03.23.23 Southwest Orange Observer

Windermere, Horizon West, Dr. Phillips

Crooked’s Celtic celebration

Voice voyage

YOUR TOWN

ENJOY AN EVENING AT THE POPS

The Rotary Club of Winter Garden, in partnership with the city of Winter Garden, is hosting Evening at the Pops featuring the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 25. It takes place at Newton Park on the shores of Lake Apopka. General admission tickets are $10; children 8 and younger are free. VIP tickets are $75 and include reserved seating, dinner, drinks and live entertainment by HAPCO Music Foundation at Tanner Hall. Tickets are available at Winter Garden City Hall and the Winter Garden Heritage Museum or online at bit.ly/rotaryclub1.

An instrumental petting zoo for children begins at 4:30 p.m.

MATTHEW’S HOPE TURNING 13

The Matthew’s Hope homeless ministry is looking for donors as it celebrates its 13th anniversary in West Orange County. Scott Billue founded the ministry 13 years ago with the intentions of getting homeless residents and families back on their feet and off the streets. The mission holds true still today.

Donations are vital to the organization, and Matthew’s Hope relies on regular donors and annual fundraisers to help

Windermere resident Mikala Banham spent years auditioning to The Voice until she finally was able to make it to the blind auditions round, becoming part of Team Niall.

SEE PAGE 4A.

Windermere Council discusses variances

The two separate variances, which pertain to a sports court and a home expansion, were approved unanimously at the Town Council meeting.

SEE PAGE 4A.

LIFE IN FEAR

PAGE 6A.

END OF AN ERA

West Orange County folks are mourning the loss of their beloved Maryland Fried Chicken restaurant in Winter Garden and are making sure they get their crispy meal one last time before it closes for good.

SEE PAGE 3A.

Andrea Mujica

Mikala Banham plays myriad instruments, including the ukulele. However, her favorite way to make music is with her voice.

Elena Friedman undergoes knee surgeries. PAGE 1B.

Ye’vette Toms has started a vlog to share her story of living with agoraphobia. SEE

Crooked Can brewery celebrated St. Patrick’s Day weekend. PAGE 5A.

IN OTHER NEWS

Oakland moves forward with canal

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

The Johns Lake Outfall Canal continues to be the main topic of conversation at Oakland Town Commission meetings. More discussion took place Tuesday, March 14, when Assistant Town Manager Jack Butler recommended the commission accept a bid from Solitude Lake Management for a contract price of $103,500 to reconstruct the canal. The town is committing up to $85,000 to reconstruct the canal and dredge a portion of the south side of Lake Apopka where the canal drains and where sediment has built up. The town’s financial contribution is contingent upon contributions received from other entities to complete the work, including Landeavor, the developer of Oakland Park, and the Southern Oaks Homeowners Association.

Landeavor representatives said the company would contribute monetarily if it benefited from the project, such as being allowed to use the removed sediment as fill dirt.

Landeavor solicited bids for the work, and Solitude was the lowest bidder. The initial work will be done on the northern end of the canal, based on guidance from engineers and the St. Johns River Water Management District — and then future projects will make their way south along the canal as other solutions are found and financial negotiations take place.

Butler provided the latest information on the unmaintained canal at last week’s meeting. He said in researching the canal he found an official map of Orange County dated 1890 that includes the outfall channel as a body of water.

“It may predate that,” Butler said.

“It may be natural in nature, too.”

He said a United States Geological Survey map of the area in the 1950s indicated the southern portion of the canal had been straightened out and the northern part was naturally occurring.

“It may have been enhanced by man but not completely created by man,” Butler said.

The town met with Landeavor and representatives from the Southern

Oaks HOA and presented both with easement agreements that would allow the town to go onto their property to access the site.

One resident of Southern Oaks said he was against his neighborhood HOA committing funds when there are 42 total property owners along the canal who should be contributing.

“We have not asked the homeowners for money,” Commissioner Mike Satterfield said. “They came to us and offered to help.”

Town Manager Steve Koontz said Orange County has agreed to update its most recent study.

“We can sit here for I don’t know how many more meetings,” Mayor Kathy Stark said. “There’s already been a study done. … Sometimes you have to move forward, whether it’s fair or not. We’re committing to this one-time (cost), and we’re asking Oakland Park to help. It’s got to be done. … This is a good bid, and this will take care of our residents.”

“We’re not asking the homeowners to spend anything; we’re not asking the HOA to spend anything,” Commissioner Sal Ramos added.

“In the beginning we said, ‘Forget yesterday,’” Satterfield said. “Let’s try to get it fixed and move on.”

When one resident questioned what happens if this construction project doesn’t hold up during hurricane season, the commission said the town is committed to seeing this issue through to a solution.

“We’re not done when this (initial project) gets done,” Satterfield said. “We promise you we’re not going to walk away.”

Another resident questioned why the town is investing this money when other parties should share responsibility.

Koontz responded: “Oakland Park isn’t off the hook by any means. They own property on this canal. … They are going to have to find a way to slow the water down, to keep it from eroding anymore within their development … they are going to invest a large amount of money to fix this canal.”

Butler said the town is meeting twice a month with representatives from the SJRWMD to discuss solutions.

n The Oakland Town Commission voted to donate a .09-acre parcel of land at 532 W. Sadler Ave. to West Orange Habitat for Humanity. The land, near Pollard Park, was acquired by the town through a taxlien process in 2022 and, through the donation, must be used for building an affordable single-family home.

n Commissioners approved the consent agenda, which included two action items. The first is to contract with Cathcart to complete various projects outlined in the 2022-23 budget: paving and drainage improvements of West Sadler Avenue, the reconstruction of a section of South Walker Street, water main and fire hydrant installations, and paved “turnouts” at various intersections where dirt roads meet paved roads. The second item is an interlocal agreement for police dispatching services with the city of Winter Garden.

n New Oakland police Officer Justin Gau was introduced to the commission.

n The town received a request from former Oakland resident Ronnie Cothern. His father, Red Cothern, in the 1940s owned the property occupied by the Oakland Post Office before he deeded it to the town. Ronnie Cothern asked for a plaque or other type of recognition for his father. The commission agreed to look into the request.

The difference is delicious

Maryland Fried Chicken, a staple in Winter Garden for 57 years, is closing its doors, and folks have been visiting the restaurant one last time to get their familiar crispy chicken in the bright yellow box.

AMY

QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Memories are powerful, and when coupled with nostalgic smells and tastes, they can remain sharply in the mind forever. Have you ever bitten into a hot, crispy piece of meat from Maryland Fried Chicken?

Ever since Kyle and Sarah Sleeth announced they are closing the 57-year-old MFC on West Colonial Drive in Winter Garden, the restaurant has seen an increase in customers wanting to enjoy their last yellow box of thighs, breasts, gizzards and coleslaw.

There are other locations — but for some reason, folks say it’s just not the same as buying the chicken from the same restaurant you frequented as a child growing up in the area.

The Sleeths, who bought the franchise in 2020 from longtime owner Paul Dion, announced earlier this month the restaurant’s last day of business will be Saturday, April 1. The property, at 13675 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, went under contract in an auction Wednesday, March 1.

Posterboard in the front windows thanked the community for its longtime support. The drive-thru has had more than its share of vehicles stacked around the back of the building since the announcement.

Sales of the company T-shirts — the iconic red with the mama and baby chick and the MFC motto, “The Difference is Delicious” — have been brisk as residents want to keep a little piece of Maryland Fried Chicken for themselves. The furniture and equipment are for sale, too. Proceeds from these sales will be given to the staff.

“Taking care of our people has always been our priority when closing became a reality,” Sarah Sleeth said.

The couple bought the franchise with plans to renovate the building, Sarah Sleeth said.

