Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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The GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales will hold its annual meeting beginning at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3. Since October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the guest speaker will be Dr. Lyn Jones. She will speak on the impacts of domestic violence by parents or guardians on the physical and psychological development of the child. Guests are asked to wear purple in support of domestic violence prevention. The Woman's Club is located at 275 E. Park Ave. All women in the...
Most people know about the Boy Scouts, but its water-related affiliate, the Sea Scouts, is far less known. But 20-year-old Ron Cain from Lake Wales is working to change that. "We're the premier aquatic program in the country," said Cain, who is serving as Southern Region Boatswain, an ambassador and national board member for the co-ed program that serves young people ages 14-21. "They always say it's like the best kept secret in scouting." Cain joined Sea Scouts at age 16,...
David Waller, coordinator of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Campaign of Polk County, recently attended the annual Toys for Toys Training Conference in Washington. Waller was recognized as "Coordinator of the Year for 2018" for the Southeast United States and also served as a mentor to new coordinators. Waller grew up in Lake Wales and now lives in Lakeland. After retiring from law enforcement and selling his paver business Waller said he was looking for a...
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...
Cynthia Crofoot Rignanese is a world traveler extraordinaire, recently completing an arctic adventure that took her to her 109th country and 7th continent. This trip was particularly exciting as she became the first person ever to set foot on Cape Yalik, a remote site on one of the 192 uninhabited islands of Franz Josef Land in the Russian High Arctic. The Lake Wales attorney, with a law office in Winter Haven, works hard so she can devote about two months each year to her...
There's an old truth about hurricanes: they take out the trees that gardeners don't have the heart to cut down. Like wildfires, they clear the land of deadwood. They fell trees weakened by disease or stunted roots, leaving only the strongest – or the luckiest – when skies clear. Such ruthless pruning reveals which plants can stand up to a 100-mile-an-hour wind. Palm trees hold up beautifully in storms: their limber trunks bend with the wind, which blows right through the...
The Lake Wales Arts Council is launching its 2019 Fall Semester education classes beginning Sept. 16. A variety of returning favorites and some new programs are scheduled for kids and adults. Classes are eight weeks in length. Enrollment fees are for the entire semester and include ALL supplies (excluding band and orchestral instruments). Multi-enrollment discounts are available as well as scholarships for youth programs. Payment plans are available for all Lake Wales Arts...
When Kathleen "Kathy" Bowman became chief development officer of the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, the school's development team was bringing in an average of $4 million per year over a five-year period. When she left the position of five years last month to become Florida Polytechnic University's new vice president of advancement, the average was over $22 million per year. "We ensured best practice and procedures were in place...
Kayak fishing is a growing sport and it's easy to see why. Kayaks are nimble, less expensive than most motorized boats and provide access to places even the best casts from land just can't reach. The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation confirms that kayaks are the most popular type of boat for Americans to own and that the number of people participating in kayak fishing has gone up in the past six years. But those who love the sport say kayak fishing is more than just a...
Lake Wales Moose Lodge 2391 officials were thrilled with the success of their Aug. 25 fundraiser to benefit 12-year-old Ambrey Batson, who is battling a rare form of bone cancer. The Lodge set a goal of $5,000 for the event and ended up raising more than double that amount. The benefit drew about 200 people and served about 130 of the pulled pork dinners. Other funds were raised through an auction, raffles and 50-50 drawing. Lodge Past Governor and event Volunteer Joe Settle...
The Lake Wales Arts Council has named Bill Doherty as its new Lake Wales Chorale Director. Mr. Doherty is an accomplished conductor, pianist, and composer. The first Chorale rehearsal takes place on Sept. 9 at the Lake Wales Arts Center. All singers are welcome. Those interested in joining the Chorale are asked to complete the online application at http://www.lakewalesartscouncil.org/lake-wales-chorale-1/2018/8/22/the-lake-wales-chorale An audition will be scheduled with the...
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...
The Polk County History Center will host a program at 10 a.m. Aug. 31 about using Ancestry DNA for genealogical research. The workshop will be lead by Drew Smith, an associate librarian at the University of South Florida Tampa Library and the 2016 winner of the Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship, presented by the National Genealogical Society. According to Smith, AncestryDNA continues to add new tools to help with matching other testers, categorizing the matches into...
