Baldwin Park Living June 2023

BALDWIN PARK LIVING

JUNE 2023

Top Realtor in Baldwin Park since 2015

Orlando HOT 100 Realtors since 2019

Baldwin Park Resident for over 18 years

Ranked in Top Producer Magazine since 2015

Keller Williams Winter Park Luxury Division Member

Gold Key Certified

Orlando 5 Star Professional Realtor by Orlando Style Magazine since 2017

C lient Testimonial

“My wife and I had the pleasure of working with Kimberley Gernert for a second time and we cannot recommend her enough! She sold our house in just one day for the price and terms we wanted, which was beyond our expectations. From the start, Kimberley was professional, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful.

Kimberley was always available to answer our questions and provide guidance during every step of the process. She was patient, kind, and understanding, which made the experience less stressful. She went above and beyond to ensure that everything went smoothly, and we are forever grateful for her hard work and dedication.

you are looking for a Realtor who is knowledgeable, experienced, professional, savvy and kind-hearted, then I strongly and unequivocally recommend Kimberley Gernert. She helped us strategically navigate the market to find a home for our lifestyle. Her professionalism, enthusiasm and good-natured wit alleviated stress every step of the way. Then, she turned around and sold our current home with

Overall, we highly recommend Kimberley Gernert to anyone looking for a realtor who is honest, reliable, and will work tirelessly to achieve your goals. Thank you, Kimberley , for helping us sell our house so quickly and for all your help along the way!”

-Greg and Sandy T.

“I’m here to help YOU!”

Top Baldwin Park Realtor since 2016

Keller Williams #1 Individual Agent 2016, 2019-20

3069 STANFIELD AVENUE

3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Bath Private Study, Loft, Double Porches

CONTENTS

HEALING MESSAGE

EASTERN

INFLUENCE

Baldwin Park’s Eduardo Osegueda offers ZhiNeng QiGong instruction.

8 BALDWIN PARK NOTEBOOK

Read about recent decisions made by community leaders.

12 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Summer is here! Fill your date book with our events!

JUNE 2023 DEPARTMENTS 16

14 ELECTION

Four spots are open on the Baldwin Park ROA.

18 LETTER OF THE LAW

Baldwin Park a perfect base for local law firm.

20 BEAUTIFUL BALDWIN

Spend your summer giving back to your community.

21 SELLING

See one home that sold recently in Baldwin Park.

BALDWIN PARK LIVING

JUNE 2023

Editor and Publisher Michael Eng, meng@orangeobserver.com

EDITORIAL

Design Editor — Jessica Eng, jeng@orangeobserver.com

News Editor — Annabelle Sikes, asikes@orangeobserver.com

Contributors — Brie Bernstel and Will Campbell

ADVERTISING

Sales Manager Cyndi Gustafson, cgustafson@orangeobserver.com

PRODUCTION

Graphic Designer — Andrea Rukstalis, arukstalis@orangeobserver.com

CONTACT

To submit story ideas, calendar listings or have your event considered for coverage, contact Annabelle Sikes at asikes@orangeobserver.com.

For advertising inquiries, call (407) 656-2121.

Baldwin Park Living is a monthly publication of the Observer Media Group published in partnership with the Baldwin Park Joint Committee Inc.

Baldwin Park notebook

ROA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING BY STACEY FRYREAR

The following information is a glimpse of the ROA’s general updates for the month. A copy of the official April 25, 2023, Regular Meeting Minutes can be obtained on the Community Network, BaldwinParkNetwork.com.

The board approved the following items/work:

n The board approved amending Exhibit C as it relates to trash can storage for City Homes No. 1 Division 6 Service Area and Live/ Work Division 7 Service Area. Redline changes to Exhibit C will be brought back to the board.

n The board discussed the property insurance premium costs and the need for a one-time special assessment for ISSA 28 Division 5 townhome owners (62) to cover those costs. Notice to the Board Meeting where the resolution for the special assessment will be approved is 14 days. Notice were mailed ISSA 28 Division 5 owners (62) in time for the May 23, 2023, Regular Board Meeting.

n The board rescinded the motion in the April 2023 Regular Meeting related to the $10 trash can fine.

n The board deferred changing fines related to trash cans at this time.

n The board approved providing association members the log-in information (link) for the board meetings.