“(But) with the pandemic, the cost of everything went absolutely insane,” she said. “We’ve had to raise our prices several times to keep up. … We were priced out of being able to stay in the chicken business, and we also were priced out of keeping up with the repairs in the building.”

The Sleeths are celebrating customers’ stories, some of them going back decades to their childhoods.

“This isn’t just some business that’s been there five years; 57 is significant,” Sarah Sleeth said.

“Winter Garden is so close to the (theme) parks that people will come into town and say, ‘I have to go to Maryland Fried Chicken.’ At least every other visit I’m there (at the restaurant), I hear someone say, ‘I drive from X miles away to get some Maryland Fried Chicken.’”

CRISPY AND DELICIOUS

There are several factors that make the chicken so special, Sarah Sleeth said. The meat is double marinated in a concoction the Sleeths won’t reveal, cooked in peanut oil and pressure fried to get the famous crispy skin.She added that the livers and gizzards are unique to the Winter Garden location.

“It’s an old Southern delicacy from their childhood, and they go for it,” she said.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

In 1959, the Constantine family — Alfonso and Rose and their three sons, Albert, Angelo and Richard — owned the first 24-hour eatery in the area on South Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando. It was called Constantine’s Restaurant and was in the family for decades.

Linda Costantine, who was married to Angelo until his death in 2002, said the three brothers heard about a restaurant that only sold chicken and this piqued the interest of Albert, who was the family cook.

“He liked messing around in the kitchen,” she said. “He started looking for different recipes, and when he found one that everyone liked, it became the basis for Maryland Fried Chicken.”

The family added the fried chicken to the menu at Constantine’s Restaurant.

Around this time, Martin Marietta was bringing employees to Orlando, many of them from Maryland.

“All the people coming in (to Constantine’s Restaurant) got to try the chicken, and when they put on their stamp of approval for that particular recipe for chicken, it was named Maryland Fried Chicken for all the

people from Maryland,” Costantine said.

The first free-standing MFC opened a few years later in Fern Park and housed the company’s offices.

The Winter Garden franchise opened in 1966, and its earliest owners were Doug Bartholomew and Paul Dion, Costantine said. She has kept much of the company’s early paperwork explaining how to open a franchise with an initial investment of $17,000, as well as an original Constantine’s Restaurant menu featuring the Maryland Fried Chicken logo, an enlarged postcard depicting a picnic table with buckets and a box of chicken, and a large pullout poster from a Life magazine MFC advertisement from the 1960s. She also has a copy of a newspaper ad announcing the grand opening of MFC at Constantine’s Restaurant. Fried chicken dinners were $1, a family bucket o’ chicken was $3.95, and a barrel o’ chicken was $5.40.

The ad read: “Maryland Fried Chicken is a tantalizing taste-teasing delicacy, prepared from Al Constantine’s special recipe, consisting of fresh plump tender broilers with special spices and seasoning. Cooked by special equipment sealing in all the juices and natural goodness of the chicken to give you the most delectable taste treat you and your family have ever experienced.”

The Costantine/Constantine families worked at several MFC locations and owned a few of the franchises. Three are still in the family today.

Richard’s sons Robert and Tony own franchises in Apopka and Leesburg, and Angelo and Linda’s son Dannie owns the one on East Colonial Drive. Another of Angelo and Linda’s sons, Joe, worked with his mother at the East Colonial location.

“Dannie has been working in it since he was 7 years old,” Costantine said. “And he has a daughter who just turned 10, and she can run the place.”

BEHIND THE COUNTER

Crystal Lovejoy worked for Dion for about 12 years in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and she said he taught her so much. Her family’s roots in MFC run deep — her mother, Teresa Arnold Holton, was pregnant with her when she worked there, and when Lovejoy was an adult, the two worked there together. An aunt,

MARYLAND FRIED CHICKEN

The last day to get a meal from the Maryland Fried Chicken franchise at 13675 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, is Saturday, April 1. Store hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and closed Sunday. After that date, folks who still crave the crispy chicken can visit other locations in Apopka, Fairview Shores and Union Park in Orlando, Leesburg, Haines City, Plant City, Avon Park and Vero Beach.

Linda Arnold Bowen, was employed there too.

“(Dion) taught me how to cut chicken with an open saw blade,” Lovejoy said. “At first I was scared. I watched him for like two or three years steady. He had me slice off one piece at a time. After that, I started slinging chicken like there was no tomorrow.”

She remembers Dion hand-cutting his chicken and marinating it for 24 hours before hand-breading it. Lovejoy said on busy days they breaded up to 20 giant trays.

Dion also taught her how to operate — and even repair — the pressure cookers, which were used to keep the moisture inside the chicken.

“Paul was there from 5 o’clock in the morning until when we didn’t need him (any)more, sometimes 8 or 9 at night,” she said. “That’s how passionate he was.”

One of her favorite side dishes was the coleslaw.

“That coleslaw was off the chain,” Lovejoy said. “Everything was handmade, handed-breaded, hand-cut. We even shredded the cabbage.”

Susan Bell enjoyed her time working at MFC’s Winter Garden store in 1978. She said coworkers and customers became family. Her job was to prepare, cook and serve the food.

“I will always remember one night after closing my co-worker and I were cleaning up,” Bell said. “We were taking garbage to the dumpster and an alligator that lived in the lake behind the store came out of the lake looking for his chicken fat that we always tossed to him each night. We should have given him his food before we took out the garbage.

“We started screaming and ran in the bathroom that happened to be outside,” she said. “Our co-workers wondered what was taking so long, and when they looked out the window they saw the alligator and called

the game warden, and they came and got it. That thing was so big from all that chicken we fed him.

“Paul Dion was the owner,” Bell said. “He was a great boss. He told us that nothing in the store was worth more than our lives (and) if someone came in to rob us, give them whatever they wanted. We were all one big family looking out for each other.”

Dion’s family worked there too through the years.

Dennise Keene made a comment on a Facebook post last week announcing the closing.

“(It was) our family business — Mom met my stepdad here, Paul and Linda Dion,” Keene wrote. “They owned and operated this (chicken place) for 45 years. My siblings’ and (my) first job, and most of our kids, grandkids started out here. Definitely part of our history and Paul's legacy. We will miss the chicken and (our chicken place). Here's to memories and turning the page.”

Courtesy photo

The five creators of Maryland Fried Chicken: siblings Albert, left, Richard and Angelo Constantine; and their parents, Rose and Alphonso Constantine.

Courtesy photo

An advertisement for Maryland Fried Chicken appeared in Life magazine.

Amy Quesinberry

Sarah and Kyle Sleeth are the current owners of the Maryland Fried Chicken franchise in Winter Garden.

Three chairs for Banham

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

Windermere resident Mikala

“Kala” Banham recently wowed millions with her arrangement of the song “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell during her audition for the American singing reality competition TV series “The Voice.”

“I just had this song stuck in my head, and I kept singing it over and over again,” she said. “I reached back to production and I said, ‘I’m so sorry, I know this is so past the deadline, but I just really have a feeling about this song being my No. 1 choice.’”

Banham had already been through several rounds of auditions before she was chosen to advance to the blind auditions. With only one month to prepare, she — as well as any other contestant — had to provide production with a lengthy list of possible song selections just in case someone else had the same song or there were any issues with getting the rights in time to be able to air the song on national television.

“It was a lot of practicing over and over again; we had about a month to prepare before we actually did the audition, so I sang that song into the ground,” she said. “It’s funny, because a lot of people talk about how they liked my vibrato in the beginning (of the song) and I’m pretty sure that was just nerves. I think I was just so shaky … (but) I think that I tried my best to show every single aspect of my voice, I pull from a lot of different genres and musical inspirations, which I think reflects in the way that I like to use my instrument.”

And the judges believed it too, as Banham got three chair turns and one block from Niall Horan — which prevented Kelly Clarkson from fighting to have her on her team.

