was pregnant with her oldest daughter — who starts kindergarten this year — she decided to turn in her resignation. But when her daughter was only a few months old, Johnson found that she needed to create a way to get out with her and meet other moms and children. She created

a mommy-and-me circle time at First United Methodist Church Orlando, but it wasn’t just about the socialization. “For me, the idea of being able to be part of my child’s education is important — play dates are wonderful, and we had playbased curriculum, but it was a little more structured than just a regular play date,” Johnson said. “I wanted to create an environment where they’d also learn and have structure so they’d be ready to go off to real school.” The family moved to Horizon West a couple of years ago to start Citrus Church, and Johnson began thinking about starting a preschool co-op. Teach Beside Me was born out of that, and Johnson credits her friend, Ibanez, with being a large part of helping her bring it to life. “I pulled her in alongside with me and she’s been definitely my right-side woman throughout the whole process,” Johnson said. “She’s the other mom who’s been with me since the start — I knew I

“I wanted to do more than just meet other parents — I wanted to create an environment where they’d also learn and have structure so they’d be ready to go off to real school.” — Melanie Johnson

couldn’t do it alone.” TBM uses lesson plans based on the “Teach, Play, Learn” curriculum. The 2-year-old class, which meets Tuesday mornings, has a “Letter of the Week” focus. That includes a book and activities surrounding that week’s letter. The 3- to 4-year-old class centers on a theme that lasts two weeks, based on one story book. With this class, TBM incorporates “Handwriting Without Tears,” which introduces children to letters and teaches handwriting. This class meets on Mondays and Wednesdays. Parents are required to stay with their children and work alongside them in the teaching process. “The whole idea is, even though you may not be teaching that week, you’re able to work handon-hand over your child,” Johnson said.

TEACH BESIDE ME Although TBM’s 3- to 4-year-old class is full so far for the upcoming year, Johnson said there still may be room in the 2-year-old class. Children must be 2 as of Sept. 1, 2019, to be in the class. Children in the 3- to 4-year-old class must also be 3 or 4 as of Sept. 1. For more information on TBM, visit citruschurch. org/teachbesideme. To register and be added to the waitlist, fill out the form at citruschurch.org/teachbeside-me-registration.

Being part of TBM is free, and the only thing parents are responsible for paying for is any necessary craft supplies during their week to teach. However, TBM provides basic classroom supplies such as glue, scissors, markers and crayons. There is a waitlist for TBM, and you don’t have to be a church member to join. Johnson recommends that interested parents fill out the registration form to join the waitlist, and if a spot becomes available they will be notified.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Emily Hardoon, 5, and Sophia Rosemeier, 7, showed off their moves while dancing to the beat of the song.

Anvi Patel, 7, and Sahana Parikh, 8, struck a pose as they learned the lyrics to the Disney song “Try Everything” from “Zootopia.”

Dancing to a Disney beat R

Sisters Sarah, 5, and Julia Saft, 7, had a great time together.

osen JCC’s Orlando Repertory Theatre Camp kicked off the Disney Summer CineMagic week with dance moves and sing-a-longs. The camp, located at 11184 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando, was for elementary school children from kindergarten to second grade. The children learned dance moves to the song “Try Everything” by Shakira, from the Disney movie “Zootopia. The Mousketeers, as their group was called, did freestyle dancing and belted out the lyrics with their friends on Monday, July 29. — SARAH CAVACINI

Ashley Hardoon, 7, loved showing off her freestyle dance moves at camp.

Mason Allgire, 6, celebrated his birthday during camp.

Josie Deherrera, 6, and Sarah Saft, 5, wanted to be front and center when learning new dance moves.

Avery Luu, 5, and Athena Krush, 5, were inseparable best friends during camp.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Parents and students eager to see the new school arrived so early that a line formed in front of the school. Principal Michelle Thomas, center left, caught up with eighth-grade student government members Claudia Ospina, 14; Ayden Newsom, 13; and Samantha Zotti, 12, at the school’s media center. Student government members helped guide sneak peek attendees.