The board approved the following work:

n Bermuda repairs at Baskin Mews

n Plant replacements at Dorwin Park due to freeze damage

n Plant replacements at Fenwood Park

HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR OWNERS HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

Summer in Florida is right around the corner, which brings longer days, heat, humidity and, of course, the beginning of hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. While the prospect of a storm impacting our area can be somewhat disconcerting, preparation can help lessen those fears. Preparing in advance for hurricane season can determine not only how safely and comfortably you ride out the storm, but also how easy it is to handle the days and weeks after the storm has passed.

The Baldwin Park Residential Owners Association, Commercial Owners Association and Joint Committee are responsible for the property owned by each association including certain parks, facility centers, parking lots and landscaping. This is not an all-inclusive list.

As homeowners and business owners, you are responsible for your dwelling during a hurricane. If you are a tenant, you need to check with your landlord for specific responsibilities.

IMPORTANT STEPS

n Make a plan. All residents should prepare for hurricane season by creating a family plan and disaster supply kit, securing personal property and having a place to go in the event of an evacuation. A plan should

n Plant replacements at Parkland Quadrangle due to freeze damage

UPDATES

COMPLETED ACTIONS

1. Pool rules signs were installed at each pool and include newly required language by Florida Department of Health (maximum depth).

2. No Pets Off Leash yard signs for the Parks/Mews were ordered.

3. Picnic tables for Enders playground and High Park large pavilion were delivered.

answer the following questions. How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings? What is my shelter plan? What is my evacuation route? What is my family/household communication plan? Learn more at floridadisaster. org/hazards/hurricanes.

The most important part of your hurricane plan is a Hurricane Kit that includes the basic life support you will need after a disaster. Prepare to be self-sufficient for at least three days to two weeks.

n Tune in. Listen to and follow public announcements through local media. OCFL ALERT is an alert system that allows Orange County Government to contact you via email or cell phone text message during an emergency affecting Orange County. Download to your phone at orangecountyfl.net/ Home/NewslettersAlerts/OCFLAlert. aspx#.YIgoILVKhPY.

4. The Amendment to the Equipment Guidelines and Exhibit C pertaining to portable basketball goals was mailed to the membership April 7, 2023. The new rules went into effect May 8, 2023.

5. The vacuum pump on the kiddie pool at Enders was repaired.

6. The freshwater line leak at High Park was repaired.

7. The pool equipment leaks at Enders and Grace Hopper were repaired.

8. Someone set off the fire extinguisher in the Grace Hopper pool bath. SMI maintenance cleaned up the mess. The extinguisher was replaced and a police report was completed along with pictures of the parties involved. They did not have a key fob and were let in by a resident. Signs have been posted at the pools about the importance of not letting people in who do not have key fobs.

PENDING ACTIONS

1. A few items have been ordered for the Grace Hopper fitness center (rope pulls and floor mats).

2. Modernization of elevator at Grace Hopper approved in February. Time blocked in June for modernization.

3. Pressure wash, caulk and touch up paint exterior of Grace Hopper Hall. Scheduled for May 10 and 11.

4. Pressure wash, caulk and touch up paint exterior of High Park. Scheduled for May 12 through 15.

5. Pressure wash, caulk and touch up paint exterior of Enders. Scheduled for May 8 and 9.

6. Clean Enders roofs. Scheduled for May 8 and 9.

7. Electrical repair of main pool breaker panel at Enders pool. Being scheduled with contractor.

8. SMI maintenance will assemble and stain the picnic tables that were delivered for Enders playground and High Park large pavilion.

TOWNHOME SERVICE AREA COMMITTEE MEETING BY

MELISSA PARKER

The following information is a glimpse of the business that the Townhome Service Area Committee addressed in the April 20, 2023, meeting. A complete copy of the official minutes can be obtained on the Community Network, BaldwinParkNetwork.com.

n The TSAC moved to approve the following residents representing the following service areas be recommended for appointment to the TSAC by the Board of Directors: Jerry Sellers, Issa 22; Robert Graves, Issa 28; Edward Ward, Mattamy; and Jim Mark, at-large. City Homes No. 4 is currently vacant.

n The TSAC approved the removals of street trees located at 1638 Prospect Ave. and 4501 Virginia Drive. The trees will be replaced in 2024.

n The TSAC approved the removal and replacement of a street tree located at 2205 Osprey Ave.

