Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Lake Wales Mayor Eugene Fultz declared June 4 as Richard Deloach Recognition Day to honor him for his more than 35 years of service as a youth football coach. Vice Mayor Robin Gibson read the proclamation at the city commission meeting, where friends and family of Deloach gathered to celebrate. According to the proclamation, Deloach started with the city youth football league in 1984 and led his team to 14 league super bowls, 11 of which they won. "Richard Deloach is a...
The Lake Wales NAACP Branch 5109 presented its Servant Leader Award to Bishop Roscoe Williams III. Board member Nicara Daniels announced the award at the Branch's 46th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet Saturday, June 15 at the James P. Austin Center. Williams was born in Sylvester, GA and moved to Florida at a very young age. He graduated with the class of 1974 from Lake Wales High School. He married his high school sweetheart, Annie, and they are the proud parents of four children...
Research and geneology historian Preston Petermeier will present "The Who, What, Where and Why: A Look at City Directories" from 12:15 to 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 16 at the Polk County History Center at 100 E. Main St. in Bartow. The presentation is part of the Center's Out of the Archives Lecture Series. The Center's collection of local city directories, found in its Historical and Genealogical Library, dates back to the 19th century. Petermeier will show participants how these...
Rotary on the Ridge honored Lake Wales resident Drew Truitt as the club's 2018-19 Rotarian of the Year. The award was presented Monday, July 1 at the club's annual celebration and installation banquet. In presenting the award, 2017-18 Rotarian of the Year Sandra Wolf said he rarely misses a meeting and shows up for every service opportunity and all the fun club events. "Our Rotarian of the Year serves as an ambassador for our club and has sponsored several new members," Wolf s...
The Rotary on the Ridge president's gavel Monday, July 1 passed from one Gillis to another Gillis as five other family members were recognized with Service Above Self Awards. Rotary is definitely a family affair for 2018-19 President Megan Gillis and husband Herb, who took over club leadership for 2019-20. Shortly after Megan was installed as president last June her parents, Sheri and Marshall Hartley, joined the club. Megan and Herb were charter members of Rotary on the...
The GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales will be hosting a New Member Tea and Luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 10. This is the first ever event of this kind for the club and it is open to any woman who is a resident of Greater Lake Wales who desires to be a part of an organization rich in history that has been a force for community good over the last 105 years. The GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales provides financial, in-kind, and hands on support for local, national,...
After a brief absence from Polk County, Danny Kushmer, returns as executive director for the Lakes Education Action Drive (LE/AD) beginning July 1. Danny replaces Tabitha Biehl who was recently promoted to Land and Natural Areas Manager with Polk County Parks & Natural Resources. Danny spent nearly 10 years as the governmental affairs manager for the Southwest Florida Water Management District with offices in Bartow. During this time, he served on the communications team for...
Lake Wales business leaders gathered at Shoppes on the Ridge Thursday, June 27 for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of a new office of the Heart of Florida Physician Group. The primary caregiver at the office will be Lisa Peto, a family nurse practitioner. Peto provides in-office assessments, diagnosis and treatments of acute and chronic illnesses in patients of all ages, from infant through adult. Services include prevention and management of diabetes, COPD, high...
The Wound Healing Center at Lake Wales Medical Center is holding an open house from 12:30-1 p.m. to share details of a brand new treatment for people with vein issues. Light refreshments will be served prior to the first patient to be treated with the new procedure starting at 1 p.m. The center says the new service line is an important step in fulfilling its mission to service all wound care related patients. The Wound Healing Center is located at 451 S. 11th Street. People...
The Lake Wales Mardi Gras committee is celebrating its best year ever, with the expanded event resulting in $8,000 in donations for community projects. Committee Vice President Denny Wittman said the 2019 Mardi Gras drew an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 parade watchers. The festival, which was moved to Lake Wailes Park, attracted between 1,500 and 2,000 attendees Friday night and an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 on Saturday. "Moving the Festival to the Lake was a huge success with all...
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...
The Lake Wales NAACP Branch 5109 recognized Eddye Jean Rivers with its Community Leader Award. NAACP Board Member Nicara Daniels presented the award at the branch's 46th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet June 15 at the James P. Austin Community Center. Rivers was born in Lake Wales, he daughter of the late Edward and Belle Sumlin. She is one of seven children. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in the Class of 1956 and married David Rivers. They have one son, David Rivers Jr....
Florida Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson fired up members of the Lake Wales NAACP Saturday June 15 with a rousing call to be bold, to vote and to make sure others vote. The Jacksonville Democrat was keynote speaker for Branch 5109's 46th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet. Gibson has been in the Florida Legislature since 2002, the first eight years as a Representative, and the last eight as a Senator. Since it was Father's Day weekend, Gibson brought her dad, Ernest Gibson, to...
