01.12.23 West Orange Times & Observer

Hoop dreams come true Fight for her life

REGISTER NOW FOR FASTPITCH SOFTBALL LEAGUE

The West Orange Girls Club has opened registration for its spring fastpitch girls softball league. Players ages 5-17 of all skill levels are welcome to participate in the nonprofit volunteer organization that has been supporting girls fastpitch softball in the area since 1978.

Evaluations will be held Feb. 4, and the season will start March 4. To register, visit bit. ly/3VJ2bbd. For information, visit wogcpf.net.

OAKLAND ISSUES CALL TO ARTISTS

The Healthy West Orange Arts & Heritage Center at the Town of Oakland invites all adult and youth artists to submit 2D and 3D art, including multimedia, pottery and sculpture, for its annual Black History Month art exhibition inspired by black culture and/or art created by black artists.

Submission deadline is Jan. 19. Artists must submit the following information to arts&heritage@oaklandfl. gov: artist name and contact information, title, medium, size, sales price, and photo. The exhibition will be on display from Jan. 28 through March 22.

WGHF TO CHAT WITH HISTORIAN

The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation will talk to local artist and historian Rod Reeves in its next Facebook Live program, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12. The live link will appear on the Winter Garden Heritage Facebook page, or folks can join in person at WGHF’s Heller Hall, 21 E.

Plant St.

WGHF Director Jim Crescitelli will talk with Reeves about his teaching career, his role as the first director of the Winter Garden Heritage Museum, local history and his collection of

Kristy Wilkinson was diagnosed with breast cancer one year ago and is in remission after 12 months of treatment — but she’s currently battling high medical bills. SEE STORY ON PAGE 4A.

Here’s how you can celebrate MLK in West Orange County

Winter Garden and Ocoee are hosting events to commemorate the work of the slain civil rights leader and to promote unity. PAGE 2A.

FAMILIAR FACES

It wasn’t in their plans, but Paul and Robin Bedford love owning Ocoee’s Pelican’s SnoBalls. SEE PAGE 3A.

Amy Quesinberry

Kristy Wilkinson’s second-graders at Westbrooke Elementary have rallied around her during her battle with cancer.

Right: Kristy Wilkinson was determined to beat cancer so she could be here for her two daughters, Siena and Sydney.

Courtesy

The Ocoee Police Department welcomed the community to its 2023 open house. SEE PAGE 7A.

Cruise-In event rolls into Hamlin

The free event will kick off at 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Hamlin parking garage between Ford’s Garage and the Cinépolis movie theater.

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

A new tradition is picking up speed in Horizon West.

Hamlin is set to host the first Cruise-In event Saturday, Jan. 14, at the parking garage between Ford’s Garage and the Cinépolis movie theater.

The first Hamlin Cruise-In will be a 1950s-themed event for cars and trucks between 1950 and 1979.

Heather Easterling, events and public relations coordinator at Boyd Development, is in charge of running the event.

“The event is designed to bring car lovers together to help them engage in their passion and encourage individuals and families from all over to come out and see some cool cars, listen to music, eat, have fun, take some pics and make memories,” she said.

Easterling said a car show always has been on the organization’s wish list of events for Hamlin, and this

past year, Boyd Development has had some local residents reach out about helping to bring the idea to fruition.

Eric Jacky, of Horizon West Car Fest, has had two successful car shows in Hamlin so far, and Boyd now has been working with Lou Ferraro to create a unique event showcasing classic cars.

In addition to a large showcase of classic cars, the event will feature deejay entertainment from Renee Adams, food trucks, Hamlin tenants, kids’ activities with a 1950s twist and photo opportunities.

Some of the popular local vendors participating include Smoking Soul BBQ, Juicy Lucy Burgers, Raul’s Hot Dog Cart, Snow Kone Factory, Fabio Ludwig Valio Craft Wood Art for Cars and Elliot Davis Photography.

Local businesses and professionals attending will include Crisp and Green, Toastique, HOTWORX, Craig Martin State Farm Insurance, AT&T, Woof Gang Bakery, Bears Who Care, and Horizon West Happenings.

Easterling said she hopes to see as many people as possible come out and enjoy the Hamlin Cruise-In.

“We hope that Hamlin will become a car-show destination and that the

IF YOU GO

HAMLIN CRUISE-IN

WHEN: 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14

WHERE: Hamlin parking garage, 14111 Shoreside Way, Winter Garden

FUTURE EVENTS: To participate in future shows, contact Jay Tillman at jay@rtpflorida.com.

Hamlin Cruise-In will become a favorite community event so that we can have more of them in the future,” she said.

Those who wish to be part of the event or future events should contact Jay Tillman at jay@rtpflorida. com.

Here’s how you can celebrate MLK in West Orange County

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

The cities of Winter Garden and Ocoee are both celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr. with parades and celebrations Monday, Jan. 16.

WINTER GARDEN

The city of Winter Garden is hosting its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The parade will begin at the corner of Plant and Dillard streets and march down Plant to Central Avenue. The festival will follow around 10:30 at the Downtown Pavilion on South Lakeview Avenue.

In addition to the parade, which kicks off at 10, the free event will feature speeches from the community, family-friendly activities, displays, food vendors and live stage performers. The Gerry Williams Band, Craig Thompson Project and Selwyn Birchwood will be taking the stage through 4 p.m. For information, visit cwgdn.org or call (407) 656-4111.

OCOEE

The city of Ocoee’s 15th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Parade

and Celebration will be held at 10 a.m. The parade is being held for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The parade begins at Citrus Elementary School, 87 N. Clarke Road, and ends at the parking lot of the West Oaks Mall on Clarke. The public is invited to attend a postparade celebration at 11 in the mall’s food court.

Daralene Jones will be the keynote speaker at the MLK celebration. Jones anchors the 4 p.m. newscast on WFTV-Channel 9 with Greg Warmoth. She also is an Emmy award-winning investigative reporter who contributes to the Channel 9 Investigates team, focusing on in-depth reports.

Allie Braswell, of Braswell Management LLC, will serve as the master of ceremony at the MLK celebration. The program will include the presenting of the colors by the Ocoee High School JROTC and the national anthem sung by Ocoee resident Sherri Gladney. Sixthgrader Hailey Smith, winner of last year’s City of Ocoee Black History Month Essay Contest, will recite her award-winning essay.

For more information, visit ocoee.org or call (407) 905-3100.

NOTE: Familiar Faces is an ongoing feature in which we spotlight people you have seen but whose stories you may not know. If you want to nominate someone for a future edition, please email Editor and Publisher Michael Eng, meng@orangeobserver. com.

For Paul and Robin Bedford, it was “hook, line and sinker” from their first bite into Pelican’s SnoBalls.

Three years ago, the couple visited friends over spring break in North Carolina and tasted the treat from the shaved ice shop for the first time.

“Having the first SnoBall was not what we expected at all,” Paul Bedford said. “It was so fun, and there were so many flavors that you could mix and match. It was more than just an explosive bite; it was an experience.”

Paul and Robin Bedford opened their Pelican’s franchise in downtown Ocoee in April 2022.

Although the couple is known for being the smiling faces behind the local small business in Ocoee, the Bedfords’ journey to their love for Pelican’s was anything but easy.

It was a means of survival.

REINVENTING THEMSELVES

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the lives of people across the country forever, and the Bedfords were no exception.

Being in entertainment, Paul Bedford had been out of work at Disney for 18 months, with no guarantee he would ever return.

At the time, Robin Bedford was teaching theater at Ocoee Middle School.

The couple remembers visiting Fort Myers Beach about two months after the pandemic hit and running into Pelican’s unexpectedly.

“We were driving down the road and we saw the blue and pink colors that we knew Pelican’s is known for, and we have our children in the back, and I scream, ‘There’s a Pelican’s,’” Robin Bedford said.

Born from a New Orleans tradition of combining smooth, fluffy snow with bold flavors, Pelican’s SnoBalls has been serving more than 100 flavors to its customers

for more than 20 years. All of the ice is harvested in the shop as well as the mixing of flavors with the bases coming straight from New Orleans.

In the three days the family stayed in the beach town, they visited Pelican’s five times.

After noticing the placard on the wall of the shop that introduced visitors on how to franchise the business, the couple talked to the owner to learn more.

Although it seemed almost everything was up in the air during the pandemic, Pelican’s SnoBalls was the fastest-growing dessert franchise in the United States.

“We weren’t sure if Paul would ever get his job back at Disney, and we started to think about what would happen and how we would survive financially if he didn’t go back,” Robin Bedford said. “A lot of discernment, a lot of prayer, a lot of thought — it was not something that we looked at lightly. You had to find just the right area for your specific acceptance and success, and that’s something we’ve really found here in Ocoee. I’m blessed beyond belief that things are going so well.”

The pair said the Pelican’s corporation has been amazing in its support — especially the owner of the Lakeland location, who has become not only a business partner but also a friend.

“All of the main admin are really strong Christians, which is another thing we liked when we first came in to learn about the company,” Robin Bedford said. “They also have a system built of who can support us. For example, when the hurricanes came, we had a chat group to make sure everyone was safe and what precautions to take and what needed to be done.”

COMMUNITY CARETAKERS

The Bedfords pride themselves on their entertainment and teaching backgrounds to help inspire the work they do at Pelican’s.

Although some franchises are corporate-owned, the couple utilizes a family-friendly business and environment.

