Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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My name is Michael Wilder. After having pastored in Kentucky for 16+ years, my wife, Tina, and I moved to Florida about 18 months ago for the purpose of planting a church in Central Florida. Upon moving here we lived in Lake Alfred as we sought the Lord's specific will. In May of 2019, we were able to purchase the property at 428 Linden Lane here in Lake Wales. It is the former home and office of Dr. Haines DDS. In time, we hope to convert the veranda into an auditorium....
As a New Year approaches a common theme is setting New Year's resolutions for yourself. As an addict I can remember setting goals of trying to do better in life. The one I would tell everyone was that I would quit smoking cigarettes. In reality I was setting a resolution of being clean going into the New Year. Year after year I failed at this, but deep down I wanted it to be true. I wanted a better life. I was tired of living day to day under the influence of drugs and...
The works of local artist Blair Updike will be featured at the Lake Wales Arts Center, starting with an opening reception from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. The reception, which will include food and an open bar, is free to the public. Updike's paintings will be available for sale throughout the duration of the exhibit and may be picked up after it concludes around the end of March According to the Arts Council website, "Blair Updike embodies contrasts. Her portraits portray...
The Junior League of Greater Winter Haven will be hosting a mobile food pantry in Lake Wales on Saturday morning, Jan. 25. In conjunction with Feeding Tampa Bay, the volunteers will distribute free food to those in need. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Ouellette Law Firm, 151 E. Central Ave. The Junior League moves the pantry to various locations throughout East Polk County. In November, the League distributed food for 121 households, including 263...
The Lake Wales Car Show will celebrate its 10th Anniversary Saturday, Jan. 25. Classic and antique cars and trucks will be on display from 4-7 p.m. on East Stuart Avenue in Historic Downtown Lake Wales. Registration is free. The show will offer lots of door prizes including 10th Anniversary T-Shirts, professional DJ by Hot Rod Nights, a 50-50 drawing and more. Shops and restaurants will be open. The show is sponsored by Lake Wales Main Street....
The GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales will participate in the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) efforts in recognizing the celebration of the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which prohibits state and federal governments from denying any citizen the right to vote on the basis of their sex. The motion for women's suffrage was first submitted to congress in 1878, but its ratification was the culmination of 72 years of formal organizing and the work of...
GFWC Woman's Club members are very vocal about many things they are passionate about, so why not art? There are many studies - pro and con - regarding the arts in connection with education. However, we dare to ask the question, 'How can being taught and/or encouraged to express yourself through art - be it music, drama, making or painting something - be a bad thing?" Many people today have limited vision when they hear the word "art." They immediately think canvas and paint,...
Publix Pharmacy recently filled its 100 millionth free prescription as part of its free medication program. "We are proud to provide a service that helps our customers afford their medications," said Publix Vice President of Pharmacy Dain Rusk. "As the cost of health care continues to rise, this program has become even more important to our customers and our communities. Too often, high prescription costs prevent people from taking medication as prescribed. When medications...
People who love singing are invited to join voices for the spring semester of the Lake Wales Chorale. The first session with new director Dana Hofstrom of Warner University begins at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13 at the Lake Wales Arts Center gallery, 1099 SR 60 E. Those new to the chorale are asked to come at 6:30 p.m. to register. Hofstrom is director of choral music and instructor in worship and music at Warner University. Cost is $50 per person, which includes music. Students...
Auditions for the March Lake Wales Little Theatre production of Super Freaks will be Jan. 13 and 14. Director Lesta Woods is looking to cast three men and three women in this fun play about quirky inmates at a mental health facilty who imagine they are crime-fighting superheroes. A copy of the script is available for review at the Lake Wales Public Library. Auditions start at 6:30 p.m. both day at the theatre at 411 N. 3rd St. in Lake Wales. In the play, Lois Lancaster is a...
The Sierra Club is hosting a presentation Jan. 9 about why the Gopher Tortoise is such an important, enigmatic species – landlord of the upland. Polly, the resident Gopher Tortoise at Circle B, will be in attendance to demonstrate the characteristics that make this species so unique. Ongoing gopher tortoise research at Circle B Bar Reserve will also be discussed. The program presented by Pam DeNeve begins at 7 p.m., with a covered dish dinner at 6:30 p.m. Those who wish to p...