MUSIC MAP

A graduate of Osceola County School for the Arts in Kissimmee, Banham comes from a musical family. Her mother, Riccinni, is a native of the Philippines so music is a big part of the family.

“My brother (Lesz) also went to the same performing arts school; he played the tuba in the band,” Banham said. “I have a lot of other cousins who sing and dance and things like that, so creativity has always been very nurtured. My

mom had a band with her siblings when I was growing up (and) my dad (Lesz) also played in the band at church, so that definitely helped encourage me to build on those skills as I grew up.”

As a student in a musical school, Banham was introduced — from an early age — to a variety of instruments. Today, she plays piano, guitar, ukulele and viola. Whenever needed, however, she has also played violin or cello at church and currently is learning electric bass guitar.

“I dabble in a lot of things, but singing’s always been my main thing,” she said. “I like to mostly learn those instruments to accompany myself or help when it comes to songwriting. Piano and guitar are probably my favorite (instruments).”

Despite her beautiful singing abilities, Banham attended the University of Florida to pursue a bachelor’s degree in public relations, which she obtained in 2021.

“I didn’t really want to study music because I knew that it was possible to be successful in music without getting a degree,” she said.

“So I was like, ‘If I’m going to go to college, I’m going to make sure I’m getting a degree in something that I feel like I need a degree in to be successful in.’ So, I always had sort of an interest in brand management and social media and marketing and things like that, so I studied PR.”

During her years as a public relations agent, Banham worked with clients who — in one way or another — were involved in the music industry. Her side hustle, through all her college and professional career years, was auditioning for “The Voice.”

“I think this was the fifth season that I had auditioned for,” she said.

“So, I knew it was going to happen eventually (and) because I had gotten so close to many times, I felt I was learning more about myself with every attempt and I felt I just was going to keep going until they eventually put me on the stage — and they did.”

VOYAGE TO “THE VOICE”

Waiting to audition was one of the most nerve-wracking moments — if not the most — for Banham.

“You’re standing, waiting behind these double doors, and you can hear people going before you,” she said. “I actually went

after someone — they changed the order on the show — (so) I went after someone who had a four chair turn and a block so I was like, ‘How am I supposed to follow this?’ I was so nervous. Then, these doors opened, and I saw my parents on the opposite side of the stage, and that was really special for me.

“It’s so silent in there, it’s like you can’t hear a thing.” Banham said. “You see people staring at you but no one is saying a word; you don’t get a glimpse of the coaches at all. You can’t hear them; there’s just spotlights on each of those chairs. So I walked up there, and I was just telling myself, ‘You are going to kill it,’ and then the second I opened my mouth, it fell apart.

“I wasn’t doing any of the things I had practiced for months,” she said. “I was really talking myself down, so when I saw (Kelly Clarkson) turning — (she) and Niall (Horan) hit their buttons virtually at the same exact time — instantly it was just like a rush of relief through my body. And so she turned and I saw her smiling face, I look and see Niall’s smiling face, and then Kelly stands up and goes, ‘No.’ And that’s when I realized that Niall had used his block on Kelly.”

Even though she was a fan of One Direction growing up, Banham wasn’t thinking about choosing to become part of Team Niall. In fact, she had initially considered joining Team Kelly if the opportunity presented itself given the technical training she usually provides her team members during the show.

“The second that Niall used his block, all that just immediately flew out the door,” she said. “I was so honored that he thought that there was something special enough about my voice that he would use the block. … (And), I felt that in that moment, even though Chance (The Rapper) said a lot of amazing things, Niall just really got me as an artist. … He is a person who understands music, … under-

Windermere talks variances

ANNABELLE SIKES

NEWS EDITOR

The Windermere Town Council unanimously approved two separate consent items relating to variances following discussion at the Town Council meeting Tuesday, March 14. Brad Cornelius, town planner, presented both items and gave a short presentation.

SPORTS COURT

The first variance applies to 12150 Lake Butler Blvd., where the applicants Sanjay and Kavita Pattani requested to allow a sports court in front of a principal residence. The court is designed to be used for multiple activities, including basketball, tennis, pickleball and volleyball.

The proposed sports court’s dimensions are 46 feet by 84 feet, totaling 3,864 square feet. The court is proposed to be set back 40 feet off the west property line, 94 feet off the east property line (Lake Butler Boulevard) and 397 feet off the north property line (Park Avenue).

Cornelius explained the town’s code requires sports courts to be located in the side or rear yard of the principal structure. In addition, the courts must meet the required side setback for the property, be no closer than 50 feet to the Normal-HighWater Elevation of the lake and the lighting cannot produce direct glare visible from any surrounding property.

Due to the proposed sports court meeting the setbacks and lighting requirements, the variance was needed only for the location of the court in the front yard.

The subject property is 3.9 acres with a maximum lot width of 228 feet

and a maximum lot length of 828 feet at the location of the sports court.

The town’s Development Review Board approved the variance, 3-1, with the condition that a minimum of a 6-foot hedge be maintained along the property boundary on Lake Butler Boulevard and Park Avenue.

Cornelius said the town received four public comments in support of the request and three in opposition. He said the opposition concerned noise and lighting impacts on the adjacent properties.

New council member Tom Stroup inquired on the need for the courts.

“They have a large driveway,” he said. “The kids can do any and all of that in their own driveway right now…so whatever they’re going to do on the basketball or tennis court is going to be what they currently can do…”

Council member Molly Rose inquired on if DRB thought the variance would be setting precedent. However, Cornelius said it would not because of what is stated in the town’s code.

“Every variance that comes before you stands on its own merit, its own criteria and its own reasons,” he said. “The fact that this may or may not be approved does not set the precedent for somebody else coming forward because the circumstances of this lot are pretty unique to any other lot here in the town of Windermere.”

Applicant Sanjay Pattani also offered his perspective.

“We want to be respectful to our neighbors and our town,” he said. “We have no malicious intent, we want to play by the rules…we’ve tried to be accommodating and really transparent about this whole process, and this is really just for the

stands lyricism and he understands how to make the audience connect with you emotionally when you are singing a song.”

This isn’t Banham’s first time seeing Horan. For her 16th birthday, Banham’s parents got her tickets to a One Direction concert.

“It’s been really cool,” she said. “I never would’ve thought way back then that he would be my coach.”

Through her journey on “The Voice,” Banham hopes to gain a lot of knowledge and technical training that also will help her songwriting skills.

“I’ve been songwriting ever since I was a little kid,” she said. “I haven’t really had the time to dedicate to a project, but it’s definitely on the top of my to-do list.”

Currently, Banham is finishing up a song called “Back When,” which she was working on during a waiting period between two important parts of the show.

“(Niall) gave me some great advice, and it resulted in me singing or writing this song,” she said. “I sent it to him, and he gave me some incredible feedback and compliments. So, I really am proud of that song and the way that it fell together because of the advice that he gave me.”

Banham hopes to take a break from public relations and focus on music through this period of her life, as music is a passion she would like to explore deeper thanks to the opportunity she has been provided through “The Voice.”

The television show airs on NBC at 8 p.m. Mondays and 9 p.m. Tuesdays.

FOLLOW KALA’S JOURNEY

Twitter: @MikalaBanham

TikTok: @kalabanham

IN OTHER NEWS

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STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP

PUBLIC NOTICES

kids…they’re already playing tennis, basketball and pickleball out there. This is just to make this a little more injury friendly and accommodating for them.”

The variance was approved unanimously with the stipulations proposed by the DRB.

HOME EXPANSION

The second variance applies to 126 Down Court, where the applicants Brian and Tracy Bowen requested to allow an expansion of more than 10% for a non-conforming home.

The Bowens proposed to convert the existing covered carport into a garage and to add a second story. The current gross floor area is 2,424 square feet, which would allow an addition of 242 square feet based on the 10% limitation.