Horizon West Hornets visit nest S tudents, parents, teachers and other members of the community got a first look at Horizon West Middle School Wednesday, July 24, during the school’s sneak peek event. Attendees took part in a scavenger hunt that took them all around the new school and even enjoyed a performance by the Windermere High School drumline.

Seventh-grader Sofia Perez-Corredor, 12, checked out one of the soundproof booths with her brother, Francisco, left, and father, Alvaro. She said it was the first time she’s seen a soundproof booth at a middle school.

— ERIC GUTIERREZ

Music teacher Valerie Parrish said she can’t wait to furnish and decorate her classroom. She added that she’s excited to spend her first full year teaching at HWMS.

Sixth-graders Diego Cavazos, 10, and Pablo Baez, 10, were excited to check out their new school.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Music teacher Kevin Wellmaker played ukulele alongside his student helper.

Rising fifth-grader Ryan Jueds was happy to talk about the computer lab.

— DANIELLE HENDRIX

Principal Dr. Julie Helton and District 4 School Board Member Pam Gould were thrilled to finally open Castleview’s doors.

Art teacher Christina Lodholz had great company in rising fourth-grader Tanishka Sankar.

GIANT LEAP by Kevin Christian; CROSSWORD ONE Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS

31 Folk hero Daniel 33 Queen dowager of 1 Overgrown Jordan 6 Went for enthusiastically 34 Eighth letter 13 African antelopes 36 Actress Rachel of 19 Composer Morricone “Spotlight” 20 “Sweet Child O’ Mine” 38 Quick chess game endvocalist ing (last word) 21 50/50 wager 40 Domicile 22 “Lethal Weapon” or 44 ___ center “Rush Hour” (first word) 45 Boost 24 Folgers alternative 47 Styx ferryman (Pluto) 25 UCSD athlete (Neptune) 48 Thin 26 Back muscle, familiarly 50 Karaoke need 27 Woodworking tools 51 Dumpster smell 29 Chucklehead 52 2000 stoner film (first 30 Kill, as a bill word)

58 Sign of joy or sadness 61 Perlman of “Cheers” (Saturn) 62 Antsy 63 Chemical bond former 65 Arduous journey 67 One may ring or have a ring 68 Horace, for one 69 Lawn figure 70 See 6-Down 71 “Star Trek” helmsman 73 Corn ___ (Southern bread) 74 Job with wrinkles? 75 Far from ruddy 76 Match up

42 Neat 43 De Matteo of “The Sopranos” 46 Aloof 49 Joyful yell 50 High USAF rank 51 Start of a line by Juliet 53 Funds 54 Marie Antoinette, par exemple 55 ‘50s Ford flop 56 Religious law 57 Make amends (for) 59 Work event? 60 Make over 64 Singer Haggard 66 Security system component 69 Hot rum drink 72 Risky 74 Fool 75 Prefix with “phobia” or “bat” DOWN 77 Apt lipstick shade for a 1 Netflix domain scuba diver 2 Accustom (var.) 79 Airplane bathroom, 3 Break up informally 4 Inflicted upon 80 Asinine 5 “Walk the dog” toy 82 “What’s ___?” 6 With 70-Across, Taoism 85 Not in favor of founder 86 Hot spot 7 Blow up 87 Atop 8 Annual fact-filled book 88 College Board offering 9 For the time being 89 Kind of calendar 10 “Mazel ___!” 90 Lamborghini competitor 11 From Thailand, perhaps 91 Italian football club 12 Hot under the collar 92 Pie-mode filling 13 Days before holidays 95 Passed bad checks 14 “___ Miserables” 97 Hair removal substance 15 Mandela’s org. 98 “Do ___ others ...” 16 Kevin Durant, e.g. 101 Playground retort 17 Actual 103 Cowell on “America’s Got 18 Scary King Talent” 21 January, to Juanita 23 “Deal or No Deal” channel 104 Oak tree’s start 28 Cesar Chavez’s suit type 105 Question of ownership 106 Vicks spray brand 32 Propel, in a way 108 Father of Eros 34 Give it ___ (try) 111 Faris or Kendrick 35 Turkish lodging 113 Anguish 36 Feline plaint 37 Gunk that a kid may make 114 Suitable 39 Digital readout, for short 116 Code-cracking org. 117 One may be full of Natural 40 Guitarist Segovia Light 41 Historic German art school

