Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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There is a lot of uncertainty today, not the least of which is the effect the coronavirus is having, and will have in the long run. I have seen posts today stating that the National Guard is being called into service in some states. I've read where Italy has determined not to treat older people who have the virus (think socialized medicine). We have watched the stock market plunge, losing most of what it had gained in months prior. The President has declared a national...
Due to a deadly virus, one with a 100% mortality rate, governments have secured the services of the world's most prominent scientist to find an antidote. Many ideas have been brought forward, but none were successful. The government has declared a State Of Emergency. Laboratories were being set up throughout every city, and at which time the civil service siren sounded, residents of that community were to come to the laboratory in their community to be tested; scientists were...
As the government puts orders in considering this new named Pandemic with the Coronavirus, we have things to keep in mind regarding who is at risk and how to prevent it. The elderly and those who are unhealthy or have a compromised immune system are at risk of this becoming fatal for them. People who fall under this category should take precaution immediately. Addicts and alcoholics most definitely fall under this category due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, lack of...
How has the Holy Spirit been prompting you to seek God? What are some things you can do this week to grow closer to Him? This was an interesting question from Our Daily Bread Bible daily devotional recently because I have been on a more spiritual path since 2017 than a religious path. I have been seeking my truth; Why am I here? What promise did I make to be born into my mother's womb? What is my soul's purpose? I have come to believe we are spiritual beings having a human...
How do we worship during a pandemic? With our connected world, we are fortunate to have the ability to still connect via the internet or devices such as phones, tablets and computers. While church offices may still be open and operating, social distancing is very important. I thought I'd start by telling how First Baptist Church of Lake Wales, my home church, is still serving The greater Lake Wales community during this unprecedented time. I reached out to Sr. Pastor Dr....
We are constantly bombarded with pieces of information (verbal and nonverbal) from news reports, children, neighbors, employers, employees, government, churches, parents, marketing companies, and many others. For each of us, how we observe the world around us depends on the quantity and specific providers of the information we choose to consume throughout our waking hours. The specific media platforms which we tune in, people with whom we socialize, and establishments we...
As severe thunderstorms are rolling through Lake Wales this morning, I am reminded that we are truly at God's mercy, and He sustains us. It can be frustrating to plan our day, our week, our job search, our special event, our retirement, our funerals, etc; only to have things like ailments, illnesses, flat tires, weather, power/wi-fi outages, other people, newly discovered home repair needs, company layoffs, or world-wide pandemics upset our plan. Personally, I have attempted...
Life in Lake Wales has changed dramatically since early March 2020. Many more people are now truly struggling with making ends meet financially. More people are battling with mental and physical health challenges. Many non-retirees are inconvenienced with the new way of children "going" to school, and "going" to our job (if we are fortunate to still have employment). Many retirees are inconvenienced with getting around stores, or the new methods for getting medicine....
"Small gestures in everyday life," like showing compassion and performing random acts of kindness, help us feel loved. During this time of the Covid-19 "Stay at Home" rules that so many are diligently upholding, what happens to those elderly and infirm people who don't have the luxury of being in their own homes with their loved ones around them? They are stuck in a nursing facility where they cannot interact with other residents and everyone looks strange in their masks and g...
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was first produced for a presentation to a retired teachers' organization. We thought the content might be helpful to share. Not quite a year and a half ago I retired. After working close to 50 years, I figured I deserved a break. But after a few months of reading books and sitting around - a lot - I realized my memory was getting worse and my brain was becoming a lot less sharp. I called it mushy brain. I'm no expert, but for years I've been...
The University of Florida has announced plans to honor attorney and Lake Wales City Commissioner Robin Gibson for a lifetime of exceptional accomplishments related to his law career and his support for education. An Evening of Excellence presented by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida was originally planned for April 17, but due to coronavirus concerns will be rescheduled once people can safely gather again. In announcing the recognition,...
The Polk County Democrats announce that Robert Connors of Lake Wales was elected to the office of Polk County State Committeeman. The vote was held April 13 during a virtual meeting of the Polk Democratic Executive Committee (DEC). The office of Polk County State Committeeman includes informing the Polk County DEC of any questions to be brought before the Florida Democratic Party (FDP) State Executive Committee, reporting all actions taken at both the FDP Central and State...
On a typical Earth Day, Bok Tower Gardens would be filled with the sounds of thousands of local school children learning about nature, wildlife, conservation, and more. However, on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2020, the beautiful music of the Singing Tower and images of the stunning Gardens will be streamed to the community instead. Celebrating Earth Day's 50th Birthday Understanding the importance of this day in the current pandemic, the education team at Bok...
