05.04.23 West Orange Times & Observer

An outdoor extravaganza

Art of the matter

TACO ’BOUT A FUN EVENT!

Head to downtown Ocoee from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 5, to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at a block party hosted by the Ocoee Parks and Recreation Department and Toll Road Brewing Company. Partnering for the event are downtown businesses DG Doughnuts, Pelican’s SnoBalls, Nessa’s BBQ, Let It Go Lifestyle Emporium, Bike Life Cafe, The Ocoee Book Rack and Ocoee Taco Company. The event will include live music, a face painter, balloon artist and rock wall.

CHAMBER ADDS BOARD MEMBERS

Horse farm discussion postponed yet again

A decision on a series of ordinances regarding the property next to Crown Pointe Equestrian was postponed at the applicant’s request. 2A.

The King of Darkness water ski show and competition returns to Horizon West Saturday, May 6. SEE PAGE 1B.

The West Orange Chamber of Commerce has welcomed two new board members: Wendal Lowrey, program manager for business engagement at CareerSource Central Florida; and Jim Zeitschel Jr., branch manager for the Orlando Team at PrimeLending, a national mortgage lender. Lowrey is a native of Fort Lauderdale and moved to the Central Florida area two years ago. He manages a team of business consultants and program coordinators under the $15 million Level Up Orange Grant. He’s also responsible for engaging with businesses across Orange County and providing business strategies/employment solutions to move companies forward.

Zeitschel, the leader of the chamber’s Thursday Networking Group for several years, is a seasoned lending professional with more than 17 years of experience. His diverse and expansive experience brought him to PrimeLending in 2021.

Annabelle Sikes

Branton Urbieta’s oil pastel piece “Garcon! More Wine!” hangs in Winter Garden’s City Hall and won Best in Show for SOBO Art Gallery’s Top Choice High School Awards.

Jim Zeitschel Jr.

Wendal Lowrey

WG commission delays horse farm decision

ANNABELLE SIKES

NEWS EDITOR

A series of ordinances regarding the continued discussion of a property next to Crown Pointe Equestrian were postponed at the applicant’s request at the Winter Garden City Commission meeting Thursday, April 27.

According to city officials, the applicant requested to postpone the item because the attorney for the neighboring property owner raised a concern about a mistake on the cover page of the agenda item.

The city said the discussion will be readvertised to the public and is targeted to be held at the City Commission meeting Thursday, May 25.

A passionate discussion from residents and the applicant in March already spurred the commission to move the annexation and development conversation to April.

The ordinances were then postponed after the applicant requested a continuance at the Thursday, April 13, meeting.

The applicant is requesting to annex the 30.24-acre parcel on Tilden Road into the city, as well as amend the future land use and rezone the property to Planned Unit Development.

The approval would mean the development of a 24-home neighborhood.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Two members of the public chose to speak on the series of ordinances.

Robert Visser said he would prefer for the ordinances to disappear completely and there is noise, traffic and congestion that creates unsafe conditions in the area.

“We do not wish to see — none of my neighbors and nobody I know of in that area — wishes to see any further residential development,” he said. “We would urge you with urgency to go ahead and vote no on that measure.”

Julie Visser said when her family moved to the Emerald Ridge neighborhood 15 years ago, the Tilden Road corridor was quiet, charming and unique.

“Fast-forward to today, and Tilden Road has now become a sad, textbook case of urban sprawl,” she said. “It’s loud, congested, it’s over capacity already, and most importantly, it’s unsafe for the people and the animals that live along this road.”

Julie Visser said the commission needs to understand it is only a matter of time before a tragic incident happens along the road.

“If you vote yes on this proposal, you are showing us that you do not care about representing every citizen in Winter Garden — even

those (who) don’t live downtown,” she said. “The only reason to annex and rezone is for increased tax revenue. Our area of town is more than tax dollars; we are more than dollar signs. The well-being of the citizens, animals and environment along Tilden Road is more important than an increase in revenue that won’t even be used to improve any of the conditions we are currently dealing with. I can say for most of the people we’ve spoken with, we will be heartbroken if you vote yes on this proposal.”

DUKE DISCUSSION

The City Commission approved the first reading of an ordinance granting Duke Energy an electric utility rights-of-way utilization franchise.

Marc Hutchinson, senior business analyst, explained the new agreement would run for 10 years and replace the current 30-year agreement which expired in December.

“(The ordinance) essentially grants Duke Energy the … continued permission and authorization to use and occupy the right-of-way for the intentional purposes of operating, maintaining and distributing electric services to citizens of Winter Garden,” he said.

The franchise fee will remain at 6%, which is what is listed in the current agreement.

Commissioner Ron Mueller said the city had some “less-than-spectacular service during the storm.”

IN OTHER NEWS

n Mayor John Rees read a proclamation for World Autism Month and Awareness Day.

n The commission approved a contract with Central Florida Liftstation, Inc. for repairs to Lift Station 47 in the amount of $61,860.

n Commissioners approved Crowd Strike Falcon Complete and related services in the amount of $80,636.47.

n The City Commission approved the award of a purchase order to Cathcart Construction Company to replace asphalt on Plant Street in the amount of $173,726.

“We also saw some areas where we expected redundant power systems to be in place, and we found out that not only were those redundant systems not in place, but to do so would have been a herculean effort that would have taken several more days beyond the time it would have taken to repair the current system,” he said. “There’s some things in there that I would like to … go back and continue to have those discussions and say, ‘How can we improve the quality of service — especially during a critical time with the storms? What can we do to navi-

n The commission approved the site plan for 12920 and 12921 Reaves Road for Stoneybrook Place Senior Living, 4-1, with Commissioner Ron Mueller dissenting.

n Commissioners approved the event calendar for summer 2023 through spring 2024 to commerce planning, marketing and coordination efforts, 4-1, with Mueller dissenting.

n The City Commission approved the Annual All American Kids Parade and Pancake Breakfast community event.

n The commission approved the Party in the Park community event.

gate burying power lines as we go forward and general other service level agreements?’”

Mayor John Rees said he hopes there will be a better working relationship with Duke going forward.

“We’ve had an open dialogue with Duke Energy,” City Manager Jon C. Williams said. “We put concerns on the table; they address concerns. So from my perspective, the level of customer service has improved 10-fold.”

WARM NIGHTS, BRIGHT LIGHTS

The Winter Garden community enjoyed 10 days of carnival rides, prize games and festival foods — fried Oreos, french fries, funnel cakes and corndogs — at the 2023 Winter Garden Fair April 21 to 30. The fair was produced by Orlando-based Strates Shows Inc., which is celebrating its century anniversary this year and has been part of Winter Garden since the 1990s.

Families strolled around the fair grounds enjoying the traditional prize games, delighted themselves with the colorful lights of the fair attractions, and ate cotton candy, ice cream and chicken tenders.

— ANDREA MUJICA

Oakland seeks loan for alternative water project

The funds would be used only if necessary in the design phase of the plan.

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

The Oakland Town Commission approved at its April 25 meeting the pursuit of a state revolving fund loan to help pay for the design and, possibly, construction of an alternative water facility. Residents currently only have the option of using potable water for their irrigation needs.

This facility would harvest untreated stormwater, filter and treat it and send it out to customers who live in neighborhoods with dual piping. The town is at risk of exceeding its daily allowance for water per its Consumptive Use Permit with the St. Johns River Water Management District.

The CUP allows the town to withdraw groundwater from wells to be

used for all domestic purposes.

“We’re permitted to use so many gallons per day, and if we go over, we’re penalized,” said Public Works Director Mike Parker. “We’re right on the border with it, and next year, we will probably cross that line if we don’t have this project.”

Parker said the preliminary plans the town prepared have been approved by the SJRWMD and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The treatment plant will be built at an estimated cost of $3.2 million on land owned by the town on the west end of Oakland near a lift station already there. Source water will be drawn from a town-owned stormwater canal in an area abutting the Hull Island neighborhood.

The town has budgeted $200,000 to provide for more than half of the $319,000 design fee. The remaining portion is anticipated to be budgeted in the next fiscal year, Parker said in a memo to the commission.

“At this point, the SRF Loan would

IN OTHER NEWS

n The Town Commission approved the fourth amendment to the developer’s agreement between the town and Oakland Park developer Landeavor that removes an eight-foot privacy fence requirement.

Town Planner Brad Cornelius said some residents on Macchi Avenue were concerned about the tall fence Landeavor proposed behind homes along the western border of the Oakland Park neighborhood.

“That’s not what people wanted to see behind their homes,” he

only be used if there is a shortfall in utility revenues that would preclude additional funding from the Enterprise Fund,” Parker said. “It should be noted that this is only to complete the design.”

said. “What they will see is a fivefoot aluminum fence with landscaping.”

n The Oakland Police Department presented a check to Special Olympics Florida for $983, the amount raised at a recent benchpress competition held at Oakland Avenue Charter School. Forty law-enforcement personnel and civilians participated in the event.

n The town proclaimed May 2 Teacher Appreciation Day, May 8 through 12 Teacher Appreciation Week and May 13 World Migratory Bird Day in the town of Oakland.