Patricia Harvey is creating a Haven for Success, an after-school program that helps children reach their greatest potential. Harvey's new program will serve 20-25 elementary age children three hours a day beginning Aug. 19 at the B Street Community Center at 230 B Street in Lake Wales. "I want these children to know and understand life is what you make it," Harvey said. "Life is not standing on the street corner. Life is not walking around with your pants below your behind....
George O'Neill III has traveled the world, but he still has a heart for small cities like Lake Wales where he grew up and played youth soccer. The 25-year-old University of Florida theater major has created a tool to help local businesses, cities and organizations promote their events and expand their reach. He's holding a pre-launch mixer Aug. 28 to introduce his PROMO app to potential early adopters in Polk County. O'Neill recognizes the frustrations of people who create a...
Cornerstone Hospice is already putting to good use two grants from the GiveWell Community Foundation. Last spring, Cornerstone received a $5,000 Empower Polk grant from the GiveWell Community Foundation to purchase two CADD® pumps to be used to train Cornerstone nurses to assist with the care of patients experiencing pain. The device provides safe and accurate medication delivery. Previously, Cornerstone Hospice would lease the pumps during the training of new nurses....
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...
Cornerstone Hospice is looking for volunteers who would like to learn how to help others while helping themselves. Cornerstone volunteers may visit patients at home or in a facility to offer friendly conversation and give family members a break to run errands. Volunteers also can help out in the office, walk patients' dogs or honor fellow veterans in Cornerstone's care. Hours are flexible and volunteers can choose the areas they want to work throughout Polk County, including...
The Lake Wales NAACP Youth Council is holding a breakfast Saturday, Aug. 31 for current and prospective members. NAACP Branch President Wanda Howard said the Lake Wales Youth Council is one of the oldest in the state, and possibly the nation, formed at Roosevelt High School in 1943. Howard said a functioning council needs at least 25 members, but it is open to all interested young people: "The NAACP is very diverse. We include people of all races." The Youth Council members...
Lake Wales Moose Lodge 2391 will be hosting a fundraiser Sunday, Aug. 25 to benefit 12-year-old Ambrey Batson, who is battling a rare form of bone cancer. Ambrey is a 7th grader at Bok Academy North, where her mother Shelley is an assistant principal. The benefit will start at 2 p.m. with activities, auction, raffle, 50-50 drawing and more. A dinner with pulled pork, baked beans and cole slaw starts at 5 p.m. for a requested $10 donation. The Moose Lodge is located at 3601 SR...
Two new primary care providers have joined the Heart of Florida Physician Group and will be practicing together in Lake Wales. Rodolfo S. Fernandez, M.D., an internal medicine physician and Amber Y. Shepard, M.D., a family medicine physician will be seeing patients at their office located at 1255 SR 60 E., Suite 500 in Lake Wales. "We are very excited to welcome these two physicians to our group,'' said Sabrina Robinson, director for the physician group. "Dr. Fernandez had...
Eighty Lake Wales area young people got to explore their artistic selves during two-week summer camp programs sponsored by the Lake Wales Arts Council. The children, ages 7-13, had opportunities for lessons in the digital arts, two music classes, sculpting, painting and drawing. At the end of the second camp session their work was displayed in the gallery at the arts center and their families were invited to a special reception. "Our goal is always to reach as many children as...
As County Manager Jim Freeman prepares to retire, he quietly reflects on his accomplishments - rather, his team's accomplishments; the future of Polk County; and his own plans, post-retirement. Jim Freeman says other people say he will be remembered for guiding the county through the Great Recession of 2008. "It was challenging," Freeman said. "It took a lot of creativity and we had to make a lot of difficult decisions on reductions, expenditures, staffing levels. We got...
Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center has been recognized as a Best Hospital for 2019-20 by U.S. News & World Report. Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center is ranked #1 (tied) in the Lakeland Metro area and ranked #21 (tied) in the State of Florida. The annual Best Hospitals rankings and ratings, now in their 30th year, are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or for...