“When we very first found this, we knew the product was really awesome and the quality of the ice was very high, but we wanted the opportunity for people to connect again — especially after the pandemic — and it’s already starting to grow into that,” Robin Bedford said. “It wasn’t easy. There’s definitely been learning curves along the way, and we’ve made mistakes. But that’s just part of being a new business owner. This is my happy place. When I come here, my kids tell me, ‘It’s great to see you smile, Mom.’”

The couple credits their strong community connection to their recently developed patio area, previously parking for the front of the old Ocoee Cafe, shared by next door business DG Doughnuts.

“In order for our business to be what we wanted it to be, we knew we needed this gathering place,” Paul Bedford said. “It’s not just grabbing a SnoBall and heading down the street. We have games we’ve set up and a shaded seating area where we want people to gather.”

Many of the children down the street at Ocoee Middle School walk or bike to Pelican’s after school. Local parents have come to know the area as being a safe space, and many know the Bedfords personally.

Robin Bedford can name almost every child that visits the shop. She uses her background in sev-

en years of teaching at SunRidge Elementary School, followed by her experience at Ocoee Middle, to connect with the children.

“Getting down on the carpet, playing with the kids — that connection that you would have to make with the kids to get them to buy in is now some of the qualities that we’re using here to communicate and get connected with the community,” Robin Bedford said. “I have a deal with one of the kids who lives across the street who is struggling in math. If he learns a set of times tables, he earns a gummy.”

During the holidays, Pelican’s hosted six nights of storytelling. Robin Bedford got out her old holiday books and sat in pajamas and bathrobes with the children as they read together.

“It was able to provide another opportunity for the community to kind of get together and enjoy something that was different during the holidays,” Robin Bedford said. “OCPS was closed for two weeks, so I said why not come up with some kind of way that we can still have literacy, storytelling, reading, fun and education?”

Her way of connecting with the kids and trying to continue to encourage them is overflowing not only to the customers but also to the Bedfords’ team members, who also enjoy forming relationships with the local families.

“For many of our team members, it’s their first job or it’s their second job, because they had a poor experience in the retail or fast food industry before,” Robin Bedford said. “It’s hard work here, but I think it’s an awesome and fun place to be. It’s a happy place, where you feel like you’re part of something positive. Every day, people stop by and ask if we’re hiring. We’re using our background with customer service, brand representation and how to train employees to establish a strong family-friendly work environment here.”

The Bedfords’ two children — Madeline, 19, and Katherine, 17 — also are on the team.

“It’s been really fun to make new flavor combinations and meet people in the community,” Katherine Bedford said.

“It has been such a wonderful experience to watch Pelican’s grow over the past few years,” Madeline Bedford said. “It was in the planning phases for two years prior to opening. I love the place it holds in the community and how the business has brought my family closer together.”

Pelican’s has also hosted a multitude of events, including trivia nights, book clubs, scavenger hunts and live music. The venue plans to have spirit nights with donations going back to local schools.

One of the most popular aspects of the small business is its event trailer which can be booked for events.

For Halloween, six families in the cul de sac of a local neighborhood joined to hire the Pelican’s trailer to give SnoBalls to trick-

— Paul Bedford

or-treaters. Sysco foods had a holiday celebration that Pelican’s attended and gave out SnoBalls.

“The three priorities of Pelican’s are fluffy ice, bold flavors and customer service,” Paul Bedford said. “What makes us stand out is what we love doing is coming out and talking with people. If they’re slow in the back, we tell the employees to go out and wipe down the tables. You could have washed the tables 10 minutes ago, but go back out and take that opportunity to engage with the customers. We’re empowering these young high school students to help make a difference.”

MAGICAL BEGINNINGS

Paul and Robin Bedford met in 1998 at Disney, where they both served as entertainment production cast members.

Robin Bedford’s first experience with Disney was in her senior year of high school in Indianapolis, when she won a three-day, two-night trip to Disney from her community service hours. She then went on to attend college at Ball State University, where she participated in the college program working for The Mouse in 1988. When the college program adjusted the offerings for additional internships in 1990, she attended and never left.

After receiving an electrical engineering degree from Purdue University, Paul Bedford worked at IBM near New York City while also pursuing his hobby in entertainment by performing in local shows. In 1994, he started to work for Disney as a performer. Paul Bedford was on a temporary assignment as a manager for the Holidays around the World at Epcot when he met production assistant Robin Bedford.

The pair worked closely together on Epcot’s Candlelight Processional for 30 days; six months later they were engaged. In 2000, only six months after, the Bedfords sang in the cast choir to earn park passes for their family to come to town for their wedding celebrations.

A year into marriage, the couple moved to their current home in Gotha. The Bedfords said they love both living near and working in the city of Ocoee.

“I grew up in a small town, so I had a feeling that this kind of area helped support that, because it’s kind of a small subset of the Orlando area,” Robin Bedford said.

“I love the community feel it has. I love here on McKey Street that we know all the business owners, and we get together … just that camaraderie that you hold together and help to support one another.”

The Bedfords said they love the block parties and being near City Hall. Their partnership with nextdoor business DG Doughnuts is the beginning of the transformation of downtown Ocoee.

The couple shared they had no idea Pelican’s slogan of “Taste Happy” would be so impactful in their journey.

“As we opened the business, and we saw people come through, nobody was standing in line in a bad mood,” Paul Bedford said. “They’re coming here because they want that happy, they want that release, they want to see the joy in their kids’ faces when they get a SnoBall. There’s a lot of negative stuff to focus on these days, and we would rather focus on the joy. To be able to provide that means of happiness is such a special moment.”

Paul Bedford said his goal down the road is to see the patio area full with happy people.

“We are not the type of people to sit back and watch to see what happens,” Paul Bedford said. “We will put a plan in place and make it happen. Pelican’s wasn’t the original plan, but now we can’t imagine doing anything else. I’m a very positive person, and I have no other option than to survive in the face of adversity. I refuse to not. This really has been a God thing.”

Annabelle Sikes

Paul and Robin Bedford are easily recognized by their warm and friendly smiles.

Courtesy

The couple runs the shop with the help of their two daughters Madeline and Katherine.

“There’s a lot of negative stuff to focus on these days, and we would rather focus on the joy. To be able to provide that means of happiness is such a special moment.”

Strength in the struggle

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Kristy Wilkinson knew she had an increased chance of developing breast cancer. Her mother had the disease at the age of 38, so Wilkinson performed routine selfchecks and was diligent about getting annual mammograms.

make sure I do everything my doctors advise me to do.”

— Kristy Wilkinson

At Wilkinson’s appointment last January, though, doctors discovered she, too, had breast cancer. It was detected early, and she had a double mastectomy in March — but it was then doctors discovered cancer in her lymph nodes. This meant she had to have chemotherapy and radiation.

The 44-year-old Westbrooke Elementary School teacher was prepared mentally for the surgery, but it was difficult to accept she had to endure the additional treatments. To make matters worse, she developed an infection two weeks after the surgery and spent a week in the hospital.

Neighbors and friends helped out with her 11- and 14-year-old daughters, Siena and Sydney, and when Wilkinson returned home, people brought her family meals and gave them Uber Eats gift cards.

“It has made us closer, and we’ve talked about what’s important in life,” Wilkinson said of her daughters. “Sometimes, the house isn’t clean and the dishes pile up and the clothes don’t get washed, but that’s OK. The girls have been super helpful around the house and have learned to cook meals, but most of the time I do what I can because I want them to have a life.”

Wilkinson started chemotherapy in May, and it lasted five months — and it took a lot out of her, she said. It also took her hair and a great deal of energy.

In the fall, her principal, Vidal Reyes, worked with her and her schedule, allowing her to take Thursdays off for her chemo treatments.

“We planned this out, me and my doctors, because I still needed to work,” Wilkinson said. “So I took off the day I had chemo — Thursday. I worked Friday. Saturday and Sunday I was sick and tired, and by Monday, I was mostly OK. I would go back to school on Monday. Tuesdays were OK, Wednesdays I felt great, and Thursdays I started over. It was rough, very rough.”

Radiation began in October, and many afternoons she drove straight from work to Clermont for the therapies. This was an extremely difficult season, too.

“The last 10 to 12 treatments I was burned, and I would be burned from my right breast to all the way over

under my armpit on the side of my body,” she said. “And a little on my back where the radiation beams go out. I blistered, I was red, I couldn’t wear a bra for the last weeks and a week after that. I would have to turn clothes inside out so the seams didn’t bother me.”

Her final radiation treatment was Dec. 7.

‘I TOLD THEM …

I’M NOT GOING TO DIE’

In the fall, Wilkinson eventually told her second-graders she had cancer, and they had many questions, she said. She had been wearing a wig, but it was uncomfortable, and she preferred covering her head with a scarf.

“I told the kids in my class that I don’t have any hair,” she said. “I showed them pictures on my phone of what I looked like with my hair. It was very positive. I told them I was doing good, that I’m not going to die.

“Every now and then they can get off on a tangent and talk about my hair and if it will come back and what it will look like. … They are really cute. I decided right after Christmas, I was done wearing the wigs. So I started to wear a scarf when I went back to school. They asked, ‘Are you embarrassed to wear the scarf?’ It’s so cute to hear their innocent questions. They do ask to see it, and I said I’m just not ready to do that yet. Just give me some time.