When the time comes for construction of the facility, the design loan could be rolled into a construction loan, Parker said. The town has pursued other funding for construction of the alternative system, as well.

One Hull Island resident asked if the cost of the loan, if used, would be transferred to residents in the future who use irrigation.

“It won’t really affect the residents … because they’re already using the water; it will just go to a different meter,” Commissioner Rick Polland said.

All new neighborhoods must install separate pipe networks that can deliver irrigation water to residents.

SMALL PAVING PROJECT

The commission approved spending up to $150,000 from the Transportation Impact Fee fund to pave South Brock Street and East Sadler Avenue.

The Oakland Avenue Charter School and several church preschool programs generate about 50,000 drop-offs and pick-ups each school year, Parker said. Dust is constantly being stirred up on these dirt streets, he said, and all nearby residents are in favor of the paving. The work should be completed by the end of the month.

Krysteanna Mei Ortega, Sara Vandervoort, Savannah Neal, Abby Williams and Caley McClure discussed their performance at the bumper cars after their time was up.

Logan and Jaxon Werner got excited as the spinning chairs started to lift them up into the air. Children enjoyed the motorcycle ride.

Although he practiced realism frequently as a child, he never worked on people or portraits. However, more recently, he has developed his portraiture and his techniques of old master drawings such as cross hatching.

He said he has been pushing himself to incorporate different themes into his art.

“A lot of times, it’s very intuitive, so I begin a piece, and I just keep going and going until I pretty much get tired of painting it or I think it’s perfect the way it is,” Branton said. “I think more of trying to stick to something and pushing the theme into a piece instead of just going ham on it.”

Branton is completely self-taught, besides school art electives he has taken and watching YouTube tutorials. He has began attending the Technique Tuesday events at SOBO so he can learn more.

HEART FOR THE COMMUNITY

Branton is active in the local art community.

He teaches spring break and summer art lessons to children at SOBO and participates in weekend art activities at the Winter Garden Farmers Market.

He said there are a lot of children who have different aspects of what it takes to be great and passionate in art and they just don’t know what to do with it.

“I was always also confused on what’s next for my art,” he said. “I like to give back to my community in any way possible. Teaching the kids is something that I really enjoy doing, because it’s almost like I’m pushing them in a direction so they can develop their own styles or find a place where they’re comfortable developing their talents. I don’t like saying you’re born with it, but you are born with the obsession to create and the passion to continue going and being obsessed with that.”

He said teaching is also something that gives back to him in a way where he can work on his social skills.

‘Why not?’ is my biggest motivator

ANNABELLE SIKES

NEWS EDITOR

Ocoee High School stu -

dent Branton Urbieta, 17, is pushing boundaries and educating the community on the importance of art with his creations.

His most recent notable accomplishment hangs on the wall of Winter Garden City Hall as part of SOBO Art Gallery’s Top Choice High School Awards. His oil pastel piece, “Garcon! More Wine!” won Best in Show and is priced at $800.

Branton said he is the biggest proof of the adage, “Fake it till you make it.”

“If you can picture yourself in a situation that is completely different from what you’re in, it’s not far from impossible,” he said. “You can definitely achieve something if you really want to do it. I feel like nothing is stopping you from framing that drawing and submitting it to the next call for artists. If you get submitted, you get submitted. If you don’t, then try again. You 100% will not get in if you don’t submit. You miss all the shots you don’t take. You do not know what you’re good at or what you’re capable of unless you try. You have to believe in yourself and take the risk to put yourself out there.”

YOUNG ARTIST

Branton started to develop his passion for art when he was only 8 years old.

His journey started with a teacher who believed in his abilities and submitted his art into a young artist competition at the Orlando Museum of Art.

“Once I saw it hanging there and people were appreciating it, that’s when it became more of a, ‘Wow, I can do this,’ instead of, ‘I just paint and it looks good and my friends think it’s cool,’” he said. “My teacher put a price on it at $120, and when I was a kid, that was a lot.” Branton took a break from art for

a few years to focus on his other activities, such as playing varsity lacrosse at his school and playing violin, which he has done since he was in first grade.

However, art was something that always remained throughout the twists and turns of life.

“I’ve always had a lot of hobbies and I’ve always done art, but it’s always been more of a secretive type of thing — where it’s always like I make the drawing, and then I close the book and then shove it away,” he said. “I guess what really kept me going is just wanting to improve and improve. Just the obsession with wanting to get better.”

In 2021, Branton took a trip to New York City during the pandemic. He said his passion reignited after he saw the way art helped the city come alive.

In November 2022, Branton took a risk and submitted a piece to

the CityArts gallery in downtown Orlando. It was his first show submission since the OMA. His work was selected and featured at the event.

Branton’s art also has been in shows such as the Avalon Park Arts and Culture Center’s Art in Bloom exhibit and SOBO’s Art in Motion.

For his recently earned Top Choice Award, Branton was selected from more than 175 submissions.

Branton’s specialty is 2D mixed media art, such as painting on paper or canvas with different media such as paint, oil pastels and charcoal. His preferred style generally encompasses abstract realism.

“I like to make sure I’m using the elements properly while also breaking the rules a little bit — where I can use them just because they look good (and) not because it’s so technical,” he said. “I still like to use what I developed with the realism portraiture, but also I like to use compositions and colors; drawing inspiration from colors I see in nature together and then putting them down in an abstract way where it already feels familiar for the people.”

Branton’s interest in abstract realism stems from his enjoyment of pushing art’s boundaries.

“When I was a kid, I was very much a perfectionist, and I was always very judgmental of myself — but more in a constructive criticism type of way,” he said. “I always stuck to the rules. If something didn’t look good, I would throw it away. Now that I’m developing this style … it’s just about breaking boundaries — pushing what I taught myself and just having fun with it now that I’m more expressive, open and social. The changes in my life kind of translated into my art, where I just do whatever looks good. I always say, ‘Why not?’ If it works, it works.”

Throughout the past few years, Branton has been working on progressing his anatomical work.

“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

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“When I was a kid, I was very quiet and very in the corner, which is something we get a lot at the gallery with young artist submissions,” Branton said. “They’re typically the people who doodle in the corner of the room, but that was also me. I like to show people that they can also break free from that and they can show people it’s possible to be the art kid and also be the cool kid. You can do galleries and shows and it’s awesome. People recognize your hard work.”

Branton said he thinks art and community go hand in hand in terms of bringing people together.

“It’s something where people come together to share an experience, and with art it’s something where people can have fun and let loose,” he said. “You almost forget about your life and get to escape from reality for a bit.”

His goal is to get into Art Basel in Miami and to have a painting in a store in downtown Winter Garden.

He hopes people feel an impact when they look at his art.

“One of my favorite things to do when I visit paintings in galleries or museums is to imagine the piece as a photo and a live scene,” he said. “I want people to take away that same experience. I want people to feel like the art is almost in conversation with itself. Seeing the different things in the painting, seeing the different things going on with the colors and the compositions, I want someone to imagine the painting alive — as if it was moving.”

Branton said he also wants people to feel like they can create something just as good as he can. The first painting he submitted was one of three panels he had bought at Goodwill for $1. He then went to Michael’s and found pastels in the clearance section for 50 cents. He eventually sold those paintings for more than $200.

“I made nothing into something,” he said. “The time I would have spent scrolling on Instagram or on TikTok, I was painting — consuming media in a good way where I’m listening to music, reading a book and looking at other paintings all at the same time. If you can, why not?

‘Why not’ is my biggest motivator.

“A lot of people are scared of creating or running with their ideas,” Branton said. “I want people to feel like they can do it. If I can do it, you can do it. If you can do that, do it. It would be great to see you side by side giving back to your community with your talents.”

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Courtesy photos

Branton Urbieta enjoys visiting paintings in galleries and museums and imagining them as live scenes.

Branton Urbieta specializes in 2D mixed media art.

Gould announces candidacy for Orange County Commission

and the ability to effect change that improves District 1.”

Orange County School Board member Pam Gould has announced her candidacy to run for Orange County District 1 commissioner.

Gould filed her intent to run for commissioner Monday, May 1.

“I’m more than excited to announce my candidacy for Orange County commissioner for District 1 — I’m ready to take action starting day one,” Gould said in a prepared statement. “Every stage of my life, personally and professionally, has been in preparation to serve as District 1 Orange County commissioner, and every organization I have led has provided me insight into the issues

Gould is a three-term School Board member and the former president and CEO of Shepherd’s Hope, a faith-based nonprofit and the largest free healthcare clinic for the uninsured in Central Florida.

Gould helped Shepherd’s Hope secure its first multimillion dollar endowment through Healthy West Orange. She also diversified funding and increased multiple major gifts while guiding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gould has served on the School Board since 2012. During her tenure, Gould advanced the opening of dozens of new schools; increased career and technical certifications and

training by nearly 300%; improved career-transition opportunities for students with disabilities; started Generation WOW; helped to guide the development of the Guidewell Mental Health Think Tank; and spearheaded the Farm to Table program with OCPS’ Food and Nutrition Services.