Cornelius explained the existing rear covered porch encroaches the 50-foot setback from the NHWE line by 9 feet. The agenda packet states this is the point of nonconformity since all structures are required to setback from the NHWE line by a minimum of 50 feet.

The proposed addition of 1,751 square feet to a new gross floor area total of 4,175 square feet is a 72% increase in gross floor area.

Cornelius said the proposed addition is compliant with the current setbacks, maximum total gross floor area, total impervious area, height and is more than 50 feet from the NHWE.

He said the town received 10 public comments in support of the request and three in opposition. The DRB approved the variance unanimously, as did the Town Council.

n Rose presented the town manager evaluations for 2021. The council voted to award Smith a 5% increase in salary.

n The Town Council swore in two council members for their second term from 2023-25: Tony Davit and Mandy David.

n The Town Council swore in new member Stroup for his first term. Stroup is replacing Bill Martini on the council.

n Two appointments were approved unanimously for the Historic Preservation Board: Liz Andert and Donna Steele.

n The Town Council approved unanimously $36,229.49, after much discussion, in emergency debris monitoring cost overages from Hurricane Ian by Rostan Solutions LLC.

n The Town Council approved unanimously the promotion of Tara Vegel to finance director.

n Town Council members approved unanimously the appointment of Rose as the liaison for the Boathouse Lawsuit Meditations.

n David said she has been working with Parks & Recreation to add a temporary pickleball court in April to one of the Main Street courts after much request by residents.

n Stroup was approved unanimously to serve on the new Orange County Tourist Development Tax Citizen Advisory Task Force.

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Courtesy photo

One of the first instruments Mikala Banham learned to play was the piano.

Celtic Fest at Crooked Can Brewing Company

The eighth annual Celtic Fest hosted by Crooked Can Brewing Company brought the luck of the Irish to downtown Winter Garden. Residents packed Plant Street Market showing off a flood of green and white.

The event, which ran from Friday, March 17, through Sunday, March 19, featured entertainment by Todd Nichols, Long & Finch’s Irish Duo, Central Florida Irish Dance, Dublin Beat, Rosie O’Grady’s Pipe & Drum, Watters School of Irish Dance and more.

In addition, attendees enjoyed activities such as mad science, roaming jugglers, stilt walkers, face painting, food specials and, of course, award-winning beer.

— ANNABELLE SIKES

Families lounged on the green space throughout downtown Winter Garden.

Children ran around Plant Street sporting green attire complete with accessories.

John Carney and Daniel Barber enjoyed beer and Irish hot dogs piled with corned beef and sauerkraut.

An Irish-themed stilt walker stops to take a photo with Chris Chan, owner of Think Minion, who sported a beer puppet.

Bound by home’s four walls

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

When Ye’vette Toms was 5, she panicked any time she had to leave her house or separate from her parents.

Her feelings of anxiety only increased as she got older, and if friends invited her to a movie or concert, she made excuses and said she was either grounded or she had to babysit.

“Once I was a teenager, I would suck it up and go to the movies, but it was a battle,” she said. “I had to battle panic the whole way there, and I would act normal. My friends had no idea I was sitting there panicking.”

Toms understands now this was the beginning of agoraphobia, a mental illness that has progressed to the point where she is homebound and can no longer leave her apartment complex. The 44-year-old Winter Garden resident wants people to understand what life is like for an agoraphobe, so she has started a vlog on YouTube called “You Know Where to Find Me.”

“Agoraphobia starts out as panic disorder,” she said. “I went to Publix, and I had a panic attack. … So, I just avoided Publix.”

The same thing happened at Aldi, so she stopped shopping there too.

“The panic attacks got so frequent and so often that my walls just closed in, and it took about 10 years to be fully homebound,” Toms said. “The pandemic pushed it over the edge. I have asthma, and I have agoraphobia, so I could not wear a mask. I was attacked verbally every time I would go in public. One person coughed on me.”

ONE-MILE RADIUS

Toms, her husband, Benjamin, and their children live in the Inland Seas apartment complex, where she feels completely isolated from the life she used to have. Until last year, the family lived on Seminole Street, one block from downtown Winter Garden, and Toms said she never felt the depression that now engulfs her.

She said she was comfortable traveling within a one-mile radius of her home.

“When we lived uptown, and when I could go in my mile, there was no

such thing as depression,” Toms said.

“I had church, I had the Dollar Store, I had Dollar General, and I had Publix and the thrift stores and … the Edgewood (Children’s Ranch) thrift store.”

She was content with the limits she placed on herself.

But her life changed when the Tomses were forced to moved out of the house they were renting and all they could find in their children’s school zone was the apartment — more than one mile from downtown.

“I miss downtown,” Toms said. “I’m going to get emotional just talking about downtown. We could see Crooked Can. Even if I was homebound, I could go to Crooked Can downtown. I miss the farmers market so much. I totally miss the golf cart parade at Christmas. And I could do those things when we were over there, but when we had to move, I don’t know, my brain just, I’m just in stuck mode, and we’re exploring that in therapy. I just can’t make it downtown.”

Toms said once they moved into the apartment, she didn’t want to leave.

“When we moved, it was so traumatic that once it got dark no one could talk to me or touch me for the first two months of us living here,” Toms said. “Once it got dark, all I could do was sit and breathe, I was in a massive panic. I couldn’t sleep.”

For the first two weeks after they moved in, she was in such a panic she didn’t allow her husband to leave. She still can’t be home alone because the what-ifs start infiltrating her mind.

“What if I choke, what if I have a heart attack, what if I trip and I hurt my back?” Toms said. “I’ve actually had those thoughts. If I’m home alone, I don’t eat.”

One month after moving into the complex, Toms still hadn’t left the apartment.

“And then two months passed and three months passed,” she said. “And then I went to the dock and had a panic attack, so I haven’t been to the dock since.”

She would love to own a golf cart.

“If I had a golf cart, I could go places,” she said.

Her children’s friends have a golf

cart and occasionally take her for a spin around the parking lot. She can comfortably ride to the complex office and to the mailbox.

“Riding around in a circle in a golf cart is like the wind in my hair,” Toms said. “I’m not used to going fast anymore … so when you’re in a golf cart that goes 30 mph, I’m like, ‘Slow down!’”

Toms is a Disneyphile but is unable to fulfill her desire to enjoy the theme parks — so she “visits” by watching Walt Disney World YouTube vlogs. She has made it a game of telling her husband what she did that day: “I went to Southern California and got to do the backstage tour” or “I rode Tron today.”

Her last physical trip to Disney was a decade ago.

Toms is grateful for her husband, who has taken over all of her previous responsibilities such as taking their children to doctor’s and dentist appointments and doing all the shopping.

“You just cannot help it,” she said. “You’re always in fight or flight mode.”

GOING WITH THE FLOW

When the Tomses filed their income taxes last year, the Internal Revenue Service mailed a refund check to them. Her identification card, similar to a driver’s license, had expired, so she couldn’t cash the check. She also can’t apply for a job working from home without an ID.

“My husband was like, ‘You’re going to have to go to the DMV,’” Toms said. “I freaked out. At that point I hadn’t left the apartment complex in five months, and I had been homebound in the other house about a year.”

She learned about the state’s Florida License on Wheels program and wrote a letter requesting the mobile come to Winter Garden. She even got Laura Coar, the director of the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, involved in bringing the FLOW mobile here.

“I was just praying, and I was like, ‘God, I can’t go to the DMV,’” Toms said. “I saw how far it was. Just driving there and getting out of the car and being present and being in this big building with all these people.

… When you’ve gotten so bad that you’re a homebound agoraphobe, how can you go to the DMV?”

“JUST DEAL WITH IT”

Well-meaning people often tell Toms to “just go outside” or “just deal with it.”