“I figure eventually I will show my kids in my class how my hair is coming back,” Wilkinson said. “I had nice long curly hair, and it’s gone.”

At the end of the last school year, Westbrooke held a fundraiser for Wilkinson. Students were given a sock and told to take it home and decorate it and fill it with loose change.

“We raised just over $2,000,” she said. “It was amazing to see all that outpouring of love and encouragement and support and see all these socks.”

Wilkinson said she is considered in remission and the active part of her treatment is finished. But she still has to take medicine and receive injections to stave off the cancer cells. One of the pills is a chemo pill she must take for two years.

“I have to wear gloves to take it,” she said. “It’s so toxic, but I still have to swallow it.”

She hopes to have reconstructive surgery this summer.

“I have a lot of toxic stuff going through my body, but I’m so happy I’m living,” Wilkinson said. “I didn’t go through chemo and radiation just to lay around and not do anything with my life. I want to be here for my

kids and make sure I’m here for (the students) — so I’m going to make sure I do everything my doctors advise me to do.”

‘IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS, YOU’LL NEVER BE POOR AGAIN’

Wilkinson is a single mother living on a teacher’s income, and it’s a struggle, she said. A single chemotherapy treatment costs $64,000.

“At least that is what they are charging my insurance company, so thank God for insurance,” she said.

Last year’s out-of-pocket expenses were $5,500, which Wilkinson had to put on her credit card. This year, that amount increased to $6,500, and it, too, is being paid with her credit card.

Each doctor visit is another copayment. Each prescription refill is another copayment. Her medical insurance has covered the majority of the expenses, but the copayments for her cancer treatments have put her deep into debt.

“Not only am I paying that, I have to eat, I have to feed my kids, and they have expenses with clothes and shoes and random things that come up,” Wilkinson said. “And every now and then, I like to take them to a restaurant to treat them. You have to do that.”

She has good friends and a boyfriend who buy her groceries and clothing such as mastectomy shirts.

“We’re struggling, but we’re not, because … we have so many friends and family members who are willing to give us so much now,” she said. “It actually reminds me of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ … And they say if you have friends, you’ll never be poor again. And it makes me think, I have friends, so I am not poor.”

Co-workers at Westbrooke also have chipped in money and gift cards, so that has been helpful. The GoFundMe also has raised about $3,300 so far.

“Let’s help this woman who is there for everyone around her begin this new chapter of her life with freedom — freedom from cancer and the financial debt it created,” said her friend, Elizabeth Heine, who started the GoFundMe page.

HOW TO HELP

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Kristy Wilkinson pay outstanding and ongoing medical bills associated with her cancer treatments. As of Monday, it had raised $3,328 of the $10,000 goal.

To make a donation, visit bit. ly/3Iywv5p.

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

Editor and Publisher / Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com

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“I didn’t go through chemo and radiation just to lay around and not do anything with my life. I want to be here for my kids and make sure I’m here for (the students) — so I’m going to

Amy Quesinberry

Kristy Wilkinson continues to wear a scarf in the classroom while her hair is growing back following her cancer treatments.

County cultivates tree preservation ordinance

MOVING FORWARD

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Orange County is exploring the possibility of a new tree preservation ordinance.

The County Commission in August 2022 heard a proposed framework for a new tree preservation ordinance presented by Alan Marshall, assistant to the director in the planning, environmental and development services department for Orange County government.

The ordinance, championed by District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson, began after complaints regarding indiscriminate clearing, difficulties implementing current code, and leadership in sustainability and resilience surfaced.

Because of the abundance of information, the discussion was split into two previous work sessions.

Marshall, who is spearheading the effort, gave an update on where the ordinance stands now.

“Our busy agenda has caused some delays in drafting the new code, but I expect we should be getting a clear picture of how this lays out in code standards in the next two months,” he said. “Stakeholder engagement on that draft will be the next step.”

BACKGROUND

The county’s current tree ordinance in place was adopted in 2001, and the previous ordinance was from 1985. After she was elected, Wilson said one of her goals was to revisit the ordinance.

One of her first meetings was with Jeff Benavides, who was at the time the chief of sustainability and resiliency. Benavides suggested gathering all of the information on the existing tree preservation and removal process and seeing if they could find places where there were opportunities to make improvements.

“For this generation and for the generations that come after, it’s a responsibility to be able to preserve especial-

ly our historic canopy,” Wilson said. “But where we’ve removed, we need to plant, because even if I’m not there for the shade that that provides, my children’s children will benefit from that. Coming into office during what was a time where I think we were really looking at a lot of spaces differently, we were looking at outdoor spaces as being so critical to quality of life, and we were looking at health care in a different way. One of the things we know about trees is that trees are the perfect filter for air, they lower the temperature. … There are social connections that even come from having the tree canopy, which is so critical. The value is really multilayered.”

The first discussion, held in October 2021, addressed the value and the role of trees in the community. The grounding discussion reviewed what trees and canopy mean to both Orange County and the region as a whole. The discussion also focused on the language in the current comprehensive plan and the code.

“Largely, there’s good language there that protection of trees is essential, we should be controlling, clearing when possible, identifying and trying to put value to certain more mature trees, and prohibit indiscriminate clearing…things of that nature,” Marshall said. “Those words are in there. It just doesn’t play out so much within the code language.”

The session also showcased data

collected from an array of studies.

The second session, held in January 2022, addressed issues within the current code and the county’s massgrading process.

“Probably the two biggest issues there was that from a couple of places in the code, a majority of the trees on a particular site are excluded or exempted from the code,” Marshall said. “So when you look at the impact of trees coming out versus mitigation that might go back in, a lot of those trees that come out just aren’t mitigated for it. There’s no permit required, or no mitigation required for replanting. Then there were mitigation caps on top of that per property.”

Other issues included that there were no specific standards for preservation, the criteria to justify tree removal is overly broad and tree preservation data may not exist on all site plans.

FRAMEWORK DISCUSSION

The August meeting covered the framework discussion for the current tree ordinance. Topics included the stakeholder engagement process, proposed framework, contemporaneous efforts and actions, and next steps.

In terms of the stakeholder engagement process, Marshall said the team started with organizing a series of two-hour work group sessions.

“We knew that we had the develop-

ment industry; we knew we had the planners and site designers and the environmental advocates out there,” he said. “But we also want to talk to the nursery growers, because this is where the stock is going to come from. If we change our standards we need to make sure that there’s available stock out there that can serve that need. So we reached out to those groups and said put together a team for us. We didn’t want to hand-pick these groups.”

At the same time, the team stayed up to date with advisory boards such as the Environmental Protection Commission and the Sustainability Advisory Board.

Regarding a proposed framework, the team focused on an objective to “create a regulatory framework that allows developers to design site plans that provide appropriate tree preservation for various land-use types, along with effective mitigation when trees are removed,” according to the presentation.

Key changes to achieve the objective include defining high-value trees, developing standards per development type, adjusting mitigation caps and focusing on biodiversity.

Outside of the tree code, contemporaneous efforts and actions are taking place to combat some of the issues such as mass grading.

Marshall said the Development Review Committee is putting standard comments in their review that have to be answered. Public works is requesting additional information to improve review criteria and limit accidental damage to preserved trees.

Since the last meeting, Marshall and staff have been taking direction and advice from the board to finalize a draft code.

County Commissioner Christine Moore asked that the ordinance address issues related to trees on individual properties and guidance for property owners. Commissioner Mayra Uribe inquired on reinforcement of the revised ordinance. She was concerned about stepping into individual properties and finding the staff to do it.

As far as local municipalities, Wilson said Orange County charter does speak to environmental regulation that if the county’s environmental regulation is more stringent, it is the prevailing regulation. If a municipal environmental regulation is more stringent, then it is the prevailing regulation.

“Windermere, Winter Garden, Oakland — all my municipalities — have done a very good job of evaluating their own tree-protection ordinance and their own tree-removal process,” she said. “The county can learn a lot from the way they (Windermere) have been able to protect their canopy and the way that they do their evaluation on the value of trees. The other part that the county did wrong for such a long time, and we just have to reframe it, is the classification of the trees really prohibited protection.”

Ocoee wellness park nears completion

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Two simple stormwater retention ponds are being given new life in the city of Ocoee as work crews put the final touches on the Healthy West Orange Wellness Park at 1320 Bluford Ave.

Construction is 90% complete at the five-acre park, said Ginger Corless, the city’s deputy development services director and Community Redevelopment Agency administrator. Landscapers planted palm trees around the perimeter of the water last week and are adding native plants this week.

The city partnered with the Foundation for a Healthy West Orange to create the park, which includes a half-mile, 10-foot-wide walk-

COMING SOON

A ribbon-cutting ceremony has tentatively been set for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 1320 Bluford Ave., Ocoee.

ing path around a landscaped pond, gathering areas for health-related events and four wellness stations placed.

These shaded stations — two large and two small —have a total of 10 outdoor fitness pieces, which offer up to 60 different strength and training exercises. A QR code on each piece allows users to connect to a fitness app to keep track of statistics such as visits to the park and provides accountability for information such as number of steps and reps.

A boardwalk and seating areas provide tranquil places for relaxation.

“There’s a plaza for special events, such as health fairs, and (paths for) evening walks,” Corless said. “We can have different health programs. The police department across the street could use it for ceremonies. It gives us space for programs.”