“I am a champion for driving economic prosperity by increasing students’ access to skills-based learning, certifications and apprenticeships that ready them for a successful life and career,” Gould said of her time on the School Board. “I’m a firm believer that we achieve our greatest successes when we bring together private, public and grassroots entities for partnerships that match students with jobs they could never have imagined even exist in a rapidly changing economic environment.”

Gould also led various divisions and guided organizations over the years. She has held executive leadership roles at Orlando Health, Health Central/Health Central Foundation, Island One Resorts, DL Foundation and Dave’s House.

“I truly believe that all of the professional and personal experiences I’ve had have been in preparation for this role, to really further the impact I can have at a wider scale on items I’m passionate about,” she said. “Housing, getting from place to place safely, preserving the wonder-

ful natural assets we have in Orange County while we’re going through growth, business opportunities for our young people. … I’ve bridged them from the inside of OCPS to out, and now I want to do it from the outside in and really enhance the work I’ve been able to start there with a whole new perspective.”

Gould said she has already started a plan of what she would like to get done in the first 100 days.

“One of the advantages that I have is I’ve been part of the growth of opening 15 schools in the last 10 years,” she said. “I’ve had to work with each commissioner, the County Commission and the municipalities on sidewalks, lights, easements where we are going to locate schools, rezoning, so I know a lot of the issues.”

Gould is married to her high school sweetheart, John, and lives in Windermere, where she raised her two sons, Gregory and Matthew.

The county qualifying dates for the 2024 election are noon, June 10, 2024, through noon, June 14, 2024, (dates subject to change).

The election will be held in August 2024.

Foundation to add

40,000-square-foot classroom building

If the classic superstition that rain on a wedding day is good luck also applies to private schools, Foundation Academy should enjoy decades of promise and success in West Orange. Foundation leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of the school’s new cafeteria and worship center in a rainsoaked ceremony Thursday, April 27, at its Tilden Road campus.

Despite the precipitation, dozens of Foundation supporters attended — and even were the first to hear a surprise announcement from Presi-

dent David Buckles. In addition to the 17,675-square-foot cafeteria and worship center, the school also will be breaking ground on a 40,000-squarefoot classroom building that will become Foundation’s high school.

“This enrollment season, Foundation Academy experienced a record number of inquiries,” Buckles said. “Based on the demand, the fact that we are at capacity this year, our board is very passionate about being able to make disciples. … They have approved us to also start a 40,000-square-foot classroom building at the same time we start the cafeteria. So, we’re really excited about that.”

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

MICHAEL ENG EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

Pam Gould is a three-term Orange County School Board member and former president and CEO of Shepherd’s Hope.

Pam Gould

Michael Eng Foundation Academy broke ground on its new cafeteria/worship center and classroom building last week.

Windermere pavilion continues to face opposition

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

The proposed outdoor pavilion project planned for downtown Windermere continues to face opposition from residents following a virtual Town Council workshop Tuesday, April 25.

The project, approved in July 2020, is a partnership between the West Orange Healthcare District and Windermere Rotary Inc. The plan includes a pavilion complete with a stage, concession stand and other amenities, with the goal of offering accommodations for more events in the future.

A grant agreement between the WOHD and Rotary Inc. went into effect May 5, 2021. Rotary Inc. received $1 million in grant funds from the WOHD to construct the pavilion.

Rotary Inc. received the first $200,000 in funding after the agreement was signed. It received a second payment — $400,000 — after the Town Council approved the architectural plans and the owner’s representative. The third payment — $400,000 — will be distributed within 50% completion of the project.

The grant agreement states if Rotary Inc. does not complete the pavilion, it may be considered a “material breach” of the agreement, allowing the WOHD to require repayment of some or all of the grant.

The grant also states the construction of the pavilion must begin within 18 months of the effective date, Nov. 5, 2022, and the pavilion must be completed and donated to the town within three years of the effective date, May 5, 2024.

At a virtual public input workshop in January, more than 80 town residents voiced their concerns and suggestions ran the gamut. Some even suggested eliminating the project altogether.

COMMUNITY COMMENTS

Resident Theresa SchretzmannMyers opposes the pavilion.

“The most valuable and last remaining open green space, historic longleaf pine and oak tree canopy in the northwest green quadrant of Town Square Park must be kept and preserved for the use of town residents, parks and

recreation committee, tree board, Windermere Wine & Dine,” she said. “All we need are public restrooms. … There are more pressing needs such as restoration of Town Hall and its roof; Town Hall back porch, which is rotting; and other items that we haven’t taken care of; infrastructure we still don’t take care of. Taking the tree canopy would be a great loss for the town of Windermere. … None of the committees (wants) this. … We don’t need a permanent pavilion that looks nothing like the historic character of Windermere.”

Resident Angela Withers thinks the town should keep Healthy West Orange in the conversation but restart the project with a full site analysis.

“I’m not opposed to an appropriately sized and appropriately located pavilion,” she said. “I see great benefits in it … and the restrooms appropriately sized and located so as not to have a negative impact on much of our tree canopy and look at how we replace our tree canopy. But all of that requires a really good full site analysis.”

Resident Brandi Haines always has been against the design of the pavilion but thinks restrooms are needed.

“We need to go back to square one, and we need to find out what the town

really wants, because there’s been a lot of pushback on this,” she said. “Most people don’t really want the pavilion at all, and the ones (who) do want it definitely want it a lot smaller.”

Resident Rennee Cingolani said she and two other residents on Forest Street went from door-to-door speaking to people, none of the people she talked to supported the pavilion as proposed.

TOWN LEADERSHIP Town Manager Robert Smith presented four options for the Town Council to consider.

Smith said based on the invoices and representation made by the Rotary Inc. contractors, the $97,000 is what is currently invoiced and the balance is outstanding for services rendered.

The options include keeping the project as approved in the past; considering a compromise in terms of the design and layout of the pavilion; paying back the grant and leaving the space open; and paying the money back and constructing restrooms.

“We’ve been spending a lot of time and due diligence trying to listen to all the residents and trying to figure out an opportunity and a way to move forward with you guys,” Town Con-

sultant John Fitzgibbon said.

Mayor Jim O’Brien said the town tries to take in as many different viewpoints and input as possible.

“One of the challenges the council has in front of them is that they have to big picture this in terms of not only what is good today but what’s good five years from now, 10 years from now, 20 years from now,” he said.

Council Member Tom Stroup inquired on how much the pavilion could be reduced while still utilizing the grant.

Smith said although there is no requirement in square footage for the pavilion, there are other contingencies listed in the grant that the town is required to follow.

Town Attorney Heather Ramos reviewed the grant requirements, which include items such as a covered stage furnished with a retractable projection screen with lighting and sound equipment; men’s and women’s restrooms; a concession stand with an equipped kitchen in downtown Windermere where the existing community building stands; demolition of the community building; and the repaving and refurbishing of basketball courts, if necessary.

Council Member Molly Rose said

she also has heard the majority of residents do not want the pavilion and worries about the maintenance restrooms would require.

“I don’t see, I don’t hear that any of our existing town events will use it significantly,” she said. “My issue with the town has always been in bringing in outside traffic, and therefore I see that this would eventually do that. …I’m not sure we need public restrooms. There’s none in any of the other parks. I was told there’s no code requirement for it. … If we put restrooms in, that means we have to maintain them and we have to secure them.”

Council Member Tony Davit thinks the involved parties could find a happy medium that benefits everyone.

“We have an opportunity here to work with them (Healthy West Orange) to kind of shape this into a fashion that better fits the downtown Windermere footprint, provides Healthy West Orange what they desire as far as event space for the type of events that they want to host, and allows the town to get some of the amenities that we desire as well,” he said. “We need to open the communications up.”

Smith said after the public-input meeting in January, all work was stopped on the pavilion, so staff was looking for guidance on how to proceed.

Town Council members agreed unanimously to have the town proceed, making sure the town has all the involved members at the table with an open mind to see if the plans can be amended. If not, the plans will be stopped to avoid additional costs.

“We need to go back to square one, and we need to find out what the town really wants, because there’s been a lot of pushback on this. Most people don’t really want the pavilion at all, and the ones (who) do want it definitely want it a lot smaller.”

— Brandi Haines, resident

Courtesy rendering

Residents and town leadership are continuing discussion on the proposed pavilion.

EDITOR’S

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.

Eddie and Chystal Gaunt

MATTHEW’S

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

Eddie Gaunt has come a long way since his days as a teenager stretching pizzas for Domino’s. He and his wife, Chystal, are the new owners of Matthew’s Steakhouse, an upscale, reservation-only restaurant in downtown Winter Garden.

The Gaunts purchased the steakhouse from Horst and Gabi Winter and son Matthew Winter at the end of March, revamped the menu to fit Eddie Gaunt’s French and Italian cooking background, and increased the staff.

Changes were made to the entire menu — except the steaks, he said.

It’s a legacy restaurant, Eddie Gaunt said, so he and Chystal want to honor that legacy by providing top-tier food and ingredients in an elegant setting — which keeps its loyal customers coming back.

“We’re not pretentious,” Eddie Gaunt said. “This is you coming to my home to have a meal and be taken care of in somebody’s home — with all the ambiance and bells and whistles of an upscale steakhouse. It’s not a loud place; there are no TVs. … You can have a nice conversation over dinner.