“I’ll say something like, ‘I really appreciate you encouraging me. I really wish it was that simple. Can you imagine me staying in the house for 10 years if all I needed to do was calm down?’” she said.

Mental illness is an invisible disability, she said.

“If you saw someone with cancer, would you just say, ‘Stop having cancer’? If you saw someone in a wheelchair, would you say, ‘Just get out of your chair’?” she said. “ Because people can’t see your disability, it doesn’t exist, and it literally is all in your head.”

THE HEALING PROCESS

Toms’ vlog shows the everyday life of someone with agoraphobia. She also hopes it will begin her process of healing.

“There’s such a stigma on people with mental illness,” she said. “I have a 67-year-old stepmother, and she said to me last week, ‘Don’t tell people you’re mentally ill.’ That generation suffered in silence. And there are a lot of people who are suffering in silence. And I know it sounds cliché all these people who want to give

voices to one thing or another, but I want to give a voice to people with mental illness.”

She is aware of the statistics and wants to break the “curse.”

“I read this in a psychology book that once an agoraphobe is homebound, the less likely they are able to reintroduce into society,” she said. “The longer I’m in this bubble, the longer it will take for recovery.”

FLORIDA LICENSING ON WHEELS

The Florida Licensing on Wheels will be in Winter Garden from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 30. The FLOW mobile will be set up at the Jessie Brock Community Center, 310 N. Dillard St.

The mobile brings motorist services to the community and offers a convenient method to convert out-of-state licenses; obtain, replace or renew a Florida driver license or identification card; change a name or address; add motorcycle endorsements or veteran designation; or renew a vehicle registration. For a list of documents required, visit bit.ly/3FD9Ylr. For a list of fees for driver license and motor vehicle services, visit bit.ly/3Z4ySBB.

No written or driving tests will be given from the mobile unit.

Amy Quesinberry

Ye’vette Toms has agoraphobia and hasn’t left her apartment complex in months. Her service dog, Zeus, stays by her side. She has started a vlog on YouTube called “You Know Where to Find Me” that addresses her mental illness.

HW Jersey Mike’s wins

ANNABELLE SIKES

NEWS EDITOR

The Jersey Mike’s team at Westside Shoppes took home first place at the company's National G13 Sub-Making Championship held at the national conference Sunday, March 5, in Orlando.

The Horizon West-based team included members Dakota Thompson (slicer), Victoria Cortese (sprinkler) and Chris Morrone (wrapper), who brought home the winning $90,000, as well as a huge trophy.

To reach the finals, the trio competed against more than 2,500 teams across the country to earn one of six top spots.

TEAM FORMATION

Collectively, the trio has nine years of experience working at Jersey Mike’s.

Cortese, 18, and Morrone, 23, both started working for the company when the Hori-

zon West location opened in November 2020.

Thompson, 24, has been with the company for seven years. He fondly refers to his position as his “dream job.”

Cortese resides in Windermere, and both Morrone and Thompson travel from Clermont and Lake Nona, respectively.

Frank Bergren, co-owner, runs the store with the help of his wife, Jennifer, and his brother-in-law, Robert Woods, who oversees the team.

The Horizon West location is the first of six the owners have set to open right now.

WINNING THE TROPHY

The competition started with a submission video that goes into an evaluation pool where the process of making a giant Italian sub is analyzed. The sub has to be completed properly, such as weighing the right amount and having the perfect amount of meat.

The team came in four to five times a week over almost two months to train and even stayed after midnight to practice when the store closed.

The event was announced by Michael Buffer, an American ring announcer for boxing, professional wrestling and NFL events.

The team said the weight of the sub was the hardest obstacle to overcome, but they got it perfect at 2.01 pounds in one minute and nine seconds. They said many of the other teams had deductions for actions such as presenting a sloppy wrapper or not using enough tomatoes. The Horizon West team had no deductions.

Thompson said the camaraderie at the shop is unbeatable.

“We all love coming to work with each other,” he said. “I think that was a big part of the win is truly liking the people that we are, especially when we’re together.”

HARD WORK deserves to be RECOGNIZED

ONLY

LET’S CELEBRATE THE CLASS OF 2023

Earning a high school diploma is an accomplishment worth celebrating. That’s precisely why the Observer is creating an extra special Graduation section. In it, we will celebrate seniors at all of our area’s public, private and charter high schools.

Tell your graduating senior how proud you are of their accomplishments with a personalized congratulatory card in our 2023 Graduation section.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: MONDAY, MAY 1

DATE OF PUBLICATION: THURSDAY, MAY 25

The Horizon West team, based at the Westside Shoppes location, competed against more than 2,500 teams from across the country to win first place.

Courtesy photo

The sub team — which comprised Victoria Cortese (sprinkler), Dakota Thompson (slicer) and Chris Morrone (wrapper) — took home the trophy at the Jersey Mike’s National G13 Sub-Making Championship held at the national conference in Orlando.

& Co., Inc.

Investors in money market funds should carefully consider information contained in the prospectus, or, if available, the summary prospectus, including investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. You can request a mutual fund prospectus by calling Schwab at 1-800-435-4000. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

You could lose money by investing in the Schwab Money Funds. SWVXX seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, but cannot guarantee it will do so. SWVXX may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Schwab Money Funds is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Schwab Money Funds’ sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Funds, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Funds at any time. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. For the most recent 7-day yields, see schwab.com.

The 7-Day Yield is the average

Horizon High School flag football wide receiv er Miriam Athay currently has 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Page 2B.

HIGH 5 Lion on road to recovery

1Windermere High School became Metro West champions

Wednesday, March 8, at the Metro West Championship meet that took place at West Orange High School. The Wolverines competed against Apopka, Dr. Phillips, Edgewater, Evans, Horizon, Lake Buena Vista, Olympia, Wekiva and West Orange.

2

The Horizon High School girls beach volleyball team currently owns a 3-0 overall season record. With three games into their 2022-23 season, the Lady Hawks have swept all three teams they have played — Windermere Prep, Freedom High and Edgewater — with a 5-0 score. Horizon was set to travel to Boone High School at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, March 22, after press time. 3

The First Academy varsity baseball team defeated Harmony High School 5-2 during a non-district game Tuesday, March 14. The Royals currently have an overall season record of 10-1 and are set to play University at 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 23.

4

Two Central Florida Christian Academy alumni — Imanuel Zorgvol and De’Lazarus Keys — played with their respective universities at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Zorgvol graduated from CFCA in 2021 and currently is a freshman at Northern Kentucky, while Keys graduated from CFCA in 2017 and currently is a senior at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

5

The Lake Buena Vista boys basketball team currently owns a 6-3 overall season record. The Vipers were scheduled to host Edgewater at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, after press time, and are set to travel to Boone High School at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 28.

Friedman already has been attending physical therapy for two months.

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

For Foundation Academy freshman and softball team outfielder Elena Friedman, half of her life has been spent on a field since she was 6 or 7 years old, as softball runs in her family.

“It originally started because I was at my brother’s T-ball practice and I wanted to swing a bat,” she said. “I

was in sandals and like a maxi dress or something and I thought ‘You’re kind of good at this.’ So then, I went and I tried out. Both my grandpas coached softball. My aunt played all the way through high school, and she won a state championship at West Orange and my dad, he coached. So, it’s kind of like I’ve always been around softball.” Last year, at only 14 years of age and still in middle school, Friedman led the Lady Lions’ varsity team with a .570 on base percentage and four triples, and was third on the leader board for runs with a total of 31 and a .684 slugging percentage. She was second on the leader board when it comes to

doubles, with a total of six doubles for the 2021-22 prep softball season.

However, Friedman has continuously been struggling with knee pain and issues. It spurred from a genetic issue she was born with called Shallow Trochlear Groove that became prevalent within the last four years.