Despite being physically closed due to COVID-19 virus precautions, the Lake Wales Public Library is celebrating National Library Week, April 19-25. The library is inviting all community members to find the library from their own personal place by visiting the website, www.lakewalesfl.gov/library to access virtual services and resources. Despite the temporary closure, the public can discover ebooks, movies, video games, online storytimes and much more-all from home on our websi...
Since September Raymond had been living in his car. The music education major at Polk State College said he had two blankets for cold nights, but if he didn't remember to tape his car's door gaps on rainy nights the water poured in and woke him. Raymond stayed committed to his studies despite spending most nights in a WalMart parking lot. Two weeks ago he left the ranks of the homeless and moved into the new Lenfestey Scholarship House at the Manse on Avenue Q in Winter...
One year ago April 15, a devasting fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral, nearly destroying the iconic destination. The cathedral's bourdon bell (the largest bell) was rung for the first time on the one year anniversary as a symbol of resiliency and support for the French frontline health workers. In tandem with this message of hope, Bok Tower Gardens' Carillonneur Geert D'hollander rang the Singing Tower's Bourdon 10 times and then shared his performance of "La Vie En Rose"...
For over 45 Years, SUN 'n FUN has brought millions of aerospace professionals, businesses, supporters and enthusiasts together each spring to celebrate the incredible wonder and limitless opportunities of flight. In 2014, we proudly unveiled that the annual SUN 'n FUN event would become the primary fundraiser for the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE), our STEM-based learning campus created to Engage, Educate, and Accelerate the Next Generation of Aerospace Professionals....
Patients with severe cases of COVID-19 may find help in an unlikely source – the blood plasma of patients who've recovered from the disease. It's called convalescent plasma, and the idea is that antibodies in the donated plasma will help fight the disease in patients who are suffering through it. "This is an extremely exciting development that shows promise in helping our sickest patients," said Dr. Juliana Gaitan, who is leading the project. "We're among the first h...
Attending the annual Easter Sunrise Service has been a tradition for generations; however, this year, viewers will be able to worship in new ways. Bok Tower Gardens has made two viewing options available. First via Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/boktowergardens/ or second, the embedded virtual viewer on the Bok Tower Gardens website at https://boktowergardens.org/join-us-live/. The service is also being recorded and uploaded later to the Bok Tower Gardens YouTube...
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was first published in April 2019. We are re-publishing it on Palm Sunday 2020 as we enter into Easter Week. Easter Week always brings fond memories of the three months each winter that the Lake Wales community came together to participate as "extras" to help dramatically depict the last seven days of Jesus Christ on Earth. I don't remember exactly how many years I participated in the Black Hills Passion Play winter productions – so many Tuesdays, T...
ElderPoint Ministries of Greater Lakeland is a non-profit agency committed to serving nutrition and transportation needs of elderly Polk County residents, with a goal of meeting seniors at their point of need. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for senior residents of Polk County through empowering services that support healthy, independent living. The ministry delivered 45 hot meals Thursday from Mission BBQ to clients in Winter Haven and Lakeland and continued...
Addicts and alcoholics will be quick to jump into a detox program in hopes to solve their addiction in 3-7 days. One of the reasons they get stuck on drugs and alcohol is because when they try and stop they go into withdrawal and it is very uncomfortable. Short-term medical detox programs will get you through the physical withdrawal as comfortably as possible with the use of drugs, and that's really it. Let's not forget that they still need to deal with why they got addicted...
Many people would find this very surprising but Soma abuse is actually very common and being prescribed by tons of pain management clinics. Be cautious of the effects this medication could have on you or someone else. Soma is a muscle relaxant that acts as a sedative of the central nervous system putting it in the drug class of a tranquilizer. It has been known to be mixed with other narcotics to form different kinds of "cocktails" which can be deadly. A person abusing Soma...
Kathryn "Kat" Gates-Skipper from Lake Wales, along with 16 fellow Floridians, was inducted Monday, March 9 into The Florida Veterans' Hall of Fame at the Capitol Building in Tallahassee. The Florida Veterans' Foundation joined with the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize these Military Veterans that have made a significant contribution to the State of Florida. The Medal Ceremony began at 10:30 a.m. in the Cabinet Meeting room. The medal was presented by CFO...
The Early Learning Coalition of Polk County is encouraging parents who want to help prepare their preschoolers for kindergarten to sign them up for a VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) Program. ELC officials say VPK provides high quality early childhood programs that will include great introductions into literacy, math and important social emotional learning skills. They say at the end of the program VPK students score higher on school readiness tests and are better prepared...