“This is a throwback downtown; this is a throwback restaurant,” he said.

Eddie Gaunt is a chef and a sommelier, and he takes pride in the interesting, small-release wines, as well as the quality of meat, he offers diners. He buys local whenever possible — from the cuts of meat to the fruits and vegetables.

DESTINED FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Eddie Gaunt estimates he had 52 jobs before he was 18.

“I could just never find that thing that scratched that itch for me,” he said. “I remember getting my first serving job. I felt like I was working for myself. … I could make great money. I fell in love with that concept. I became really good at it.”

When he was 18, he was serving at Olive Garden. When the kitchen was short one night, he said, he was asked to work the sauté line. He did this periodically until he was asked to go into management.

He was going through the police academy at the time and had a decision to make. He took the general manager’s position, becoming the youngest in the Darden Restaurants company at age 21.

Eddie Gaunt piloted Olive Garden’s culinary program that sent employees to Italy to learn about wine partners.

“It’s just fun stuff,” he said. “That really sparked my interest in food, and I became a foodie at that point. I was like a sponge and wanted to absorb.”

By the late 2000s, he owned three restaurants in Orlando, Ocala and St. Cloud.

Eddie Gaunt said he has experienced several health crises — diabetes, a kidney-pancreas transplant and cancer — and cooking has always been a way for him to decompress.

“If I’m stressed out, I’m cooking,” he said. “It’s medicinal for me. … It’s my go-to place. I just love it. I’ve always been this way.”

MATTHEW’S

STEAKHOUSE

360 W. Plant St., Winter Garden

Fresh and quality food have been key to his health.

“I always consider myself a Whole Foods or Fresh Market shopper,” he said. “I just like finer food, and I’m the same way in the restaurant.”

THE NEW MATTHEW’S

During the pandemic two years ago, the Gaunts bought a recreational vehicle and headed for Yellowstone National Park.

“We zigzagged to Washington and stayed two to three weeks at a time, taking in the local cuisine,”

Eddie Gaunt said. “I got a lot of cool recipes on my travels. I made food, a lot of food in the RV and re-created some things we got along the way.”

“That was the best year of my life,” Chystal Gaunt said. “Everywhere we went, every little town we went to, we’d end up eating someplace, consider settling there and feeding good people.”

But no place compared to Florida, and the family found its way back to Winter Garden and in search of a restaurant for sale.

After just a few days of looking, they discovered Matthew’s Steakhouse was on the market. The sale was official March 29.

It’s important to the Gaunts to maintain an ambience at Matthew’s Steakhouse.

“It has the feel on the exterior of a corporate restaurant or a sophisticated restaurant, but the overall feel should be warm and inviting,” Eddie Gaunt said. “We like to get to know people by name. We like to celebrate with them — birthdays, celebrations, special occasions. We had a couple last night, he ordered

PHONE: (407) 520-7511

EMAIL: matthewsteakhouse@gmail.com

FACEBOOK: bit.ly/3HskCfZ

flowers to be on the table before they arrived.”

The owners said they are trying to make the restaurant more approachable. While reservations still are required, the Gaunts have added more staff to cut down on wait times. Where the restaurant once had an eight-week lead time, it’s more like two now, they said.

The steakhouse seats 62 and on a busy day will accommodate 80 or 90 guests. The dinner-only restaurant is open six days a week and closed Mondays.

“We’re trying to get that second serving time around 7:30 or 8 o’clock,” Eddie Gaunt said.

When the Gaunts bought the restaurant, they vowed never to compromise quality. Fish is offered only when it is fresh. All meat is hand-cut the same day, so it is “the pinnacle of freshness,” Eddie Gaunt said. “We stand behind our meat, prime Angus beef, aged. If it’s not to the standard (it’s declined). … I’m meticulous about what I serve to

my guests. I would rather have a more limited menu.”

You won’t find a fryer or walkin freezer at Matthew’s Steakhouse. A college dormitory-sized freezer is there only for the gelato. All meals are made from scratch, and guests with different dietary needs are accommodated when possible.

“It’s easy to do gluten free here, and we’re conscious of shellfish allergies,” Eddie Gaunt said.

The owners soon will add a dinner salad with protein options.

Eddie Gaunt said his high standards and consistency attract quality employees, and his workers are like family.

“It’s important they have something to aspire to … and they all have goals here,” he said. “They all have big challenges ahead. They have to be able to run this here without me here. … I think a person loses themselves if they don’t aspire to have something.”

Eddie Gaunt would like to one day own a vineyard in Italy, spending six months a year there and six months here. But for now, he and Chystal are putting all their efforts into their new local venture.

“This is a Winter Garden legacy restaurant, and from that perspective I owe it to the community to provide the best I can do,” Eddie Gaunt said. “And that’s what we intend to do every day.”

STEAKHOUSE

Amy Quesinberry

Eddie and Chystal Gaunt have introduced a new menu and have increased their staff to allow more customers to experience the downtown Winter Garden restaurant.

“I could just never find that thing that scratched that itch for me. I remember getting my first serving job. I felt like I was working for myself. … I could make great money. I fell in love with that concept. I became really good at it.”

— Eddie Gaunt

Windermere estate sells for $3,210,000

Ahome in the town of Windermere topped all West Orange-area residential real-estate transactions from April 22 to 28.

The home at 4 Pine St., Windermere, sold April 26, for $3,210,000. Built in 1998, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 5,015 square feet of living area. Days on market: One.

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

GOTHA

TOWN OF GOTHA

The home at 9951 Eighth St. sold April 28, for $1,450,000. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, fourand-one-half baths and 3,760 square feet. Days on market: 42.

The home at 9931 Eighth St., Gotha, sold April 28, for $1,325,000. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 3,718 square feet.

HORIZON WEST ENCORE AT OVATION

The home at 13756 Werrington Drive sold April 24, for $576,795. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,781 square feet. Days on market: 22.

HAMLIN RESERVE

The home at 6355 Flat Lemon Drive sold April 28, for $680,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,214 square feet. Days on market: 38.

HICKORY HAMMOCK

The home at 15984 Sweet Murcott Court sold April 26, for $1,280,000. Built in 2014, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 4,855 square feet. Days on market: 38.

The home at 15159 Lake Claire Overlook Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 26, for $920,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, threeand-one-half baths and 2,957 square feet. Days on market: Four.

INDEPENDENCE/

SIGNATURE LAKES

The home at 7231 Broomshedge Trail, Winter Garden, sold April 25, for $515,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,224 square feet. Days on market:

Nine.

LAKESIDE AT HAMLIN

The home at 5321 Lake Virginia St., Winter Garden, sold April 27, for $791,465. Built in 2023, it has six bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 4,388 square feet.

LAKEVIEW POINTE

The home at 7197 Half Moon Lake Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 26, for $525,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,980 square feet. Days on market:

Nine.

ORCHARD HILLS

The home at 14636 Maple Arch Lane, Winter Garden, sold April 25, for $750,000. Built in 2017, it has five bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 3,457 square feet. Days on market: Two.

SUMMERLAKE GROVES

The home at 15425 Murcott Blossom Blvd., Winter Garden, sold April 24, for $516,500. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,765 square feet.

WATERLEIGH

The home at 16061 Bayou Crest Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 27, for $750,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,117 square feet. Days on market: 11.

The home at 15920 Moonlight Bay St., Winter Garden, sold April 28, for $590,000. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 2,477 square feet. Days on market: One.

WATERMARK

The home at 9357 Trinana Circle, Winter Garden, sold April 28, for $1,185,000. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,883 square feet of living area. Days on market: 224.

OAKLAND LONGLEAF AT OAKLAND

The home at 1507 Wild Sweetgrass Way, Oakland, sold April 28, for $530,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,975 square feet of living area. Days on market: 20.

SNAPSHOT

Total Sales: 88

OCOEE ARDEN PARK SOUTH

The home at 2507 Red Berry Way, Ocoee, sold April 28, for $565,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 3,160 square feet of living area. Days on market: 122.

FORESTBROOKE

The home at 3300 Midlake Terrace, Ocoee, sold April 27, for $535,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 3,414 square feet. Days on market: 51.

MCCORMICK RESERVE

The home at 3447 Gretchen Drive, Ocoee, sold April 26, for $555,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 3,056 square feet of living area. Days on market: 96.

PRESERVE AT CROWN POINT

The home at 2251 Farnham Drive, Ocoee, sold April 28, for $465,909. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,874 square feet of living area. Days on market: Nine.

VILLAGES OF WESMERE

The townhouse at 2152 Bent Grass Ave., Ocoee, sold April 28, for $451,000. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,216 square feet. Days on market: Four.

WESMERE

The home at 2 Moor Green Court, Ocoee, sold April 28, for $440,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,642 square feet. Days on market: Five.

WINDSTONE

The home at 2490 El Marra Drive, Ocoee, sold April 28, for $440,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,255 square feet. Days on market: 95.

