Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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It was just another ordinary morning when I opened the doors of the old building. I wasn't even worried about turning on the lights. After all, I'd been here many times before and I could make my way around in the dark because I knew the place so well. Confidently, I moved inside, locking the doors behind me. The hall was dim because the day was cloudy and sunlight only filtered in on a good day when the dilapidated blinds were closed. Unhurriedly, intent on my mission, I...
The City of Lake Wales Recreation Department has scheduled its next Lake Wales Live event starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15. The October event was canceled due to bad weather. The free event will include music by Jonathan Kaufman and Chase Dixon at 6 p.m. and Southerndipity at 7:30 p.m. Food trucks will be on hand and Rotary on the Ridge will be pouring wine and beer for donations to support the club's service projects. Times are subject to change and the event is...
Auditions for the January Lake Wales Little Theatre production of Single Wide, The Musical will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and 12. Director Rob Fritz is looking for five women and two men, playing the age range of 20s to 40s, and one boy, who looks around age 11. A review script is available at the Lake Wales Public Library. Those interested in auditioning should bring a prepared song with recorded accompaniment. The play will run three weekends Jan. 10-26. Performances are...
Recognizing her increased responsibilities in development services as the City of Lake Wales experiences a growth spurt, Kathy Bangley recently was promoted to assistant city manager for planning and economic development. Bangley's promotion carries with it an annual salary of $98,000, a pay increase of 10 percent over what she was making in July. Bangley's office has been extremely busy working with numerous developers planning new restaurants, retail establishments and...
The Lake Wales Literacy Council is celebrating 30 years of service to the community Oct. 24 with a competitive WordPlay: Literacy in Action Dinner. The benefit event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church's Family Life Center, 16 N. 3rd Street, Lake Wales. Tickets are $20 per person, or an 8-person team is $140. Participants will work together in teams, tackling questions and challenges, in an effort to be "crowned" the champion of 2019 WordPlay: Literacy in...
We get it. Life can get in the way, and library materials are suddenly overdue, with fines building. Beginning Nov. 1 the Lake Wales Public Library no longer charges daily overdue fines on their materials. Existing overdue fines will be removed from Lake Wales' materials. The library's goal is to provide full access to their books, movies, magazines, electronic resources and services without undue financial hardships to valued customers. Recognizing the financial barriers...
The newly refurbished visitor center at Bok Tower Gardens, now called the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Exhibit Hall, reopens to the public Oct. 19 with dazzling new exhibits and high-tech interactive displays. Donors, board members and friends of Bok Tower attended a reception Oct. 17 where they got their first look at the $1.8 million renovation, which took about three months to complete. The gallery is named in honor of the parents of Dorothy Jenkins, a major donor from...
Just a few short years ago, restaurants were booming and cooking at home was something one watched on TV, but rarely attempted in real life. Then something shifted. Perhaps it was the economy. Or a desire to eat healthier. For whatever reason, people wanted to rediscover the joy of cooking. Recognizing that need, Chef Warren Caterson wrote the award-winning cookbooks Table for Two – The Cookbook for Couples and Table for Two - Back for Seconds, and Cooking Outside the Lines ...
The City of Lake Wales Recreation Department will host the first Lake Wales Live event of the season Friday, Oct. 18. The free event features live music in the park in front of the Lake Wales Public Library. Musicians featured this month include the Kolt 45 Band at 6 p.m. and then the Johnathan Kaufman and Chase Dixon Blues Duo starting at 8 p.m. The event is weather permitting and times are subject to change. Food trucks will be on hand. Members of the Rotary on the Ridge...
Catherine Jane Thullbery, 87, of Lake Wales passed away Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019 at her residence. She was born May 27, 1932 in Lake Wales to the late Richard and Marion (Langford) Dopler. She is a lifelong resident of the area. She was the Owner/Operator of Thullbery Caretaking Inc. Catherine volunteered at the Lake Wales Library for many years. She is survived by her husband Frank M. Thullbery, daughters Kathy Clower (Kenny) of Lake Wales, FL, Sue Schoenberger of Lake Wales,...
The Lake Wales History Museum will honor retired Bok Tower carillonneur Milford Myhre as Pioneer of the Year during the 44th Annual Pioneer Days Festival. The celebration will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Lake Wailes Park. Myhre has been a resident of Lake Wales since 1968. He served as the carillonneur of Bok Tower Gardens for 36 years, until his retirement in 2004. During that time he played daily concerts at the tower, greeted thousands of visitors to the...
Twelve area high school juniors kicked off their Youth Leadership Lake Wales year with an opening retreat Sept. 28 at Lake Aurora Christian Camp. This program of the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council enables high school juniors to develop leadership skills, while increasing awareness of their community. The students attend a Parent/Student Opening Retreat, five Program Days - one per month, each with a different focus - and a Graduation...
Lake Wales History Museum Curator Bartholomew Delcamp worked tirelessly for the last three-plus years cataloguing nearly 20,000 items, organizing collections, creating new exhibits and assisting in educational programs and tours. His hard work and dedication to the history of Lake Wales were recognized Sept. 17 when he was named 2019 Outstanding New Professional by the Florida Association of Museums. Delcamp started as an intern, then served as a part-time museum assistant...