Polk County Public Schools has teamed up with the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Department of Health in Polk County to warn students and families about the dangers of vaping. The school district produced a public service video featuring PCPS Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, and Dr. Joy Jackson, director of the Florida Department of Health in Polk. The video also features students from George Jenkins, Ridge Community and Winter...
The Lake Wales Library Association is partnering with the renowned travel company, Collette, to present a vacation opportunity in the United Kingdom. This 10-day trip includes excursions to London, York, Edinburgh Castle, the Lake District, Chester, Llangollen, Wales and Stratford-upon-Avon. Double occupancy accommodations are $3,599 per person. Single occupancy accommodations are $4,299 per person. Prices include round-trip airfare, hotels and twelve meals, (eight breakfasts...
Registration for the 28th Annual Polk Senior Games begins Jan. 2. The Games, scheduled for Feb. 29 to March 16, offer a two-week series of 98 Olympic-style events in 38 athletic and recreational sports. They attract nearly 2,500 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...
You don't lose fifty pounds in two weeks. You lose them one pound at a time. You don't begin a fitness regiment by running a marathon. You run a mile or two. So don't stare at the prospect of de-stressing and re-building your life by expecting to change everything by midnight tonight. It's too intimidating. You are who you are. You may want changes, but those changes can't – and won't – happen in an instant. The one thing I have seen repeatedly in people who face daunting chal...
Kevin Sunderland says he was pleasantly surprised to be named City of Lake Wales 2019 Employee of the Year. As manager of information technology he does much of his work behind the scenes and behind his computer screen. In announcing his selection city Library Director Tina Peak pointed out that Sunderland's job effects the work of all city employees every day. "I enjoy trying to help everybody out," said Sunderland, who was hired six years ago as network administrator and rec...
Twenty years ago one determined Lake Wales mother decided children with disabilities deserved better. Mertice Fehringer (now Kelly) didn't like the fact that her daughter Connie and other children with special needs were pretty much ignored by the community. What started as one Sunday School classroom at First Assembly of God (now IMPACT) Church grew into the full-time Circle of Friends Ministry, which will celebrate its 20th Anniversary Reunion Saturday, Jan. 11. The...
How quickly things change. 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. In a big way. 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 (Winfield & Scott Press) each featuring over 235 r...
With 2020 beginning we have come to the end of a decade where nearly half a million people have lost their lives to overdose. The opioid epidemic started in 2010 with pain killer dependence rising and doctor shopping being the newest thing to do. Now heroin is on the rise with the newest deadly killer fentanyl. The solution the government has come up with is to put people on the MAT program. MAT stands for medication assisted therapy. This puts people on a medication that the...
In 1912, 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." They came to Lake Wales by way of long, difficult and sometimes dangerous trips through swamps, overcoming their fears of possible snakes and alligators, travelling through Winter Haven, then Haines City,...
It's time to request an entry book to enter the 28th Annual Polk Senior Games scheduled for Feb. 29 to March 16. The Games offer a two-week series of 100 athletic and recreational Olympic-style events. They attract over 2,500 men and women, 50 years 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...
As the holidays approach, keep in mind you will be spending time around family and friends that you might not typically see all year round. Some families will have an amazing time and make tons of new memories. Yet some families will become newly aware that a loved one is addicted to drugs or alcohol, while other families are preparing for yet another holiday that might be ruined by one already in the family. You should be familiar with the signs that your loved could be...
It was fun, exciting and filled with anticipation! Everyone loves the sound of children laughing while they run around, eyes wide open as their Christmas dreams come true. Well, it happened and we were there. On Dec. 10, 44 children went Christmas shopping during the Lake Wales Police Officers Association's annual Shop with a Cop event at the Lake Wales Wal-Mart. The gathering began at 6 p.m. where parents signed their children in, snacks were served and families were assigned...
Whether your loved one passed away recently or years ago, the holidays can stir up a sense of loss that overshadow any celebrations. Reminiscing about holiday traditions, knowing your loved one will not be present, can cause sadness and anxiety. While everyone grieves differently, it's important to know that intensified feelings associated with loss is common this time of year. Some may feel the need to hide their feelings from friends and family. They may be embarrassed or...
City Commissioner Al Goldstein has been appointed by the Florida League of Cities to its Federal Action Strike Team, also known as FAST. The appointment announcement said Goldstein was selected because of his leadership within the League and his relationship with the local congressional delegation. Goldstein recently participated in the League's FAST Fly-in to Washington, DC, which the organization said was successful in bringing attention to a number of key federal issues....