WEST ORANGE BELLARIA

The home at 13352 Bellaria Circle, Windermere, sold April 26, for $2,350,000. Built in 2014, it has five bedrooms, five-and-one-half baths and 5,524 square feet. Days on market: 142.

OXFORD MOOR

The home at 5717 Oxford Moor Blvd., Windermere, sold April 25, for $1,390,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths and 5,508 square feet. Days on market: Three.

UNICORPORATED

ORANGE COUNTY

The home at 5534 Tiny Road, Winter Garden, sold April 24, for $1,275,000. Built in 1960, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 3,726 square feet on 5.32 acres.

The home at 12746 S. Lake Sawyer Lane, Windermere, sold April 25, for $1,250,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, three half-baths and 3,694 square feet. Days on market: 12.

WINDERMERE

BALMORAL

The home at 9119 Balmoral

Mews Square sold April 26, for $1,200,000. Built in 1998, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 4,052 square feet. Days on market: 109.

HARBOR ISLE

The home at 3126 Seigneury Drive sold April 27, for $1,400,000. Built in 2001, it has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 5,266 square feet. Days on market: Seven.

DeVore Design

The home at 4 Pine St., Windermere, sold April 26, for $3,210,000. This custom home on the Butler Chain of Lakes offers views of the lake from 11 rooms. The selling agent was Nicholas Taylor, Bella Trae Realty.

KEENE’S POINTE

The home at 8038 Whitford Court, Windermere, sold April 27, for $2,850,000. Built in 2002, it has five bedrooms, four baths, three halfbaths and 7,585 square feet. Days on market: Seven.

The home at 8159 Tibet Butler Drive, Windermere, sold April 28, for $1,811,000. Built in 2002, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 5,093 square feet. Days on market: 99.

The home at 11226 Macaw Court, Windermere, sold April 28, for $1,450,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, four-and-one-half baths and 4,546 square feet. Days on market: 53.

The home at 8339 Bowden Way, Windermere, sold April 28, for $1,060,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,859 square feet. Days on market: Five.

LAKE BUTLER ESTATES

The home at 12025 Lake Butler Blvd., Windermere, sold April 28, for $1,272,000. Built in 1987, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,588 square feet. Days on market: 291.

WATERFORD POINTE

The home at 12816 Water Point Blvd., Windermere, sold April 26, for $2,100,000. Built in 1993, it has five bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 4,433 square feet. Days on market: Seven.

WINTER GARDEN GROVE PARK AT STONE CREST

The home at 836 Lost Grove Circle, Winter Garden, sold April 25, for $615,000. Built in 2006, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 3,382 square feet. Days on market: 13.

HERITAGE AT PLANT STREET

The home at 781 Orange Belt Loop sold April 26, for $740,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, threeand-one-half baths and 3,074 square feet. Days on market: 10.

JOHNS LAKE

The home at 147 Live Oak Road, Winter Garden, sold April 24, for $1 million. Built in 1964, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,138 square feet. Days on market: Seven.

OAKLAND PARK

The home at 942 Civitas Way, Winter Garden, sold April 28, for $840,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,260 square feet. Days on market: One.

STONEYBROOK WEST

The home at 13518 Tenbury Wells Way, Winter Garden, sold April 27, for $650,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 3,219 square feet. Days on market: 10.

WATERSIDE AT JOHNS LAKE

The home at 1427 Waverunner Lane, Winter Garden, sold April 25, for $530,000. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 2,502 square feet.

Storybook Home Photography

The home at 5534 Tiny Road, Winter Garden, sold April 24, for $1,275,000. It was the largest transaction in Winter Garden from April 22 to 28. The selling agent was Debbie Sansing, Coldwell Banker.

OF THE MESSIAH

241 N. Main, Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11am, 7pm www.churchofthemessiah.com

METHODIST FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 125 N. Lakeview Ave Winter Garden Service Times 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM Phone – 407-656-1135 Web: fumcwg.org

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd. Windermere, FL 34786 407-876-2112 Worship times:

SHOT IN THE DARK

Pro water skiers will compete at the King of Darkness tournament this weekend in Horizon West.

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

The King of Darkness water ski tournament will return to Horizon West for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 6.

“We wanted to show the sport to a larger audience and show them what it is about and bring in new blood, really

focusing on children and families,” event co-host Dana Garcia said. “We just want to show that we are a family sport when it comes down to it.”

This year, there will be a new section added to the tournament — the show ski component.

“Typically, (with) water skiing and wakeboarding and show skiing — we’ve

SEE WAVE PAGE 2B

2

Two football players from the West Orange and Southwest Orange areas had their NFL dreams come true following the 2023 NFL Draft April 27-29. Ryan Swoboda, a 6-foot-9 offensive lineman, became the first Windermere Prep alum to make it to the NFL after the Detroit Lions signed him as an undrafted free agent. In addition, Dr. Phillips High alum Tanner Ingle, a 5-foot-10 safety — is joining the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent.

1

The Olympia High School varsity head softball coach Terry Rutledge recently was named Metro West softball Coach of the Year. The Lady Titans currently hold a 16-7 overall season record and are seated as the No. 3 seed in the Class 7A, District 5. The team is making a comeback from last season, when it finished with a 4-11 overall record. The team defeated Dr. Phillips 4-3 during the district quarterfinals game Monday, May 1, and traveled to Windermere High to play the Lady Wolverines in the district semifinals game at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, after press time.

FHSAA Class 3A state academic champion with a 3.453 GPA; and, the Windermere High School competition cheer team as FHSAA Class 2A state small varsity team champion.

Foundation brothers among state’s elite

Horizon High School junior discus athlete Katelyn Kruse recently was named to the 2023 All-Metro Conference team after an outstanding performance during the conference track meet earlier this season and became District 5 discus champion Thursday, April 27.

4

the state with their relay teammates. “I didn’t really know what I was doing or what I wanted to do,” JT said. “I originally wasn’t going to do track until they saw I was fast, and this season has gone so much better than last season.”

3

The Orange County School Board celebrated the success of several Orange and Southwest Orange high schools winter teams during its Tuesday, April 25, meeting. The Winter 2023 sports team champions are: Dr. Phillips High School girls basketball team as FHSAA Class 7A state team champion; the Olympia High School boys wrestling team as

5

The West Orange High School beach volleyball team became Class 1A, District 10 champion after defeating Windermere Prep 3-0 during the district championship game Wednesday, April 26. The Lady Warriors hold a 8-7 overall season record and were preparing to face the Hagerty Huskies during the regional quarterfinals Tuesday, May 2, after press time.

For the Bronaugh brothers — Chris “CJ” and James “JT” — track and field was an unexpected surprise. At first, they did not enjoy it, but as they got more involved with the sport, they ended up loving it.

What’s more, they became really good at it.

Currently, JT is ranked No. 1 in the state for the 100 meters, with a 10.66 time; and both brothers — who are part of the 4x100 meters — are first in

The reason? JT’s younger brother, CJ, joined the track team and the 4x100 relay, and the pair — alongside relay teammates Daniel Jean and Zephaniah Rogers — broke their own record, and the school’s record, with a time of 41.70.

The brothers are excited to show what they can do at the regionals and states meets, which will take place Saturday, May 6, and Wednesday, May 17, respectively.

Horizon High School boys volleyball team senior setter Santiago Izaguirre is a force on the court. Page 2B.

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

Photos by Andrea Mujica

Above: Pro water ski jumper Freddy Krueger is looking forward to hitting the water alongside his children and wife Saturday, May 6.

Top: Karen Krueger will be competing in the slalom ski category.

For brothers Chris “CJ” and James “JT” Bronaugh, track is a family affair.

Santiago Izaguirre

Horizon High School boys volleyball team senior setter Santiago Izaguirre

— who also is part of the Orlando Gold club team — currently has five kills, 68 digs and 212 assists. Izaguirre will attend Emmanuel College in Georgia this fall, where he will further his academic and athletic careers.

Talk to us about your years as a volleyball player.

I started playing my freshman year. … I didn’t think I was going to like it, and I just did it for fun. But then after my first high school tryout, I just loved the sport.

What do you love most about volleyball as a sport?

Just how fast-paced it is. … You are always moving, and it’s a fast and kind of an older game of keep up. You just have to work on moving that ball, how hard the hits are, digging the hits. It’s a fun game.

Did you play other positions before playing setter?

I started as a libero in the beginning, because I was also smaller. And then sophomore year, I started setting — joking around in one practice — and I liked doing it.

Is setter your favorite position to play? Why?

The setter is kind of the quarterback for volleyball, because the setter is controlling the game. If you don’t have a pass, you don’t have a set. If you don’t have a set, you don’t have a hit, and then you can’t score points. So setting is that one position that is the least known, because no one sees what setting really is, but it’s definitely one of the most important positions. It’s nice to feel that sense of importance.

What do you believe volleyball has taught you outside of the court?

A lot of leadership traits, because I’ve been lucky enough to be captain of a few teams I’ve been on. And it definitely is harder, because you and the coach have a different type of relationship — from coach to captain — so portraying that to the team coming from the coach is hard to keep going through it but you just find a way.