100 “La ___ Bonita” (Madonna hit) 102 Financial guru Suze 103 Adages 107 End of many hotel names 108 Perfume oil from petals 109 Part of TNT 110 Martial art with slow movements 112 Free app that frequently prompts you to pay 115 New York Times headline from 50 years ago on 7/21/69, and a hint to five two-row arrangements in this puzzle 118 Served ice cream 119 “Insecure” actress 120 Like Eric the Red 121 Beliefs 122 Encouraging 123 Add on

78 Brit’s “Good job!” (last word) 81 Princes, e.g. 83 Multinational financial corp. 84 Italia’s continent (Jupiter) 85 Blazing 88 Popular show recorder 90 JFK overseer 93 Did an outdoor chore 94 His face appears on many masks (first word) 96 Steering wheel attachment 99 The Little Mermaid (Uranus)

Krissy Mahon handed out programs and welcomed members of the community to Castleview.

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.

“GRC GS EPC EPZRFO EPLE ECJJCH LRK Z LHC GDOCOOCK YZEP ... ZO EPC KZSSCHCRBC DCEYCCR SLRELON LRK HCLJZEN.” –XCRR MZJJCEEC “VHTOYOHFP HJC SDC VEPS DEFCPS RCERNC OF SDC XEJNL. SDCK SCNN KEB SDCK’JC TEOFT SE ZEEN KEB HFL SDCF SDCK LE OS.” –UHVCP JHFLO Puzzle Two Clue: X equals W

tudents and families were welcomed to Castleview Elementary with fanfare for the first time Thursday, July 25, during the school’s sneak peek. The Windermere High drumline played outside of the school and the football team directed parking. Inside, families had the chance to go on tours around the school and meet some of the teachers. Incoming Dragons were stationed at different spots around the school to share fun facts and introduce their classmates to the new school.

Puzzle One Clue: B equals C

Introducing Castleview Elementary S

SUDOKU

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Benjamin Shane Warren, 68, passed away Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in Winter Garden, Florida, after a long battle with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. Ben was born Sept. 5, 1950, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to John A. Warren and Helen B. Warren (Palmer), who preceded him in death. He leaves behind his brother, Edward A. Warren, and sisterin-law, Betsy L. Warren, of Winter Garden; and brother, Gary L. Warren, of Benton Harbor, Michigan. Ben also was very close to his extended family, including many nieces, nephews and cousins. Ben was like a father to Tommy Colburn of Kansas City, Missouri, and helped to raise his nephew and niece, Jonathon Warren and Elizabeth Allen, during their teenage years. Ben had been a resident of the

Orlando area since 1997, when he began an early retirement. Prior to moving here, he worked for Whirlpool Corporation in St. Joseph, Michigan, as a crane operator and for Premier Diecast in Bridgman, Michigan, as a forklift driver and trim press operator. Ben loved to watch baseball, especially the Tampa Bay Rays games. He was an avid dog and cat lover. His Celebration of Life was held Saturday, July 27, in Winter Garden, Florida.

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Cookie, and for the last yearand-a-half, his companion, Jettie, who always kept his spirits high and was his constant lunch and dinner partner. The viewing was from 5 to 6 p.m. and the service was from 6 to 7 p.m., Thursday, July 25, both at DeGusipe Funeral Home & Crematory – West Orange Chapel, 1400 Matthew Paris Blvd., Ocoee.

