As one of the nation’s leading children’s health systems, Nemours Children’s Health is on a journey to create the healthiest generations of children. That’s why Lakeland Regional Health and the experts from Nemours Children’s have teamed up to provide pediatric services right here in your community.
With expertise in multiple specialties, our providers partner with parents to help their children thrive. Ready to learn more about our expert care with Nemours Children’s? Visit myLRH.org/Nemours or call 407.650.7715!
Photo by Jordan Randall
Shared Strength.
18 METRO
Meet the real estate couple who are experts at helping people navigate crisis, explore the expansion of pediatric care at LRH and find out how late nights in a Kmart led to one local man building a leader in the cleaning industry.
38 HEALTH HACKS
It’s easy to say “New year, new you,” but we help you dial in with attainable ways to improve your overall health that are good for you and all of Lakeland.
54 EVERY STUDENT DESERVES A SECOND (OR THIRD) CHANCE
Be inspired by the redemption stories happening at one local school that isn’t afraid to be different.
64 INSTANT HOME REFRESH
Proof that you don’t spend tons of money or be an interior design professional to make your spaces more appealing and purposeful.
74 THE NEXT CHAPTER FOR A COMMUNITY LIFELINE
The YMCA of West Central Florida has long been a community hub for athletics, fitness and character building. Find out how its young CEO and a remarkable expansion are setting the organization up for greater impact than ever before.
Ineed to cease doing certain things, begin doing other things and press on toward the goal with other endeavors—as do you.
I don’t need the turning of the calendar to tell me that, but putting together this issue focused on resolutions and fresh starts has provided me the opportunity to truly realize just how powerful renewal, second (and third) chances and trying new things can be.
I hold tight to the analogy of a mustard seed that Jesus uses in Scripture to describe what the Kingdom of God is like because it proves that small, intentional changes can lead to significant outcomes far beyond what we can fathom. I am grateful that mercifully that’s how it works if you are seeking a relationship with our Creator, but that illustration also applies to a lot of modern life.
It can look like this fascinating data recently published in a medical journal of The Lancet Discovery Science organization: five more minutes of sleep per night, 1.9 additional minutes of exercise per day and half a serving more of vegetables per day can add a year to a person’s expected lifespan.
The cliche of a ripple in a pond and the story of the person putting beached starfish back into the ocean have merit indeed.
You’ll have to turn to our story on New Beginning’s High School to profoundly appreciate what it means to restart and reset when it feels like giving up is the only option. What you will find is that our heartaches and mistakes and trauma are actually the common starting point where we can all agree we want something better— not proof of failure, as society often tries to tell us. This feature also showcases how great mentors inadvertently—although with good intention—help develop other people into being mentors later on in their journey.
In the resolution-centric pieces on refreshing your home and taking better care of your body and mind, it’s not about quick fixes, but it is about easy entry points to attainable change that will give you hope and satisfaction.
You should be encouraged by John and Christine Hubbert’s journey to lifelong love and real estate excellence that has been marked with pain and uncertainty, as well as redemptive aspects that have carried them to new heights.
And of course there is the magnificently remastered and expanded Bob Adams Family Community YMCA to behold and explore—a wonderful example of what is possible when a community puts its financial and relational resources to work for the next generation.
The city and people of Lakeland are not the same as they were 10 years ago—and neither should you be, because one of the more sublime realities of life is that we always have the opportunity to change, to heal and to find peace, no matter what the year holds.
RJ Walters EDITOR
AS SCENE HERE
fscalumni Jan 07
Florida Southern College congratulates alumna Sara Roberts McCarley ’93 on being sworn in as Lakeland’s mayor. We extend our best wishes as she begins her term in service to the Lakeland community.
cob_and_pen Jan 02
We’re excited to announce that Cob & Pen will be opening for lunch, with a soft opening on January 8th. Some familiar favorites from Good Thyme will be making their way onto the lunch menu, alongside brand-new dishes created by our award-winning chefs!
purebarrelakeland Jan 11
New faces, soaking up the sun, and strong women. We’re obsessed! See you next year at the lake!
CONTRIBUTORS
MADI ELIZABETH
Madi Elizabeth is a California-born photographer who now resides in Lakeland. Known for her ability to capture fleeting moments with authenticity, Madi’s work showcases a diverse range of subjects and settings, from landscapes to intimate portraits.
With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she invites viewers to experience the emotions and beauty of each captured scene. Madi’s talent has gained recognition through a portfolio that includes being published in People Magazine, The Lakelander, Voyage Tampa, etc, solidifying her place as a sought-after artist in the field of photography.
LAUREN LAWSON
Lauren is a recent graduate of the University of Central Florida with a passion for storytelling and community.
When she’s not editing or exploring Lakeland’s local gems, she’s curled up with a good book, baking something sweet, or savoring a perfectly whisked matcha.
TERRI GREEN
Terri is a Lakeland-based interior designer who loves working one-on-one with homeowners to create spaces that feel authentic and deeply personal. She understands the importance of designing homes that are not only beautiful, but comfortable and livable.
She works diligently to translate a client’s vision into thoughtful mood boards, cohesive plans and curated selections that guide the process seamlessly from inspiration to reality.
Terri is a married mother of three. She graduated from Cedarville University in Ohio, enjoys Friday night movies with her family, a good audio book and window shopping on Zillow.
One More Child Stands on Frontline of Fight to End Human Trafficking
One More Child, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Lakeland, continues to stand at the forefront of the fight to end human trafficking. On Jan. 14 One More Child hosted Traffick Stop 2026 in Tallahassee to bring awareness and action steps to the state capitol before legislative session started.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 27,800 reports of possible child sex trafficking in 2024, with an average age of just 15 among missing children identified as likely victims. These numbers likely indicate only a fraction of survivors in need of help.
One More Child is stepping into these dark places with hope, compassion and healing. Their Anti-Trafficking Mobile Teams provide direct care to survivors and potential victims through mental health counseling, access to essential resources, advocacy and mentorship. Last year, they served 1,183 individuals through their Anti-Trafficking program and reached an additional 8,328 people through education, advocacy, and awareness.
Learn more about helping end human trafficking and supporting One More Child at onemorechild.org.
Have a Ball While Supporting Seniors
Whenever locals get together to support Volunteers in Service to the Elderly (VISTE) through the Lakeland organization’s banner event every year, the elation of it all can often feel like you’re celebrating hitting a hole in one.
That’s because the VISTEBall is the much anticipated golf-themed event complete with games, food, drinks, prizes and more that raises funds to provide seniors food, transportation and accessibility.
This year’s ball will take place on Saturday, January 31 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus in Lakeland.
You can purchase tickets for $75 per person or become an event sponsor at viste.org/about-visteball
In 2024, VISTE served more than 4,900 clients ages 70 to 108. The 43-year-old organization continues to focus on programming and initiatives that dignify and provide independence to the aging population.
Local Grad Inspiring Young Women Pursuing STEM Careers
PROVIDED BY LYDIA GUZMAN
When Florida Polytechnic University Alumnus Natalie Thompson settles into her cozy home office with a notebook and a cup of tea, she is working on far more than a passion project. The 2019 data analytics graduate is building a growing platform that helps young professionals share their journeys and encourages others to pursue their goals in high-tech fields.
Thompson is an agile delivery manager at video game titan Electronic Arts (EA), where she supports multiple teams in the company’s security enterprise engineering department. She’s also founder and host of “Unlocking My Potential,” a new podcast focused on the personal stories of early- and mid-career professionals.
