12.01.17 Winter Park/Maitland Observer by Orange Observer

WINTER PARK/MAITLAND

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See inside for our exclusive preview of hoops season. SEE PAGE 16

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 29, NO. 48

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Farewell, Coach Harry Livengood built a legacy of helping students grow at Winter Park High. 2.

YOUR TOWN SANTA SIGHTINGS The city of Winter Park is preparing to welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus to the city on the evenings of Monday, Dec. 11, through Thursday, Dec. 14, and Monday, Dec. 18.

Anchors away Commission OKs library naming policy

Mingle with Old St. Nick as he rides through these neighborhoods: n Monday, Dec. 11: Shady Park at 6:30 p.m.; Israel Simpson Court at 6:45 p.m.; and Winter Park Country Club at 7:30 p.m. n Tuesday, Dec. 12: Lake Knowles, east side at 6:30 p.m.; and Phelps Park at 7:30 p.m. n Wednesday, Dec. 13: Brookshire Elementary at 6:15 p.m.; Lakemont Fire Station 62 at 7:15 p.m.; and Genius and Mizell avenues at 8 p.m. n Thursday, Dec. 14: The Park at Orwin Manor at 6 p.m.; Briarwood Drive at 6:45 p.m.; Harland Park (Blueridge Road) at 7:30 p.m.; and Chelton Circle at 8 p.m. n Monday, Dec. 18: DePugh Nursing Center at 6:30 p.m.; and Margaret Square at 7:30 p.m.

Winter Park will use the policy to boost funding for the new library/event center. TIM FREED ASSOCIATE EDITOR

What’s in a name? For the city of Winter Park, it could be a boost in funding for one of the city’s biggest projects of the past several years. Winter Park City Commissioners voted Monday, Nov. 27, to create a new funding source for the new library/event center planned for Martin Luther King Jr. Park. A new donor naming policy for the project’s buildings and various indoor and outdoor spaces would help the Winter SEE NAMING PAGE 4

BLACK Photos by Troy Herring

A hat commemorating the naming of the USS Delbert D. Black was given to Ima to celebrate the new ship.

The U.S. Navy remembers former Winter Parker and Master Chief Petty Officer Delbert Black with a ship dedication. SEE STORY PAGE 4 A photo of Master Chief Petty Officer Delbert Black sits among other items on the table on Ima’s table.

TIE

GOLDEN GALA Florida Hospital celebrates. SEE 14-15

WINTER PARK / MAITLAND OBSERVER

YOUR CALENDAR

FRIDAY, DEC. 1

WINTER ON THE AVENUE 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, at Central Park along Park Avenue, Winter Park. The holiday street party will include a flurry of activities from 5 to 10 p.m. along Park Avenue and in Central Park. The annual tree lighting ceremony at dusk will include performances by children’s choirs, and children’s activities. For more information, call (407) 599-3399.

SATURDAY, DEC. 2

“YE OLDE HOMETOWN” CHRISTMAS PARADE 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, along Park Avenue, Winter Park. Hosted by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, the 65th annual Winter Park “Ye Olde Hometown” Christmas Parade is Central Florida’s longest running Christmas Parade. (407) 644-8281.

MONDAY, DEC. 4

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH MAUREEN MCGOVERN 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 526 N. Park Ave., Winter Park. Homeless Heart presents national recording artist and multiple Grammy nominee Maureen McGovern for a concert benefiting the Family Promise of Greater Orlando. General admission is $30 and preferred seating is $50. For more, visit homelessheart.org. ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION CENTRAL FLORIDA GUEST SPEAKER: DR. GRANT CORNWELL 3:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, at the University Club of Winter Park, 841 N. Park Ave., Winter Park. The English-Speaking Union Central Florida Branch Meeting will host Dr. Grant Cornwell,

OrangeObserver.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

President of Rollins College. His is topic is “On Purpose: Liberal Education and the Question of Value.” There will be a reception at 3:30 p.m., and the program will begin at 4 p.m. The public is welcome. If you have any questions or need additional information, email barbarahughes954@gmail.com or call (321) 279-1133.

THURSDAY, DEC. 7

39TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, in Central Park along Park Avenue, Winter Park. The Morse Museum and the city of Winter Park once again will help launch the holiday season by lighting Tiffany windows in Central Park and presenting the Bach Festival Choir and Brass. For more information, call (407) 646-2182.

SUNDAY, DEC. 10

MAITLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S “A PICTURE PERFECT CHRISTMAS” 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at Maitland Presbyterian Church, 341 N. Orlando Ave., Maitland. Guest performer Joshua Messick is a National Hammered Dulcimer Champion performing premier selections with the MSO: “The First Snowfall” and “Blue Ridge Sunrise.” (321) 303-1404.

SATURDAY, DEC. 16

A CLASSIC CHRISTMAS 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, and Sunday, Dec. 17, at Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park. The tradition continues. Hear Christmas classics performed by the Bach Festival Choir, Youth Choir and Orchestra. Tickets from $25. For more, call (407) 646-2182.