The new Friends of the Lake Wales Museum will host a mixer Sunday afternoon, Sept. 22 to recruit members, introduce its board of directors, talk about fundraising projects and describe how people can get involved. Complimentary refreshments will be served from 2-4 p.m. at the museum, located in the old Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot at 325 South Scenic Highway. The event is free but people are asked to register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friends-of...
The early settlers of what is now Lake Wales were hearty, adventuresome people, real Pioneers, descendants of their ancestors who traveled via oxen-driven covered wagons and were true to their code of "Ten Tandra Via Est" meaning "The way remains to be tried". Such people included Nellie and her husband, Nile E. Stewart. In October 1912, after a long and difficult, sometimes dangerous trip through swamp, overcoming their fears of possible snakes and alligators, they travelled...
Creator's Circle Make & Take Class at Lake Wales Public Library is offering an introduction to Origami. The two-hour class begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Instructor Trudy Spangler will demonstrate and each participant will leave with a completed origami piece. Only 10 seats are available. Call 678-4004, ext. 221, or visit the library to register....
The Lake Wales Public Library's Lifelong Learning series continues in September, with a UF/IFAS Extension presentation, Cool Weather Vegetable Gardening. This program, presented by Polk County Master Gardeners, will focus on vegetables that thrive as the heat subsides. It begins at 12 noon, Thursday, September 12. A light lunch will be provided, registration is required. The class size is limited to 20 students. Call 863-678-4004, ext. 221 to register. The LWPL's Lifelong...
The prospective developers of the historic Seminole Hotel shared conceptual site plans with Lake Wales city officials Tuesday, Aug. 13. South Florida architect Rick Gonzalez produced the drawings in partnership with local developer Ray Brown. Gonzalez has more than 30 years' experience restoring historic buildings and serves as vice chair of the Florida Historical Commission. City Development Services Director Kathy Bangley said she was pleased with the conceptual plans and lo...
Lake Wales pioneer and historic preservationist Mimi Hardman may soon have a city building named in her honor. The Lake Wales History Museum will be seeking donors to help restore and rehabilitate the historic 1916 Seaboard Airline Freight Depot, and repurpose the interior of the building as the new permanent Mimi Hardman Collections & Research Center. Items in the city collection date back to 1852, when the original government survey of Lake Wales was completed. A project of...
When Lake Wales commissioners were asked to envision what would produce a huge city success story by the year 2040, they enthusiastically detailed a bright future. Commissioners and senior staff came up with some big vision headlines for a "Miracle on the Ridge": "Lake Wales Annexes its Way to Prosperity and Success." "Lake Wales Restores Big Lake Wailes as Recreational Paradise." "Grand Hotel Open with Rotating Restaurant on Top." "Lake Wales Becomes Second Largest City in...
In 1914 Nellie Stewart gathered 17 Lake Wales women for a "thimble party" and while they chatted and sewed they decided to form a club. Now 105 years later, members of the GFWC Lake Wales Woman's Club gathered July 10 for a tea and luncheon where they encouraged guests to join their organization. Secretary Mary Walkup described the club's history, which included an amazing list of accomplishments. The Woman's Club over the years has spearheaded or been involved in many local...
An odd looking boat with a paddlewheel on front is continuing removal of weeds on Crystal Lake, behind the city library. The City of Lake Wales is paying local firm Texas Aquatic Harvesting $12,500 for removal of invasive torpedo grass and common cattail grass on Crystal Lake. The firm also is removing water hyacinths and other invasive weeds from Lake Weaver at the corner of Central Avenue and U.S. 27 at a cost of $13,500. According to Parks Superintendent Vincent Crawford,...
Scott Blackburn said he and his wife Carrie are tired of carting their four children to other communities because Lake Wales doesn't have enough recreation and sports facilities. Blackburn expressed his frustration to Lake Wales city commissioners at a recreation workshop Tuesday, June 25. Commissioners were reviewing the latest plans for expansion of the Crystal Lake Park complex between the city library and Lake Wailes Park. "We travel to other cities because we don't have...
Lake Wales City Commissioners are holding a recreation workshop Tuesday, June 25 to further discuss plans to purchase the local YMCA and to develop a master plan for Crystal Lake Park. The public meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the James P. Austin Center at 315 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. If officials can come to terms with the Y, the city would pay off the Lake Wales Family YMCA mortgage and lease the facilities back at $1 per year for the YMCA of West Central Florida...
Alice Absolutely is a self-taught artist positioning her work at the cusp of Abstract Emotionalism. She was born in Winter Haven and works now as Lake Wales Public Library's very own teen specialist (although you'd know her better as Amanda McCallister in that role). She is displaying artwork pieces through June 28 in the Lake Wales Public Library's Local Artist Gallery from her collection, "Flying High at the End of My Rope." This collection is a visual circus of emotional...