The West Orange Healthcare District awarded the Ocoee CRA with a $2.25 million grant to leverage increment revenue to construct the new park. It cost about $2.9 million and took about a year to construct.

“The retention pond was there,” Corless said. “We took the old reten-

tion pond and changed some grades, and now we have a park.”

While working on a design for the project, Corless also wrote a grant on behalf of the city to the HWO foundation and explained how the trail will continue up to the south right-of-way of West Colonial Drive

and pick up again on the north side, where it will end at Delaware Street and connect to the city’s existing 10-foot multipurpose path.

“It’s all in trying to connect parks to citizens and connecting healthy communities to increase public health,” Corless said. “It continues

the city’s objective of walkability.” It will benefit students as well, she said. School-age children living in The Oasis at Lake Bennet apartment complex are bused to schools because there are no safe paths to get there, so this will allow the students to safely walk to school.

Photos by Amy Quesinberry

Ten outdoor pieces line the perimeter of the wellness park.

A plaza area will offer space for special events.

A boardwalk connects both sides of the park.

Ocoee PD rolls out red carpet for community

available, and children even had the opportunity to participate in a scavenger hunt.

Popcorn,

HIS DREAM IS IN OUR HANDS.

As we celebrate the birthday of a civil rights leader, we also celebrate the strides we’ve made toward achieving his dream of freedom and equality for all Americans, regardless of color or creed. On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, join Lake Apopka Natural Gas District as we take a moment to honor his memory and make a pledge to uphold his message of nonviolence, love, tolerance, reconciliation and service to humanity.

Dr. Martin Luther

he Ocoee Police Department kicked off the new year by inviting local residents out for an open house Tuesday, Jan. 3. Scott King, of King Entertainment Events, started the event strong with catchy tunes to keep attendees dancing and on their feet. Games such as hula hoops and corn hole were

hotdogs, snacks and refreshments flowed as community members engaged with the local officers.

Perhaps the signature event was a guided tour throughout the inside of the department.

— ANNABELLE SIKES

Steve Harmon and Jeffrey Hall, of Central Florida Metro SWAT, brought their vehicle and equipment to show off at the open house.

The Ocoee Police K9 unit performed exercises for the crowd.

Right: Miles Nawrocki, 2, took a test spin on one of the local department’s boats.

Family members attended the event together to show support for the Ocoee Police Department.

Above: De’Laney Le’Grand, 3, used paint to transfer her hand print onto the side of a crime scene investigation car.

Left: Ocoee Police Chief Saima Plasencia and Ocoee Police Officer Natalia Ortiz helped to coordinate the open house.

Golden Oak estate sells for $8.4 million

Ahome in the Golden Oak community in Southwest Orange topped all West Orange-area residential real-estate transactions from Dec. 24 to 30, 2022.

The home at 10285 Summer Meadow Way, Orlando, sold Dec. 29, for $8,400,000. Built in 2021, it has five bedrooms, five baths, three half-baths and 7,367 square feet of living area. Days on market: 54.

These are the highestselling homes in each community in West Orange.

DR. PHILLIPS

BAY HILL

The home at 6108 Dartmoor Court, Orlando, sold Dec. 28, for $2,200,000. Built in 1979, it has five bedrooms, four baths, two half-baths and 4,936 square feet of living area. Days on market: 89.

BRENTWOOD CLUB

The home at 9726 Camberley Circle, Orlando, sold Dec. 29, for $1,050,000. Built in 1993, it has six bedrooms, five baths and 4,981 square feet of living area. Days on market: 17.

DELLAGIO

The home at 8454 Via Vittoria Way, Orlando, sold Dec. 30, for $1,165,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 2,906 square feet of living area. Days on market: 16.

ORANGE TREE

The home at 7717 Apple Tree Circle, Orlando, sold Dec. 30, for $760,000. Built in 1989, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,544 square feet of living area. Days on market: 38.

PARKSIDE

The home at 8421 Morehouse Drive, Orlando, sold Dec. 28, for $1,050,000. Built in 2013, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,142 square feet of living area. Days on market: 34.

PINEY OAK SHORES

The home at 6310 Carrie Ann Court, Orlando, sold Dec. 30, for $501,500. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,356 square feet of living area. Days on market: Five.

POINT CYPRESS

The townhouse at 9013 Della Scala Circle, Orlando, sold Dec. 30, for $620,000. Built in 2011, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 2,550 square feet of living area. Days on market: Five.

POINT ORLANDO RESORT

The condo at 7395 Universal Blvd., No. 704, Orlando, sold Dec. 30, for $200,000. Built in 2007, it has one bedroom, one bath and 671 square feet of living area. Days on market: 28.

RUBY LAKE

The home at 11631 Meadow Grove Circle, Orlando, sold Dec. 27, for $715,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 2,094 square feet of living area. Days on market: Two.

SANCTUARY AT BAY HILL

The condo at 7649 Sugar Bend Drive, No. 7649, Orlando, sold Dec. 27, for $322,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,169 square feet of living area. Days on market: One.

GOTHA

FIRE CREEK AT GOTHA

The home at 10193 Brocksport Circle, Gotha, sold Dec. 27, for $1.5 million. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, five baths and 4,538 square feet of living area.

The home at 10056 Brocksport Circle, Gotha, sold Dec. 30, for $1,340,617 million. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 4,120 square feet of living area.

LAKE FISCHER ESTATES

The home at 9007 Lake Fischer Blvd., Gotha, sold Dec. 29, for $599,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,559 square feet of living area. Days on market: 89.

HORIZON WEST ENCORE AT OVATION

The home at 13836 Lanyard Way, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 30, for $846,165. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,610 square feet of living area.

The home at 13737 Werrington Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 27, for $650,000. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,032 square feet of living area. Days on market: Four.

The home at 13819 Lanyard Way, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 27, for $599,000. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 2,781 square feet of living area. Days on market: Two.

The home at 13774 Werrington Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $542,315. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 2,341 square feet of living area. Days on market: 12.

The home at 12410 Encore at Ovation Way, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 27, for $599,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,857 square feet of living area. Days on market: 126.

The home at 12791 Brodlove Lane, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 28, for $536,505. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,341 square feet of living area. Days on market: 110.

HICKORY HAMMOCK

The home at 15167 Lake Claire

Overlook Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $945,000. Built in 2017, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,560 square feet of living area. Days on market: 134.

The home at 15985 Sweet Murcott Court, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $745,000. Built in 2014, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 3,402 square feet of living area. Days on market: 61.

INDEPENDENCE/ SIGNATURE LAKES

The home at 6133 Lewis and Clark Ave., Winter Garden, sold Dec. 27, for $540,000. Built in 2013, it has six bedrooms, three baths and 2,674 square feet of living area. Days on market: 41.

LAKESIDE AT HAMLIN

The home at 15165 Lake Bessie Loop, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $860,890. Built in 2022, it has six bedrooms, four baths and 4,205 square feet. Days on market: Seven.

LAKEVIEW POINTE AT HORIZON WEST

The home at 7058 Spring Park Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 27, for $925,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 4,247 square feet of living area. Days on market: 78.

The home at 7161 Spring Park Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 30, for $515,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,119 square feet of living area. Days on market: 22.

NEWBURY PARK

The townhouse at 8429 Leeland Archer Blvd., Orlando, sold Dec. 29, for $415,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 1,512 square feet of living area. Days on market: Six.

The townhouse at 8567 Leeland Archer Blvd., Orlando, sold Dec. 30, for $364,000. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,428 square feet of living area. Days on market: One.

realtor.com

The home at 10285 Summer Meadow Way, Orlando, sold Dec. 29, for $8,400,000. The great room makes for a breathtaking entrance into the home with views into nature preserve at the back.

ORCHARD HILLS

The home at 4101 Briar Gate Lane, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 28, for $674,900. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 3,507 square feet of living area. Days on market: 133.

OVERLOOK 2 AT HAMLIN

The home at 5743 Thomas Square Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $740,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,917 square feet of living area. Days on market: 12.

SOUTHBRIDGE VILLAGE

AT SUMMERPORT

The townhouse at 13710 Lensdale Lane, Windermere, sold Dec. 28, for $385,000. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,640 square feet of living area. Days on market: 109.

TENNYSON PARK AT SUMMERPORT

The townhouse at 5519 Somersby Road, Windermere, sold Dec. 29, for $370,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,628 square feet of living area. Days on market: 50.

WATERLEIGH

The home at 18073 Adrift Road, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $595,740. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,489 square feet of living area. Days on market: Two.

The home at 16559 Point Rock Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $544,990. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,027 square feet of living area. Days on market: 26.

OAKLAND

HULL ISLAND

The home at 749 Hull Island Drive, Oakland, sold Dec. 30, for $689,100. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 3,032 square feet of living area. Days on market: 23.

OCOEE BRENTWOOD HEIGHTS

The home at 609 Ridgefield Ave., Ocoee, sold Dec. 29, for $196,000. Built in 1963, it has three bedrooms, one bath and 1,116 square feet of living area. Days on market: 15.

LAKE MEADOW LANDING

The townhouse at 1833 Terrapin Road, Ocoee, sold Dec. 27, for $410,729. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,941 square feet of living area. Days on market: 31.

ORCHARD PARK

The home at 2682 Portabello Court, Ocoee, sold Dec. 27, for $404,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,972 square feet of living area. Days on market: 32.