Remembering Coach TIM FREED ASSOCIATE EDITOR

There may not have been a more loyal coach than Harry Livengood of Winter Park High School. Just ask his former coaching partner — and student — Johnny Miller, who coaches Winter Park football today. Winter Park lost a beloved figure in its sports history as former assistant football coach and head baseball coach Mr. Livengood died Wednesday, Nov. 1. He was 87. Mr. Livengood left a mark on Winter Park High that stretched 29 years — working not only as a coach but also as a teacher at the school. The U.S. Army vet and graduate of Wabash College first joined Winter Park High in 1971, serving as an assistant football coach during head coach Larry Gergley’s historic tenure. He helped lead the Wildcats to multiple metro, district and regional titles, and was a part of the staff that helped Gergley win 200 games — the first head coach to do so in Central Florida and the second in the state. Mr. Livengood was inducted into the Winter Park High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. The coach is remembered for his positivity and ability to get players fired up to make a play, said Miller, who played as an offensive and defensive lineman with the class of 1975. “I would consider Coach Livengood a player’s coach, which means he was very close to a lot

LADY BIRD

of players and helped them not only in school but with problems at home and things like that,” Miller said. “Harry was just always a positive person. He never said anything negative to kids. … Whenever you were down, he was there to pat you on the back. Whenever you made a mistake he was there to say ‘Hey, you’ve got another play to go.’” Mr. Livengood also pushed his players to succeed on the baseball diamond as the head coach. He built an overall record with the team of 85-311 and captured several district and regional championships. It was a similar story of pushing students to be their best in the classroom, as Mr. Livengood taught marketing and DECA — a class where students could learn how to work and how to get a job all while earning credit toward their high-school diploma. Ronnie Moore, Winter Park’s assistant director for Parks and Recreation, attended that class while playing as a defensive end and offensive guard on the football team. “(I had a) single mom,” Moore said. “(The class) got

me in the job world and gave me a part-time job during the school year where I could help out at home. Coach Livengood was kind of a father figure to me. He coached the defensive line and he also took me under his wing.” Miller attended Mr. Livengood’s class as well and has since enjoyed a successful career with the city of Winter Park running special events. He also had the chance to coach alongside Mr. Livengood from 1980 up until his mentor’s retirement in 2000. “He was one of the people that taught me and would be a mentor of mine,” Miller said. “He taught me how to deal with kids and to give to the kid, because a lot of times coaches are the kid’s only parent, only dad or only adult. (I learned) to accept that role and be a role model for the kids.” When looking over Mr. Livengood’s 29-year legacy at Winter Park High School, another word comes to mind: loyalty, Miller said. “He committed to do something for 29 years,” Miller said. “That’s teaching and coaching at a high-school environment for 29 years — to be loyal to a head coach, to be loyal to “He’s a person that a school. That doesn’t happen anymore.” touched the lives of “That’s what we try to teach people — commit to what a lot of kids. A lot of you’re committed to and give it people will miss Harry. everything you’ve got,” he said. “He’s a person that touched the lives of a lot of kids. A lot We’ll miss coach.” of people will miss Harry. We’ll — Johnny Miller miss coach.”

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OrangeObserver.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Looking for a way to help during the holidays?

he holidays mean a season of giving and gener-

osity, and there’s plenty of worthy causes like food and toy drives to support. Looking to help another family

IF YOU GO

Christmas comes

to Winter Park The city will celebrate the holidays this weekend with a tree lighting, pancake breakfast and annual Christmas parade. TROY HERRING ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Put down the Thanksgiving leftovers and brace yourself for Winter Park’s upcoming holiday bonanza. As is tradition, this weekend is the annual celebration of Christmas, and the city is bringing all the sights and sounds of the holiday with a tree-lighting ceremony, pancake breakfast and the 65th annual “Ye Olde Hometown” Christmas Parade. “What’s really important in Winter Park is that there are a whole bunch of people committed to making sure that sacred traditions remain that way,” said Betsy Gardner Eckbert, president and CEO of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. “It’s really important for us to do the things that we do that make us different, and I think having a tiny parade with lots of Girls Scouts, and marching bands and lots of community organizations is a really important way for us to all gather around what is great about Winter Park and celebrate it.” The weekend will kick off with the lighting of a new digital tree at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, in Central Park, followed by a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus from 6:30 to

8 p.m. for photos and wishlists. Those taking in the night’s festivities also will be able to enjoy shopping on Park Avenue, and carolers will sing holiday classics up and down the Avenue. Saturday’s fun kicks off early at 7 a.m. with the annual pancake breakfast, hosted by Leadership Winter Park, at the Central Park stage. Then, the highlight of the weekend will begin at 9 a.m., when the “Ye Olde Hometown” Christmas Parade steps off. The parade, which will start at Cole Avenue and run south where it will end at Lyman Avenue, will include 90 participants — including marching bands from local high schools, Girl Scouts, local fire and police departments, community leaders, and, of course, Santa. With the annual parade well into its sixth decade, the event has become a family tradition that has transcended multiple generations. “This is a parade that, because it has gone on so long, you’ve got maybe three generations of fami-

WINTER ON THE AVENUE WHEN: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 WHERE: Central Park along Park Avenue, Winter Park DETAILS: This holiday street party will include a flurry of activities from 5 to 10 p.m. along Park Avenue and in Central Park. The annual tree lighting ceremony at dusk will include performances by children’s choirs and children’s activities. 65TH ANNUAL “YE OLDE HOMETOWN” CHRISTMAS PARADE WHEN: 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 WHERE: Park Avenue, Winter Park DETAILS: Hosted by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, the 65th annual Winter Park “Ye Olde Hometown” Christmas Parade is Central Florida’s longest running Christmas parade. Join the tradition of marching down historic Park Avenue spreading holiday cheer.