Wave runners

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

always gone separate routes,” Garcia said. “One of the things my husband and I have kind of grown aware of is that we all are one sport, and we need to support (one another) and really act as a family, and we thought that the show ski group would … be a great family entertainment show.”

For pro water ski jumper and Orlando local Freddy Krueger, this event provides an opportunity to compete locally — at night — while sharing time with family and friends.

Do you have a favorite drill to do at practice?

Neville’s pepper. It’s like hitting lines where it’s just the open net, and then all the hitters are hitting, and there are just three players playing defense, and you have to see who gets the most balls up. It’s just a fun drill to warm up.

How do you believe you instill leadership in your team?

I try to always bring my teammates up. Sometimes, I’ll stay around for JV practice and help out with the team. … So just staying with the team, making sure I’m always looking out for the team and my teammates’ needs.

What do you love most about your team?

We connect well together. My best friend is on the team, Nelson Castellanos. We’ve been playing since freshman year, we’ve gone through every club together, and I feel like he and I share our jokes and messing around that we do with each other with the team, and it’s just a nice family.

What will you miss most about playing with your team?

I think the change from last year to what the team is now it’s been (huge). … We beat top teams we never thought we’d beat. So, I guess how everything switched and we just became a solid team.

Do you know what you want to study in college?

I’m majoring in kinesiology. I either want to be a chiropractor or open up my own practice. Or maybe if it goes well, be a sports medicine physician.

What’s your favorite hobby? Boxing. … It’s a fun thing to do, beach volleyball and hanging out

Who is your favorite superhero?

Spider-man, he can go anywhere, swing around — since I was a gymnast, I like flips.

What are three places you’d like to visit? Why? The Bahamas; it looks like a cool place to visit. Hawaii — I want to see the black sand beaches. And then I want to go back to Venezuela again. I want to visit (and) see

If you could go back in time to a specific period of history, which one would it be? Maybe seeing when Jesus rose from the tomb.

What color would you say represents your personality? Red, I feel like I wear a lot of red. … It’s a bright vibrant

“I literally live two miles away,” he said. “Obviously, I’m looking forward to competing. They are adding the slalom event this year. … It’s going to be a full-fledged slalom event. So, we are going to add that little pressure cooker in, and then my boys will actually be jumping — they are kind of exhibition — to show the kids (that) this is a family event.”

Differing from other sports, the culture of the event is what makes water skiing — and King of Darkness — unique.

“In (all of the) tournaments, everybody tries to treat the athletes well and make sure everybody is taken care of,” Krueger said. “The Garcias, with their kids being pro skiers, they’ve got a feel for what

IF YOU GO

KING OF DARKNESS

WHEN: 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 6

we need and what we like. I always kind of say the athletes never go for wanting (something else) when we are here. … But, we are also here … to entertain a crowd. So, there’s a show that’s got to go on, and it’s got to be done. I just feel like the professionalism from when we start on Thursday morning with the slalom (preliminaries) to when we finish Saturday night — everything runs like a well-oiled machine.”

For Taylor Garcia, being one of the athletes competing this year is both exciting and nerve-wracking.

“I’m definitely excited and nervous — but mostly excited,” he said. “I’ve been trying to catch up to Freddy (Krueger) for a couple of years now — about six years of getting beat by Freddy — he’s one of the best jumpers of all time, and it’s an absolute honor to compete against him. It’s definitely been an adjustment period, going from idolizing him and trying to learn from his style and the way he jumps and incorporate that into my own skiing, to now (going) off the dock right before he goes. So I’ll be getting ready, and Freddy will be getting ready right behind me.”

Skiing at night and in the dark is no easy task. There are several lighting elements that must be working just right for the jumpers to be able to go off the ramp and land perfectly.

WHERE: 14600 Pylon Court, Winter Garden ADMISSION: Free INFORMATION: kingofdarkness.org

PRIZES

$12,000

“The lightning of the site (during night jump events) is difficult,” Krueger said. “If the ramp starts to get too far off the shore, then we use construction lights, and then we use spotlights that you would use in a theater and stuff like that. But, when the ramp starts to get too far off the shore, or if one shore is too wide, then all of a sudden, you can’t get the light to reach. And, lighting up the ramp is one issue, but lighting up the landing is another.

“So, this is one of our favorite facilities to do that, because as you drive in, you can see how the lake actually kind of narrows right where the ramp is,” he said. “So, we have this great opportunity to light everything up. And so, as far as night jumping tournaments go, we’ve had some of the biggest distances and best competitions in the world right here.”

Brothers lead track team

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

“I expect them to win,” head track and field coach Tisifenee Taylor said. “I expect JT to win the 100 (meters), and I expect the boys to win the 4x100 (meters). … If we don’t win, I’ll be very shocked to be honest.”

BRONAUGH BROTHERS JT and CJ have been involved in sports together for as long as they can remember.

However, their time together doing track and field and football at Foundation Academy has brought them closer than ever.

Family. Friends. Community.

“Two years ago, we did not like each other — at all,” JT said. “We were always at our heads, arguing and fighting. We would never get along. But as we got older, we started maturing, and he started playing football with me. We started hanging out more, talking more.”

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

A lion. It’s my favorite animal and the king of the jungle.

ANDREA MUJICA

I feel like at practices, when we are working on handoffs for our 4x100, or working on starts, I feel like all of us are helping each other. (JT) helps me work on my starts by telling me to keep my head low and drive, and he helps other people, too. We are all helping each other to make the team better.”

CJ got into track because of JT, who has been teaching him how to become faster every time they step on the track.

“Competing together is great, because I can teach him everything I know and how to get faster on the track, which I have,” JT said. “He’s behind me now; he’s the secondfastest on the team.”

Behind the push and the motivation to help his younger brother become better, JT also has gotten serious about the sport.

At home, the brothers often go on weighted runs around their neighborhood to work on resistance and gaining speed.

“It’s our little secret, but we have weight vests at home and ankle weights, and we’ll just run around the neighborhood together as far as we can, not sprinting hard, just length-wise,” JT said. “Then, we’ll take (the weights) off, and we’ll try to get our form down. So, we do keep up outside of track practice here at school, because there’s always something that can be corrected.”

To reach their goal of winning regionals and states, the brothers are staying on track with their workouts, and Taylor is pushing them at practices to help them get faster.

As first leg of the relay — CJ has provided a competitive start since he joined the boys this season.

“I think (I got first leg because of) the coordination, the starts and the handoffs (of the baton),” he said. “I feel like they all thought I had a good start to put me in as the first leg. …

“I want to be noticed for my speed,” he said. “But, he still pushes me to run faster, because I still have one more year of track and some more meets this year, but I don’t want him to break my time just yet. As a freshman and running 11 flat, (CJ) can definitely beat my time sometime. It’s just pushing me more to get a lower time than I have right now.”

“I’m glad we have a week of no meets, because we can get some good training in, but I’m (also) just getting them prepared mentally,” she said. “I understand what a big deal this is, and I think they do, too. … I just want to keep them focused and have them go out there and have fun, because they did all the hard work, so now, it’s just time to have fun.”

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

Windermere baseball ready for districts

The Windermere High School varsity baseball team defeated Tavares High School 9-0 during its last game of the regular season Thursday, April 27.

Senior pitchers Jack Sanchez and Dylan Ostendorf, as well as junior relief pitcher Ty Head, teamed up during the game and — collectively — allowed one hit and no runs and walked four while striking out eight.

Offensively, senior Justin Grant brought in three runs after connecting a homer at the bottom of the third inning, while senior Holden Brauner contributed with a solo home run during the game.

The Wolverines have a six-game winning streak, own a 21-3-1 overall season record and currently are seeded No. 2 in the Class 7A, District 5.

Earning

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: MONDAY, MAY 8

DATE OF PUBLICATION: THURSDAY, MAY 25

ANDREA MUJICA

BEST SUMMER EVER

This

INFLUENCER OF THE WEEK

FRED ZANEGOOD, GOTHA MIDDLE SCHOOL

Fred Zanegood is the attendance and records clerk — and is the first point of contact at Gotha Middle School. “He provides day-to-day support to students, families and staff that makes most of our days run smoother,” Principal Monica Emery said. “He goes above and beyond to provide excellent customer service to everyone who enters the front office. We truly appreciate the positivity that Mr. Zanegood exudes.” In addition to attendance, he works at the school’s front desk, greeting visitors, answering phones, making PA announcements, assisting with enrollments, programming the bells and class transition music, updating the marquee, organizing materials for substitutes, and more. He also maintains the school’s website. He was named Support Person of the Year in 2016.

What brought you to your school?

I had worked previously for Florida Virtual School as a student placement specialist and enjoyed helping students and parents “find their way,” so to speak, navigating the perceived vagaries of the enrollment process, learning environment, expectations, etc. So, when the opening at Gotha Middle School came up, I thought perhaps I could offer similar assistance in a new role.

What do you love most about your school?

Though it sounds cliché, without a doubt, our team (administrators, teachers, staff). Our support for each other is unprecedented. Every individual is committed to doing whatever it takes to provide the best for our students, school, staff and community.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is the knowledge that perhaps I have made some difference in the wellbeing of another — however small that may be.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to cycle with a cycling group. These fellow cyclists have become my friends and family. When we’re riding together, all seems right with the world for just a few hours.