UPDATES

n Please remember to report any landscape, building or irrigation issues on Baldwin Park Solutions. Reporting items on Baldwin Park Solutions allows residents to share photos of the reported area(s) and receive real-time updates from management staff on corrective measures being taken. Baldwin Park Solutions can be accessed on the Baldwin Park Network.

n New sod that was installed in May has been treated with a fungicide.

n BrightView is continuing to monitor any landscaping that has been impacted by the recent drought conditions. Irrigation has been adjusted to allow for additional watering until the rainy season has arrived. BrightView has made many repairs to the irrigation throughout all of the townhome service areas.

HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR TOWNHOME OWNERS

Have you thought about touching up the exterior paint of your home?

There are many different paint colors for the townhome buildings. The association touches up buildings during the preventative maintenance once a year. In addition, if you have a need to re-paint your door, touch up the trim or re-stain the entry steps, the trim paint, door paint and concrete deck stain can all be found at the Winter Park, Sherwin Williams store located at 1770 FL-436, Winter Park, FL 32792 (407) 677-0741.

When a building has been completely repainted, the body of the building is painted with a product called AllGuard by Dow Corning. This is a silicone elastomeric coating system that has a 10-year warranty. As the homeowner, you have some important responsibilities. Failure to follow the requirements listed below may void your warranty.

Any action to pick, poke, tear or penetrate the

painted surface will break the protective seal and may void the warranty.

Any pressure cleaning must be performed with pressure less than 1500 psi.

The only cleaning product specified for use is SIMPLE GREEN. Most cleaning should be performed with only water and sponges.

Do not use harsh brushes or scraping tools. They will harm the surface.

Any plant material growing on the building voids the warranty on that area of the building. The homeowner then assumes responsibility for these areas.

Please note the following information: Creeping Fig roots itself into the building’s stucco about every 3 inches, and it pulls any moisture out of the stucco, which eventually destroys the stucco. If the Creeping Fig is not maintained properly it will grow into the soffit and attic, potentially causing leaks in the roofs among other issues.

To touch up the body paint, you must be certified in the application by Dow Corning or you can void the warranty.

n City Homes No. 1 will be the next service area to receive roof replacements. No schedule is available at this time, but it has been projected that the re-roofing project will begin in the summer. All 31 townhome buildings within City Homes No. 1 will receive roof replacements and new gutters. More information will be released to the community as it becomes available.

n Per DRS Inc. here is the townhome painting schedule for June 2023: Issa 22: 4701-4749 Fox St.

n Per DRS Inc. here is the townhome maintenance schedule for June 2023: City Homes No. 1 (continued); Cambridge: 3600-3750 Lower Union Road and 5403-5473 Baldwin Park Street.

Schedules will be projected one to two months out to anticipate any possible future changes or delays. Notices are still being left on townhome front doors one to two weeks in advance to inform residents of any upcoming projects beginning in their address range.

Baldwin Park notebook

BALDWIN PARK COMMERCIAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC.

Here come the summer months! Make sure you are keeping hydrated and well fed by stopping in at any of Baldwin Park’s fantastic dining restaurants. Why not duck into one of the Village Center shops when that afternoon rainstorm hits?

THINGS TO KNOW

n Trash Talk. The dumpster in the commercial lots are for use of commercial tenants and apartment residents. Apartment residents are encouraged to throw their trash down the chute on the side. When the door is closed, it will compact. Commercial tenants are not to use the trash shoot for discarding trash; rather they are to go inside the enclosure and throw directly in the dumpster. Please do not leave trash bags in front of or around the dumpster; this

attracts bugs and rodents. If the dumpster is not working, please go to one of the other parking lot dumpsters and contact the office so OUC can be notified to repair.

n Bulk Pickup. The dumpsters in the commercial lots are meant for trash bags and small items only. For all large items, please use OUC bulk pickup. Stuffing these items in the dumpster or leaving them causes multiple issues including dumpster break down and rodents. Visit orlando. gov/Trash-Recycling for more information and to schedule future pickups.

n New ARC Process. The ARC Committee approved an updated ARC process and application. The new application and process is posted on the Baldwin Park Network and in CommunityPro.