“I love being able to create spaces where people feel comfortable opening up about their paths, their challenges and their wins,” she said.
When Thompson first joined EA, she worked with a single team, but that quickly changed when a senior leader at the company recognized her potential.
“This manager took me under his wing and had big plans for me. He wanted me to work with every single team under him,” she said from her home in Austin, Texas.
Today, Thompson’s role has expanded to support five teams and includes creating dashboards to showcase team performance and outcomes, work that draws directly on her Florida Poly education. She also recently launched a growing companywide community to share knowledge, build camaraderie and improve
cross-departmental communication.
That desire to connect and learn, combined with a passion for encouraging women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), led Thompson to create the podcast in July 2025. The idea formed when she noticed a gap between field-specific podcasts and shows that only focused on top-tier executives.
“I feel like I’m still at the beginning of my career and I couldn’t find any podcast that I could relate to,” she said. “When I was in college, I related even less.”
After months of planning, researching and learning social media and podcast production from scratch, Thompson reached out to friends and Florida Poly connections to test her idea.
“I was thinking maybe two or three people would want to start this with me,” she said. “But within the first two months, I got so many ‘Yes, I love this idea’ responses, and more than 40 people wanted to be part of it.”
The podcast grew quickly, drawing listeners to its authentic stories about career transitions, leadership development, overcoming technical challenges, entrepreneurship in tech and personal growth.
“It’s becoming a lot bigger than I ever expected it to be, but I love it,” Thompson said, noting her nearly 2,000 YouTube subscribers.
Visit the “Unlocking My Potential” website to learn more about Thompson and check out her podcast.
A Deep, Deep Clean
E&A Cleaning’s 30-Year Commitment to Polk County Institutions
PHOTOS BY JORDAN RANDALL WRITTEN BY LAUREN LAWSON
DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH E&A CLEANING
Keeping Polk County clean and maintained is an absolute passion for Eric Torres. Today, as the owner of E&A Cleaning, his approach is simple: provide service with excellence and integrity.
The company focuses on consistency, accountability and people, and offers everything from janitorial and floor care to emergency maintenance and construction services.
“It’s not just what we do,” Eric says, “it’s how and when we do it.” That philosophy is steady, intentional and detail-driven.
E&A Cleaning, founded in Lakeland in 1994, serves commercial, medical, educational and corporate clients throughout Central Florida. The company provides floor and carpet care, window cleaning, parking lot and lawn maintenance, painting, construction and more. The foundation of those services reflects the same values Eric Torres learned as a child.
By the age of 7, Eric was already learning what honest work looked like. The eldest of three sons, he tagged along with his father, Isaac, on weekends to clean a medical building in Long Island, NY which required a two-hour round trip. While his father moved from room to room, Eric dusted, picked up trash and watched closely. His father’s mantra was simple but uncompromising: “Do everything you can do, never say no.” Those long nights often ended around 10 p.m., and were followed by sleep and another early start, quietly laying the foundation for a work ethic that would define Eric’s life.
E&A Cleaning Owner Eric Torres with his wife, Nubia, outside their office on W. Brannen Rd.
When Eric was 10, his family moved to Crystal River, Fla., where his father’s upbringing on a farm and experience butchering motivated him to chase his dream of owning his own farm. Isaac purchased a 10-acre farm and started a new cleaning business that supported the family. By age 12, Eric was working multiple nights a week, helping clean Kmart stores from 9 p.m. until morning. Saturdays were always off by his father’s rule so Eric could be rested for church on Sundays. That steady rhythm of work and rest instilled discipline.
As a teenager, Eric’s responsibilities only increased. While still in high school, he began training others without subtracting anything from an already demanding schedule. During his senior year, his days often started at 3 a.m., when he would clean a small grocery store before heading to school. After classes and sports practice, he’d clean two banks, return home to complete chores on the farm, knock out his homework and finally sleep. At 16, amid exhaustion and routine, Eric realized he wanted something of his own one day—a company built on pride that would require hard work to create and sustain.
While his parents taught him a great work ethic through the cleaning business, they wanted him to consider going into ministry. Eric was sent to Pensacola Christian College but left during his sophomore year, and immediately started creating marketing packets for a cleaning business he hoped to start.
E&A owner Eric Torres has machines to do any commercial cleaning job, but his primary focus remains on the people, the product and the process.
When his father discovered he had left school, he flew up to bring Eric back, reuniting father and son in the business once more. His father later enrolled him at Spurgeon Baptist Bible College in Mulberry which brought Eric to Polk County. Around that time, Isaac gave Eric a $5,000 carpet-cleaning machine, which Eric would pay back as he earned money. He went door-to-door offering to clean entire homes for $60, so confident in his work that he would tell skeptical clients he offered a money-back guarantee—if they weren’t satisfied, they wouldn’t pay. That persistence and trust-building marked the beginning of E&A Cleaning.
Eager to put his skills and vision into practice, Eric began cleaning a travel agency twice a week for $20, hoping business owners would notice his work and recommend him to others. One day, a man named Harold from Adventure Outdoor Resorts asked him his story. Impressed, he offered Eric a three-story building to clean, the company’s first major
account. Following his father’s philosophy to “say yes and figure it out later,” Eric visited each suite and expanded services as the company grew. His reputation for reliability and thoroughness attracted more clients. Clark and Daughtry Medical Group, later acquired by Lakeland Regional Health, entrusted him with their facilities for 12 years, after which Lakeland Regional awarded E&A all of its off-site locations. Watson Clinic hired E&A 17 years ago and remains a long-term client with multiple contracts. E&A also clean churches, a division that Eric’s wife, Nubia, is the team leader of.
Today, E&A stands firmly on people. With 125 associates, Torres may not know everyone personally, but he works hard to build trust through leadership. As he says: “Where the head goes, the body follows.”
Eric believes strongly in promoting from within and surrounding himself with leaders who have proven themselves over time, many of whom have been with the company for more than two decades, including operations manager Jeremiah, office manager Deanna, and Miguel, who works in facilities. Through servant leadership and long-term partnerships, Eric has built more than a company–he has built trust, one job at a time. He and his team show appreciation to clients with lunches or small gestures, reinforcing relationships cultivated over time.
He is also grateful to have his youngest son, Noah, as his chief sales associate and excited to see what the future holds for him at the company.
Through decades of hard work, careful leadership and a commitment to doing things the right way, Eric Torres has built more than a cleaning company–he has built a legacy of people-first service that continues to shape every floor, office and partnership E&A touches.
Torre says he strongly believes in taking care of the people who make his business run.
“I love our associates/employees,” he says. “We demonstrate that by annual lunches and dinners, birthday cards with gift certificates, turkeys for Thanksgiving, Christmas gatherings and bonuses. We take great pride in our associates.”
E&A Cleaning
Christine and John of Team Hubbert, Realtors with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
More than a Deal
Finding Hope and Home with Agents Who
are Pros at Dealing with Life’s
Challenges
PHOTOS BY JORDAN RANDALL WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEAM HUBBERT
For John and Christine Hubbert, real estate is not just a career—it is a mission rooted in their own journey of second chances. They guide their clients through what are often difficult, life-altering transitions with personal insight and professional excellence, proving that there can be a calm at the end of the storm and hope in the midst of chaos.
When you walk into John and Christine’s spacious South Lakeland home you immediately see evidence of a family in the thick of an ever-evolving journey.