lies that were in the parade — they remember being in the parade themselves, they were a parent watching their kid in the parade and now there are grandparents watching their grandchild in the parade,” Gardner Eckbert said. “And I think having the ability to do that, and connect with your own childhood memory or your own children’s childhood memories, and certainly your grandchild’s childhood memories is one of the really big connective tissue pieces that makes Winter Park so special.”

have a happy holiday? Here’s a list of some local charity efforts happening in your community. WINTER PARK

HOLIDAY HELPING OTHERS DRIVE WHEN: Donations are due by Dec. 19. WHERE: Winter Park Police Department, 500 N. Virginia Drive, Winter Park. DETAILS: The Winter Park Police Department is hosting the Holiday Helping Others Drive, and is looking for food, toiletry items and toys (new only please). Donation recommendations include non-perishable canned goods, cereal, cake mixes, readyto-eat meals, Hamburger Helper, pasta, rice, dried beans, snack foods, granola bars, juices and meal supplements. Toiletry items needed include shampoo, soap, deodorant, lotion, tissues, toilet paper and toothpaste. Finally, the police department is looking for board games, dolls, bikes, crafts and coloring books. INFORMATION: (407) 599-3301 or (407) 599-3507 CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE WHEN: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 WHERE: Winter Park Presbyterian Church, 400 S. Lakemont Ave., Winter Park DETAILS: Every year, the congregation donates to children in need. Donated items will be collected during both services this weekend. Suggested items include toys, children’s clothing, blankets, and diapers. INFORMATION: Rachel Myers, myers.rachel58@gmail.com

CHRISTMAS TOY COLLECTION WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 3, and Monday, Dec. 4 WHERE: St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 526 N. Park Ave. Winter Park. DETAILS: This year, 340 families with 436 children have requested assistance. Bring a new $20 unwrapped toy or book(s) to the Family Life Center before Mass. Choose not to bring dolls, stuffed animals and avoid all guns and violent toys when making your toy selections. Volunteers are also needed to sort, set up, run and clean up the Christmas Store from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, and 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5. INFORMATION: Anne Domescek, stores@stmargaretmary.org or (407) 252-3926

MAITLAND

JINGLE RUN WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 9 WHERE: RDV Sportsplex, 8701 Maitland Summit Boulevard, Orlando DETAILS: RDV Sportsplex’s second annual Jingle Run, open to the public, is a 5K benefitting the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Joe R. Lee branch in Eatonville. Participants at the “Jingle Run” are encouraged to arrive decked out in Santa hats, jingle bells or fun holiday costumes. Registration is $35. INFORMATION: runsignup.com/ rdvjinglerun NEW HOPE FOR KIDS HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 4 to 8 and Dec. 11 to 14; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 15 to 17. WHERE: New Hope for Kids, 544 Mayo Ave., Maitland DETAILS: New Hope for Kids’ goal each holiday season is to help provide gifts to the children and families in its grief and wish programs. Visit any Central Florida Panera Bread, where you will find trees with special New Hope for Kids gift request tags. Donations may be taken, unwrapped, back to the location from which you got your tag, or may be brought to the New Hope building. INFORMATION: newhopeforkids. org/toydrive/toydrive-wishlist

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OrangeObserver.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Legacy lives on

WINTER PARK/MAITLAND

Observer “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.”

TROY HERRING

Friedrich Hayek

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944

t all started five to six years ago with a phone call. The voice on the other end came from the office of the Department of the Navy, and there was a man who was interested in speaking with Ima Black — a Winter Parker living in the Mayflower Retirement Community. The voice belonged to Ray Mabus, who at the time was serving as Secretary of the Navy. “They said, ‘The secretary of the Navy is on the line and would like to talk with you,’ and I said, ‘the secretary of the Navy wants to speak to me?,’” Black said. “After I fainted and picked myself off the floor, he said, ‘We are going to build this great big beautiful ship, and we are going to name it the USS Delbert D. Black DDG 119.” Since that phone call, Black has watched as the ship dedicated to her late husband has been worked on. Most recently, she participated in a christening for the Navy destroyer Nov. 4 in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The next step for the ship, once construction is done, is the final commissioning, which is scheduled for some time in 2019, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. MILITARY MEETING

The dedication of the new ship to Mr. Black, who died in 2000, is recognition for a man who was a part of the Greatest Generation, and who become a pivotal figure in the U.S. Navy. On the day of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, back on Dec. 7, 1941, Delbert enlisted into the Navy

Publisher / Jackie Fanara, jfanara@OrangeObserver.com Executive Editor / Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com Associate Publisher / Tracy Craft, tcraft@OrangeObserver.com Design Editor / Jessica Eng, jeng@OrangeObserver.com Associate Editor / Troy Herring, therring@OrangeObserver.com Associate Editor / Tim Freed, Troy Herring

Ima Black was proud to attend the christening ceremony in Mississippi.

right out of high school, becoming a gunner’s mate on the USS Maryland. He spent the next four years on that ship, fighting the Axis in the South Pacific. During the war, Ima Black was a civilian working in a drugstore before a Navy recruiter approached her about becoming part of Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. “I knew this was an answer to my prayer, because I always wanted to see the world — I knew there was a big world out there,” Black said. After doing some basic training at Hunter College in New York, Ima Black was put into the role of storekeeper in Washington, D.C., at the Navy Exchange — where her duties included cashier work. It was in Washington, after finishing her stint in the Navy, where Ima Black first saw Mr. Black, who was playing in a basketball game “We were sitting in the stands, and I looked down at the basketball players, and I whispered to my girlfriends, ‘I like No. 13 — I like his legs,’” she said. “And he had a shipmate that sat (behind) him and he heard me say that, so