PEACH LAKE MANOR

The home at 1600 Doreen Ave., Ocoee, sold Dec. 27, for $267,000. Built in 1962, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,061 square feet of living area. Days on market: 15.

PRESERVE AT CROWN POINT

The home at 2038 Donahue Drive, Ocoee, sold Dec. 29, for $470,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,182 square feet of living area. Days on market: 30.

SILVER BEND

The home at 2293 Alclobe Circle, Ocoee, sold Dec. 28, for $365,000. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,544 square feet of living area. Days on market: 40.

WINDERMERE

ALADAR ON LAKE BUTLER

The home at 803 W. Second Ave., Windermere, sold Dec. 27, for $2,025,000. Built in 1952, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,819 square feet of living area.

HARBOR ISLE

The home at 3037 Seignury Drive, Windermere, sold Dec. 30, for $1,460,000. Built in 2001, it has six

bedrooms, five-and-one-half baths and 6,601 square feet of living area. Days on market: 90.

KEENE’S POINTE

The home at 6019 Caymus Loop, Windermere, sold Dec. 30, for $950,000. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,350 square feet of living area.

WINTER GARDEN

LAKE APOPKA SOUND

The home at 14420 Topaghan Way, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 28, for $499,990. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,381 square feet of living area. Days on market: 125.

OAKLAND PARK

The home at 1043 Eaglecrest Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $970,000. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 2,895 square feet of living area. Days on market: 27.

The home at 1037 Eaglecrest Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 30, for $845,722. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,693 square feet of living area. Days on market: 31.

The home at 935 Honeywood Alley, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $632,986. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,333 square feet of living area. Days on market: 35.

The home at 932 Kylee Alley, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $600,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,929 square feet of living area. Days on market: 14.

SOUTHERN PINES

The condo at 225 Southern Pecan Circle, No. 104, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 27, for $240,000. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,152 square feet of living area. Days on market: 33.

STONEYBROOK WEST

The home at 2131 Oakington St., Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $450,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,620 square feet of living area. Days on market: 12.

PLACE

TILDEN

The home at 14453 Wabasso Loop, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $949,000. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, five baths and 3,888 square feet of living area. Days on market: 40.

The home at 14339 Wabasso Loop, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 27, for $643,170. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,308 square feet of living area.

VILLAS AT TUCKER OAKS

The townhouse at 1206 Scarlet Oak Loop, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 27, for $358,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,780 square feet of living area. Days on market: 109.

WINTER GARDEN

The home at 15348 E. Oakland Ave., Winter Garden, sold Dec. 28, for $632,500. Built in 1945, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,941 square feet of living area. Days on market: 55.

The home at 1043 Eaglecrest Drive, Winter Garden, sold Dec. 29, for $970,000. It was the largest transaction in Winter Garden from Dec. 24 to 30, 2022.

CREATIVE AND INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION

• Challenging, individualized curriculum that maximizes learning capabilities through critical thinking, creative problem-solving and hands-on education.

• Nurturing educators certified in child development, with more than 50 years of combined education experience.

• Fun, interactive learning environment with low student-to-teacher ratios and modern classrooms.

• Outstanding range of subjects including languages, art, music, science, public speaking and character development.

• Expansive indoor/outdoor play areas featuring a gym and playground equipment.

NOW ENROLLING!

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realtor.com

1Windermere High School released recently the dates for the spring sports tryouts. Students who wish to participate in the tryouts for any of the sports will need to have their physical and ECG exams up to date prior to the tryout date. The tryouts dates are: Baseball, Monday, Jan. 23; beach volleyball, Monday, Feb. 6; boys volleyball, Monday, Feb. 13; girls flag football, Monday, Feb. 6; lacrosse (girls and boys), Monday, Jan. 23; softball, Monday, Jan. 23; tennis (girls and boys), Monday, Jan. 16; and track and field (girls and boys), Monday, Jan. 30. Times for tryouts are still to be released. For more information email jillian.sutton@ ocps.net or visit windermereathletics.com.

2The Olympia High School boys wrestling team were crowned Class 3A District 4 champions after defeating Apopka High School at the District Dual Meet Tuesday, Jan. 3. “We set a goal as a team to win the district dual meet this season,” head boys wrestling coach Jeremy Bourst said. “This is a big win for our program and the first District Dual Meet championship for Olympia High School.” Other teams participating were Ocoee and Windermere high schools. Olympia defeated all three teams. The Titans defeated Apopka 40-39, Ocoee 42-40 and Windermere 58-21.

3The Horizon High School girls soccer added another win to increase its winning streak to seven after defeating the Lady Wolverines 5-0 Wednesday, Jan. 4. Janessa Crespo scored two of the goals, and both McKenna McBride and Lily Dobson reached the net once. The Wolverines scored one own goal to get the score up to the final score of 5-0. For goalie Ella Henderson, this was her sixth clean sheet on the field.

4The Dr. Phillips High School boys varsity soccer team defeated 1-0 the Olympia Titans during the Friendship Cup game Friday, Jan. 6. This cup has been battled over between the Panthers and the Titans for the last 20 years. In the last three years, Dr. Phillips have won the cup twice: in 2021 and 2023. The Panthers currently hold a 3-4-1 overall season record while the Titans hold a 2-5-4. Olympia will host Lake Nona at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, for a non-district game while Dr. Phillips will host Cypress Creek at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9, for a district game.

5The Olympia High School basketball team won the 2023 Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic after defeating Bartlett High School (Tennessee) 58-53 Saturday, Jan. 7. The Titans traveled to New Orleans to participate in the tournament — held at the Alario Center in Westwego, Louisiana — and won every game they played.

A PLACE TO PLAY

Horizon

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

The Horizon West Regional Park already is mapped out, and a groundbreaking will take place this summer.

“My passion is to make sure this park is a dedicated space for all the residents of District 1,” Orange County District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson said. “The commit-

ment is there, the land is bought, we have all the pieces in place.”

The park will sit on 215.25 acres at Hamlin Groves Trail and Mann Road in Winter Garden. With its confirmed acreage, the Horizon West Regional Park will be bigger than the Boombah Sports Complex in Sanford, which only is 102 acres.

Even though originally the park was thought to be a designated sports complex, because of changes in sur-

veys results Orange County passed to the community, the conceptual plan changed. The top five categories in these surveys ended up being biking and pedestrian trails, picnic pavilions, hiking paths, open spaces and sports.

“People want all of that, and that’s where you get the regional park, where you are able to bring all those parts together,” Wilson said. “The evolu-

PHASES

PHASE 1A

Biking/pedestrian trails

Picnic pavilions

Hiking paths

Playground Restrooms Entry drive

Parking landscape enhancements

PHASE 1B Splash pad

Kayak/canoe launch Picnic shelters Farmers market Open lawn Botanical garden Parking Office building

PHASES 2-5 Unfunded/TBD

New team set to take field in Ocoee

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

The city of Ocoee is now home to a new local semi-pro football team: the Central Florida Blue Devils.

“Our mission is to get these players to where they want to be, whether that is to become a coach, play college ball or get to the pros,” founder and coowner Shawn Simmons said. “That’s my ultimate goal — to get them to

Windermere Prep girls basketball team point guard Zoe Sedo scored recently her 1,000th point. Page 2B.

Come Feb. 4, Ocoee will be home to a new semi-pro football team, the Central Florida Blue

Courtesy

Zoe Sedo

Tell us about your years as a basketball player.

I stared when I was younger with my dad (Ismael). We just went outside to the court and started dribbling, nothing serious. But then, when I moved to Florida (seven years ago), I started playing at the YMCA, and then I went to AAU and then school ball.

Why basketball?

I just grew up playing it, so it’s a family thing. And I also played soccer, but when I moved to Florida, it was too hot, so I just stuck to an indoor sport, (because) I wasn’t used to (the heat).

What do you love most about basketball as a sport?

For me, it is an escape from reality. You just go out there, have fun and play the sport you love. And I’m very competitive, so it gets that out of me.

How do you feel about your 1,000th point in your career? I’m very happy I did. It’s a very big milestone — especially for somebody my size. It’s just different to see.

How long have you been a part of the Lakers basketball team? This is my first year here, (and) I love it here. I love the environment, the coaches, my team, everyone is so friendly and very supportive.

Do you have a favorite drill to do at practice?

I love going 1v1s, like playing against people. I like the competitive part of it; I’m very competitive.

THE BASICS

Age: 16

Sport: Basketball Position: Point Guard, Shooting Guard School: Windermere Prep Grade: 11

Kyrie Irving. Just his moves, what he does, he’s smaller in the league, like me, he’s quick, his handles, I really look after that.

(And for the WNBA) probably Candace Parker. She (is) my AAU coach’s sister, so I learned a lot about her there and what she stands for. She has a dog mentality, she goes after everything, like me.

What’s your favorite hobby? Besides basketball, I would say hanging out with friends, I like drawing, coloring and arts, it’s soothing.

What TV series are you watching right now?

“The Gilmore Girls,” and I’m almost done with it. (What I love most about it) is the mom and daughter relationship they have.

I really like it.

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

Thailand, because of their culture. I like experiencing different cultures, religions and foods.

I’m vegan, so they are very big on vegetarian. Bali, because it’s beautiful; and Hawaii, because a lot of my family has been there.

I’ve seen pictures, and it just looks so beautiful and relaxing.

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

Teleportation, to go anywhere I

Instagram, BeReal or TikTok?