The hills are alive with the sound of music during the fifth annual Sandy's MusicGirl Camp 2019 at the Lake Wales Arts Center. Following the Junior MusicGirl program for girls ages 6-9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 10-11, girls ages 10-19 will attend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 12-14. Free lunch and snacks are provided. "We offer fun-filled activities such as singing, percussion, crafts and instrument introduction or advancement in small groups," explains Steve Morrison, who...
Maria Tovar just achieved two major milestones: she obtained her high school equivalency diploma (GED) and became the 100th person to accomplish that goal with the help of the Lake Wales Family Literacy Academy. Cleaning houses for a living and taking care of her 5- and 8-year-old children kept her so busy that there were times she thought about quitting. She dropped out of Lake Wales High School her junior year and wasn't sure she would ever be able to earn a GED or go to...
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Lake Wales Branch will host its 46th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet on Saturday, June 15 at the James P. Austin Community Center, 315 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., in Lake Wales. The reception starts at 5:30 p.m. and the banquet begins at 6 p.m. The Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet is celebrating the 2019 theme: "Defeat Hate - VOTE!" with the emphasis on "Vote-Our Lives Depend on It." The entire community...
Osubi Craig, a multi-talented higher education administrator, traditional African percussionist and arts advocate, joins the University of Florida College of the Arts as its inaugural director of a new center focused on arts, migration and entrepreneurship. (Before becoming a special assistant to the president of Virginia State University, Craig served as director of arts and cultural affairs for Polk State College in charge of the Lake Wales campus.) The new center, which wil...
The Lake Wales Arts Center is hosting two sessions of 2019 Summer Arts Camp! beginning June 17. Students ages 7-13 attend two-week camps where they participate in painting, drawing, pottery, music, graphic design, photography, and videography. The Arts Center is located at 1099 SR 60 E in Lake Wales. Classes meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The first session is June 17-28, and the second is July 8-19. This wheel-style day will allow students to participate in...
Lake Wales Medical Center is accepting applications for a variety of volunteer positions, including front lobby information desks, courtesy shuttle drivers, gift shop and general office help. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old, complete an application, submit a letter of recommendation, and pass a background and drug screening. Volunteers must be friendly, personable, and at-ease interacting with the public. Top applicants will be interviewed, and available positions...
The forecast rains stayed away so there was a whole lot of paddling going on at the first ever Beach Battle hosted by Tanner's Lakeside Restaurant and Bar in Winter Haven. The event raised funds to support the Rotary on the Ridge water safety initiative. An adult-size version of Josh the Baby Otter made an appearance, dancing and posing with event participants. The water safety program uses Josh the Baby Otter materials to remind young children to stay away from the water...
Lake Wales Arts Council members and supporters gathered Thursday, June 6 for their annual meeting to celebrate an art-filled year. Executive Director Andrew Allen, who completed his first year in March, thanked partners, spelled out a long list of accomplishments and shared highlights of plans for the coming year. "The Lake Wales Arts Council has seen an incredible amount of success during our 2018-19 season," Allen said. "We have been fortunate enough to maintain our classic...
Katina "Kat" Green, Wound Care Manager, was named Employee of the Month for April at Lake Wales Medical Center. Green was honored for the exceptional job she does making sure all wound care patients are well cared for. "She always thinks ahead and anticipates what patients and the doctors will need," a coworker wrote in nominating her. "She doesn't hesitate to jump in and do whatever needs to be done to help each patient. She completes everything with a smile on her face....
Vice Mayor Robin Gibson issued a proclamation Tuesday, June 4 designating the week of June 8-15 as LGBTQ Pride Week in Lake Wales. Lake Wales members of PFLAG were on hand to accept the proclamation. Local PFLAG leader David Jones said 60 percent of Floridians had human rights protections, but they are not in force in Polk County. He asked the city commission to consider adopting a local human rights ordinance to protect all citizens from discrimination. Commissioners did not...
The Lake Wales Public Library's Adult Summer Reading program proves summer reading programs are not for kids only! Summer of 2019's summer reading theme for all ages is A Universe of Stories. Adult readers are encouraged to pick up a monthly reading log. Complete reading logs in June and July and you're entered into a drawing for prizes, sponsored by the Lake Wales Library Association - Friends of the Library. Adult readers can also pick up our word play, or crossword puzzle...
Yoga is a great tool for relaxation, and the exercises stretch the body, resulting in better muscle tone, balance, and general health. This video is entitled Morning Spinal Warmup, and is the first in a series by contributor Megan Rimer, owner and instructor for Yoga Bliss, a local studio. If you are interested in classes, she can be reached at 813/299-5159. Namaste....
