Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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A Smithsonian poster exhibit that celebrates the invention accomplishments of both locally and nationally known women is on display through March 31 in lobby of the Polk County Administration Building in Bartow. The exhibit, "Picturing Women Inventors," explores the inventions of 19 highly accomplished American women including astronauts, computer pioneers, businesswomen, athletes, engineers and teenagers. The exhibit will also include content that features the contributions...
The Woman's Club of Lake Wales is hosting its 33rd Annual Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Thursday, March 25. The meals are $10 each and include salad, pasta, garlic bread and dessert. They will be boxed for pickup from 4-6 p.m. at the club house at 275 E. Park Ave. Delivery is available to those purchasing at least 10 meals by calling 863-949-0217....
The 2020 Polk County Toys for Tots Campaign distributed 57,716 toys to 14,761 underprivileged children. In addition to various drop box sites throughout the county, several organizations conducted drives and competed with other organizations in toy drive challenges. The office of State Attorney Brian Haas was the winner of the 2020 Toys for Tots Government Agency Challenge. In addition to the State Attorney's office, the Public Defender's Office, Tax Collector's Office,...
Excel Athletics Force All-Star Cheerleading team won the All Out National Championships which took place recently in Orlando, Florida at Shingle Creek Resort. Force, a Minis all-star team consisting of girls ages 6 to 9 years old, competed against 7 teams and were awarded with the National Championship award, rings and a banner to hang in their gym. The competition took place on Saturday and Sunday. Excel Athletics, Inc. is an all-star cheerleading gym located in Winter Haven...
Because of her parents' race, being born at Lake Wales Hospital in 1966 wasn't an option for Dr. Carolyn Pass. Now she's the local hospital's chief of staff. The family practice physician with Optum Care rose through the leadership ranks of Advent Health Lake Wales, formerly Lake Wales Hospital, where she has been on staff for the last 20 years. Pass was one of nine Central Florida community leaders, four from Polk County, honored Feb. 18 by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, who read...
Bok Tower Gardens carillonneur Geert D'hollander says the music of The King's Singers has inspired him since he was a child. That's why he is especially thrilled that the famed a cappella group awarded his original choral composition their top New Music Prize for 2021. "Winning this competition is an incredible honor as a musician and one of their biggest fans," said D'hollander, a Belgium-American who became Bok carillonneur in 2012. "To me, it's like standing in front of...
Have you ever thought about what it means to be of service? Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." We have all been born into the arms of men and women who served us - your mother who bore you, your father whose strong hand picked you up when you fell. Even if the only true gift your parents ever gave you was the gift of life, you have so much to be grateful for. Even if at home only your basic needs were met, you...
Darrell Starling already has an ambitious agenda in place following his recent hiring as the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Coordinator. In particular, Starling will work closely with the city[s Northwest neighborhood, one of two areas specifically targeted by the city's ambitious and award-winning "Lake Wales Connected" revitalization plan which also covers the historic downtown business district as well. City leaders expect to break ground on the early...
The Rev. J.J. Pierce was concerned that not enough people, especially those in the black community, were able to access vaccines for COVID-19. So he stepped up and started working with the Polk County Health Department to bring vaccines for about 600 people in Lake Wales. Pierce got the idea from a pastor friend in Winter Haven. So Pierce worked with about 20 churches in the area to identify people age 65 and over and health care workers who needed the vaccines. A schedule...
Lake Wales City Commissioner Curtis Gibson has been chosen as one of 20 participants in the 2021 Central Florida Political Leadership Institute, a regional, nonprofit program sponsored by the Orlando Economic Partnership. The program prepares business minded leaders throughout Central Florida for future leadership opportunities – as political candidates or appointees to government boards or commissions. Since its inception in 2008, 29 PLI graduates have served in public o...
The Lake Wales Public Library has received "blessing bundles," courtesy of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., a community conscious, action oriented organization. The Gamma Phi Zeta Chapter of Polk County, through service within the community and the international initiative of Zetas Helping Other People Excel (Z-HOPE), provided 175 blessing bundles to Polk County libraries to include masks, sanitizer, gloves, tissues and wipes. In addition to the Lake Wales Library in Zone 4, the...
Citizen Support Services is a group of people from our community who volunteer their time, talent, and financial assistance to support and advocate for needs that exist within Lake Wales, where existing service organizations are not well positioned to support or coordinate. Citizens of Lake Wales, in partnership with leadership from several community service organizations, aim to ensure support and equity is provided to citizens in need. During the month of December, members...
City residents can thank a local restaurant for helping the Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce find its 2020 Public Servant of the Year. Lake Wales Fire Chief Joe Jenkins – born and raised in the city and now celebrating 30 years with the department – was honored with the award in late December, for not only his service as chief, but as the city's Emergency Operations Director during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Jenkins said he didn't really know what he wanted to do whe...
