Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 151 - 175 of 254
I am happy to be a Lake Wales resident and City Commissioner. I was born in Rochester NY, and moved to Lake Wales at the age of 12. I fell in love with Lake Wales less than a year after moving here in 1998. I started going to First Assembly of God, which is Impact now. My mentor was Pastor Shawn Rudy who took me in as his own child. I learned so much and gave a lot of my time back to my community. I never thought about becoming a city commissioner, but I knew Lake Wales needed...
It was just another ordinary morning when I opened the doors of the old building. I wasn't even worried about turning on the lights. After all, I'd been here many times before and I could make my way around in the dark because I knew the place so well. Confidently, I moved inside, locking the doors behind me. The hall was dim because the day was cloudy and sunlight only filtered in on a good day when the dilapidated blinds were closed. Unhurriedly, intent on my mission, I...
We as elected officials need to mind our Ps and Qs in order to deliberate action. We need to be knowledgeable on issues that we face and day-to-day challenges in our respective cities. I make it my business to advocate for the things we need to better ourselves and to seek fairness across the board. Meeting with officials from other cities helps me learn and grow as a commissioner. The City of Lake Wales is a member of the Florida League of Cities (FLC), and National League...
Since I became a Lake Wales City Commissioner in May of 2017 I have always fought for the little people. This summer of 2019 I came up with a concept that would give lower paid city employees a higher percentage increase in their pay. What the city manager was introducing was a 3 percent raise across the board that amounted to just $609 for the city's lowest paid full-time employee, but it would give the highest paid employee, not counting the city manager, an increase of...
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....
Dr. James Nelson, who has practiced Family Medicine in Lake Wales for more than three decades, will be honored at a retirement reception to celebrate his contributions to the community. The reception will be held at 2 pm. Sunday, Dec. 8, in the hospital cafeteria. The afternoon will include a special video presentation, comments from the hospital COO, remembrances from former patients and office staff, and a proclamation from the City of Lake Wales. The community, particularly patients and former patients, are invited to atte...
United Way of Central Florida President and CEO Christina Criser Jackson has announced the upcoming retirement of Chief Operating Officer Penny Borgia in March 2020. "I cannot thank Penny enough for the countless hours of hard work and the passion she has poured into this organization," Criser Jackson said. "A United Way without Penny is hard to imagine but I'm confident she has set us up for success. Her transformational community impact initiatives will strengthen our...
As everyone was preparing to honor Veterans for Veteran's Day, the GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales was gearing up to carry on their traditions and dedication to serving the Veterans in the Community through some very special means. On Wednesday, Nov. 6 the Woman's Club House began to smell heavenly with the delicious aromas of spaghetti sauce and garlic bread. The tables were decorated in red, white, and blue and awaited the guest who were to fill them for the "Take A Vet to...
Dr. Muhammad Rashid knows from experience what a difference education can mean in a person's life. As a first-generation college graduate, he sees his own struggles and concerns reflected in many of the students he encounters at Florida Polytechnic University, where he is professor and chair of the electrical and computer engineering department. That's why he and his wife decided to make a $100,000 gift to the University to create the Drs. Muhammad H. and Fatema Rashid Future...
The GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales joins the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) in recognizing all Veterans past and present in recognition of Veterans Day The GFWC Woman's Club of Lake Wales will hold their November General Meeting at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at 275 E Park Avenue, downtown Lake Wales, and all ladies are invited to attend. This meeting is dedicated to honoring our Veterans both fallen and living. The program will be include the Color Guard from...
The Lake Wales Literacy Council is celebrating 30 years of service to the community Oct. 24 with a competitive WordPlay: Literacy in Action Dinner. The benefit event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church's Family Life Center, 16 N. 3rd Street, Lake Wales. Tickets are $20 per person, or an 8-person team is $140. Participants will work together in teams, tackling questions and challenges, in an effort to be "crowned" the champion of 2019 WordPlay: Literacy in...
The Green and Gold Foundation Nov. 2 honored retired school teacher Gladys Howell for her dedication and contributions to the Lake Wales community. Howell was surprised with a tribute at the foundation's gala, which raised funds for the B Street Community Center. Howell and her school teacher husband, Robert, moved their family to Lake Wales in 1964. She started her local career at Roosevelt High School and then taught at Polk Avenue Elementary, retiring in 1992. She earned...
Are you and your friends looking to have a great time for a great cause? Come join the General Federation of Women's Club (GFWC) Woman's Club of Lake Wales every 1st Thursday of the Month at 10:30 a.m. at 275 E Park Avenue, Lake Wales for an informative and meaningful gathering of women with the goal of bettering themselves and their community, as well as the lives of women and children locally and internationally. Lunch is available for a $5 donation. Play the "Ten-Cents-A-Do...
Lake Wales NAACP President Wanda Howard was recognized at a recent state NAACP conference as Branch President of the Year. Howard became Branch 5109 president in January 2017, the first female to serve in that capacity. She joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1986, right out of college, and is now a Life Member. She previously served as Youth Council Advisor with emphasis on the ACT-SO and Back-2-School/Stay-in-School programs. "I was...
The Lake Wales NAACP Branch #5109 will host its first meeting Oct. 14 to organize for the national 2020 Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition to be held July 23-26 in Boston. ACT-SO is a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. The kickoff will be at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the James P. Austin Community Center, 315 Dr....
20, Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President, prohibition had gone into effect, the United States Congress approves the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, World War I ends, The Florida Keys Hurricane killed 600, and Polly Stephens was born in Sumner, GA on September 18, 1919. Polly recently turned 100 and her family and friends celebrated at a Lake Wales restaurant. 100 years, 10 decades - however you want to slice it - that is a long time. Businesses, as rare as they...
After 30 years and countless volunteer hours for candidates and issues, Becky Wynkoop of Lake Wales finally earned recognition Friday Sept. 27 as the 2019 Marlene Duffy Young Polk County Outstanding Democratic Woman of the Year. "She has truly been a mentor for me and a leader in the Polk County Democrats," said Kathie Sutherland, chairwoman of the Polk County Democratic Executive Committee. "She just has so much history. It's about time she got this award. She's very...
Twelve area high school juniors kicked off their Youth Leadership Lake Wales year with an opening retreat Sept. 28 at Lake Aurora Christian Camp. This program of the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council enables high school juniors to develop leadership skills, while increasing awareness of their community. The students attend a Parent/Student Opening Retreat, five Program Days - one per month, each with a different focus - and a Graduation...
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...
Terry Schulze grew up in a "blue home" where he watched his father head out daily to protect and serve the community. Becoming a police officer was a natural choice for the 19-year-old, whose father Troy is the Lake Wales Police Department's deputy chief, now approaching 25 years on the job. Terry entered the profession with open eyes, having served nearly three years as a volunteer patrol cadet before completing 770 hours of training at the police academy at Polk State...
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...
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...
