Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Some low-income Polk County residents may soon find themselves at a healthcare coverage crossroad due to Medicaid changes, and the Polk HealthCare Plan may be able to help those who no longer qualify for Medicaid. Since the beginning of the COVID 19-related public health emergency, Florida has provided continuous Medicaid coverage and has not disenrolled ineligible recipients. Medicaid eligibility is again being determined through normal processing. Florida will have up to 12...
Finding a way to help persons with limited abilities to enjoy the same life experiences as others is the motivation for organizers of the first-ever Paddle On! Lake Wailes fundraising event The multifaceted event will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023, and will offer participants several ways to help raise funds that will benefit the StirringWaters program. Organizers are inviting churches, clubs, schools, groups and businesses to come alongside a person with disabilities to...
An effort to green a "food desert" in the Northwest Neighborhood of Lake Wales will begin next week with the creation of a community garden on a city-owned lot on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The Northwest Neighborhood, which long featured a small community grocery store, now has no market for fresh foods within a mile and a half. Members of the community are scheduled to join officials celebrate the groundbreaking of The Grove Community Garden at 315 Dr. MLK Blvd....
A local charitable organization that provides a number of programs supporting local families and individuals with developmental disabilities is seeking community support to expand their efforts. Circle of Friends, a fixture of the Lake Wales community for over two decades, is planning to sell its current building on Stuart Avenue to expand their program through the purchase of a much larger facility. The organization is working toward the purchase of the former Westside...
Dozens of Lake Wales High School students will be able to dress up and attend the annual Junior-Senior prom this year thanks to the work of a dedicated group of volunteers from the GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales. Club members held a grand opening Monday morning of their special, free "Prom Store" on the school campus where those needing the clothing could "shop" to fulfill their dreams. The members gathered prom dresses, suits, dress coats, ties, high heel shoes, men's dress...
Four hundred Lake Wales area residents will have received free tax-filing assistance this season thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers associated with the American Association of Retired Persons. The group, working from space donated by the Church of the Good Shepherd, is part of the annual effort by the AARP Foundation. Tax-Aide volunteers have been providing in-person tax assistance at the church on South Fourth Street in Lake Wales for over 20 years. Tax-Aide...
(NAPSI)-Oral health is linked to whole-body health, which means that not caring for teeth and gums can contribute to other health issues such as heart disease, stroke, and more. To help improve health, March is National Nutrition Month, spotlighting nutrition education and focusing attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. On World Oral Health Day, March 20, the world unites to help reduce the burden...
The historic beauty of Lake Wales and efforts to re-create it are the focus of a special event planned for Lake Wailes Park. Area businesses, artists, and crafters are being invited to participate in Olmsted Day in the Park, an annual event celebrating Lake Wales' parks and streetscapes. Sponsors and vendors are welcome to join in the community-wide effort. The April 29 event, hosted by Lake Wales Heritage with the participation of the City of Lake Wales, features music, food...
An event designed to share healthcare and vital resources with the broader community will give residents a chance to learn and take advantage of many free services, ranging from health screenings to free cookies and snacks.. The Community Resource Fair will take place on March 11th from 10am to 12pm at the Lake Wales Library. A dozen vendors will set up throughout the library lobby, as well as along the front entrance sidewalk, according to Christine Runyon, the library's...
Cyclists and pedestrians are one step closer to being able to travel safely from downtown Lakeland to downtown Bartow. The Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) today accepted funding for construction of a 2.4-mile extension of the Fort Fraser Trail, which currently runs parallel to U.S Highway 98 for eight miles along an abandoned rail line, from State Road 540 to State Rd. 60. The extension will go from U.S. Highway 98 at Winter Lake Rd. to Lake Highlands Rd. at G...
Lake Wales neediest families will be a good bit less so thanks to the generosity of the 300 guests who packed the Family Life Center of the First Presbyterian Church Tuesday evening for the annual Empty Bowls auction. Care Center Executive Director Rob Quam told LakeWalesNews.net that the annual "Friendraiser" benefits the multiple food and family-service programs run by the non-profit center. Four live-auction bowls offered to the public were sold for about $10,000. "It's...
Many people celebrate the promise and new beginnings of the New Year by making resolutions-often focused on health goals like losing weight, eating healthier, and working out. Getting healthy through small actions-baby steps-can be a sustainable way to make changes for a healthy new year. Feeling and seeing a small positive change can encourage you to make more changes. Consider the following baby steps to help make 2023 your best year yet: •Sleep. Sleep is a neces...
(NAPSI)-Spring is coming, and as we get out our lawn mowers and other outdoor power equipment from storage to work in our yards, businesses and other green spaces, it's important to put safe practices in place. "Think safety first," says Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), an international trade association representing outdoor power equipment, small engine, utility vehicle, golf car and personal transport vehicle manufacturers and su...