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Danny R. Blevins, 68, passed away Saturday, July 20, 2019, at ORMC. He was born June 1, 1951, in Saltville, Virginia, to Ralph and Dorothy Blevins. He lived in Sidney, Ohio, for more than 20 years before moving to Florida in 1980. He lived in Winter Garden for 39 years. Danny married his wife, Vickie Sue Blevins, on Aug. 1, 1969, and they were together for 49 years before she passed away in May 2015. They had three children, Mike, Tony and Russ Blevins. He worked for 31 years at Winter Garden Citrus Co-Op, retiring in 2009. Danny was loved by his siblings, Harvey, Gary, Dave and Patty; his 10 grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren. Danny enjoyed spending time with his family and his dog,

AUGUST 1, 2019

HIGH

SPORTS

Sasha Vallabhaneni is growing as a tennis player at Windermere Prep. Page 14.

Dr. Phillips High School added a new member to its coaching staff, as Jerry Updike was named the new head coach of the boys varsity golf team Wednesday, July 24.

2 Troy Herring

Meagan Goldsmith shines at the USRowing National Championship in Bethel, Ohio.

Golden Goldsmith Meagan Goldsmith took home first place in the U19 8+ event with her USRowing Junior National Team. TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

hen Meagan Goldsmith takes to the water, she smiles. It’s not that she is particularly happy — it is fairly early in the morning — but it helps her deal with what lies ahead on the water. Each rower has his or her own way of preparing at the USRowing National Championship, and this is hers. “You sit there for 30 seconds — just sitting there — and the officials are just looking, for some reason, at something,” said Goldsmith, a student at West Orange

High and member of the Orlando Area Rowing Society. “We’re all in line, everyone is just sitting there and it’s dead silent, and so smiling just helps me relax a lot. “There are even a couple of pictures of me sitting at the starting line just smiling,” she said. “No one else is ever smiling there and it’s just me trying to catch my breath and just relax a little and get ready to start.” From July 9 to 14, Goldsmith participated in multiple races a day, but on this day — Thursday, July 11 — she was rowing for first place in the Women’s U19 8+ event on Harsha Lake in Bethel, Ohio. The stress of the race itself is a

lot to take in, but it was made even more stressful because of the fact that Goldsmith’s U17 Development Camp team was made up of 15- and 16-year-olds, compared to the rest of the field of 17-, 18and 19-year-olds. The confusing development all started when USRowing contacted the team’s coach — telling him that the U17 could only participate in the U19 event. “We were pretty nervous going into it,” Goldsmith said. “Going into it we were like, ‘OK we’re not really expecting to win or anything — we are so young compared to all of these other girls SEE ROWING PAGE 14

Windermere LL softball falls short

A strong push by the 10-12 All-Star team ended with a tough 2-1 loss.

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

File photo

Despite a tough loss to end the season in regional play, the WLL 10-12 AllStar team takes pride in still being the best in Florida.

All good things must come to an end, and for Windermere’s hometown team that was unfortunately the case on Sunday, July 28. After going 2-1 at the Little League Southeast Regional in Warner Robins, Georgia, the Windermere Little League 10-12 AllStar softball team saw its season

end with a 2-1 loss at the hands of a feisty West Virginia team. The game came down to tough pitching from both teams, which WLL just couldn’t overcome. “Their pitcher was really solid — her ball was moving quite a bit and we couldn’t time it up until the very end of the game when we came back through the order and SEE WLL PAGE 14

The Rosen Jewish Community Center will be putting on its pop squad camp from Aug. 5 to 9. The camp will teach campers (first through eighth grades) dance, cheers and other aspects of cheerleading. Tuition is $230, or $205 for JCC members. For more information go to rosenjcc.org.

Dr. P. Phillips YMCA will be putting on its last basketball summer camp of the year next week from Aug. 5 to 9. The camp is for children in fourth through sixth grades, and will teach campers the basic fundamentals of basketball, including dribbling, shooting, defense and passing. Tuition is $185 for members and $310 for non-members. For more information email srennert@cfymca.ord.

The Gilchrist Golf Academy summer camp is going into its last weekly session (Aug. 5 to 10) next week. The camp, held at Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-In-The-Hills, provides an interactive learning environment for junior golfers to learn how to improve their golf game. For more information contact (866) 6399099.