You see the picturesque eye-catching large photo panels of the couple and their three children in the entry way and you can audibly hear the rumbling of their family pet turtle Cowboy in the next room. You find a sleek modern office space filled with a real estate buying and selling board, an impressive collection of sports memorabilia and industry recognitions. Christine is also honest to acknowledge that a dining table or a desk in her daughter’s room are spaces where she regularly gets deals done. Their eye for aesthetically pleasing real estate is obvious as you look at a home filled with custom features and projects they have completed over the last three-plus years, yet they are ready for fresh coats of paint, new lighting, etc. to further make their house a home.
The reality is the leaders of Team Hubbert—a group that has established itself as leaders in Central Florida real estate—are usually seen all put together, whether in a magazine, on a compelling social media reel or on a digital display. But day to day and moment to moment, they
can relate to the stresses and challenges of life we all face, making them even more motivated to use a deep passion for helping people coupled with adept use of evolving technology to find creative solutions for every client.
Both John and Christine came to their relationship, and eventually their business partnership, after experiencing profound personal hardships that fundamentally reshaped their views on life and housing. Christine, a lifelong Lakelander with nearly two decades of managerial experience at Publix, and financial experience at Midflorida Credit Union, was going through a divorce that included the process of having to give up her first home.
“Losing that was hard,” Christine recalls, revealing that she actually thought life was nearly perfect just two weeks before her first marriage started to fall apart. “I bought my first house for $113,000 and it was a short sale...my mortgage was $740 a month, and it was just amazing.”
Meanwhile, John was grappling with his own divorce and financial struggles after unexpectedly losing his job. He was a shift manager at age 18 and a store manager by 20 for a prominent chain in the restaurant industry, but he was laid off after nearly eight years of long hours where he engineered some remarkable turnarounds at the stores he led.
John candidly shares the depth of the hardship that ensued, even having to donate plasma just to feed his daughter.
“I can write a whole book about my story,” he says. “I did car sales for a few months…then to a valet company for a couple of years…I did whatever I could.”
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In 2017, John reached out to Christine (who had become a part-time residential realtor while working at Publix) via Instagram because he saw somebody who might be able to help him get his house ready to sell, an important part of regaining his financial independence. What he found was something much more than someone who could tell him where his greatest ROI would come from with quick renovations and how to get the most eyes on his listing.
They started painting walls and replacing floors and a whirlwind romance ensued. Yes, Christine made the sale, but as a couple they were sold on being more than just friends— something Christine admits she didn’t expect when they first met. John then helped her get her home ready to list as well, and in a short amount of time the couple moved into a townhome together with their two children.
In 2018 John and Christine were married at the Magnolia Building in Downtown Lakeland, and that December they welcomed their daughter Chloe into the family.
“We just wanted to do this. We weren’t in a stage of just having fun and dating and all that,” John recalls. “We wanted to settle down and have a family.”
That commitment to building a new life after the chaos became the heartbeat of Team Hubbert.
Christine became a licensed realtor in 2015, doing afterhours work, while still working as a regional property manager for Publix.
Meanwhile, John was working for Christine’s dad’s septic company, where he connected with many of the most wellknown builders and started to gain a better understanding of
“We pride ourselves on finding a way to make something work even if it feels like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel,” John says. “You’ve just got to hang in there because it’s not easy sometimes, and we get that, and we put the work in to find solutions.”
the local housing market himself. Quietly he decided to pursue a license in real estate, and once he passed the state exam he decided to jump right in, not knowing a pandemic was just around the corner.
John jokes that he essentially “fed himself to the sharks,” but the fact he closed more deals than any rookie in the United States for Better Homes and Gardens in 2020 proved he had the grit and determination to make the perfect complement to Christine.
In 2021, the couple co-founded Team Hubbert. Soon after, Christine stepped away from the grocery giant, went all in on real estate and worked on earning her MBA in Marketing and Management from Florida Southern College.
Fast forward to 2024, when Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices was excited to announce that the Hubberts and their dynamic team had joined its Florida Properties Group.
The Team Hubbert brand is often summarized by John’s simple, powerful metaphor: the “Publix of real estate.” It’s a nod to his wife’s experience, the respect they have for what the company founded by George Jenkins has built and reflects a philosophy of delivering a consistently top-notch customer experience from start to finish.
Christine brought the rigor of the corporate world into their real estate operations, transforming the business from its early days of “Excel spreadsheets and writing things by hand.”
“We try to incorporate a lot of what we did or what I did as a manager with Publix and systems and operations,” Christine explains. “I learned a lot throughout the process about the systems that work the magic, and you just have to learn how to use them.”
Beyond internal efficiency, their commitment to service means using emerging technologies that can give their clients and edge.
In a world where most clients research homes on their phones before even meeting an agent, Team Hubbert is very proactive. They utilize 360-degree virtual tours in their marketing and dedicate team members to researching emerging tools.
Christine adds that they have their team looking into new tech, such as the recent ways Google is integrating real estate listings into its repertoire.
Ultimately, the goal of this technological and systematic edge is not to replace human connection but to enhance it, ensuring that the necessary legwork is seamless so they can focus on what clients truly value: trustworthy and timely communication and experience.
Christine has helped numerous clients through divorces, devastating diagnoses and picking up the pieces following the death of a loved one.
“I work to deescalate things quickly, and I communicate to them I’ve been there, I understand you, and I am a neutral party who is on your side,” she says. “It’s about connecting with them on an emotional level and also understanding their short and long-term goals.”
Despite what was considered a down market by many experts in 2025, Team Hubbert—which consists of 14 total staff members—achieved their highest sales volume to date. This growth is a reflection of their resilience and adaptability. Looking ahead, John and Christine see the Central Florida market continuing its tremendous growth. John even calls Lakeland “a mini Tampa.”
No matter what the volume is or the market profile looks like, they are going to approach each opportunity with heart and compassion.
“That always comes first, and we pride ourselves on finding a way to make something work even if it feels like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel,” John says. “You’ve just got to hang in there because it’s not easy sometimes, and we get that, and we put the work in to find solutions.”
Growing Up With Great Care
The Evolution of Pediatric Care at LRH
WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS | PHOTOS BY LANDON DAVIS AND PROVIDED BY LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH
DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH
For parents in Polk County, a trip to a specialist often meant a long drive out of the county.
As Dr. Joseph Khoury—a pediatric orthopedic surgeon for Nemours Children’s Health, who practices at Lakeland Regional Health— points out, even 10 years ago, “If you were a kid in Polk County and you needed surgery, you had to leave the county to get it.”
That is no longer the case. Thanks to significant investment from LRH and a strategic partnership between LRH and Nemours, children and families can receive highly specialized pediatric care close to home.
“Kids are a lot more fun to take care of than adults,” says Dr. Khoury when asked why he chose pediatrics. “They are healthier in general and faster to heal. They are also motivated to get better and get back to having fun, where some adults are not as motivated.”
This joyful perspective is a common thread among the LRH team.
Dr. Charles Eldridge, pediatric emergency medicine director at LRH’s George W. Jenkins Children’s Emergency Department, says the team is “always trying to ensure they are providing the best care that they can for children.” LRH has the only dedicated pediatric emergency
From top to bottom, left to right:
Dr. Charles Eldridge, Dr. Drew Rideout, and Dr. Joseph Khoury
department in Polk County with a kid-friendly environment designed to keep children calm and comfortable.
IMPROVED ACCESS TO LIFE-CHANGING CARE
The partnership is exemplified by Dr. Khoury’s schedule. He spends four days a week at LRH for clinic and surgery, and one day a week at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, in Orlando. Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, which is ranked among the very best children’s hospitals for pediatric orthopedics and more by U.S. News & World Report, is where Dr. Khoury does complex scoliosis surgeries, which require two orthopedic surgeons.