Continued from page 9

BY BILL PATTERSON

n Architectural Review Committee. Any change to the building or property must have an application submitted for review. Some examples of required reviews are commercial changes to exterior structures (roofing replacements and painting), landscaping and any signage. For the city to approve permits, the Commercial Owners Association must sign off on the project. All corresponding applications can be located on the Baldwin Park Network under Commercial Owners Association and Commercial Architectural Review Committee. For questions and application submission please feel free to email Bill at BPatterson@BaldwinParkPOA. com.

n Covenant Inspections. Like the ROA, the COA also has covenant standards. The Community

Association Manager conducts monthly inspections of the parking lots and building to ensure these standards are being kept. Any property not in compliance will get a violation notice. Covenant Committee Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month as needed.

n Baldwin Park Solutions. Commercial owners, tenants and managers can submit work requests through our new Baldwin Park Solutions system. It is located on the Baldwin Park Network. Simply click “Resident Home” at the top right, and you will find the link in the middle of the page. If you do not have a Baldwin Park Network account, you can request one from that page as well. Go to baldwinparknetwork.com to get started.

If that’s your current situation, we encourage you to consider getting a fresh pair of eyes on your financial situation. We routinely help our clients save significant amounts in taxes while crafting a unique investment strategy that is customized to their needs not ours.

Let your money and Fortress work harder for you.

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Community Calendar

THURSDAY, JUNE 8

ROA ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

Meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 8 and 22, virtually. Because of the high volume of ARC applications, the number of applications accepted is being capped at 25 per meeting.

SATURDAY, JUNE 10 POOL PARTY

Noon to 2 Saturday, June 10, at High Park Pool. Pool parties are back! Email Brie at Mediacom@ BaldwinParkPOA.com if you would like to volunteer for any upcoming community event.

ORC RACE INTO SUMMER 5K

7:30 a.m. Saturday, June 10, at Blue Jacket Park. Visit runsignup. com/Race/FL/Orlando/ORCRaceIntoSummer5K.

MONDAY, JUNE 12

ROA COVENANTS HEARING

6:30 p.m. Monday, June 12, at Grace Hopper Hall.

THURSDAY, JUNE 15 TOWNHOME SERVICE AREA COMMITTEE

Meets at 6:30 p.m. virtually. All information for the meeting can also be found on the Baldwin Park Network.

SATURDAY, JUNE 17

COMMUNITY MARKET DAY

The next market will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 17, on New Broad Street. Visit BP Community Market on Facebook.

SATURDAY, JUNE 24

IMMIGRANT APPRECIATION DAY

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at Blue Jacket Park, 2501 General Rees Ave., Orlando. Visit orlandojustice.org/iad.

TUESDAY, JUNE 27 JOINT COMMITTEE BOARD MEETING

5:45 to 6:30 p.m. virtually. All information for the meeting can also be found on the Baldwin Park Network.

ROA BOARD MEETING

Meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month virtually. Call-in information can be found on the Baldwin Park Network.

HOLIDAY

June 18: Father’s Day

REMINDER

There will be no First Friday event in June. This event will resume in July.

SAVE THE DATES

INDEPENDENCE DAY BASH

This annual event — which is always a BLAST — will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday, July 3. A 15-minute firework show begins at 9:15 p.m. There will be music, dancing, a beer garden, food trucks, balloon artists, face painters and plenty of photo ops! More information can be found in your weekly newsletter.

BALDWIN PARK

ROA ANNUAL MEETING/ELECTION

This notice is for all members of the association. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, at Grace Hopper Hall.

Joint Committee

A changed man

ANNABELLE SIKES

NEWS EDITOR

Eduardo Osegueda is bringing thousands of years of research from ancient Chinese culture to the United States with his ZhiNeng QiGong instruction.

ZhiNeng QiGong is acknowledged as the No. 1 option by the Chinese government, the Chinese Bureau of Science, the Chinese Ministry of Public Health and the Chinese Physical Education Committee.

Osegueda founded Fuerza Integral International in 2000 in Mexico, which soon became the

largest ZhiNeng QiGong school in the western hemisphere.