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

My favorite teacher in school was Doug Burris. In addition to chorus and guitar, he taught a class called Rock Ensemble, which I was fortunate enough to be a part of. Mr. Burris had multiple sclerosis and spent the better part of his 40-year teaching career confined to a wheelchair. But his spirit was unwavering, and his uncompromising dedication was an inspiration to myriad students lucky enough to have been taught by him. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

I wanted to be an airline pilot. The ability to fly machines of the air that defied gravity made the sheer stature of these men and women seem larger than life — almost as if they shared some secret mechanism, akin to the magician’s code, to coax the great beasts aloft.

What is your favorite children’s book and why?

My favorite children’s book is “The Little Prince” by Antoine de SaintExupéry. This book just seems to function on so many levels with a conveyance of life’s intricacies like no other.

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

First and foremost, would be The Beatles — obviously. The next two are infinitely more difficult. So much great music. My dad used to take me to the planetarium regularly when I was a young boy, and I was introduced to what would later be termed “new age” or “ambient” music. I still refer to it as “planetarium music” and simply could not live without it. There are many great artists in this genre, but Kitaro has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember. It’s going to be hard to leave out the masters of classical, but my third choice will have to be Rush. As a drummer and someone enamored with lyrical depth, there has not been a greater influence.

What was your go-to lunch as an elementary student?

Probably bologna and mustard on white bread. I was born in New York but left when I was 5 to move to Florida. However, I do remember chocolate Italian ices being my favorite treat while I was in the Empire State. I used to get it from an ice cream truck that came to our building every afternoon. The memory is indelible. Who was your best friend when you were in school and why?

My best friend in my younger years was Mike Scheib. We simply shared a passion for anything having to do with planes and aviation. And yes, we are still in touch. He became an aeronautical engineer and now works for NASA.

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

In middle school, I started playing drums and became fascinated with radio in its many forms (CB, ham, talk radio, etc.) I worked in a radio station when I was just 13 and became one of the youngest persons in the state, at that time, to obtain an FCC Radiotelephone License. — AMY QUESINBERRY

Castleview presents ‘Seussical Jr.’

Acast and crew of 50 students gave a fun performance of “Seussical Jr. the Musical” Thursday, April 27, and Friday, April 28, at Castleview Elementary School. The school raised more than $5,000 to purchase a new sound system in the cafeteria.

AMY QUESINBERRY

The cast included Horton, the Whos and the Cat in the Hat.

Legacy Events for Education names scholarship recipients

The West Orange-based nonprofit celebrated its recipients at a ceremony Monday, April 17.

ANDREA MUJICA

STAFF WRITER

Legacy Events for Education recognized outstanding seniors from several West Orange- and Southwest Orange-area schools during a scholarship ceremony Monday, April 17, at Ocoee Lakeshore Center.

The nonprofit organization, founded in 2019, has provided 67 scholarships to date totaling more than $40,000 to graduates. In addition, Legacy also has provided more than $60,000 in grants to the arts, athletic and academic departments for local high schools to contribute with school improvements.

“Legacy offers an applicationbased scholarship called the ‘Leave a Legacy Scholarship,’ where the primary qualifications are volunteerism and leadership,” President and Executive Director David Terry said.

This year was the first time scholarships were available to graduates of Ocoee, West Orange, Windermere and Horizon high schools.

DR. CHERI RICHARDSON SCHOLARSHIP

JORDAN METELLUS

The Ocoee High senior received the Dr. Cheri Richardson Scholarship. Metellus has 268 volunteer hours and will attend the University of Central Florida, where he will major in civil engineering.

Metellus founded the Listen at Lunch Club at Ocoee High. The club was created to provide a safe space for students who have no one to sit with during lunch.

“The Listen at Lunch officers and I now know that whenever something on campus ... needs to be changed or improved, we need to stand up and make that change in order to benefit

others,” Metellus wrote in his scholarship application essay.

FUND

LEGACY

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

DYLAN HORNE

Ocoee High senior Dylan Horne has a total of 125 volunteer hours and will attend the University of South Florida, where he will major in human biology and pre physical therapy.

During the 2022-23 football season, Horne and his teammates traveled to Fort Myers for a weekend to help those who were impacted by Hurricane Ian.

“I want people to remember me as someone who cared about others and cared enough to act,” he wrote in his essay.

OSVALDO QUEZADA

Ocoee High senior Osvaldo Quezada has a total of 292 volunteer hours and will attend the University of Florida, where he will major in biomedical engineering.

Quezada has spent the last two summers volunteering at music camps as a camp counselor, having the opportunity to work with younger adults to help them build their skills and confidence. Quezada also serves as a drum major for the Ocoee High Marching Band. He helps his classmates and younger students through tutoring math.

RENEE CURTIS

West Orange High senior Renee Curtis has a total of 596 volunteer hours and will attend Brigham Young University, where she will study business analytics.

Curtis serves in many leadership and mentorship positions and founded the American Sign Language Club at West Orange — which has become her legacy at the school. Through her

volunteer hours, Curtis has served through Second Harvest, Feeding Children Everywhere and Clean the World.

“Through all of my experiences of mentoring and serving others and facing challenges of my own, I am a much stronger and empathetic person,” she wrote. “As I look back at my high school years, I am definitely a different person now. … I am more grateful for what I do have, including the support of my family. I am a happier and better person when I focus on serving others.”

FREDRICK CRUMPTON

West Orange senior Fredrik Crumpton has a total of 256 volunteer hours and will attend the Bethune Cookman University where he will major in business.

Crumpton has spent more than 200 hours volunteering at the West Orange Recreation Center and has coached youth sports, mentored grade school children and cleaned the facilities.

“Leaving a legacy allows me to live for a purpose that’s bigger than myself,” he wrote. “Leaving a legacy means ceasing generational curses. It allows me to change not just my family tree but my community as well for generations to come.”

KAITLYN D’AMICO

Windermere High senior Kaitlyn

D’Amico has a total of 220 volunteer hours and will attend the University of Tampa, where she will major in animation. D’Amico has excelled in several areas such as academics, arts and athletics — but her legacy is kindness. She created a Friendship Bench and cheered on her rowing teammates during regattas even when she was injured.

“I have always chosen kindness,” she wrote. “Make no mistake, I am not gullible or weak or starry-eyed about the reality of things. I choose kindness, because it’s what I want to put into the world.”

ELIZABETH CARY

Windermere High senior Elizabeth

Cary has 113 volunteer hours. Cary is a peer leader through her involvement in Student Government, which has provided her with opportunities to serve her fellow Wolverines in several different ways such as Freshman Claw Day and Senior Ambassador.

Cary also is passionate about giving back to her community through Special Olympics and the Dance Marathon.

CAUA GARCIA CUNHA

Horizon senior Caua Garcia Cunha will attend the University of South Florida where he will major in finance. Garcia Cunha founded the Brazilian Club at Horizon for immigrants from Brazil who were new to the country — and the school — to have someone to speak with and make new friends.

SKYLAR GARDNER Gardner, a Horizon High senior, has 117 volunteer hours and has been working on her AA degree from Valencia College. She wishes to study psychology in college. Gardner founded Horizon’s High Black Student Union.

“We can appreciate our own cultures along with cultures,” she wrote. “The mindset to be more open-minded to your peers while celebrating your own culture should be appreciated and more common that it stands today.”

MCCOY CARES SCHOLARSHIP

KELSI BAILEY

From West Orange High, Kelsi Bailey received the 2023 McCoy Cares Scholarship. In her essay, Bailey wrote, “When you are doing something that you love with the best of intentions and on purpose, you rarely take time to think about the legacy of the program or the legacy you personally leave behind. You just do it!!”

celebrity cipher

By Luis Campos

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

“EUNK UNVVAXAM KZ DZYS UNXM?” “PK

FZK UPK WD N CPSSZS.” “UZE’M KUNK

UNVVAX?” “P BZRK CD KACVAS NK CDRABI.” EAR NXMASRZX’R “CZZXSPRA GPXFMZC”

“WU RSJ ELGF FS LXYWCNC LGRFYWGB

PHCXWLO WG OWUC RSJ YLNC FS ESDA, ESDA LGV FYCG ESDA PSIC ISDC.” VLNWV ZCXAYLI

“CFL UFS’H XRPWWC OPZR HF DPC KLVO

MORS CFLX ORPUWTSR TD ‘UXPB ALRRS XFJD JLXBRX NTSB.’”

© 2023 NEA, Inc.

IFLXSPWTDH MTWWTR BRTDH

Puzzle One Clue: I equals F Puzzle Two Clue: J equals U Puzzle Three Clue: K equals M

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

Andrea Mujica

The scholarship recipients were excited to have been awarded such recognition as a result of their volunteerism.

NEXT-LEVEL THINKING by Rich Katz and Jeff Chen, edited by Jeff Chen

TEACHER-NOMINATED SCHOLARSHIPS

HORIZON HIGH

TANNER KRAMER

Kramer was nominated by coach

Ethan Mankoff, who wrote: “Tanner goes out of his way to hang out with the Special Olympics athletes, and if he sees someone alone, he will go up to them and check on them and spend time with them at lunch.”