“I originally noticed it (one time) when I slid into third base and (the doctors) said I just sprained my ACL,” she said. “But, they also wrote in there that I had a shallow patellar groove — my kneecap was too shallow but they never did anything about it so I kept re-injuring it. And, every time I would get better I would do something (to hurt it again) and it was kind of just

like a constant cycle of my knee never getting better and it would always swell.”

Friedman dislocated her knee two years ago and since then, it would never stay in place.

“I could just be walking and I would fall and it would never stay in place,” she said. “I’ve had to wear a brace for a really long time and the braces never did anything and I never understood why. … So it was just really frustrating because I would always get better and I would get back to softball and … then something would happen with my knee again.”

SEE KNEE PAGE 2B

Special Olympics is a community for DP resident

Special Olympics swimming national champion Alex Endre will compete in her first-ever Pickleball Invitational May 5 to 6.

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

Dr. Phillips resident Alex Endre, 31, has been involved in Special Olympics since she was 9 years old. Her first sport was swimming.

“I think Mom probably picked it for her because it was something she knew how to do,” mom Karen Endre said. “It was a sport that I knew she could do. At 9, I didn’t know if it was something feasible, so we were doing an individual skill, and I knew she could swim.”

Alex Endre — who has Down syndrome — has been involved in many different sports as part of Special Olympics over the years: swimming, basketball, track and field, bowling and, most recently, pickleball.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “It’s my first time (trying) it.”

This year, Alex Endre is registered to compete in the Special Olympics Pickleball Invitational, which will take place May 5 and 6 at the USTA National Campus, 10000 USTA Blvd., Orlando.

“It’s a hard sport,” Karen Endre said. “Some of the sports she has done are not as physically active. And so, a lot of kids — or adults — with Down syndrome tend to have poor muscle tone, so sports where she can be more active are really good for her physically … like swimming and pickleball.”

The mother-daughter duo practice once a week as they have pickleball courts in their neighborhoods. Alex Endre also

Foundation Academy freshman and softball team outfielder Elena Friedman recently underwent a surgery to help repair her knee dislocation and the sliding of her kneecap. Only five to 10 surgeons in the United States are able to perform the procedure.

Miriam Athay

Horizon High School junior and flag football wide receiver, safety and quarterback Miriam Athay currently has 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for the season. The Lady Hawks currently remain undefeated with a season record of 6-0.

Talk to us about your years as a flag football player.

I haven’t really played flag. I play more tackle football, so it’s kind of hard to differentiate the two, but I’ve played football my entire life.

Why flag football?

Football, it’s just a huge thing in my family, so I like to carry on the “thing” because it makes my mom happy to to watch us play. I like playing football a lot, and I feel I am really good at it.

What do you love most about flag football as a sport?

I think making new friends and playing my heart out.

What has flag football taught you not only on the field but also outside of it?

Don’t get cocky. You can be really good, but it is one play (that) can mess you up and mess up the whole game. And, it’s made me realize that not everything is easy.

Do you have a favorite drill to do at practice?

Pulling flags; it tests your agility in pulling. There can be many broken fingers that can happen pulling flags.

What do you think makes you a unique player on the football field?

I’m not tall, but I would say my height. … Just my background I guess (too, I’ve been) playing football my entire life.

How do you believe you instill leadership in your team?

Just making sure everyone is paying attention and not disrespecting coach (Ethan Mankoff) and actually trying to get better because if you are out there not to learn, then there is no reason to be there.

Do you have a favorite NFL player? And team?

Not really, I just watch to watch. I would say maybe Peyton Manning. When he played, he was top tier and his stats were amazing, and I could only hope to try to be like him.

What’s your favorite thing about the Hawks’ flag football team?

Definitely playing with my girl friend (Kylie Will), playing with my team and having a lot of fun.

What’s your favorite hobby?

Working out or hanging out with my family or my girlfriend.

What are three things you would take with you to a deserted island? My girlfriend, food and a football.

What’s your favorite movie?

“Mamma Mia!” I like the second one because of the songs because they are a little different than the first one, but without Donna in it, it’s not the same.

THE BASICS

Age: 17

Sport: Flag football, soccer

Position: Wide receiver, safety, quarterback

Grade: 11 School: Horizon

What TV series are you watching right now?

“Dance Moms,” it’s so good. If you have a Hulu account, I definitely recommend watching it.

What’s your favorite type of music?

Alternative or pop or rap.

Do you have anything you’d like to listen to before a game?

Yes, I have a pre-game hype playlist.

Who’s your favorite superhero?

Why?

Spiderman. I just love him; it’s an unhealthy obsession. With Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire, they both have strengths for different sides of Peter. And then Tom Holland is the best of all of them.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

Super strength. I feel like it’d be fun to be stronger than everyone else.

What are three places you’d like to visit? Why?

I like to travel around the world.

I like Aruba, I like Cancun, and obviously anywhere I can play flag would be a good place to go.

Which one would you choose: Instagram, BeReal or TikTok?

TikTok because there are so many things to watch.

If you could go back in time to a specific period of history, what would it be and why?

I think going back in time to the times that I regret the most, … (although) I wouldn’t want to change anything. So I would go back but then I wouldn’t go back.

What color would you say represents your personality?

I’d say blue; it’s my favorite color.

If you could be an animal for a day, which one

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

KNEE REPAIR

In order to help Friedman get back in shape, Dr. Daryl Osbahr performed a Trochleoplasty — a surgical correction of the femoral trochlea to help restore a normal entry of the patella into the groove during extension and flexion of the knee — earlier this year. Friedman had a couple more procedures on her left knee: a Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction, which is a surgery that creates a new medial patellofemoral ligament to help stabilize the knee and protect the joint; a lateral reticular release and reconstruction to help relieve pressure in the joint.

This type of procedure is uncommon and has been done in the United States only for the last five to 10 years. Nowadays, there are only 10 to 15 surgeons in the U.S. that are able to perform the surgery.

Before deciding to undergo the procedure, Friedman had attended

ACL INJURY

An Anterior Cruciate

Ligament injury is the tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament, which is a strong band of tissue that helps connect the femur with the tibia. This type of injury can mostly occur in sports that require sudden stops or changes in direction. When an ACL injury happens, the athlete can hear a “pop” sound or feel a “popping” sensation in the knee, making it sweat and feel unstable. Depending on the severity of the tear, treatment of an ACL injury may require rest and rehabilitation exercises or surgery followed by rehabilitation.

SHALLOW GROOVE IN KNEE

If a knee has an uneven groove or is too shallow, the kneecap could potentially slide off, which could cause a partial or complete dislocation, as the kneecap helps connect the muscles in the front of the thigh to the tibia and as the leg is bended or straightened, the kneecap is pulled up or down depending on the motion.

physical therapy three or four times to see if her knee would finally heal.

“I had tried that over and over and it didn’t get better,” she said.

“It didn’t fix it, I tried the different braces, I tried the different taping methods and basically nothing helped. … (The doctor) basically said if I wanted to play softball again or wanted to be able to walk normally or function like a normal human, I had to do (the surgery).”

However, despite the surgery fixing the dislocation of the knee and the sliding of the kneecap — as the procedure literally dug out a whole new groove for Friedman’s kneecap to sit on —because of it being so rare and uncommon among athletes, there is no certainty that Friedman will be able to play softball in the future but, she already has been attending physical therapy at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in Orlando.

“I’m going two times a week and it mostly consists of breaking the scar tissue in my knee and bending the knee, doing curls, riding a bike,” she said. “There’s like an electro machine that (my physical therapist) uses to activate my quads. … I’ve been doing the motion of a squat, it’s just not very deep, and then I also have exercises that I’m

PICKLEBALL PLAYER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

practices every Wednesday with her Special Olympics coach at Veterans Memorial Park in Winter Garden for about an hour and 15 minutes.