Representatives of three different first responder organizations were honored at a special luncheon organized by the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce. The event, held at the Lake Wales Arts Center on Thursday, is the second such annual recognition event run by the Chamber, and apparently the only one in this part of Florida. The top honorees, Firefighter EMT George Gibson of Polk County Fire & Rescue, (LtoR) Deputy Sheriff Steven Mills of the Polk County Sheriff's Office,...
The Lake Wales History Museum will resume its popular speaker series with a presentation on Florida's past presented by guest speaker and local historian Robert Connors. Connors is the author of several books including "The Florida Saga," a historic novel documenting the long, tortured history of the Sunshine State. The History Museum holds a wealth of information about the Lake Wales area, ranging from pre-Columbian canoes carved by Native Americans from whole trees, to the...
It was a relaxed Mark Bennett who shared his thoughts about the many changes both ahead and behind in Lake Wales and Polk County recently. Bennett is stepping down as director of the City of Lake Wales Development Services department after an eventful 30 months in a role he called "challenging, demanding, stressful." During his time at the helm of city planning Bennett has dealt with a wave of annexation requests as owners of declining citrus properties weigh their options...
Enjoying the beauty of art and accomplishing an important social work at the same time is more than enough to draw a crowd to the annual Empty Bowls Action, and the 2023 edition is likely to prove that the success of the effort continues. The event is free and attendees can taste local soups and bid on bowls hand-painted by local artists and community "celebrities." Empty Bowls is a nationwide program begun in 1990 by an art teacher wanting to teach his students about...
A special presentation by noted urban planner Bruce Stephenson will take place at Bok Tower Gardens at 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 28. Stephenson is a consultant and a professor at Rollins College. Stephenson will discuss the life and impact of John Nolen, who studied at Harvard as a student of Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. Nolen prepared the first biography of Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. for his honor's thesis. Both Nolan and Olmsted Jr. defined new visions of park design and...
There's still time to register for those wishing to compete in the annual Polk Senior Games, but that window is closing fast!. The games are an annual two-week series of 33 Olympic-style sports and games for men and women 50 years of age and over. The 30th Polk Senior Games begin on Saturday February 25th and end on Saturday March 11. Registration began January 1 and ends February 10. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in each event and age division. The Games...
"One of the most stressful parts of getting married is planning the wedding," according to Polk County Clerk & Comptroller Stacy M. Butterfield. Now Butterfield is offering a way to remove that stress on one special day. Registration is now open for courting couples wanting to tie the knot on the most romantic day of the year. On Valentine's Day at noon, Butterfield plans to is host the 10th annual group wedding on the steps of Polk County's historic courthouse, which is now...
Hurricane Ian is estimated to have caused more than $60 billion in private insured losses in Florida, effectively making it the second-largest disaster loss event on record, according to the industry trade group Insurance Information Institute. While Lake Wales residents dodged a bullet when it came to the severity of the late 2022 hurricane, many throughout Polk County still felt the impact. From how Ian has shed a light on hurricane preparation to what Lake Wales residents...
(NAPSI)-The ball, the confetti and the 2022 wall calendars have all come down, and our attention turns to the annual tradition of making New Year's resolutions. This can include health goals, such as deciding to have 2023 be the year to finally quit tobacco successfully. Most adult smokers in our state tried to do so at least once in the past year, reports the Florida Department of Health. Quitting for good may take several attempts. With the resolution to quit, every year...
AdventHealth Lake Wales has received an "A" in patient safety from the prestigious Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog group that delivers grades based on quality metrics such as a hospital's performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. Out of 3,000 hospitals evaluated nationwide, only 30% received this top grade and 115 are awarded as a Top Hospital. The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization that uses their...
Can two strangers find love at IKEA? Possibly-with a playful ghost involved. We will soon know as a cast of ten actors will perform "Lost (and Found) in Ikea January 13-29 at Lake Wales Little Theatre, 411 North Third Street. Auditions for the comedy are being held at the theatre this Monday and Tuesday evenings beginning at 7:00 pm. Five women and five men are needed to perform roles both large and small for nine performances. A perusal script is available at Lake Wales Publi...
The 2023 edition of the Polk Senior Games are scheduled for February 25 – March 11. The Games offer a two-week series of athletic and recreational Olympic-style events for men and women, 50 and over, with a variety of skills - the serious competitor, the fun at heart, the seasoned athlete, the late bloomer, and the physically challenged. The purpose of the Games is to promote friendly competition, fellowship, health and wellness, an active lifestyle, and volunteerism. E...