Naming policy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Park Public Library pay for their $2.5 million portion of the new facility’s cost. The policy also would help pay for several unexpected features added to the project’s conceptual design, including a rooftop venue on top of the event center and an outdoor amphitheater on Lake Mendsen. A donor must contribute at least 50% of the cost for the library building or the events center to obtain naming rights. Other features such as the rooftop venue on the events center and the outdoor amphitheater require 100% of the cost. But some members of the City Commission had heartburn about giving only the mayor, the city

manager and the library’s board of trustees the final say in approving the names. Some believed the commission as a whole should decide, because they all answer to the residents. “We approve everything in this community,” Commissioner Sarah Sprinkel said. “I do believe we should have some kind of oversight.” City Manager Randy Knight said the city wants to avoid the ordeal of approving names in a meeting — a process that could drive away potential donors, he said. “Donors don’t want to be publicly scrutinized,” Knight said. “That’s what we’re attempting to avoid — that public vote, up or down, on a name.” City commissioners reasoned

he went to my husband to be and told him what I said. So he looked me up — he knew what office I was in — and so he came over … and that’s how we met.” It didn’t take long after that for Ima and Delbert to say their “I dos” as they married in 1949. HONORING MR. BLACK

Although Ima Black left the Navy, Mr. Black continued as a career military man, where he logged in 30 years of service — 21 of which was sea duty. Throughout those many years of service, Mr. Black received his fair share of medals and recognition, but the biggest came in 1967 when he became the U.S. Navy’s first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy — a non-commissioned rank held by the most senior enlisted member of the U.S. Navy. “This office represents the enlisted forces of the Navy, and it was created because the enlisted forces didn’t have a voice in Washington — they needed a spokesperson,” Ima Black said. “This was before the computer and the

they should have control in the cost percentages for the naming policy and whether exceptions can be made. City Attorney Kurt Ardaman suggested changes to the policy language to help appease the City Commission: clarifying the library board of trustees “has naming authority” instead of “retains final naming authority.” New language also states exceptions of naming costs may be recommended by the city manager for approval by the City Commission. Following those changes, commissioners gave unanimous approved of the naming policy. “In everything we do in the dais, we have to have a little faith in one another,” Mayor Steve Leary said. “I expect Randy Knight to be in communication with the City Commission about this item.”

Black Tie Editor / Danielle Hendrix,

cellphone — communication was correspondence mostly then, so he traveled a lot, and what he did was take information to the units he visited. And then he, in turn, found out what some of their problems were, and he brought those issues back to the policymakers.” Some of those complaints made it to the House Committee on Armed Services, which resulted in policy changes, she said. Thinking back on Mr. Black’s many years acting as the voice of the enlisted men in the Navy, along with being a loving husband, Ima Black has spent a lot of time reflecting on this several-year journey. “It is an unbelievable honor,” Black said. “The ceremony was Saturday, so we did a dry run on Friday, and the first thing I did is I went over to the ship and kissed it. “I just wanted to embrace the ship, because I feel like it is a part of my husband,” she said. “As I said in my remarks at the ceremony, I believe that his spirit is anchored in the hull of that ship.”

SPROUTS PLAZA

The Winter Park City Commission also voted on the redevelopment of the old Whole Foods Market/Title Boxing plaza at the corner of Lakemont and Aloma avenues. The project would include a Sprouts Farmers Market and 12,250 feet of retail space. But some residents are concerned about the lack of parking available in the plaza and how traffic affects the surrounding neighborhoods. “Right now, the way it exists, it doesn’t support the customers that want to go there,” resident David Williams said. “Where are all these cars going to go?” Commissioners reasoned the parking spaces on the opposite end of the plaza could be utilized more to help ease the problems. The project met all code requirements, and the commission approved the project unanimously.

Black Tie Reporter / Harry Sayer, hsayer@OrangeObserver.com Creative Services Tony Trotti, ttrotti@OrangeObserver.com Customer Service Representative Allison Brunelle, abrunelle@OrangeObserver.com

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Nothing beats a good book Dear Santa, The gift I most want to give this year is a book. This choice might seem a little odd, but in my perspective, not at all. Reading a book is like traveling into a different world, while sitting on a sofa or chair. A book is a gift you can open again and again.

dhendrix@OrangeObserver.com

TO SUBSCRIBE

CONTEST WINNER Editor’s note: Twelve-year-old Lindsay Baker, a seventh-grader at St. Margaret Mary School in Winter Park, is this year’s winner of our Letter to Santa Contest.

tfreed@OrangeObserver.com

People find similarities with the characters and treat them like old friends when the book is reopened. Some children (and teens) need an adventure right about now. In this world, it’s hard to escape all of our worries. When you read, all your problems float

away. I would like to give that wonderful sensation to a child who really needs it this year. Thank you Santa Claus, for reading this. Please, open a book, and see where it takes you. Say “hello” to the Mrs. for me! Merry Christmas, Lindsay Baker

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Maitland approves raise for city attorney The City Council also authorized a $69,000 design contract to improve Fort Maitland Park. IN OTHER NEWS n The City Council approved a $253,239 budget for the Law Enforcement Forfeiture Trust Fund’s 2017 fiscal year. $247,428 came from federal receipts, while $5,511 came from local receipts. n The council approved $341,846 in emergency portable radios for the Maitland fire department. The new radios and accessories will upgrade the department’s capabilities for the next decade, according to city documents. n The council approved a contract with CPH Inc. to design and prepare a new trail along the ROW of Sandspur and Wymore road that would connect with a proposed pedestrian bridge over Interstate 4. n City Clerk Maria Waldrop was permitted to work as a temporary employee through a staff-leasing firm following her Deferred Retirement Option Program date. Waldrop would be a temporary worker January through July, at which point the city could hire her as a city employee.