ADRIANA PEREZ

Perez was nominated by teacher

Kelli Davis, who wrote: “Adriana maintains a positive attitude in class and strives for excellence in all that she does. I wish that all of my students showed this level of commitment and tenacity to improve their abilities. She is an outstanding student who will succeed in her life just by maintaining this fortitude and poise.”

OCOEE HIGH

BENJAMIN HARGRAVE

Hargrave was nominated by teacher Garett Kelly, who wrote: “Ben is one of the most responsible and detailoriented students I have ever had the pleasure of working with. He is able to successfully plan and lead intricate events and projects with other students and members of the school administration with ease.”

ROBIN YOUNG

Young was nominated by teacher Garett Kelly, who wrote: “Robin is determined, responsible and makes a very genuine effort to make every student at our campus feel seen and heard. Robin leads our student government meetings, the school pep rallies, and most other major school events. Robin is also a member of Uplift, a women’s empowerment club where she is the president.”

WEST ORANGE HIGH

RIELY GONZALEZ

Gonzalez was nominated by teacher Melanie Alyson LeBlanc, who wrote: “As an invaluable member of the debate team, Riely not only competes, he has spent many hours after school developing activities for the introductory debate classes to help build the team.”

EMMALINE KEALOHA

Kealoha was nominated by teacher

Meke Smith, who wrote: “Emmaline is considered by her peers to be the kindest person on campus. I do not know of a single person who has something negative to say about Emmaline. She is an excellent student, but she is an even better person.”

WINDERMERE HIGH

KEEGAN MCBRIDE

McBride was nominated by teacher Kathleen McOwen, who wrote: “(he) prides himself on gaining new experiences to better develop his professionalism and life skills. His professional experiences have furthered his skills in working with a diverse group and dealing with demanding customers, which allowed him to gain life skills as a responsible adult.”

JORDAN MCILWAIN

McIlwain was nominated by teacher

Eterma Brathwaite Lamotta, who wrote: “To award this young man would be a culmination and recognition of his hard work, commitment and determination. Jordan McIlwain focuses on continuously building his skills in every area as a student and to prepare himself for his transition to adult life. Jordan sets high standards and goals for the himself and the High School High Tech program.”

BEA DEARISO DIED APRIL 12, 2023.

Bea Deariso, 78, of Kuttawa, Kentucky, died Wednesday, April 12, 2023, after a series of strokes. She was born Jan. 8, 1945, in Orlando, Florida, to Marjorie (Bennett) and Milton Deariso of Minorville, Florida.

She graduated from Lakeview High School in 1962. She earned a B.S. in Mathematics Education from FSU and later a degree in Accounting from UCF. After

BARBARA MARIE WILLIAMS DIED APRIL 21, 2023.

Barbara Marie Williams went to be with the Lord on Friday, April 21, 2023. She was born March 24, 1939, in Springfield, Illinois, to John and Helen Filcsak.

Barb graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Springfield, Illinois. Upon graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, James Williams, and had two children, David and Janet. They moved to Florida in 1970, where they resided primarily in Winter Garden.

Barb will be best remembered by her amazing cooking, especially her outstanding chili, her generosity and love for her fam-

living in Winter Garden approximately 60 years, she moved to western Kentucky.

She is predeceased by her parents and grandparents, Lillian and Bryant Bennett, and Ella Nora Deariso Combs and William I. Deariso.

She is survived by her sister, Ann Wincey (Wayne); her niece, Beth Wincey Ielfield (Ian); and her grandniece, Riley, all of Winter Garden; and first cousin, Bill Bozeman (Judy), of Beverly Hills, Florida.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. May 9 at Oakland Presbyterian Church.

James; daughter, Janet Hawthorne (Claude); grandchildren, James “Will” Hawthorne (Aly), Laura Halbig (Erik), and John; as well as her great-granddaughters, Aubrey and Heidi Hawthorne and Palmer Halbig.

She is predeceased by her son, David; and younger sisters, Linda (John) Burgess and Joann (Rich) Burris.

ily. Her greatest joy was looking after and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, to whom she was lovingly known as “Nana.”

Barb and Jim are longtime members of Oakland Presbyterian Church.

She is survived by her husband,

A graveside service for close family and friends was held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 3, at Woodlawn Cemetery, 400 Woodlawn Cemetery Road, Gotha, Florida. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cornerstone Hospice or the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando.

O Omazing

Mother's Day Gift Guide

LAVISHIBROWS

PERMANENT COSMETICS & CLINICAL AESTHETICS

160 S. Main Street Winter Garden, FL 34787 407-617-2689

www.LavishiBrows.com

Pamper her for Mother’s Day and she will feel loved all year!!! Visit us today for an array of permanent cosmetic services and clinical facial treatments. The perfect gift for any mom. Gift cards available. Mention this ad and receive $50 off your cosmetic service.

MVP-MAGICAL VACATION PLANNER

j.panico@MagicalVacationPlanner.com

718-909-2304 | 407-663-9486

Magical Vacation Planner Carol

This Mother’s Day, give the gift of making memories! Whether it’s a quick cruise getaway or a romantic all inclusive resort, let me help you create the perfect getaway! My services are free to you, the client. You will receive first class personalized concierge style service for a stress free vacation planning!

PRIME IV HYDRATION & WELLNESS

9250 Miley Dr. Suite 140 Winter Garden, FL 34787 407-864-7800 www.primeivhydration.com /locations/florida/winter-garden-fl/

This Mother’s Day, give MOM the gift of Self Care! Whether she wants to sleep better, have more energy or lose a bit of weight, Health starts on the inside and Prime IV can help! She will be pampered like she deserves with the nutrients she needs while receiving a head to toe massage in the VIP room. Buy $100 gift card for $80, $200 for $160. *Limited time offers, available for the month of May only.

RUBY AND RUST

31 S Main St Unit B

Winter Garden, FL 34787

(407) 395-3221

www.rubyandrust.com

Come shop, get inspired, relax with a cup of tea, + Stay Awhile in our Lounge!

Houseplants, Apothecary, Dried Florals, Sustainable Goods, Local Makers & more!

We have a gift for every “Mom” on your list!

TEA + JUICE BAR IN-STORE

Open Daily 12 - 4pm

E-GO DEPOT

602 East Highway 50 Ste D Clermont, FL 34711 407-497-7004

www.EGoDepot.com

This Mothers Day, surprise her with a custommade electric bike! Whatever style ride you have in mind, E-Go Depot can set it up for you. As a full service center we carry all the superior brands. Bikes that offer comfortable rides, topof-the-line features and accessories. Come see us and test ride any in our vast inventory!

THE DOLLY LLAMA

3279 Daniels Rd. Suite 106

Winter Garden, FL 34787

407.752.4600

www.thedollyllamaus.com/locations

Celebrate Mother’s Day at The Dolly Llama. Treat mom to a cup of coffee and a scrumptious fresh & warm Belgian waffle with her choice of sauces and toppings. Grab a rich & flavorful ice cream shake any time of the day, savor a cup or scoop of your choice from 20+ delicious ice cream flavors or indulge in our signature Bubble waffle creations.The choices are truly endless!

(Vegan Options available)

SWALTY SISTERS

24 E. Joiner St. Winter Garden, FL 34787 407-347-3741

www.Swaltysisters.com

Mother’s Day Gifts for every kind of Mom, from a mom of boys, girls, pets, or if she just acts like your mom! Our variety of beloved Swalty gifts will make her laugh, cry, and possibly roll her eyes. And moms, we make wish lists!

HAMLIN NAIL LAB

16055 New Independence Parkway Suite 100 Winter Garden, FL 34787 689-222-0232 booking@hamlinnaillab.com www.hamlinnaillab.com

Looking for the perfect Mother’s Day Gift?

Hamlin Nail Lab has you covered! With special multi-service packages available, they can pamper Mom as she deserves! Special offers & packages available for a limited time, for more information, call 689.222.0232.

HAND & STONE

MASSAGE AND FACIAL

SPA IN WINTER

GARDEN

9240 Miley Dr Suite 130 Winter Garden, FL 34787 407-956-2199 www.handandstonewintergarden.com

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way to show your appreciation for all your mom does than by treating her to a spa package from Hand & Stone! Our spa packages are the perfect way for moms to relax and unwind, and now we’re sweetening the deal. For Mother’s Day, when you purchase a spa package, you’ll receive a free promotional Facial gift card to use towards your next visit. Give mom the timeout she deserves and let us take care of the rest! (Restrictions apply; see spa for details.)

THE SOUTHERN ON 8TH 801 W. Montrose St. Clermont, FL 34711 352-394-7777 www.thesouthernon8th.com

Make this Mother’s Day weekend a fun and memorable one by visiting The Southern on 8th in Downtown Clermont. We will be offering our signature brunch service, consisting of Southern favorites, bottomless mimosas and more! For dinner, don’t miss our chefs specials, signature southern favorites, craft cocktails, acoustic music and house made desserts!

But Wait ... THERE’S MORE!