Now, with more than 25,000 students and 26 years of practice, he is sharing his knowledge with the American community.

LIFETIME OF PAIN

At only 2 years old, Osegueda fell ill with an aggressive bacterial infection that attacked his respiratory tract and put his life at risk many times during his childhood. When he got sick, the joy in him disappeared.

By age 5, his liver started manifesting damage, because of the large doses of antibiotics and other medication doctors pre-

scribed to him in an attempt to create solutions.

At age 7, a doctor managed to lower the amounts of medication and keep him stable.

Although he missed many days and weeks of school because of treatments, Osegueda excelled in academics and athletics. He maintained the top position in his classes, and sports helped to strengthen his mind and body. He was the quarterback of his football team and earned black belts in different styles of martial arts before moving on to teaching the skill.

Osegueda studied business administration at Mexico’s most prestigious university and graduated summa cum laude as the

best student of his generation in graphic design.

Just as things seemed to be going well, his health issues resurfaced, forcing him to abandon martial arts and career as a graphic designer to devote his time entirely to researching his health and trying to save his life.

At 22, Osegueda saw his last medical doctor, who had treated Osegueda’s sister for allergies and promised to heal him.

However, after more than a year of treatments with no improvement, Osegueda confronted the doctor, who admitted he did not know any solutions.

He left, dejected.

Osegueda says the day he returned home was the beginning of his healing process.

“I realized that I had always put the responsibility of my healing into the doctors’ hands,” he says. “After all of the lessons I learned, I realized I could no longer give my trust to anyone else.”

Osegueda sought guidance from more holistic professionals, but nothing seemed to work. He was diagnosed as terminally ill.

“That started the next chapter in my life where I just got ready to die,” he says.

FOLLOWING HIS DESTINY

Osegueda was suggested to find a place at sea level away from pollution to live out his days. He minimized the decline of his health to his family to prevent worry. He found a modest room on the Yucatan Peninsula.

“As I was there getting ready to die and writing my farewell letters, one of my doctors reached out to me and said he was invited to go to China, where he had visited the world’s largest

Doctors told Eduardo Osegueda, who had lived a lifetime in pain, to get ready to die. But one trip to China healed him. And now, he shares what he learned in Baldwin Park.

Courtesy photo

medicine-free hospital for a couple of weeks,” he says.

The first time Osegueda watched a video at the hospital with the exercises, referred to as ZhiNeng QiGong, he was offended.

“I felt it was an insult to my intelligence,” he says. “The fact that he thought I would believe that through doing this type of thing, I would achieve something I had not been able to achieve for the past 26 years of struggling with my health and trying almost anything.”

But one day, after not being able to go outside to walk, Osegueda tried the movements. Almost as soon as he started, he began to experience immense pain. He tried again the next day and again in the following days. Although the movement was creating pain, it was a reaction Osegueda grew curious about.

At 29, Osegueda spent the last amount of money he had to travel to China.

“I was afraid none of this was true,” he says. “It was my last shot. It was my last chance to

LEARN MORE

WEBSITE: eduardo-osegueda.com/biography

FACEBOOK: facebook. com/TeamEduardoOsegueda

YOUTUBE: youtube.com/ channel/UCvzEVlUBPl_7RhwK840ZQmA

EMAIL: team@eduardo-osegueda.com

do anything, and it meant going even farther away from my family and missing the opportunity of maybe even ever seeing my parents again in my life, so it was a tough decision. … When they told me I was going to die, the decision I made was that I’m going to live while I’m alive. I’m not going to devote the last moments I have of life to dying. I’m going to devote the last moments of life that I have to living.”

At the foot of China’s most sacred mountain, Taishan, Osegueda trained for more than three months under Wang Xin Ying Laoshi’s supervision; the highest authority there. Al-

though Osegueda had seen many people healed, the exercises did not help his failing health.

“When I look back into my time in China, I realize changes that I had that I was not aware of when I was there,” he says. “Just the fact that I was able to survive China. … I was at a very high altitude, the temperature was extremely low. … I didn’t have the right clothing, and I was sick, so my body was not generating heat.”

However, two months after traveling back to the states, the effects from the practice began to show.

“Inflammation started going away; pain went away,” he says. “I started experiencing a level of physical strength, and mental clarity and creativity that I have never had before in my life.”