HARRY SAYER BLACK TIE REPORTER

Maitland City Council approved a pay raise for the city attorney and made progress on a few local parks during an hourlong meeting Nov. 27. In a lengthy debate, council members discussed the merits of eliminating a retainer provision for City Attorney Cliff Shepard. Shepard has had a retainer of $5,000 per month with an hourly rate of $190 after 40 hours since 2005. According to city documents, this has equated to $125 per hour for the first 40 hours. “The retainer is a frustrating thing for me,” Shepard said. “I literally get less per hour than the associates who work for me because of this discount.” City documents estimate around $32,000 is written off each year through the retainer credit. The proposed retainer’s elimination would make all hours billable at $190. City manager Sharon Anselmo said the proposed rate was well within the pay range of other city attorneys. Although most council members were comfortable eliminating the provision, Councilwoman Bev Reponen had reservations approving the raise without a formal evaluation of Shepard’s services as city

p Earn u

attorney. “I don’t know how to justify an increase in pay … without an evaluation,” Reponen said. Because Shepard is contracted to work with the city rather than being a city employee, he does not have to go through a performance review process such as the city clerk or city manager. Although Shepard was open to a review, council members expressed uncertainty about just who would create such an evaluation and what the grading criteria would be. Anselmo was unsure which other cities evaluated their attorneys. Ultimately, council members said they were satisfied with Shepard’s performance as city attorney and eliminated the retainer provision with Reponen as the only dissenting vote. PARK PROGRESS

The council also approved work on numerous local parks. They authorized a $69,000 design contract to improve Fort Maitland Park. The design is scheduled to be finished in the 2018 fiscal year, pushing plans for a Hill Recreation Park design project back to 2019. The council formally named a proposed park on Fennell Street as Fennell Park. Council members were unsure what “Fennell” in the newly-christened park referred to, so a proviso was added to look into the origins of the name.

Ava Mercer enjoyed some time with Brian, a 3-year-old lab and service dog, during the DogFest Walk N’ Roll.

A day for the dogs

ervice dogs of all shapes and sizes filled Lake Lily Park Nov. 18, as they, and their owners, enjoyed a fun filled day at DogFest Walk N’ Roll Orlando. The event, hosted by the nonprofit Canine Companions, was a celebration of service dogs and the people who lean on them for support. The afternoon featured a variety of events for visitors to take in, including dog games, a “walk n’ roll,” and face painting among other festivities.

Jenny, a cattle dog mix, posed for the camera as she took in dog games.

— TROY HERRING

ONLINE See more photos at OrangeObserver.com

Little Livvie stuck out her tongue as she played a game.

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WINTER PARK / MAITLAND OBSERVER

here are three holiday entertainment events I call the “Holiday Trifecta.” Take your family to these three — Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” (theater), “Amahl and the Night Visitors” (opera) and “The Nutcracker” (ballet) — and you’ve more than done your duty by the holidaze.

‘AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS’

2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 9; 2 p.m. Dec. 10. Opera Orlando, now in its second season, already is calling “Amahl and the Night Visitors” a holiday tradition. Presented in (its original) English, Gian Carlo Menotti’s charming story, inspired by the journey of the Three Kings, was commissioned for television by NBC and was broadcast Dec. 24, 1951, as the debut production of the history-making Hallmark Hall of Fame. The first

JOSH GARRICK

Josh Garrick, a West Orange resident, is a fine-art photographer, writer and curator. He holds a master’s degree in fine arts from Columbia University. He was the first non-Greek artist in history to exhibit in the National Archaeological Museum of Greece. In Orlando, Mayor Buddy Dyer named June 27 as “Josh Garrick Day” in perpetuity.

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opera composed for television in America, 2017 sees Opera Orlando offering a new, stunning production, designed and directed by Grant Preisser. Performed in the Pugh Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center, Music Director Robin Jensen will conduct musicians from the Orlando Philharmonic. For tickets, visit drphillipscenter. org.

tions, music and storytelling to the stage. Dickens’ London comes to life in a new — and different — adaptation of the classic. This brilliant troupe made its name scaring audiences by performing ghost stories at Halloween. Now, it has its hands on a Christmas classic. For tickets, call (407) 476-5121 (Orlando Shakespeare Center); (386) 736-1500 (Athens Theater); or (407) 321-8111 (Wayne Densch Arts Center).

CENTRAL FLORIDA BALLET’S ‘THE NUTCRACKER’

2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec 16; 2 p.m. Dec. 17. “The Nutcracker” gets special treatment by this company, and it has been noticed nationally for its efforts. Merging the classic fairytale with more pyrotechnics (cloud effects and small explosions) than any seen in any ballet before (or since), the Central Florida Ballet will present three performances of its renowned “Nutcracker” at the Orange County Convention Center. Unique to Central Florida, the company consulted with people at the theme parks to create its exciting special effects, leading to a feature in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today and being named “one of five outstanding productions in the entire nation” by CNN Headline News. New this season, Director Vasile Petrutiu announced custom-built sets from Russia. For tickets, visit centralfloridaballet.com.