Fundraising is beneficial to our community, our club, and its members. Raising capital for a local project, recognized charity, affiliate organization, or an organization's outreach plans and operations, or a facilities maintenance, is an opportunity to make the achievements of an organization known throughout the community. As we work together on a fundraiser, we learn new skills and much more. Successful teamwork fosters cooperation, provides a sense of accomplishment,...
With no announced opposition to date, Lake Wales City Commissioner Al Goldstein is pulling in some heavyweight endorsements for his re-election campaign. Goldstein was first elected in April 2019 with no opposition as the only candidate to qualify. Incumbent Tonya Stewart missed the deadline to submit the required 25 voter signatures to get on the ballot. The upcoming April 6 Municipal Election will include seven proposed city Charter amendments, Goldstein's Seat 4 and Seat...
Looking for a new fundraiser to help offset COVID-19 losses, the Rotary on the Ridge is now offering "Otter-grams" for special occasions. The regional after-hours service club had to postpone its Treasure Map fundraiser until 2021, so the club came up with a unique gift idea to make up some of the lost revenue. The club has a human-sized otter costume it uses to make presentations of the Josh the Otter water safety program to area kindergartens and day cares. A costumed club...
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Dec. 23 the appointments of Ashley Bell Barnett, Greg Littleton, Teresa Martinez, and Mark Turner to the Polk State College District Board of Trustees. All members are continuing their service to the Board along with Chair Cindy Hartley Ross and member Dan Dorrell. "Our District Board of Trustees is comprised of dedicated members whose unwavering support of our students and steadfast commitment to providing affordable access to quality...
It's starting to feel like the Holiday Season! Whatever it may be that gives you that festive feeling – the festive lights being switched on in the city, the first pumpkin pies appearing in the stores or that friend who always seems to put up the tree in the middle of November– for many of us, the festive period is a time to look forward to. However, for some of us, it may not be such a joyous time as we seem to find ourselves at loose ends on that Special Day. Maybe lov...
We all want the Norman Rockwell Christmas with the perfect family gathering of laughter and well-behaved children. We want our homes to look like something out of a magazine. We want to create precious memories with our children that will last a lifetime. These are all good desires, but bad idols. In the blink of an eye, an honorable desire gets out of hand when we put it above the people who come into our lives. Life happens, and in our quest for perfection, we forget that...
Lake Wales City Commissioner Al Goldstein has been appointed to serve on the "new and improved" Florida League of Cities' 2020-2021 Advocacy Committee. In appointing Goldstein, FLC President Tony Ortiz said advocacy is one of the primary missions of the Florida League of Cities. "This committee will be responsible for fulfilling the responsibilities outlined in the Advocacy Mission Statement and for developing ideas and activities that strengthen our influence with state...
The Polk County Democratic Executive Committee organizational meeting & election was held Monday, Dec. 7 via the ZOOM online platform and also live on Facebook. Elected to serve as the 2020-2022 Board Officers include: Catherine Price, Chair; Veysel Dokur, 1st Vice-Chair; Jiwa Farrell, 2nd Vice-Chair, Polly Burkhart, Secretary; Norman Wilderson, Sergeant-At-Arms and Cindy Ransbottom, Treasurer. Also elected to serve from 2020-2024 were Karen Welzel, State Committeewoman, and...
An active swimmer since age 5, Mary Leigh Hardman dreams of some day competing in the Olympics. The Lake Wales High School freshman moved closer to her goal last weekend by winning Florida state swimming championships in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events. "This is my first ever high school win. I'm very excited," said Mary Leigh, noting "I just knew I was going to do my best." Mary Leigh is following in the footsteps – or swimming strokes - of her mother, Molly Magill H...
Fortunately for Angela Lopez, her 6-year-old daughter Esperanza knew to call 9-1-1 in an emergency. On Oct. 21 Lopez fell at her Frostproof home and couldn't get up or call for help. When Esperanza couldn't find anyone to help, she retrieved her mother's phone and called 9-1-1. Polk County Fire Rescue personnel on Nov. 18 honored the Spook Hill Elementary first-grader, designating her a "9-1-1 hero." Fire Rescue public educator Rosa LaLonde used the special recognition event...
Over a decade since his last year as the Warriors' Head Tennis Coach, Trey Heath has been announced by Director of Athletics Brad Niethammer as Webber International University's Interim Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach for the upcoming 2021 season. Heath previously coached both the Warriors' men's and women's tennis programs during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. His 2007 men's team finished the year ranked No. 14 in the NAIA national rankings after advancing to the second...
The world's current youth population (people aged 15-20) is around 1.8 billion. Most of this population has the potential to be great leaders, while only a small percentage of this population is encouraged to or provided the resources to learn and practice leadership. This stage of being a youth is when young people are still uncertain about what they like and what they don't. Their opinions are not firmly in place, revisited and revised due to their peers' influence and...