One day, he was with a friend on a road trip when they stopped to get some food and stretch.

“That day, I started looking for the pain, and it was the first time in my life when I didn’t find any pain in my body,” he says.

CHANGING THE WORLD

Since then, Osegueda has helped thousands of people improve their physical, mental, emotional, social, sexual, financial/professional and spiritual health by teaching them how to make the best use of their minds and bodies through ZhiNeng QiGong.

Through his training sessions, Osegueda has helped a multitude of people including athletes and terminally-ill patients. His training is also where he met his wife, Lorena, after she successfully completed her healing journey.

“This is something that is different for everybody,” he says. “Not everybody has the same results, and at some point, we are all going to die. This is knowledge that has allowed thousands of people to achieve things that they were otherwise not able to achieve.”

Today, Osegueda lives in Baldwin Park with Lorena and their two children: Kia, 9, and Farah, 7.

“I sincerely feel that if everyone had this tool, we would change the world,” he says.

Firm foundation

Attorney Michael Lynch says Baldwin Park is the perfect place to run his home law firm.

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Michael Lynch says his law firm, The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, exemplifies what a perfect fit Baldwin Park can be for a small business.

Lynch started his own home law firm in 2011 after years with firms in Orlando and Pensacola.

The primary concentration of his firm is personal injury with a focus on products liability cases.

“I have been running The Michael Brady Lynch Firm from my home office here in Baldwin Park since 2015,” Lynch says. “Baldwin Park as a community is very conducive to a home office. Many homes have a dedicated office like my own. There are several delicious and convenient restaurants for business meetings. The neighborhood itself is quiet during the day, and the lack of distractions helps make a productive home office environment.”

ARDENT ATTORNEY

Lynch, 52, was born in Queens, New York, but moved to central New Jersey and attended high school, college and law school in that area.

Upon graduating, Lynch already was working in the field to bring suits against pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies.

Lynch’s passion for law began blossomed further during a drug litigation he was involved in called Factor 5.

“Bad blood litigation where blood products were delivered into a mostly hemophiliac population, and that blood was tainted with what was Hepatitis A, B and C, and with AIDS,” he says. “Al-

most all of my clients died during the course of the litigation, and it was a natural progression to continue that type of advocacy.”

Lynch’s interest in science drew him to his specific law practice.

“You’re suing big corporations that are almost always picking on the little guy,” he says. “All my clients have real injuries; all my clients have legitimate stories in terms of how these drugs or devices have devastated their lives. … I do feel good as to what I’m doing. I never wake up and say, ‘Am I making a difference?’ or, ‘Are my clients what I say they are?’”

The specific practice area also allows attorneys to make widescale changes in the industry.

“We’ve gotten many, many bad

drugs taken off the market where you can no longer get them anymore due to the monetary impact of lawsuits,” he says. “I’m sure most of those drugs would still be on the market if it wasn’t for those lawsuits. … Sadly, one of the only ways these pharmaceutical companies usually will get the point is if you hit them in the pocketbook. … The body count doesn’t really seem to make a difference.”

SEEKING SUNSHINE

Although he loved New Jersey, Lynch says he had what he de -

scribes as a “wanderlust,” so when the opportunity arose to go to Florida, he took it.

Lynch first worked for a national law firm called Levin Papantonio Rafferty in Pensacola.

“When you come from a large law firm, I think almost everyone in the back of their minds always would like to have their own firm,” he says. “There’s a lot of pluses to being a large law firm. … But you’re also in a very corporate environment with a lot of personalities and politics. I was always just better suited being my own boss.”

Pensacola is also where Lynch met the love of his life, Rachel.

Website: mblynchfirm.com

Phone: 1 (888) 585-5970

Facebook: facebook.com/ themichaelbradylynchfirm

Lynch says he decided Orlando was a better fit for the couple’s personal and professional lives with an immense amount of opportunities. The area is closer to larger cities, which would be

THE MICHAEL BRADY LYNCH FIRM

Working from his home-based law firm allows Michael Lynch to spend more quality time with his family.

Annabelle Sikes

perfect for opening his own law firm.

The couple moved into their Baldwin Park home in 2015.

IN PRACTICE

The Michael Brady Lynch Firm is not an ordinary personal injury practice.