ORLANDO BALLET’S ‘THE NUTCRACKER’ AND ‘THE NUTCRACKER FAMILY SHOW’

Dec. 21 to 24. The Orlando Ballet’s magical journey to a fantasy world promises the

ONE-MAN PRESENTATION OF ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’

Orlando Ballet will present “The Nutcracker” Dec. 21 to 24.

kind of performance that makes little girls wish to become ballerinas. Including a performance on Christmas Eve, the on-stage Christmas Eve party shows how a gift from her godfather helps Clara grow in courage, poise and, perhaps, the stirrings of “first love.” After a battle with the Mouse King, the toy nutcracker becomes a handsome cavalier who introduces Clara to Mother Ginger, the Sugar Plum Fairy and a host of other characters. Everyone will enjoy the falling snow and candy canes at this holiday classic including a one-hour performance for young audiences (11 a.m. Dec. 23) with activities for children before the show. “‘The Nutcracker’ is an annual holiday tradition for so many families, but also a great opportunity to experience ballet for the first

time,” Artistic Director Robert Hill said. For tickets, visit drphillipscenter.org.

PHANTASMAGORIA’S ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL, A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS’

8 p.m. Dec. 15 and 16; 2 p.m. Dec. 17 (Orlando Shakespeare Center); 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 (Athens Theater, Deland); 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23 (Wayne Densch Arts Center, Sanford). Orlando’s own Victorian Grand Guignol Performance Troupe Phantasmagoria will present the best known and most loved “ghost story” of all time — Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol, a Ghost Story of Christmas” in its own adaptation. This troupe will bring its signature onslaught of theatrical movement, dance, puppetry, projec-

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7:30 p.m. Dec 22 and 23; 2 p.m. Dec. 24. David McElroy, of Southern Winds Theatre, is about to celebrate his 20th year of performing a one-man production of “A Christmas Carol.” Not only is that some kind of performance record, but the great news is that, after seeing the production last season, I can say it is as moving and relevant as it was when Dickens’ fable was first published — 174 years ago. David McElroy is a theatrical tour-de-force as he takes on 37 different characters — with little more than a change of a piece of clothing and/or vocal inflection to define a character. It is a major compliment to say that, during the performance, I often forgot I was watching one person perform all the characters. He is that convincing. This solo interpretation works for both adults and children, and dazzles audiences in the process. Presented at the Blue Bamboo Center, 1905 Kentucky Ave in Winter Park. Call (407) 636-9951 or visit bluebambooartcenter.com.

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HOLIDAY JUBILEE Enjoy ongoing entertainment throughout the holiday season November 17 - December 23

STROLLING DICKEN’S CAROLERS

Friday & Saturday Nights, November 17-23, 6-9pm Dressed as though they stepped straight out of A Christmas Carol, strolling carolers perform beloved holiday classics to delight young and old alike.

VISIT FROM SANTA AND HIS ELF

December 2, 9 and 16 between 2-5pm Catch Santa and his elf as they visit shops throughout the village to spread holiday cheer. Show proof of your Santa sighting by taking a selfie with Santa and post using #WPVJubilee for a chance to win a $100 Brio gift card!

THURSDAY NIGHT

Come join us by the fountain on Thursday evenings between 6 and 9pm to relax and listen to some of Orlando’s finest musicians! Nov. 16: Natalie Fleming Trio • Nov. 30: Lauren C Solo Dec. 7: John H Solo • Dec. 15: Sophisticates Quartet Dec. 21: Z Street Trio

CONCERT SERIES

KIDS CONCERT SERIES

Grab the kiddos for live musical performances just for them! Orlando’s favorite kid-friendly musicians will rock out by the fountain on Saturdays at 2pm. Dec. 2: Mr. Richard and the Pound Hounds Dec. 9: Mr. Harley Children’s Entertainer Dec. 16: Sugarcrash Kids

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Orlando Philharmonic’s Instrument Petting Zoo • Meet Santa and his elf Ornament making courtesy of Crealdé • Cookie decorating by Publix S’more making with REI, and much more!

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Frosted philanthropy Dress for Success Greater Orlando will give its annual cupcake competition a holiday twist at the Winter Park Civic Center Sunday. HARRY SAYER BLACK TIE REPORTER

Dress for Success Greater Orlando is preparing a festive, frosting-filled feast at its Cupcake Challenge this Sunday. The nonprofit’s seventh annual fundraiser, to be held Dec. 3 at the Winter Park Civic

IF YOU GO DRESS FOR SUCCESS GREATER ORLANDO CUPCAKE CHALLENGE WHEN: 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 WHERE: Winter Park Civic Center, 1050 W. Morse Blvd., Winter Park TICKETS: $22 for adults; $12 for kids INFORMATION: greaterorlando.dressforsuccess.org

Center, will feature local bakeries competing to make the tastiest and most lavish cupcakes. Chefs and food bloggers will judge the treats before handing out awards. The tradition started nearly a decade ago — at the height of cupcake mania, said Dress for Success Greater Orlando President Renita Hunt. “A lot of bakeries started popping up (in Florida) that were cupcake-centered,” Hunt said. “Suddenly, everyone wanted cupcakes for weddings instead of regular cakes.” Although Dress for Success Greater Orlando used to hold a luncheon fundraiser, the organization phased it out in favor of a trendier cupcake competition in 2011. “We wanted something a little different,” Hunt said. “It was something outside of a luncheon and a little more casual than a gala. Plus, families could bring their children.” Dress for Success, a national organization that started in 1997, provides business clothing to homeless or struggling women trying to enter the workforce. “It’s not just clothing to cover yourself; it’s clothing to build your confidence and to encour-