This arrangement ensures that the highest level of specialized care, previously only accessible in neighboring metro areas, is now consistently available close to home.
Nemours Children’s Health at Lakeland Regional Health has an entirely separate pediatric operating room suite with its own scrub team, pediatric intensivists, and nurses, all housed within the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children. This dedicated infrastructure ensures that every aspect of a child’s care, from surgery to recovery, is optimized for their unique needs.
Pediatric surgeon Dr. Drew Rideout, who tackles everything from routine hernias and appendectomies to rare congenital anomalies like esophageal atresia, enjoys the challenges and variety of the specialty.
“With pediatrics, the specialty is pediatrics!” he jokes.
He often employs minimally invasive surgeries, such as creating three small holes to connect the esophagus in an area about as wide as a golf ball, which results in less scarring, quicker recovery, and fewer issues later.
DEVELOPING A CARE PLAN BEYOND CHILDHOOD
What sets LRH’s care apart—and offers profound reassurance to parents of children with chronic illnesses—is its complex care model that extends beyond the age of 21.
At many traditional children’s hospitals, patients “age out” once they become young adults, forcing them to transition to adultfocused physicians. For patients with serious, lifelong conditions like cystic fibrosis or spina bifida, this transition can be fraught with uncertainty. Adult-care physicians may have limited experience with these conditions, which were historically considered “childhood illnesses” because life expectancy was shorter. Now, with improved care, these patients are living longer, healthier lives, but they face new challenges in navigating the adult healthcare system.
Because LRH is a hospital that provides care for both children and adults, the pediatric team can orchestrate a seamless transfer of care.
Dr. Rideout highlights this unique advantage: “What’s exciting about doing pediatrics at a hospital that also cares for adults is the complex care that’s available.”
For patients with cystic fibrosis, which affects the lungs, among other organs, he can work directly with a pulmonologist to “arrange continuation of care” into adulthood.
Dr. Khoury echoes this, mentioning that for children with spina bifida, he actively develops a care plan before handing them off to an adult physician, ensuring the new doctor is fully equipped to continue the specialized treatment.
This ability to provide an unbroken chain of knowledge and expertise is invaluable and is a reflection of the team’s familyoriented approach.
“We take care of the child, but we talk with the parents,” Dr. Rideout says. “Some surgeries, like an appendectomy, are routine for us. But it’s their child, so it’s very different. We want to answer all their questions and make sure they are comfortable.”
Dr. Eldridge says families can trust their child is in the right place when they are at LRH and being cared for by Nemours and LRH physicians.
“We’re able to treat everything from minor injuries to more severe injuries, such as broken bones, concussions, asthma exacerbations, and pediatric trauma,” he says.
GROWING WITH THE COMMUNITY
For these physicians, their confidence comes not only from years of experience as surgeons, but also from the functional outcomes for the children they care for.
Dr. Khoury finds it extremely rewarding to help a child with a neurological disease like cerebral palsy “be able to walk on their own rather than use a wheelchair or walker,” or help a child “be able to play a sport.”
“They want to have fun. They want to look like everyone else instead of looking ‘different,’ and they want to do the things that their friends are doing,” he says matter-of-factly.
As one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, where thousands of boys and girls are born each year, the ability to offer state-of-the-art, dedicated pediatric care is not just helpful—it’s a necessity.
“It’s an exciting time for Lakeland,” Dr. Khoury concludes, “as we are able to offer more and more care to the families of Polk County.”
“Kids are a lot more fun to take care of than adults,” says Dr. Khoury when asked why he chose pediatrics. “They are healthier in general and faster to heal.”
2918 CLUBHOUSE RD, LAKELAND, FL 33812
3 BED | 3 BATH | 3,530 SQFT | $1,299,000
This is where Luxury meets lifestyle this Custom Built Tapia Parade winner has 3 bedrooms, 3-baths plus a Bonus Room and office, where you can instantly imagine your life unfolding in solace, elegance, and tranquility. From the soaring tray ceilings to the seamless flow of its thoughtfully designed layout, every detail is a testament to upscale living. No HOA. The heart of the home invites both relaxation and entertaining, with a separate Family room and living room and beautiful granite countertops, gas appliances, and a walk-in pantry in a kitchen built to inspire. It also has, walk-in closets, over-sized walk in master shower onlooking a beautiful fountain garden area. Walk through to the expansive screened patio and picture evenings spent by the pool and hot tub, overlooking the large backyard and the view of beautiful conservation. This home features beautiful paver finishes patio/pool deck. Extra features include a tankless hot water heater, whole-home backup generator, gas washer and dryer convey with the home and a central home vacuum system. Built by renowned Tapia Homes, it’s a place designed for great entertaining while living a luxury lifestyle. All sizes approximate buyer to verify. Seller is a licensed real estate broker.
5 keys to your best year yet for your body and mind.
WRITTEN BY THE LAKELANDER STAFF
keep on moving.
Have you heard of exercise snacks? Not a slim jim (or maybe an organic natural meat stick to be more specific) in your fanny pack or an M&M for every set of pushups you do—but bite-sized workouts that you can do throughout the day without breaking much of a sweat or changing into workout gear.
Exercise snacks refers to short bursts of energy you expend exercising different parts of your body, for one minute or less, spaced throughout the day.
Popular examples include squats, jumping jacks, burpees, push-ups and planks. While at work, consider how you can easily implement quick hits like wall sits or calf raises.
Some ways to move more in 2026 can also include:
→ Committing to tracking your steps, whether through your phone or a smart watch (there are many entry level options for $50 or less that can do a great job.) You may have heard you need to hit 10,000 steps every day to stay on track, but a massive research study out of the University of Sydney found otherwise. Data from more than 160,000 adults determined a sweet spot of around 7,000 daily steps decreases a person’s risk of dying, cancer, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and dementia.
→ A morning or evening stretching routine. YouTube has a treasure trove of fitness experts ready to teach you how to increase flexibility and feel better, and regular stretching often leads to increased mobility.
→ Joining a gym for the first time or again, freeing up more time to actually use the membership you aren’t getting the most out of. According to our recent Lakelanders’ Choice results, you might want to check out Just Move, Earn Your Stripes or Crunch Fitness
→ Taking up golf, pickleball or swimming. You do live in Florida, after all.
quit reacting, start preventing.
As part of living your best life you should be in the habit of:
→ Scheduling your annual physical and get a standard bloodwork panel regularly. It’s best to actually confirm (or deny) that the way you feel properly correlates with your overall health. Spending roughly half an hour can help reveal underlying conditions you are unaware of, answer questions about symptoms you are experiencing and get you professional recommendations about how to improve your wellbeing in the future.
→ Using technology for reasons beyond streaming and earning a free combo in your favorite app. Consider using your phone, a smartwatch and/or other affordable devices to track heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose or more.
→ Connecting with your primary care provider. If you aren’t satisfied with or don’t have a local primary care physician—get one! You have more options than ever before with providers like Lakeland Regional Health, Orlando Health, Watson Clinic and Central Florida Health Care, among many others. Having a team who knows your medical history should not only give you peace of mind, but ensures that you are receiving referrals and continuity of care from someone who knows your physical wellbeing better than anyone else.
→ Asking the trusted medical professionals in your life for wisdom on everything from what you put in your body to recommended natural remedies to ways to incorporate healthy habits throughout your days. See what they have to say about local services like infusion IV therapy or halotherapy (aka salt rooms), or hot topics like weight loss supplements or longevity.
protect your mental health.