“People there are wonderful, because pickleball is very hard to get a court and people are now very patient,” Karen Endre said. “They are really good with our kids, even to a point where … we’ve had some people let our athletes play in with them, rotate in. So, they are playing with them, so it’s really neat. From a Winter Garden angle, it’s just nice that the community is really embracing our athletes.”

For her first pickleball invitational, Alex Endre will be playing in the unified category — where people with and without intellectual disabilities are placed on the same team.

SPECIAL IMPACT

At the beginning — more than 20 years ago — Alex Endre was simply an athlete involved in Special Olympics. Today, she is an advocate and a leader within the movement.

“I’m a health messenger,” she said.

“The Special Olympics has the competition part, and they also

have a leadership part,” Karen Endre said. “So, the leadership program is that Alex is a special health messenger, and she is helping spread the word around hygiene and advocating for yourself with doctors. Wearing sunscreen, I mean, some things that (may) be very simple and basic, but (her) advocating was when COVID-19 came around and people with Down syndrome were considered a high-risk category.

“So, it’s those kind of things, and really advocating for people with intellectual disabilities and getting them the care and whatever they need,” Karen Endre said.

The impact Special Olympics has made in the Endre household has been monumental, as Alex’s twin brother, Nick, has become involved and is now helping with all the logistics that make the events what they are — special for everyone who participates.

“There are so many specialneeds people (who) don’t have friends,” Karen Endre said. “It’s very difficult in this community because often parents are working and so it’s hard to find any place where your kids can go and be safe. Special Olympics is a place where they can be safe, they meet new friends. It’s really a community.”

doing at home every day and then I also had a machine that I was using daily for four to six hours that was bending my knee for me.”

Friedman is truly hoping to go back to the softball field in the future, knee permitting. Despite all the physical therapy and the hospital visits however, she maintains a 4.0 GPA and keeps track of all her classes.

“She still has goals and she still has opportunities to achieve those goals,” her dad Matt Friedman said. “That’s playing Division I softball, that’s playing in an Ivy League (school). … Academically, we have no doubt she’ll be successful. Our hope is that she can get back out there on the field if that’s what she wants to do, but it’s up to her.”

Before the year started — and all the doctor appointments rolled in — Friedman had already realized she wants to become a surgeon later in life. This experience however, kind of magnified that inkling for her.

“I think it’s kind of really more of a reason that I should be a surgeon,” she said. “Because I feel like maybe I’ll be able to relate to people, especially those who have an ongoing issue that they may not be able to fix.”

NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME DAY

In 2012, the General Assembly officially declared March 21 World Down Syndrome Day to raise public awareness about it. According to the United Nations website, “The estimated incidence of Down syndrome is between 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 1,100 live births worldwide,” and approximately 3,000 to 5,000 children are born with the Down syndrome chromosome disorder.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

According to its website, it’s a global movement “of people creating a new world of inclusion and community, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability.”

ALEX RECOGNITIONS

Alex has won several accolades within her involvement in Special Olympics. In 2019, she competed in the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle and won gold with her swim team and bronze in the individual category for breaststroke.

PUBLIX PACKING

Alex Endre has been a Publix employee for 10-and-one-half years. She works at the Publix located in Dr. Phillips.

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

Andrea Mujica

Elena Friedman is taking some time to get back in shape following several knee surgeries.

DIED

James “Jim” Joseph Tramonte, 63, of Winter Garden, Florida, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at Mike Conley Hospice House, Clermont, Florida. Jim was born on Sept. 30, 1959, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to the late Sam and Doris Ann (Godfrey) Tramonte.

Jim moved to Florida at the age of 3 years old with his parents to Merritt Island, Florida, and eventually moved to Orlando, Florida.

After graduating high school, he started working for Quality Vaults and Monuments and Metro Crematory, of Ocoee, Florida. Eventually he managed these companies for his father-in-law, Richard Boetcher, for many years.

After Richard retired, Jim became the owner of the companies and expanded into Lake Wales and DeLand. Jim was respected by his employees and industry colleagues and all who knew him.

Jim was a very giving person and made many charitable contributions to his community. Jim loved the outdoors, hiking, hunting, fishing and taking RV road trips. He enjoyed his time with his family and friends, and his loving puppies Lacy and Lily and the late Bella.

Jim is survived by his wife, Susan K. Schneider Tramonte; and children, son, Christian Schneider Tramonte, of Winter Garden, Florida, daughters, Samantha and husband Travis Stewart of Apopka, Florida, Janell Tramonte of Cocoa Beach Florida, sons, Alex Hafid of Mount Dora, Florida, and Aaron Christiansen of Orlando, Florida one brother, Jeffrey Tramonte and wife Sharon of Winter Garden, Florida; and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 24, 2023, at Winter Oak Funeral Home, 1132 E. Plant St., Winter Garden, FL; and funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 25, 2023, at People of Faith Lutheran Church, 228 Windermere Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787. Pastor Rick Kristoff will officiate the service. Burial will follow at Taylor Memorial Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are in the caring guidance of Winter Oak Funeral Home.

DAVID WAYNE MATHEWS

DIED MARCH 3, 2023.

David Wayne Mathews, 70, passed away on March 3, 2023. David was the middle child to Joe and Eva Mathews of Winter Garden, Florida, born on May 28, 1952, in Orlando, Florida. David was a graduate of Lakeview High School, Class of 1971, and of Florida Southern, Bachelor of Science, Class of 1981. He was employed by C.G. Tilden Estate Groves for 25 years. He transitioned into agriculture research for the last 20 years after the fall of citrus from the area.

David was married to Carol Farnsworth for 33 years until her passing in 2008. He remained a devote widower for the rest of his life, having met his life-

long partner at Lakeview High School.

David is survived by his son, Douglas Farnsworth Mathews, and wife (Kathryn) and two beautiful granddaughters, Mary Tilden “Tilly” and Tyler Mae Mathews, who he spoiled every chance he had. He is also survived by his sisters, Sandra Chissoe and Melanie Brown, as well as his older brother, Danny Mathews. He was predeceased by his father, mother and brother Dennis.

Services for David will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, April 14, 2023, at First United Methodist Church of Winter Garden. Reception to follow in the Fellowship Hall at the church. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Doctors Without Borders, one of David’s favorite charities.

JAMES “JIM” JOSEPH TRAMONTE

MARCH 9, 2023.

INFLUENCER OF THE WEEK

CHRIS MILLER THE FIRST ACADEMY

Chris Miller, the offensive line coach for The First Academy’s football team, attended TFA as a student. Now, in his professional career, Miller attempts to give back to the school that saw him grow every day — be it on the sports side or in every other area. Sports information coordinator Bo Burgess said of Miller, “He is an unbelievable asset to our school and football program.” Miller also is the “self proclaimed” deejay for any TFA athletic events.

What brought you to your school?

I attended The First Academy for 13 years as a student. As soon as I graduated college, I wanted to return to help coach football and give back to the place that gave me so much.

What do you love most about your school?

First, I love that the Christian mission statement is something that is placed at the forefront of everything we do. Next would be the people. Some of the most influential people I have met in life have been at TFA. People care here, and that is shown daily.

What is your motivation?

My motivation is to use the skills and tools that God has blessed me with to help inspire and encourage the next generations — whether that is through sports or life in general.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing lifelong relationships established. Nothing makes me happier than seeing kids come back from college and witnessing the great things they are doing.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Most of my spare time is spent watching various TFA sporting events. I also enjoy hanging with friends.

Who was your favorite teacher when you were in school? Why?