Courtesy photo

Dress for Success Greater Orlando hosts the cupcake event every year.

age you to get that position and keep it,” Hunt said. She said the Greater Orlando branch, which was established in Winter Park in 2001, suits 500 to 1,000 women from Daytona to Lakeland a year. “Unemployment is down now, but back when we started, we were dressing people in the thousands,” Hunt said. Dress for Success gets its clothes from donation drives, women’s groups and a partnership with Walmart. The organization has about 20 employees who fit the women with suits and store the clothes at its boutique in Winter Park Tech College. Hunt often receives letters

and thank-you emails from women who were fitted at Dress for Success and went on to get jobs they needed. It touches her every time. “When I tell you the number of times that I’ve cried, and I’m not a traditionally crying person,” Hunt said. “That’s how touching it is. I’ve seen women fight through some tremendous situations and now they’re thriving.” Every cupcake challenge has a colorful theme for the bakeries to follow, and this year’s competition will be no exception. Cupcake Challenge 2017 is the “Holiday Edition,” and eight local bakeries will be making festive treats to celebrate the

occasion. Families will be able to sample the treats, bid at a silent auction and take photos with Santa. Jillian Hopke, owner of Winter Park-based gourmet cupcake bakery Jillycakes, has been competing in the cupcake challenge since its second year. Jillycakes won the “Most Unique Flavor” award at the fifth cupcake challenge for its fried-andglazed pumpkin cake filled with pumpkin butter and bacon bits. “It’s not the standard ‘help the kids’ event,” Hopke said. “It’s got a unique concept I don’t think is being offered by many other local charities.”

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

ON A MISSION

TIE BLACK

After being diagnosed with — and surviving — pediatric cancer, College Park native Ben Watson, now 21, has made it his mission to help families also impacted by it. DANIELLE HENDRIX BLACK TIE EDITOR COLLEGE PARK

eceiving a cancer diagnosis at the age

of 14 — or at any age — can tear someone down. It also can spur them on. For College Park native Benjamin Watson, now 21, it was a catalyst for his determination to survive and help others like him through his own journey and experiences.

THE DIAGNOSIS

Things first took a turn when, three weeks leading up to Ben’s diagnosis in October 2010, he started feeling sick. His parents took him to a local walk-in clinic, where they took X-rays and diagnosed him with pneumonia. Ben was prescribed an antibiotic and sent home. But a week later, he was only getting worse. A return visit to the clinic ended in the prescription of a different antibiotic. The next week, Ben still was home from school when he woke up screaming to his mom, Becky: “I can’t take it. I can’t breathe!” “She called me, and I ran home; we rushed him to the ER at Florida Hospital, and in a few hours, he was passed out in his room from the exhaustion,” said his dad, Barry Watson. “They came to us and they said, ‘We need to admit him immediately. He has cancer, and there’s a mass the size of a grapefruit on his chest.’ We immediately hit the floor. It’s like getting hit with a sledgehammer when someone tells you that.” Ben had received the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s large B-cell lymphoma. An aggressive, fastgrowing lymphoma — the most

Danielle Hendrix

Ben Watson, 21, founded the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation when he battled cancer at age 14.

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IF YOU GO

ON A MISSION

Part of what helped get Ben through the treatment process, Barry said, is his love of music. Ever since he was a child, he played multiple instruments, sang and participated in musicals and plays. “He’s just always loved music,” Barry said. “He used to come home after chemo and radiation, take one-hour showers and just sing. The music helped get him through all this.” Along with the power of music, Ben carried on with the support of his friends, family and community. But he also watched other pediatric cancer fighters who didn’t have the resources he did. Ben had a handful of friends there with him every day after school sitting and praying with him but noticed that many of the other kids on his floor had no one. The parents couldn’t be there part of the time, and Ben took note. “I was up there for weeks when I was first being diagnosed (and treated), and I had more visitors than all the other kids combined,” Ben said. “It was weird to me and a new idea that so many

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THE FOUNDATION

That’s when Ben knew he had to do something. Now in remission, he is the founder of the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation, which hosts annual fundraisers to work with local oncologists, community members, hospitals and other nonprofit organizations in assisting families affected by pediatric cancer. These needs can include rent and mortgage payments, household bills, food and even special medicines or other medical equipment that aren’t covered by insurance. While Ben and his family had the resources necessary for his treatment, it became his mission to support families who didn’t. And although he’s now a fulltime music student at the University of Central Florida, Ben remains actively involved as a board member and representative of the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation. He also is a certified EMT and is working on getting his real-estate license. In the last seven years, the foundation has raised more than $400,000 and helped more than 400 families. Some of the biggest requests from affected families include gas and food cards, as well as help with making electric bills and rent payments. “It is wonderful and uplifting to be able to see all these people you’re helping,” Ben said. “At the same time, it’s sad to know that there’s so many people that need all this help. But it’s a good feeling knowing that there are so many people out there that are willing to lend a hand to all these kids and families in need.” Seven years later, Barry said he still gets overwhelmed when he thinks about the fact that it all is the brainchild of his son, a cancer survivor. “It made us so proud of him and the fact that he reached out beyond his thing and wanted to help, that they (he and his friends) wanted to do something to give back and help (is incredible),” he said. “I still get choked up about it.”