It’s OK to not be OK, but it’s even better to have people and methods in place to help you through the inevitable challenges of life before they hit.
→ Develop digital boundaries, and we don’t mean live your life within a five foot space of your phone at all times. Let your phone rest while you’re enjoying a meal, create specific modes for your technology to help you focus on important parts of your life and start a digital wind down an hour or more before bedtime. Less demanding messages and reminders of comparison culture give you space to breathe and be more present in reality. Remember, many app and phone developers have admitted they strive to create addictive products that you’ll never want to put down.
→ Don’t be afraid to consider and actually try therapy. It’s a proven fact—therapy will not solve all your problems. It will, however, usually introduce you more fully to yourself, help you understand your personality and your brain wiring and offer coping strategies and resources that are useful in the highs and lows of life. Check what your insurance plan offers, search for options through local churches or be vulnerable enough to ask friends what has and has not worked for them.
→ Practice gratitude and be more generous. Scientific evidence shows that being grateful for good things in life and bringing good things into other people’s lives is actually the equivalent of a mental workout for your brain. These practices help rewire your brain for increased positivity through feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin and reducing stress hormones. Do this enough and you might experience stronger relationships and regular moods that make your friends wonder what you’re doing differently.
strengthen your relationships.
What’s the key to living a longer, happier life? According to the most comprehensive study into happiness ever conducted, Harvard University researchers concluded it is positive relationships with other people that matter most.
“We didn’t believe our own data at first,” said study director Robert Waldinger in a 2023 interview. “It stands to reason that you’d be happier if you had good relationships—those two things go together—but how could good relationships predict that you’d be less likely to get coronary artery disease or type 2 diabetes or arthritis?”
Researchers hypothesize that close relationships act as “stress regulators.” In essence, those relationships help our bodies calm down and return to equilibrium after being sent into a state of distress because of a volatile or challenging event.
To work toward improved relational health in 2026:
→ Make it a priority to share meals with family or close friends who are your support system or connect over walks at favorite local spots that include Lake Parker, Fort Fraser Trail, Peterson Park or Lake Hollingsworth, among so many others.
→ Join a community group, a club or a church. Lakelander staff may be partial to Trinity Presbyterian Church and Church for the One because of how God has used those communities to shape some of our lives, but great options abound. Maybe Lakeland Community Theatre or the AGB Polk Museum of Art would scratch your creative itch or getting plugged into a group like Bridge Local could expand your horizons as a small business owner.
→ Limit “doom scrolling,” and if you must scroll at all, check out great social media groups and pages with a purpose and a heart, like Lakeland Mom, We Live in Lakeland and I Have Questions, LkldNow or yes, even The Lakelander.
eat simply, not perfectly.
You shouldn’t always “eat dessert first” as the old cliche states, but you also don’t have to cut out treats altogether to live healthier.
Your goal for 2026 could be creating sustainable eating and nutrition habits instead of hoping and praying a complex or extreme diet will stick.
The 80/20 rules popularized by many health experts and influencers says you should stick to healthy habits 80 percent of the time, and allow yourself to indulge for the other 20.
To make the most of the time where you are being disciplined:
→ Make some local health conscious stops part of your regular routine, including Vegetation Plant Food, SoFresh and The Juice Box.
→ Build meals around protein, fiber and healthy fats. Make sure to read all the labels at your favorite chain retailers or check out specialty spots like Chamberlin’s Natural Foods, Anthony’s Health Hut and Harvest Meat Markets
→ Stock up on fresh, locally grown produce at places like Downtown Farmers Curb Market, Fancy Fruit & Produce or Uncle Frank’s Produce
→ Take the pressure off preparing healthier meals by looking at options from local businesses who make a living by doing it for you. Resilient Meals has established itself as a local leader for healthy convenient options to help you stay on track, and Jonesin’ for Keto is serving up fresh, nutritional to-go meals as well.
new year, new you?
A personalized check-in for the year ahead. How to use this page: Answer what resonates, skip what doesn’t. Come back anytime, this should be a tool, not a test.
1. KEEP ON MOVING, YOUR WAY.
Remember, movement doesn’t have to be intense to be meaningful.
→ Right now, my relationship with movement feels like: (circle what applies) energizing, inconsistent, intimidating, enjoyable, something I want to improve, something I want to rethink
→ When I move my body, I feel best when I:
→ Types of movement I enjoy, or want to implement: (circle what applies) walking, stretching, strength training, short “exercise snacks”, group fitness, sports, being outside
→ One small and realistic way I can move more during the week here in Lakeland:
2. QUIT REACTING, AND START LISTENING.
Caring for your health doesn’t start when something feels wrong.
→ Right now, I would describe my health habits as: proactive inconsistent reactive improving unsure of where to begin
→ Appointments or check-ins I want to prioritize this year include:
→ Something my body has been asking for lately: (circle what applies) rest, movement, hydration, attention, support, other:
→ Signs I sometimes ignore but want to pay better attention to this year:
3. PROTECT YOUR PEACE, MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS.
Mental health is shaped by habits, boundaries, and support.
→ Right now, my mental energy feels: steady stretched thin overstimulated calm in need of care
→ Things that reliably help me feel grounded:
→ One coping tool I want to lean into more this year:
→ One boundary that would protect my mental health this year is (think work, digital, social, or personal):
→ If I need extra support this year, who can I turn to? friends family therapist or coach faith or community group other:
→ My relationship with my phone and screens would be healthier if I:
4. RELATIONSHIPS THAT MATTER.
Connection shapes how we experience stress, joy, and everything in between.
→ The people who make me feel supported are:
→ In 2026, I want to be more intentional about: quality time communication shared activities meeting new people reconnecting with old friends
→ Relationships I want to nurture or strengthen this year (This could be family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, or even yourself):
→ Ways I feel the most connected to others: (Circle all that apply) shared meals, conversations w/out distractions, movement or activities, serving or volunteering, creative or spiritual spaces
→ One small way I can show up for someone weekly this year is:
5. EATING SIMPLY, NOT PERFECTLY.
Healthy eating will look different for everyone.
→ One habit around food I want to build:
→ One habit around food I want to release:
→ Foods or meals that help me feel energized and satisfied:
→ A local place that I want to frequent more that supports healthier choices for myself:
WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS
PHOTOS BY MADI ELIZABETH
The Redemption Stories Happening at One Local School
That Isn’t Afraid to be Different
When Sahnai Greig walked through the door of New Beginnings High School at the Downtown Lakeland campus she was not defined by her past. She was not just a foster child, a teenager grappling with the death of her parents, or a student who had attended seven different high schools and fallen critically behind. She was an 18-year-old in desperate need of someone to see her potential beyond a battered spirit and a high school transcript that looks a lot like the blueprint for a future dropout. When her guidance counselor at her previous school referred her to New Beginnings she was in fact extending a lifeline to Sahnai.
“My first thought was, oh my gosh, I’m going to an alternative school,” Sahnai says, recalling her initial fear of being surrounded by “kids that fight, kids that are crazy, kids that are gonna attack me or are going to have ankle bracelets on.”
But what she found was an immediate and profound revelation. “I actually sat in class and I realized that everybody I was sitting with was just like me and had a story to tell just like me…we were all here for a second, a third, a fourth, or a fifth chance.”
Mae Farley, College and Career Teacher at New Beginnings High School, helps students understand their paths beyond high school and encourages them through the tough times while calling them up to a higher standard.