Dr. P. Phillips YMCA will be putting on its final multi-sport summer camp next week from Aug. 5 to 9. The camp is for children in first through third grades, and campers will get the chance to enjoy flag football, soccer, basketball and other fun sports. Tuition is $185 for members and $310 for non-members. For more information email srennert@cfymca.ord.

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

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Rowing to victory at Nationals

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Sasha Vallabhaneni The game of tennis has been a part of Sasha Vallabhaneni’s life since she was 6 years old. The rising seventh grader at Windermere Prep trains with Orlando Tennis Academy and played her first year of tennis as a Laker last season.

When did you first get into tennis? We had a tennis coach come to my neighborhood — she was teaching a girl, and I said, “I want to do that.”

THE BASICS

SPORTS: Tennis SCHOOL: Windermere Prep GRADE: Rising seventh grader TRAINS WITH: Orlando Tennis Academy Dominant hand: Right AGE: 12

What’s been your favorite thing about playing tennis? I just like how it’s a sport that you can play for a long time. I like everything about it, I guess. I like playing single sports — I don’t like playing team sports.

and practices with all the other girls and guys. It was really fun.

What’s the hardest thing about playing tennis? My backhand. It’s just not my best thing to do. In a game I can do backhand, but it’s just not the best of my strokes.

What was your favorite thing that you took away from last season? I really got to know — especially the girl I played doubles with — how each other person plays and really helped each other. If someone was not so good at something, then someone else would step in and help, and we are all always very supportive of each other.

Is there a moment that stands out for you? When I was playing a match, it was the sixth set and I was down 4-1 and I came back up and won the game. That’s what I like about it — even if you’re really not doing well, you can still win the game, even if it’s 5-1. You can always change the game anytime.

Is there anything going into next season that you’re looking to work on? I’m more of a singles person than a doubles, so my doubles is not the best, because I’m always with a different person. I feel like I could work better with my partner in doubles, so if I can get a good partner and we really understand what both of us are good at, then we can really work it out and win some games.

What are the best words of advice you’ve been given when it comes to tennis? Don’t think about the opponent on the other side, just worry about you and your technique, and pretend that you’re just playing with a coach and you’ll be fine. If you think there is an opponent there, it can make you more nervous.

Do you have any goals for yourself? I started this game as just something I did as a hobby, and now I’m playing it as an actual sport and going to competitions and everything. I would like to play a lot more games and be consistent.

Last season was your first year on the Windermere Prep tennis team. How did that go? It was fun — I really liked going to games

What do you like to do in your spare time? I mean I do tennis a lot, and I also play another sport — I also do swimming — so those two occupy most of my time. But I like playing with my dog and playing with friends. — TROY HERRING

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

who have so much more racing experience than us.’” The doubt that had built up leading up to the race would end up being completely unfounded. In fact, instead of their age being a detriment, it actually worked in their favor, Goldsmith said. Early on in the race, Goldsmith and the team got out to a fast start and they never once looked back. With a time of 6:32.507, the U17 Development Camp boat finished out in front a solid 3.4 seconds ahead of the secondplace finisher — a huge margin of difference. “We really dominated by being younger,” Goldsmith said. “That race, everyone in my boat agreed that was the fastest race — and the fastest boat — that any of us had ever been in, and it was just so perfect throughout the entire race. “It was one of those feelings that, as a rower, you always try

to get in a boat, but it doesn’t always happen,” she said. “We finished that race and everyone was just so happy, because of how perfect the entire way down the race course was. There was never a point in that race when anyone had given up mentally or dropped off power … it was just ‘go go go’ the entire way down.” Goldsmith had only a short time to celebrate that morning, as she and everyone else still had an afternoon race to compete in, but it was a highlight moment for a week defined by an exhaustive schedule. Every day she’d find herself getting up early in the morning to compete in the first race before taking a break prior to the second race that would occur later in the day. It was a grind, but Goldsmith knew she just had to deal with it the best she could. “I always just kind of push through it, because I knew that if I pushed through it, my teammates would push through it