TikTok … I wish I didn’t choose

Coffee. I know it’s bad but I love the flavor and me and my mom

What color would you

Construction underway for future Horizon West Regional Park

tion of this area, and more residents added … what they are asking for is reflected in the survey, so that’s what is directing us in the allocation of these spaces.”

FUNDING

This park has been a couple of years in the making. As of today, there are about $10 million allocated to its development.

“It’s literally built into our tax structure new development impact fees,” Wilson said. “We have a (Parks and Recreation) impact fee component that has adjusted over time that we have just recently looked at again to make sure that we are getting what we need, knowing that these costs have changed.”

Part of the reason for the delay in the groundbreaking for construction is the rise of construction costs in the last two years. To compensate, Wilson said there is additional $5 million allocated toward funding for Phase 1 completion.

“The $5 million is toward additional amenities,” Wilson said. “So, anything that doesn’t go into what was already sort of allocated can be considered, or if the cost of what was already allocated changed, we can still bring those amenities.”

Devil details

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

move up. If I have a player and he only plays (with us) for half a season, and he gets assigned to a pro team, I did my job. I (wouldn’t) be sad I’d be losing him.”

The Simmonses — Shawn and Decota — had been talking about the possibility of starting their own semi-pro team for about 18 months. Thanks to Shawn Simmons’ background as a player through his high-school years, a couple of years in college and a year at the semi-pro level, the couple learned the things they would do differently if they ever owned their own team.

“It finally got to the point where we were like, ‘Let’s dive in and get it done; let’s create a safe and reliable place for these players,” Decota Simmons said.

CHOOSING THE NAME

Funding for phases two through five is still to be determined, because the county will have to look into the General Fund, under the Capital Improvement Program projects for Parks and Recreation and determine how much can be allocated for those particular phases.

To have full transparency through this process, the County Commission goes through a procurement process when searching for construction partners.

“If we are hiring people to come in, we want to make sure they are so well-vetted and that they are the best option for our taxpayers’ investment,” Wilson said.

ACCESS POINTS

The park will have a connected trail system so people will be able to access the park through multiple biking and pedestrian trails as well as hiking paths. However, to alleviate traffic, there will be two access points — one being located by Hamlin Groves Trail.

“My dream is to see that it is part of what people want, so that they can ride their bikes from home into the park (and that it ) connects with the West Orange Trail,” Wilson said.

“One of the things that we fight for every time we get a roadway project here is to make sure that we have a

IF YOU GO

FLORIDA BLUE DEVILS

OPENING GAME

WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 WHERE: Ocoee Bulldog Field at 560 Flewelling Ave., Ocoee TICKETS: Pre-sale is $5 per adult. At the gate, tickets are $7 per adults. Children under 13 are free.

SEASON SCHEDULE

Feb. 4 — Daytona Beach Broncos Feb. 11 — @ Polk County RISE Feb. 18 — South Florida Ravens Feb. 25 — @ Camden County Titans Mar. 4 — Central Florida Centurions March 11 — BYE Week March 18 — @ Florida Cougars March 25 — Polk County RISE April 1 — Central Florida Bulls April 15 — BYE April 22 — @ Central Florida Centurions April 29 — @ Pompano Beach Outlaws

TOP 5 SURVEY CATEGORIES

n Biking/pedestrian trails

n Picnic pavilions

n Hiking paths n Open spaces n Sports

multi-use pass, bike lanes and the ability for those communities to access any services. The park will have parking spaces to accommodate hundreds of vehicles and also room for overflow vehicles.

“The park areas have not (yet) been designed to completion, so (the Parks and Recreation Department) does not want to give a number (of parking spaces),” Wilson said. “But there will definitely be built-in parking and then some room for overflow.”

The park will have a public library — which is still in the design phase under the Orange County Public Library System — and a potential YMCA, along with tennis and pickleball courts, baseball and softball fields, multi-purpose fields to accommodate sports such as soccer, an indoor aquatic facility, a dog parkland indoor and outdoor performance areas, and more.

Field on a weekly basis for a fair price — $53 for two hours a week. However, the Florida Blue Devils rent the field for home games at a $400 rate; referees cost $500 per game.

“I told my wife, ‘Listen, it’s going to take a lot, and a lot of our money, to start before money starts coming in,” Shawn Simmons said. “I know eventually it will get to where we’ll have people — their fans — come to games and support with the concession (stand) and donate to the cause. … We are hoping that a lot of the sponsors get on board not necessarily to donate, but to help us fund the team.”

JOINING THE TEAM

The roster consists of 36 players, and the average age of the team is 24 years old. Every player, before being accepted into the team, had to send his football film and talk to the head coach — Shawn Simmons.

“A lot of these players have come from other teams, and some are from out of state,” Decota Simmons said. “They messaged us and talked to Coach, and he liked what he heard.”

… and I feel it’s a perfect all the colors. Yellow seems too happy. I’m not that happy so blue seems

sad days. I’m

If you could mal for a day,

decide to run across the road when they see a car coming, because I think I’ve almost ran

Shawn Simmons grew up in Lakeland but attended high school in Pulaski, Tennessee, where he played football for Giles County High School. He furthered his academic and football careers at Independence Community College in Kansas, where he played for a year before returning to Lakeland.

“I went there for two semesters and decided to come home,” Shawn Simmons said. “It wasn’t for me.”

While looking for a name for his dream team, Shawn Simmons realized the mascot ‘Devils’ had to be a part of the name.

“Kathleen (High School) was the Red Devils,” he said. “When I came up with the team’s name, the Devils were already there. Then, I started looking at colors and logos and realized nobody wears blue and gray … and those colors look nice. So, I went with that.”

Decota Simmons believes her husband chose the colors because he is a Dallas Cowboys fan.

Her husband disagrees.

“That’s not it,” Shawn Simmons said. “We found the logo, and it already had blue and gray together, so I went with it, and it actually turned out really (well).”

LANDING IN OCOEE

Originally from Lakeland, the Simmonses had been looking for a place to serve as the Central Florida Blue Devils’ home field for practice hours and home games all through the season.

“We were looking for a home field around this area, because a lot of our players are from the Orlando and Kissimmee areas,” Decota Simmons said. “So, it’s funny. We were at a practice field in Orlando, and we were leaving to head home. I was on Google, of all places, and I happened to stumble upon this, and we came and took a look at it. … I had never heard of Ocoee until we happened to find this, and it has turned out to be one of the best places I think I’ve ever seen.”

The team rents the Ocoee Bulldog

The team provides its players the opportunity to play for a player’s fee of $200, which includes two sets of uniforms — a home and an away jersey and pants. Each player provides his own equipment.

Players are encouraged to be 18 or older, but the team allows 17-yearolds to play — as long as they have their parents’ consent.

THE ONE AND ONLY DEVILS

One thing to know about the Florida Blue Devils? The team is different.

“Our team is different,” Shawn Simmons said. “We are building a culture around our team to get our players to the next level. We don’t tolerate nonsense. We don’t tolerate our players getting in trouble outside of the team.”

There is one team the Devils are looking forward to the most come Feb. 4. The team will face the Florida Champion Football League defending champs in their opening game: the Daytona Beach Broncos.

Besides bringing semi-pro football to the Ocoee community, the Central Florida Blue Devils are looking forward to offering summer camps and serve the people in the city in myriad ways.

“That’s the ultimate goal also,” Shawn Simmons said. “Not only to help the players but also the community.”

Windermere Prep girls basketball team point guard Zoe Sedo recently became the first Laker from the team in school history to score 1,000 points in her high school career. Sedo is now looking forward to the rest of the season with her team and, hopefully, win districts.

Ruth Marsha Simpson Dunaway, of Winter Garden, Florida, passed away peacefully into the arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ, with her family by her side on Jan. 2, 2023, at the age of 82. She was born on March 15, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland.

Her family moved around a bit, and she spent time in both Maryland and New Jersey before moving to Panama City, Florida, in the early 1950s. She attended Everitt Junior High and Bay County High School, where she graduated. In 1958, Marsha married William Schellenberger, who was an airman in the Air Force. While they were married, she traveled around the world and lived at several bases located in Africa, South Carolina, New Jersey and Puerto Rico, before finally moving to Orlando. Together, she and William had three children, Deborah, David and Eric.

Unfortunately, she and William divorced soon after moving to Orlando, and as a single mother with three children, Marsha worked hard to establish a home in Pine Hills while working at Beltone Hearing Aids. Love once again found her, and she later married Douglas Allen Harrison, and the two of them added another member to the family, a son named Steven. Unfortunately, Marsha soon became a single mother again.

Facing these difficult circumstances and being a single mom to four children, Marsha set a goal of going to college and becoming a nurse. In 1978, Marsha graduated from Valencia Community College with a degree in nursing and soon afterward started working as a Registered Nurse at Mercy Hospital in Pine Hills, where she later met Fred Milton Dunaway Sr., a single father with a son named Fred Milton Dunaway Jr. The two later married in 1980, merged the two families and moved out west to Winter Garden, where she could have some land that allowed her to live the country life and have some chickens and horses, which she loved dearly.

During the time Marsha and Fred lived in Winter Garden, they tried their hand at opening some small businesses over the years: R.M. Painting Company, Tri-City Gifts located in the old Holiday Inn Hotel, and the Rainbow Dollar Store in Ocoee. Moving from Orlando to rural Winter Garden brought many wonderful memories and experiences for the family, and they were able to enjoy a farm-like life with all the fun that went with it. The holidays were especially festive for Marsha, and she enjoyed cooking meals for her large family and guests.