Her experience hasn’t been without bumps—in fact she failed a couple of classes early on and had to acclimate to an academic environment that is a distinctive blend of self-directed learning online, traditional class settings and one-on-one meetings with staff.
Yet, she currently is volunteering locally as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), has a strong desire to one day go into pediatric oncology to help families traverse the unimaginable journey of having a child with cancer, and she is on track to graduate in 2026.
None of that would likely be even a glimmer of a dream without the nurturing encouragement of Mae Farley, New Beginnings’ College and Career Teacher. Farley retired from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office after more than 35 years of service and her prayerful surrender to God of “What’s next?” eventually landed her at the school.
Sahnai—who has long grappled with what it means to be a motherlike figure to her five younger sisters in foster care—said Farley has become like a mom to her, willing to help her find transportation to take a test, helping her navigate post-high school options and seeing the best in her, even through tears and missteps.
“She’s helped me climb little stairs, one step at a time. And even though I’m not the best student…she’s never ever given up on me,” she
“One kid told me that he didn’t like his auntie and he asked me, ‘Can you be my auntie?’” she recalls. “I said, ‘Yes, I’ll be your auntie, whatever you need me to do.’”
says with conviction. “There have been Fridays where I’m like, ‘I’m not coming this Friday,’ and she says, ‘Ok, but next Friday you’ll be taking both of these assignments.’”
Farley, who has served youth for more than three decades at the church she attends, said her calling is to simply be present for students from broken homes and backgrounds that shape them, but don’t have to define them longterm.
“One kid told me that he didn’t like his auntie and he asked me, ‘Can you be my auntie?’” she recalls. “ I said, ‘Yes, I’ll be your auntie, whatever you need me to do’.”
Sahnai’s journey, from living in her car and missing more than five credits to being on track to graduate and preparing to speak at her commencement, and Mrs. Farley’s wholehearted commitment, epitomizes the school’s pivotal role in filling a systemic gap. The school, a charter school that holds its charter through Polk County Public Schools, but operates independently, has positioned itself as a critical intervention point for young adults aged 15 to 24 at campuses in Lakeland, Winter Haven and Fort Meade—and soon to be in the Four Corners/Davenport area as well.
While traditional public high schools, which often enroll more than 2,000 students on large sprawling campuses, sometimes struggle to manage the needs of every individual, New Beginnings focuses on those for whom life circumstances have made the mainstream classroom untenable. It’s an educational model built on the principle that academic success for at-risk students requires more than just teaching—it requires a holistic network of support.
New Beginnings offers individualized, flexible learning options that allow students to earn the credits necessary to graduate through WOT Educational Services—an educational technology platform and comprehensive service provider founded by Ashlee Wright, the Lakelander who also established New Beginnings High School in 2011.
Staff also connects students to community resources and provides mental health and wellness opportunities as part of an approach that is geared toward helping every single student find a path forward, no matter their current transcript or situation.
As Sahnai puts it: “Staff will not let you leave without an option,” sharing that administrators and teachers help students explore everything from college to trade school to a career in the military.
Logan Wiggins finished his coursework at New Beginnings in 2025, and today is enrolled at Polk State College. He dreams of one day starting and operating his own business.
18-year-old Sahnai Greig is currently volunteering as a CNA and on track to earn her high school diploma this year—a remarkable turnaround from jumping from high school to high school for several years following the loss of her mother.
“I actually sat in class and I realized that everybody I was sitting with was just like me and had a story to tell just like me…we were all here for a second, a third, a fourth, or a fifth chance.”
Karl Krueger, the school’s director of academic progress, shared his own journey, revealing that his current role is his “new beginning,” after many years as an elementary teacher and then a middle school teacher in Polk County Public Schools. He left PCPS nearly a decade ago frustrated by what he calls bureaucracy and policies he felt “were more about funding than students.” He even wrote a lengthy letter to district leadership detailing his experience.
He came back to education seeking a challenge, and at New Beginnings, he found it—a chance to work in a system that he says is focused squarely on student success.
What success looks like is as unique as each student, and oftentimes students come in with a very disrespectful attitude, seeking to see what the boundaries and limits are.
“But then a lot time there’s like this ‘click’ and you see this change from a student who has been all attitude and grief and now they’re like, ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘Yes, ma’am.’” Krueger says. “They go from disruptive and causing trouble to respectful and graduating…and that’s addictive to see that kind of change!”
An example of that impact can be found in the Wiggins family. Logan Wiggins was struggling with a severe case of “senioritis” his senior year at Bartow High School, and his mother, Patsy, said he was so overwhelmed that he was on the verge of dropping out. He enjoyed playing football for the Yellow Jackets through his junior year, but his mom said ultimately he felt he got lost in the shuffle. They didn’t fault Bartow High School staff or administration whatsoever—they simply saw the need for a reset at a crucial time in Logan’s life.
As his father, Ralph, explains, “Everything about New Beginnings… it’s structured to where it gives the students... clarity on what’s gonna happen throughout the day.” For Logan, the fact that he could work from home and progress at his own pace was the essential component.
The one-on-one attention made an immediate impact, and he earned his diploma from New Beginnings in 2025. Logan felt “immediately accepted” by staff and other students, and he credits a teacher, Ms. Love, with always inspiring him when he came in for exams.
Logan is now studying business management at Polk State College and dreams of starting his own business. His mother is clear on the outcome: “New Beginnings changed his senior year. It changed his life, in all honesty…he would not be at Polk State. He would not be working—he would probably be laying on the couch playing video games all day.”
Enrollment is open year-round at NBHS, meaning the opportunity for students like him to experience a turnaround is evergreen.
Chief Marketing Officer Maria Alou says a lot of New Beginnings’ achievements and staying power can be attributed back to Wright, whose family has long been local leaders of creating educational solutions for as many students as possible.
Her father, Clint, served as the assistant superintendent for PCPS, as well as superintendent of Lake Wales Charter Schools, while her mother, Debra, worked in education for more than 40 years and served a stint on the Polk County School Board.
Partnerships that Ashlee Wright and others in and close to the school have cultivated over the years have resulted in significant grant dollars. Krueger noted that the school’s Innovation Lab was grant funded, and by 2027 the school is unveiling a new robotics program thanks to a recently activated revenue stream.
The expansion of New Beginnings programming and campuses coincides with a population explosion that has seen Polk County grow from nearly 484,000 residents in 2000 to approximately 880,000 in 2025. PCPS increased its graduation rate by more than 4 percent last year, and spaces like New Beginnings are a necessity for students represented by the 17-plus percent of non-graduating seniors—including students like Zach Roth.
If you met the college freshman now you’d see a young man with a bright future who worked hard to earn an athletic scholarship to Mid-Atlantic Christian University in North Carolina. What you wouldn’t see is a once unmotivated youth who flunked ninth grade and had no future aspirations.
Mrs. Farley and Mr. Krueger remember a tough transition into New Beginnings for Zach that included almost half a year of being jaded and lacking any interest in doing what he needed to turn his life around. The staff stayed the course with him, though, and Mrs. Farley vividly remembers the moment something clicked in Zach.
“They go from disruptive and causing trouble to respectful and graduating…and that’s addictive to see that kind of change!”
He had a passion for baseball, and the coaching staff at Lake Gibson High School said they had a spot for him if he became academically eligible. He worked his way onto the roster and started making a difference on the field while still trying to find his footing academically.
“[Several of us} told him to give us his schedule, and we showed up to his game at George Jenkins High School,” Mrs. Farley says. “He could not believe that I had showed up for his game, and from that day forward we saw real buy-in. After that, he was serious.”