WLL eliminated from SE regional CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

we were able to finally start hitting,” said Rex Smith, the team’s head coach. “It was too little, too late, but that’s what every game when we were there came down to — one or two hits.” The lone run would come off of the bat of Lexi King, who singled in a run off of a line drive in the top of the sixth to cut West Virginia’s lead to one run. Unfortunately, however, that would be all the scoring WLL could muster. In the circle, King once again threw a dandy of a game, giving up only two runs on four hits through five innings, while striking out five — a common theme throughout the team’s run. Despite the heartbreak of having your season come to an end in such a tough way, there was something to be said about the mental fortitude shown by every player, Smith said. “The great thing from that — the big takeaway that I have — is that those girls were fighting until the very, very last out was called,” Smith said. The girls of the 10-12 All-Star team fought tooth and nail the whole tournament, which was something that hadn’t happened in both sectionals and states. Here in Florida, the team dominated left and right, but things changed when WLL took the field for its first game on Thursday, July 25, against Georgia.

Under those bright lights, you could definitely sense some apprehension in the dugout, Smith said. “There were definitely nerves all around from all the different girls on our team, especially our first game on Thursday night,” Smith said. “The atmosphere and the number of people watching, and the number of people there … it’s just very intimidating to walk down there and be on the field in front of so many people.” That game would end up being a total pitcher’s duel that saw Lexi go six full innings, striking out 10 batters and giving up two hits and no runs. Meanwhile, the lone run for WLL came off of the bat of Cami Pini, who singled to right, scoring Sophie Shaik for the 1-0 victory. The following day, on Friday, July 26, WLL would find itself in a similar situation, though unfortunately it was North Carolina who prevailed in a 1-0 win. “Everybody was really upbeat, because we felt like we didn’t play our best that game,” Smith said. “We all were very confident we could beat that North Carolina team, and so we just immediately talked about the path to get back to the championship game.” That path led WLL straight

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into an elimination game against South Carolina on Saturday, July 27, and this time there would be offense in what would become a stressful game. After taking a 5-0 lead in the first two innings — thanks to strong hitting from players like Aly Henry and Hailey Seymour — things seemed to be going well, before South Carolina rallied for five runs over the span of the fourth and fifth innings. But with the game tied up, in the bottom of the seventh inning, Lauren Rifenburg answered the call when she grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring home Aly from third to seal up the 6-5 win. The win pushed WLL on to the matchup against West Virginia, but that’s when time would expire in yet another pitcher’s duel. It was tough for the girls, not only because it means no more softball, but because it also means that they won’t be able to spend as much time with one another. “Obviously they want to play competitive softball, but being able to spend as much time together and the relationship that they all made this summer,” Smith said. “These girls are going to have some great memories that they’re going to be talking about for a long time.”

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too — throughout all the races,” Goldsmith said. “I couldn’t back out of racing, so I just had to go in with a positive mindset or else I’d probably just collapse.” It’s also a matter of taking in the moment while she could, considering when she first started she never expected to be competing on the national level — though she has already done it on multiple occasions now. For the girl who first got into the sport back in middle school — thanks in part to watching her older sister compete — Goldsmith has a lot to look forward to in the water as a rower, but that’s only a small part of the big picture for her. “The ultimate end goal is to improve myself as a person, and then help all the girls around me get better at rowing and see what I see in the sport, because I’m so in love with rowing,” Goldsmith said. “I just want so many people to experience what I feel as I’m racing.”