Marsha loved being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She also loved to sew, paint,

draw and make ceramic pottery.

Over her long career while working as a nurse, Marsha held many roles as a nurse and caring for people. She worked as a Floor Nurse for Mercy Hospital, a Surgical Nurse at ORMC, a Public Health Nurse for the Orange County Health Department, as well as a Lamaze Instructor for ORMC. Marsha also co-managed for a while the Health Department’s free clinic located in downtown Orlando.

After her retirement, Marsha was not ready to hang up her nursing scrubs and decided to take on the challenge of being a Traveling Nurse with the Indian Health Services, where she traveled to both Arizona and New Mexico and worked as a nurse in clinics providing healthcare to Native American tribes, which she enjoyed immensely.

Marsha attended West Orlando Baptist Church and participated in many church activities and outreach events. As a former member of the Winter Garden Art Association, she had the honor of showing some of her artwork. In addition to enjoying painting and photography, she sewed for the Shepherds Purse.

Marsha was loved dearly by all her family and friends and will be greatly missed by everyone she got to know over the years. In lieu of flowers, Marsha requested that donations be made in her memory to the West Orlando Baptist Church or to any other worthwhile charity of your choice.

Marsha was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Harland Simpson Jr., and Lucile Wildman Simpson; her sisters, Barbara Simpson Doyle and Dorothy Simpson Bebb; and her husband, Fred Milton Dunaway Sr.

Marsha is survived by her sister, Madeline Simpson Brunty; her children, Deborah Schellenberger Schultz, David Schellenberger, Eric Schellenberger and Steve Harrison; her stepson, Fred Milton Dunaway Jr.; her grandchildren, Christopher Schultz, Ryan Schultz, Amelia Dunaway, Virginia Dunaway, Fred Dunaway III, Angela Dunaway, Joshua Harrison and Jasmine Harrison; and her nine great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2023, at the West Orlando Baptist Church, located at 1006 E. Crown Point Road, Ocoee, FL 34761. Family and friends are invited to attend.

GARY KENT PABEN

DIED DEC. 30, 2022.

Gary Kent Paben, was born in 1942 in Quincy, Illinois, and died Dec. 30, 2022, after a brave battle against lung cancer. He died at home in Black Mountain, North Carolina, peacefully with his wife of 56 years, Cheryl, by his side.

Gary graduated from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, in 1964. He received his master’s from Occidental College in Louisiana in 1969 and subsequently taught there for four years.

As Senior Show Director for the Walt Disney Company at Walt Disney World for 20 years, Gary traveled the globe creating, writing and directing over 200 projects from a cast of six to 20,000.

Highlights include the opening of three parks, opening ceremony for Pan American Games X, the 2000 Millennium Tapestry of Nations, Macy Parades, the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, three Super Bowl halftime shows, a Citrus Bowl and an Orange Bowl. He opened the Orlando Airport with astronauts and doves; he created a Currier and Ives Christmas show, “The Sparkling Christmas Spectacular,” that ran for 13 years at Walt Disney World. As Director of ATAS Hall of Fame, he inducted Alan Alda and Oprah Winfrey, among many others.

A hiatus from Disney took Gary to the Big Apple as Executive Vice President and Executive Producer at Madison Square Garden.

As president of Gary Paben Productions, Gary created “A Tivoli Fairytale” celebrating H.C. Anderson’s 200th anniversary in Copenhagen, Denmark. In April 2011, Gary wrote and directed “Dolphin Tales” at the Georgia Aquarium, where he stated, “It’s easier to work with show girls than dolphins.”

Paben said in an interview, “One of the highlights of my career was directing ‘Voices,’ the first benefit for Aids in Orlando, Florida.”

Gary was the recipient of the 30th Anniversary Daytime Emmy Award for Best Director in a special class.

“Being recognized for directing the Opening Ceremonies for the Winter Paralympics in Salt

Sharron Bristow, 74, of Orlando, died Jan. 7, 2023. Winter Oak Funeral Home & Cremation, Winter Garden.

Kenneth James Evans, 70, died Jan. 3, 2023. DeGusipe Funeral Home & Crematory — West Orange Chapel, Ocoee.

Kimberly “Kimie” Joy Hodson, 47, of Orlando, died Jan. 1, 2023. Collison Carey Hand Funeral Home, Winter Garden.

Betty J. Robertson, 89, died Jan. 4, 2023. Winter Oak Funeral Home & Cremation, Winter Garden.

Lake City is especially rewarding,” Paben said, “because the Paralympians are inspiring to me. Their journeys are mountaintop experiences.”

Greg Smith, the composerarranger for the 2022 Paralympics, said: “Gary was such a creative force. Big is what comes to mind. Big ideas, big production and big heart. Best of all, big laughs and big fun. I can still hear his voice as clearly as the sound of a piano, encouraging, animated and enthusiastic.”

Gary loved to travel with his wife, Cheryl; champion his son, Zackary’s charity, More Heart Than Scars; have a martini with his grandson, Jake; dance with his granddaughter, Snowlilly; and entertain his friends, surrounding them with warmth and the sound of his laughter.

The celebration of life will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Winter Park, Florida at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 12, 2023.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to All Saints Episcopal Church, 338 E. Lyman Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789; Church of the Messiah, 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden, FL 34787; or More Heart Than Scars, 357 Paxton Creek Road, Marion, NC 28752.

Harwood Home for Funerals and Cremation Services, harwoodhomeforfunerals.com, is assisting the family.

INFLUENCER OF THE WEEK

MICHAEL KELLEN LAKE BUENA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL

What brought you to your school?

I was part of the opening staff of Wekiva High School in 2007 and spent all of my time in OCPS there until we opened here at LBV.

What do you love most about your school?

I love the diversity of our student body at Lake Buena Vista. I can walk across campus from the parking lot to my classroom and hear English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and Creole on just a five-minute walk.

What is your motivation?

It’s always been about helping students get to wherever they want to go in life, while at the same time hopefully inspiring them to become a lifelong reader. I am particularly motivated to help first-generation students get into college and help students understand that process who may not have family members that know that system.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The relationships you build with students. When students doubt their abilities and then through the year, you get to watch them grow and accomplish things they were unsure they could actually do. It’s rewarding to see a student as they enter ninthgrade and watch them change and develop until their graduation.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to read and spend time with my family. With younger children, it’s a lot of driving them to their practices, attending games, etc.

REPORT CARD

POSITION: AP/Cambridge Literature teacher and ELA department chair

TIME AT SCHOOL: Two years TIME AT OCPS: 16 years

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

For me, it wasn’t a teacher I had in a class but my middle school head football coach, Tom Grant. He was a storyteller at water breaks, and through his stories (and scoldings) I learned a considerable amount about accountability to others and to not make excuses.

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

I left high school wanting to coach football, which I did for a few years, but in most respects, that meant really just being a teacher. I think because I loved being in athletics and I knew the impact that those coaches and teammates had on me, I wanted to kind of do the same.

What is your favorite children’s book and why?

It’s not really from my childhood but BJ Novak’s “The Book With No Pictures” is really funny and meta. It’s impossible to read that book with my children and not have both of us laughing.

What are your hobbies? Reading is really the only thing I would consider a hobby.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? The ability to fly would probably be

Michael Kellen is the AP/Cambridge Literature teacher and ELA department chair at Lake Buena Vista High School. He was designated a High Impact Teacher by the state of Florida in 2016 and was asked to write a piece for the New York Times Learning Network in 2018.

my choice. I would save a lot on gas and avoid the traffic.

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

Maybe the hardest question for me, but I would have to choose based on longevity of the artist. So, Bob Dylan for his 60 years of music and lyrics, Phish for their extensive live show catalog that would take years to get through, and third I’m going to cheat and say Slayer (because I need something heavy) and/or Taylor Swift (so my family can stand to be in the car with me and may be the only pop music I like).

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

I was a school-lunch kid so in my day it was all about the rectangular piece of pizza with the cubed pepperoni and whatever they had for dessert.

What is your favorite holiday? Halloween is my favorite holiday, because I enjoy horror and scary things typically.

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

My best friend, starting around sixth grade was Scott, and we are still in touch. He had lived in our town previously, but I hadn’t known him. He moved back from California and lived in my neighborhood.

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

In high school, I played football and was on the weightlifting team. I was my school’s Wendy’s High School Heisman representative and its FCA Challenger Award recipient. I competed at the state championships for two years in weightlifting.

— ANNABELLE SIKES

DP security guard retires after 35 years

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Wanda Smith’s career at Dr. Phillips High School was nearly as long as the history of the school itself. The front-gate security guard began her position at the school six months into Dr. Phillips’ inaugural year, and she remained the booth sentry — the guardian of the Panthers — for nearly 35 years.

Smith retired Nov. 30, 2022, and the school made sure she had a fun and deserving sendoff.

“It’s not often that we get to celebrate the work of someone who put 35 years into the same career, same company and same location,” Principal Jackie Ramsey said at a retirement celebration held Nov. 28. “For approximately 6,261 school days, this campus was secure. But more importantly, (she has) the legacy of keeping (more than) 40,100 students safe every single day for 35 years. That’s an amazing accomplishment.”