Tackling a heavy courseload, Zach earned two years of credits within a year to jumpstart the next chapter of his life. Today, he frequently stops by the school for visits when he’s home for holidays and breaks.
Seeing familiar faces like Zach’s pop in is a clear indication to Mrs. Farley she is exactly where God intended her to be.
“Being here has made me a better person. Even though I retired at 55…there were certain things I still hadn’t matured in, and this place has helped me do that,” she says. “No matter where a kid is in their life, no matter what they did not accomplish in 2025, or any time during their life—the mountains or hurdles or the tough times that they’ve been through—here at New Beginnings, they can always be guaranteed a fresh start.”
Logan’s message to other students who are struggling is simple but powerful: “Ask for help.” He advises them to give New Beginnings a chance because, looking back, he realizes, “if I would’ve known that I could do this rather than spend a whole year struggling…I would have.”
Sahnai was also eager to input wisdom to other young adults searching for a meaningful path in the midst of a messy and painful life. She penned the following reflection about her experience at New Beginnings:
As we approach the new year, I’m incredibly grateful for the new beginning this school has given me. It’s a place where I feel supported, challenged and inspired to become the best version of myself. For anyone out there who’s facing similar struggles, whether it’s academic setbacks or difficult personal circumstances, I highly recommend exploring the possibility at New Beginnings High School. It might just be the fresh start you need to rewrite your story and create your own success.
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PHOTOS BY JORDAN RANDALL WRITTEN BY TERRI GREEN, OWNER OF HOLLINGSWORTH HOME INTERIORS
Once we pack up the holiday decor and the last few ornaments are put away our homes start itching for a refresh. With after-Christmas sales and furniture closeouts it’s easy to assume a large purchase is the most effective way to do that, even if it’s not the most attainable. A fresh look starts with small changes. No need to tear down walls or take on a full-scale remodel to breathe new life into your home. With these thoughtful updates you can create a space that feels renewed and reflective of your personality and style.
Swap out textiles for a seasonal change
Create an accent wall
Update your lighting
Restyle open shelving and surfaces
Bring in some green
SWAP OUT TEXTILES FOR A SEASONAL CHANGE
Throw pillows, area rugs and blankets are some of the easiest and most impactful ways to refresh your space. If decorating for the warmer months choose breezy fabrics and lighter hues. In the cooler, winter months try layering cozy rich textured materials like velvet, faux fur or chunky knits. Mixing up your textiles seasonally can make your space feel fresh all year long.
Stick to a complementary color palette so your updates feel pulled together and are easily interchangeable.
UPDATE YOUR LIGHTING
Lighting can take any home from bland and dull to sophisticated and charming. Lighting, both overhead and accent, plays a major role in the general feel and vibe of your home. Swapping outdated light fixtures for more updated modern styles or simply changing the placement of floor and table lamps can dramatically change the room’s mood. If you’re looking for ambiance in your space consider adding dimmers on your light switches or buying new lamps with a 3-way lightbulb feature. In the main living areas of your house it’s helpful to have 3 forms of lighting to create a functional layered design, ambient (general overall light), task (focused lighting for activities like reading) and accent light (highlighting features like art or textures).
Statement lighting over a kitchen island or dining table can move your home from builder grade to custom in an afternoon. As you purchase pendants or flush-mount lighting, always remember to consider the scale of your room, you don’t want a fixture too large or too small for your space.
CREATE AN ACCENT WALL
A bold accent wall can instantly make a space feel more cohesive and intentional. Opt for a fresh coat of paint, peel-and-stick wallpaper or even a custom wood accent wall to add architectural interest. An accent wall can add dimension and a focal point to your room with minimal construction or commitment.
The trending colors for 2026 are warm earth tones like sage, olive green, or even terracotta. Wallpaper with rich hues such as burgundy and deep blue create a sophisticated atmosphere that feels natural and lived-in.
RESTYLE OPEN SHELvING AND SURFACES
Clutter in our homes is inevitable after the holiday season. New devices, toys and nicknacks can cloud our ascetic. This clutter can make any home feel void of purpose and style. Take a fresh approach by restyling your shelves, coffee tables, or built-ins. Mixing textures and colors creates dimension in otherwise flat areas. Some ideas to consider decorating with are books, candlesticks, plants, and other personal items that reflect your style.
Use the “rule of three” to keep things balanced. Try grouping items in odd numbers for a curated look.
BRING IN SOME GREEN
Few things revitalize a room quite like plants. Place a tall floor plant in the corner of your room, display cut blooms in a tall vase on your counter or scatter small succulent plants around for a low-maintenance option on shelves or end tables. If you aren’t ready for the commitment and upkeep of plants try finding faux plants that can give you the same look with less upkeep.
Snake plants, Pothos and ZZ plants are easy to style and hardy for those of us with the opposite of a green thumb.
MESSIEH ORTHOPEDIC CLINIC
Reach out to Hollingsworth Homes at hollingsworthhomeinteriors@gmail.com or 616.821.0463 Check out some favorite local spots to freshen up your home, including:
Scout & Tag The Curated Collective Home Essentials The Lighting Hut VF Furniture Junely Vintage Warehouse
What the YMCA's Expansion Says About Historic Generosity and an Exciting Future
PHOTOS
BY MADI
ELIZABETH AND PROVIDED BY YMCA OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA
WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS
DESIGNED BY MADDY LAROCK
Wright’s journey from an energetic grade-school boy enjoying all the YMCA had to offer to CEO of YMCA West Central Florida is a quintessential story of the Y’s enduring impact. His personal history is just one thread in a rich, intergenerational tapestry that continues to define the organization, a tapestry woven with the stories of leaders, families and community builders who grew up within its walls.
The newly renovated (and truthfully, still being renovated until later this year) Bob Adams Family Community YMCA, a 160,000 square-foot multi-purpose athletic and fitness facility, is a cornerstone project that shows what’s possible when community members and organizations come together to fund a roughly $25 million upgrade.
Inside the striking new space is a state-of-the art weight room filled with Matrix Fitness equipment to serve all ages and abilities, an expansive turf field for indoor soccer, lacrosse, etc., new basketball courts and a one-tenth of a mile hanging track that is on par with what some Division I colleges feature.
Bob Adams, the namesake on the outside of the building, said it’s a privilege to have his name intertwined with the Jenkins family and other longtime local philanthropists over the years as his family has played a vital role in building what he proudly calls “an unbelievable asset” to Lakeland.
“I remember back in the summer of 1980 when the acting director said, ‘You know, the original plans had an indoor racquetball facility, but they just ran out of money,’” Adams recalls. “So I went and looked at the plans, thought it would be good to install some courts, and instead of trying to raise more money and put it out for bid, I said, ‘What the heck, I’ll build it myself.’ So we built out the racquetball courts.”
Adams, who has served on the board and helped fund updates to the facility numerous times, was primed to assist when former CEO Dr. Elaine Thompson made the financial ask necessary for the extensive overhaul—as were many other people.
Twenty-two individuals or families donated at least $100,000, as well as helped secure additional funding for the revamped campus. Their names are emblazoned on a plaque that highlights the “Elephant Club,” because of course, you have to eat an elephant one bite at a time.
Wright said recently that CEOs and colleagues from other YMCAs across the country have shared how remarkable, and even unusual, that breadth of support is, and if you ask the local donors, they will probably point to stories of young adults like Wright to indicate a surefire return on their investment.