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common blood cancer — this type can appear either in lymph nodes or outside of the lymphatic system. “Basically, there started our journey,” Barry said. “From Oct. 1 to April 15, we were in nonstop treatment, chemo, radiation and everything else. He was up in Florida Hospital on the cancer floor with 20 or 30 other kids going through treatment.”

people couldn’t take the time to be with their sick kid in the hospital. It just crushed me, so I wanted to be able to do something. I thought it was devastating to these kids to not have someone there with them, going through something so terrible.”

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BENJI WATSON CANCER FOUNDATION’S FIRE & ICE BENEFIT WHEN: 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 WHERE: The Veranda in Thornton Park, 111 N. Summerlin Ave., Orlando DETAILS: Dubbed “one hot night for one cool cause,” this benefit is the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation’s annual fundraiser. There will be food catered by Dexter’s, an open bar, live disc jockey, free valet, a silent and live auction and entertainment by Radiant Illusions. TICKETS: $100 for adults; $50 for students WEBSITE: bensvoice.org

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Florida Hospital

TIE BLACK

Golden Gala

A glamorous group from Charity Challenge was excited to support Florida Hospital.

Dan and Kiri Helmick and Kathryn and David Maluda formed a good-looking quartet.

isney’s Coronado Springs Resort was home to medical professionals dressed in their most elegant attire for Florida Hospital’s Golden Gala Sunday, Nov. 19. The 37th annual event benefited Florida Hospital for Children’s new pediatric transplant program. Guests dressed in stylish suits and dazzling gold dresses laughed and mingled before sitting down for the dinner and entertainment. As assortment of flashy prizes, ranging from unique toys to tasteful paintings, were up for purchase through the silent auction. The night was rounded out with a performance from singer and Grammy winner Josh Groban.

Karis and Amy Zbaraschuk had fun talking with Derek and Christine Stewart.

John Gibbens took his 7-year-old son, Grant, who recently had a bone marrow transplant, to the gala.

— HARRY SAYER

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Sylvia Benton dressed appropriately for the Golden Gala. Right: Kathryn Harness, Eileen Cardona and Emmy Arbelo were a gorgeous trio.

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SPORTS

FOUR ON THE HARDWOOD

BASKETBALL PREVIEW TROY HERRING ASSOCIATE EDITOR

asketball season is finally underway for local high school

hoops teams, and we have a run down of four storylines to watch this season.

STEVAN COLLETES HOPES TO TAKE THE WILDCATS BACK TO GLORY

To say last season for the Wildcats was a disappointment may be an understatement, but new head coach Stevan Colletes is looking to right the ship. After a decade of dominance during which Winter Park won at least 20 games in seven of the last 10 seasons, including state titles in 2010, 2011, and 2013, the Wildcats struggled through a rough 10-16 (2-3) season. The end of the season also saw head coach Don Blackmon step down, as he looked to focus on the academic side of his job as the coordinator of the International Baccalaureate program at Winter Park. The head-coaching job was given to Colletes, a former University of Bridgeport and Seminole Community College assistant, who had been the Wildcats’ assistant coach the last two season. With his two years on the Wildcats’ coaching staff, Colletes should transition smoothly into his new role, although he will face some challenges — the biggest being the loss of the team’s top two scorers Wyatt Wilkes (14.5 ppg) and Kevin Buckley (13 ppg).

Troy Herring

Eagles’ forward Rahem Butler goes for the block in Edgewater’s opening game against Wekiva on Tuesday.

CAN EDGEWATER BOY’S BASKETBALL FLY BACK INTO ANOTHER STATETITLE APPEARANCE?

Edgewater is coming off a solid 2015-2016 campaign during which the Eagles went 23-9 (4-2 in district play) and had a solid run all the way to the state-title game. There, they fell 75-43 to a strong Dillard squad. It was also a season that had the Eagles go through multiple seven-plus game winning streaks. The Eagles kicked off the season with a seven-game win streak, before hitting a rough 13-game stretch during which they went 5-8. They finished the regular season with another seven-game win streak before making their run through the state playoffs. A key contributor to last year’s team was point guard Anfernee Simons, a senior on this year’s squad. Last season, Simons averaged nearly 24 points per game through 20 games played, as well as 7.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He also averaged almost two steals per game.

SHE’S GOT GAME

Despite a difficult season during which the Edgewater girl’s team went 16-15 overall, the Eagles managed to pull off a perfect 6-0 record in district play thanks in part to the play of then junior Emari Bell The 6-foot scoring machine averaged 15.9 points per game through only 14 games played, and her total of 223 points made up a little over a quarter of the team’s overall 823 points. With basketball not being a one-woman game, Bell also will have help from fellow senior Keaynna Tolbert and junior Eriana Taylor. Last season as a junior, Tolbert averaged a little more than 13 points per game through 14 games, while Taylor averaged nearly 11 points per game through 13 games.

LOOKING TO STING BACK

Last season was another strong season for the Lady Hornets of Bishop Moore, who went 22-5 (8-3) and made it into the state playoffs, but it wasn’t without a disappointing end. After finishing the regular season with 20-plus wins for the third time in the last four seasons, the Hornets fell 58-50 to Leesburg in the Class 6A, District 13 title game, before they made their way into the state playoffs. There, the Hornets knocked off Rockledge 59-48 in the first round of the state playoffs, before falling once against to Leesburg — this time in the 6A regional semifinal by a score of 67-55. Behind the coaching prowess of head coach Dave Boehm, and the play of team captains Reilly Boehm, Maggie Joyce and Taylor Brennan, the Hornets are looking to come back with a vengeance this year as they seek to make it back to the state finals for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

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