“The vast majority of my cases involve pharmaceuticals and medical devices,” Lynch says. “When you see TV commercials or Facebook ads for Roundup, Talcum Powder, Camp Lejune or hair relaxer cancer cases — those are the types of cases I handle regularly.”

One of the most important litigations Lynch currently is handling involves cases of uterine and ovarian cancer associated with the use of hair straightener/ relaxer products.

“The chemicals in many hair-straightening and relaxer products have been linked to cancer — especially when they’re used frequently,” Lynch says. “To make matters worse, uterine cancer is a form of gynecological tumor that can be difficult to detect. It may not show any signs or symptoms until it has grown quite large.”

Lynch and his firm represent hundreds of women with claims involving the products.

HOME SWEET HOME

When the COVID-19 pandemic turned businesses everywhere upside down, Lynch’s firm was ahead of the learning curve.

Being a virtual firm since 2011, the impact of the pandemic was minimal for the business.

When social distancing became the norm, the firm already was functioning as usual, while other firms were scrambling to adjust to a virtual workplace.

“We have an outsourced receptionist that answers calls to the firm 24/7 and forwards messages by email,” Lynch says. “Everyone is self-sufficient with computers, phones and scanners. There is simply no need for a physical office.”

Another added benefit of a virtual office is more time with family. The Lynches recently welcomed their first baby, Ava Christina, on Feb. 24.

With the arrival of a new baby, the home office has been transformed into a miniature nursery.

“Being at home allows me to spend so much quality time with my new baby girl,” Lynch says. “Ava has a special bassinet next to my office desk.”

Lynch also is able to spend more quality time with his 85-year-old mother who lives with the couple nine months out of the year.

Apart from the occasional distraction, Lynch says the freedom of working from home contributes to a happy home life.

“The home office allows for much greater freedom — especially during the down times,” he says. “My daytime breaks are walking the dogs, spending time with baby Ava, bike rides on the Cady Way Trail, having lunch with my wife and mother in our kitchen, or running a quick errand that would not be possible working from a traditional office environment.”

BRIE BERNSTEL MULTIMEDIA & COMMUNITY COORDINATOR

The perfect way to give back to your community this summer

The perfect way to give back to your community is easier than ever! With tons of events and happenings going on plus a plethora of businesses to support, Baldwin Park wants your help!

One way you can help your community is by volunteering. There are pool parties, markets, movie nights and Food Fares that would love your assistance. The summer pool parties are a great opportunity to get some fresh air, meet your fellow neighbors and enjoy our wonderful amenities. Pool parties will take place June 10, July 10 and Aug. 12. We hope to bring

pizzas and games to these events which means more hands-on deck — the pool deck, that is! Start or join a group! Baldwin shines the most when we all come together to accomplish something. Whether it is a fitness goal, reading goal or mastering that knitting pattern you’ve been trying for years, joining a group or promoting others to is what community is all about. Support your local businesses! Have an extra 30 minutes after your grocery shopping? Head into a new-to-you business to show your support. There are new shops and businesses popping up all over Baldwin Park, and some -

times it is tough to keep track. If you need a little inspiration, head over to either our social media page (@VisitBaldwinPark) or the business directory located on the Baldwin Park Network to see who you still haven’t visited yet. Hosting an upcoming birthday or celebration? Take your party to one of the Baldwin Park restaurants who always need your support. Your community works hard for you, so it is time to work hard for your community!

WHAT’S SELLING

2874 KEMPER AVE. ORLANDO

SOLD PRICE: $655,000

BEDROOMS: Three

BATHS: 2.5

SQUARE FOOTAGE: 1,673

DETAILS: This three-bedroom, two-and-one-half-bathroom home is conveniently located on a quiet, one way street and is just steps away from Glenridge Middle School and Blue Jacket Park. The first floor of the home boasts gorgeous wood-like tile flooring and an open layout with tons of natural light flooding in the oversized family room/dining area. Enjoy entertaining outside with the custom-built pergola that is perfect for relaxing and grilling.

LISTING AGENT: Lisa Fleming, Fannie Hillman and Associates

SELLING AGENT: Otavio Zambelli, WRA Business and Real Estate

Photos by Rickie Agapito