My favorite teacher was my publicspeaking teacher, Suzanne Livesay. She really helped me to feel comfortable speaking in front of large groups of people and even sparked an appreciation for musical theater, which I still have to this day. She was also the head of the drama department. The main reason is the continued support she gave me throughout my career in keeping track of my football career at FIU.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

I wanted to be a historian for the History Channel specializing in U.S. military history. I have always loved history and learning how the events of the past shaped the future. I also wanted to be a singer. I am pretty much singing something 24/7.

What is your favorite children’s book and why?

Probably “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” Most likely due to the fact that I love cookies and can still remember the pictures in the book.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are playing pickleball and golf, fishing, and working out. I also enjoy ending the day with a book, usually something focused on historical events.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Without a doubt, teleportation. The ability to get places instantly and not worry about things like traffic would be amazing.

If you could only listen to three bands or artists for the rest of your life, what would they be and why?

It would have to be Johnny Cash, Charlie Wilson and Craig Morgan. All these men have gone through tragedies and hardships, showing incredible determination and grit. Plus, they are responsible for some of the greatest songs in music history, in my opinion.

What was your go-to lunch as an elementary student? Any favorite snacks or special treats you remember?

I usually brought a lunch from home but would buy the pizza lunch every Friday. I would also put the Buffalo chicken tender wrap from the cafeteria up against any restaurant.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Christmas is my favorite, for sure. I love all of the traditions and the time spent with friends and family.

Who was your best friend when you were in school and why? Are you still in touch?

I did not have one specific best friend but a group of seven or eight guys that I grew up with. Sports and school originally brought us together, and we are still as close today. We have a group chat that we text in frequently keeping up with each other.

What were your extracurricular activities as a student? Did you win any accolades or honors?

Sports always took up most of my time growing up. I was a state champion in shot put my senior year of high school. The other thing would probably have to be reading. I read hundreds of books as a kid, whether sitting at home, in a car or at an event. I almost always had a book in my hand.

— ANDREA MUJICA

WHS PTSO to host first community gala

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Windermere High School is hosting a new event this weekend: the firstever community gala.

The gala, hosted by the school’s Parent Teacher Student Organization, will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at the Orange County National Golf Center.

Although the idea originally started as a parent prom, PTSO President Christine Crenshaw said the organization decided to change the focus of the event in order to make the event more inclusive. Any adults from the community are welcome to attend the event, not just WHS parents.

The goal of the gala is to raise as much money as possible to benefit teacher and student grants.

“We were able to get very close to $4,000 in teacher grants this year and we wanted to be able to hopefully double that next year and continue to increase that,” Crenshaw said. “A school of our size, we really are hopeful to be able to give a lot of our teacher grant money away each year. Also, we would like to start the next school year with student grants. We are a PTSO, not just a PTO, and we want to give back to not only the school faculty, but the students, as well.”

The community gala will include a silent auction, a live deejay, an electric dance floor, a buffet-style meal and beverages.

Crenshaw said the PTSO plans to make the event an annual happening.

PTSO PASSION

The school’s PTSO has currently 1,200 members, the biggest ever in WHS’s history. Since the school opened, Vice President Jeni Roup said she has seen how hard the organization has worked to help faculty, staff and students, and she had an immediate desire to be a part of that.

Vice President Christina Yacavone said she enjoys outfitting the children with exciting spirit wear to represent the school.

Crenshaw said her goal is to continue to watch the PTSO grow in membership, and to be inclusive of not only parents and faculty, but getting more students on board, as well.

“I really think it’s important as a parent, or even as a community member, to be involved in the local

schools and the future of our community,” she said. “We want to be able to give back and support the community as best as we can.”

In the past, the PTSO has only been able to give away a few hundred dollars in teacher grants, so the jump to $4,000 for the organization was huge.

“I am passionate about the WHS PTSO because volunteering my time to support our students, teachers and staff will make a difference in the success of our high school overall,” Lisa Lukes, secretary on the PTSO board, said. “I am dedicated to staying involved as a parent and community member to support our high school in an effort to enhance the quality of the educational experience for all students.”

Vice President of Membership Marcy Ready said she is also pas-

sionate about being a part of the PTSO.

“It’s wonderful to help make positive impacts on the students, staff and community through our involvement,” she said.

“It’s a great honor and a pleasure to be a part of serving the parents, teachers and students of this school,” Treasurer Sage Shiraishi said. “It also gives me a chance to embarrass my daughter once in a while.”

EVENT INFORMATION

When: 7-10 p.m. Saturday, March 25

Where: Orange County National Golf Center, 16301 Phil Ritson Way, Winter Garden Purchase tickets: bit.ly/3JvQ658

The event aims to raise money to benefit teacher and student grants through a night of food, drinks and dancing.

Annabelle Sikes

Jessica Villegas, Marcy Ready, Christina Yacavone, Christine Crenshaw, Jeni Roup, Lisa Madrigal Lukes and Sage Shiraishi serve on WHS’ PTSO board.

SunRidge Middle School students cheer on

The Special Olympics unified cheer team took part in its first competition of the season at the beginning of March.

The team, which comprises 18 members – six of which are unified partners – is run by head coach April Keller.

Sydney Whitman, Hailey Zaver, Rafaela Berretta and Giselle Bewley, who all attend SunRidge Middle School, are part of the team. The girls were surprised by two of their teachers and the head of the Exceptional Student Education program who came to cheer them on at the event – Crystal Hamilton, Amanda Burke and Melissa Breaud.

“It was such a special moment seeing the staff come out to support our girls,” Cricket Whitman, mother of Sydney, said. “It really makes all of the difference. They went above and beyond. The girls were so happy to see them.”

Although the team is already preparing for its next competition, the members are also searching for help in their fundraising efforts.

Top Gun All Stars typically sponsors part of the team so the members can practice at the gym located in Ocoee. In the past, Top Gun covered expenses for the cheer uniforms. However, this year families were asked to pay around $300 to $400 per team member, which would eliminate a lot of the participants due to financial difficulties.

In order to combat the issue, the team has started fundraising to cover the cost of the uniforms. In addition, the donations can help raise money for the team to participate in The Cheerleading Worlds, which takes place in April at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

TEAM IMPACT

Cricket Whitman said Sydney started with the Special Olympics when she was only 8 years old.

Although she originally partici -

pated in swimming the first year, Sydney now focuses on bowling,

gymnastics and cheerleading.

“In her life, everything is harder

than what typical kids go through,”

Cricket Whitman said. “With the Special Olympics, they get to do something fun and also get immediate gratification.”

Although the Special Olympics cheer season runs from December through May, the girls practice year round.

Ashley Graham, a sophomore cheerleader from Windermere High School, is one of the unified partners on the team.

“I decided to get involved because of my younger brother who has highfunctioning autism,” she explained.

“My brother participated in the Special Olympics swimming program from a very young age. He adored his coach, and he was with him from when he was 5 years old until around 11 or 12 years old. I knew that his coach’s positive attitude and compassion left a huge impact on my brother, and I wanted to be able to give that to others.”

Graham said watching the team

has been both inspiring and eye opening for her.

“Watching them react so well to such difficult sensory situations with ease really showed me the progress they had made as a team,” she said. “What inspires me about them is that they’re always ready to learn and try something new. They always lift each other up and continue to push through on the rough days.”

The team's next competition will be the Special Olympics area games, which will take place March 29 at Top Gun.

MAKE A DONATION

Those who are interested in making a donation to the team can call Top Gun at (407) 2991911 and ask to donate to Team Valor. In addition, the team is always looking for unified partners to help volunteer on the team.

Sydney Whitman,

Hailey

Zaver, Rafaela Berretta and Giselle Bewley were surprised by two of their teachers and the head of the Exceptional Student Education program who came to cheer them on at the event.

Courtesy photos

The girls were surprised by three of their staff members from the school at the competition.

Hailey Zaver, Sydney Whitman and Giselle Bewley all attend SunRidge Middle.

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UPENDED by Dennis Nullet, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

But Wait ... THERE’S MORE!