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Enroll in a branch by August 30, 2019. Business owner? Ask about our business savings rates. Offers available in CT, DE, FL, NJ, NY, and PA. Portfolio by Wells Fargo® customers are eligible to receive an additional bonus interest rate on these accounts.3 1. To qualify for the advertised APY, you must enroll your new or existing Platinum Savings account in this offer between 07/08/2019 and 08/30/2019 by speaking to a banker and requesting the special rate. Offer is subject to change at any time, without notice, and is available only to Platinum Savings customers in the following states: CT, DE, FL, NJ, NY, PA. In order to earn the Special Interest Rate of 1.98% (Special Rate), you must deposit $25,000 in new money to the enrolled savings account and maintain a minimum daily account balance of $25,000 throughout the promotional interest rate period. “New money” is money from sources outside of the customer’s current relationship with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates (which includes all deposit, brokerage and loan/credit accounts). The corresponding Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for this offer is 2.00%. The Special Rate will be applied to the enrolled savings account for a period of 12 months, starting on the date the account is enrolled in the offer. However, for any day during that 12 month period that the daily account balance is less than the $25,000, the enrolled account will not be eligible for the Special Rate and will instead earn the applicable Standard Interest Rate for a Platinum Savings account. As of 05/31/2019, the Standard Interest Rate and APY for a Platinum Savings account in CT, FL, NJ and NY with an account balance of $0.01 and above is 0.05% (0.05% APY); and for a Platinum Savings account in DE and PA with an account balance of $0.01 to $99,999.99 is 0.05% (0.05% APY) and with an account balance of $100,000 and above is 0.10% (0.10% APY). Each tier shown reflects the current minimum daily collected balance required to obtain the applicable APY. Interest is compounded daily and paid monthly. The amount of interest earned is based on the daily collected balances in the account. Upon the expiration of the 12 month promotional period, then-current Standard Interest Rates apply. Minimum to open a Platinum Savings account is $25. A monthly service fee of $12 applies in any month the account falls below a $3,500 minimum daily balance. Fees may reduce earnings. Interest rates are variable and subject to change without notice. Wells Fargo may limit the amount you deposit to a Platinum Savings account to an aggregate of $1 million. 2. Available in-branch only; you must speak with a banker to request the special rate. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is effective for accounts opened between 07/08/2019 and 08/30/2019 and requires a minimum of $25,000 in new money brought to Wells Fargo. “New money” is money from sources outside of the customer’s current relationship with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates (which includes deposit, brokerage and loan/credit accounts). Public Funds and Wholesale accounts are not eligible for this offer. APY assumes interest remains on deposit until maturity. Interest is compounded daily. Payment of interest on CDs is based on term: For terms less than 12 months (365 days), interest may be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or at maturity (the end of the term). For terms of 12 months or more, interest may be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. A penalty for early withdrawal will be imposed and could reduce earnings on this account. Special Rates are applicable to the initial term of the CD only. At maturity, the special rate CD will automatically renew for a term of 6 months, at the interest rate and APY in effect for CDs on renewal date not subject to a Special Rate, unless the Bank has notified you otherwise. 1., 2. Due to the new money requirement, new accounts may only be opened at your local branch and you must speak to a banker to request the special rate offers for both new and existing accounts. Wells Fargo reserves the right to modify or discontinue the offer at any time without notice. Minimum new money deposit requirement of at least $25,000 is for this offer only and cannot be transferred to another account to qualify for any other consumer deposit offer. If you wish to take advantage of another consumer deposit offer requiring a minimum new money deposit, you will be required to do so with another new money deposit as stated in the offer requirements and qualifications. Offer cannot be: • Combined with any other consumer deposit offer. • Reproduced, purchased, sold, transferred, or traded. 3. The Portfolio by Wells Fargo program has a $30 monthly service fee, which can be avoided when you have one of the following qualifying balances: $25,000 or more in qualifying linked bank deposit accounts (checking, savings, CDs, FDIC-insured IRAs) or $50,000 or more in any combination of qualifying linked banking, brokerage (available through Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC) and credit balances (including 10% of mortgage balances, certain mortgages not eligible). If the Portfolio by Wells Fargo relationship is terminated, the bonus interest rate on all eligible savings accounts, and discounts or fee waivers on other products and services, will discontinue and revert to the Bank’s then-current applicable standard interest rate or fee. For bonus interest rates on time accounts, this change will occur upon renewal. If the Portfolio by Wells Fargo relationship is terminated, the remaining unlinked Wells Fargo Portfolio Checking or Wells Fargo Prime Checking account will be converted to another checking product or closed. © 2019 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Deposit products offered by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

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