Growing up in West Lakeland, Wright was introduced to The First Tee program by his cousin at the age of 9. This led to a routine of golf in the mornings at
Chantelle Hrubes Chief Strategy Officer of YMCA of West Central Florida
TJ Wright CEO of YMCA of West Central Florida
the YMCA Par 3, followed by afternoons at the Y for basketball, swimming and more. This wasn’t just recreation, Wright shares, it was a character-building experience.
“The First Tee program, we always say, is second to none,” Wright explains. “They mix life skills with the game of golf. We’re teaching kids respect, responsibility, integrity—those core values... I don’t think I would be the same person I am today had I not learned the game of golf.”
He credits the generosity of people like Andy Bean and Sharon Meyers for making the expensive sport accessible to him, showcasing the community support that makes the Y a reality. He would spend up to nine hours a day on the campus during the summer, a safe place that became his second home.
Many locals can relate with Wright’s experience, including YMCA board member Alice Nuttall, Associate Vice President of Behavioral Services at Lakeland Regional Health. She is also a “Y kid,” recalling learning to swim in the pool before she could even walk, and taking tumbling and ballet with Ms. Janet Santasusso, who, decades later, is now her next-door neighbor and still swims at the facility. “I share so many [moments] here with all of you—of life, of growing up, of moments that shaped me,” Nuttall shared with guests at the grand opening of the new facility on October 30, 2025.
Wright’s journey from member to employee started in 2018, when he was hired as a program coordinator. As he attended Southeastern University and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in nonprofit leadership, he earned many promotions to a variety of roles that helped him better understand employees, members, funding sources, strategic planning and more.
“My passion is making sure that everybody knows, for example, that we are literacy leaders, that we provide adult swimming lessons, that we offer specific programs to help women have healthy pregnancies, and things like that.”
- Chantelle Hrubes
On January 29, 2025, the day his son Amari was born, his journey from youth golfer the Y to executive leader came full circle.
While in the hospital with his wife, Bre, he received a call from the board informing him he was being considered for the interim CEO role. At just 28, the young man who once needed the Y’s programs was now being asked to lead the entire association.
He said “Yes,” downsized his paternity leave and got back to work. He officially stepped into the role of fulltime CEO several months later.
“I think TJ is a phenomenal leader,” says Chief Strategy Officer Chantelle Hrubes. “He has the respect of the community, he has the respect of his coworkers, and he just looks at things from a unique perspective.”
A FOUNDATION OF PEOPLE AND PERSEVERANCE
Wright’s perspective, as well as those of board members and other dedicated staff have been the catalyst for a powerful organizational turnaround. During the pandemic, the Y was in a moment of crisis, operating with only three months of reserves left. Wright says thankfully Thompson, who served as President and CEO of Lakeland Regional Health for more than a decade before becoming the President and CEO of YMCA of West Central Florida in 2021, helped instill a new culture of operational excellence.
“Elaine really challenged the status quo. She really challenged us to stick outside the box,” Wright says. “She raised our level of operations...and really got us thinking and evaluating everything that we did.”
The organization was lifted out of survival mode by a collective of staff, the board and donors. Upon her retirement, Thompson gave many individuals a “pickup stick” as a symbol of how they had collectively lifted the organization.
The community’s commitment to the Y is nothing new. Alice Nuttall’s father, Dick Johnson, shared a story from 1975, when he attended a dinner to support the Y at the old Lakeland Civic Center. On the walls were more than 1,000 index cards—each with the name of someone in the community—a testament to the peoplepowered fundraising efforts that have long fueled the YMCA.
This history informs the current CEO’s driving philosophy. “Everything that we do, I try to measure back against impact,” Wright explains, ensuring all new grants and programs are scrutinized against whether they are truly “moving the needle” for the community.
STRATEGIC GROWTH AND A VISION FOR ALL AGES
Hrubes, a long-time Lakeland resident who spent 17 years in the education sector at Polk State College, brings a new strategic focus. Since joining the Y threeand-a-half years ago, her passion has been developing deeper community partnerships and expanding the Y’s reach. “I had no clue all that the Y had to offer before joining the organization,” Hrubes admits. “My passion is making sure that everybody knows our mission to positively impact the community: we are literacy leaders, we provide adult swimming lessons, we offer specific programing to aid in healthy pregnancies, and
Lakeland’s first YMCA opened in 1977. The campus located on Cleveland Heights Blvd. has undergone many transformations over the years, thanks in part to the determination and financial support of Bob Adams (bottom photo).
so many other opportunities besides just our most well-known youth sports, summer camps, VPK and after-school programs.”
The new strategy includes serving more individuals and families throughout Polk County, exemplified by the return to Lake Wales. The YMCA currently offers VPK and after-school programing at their new location on the campus of McLaughlin Academy of Excellence. Starting in August, the Y will offer full childcare services for children from six weeks to 12 years old at this location in partnership with the Polk County Schools to provide high quality early learning.
As you will see on much of the YMCA’s promotional materials, the organization insists it is “more than a gym.” Hrubes stresses its identity as a place of investment, belonging, connection and growth. In an effort to make programming as accessible to all populations as possible, the Y provides scholarships and accepts state-funded School Readiness assistance for their VPK, after-school and summer programs.
“No one will ever be turned away for financial reasons,” Hrubes asserts.
Part of the YMCA’s strength is thanks to longtime partners including Lakeland Regional Health, Publix Super Market Charities, United Way of Central Florida and GiveWell Community Foundation.
This commitment to the “whole child” is where the Y’s principles shine. The 175-year legacy of the organization founded on Christian principles is what you would expect of a global organization with core values that include: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
This focus on character is something Alice Nuttall sees firsthand in her own children. She said in October she had logged more than 1,000 hours on the basketball court with her 9 and 11-year-old boys. She once watched one of her sons play the “fiercest of defense” in one game, only to then “ease up” on a new, struggling team in the next, showing it was just as important to encourage as it is to win. “That’s empathy and strength in action,” Nuttall says.
While people enjoy the shiny new upgrades at the Bob Adams Family Community YMCA, infrastructure upgrades are ongoing in the childcare and additional gym space. Mainline plumbing is being updated, new basketball courts are being installed and a space dedicated to personal training is being built. By June, the campus will have doubled its basketball and soccer space, with plenty of room for future growth.
“I’m a Y kid who grew up in the YMCA, our director here (Zack Ford) grew up in the Y, so we have gone through the programming here as kids and we just kind of embody and live it,” Wright says. “I have seen the impact firsthand, I have felt the impact and that’s what drives me. Everything we do I try to measure back against impact.”
“I’m a Y kid who grew up in the YMCA, our director here (Zack Ford) grew up in the Y, so we have gone through the programming here as kids and we just kind of embody and live it. I have seen the impact firsthand, I have felt the impact and that’s what drives me. Everything we do I try to measure back against impact.”
- TJ Wright
Aerial view of the tennis courts located on Edgewood Drive across from Cleveland Heights Country Club.
Courtesy of the Lakeland Public Library
Edgewood Drive Tennis Courts
1966
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Pediatric Care Close to Home
Your child’s well-being is at the heart of everything we do. That's why Watson Clinic's Pediatrics department now accepts Saturday sick visit appointments exclusively from Watson Clinic Highlands from 8:30 am - 12 pm.
We’re also enhancing access to the providers you know and trust. Dr. Jolie Szocki now welcomes patients solely at Watson Clinic South, while Dr. Jason Cornett, Dr. Kendra Velez Rodriguez, and Ariel Vulgamore, APRN, continue caring for families full-time at North Pediatrics. These moves ensure a more accessible and convenient healthcare experience for the little ones you love most.