BECOMING A PANTHER

Smith learned of the position through a friend. When she started, there was no guard booth out front — until a woodshop class built one for her.

Her job was to stop and check all vehicles that came through the front gates, including students, parents, visitors and, more recently, Uber Eats drivers.

She looked out for the students on a daily basis, especially if outside work crews were on campus, and built a great rapport with them. They

respected her and trusted her enough to confide in her.

Smith worked under six principals at Dr. Phillips.

“God laid it on my heart to be there for the kids, the parents and the employees,” Smith said.

HONORING A SCHOOL LEGEND

In her final week of school, Smith was showered with presents, gift cards and messages from students. Many wanted to take a photo with her.

“This was a treasure for me; they wrote notes to me,” she said. “Wishing me the best, ‘Thank you so much for everything,’ ‘You are amazing,’ ‘Thank you for keeping us safe.’ … It reminds me of how grateful I am to even be there and be there that long that people appreciate me for what I did.”

At her retirement party, Smith was feted with drum and choral performances, slideshow, gifts and loving stories of friendship and gratitude.

Ramsey said Smith knew every student, every car, every parent, the UPS driver, the mail carrier, maintenance workers, the fire marshal and the district-level bosses.

When a suspicious car drove onto campus without stopping in 2007, Ramsey said, Smith made a radio call to administration and immediately both school resource officers, two deans, two assistant principals and the principal rushed to the hall gate before the five vehicle occupants could enter the courtyard.

“The men are quickly rerouted back to their car and sent off-cam-

pus,” Ramsey said. “I have no idea who the intended target was that day or what they intended to do. I do know they had no business on this campus, and I do know they meant business. What I also know is Wanda probably saved at least one life that day, if not more. She knows every car and every family and every kid on this campus.”

Ramsey also shared the story of attending a safety meeting with the Orange County Public Schools district and hearing an administrator complain about how hard it was to secure a campus.

“In response, the chief of high schools says, ‘There’s no place more difficult to secure than Dr. Phillips High School,’” Ramsey said. “‘They have 55 acres and over 50 entry points to the campus. … But they have the best front-gate staff in Orange County Public Schools. He says, ‘The lady that works that gate does it better than anywhere else. She stops every car that comes in. She greets

everyone with a smile and is serious about the safety of the campus. If she can do it there, it can be done anywhere.’”

Others shared stories as well at Smith’s retirement party.

“I had a good time; I really did,” she said. “They told me to look good, and I was looking real good. Jackie (Ramsey) did an excellent speech. I was just blown over. I was so happy, I was so joyous, I was so surprised, I was so thankful, I was just flabbergasted. Everything was nice.”

Smith’s retirement plans are simple — to relax after many years of working two jobs to feed her family and make ends meet. Besides Dr. Phillips High, she worked in the custodial department at Valencia College for 20 years. She retired from that position Nov. 30, as well.

Her two sons and all six grandchildren live in the area, so Smith will get to enjoy more family time.

“I’m blessed beyond measure,” Smith said. “God is so good.”

Wanda Smith was a staple at the entry gate at Dr. Phillips High, and she made students’ safety a priority beginning with the 1987-88 school year.

Dr. Phillips High School held a reception to recognize security guard Wanda Smith and her more than three decades of service to the school.

Courtesy

BRAIN

It seems with every new year, adults like to renew their commitment — or make a new one — to live a healthier lifestyle. For some, that means more exercise. For others, that means cutting out the sugary snacks and late-night refrigerator raids. It’s never too early in life to start making some healthy habits. And to kick off 2023, we’re going to share a great — and delicious — way to get more and veggies into your diet!

DRINK YOUR VEGGIES!

Sure, you’ve prob ably had an after noon treat from the local smoothie shop, but did you know it’s just as easy to make them your self at home? Best of all, when you make them, you get to customize everything to your exact taste!

And speaking of taste: Smoothies are a great way to get some ultra-healthy veggies — such as spinach — into your body without you ever having to taste them! Virtually every smoothie starts with some ice cubes, milk and plain or vanilla yogurt. But from there, you can add anything you want! Use your imagina tion and experi ment! Then, all you have to

do is toss everything into a blender, spin it up, pour and sip!

As Florid ians, we’re lucky to have all kinds of fruits and vegetables grown right here in the Sun shine State.

STRAWBERRIES

Did you know West Orange is less than an hour from Plant City, better known as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World?And strawberries aren’t just delicious. According to floridastrawberry.org, strawberries are “virtually fat free, contain no cholesterol and are an excellent source of folic acid. They

the Sunshine State. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, avocados are a

OJ

RECIPES

AVOCADO BANANA SMOOTHIE

• 1 cup Florida Orange Juice

• 1/2 unripe banana

• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1/4 avocado

• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 cup ice

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Source: FloridaCitrus.org

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE

1 cup Florida strawberries 1/2 banana

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 cup fat-free milk (may substitute water, juice or dairyfree milk)

• 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla or plain yogurt

• Ice cubes

Source: FollowFreshfromFlorida.com

because of its shape and leather-like skin.

ORANGES

There’s a good chance your home was built on what was once an orange grove. And even though citrus farming is no longer a powerhouse industry in West Orange, Florida still produces some of the best oranges in the world.

Oranges are packed with vitamin C, potassium and folate, which can aid in heart health, immune system support, brain function and much more!

According to the Florida Department of Citrus, these days, most oranges are grown in the southern two-thirds of the Florida peninsula.

Ninety percent of all oranges grown in Florida are used for

Smoothie Sailing I Michael Eng // Editor and Publisher

The Observer answers kids’ burning curiosities. Illustration

WEST ORANGE HISTORY

THESE OLD TIMES FROM

75 years ago

There was a spike in building activities in Winter Garden, and many new homes and several businesses were constructed, including the handsome First National Bank building.

The local school board purchased two new sewing machines for the home economics department at Lakeview High School.

50 years ago

Construction on the first home was started in Windermere Downs, a planned community with 99 beautiful lots on the north shore of Lake Down. Special care was being taken to preserve the trees — an ecologist helped in the planning, and roads were redesigned to save trees. Kuhrt & Associates designed the street drainage system, which was unique in Orange County.

Badcock Home Furnishings Center opened on Highway 50. The owners were Al and Jacky Marker.

Winn-Dixie offered fantastic deals on meats: Ground beef was $1.99 for a three-pound package, baking hens were 49 cents per pound, smoked ham and chuck roast were 88 cents per pound, and all-meat franks were 59 cents for a 12-ounce package.

Under construction on the south side of Highway 50 was the Stage Stop Campground. This new venture, owned by George Spigener, covered 22 acres of land and was to accommodate 248 camper units.

The West Orange YMCA in Winter Garden began its third year under the leadership of Executive

WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION

JAN. 4, 1973

The El Toro Lounge and Supper Club in the Ramada Inn West started the new year with new entertainment: Second Coming, starring Charlie Taylor and Joe Siata. They and their bandmates of five years began playing nightly at the Ocoee hotel.

Taylor and Siata had teamed for more than eight years when they took the Ramada gig, having worked with Mercury Records and written more than 70 tunes for publication. Rounding out their band were Pineapple Sarigumba, Tom Rodante, Dave Fultz and Bill Caron.

Besides Las Vegas and Reno, Second Coming was rated the No. 1 group in its category in the WashingtonBaltimore area and were ranked in the Top 10 in New York.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Almost a century ago, Arthur W. Hurley posed with two family automobiles: a 1921 Cadillac and a 1921 Buick. The structure served as a garage with a bunk house on the second story and stood adjacent to the three-story Hurley home once located on Tildenville School Road.

The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation wishes all its friends and supporters a safe, happy and healthy New Year.

The mission of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is to preserve the heritage and architecture of Winter Garden while creating new cultural experiences. The Foundation also preserves the material culture of West Orange County, using it to educate the area’s youth on the community’s rich history.

Director Ben Hargrove. Continued programs were Gra-Y, Tri-Gra-Y, Y-Indian Guides, Y-Indian Princesses, Tri-Hi-Y, day camp, karate classes, women’s exercise and dancing lessons.

45 years ago

Ray Aldridge was appointed acting principal of West Orange High following the shooting death of Principal Raymond Screws in his office Dec. 12.

30 years ago

Lil Simon, of the Dr. Phillips Rotary Club, was recognized by District 6980 as its Rotarian of the Year, just five years after distinguishing herself by being the club’s first female member.

20 years ago

The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority opened a 3.5-mile extension of the Western Expressway. The new section extended from Florida’s Turnpike south to County Road 535. The $115 million project included com-

pletion of the State Road 429/ Turnpike interchange, the largest roadway interchange ever built in Central Florida.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson announced the establishment of a 6.5-square-mile citrus quarantine zone in Dr. Phillips, along with another in East Orange County, and many Dr. Phillips residents with citrus trees were asked to have them destroyed. Ag inspectors had detected two canker-infected sites.

The family-style Whippoor Willy’s restaurant opened in the Edgewater Hotel.

celebrity cipher

by Morton J. Mendelson, edited by David Steinberg

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

BAPTIST

First

EPISCOPAL

Church of the Messiah 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11 AM, 4 PM (French & Creole), 7 PM www.ChurchoftheMessiah.com

METHODIST

First United Methodist www.fumcwg.org 125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd. Windermere, FL 34786 407-876-2112 Worship times: 9:00am Adult Sunday School 10:00am Worship www.windermereunion.org