01.03.19 West Orange Times & Observer

W E ST O RA N G E T I M E S &

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VOLUME 86, NO. 1

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

2019 FORECAST

Oakland Nature Preserve is the latest recipient of support from the Disney Conservation Fund for its work to restore sandhill habitats and protect the threatened gopher tortoise.

ONP will receive $50,000 over two years.

The sandhill restoration project not only includes land restoration but also the scientific study of animal diversity found within the sandhill community. Community volunteers will have the opportunity to plant native flora, work as citizen scientists and watch as the areas change over time.

“Sandhill restoration at the Oakland Nature Preserve is made possible by the committed, knowledgeable, passionate volunteers that come every week and get their hands dirty,” said Jennifer Hunt, ONP managing director. “The funds granted to the preserve by the Disney Conservation Fund will assist us in expanding the sandhill restoration areas, allowing the threatened gopher tortoise to flourish even further.”

CHAMBER TO HOST BIG ORANGE AWARDS

People and stories to watch From new faces on the School Board and a new county mayor to the real-estate market and booming churches, West Orange promises to be full of news in 2019. SEE PAGES 3-16.

The West Orange Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual Big Orange Awards from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Openseating tickets are $96 for chamber members and $116 for others. Reserved corporate tables of eight are $800 and $1,000.

The event celebrates the accomplishments of chamber members, and this year’s recipients are Mike Bollhoefer, Chairman’s Award; Dennis Foltz, Sam Hovsepian Award; Chris Garcia, Ambassador of the Year; GeeGee Burmeister, Mary VanDeventer “The Spirit of West Orange” Award; Heichel Plumbing, George Bailey Award; Teresa Jacobs, Bert Roper Award; and Lynn Walker Wright, Danniel J. Petro “The Bright Future of West Orange” Award.

For tickets, visit wochamber.com or call (407) 656-1304.

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YOUR CALENDAR

SATURDAY, JAN. 5

SANDY SHUGART IN CONCERT 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Garden Theatre, 160 W. Plant St., Winter Garden. The Valencia College president will present a night of stories, poetry and folksy acoustic sounds with his musicians. Tickets are $25 ($15 with a Valencia ID) and are on sale at gardentheatre.org.

TUESDAY, JAN. 8

KIDS YOGA 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, at the West Oaks Library, 1821 E. Silver Star Road, Ocoee. Yoga can help kids develop focus and concentration. Learn how you can help your child practice posture, clear their mind and strengthen their mind-body connection.

Yoga mats will be provided. Recommended for kids of all ages.

(407) 835-7323.

TERTULIA CUATRO GATOS/ SPANISH BOOK CLUB 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, at the Windermere Library, 530 Main St. Do you love literature, poetry

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

and music? Would you like to socialize with Hispanics in your community? Join the Spanishlanguage book club. (407) 835-7323.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 9

CUISINE CORNER: HERBAL COLD AND FLU CARE 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, at the Windermere Library, 530 Main St. Get ready for cold and flu season by learning about the immunity boosting powers of tea. Join Karon Cannon, of Tea Craze, to explore the benefits that drinking tea has on one’s health and enjoy a tasting of immunity-boosting teas and herbs. Space is limited. Register online at ocls.info or call (407) 835-7323.

SINGLE & PARENTING SUPPORT GROUP 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Jan. 9 in Building C, Room 201/203, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando. Childcare and youth programming available with prior reservation. Weekly meetings through April 10 include practical topics addressing the many challenges facing single parents. Register online at st.lukes. org/care or call (407) 876-4991, Ext. 262, for information.

THURSDAY, JAN. 10

AUTISM SPECTRUM D ISORDER SUPPORT GROUP 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, in Building C, Room 204, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road.

This support group is designed for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum. Share challenges, ideas, concerns, success stories and fellowship.

A trained facilitator from UCF CARD offers a brief topical lesson each month. Email care@ st.lukes.org or call (407) 8764991, Ext. 262, to register to attend.

SATURDAY, JAN. 12

CARAVANING THE LAKE APOPKA WILDLIFE DRIVE 8:45 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 12, starting at Magnolia Park, 2929 S. Binion Road, Apopka.

Experience the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive with a caravan of drivers. There is no entrance fee, but donations are encouraged with checks made payable to Friends of Lake Apopka and mailed to P.O. Box 770355, Winter Garden, FL 34777-0355.

RSVP with the number of people in the group and daytime phone number to cupletfern@gmail. com.

SECRET MISSION: CODE NAME LIBRARY 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant St. Your mission is to break into a rouge agent’s topsecret lab and recover the plans before time runs out. Recommended for lower and upper elementary. (407) 835-7323.

SUNDAY, JAN. 13

GRIEFSHARE: LOSS OF A SPOUSE 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13, in the Building C Attic at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando. This one-time free program is open to anyone who is grieving the loss of a spouse no matter how long ago. Learn how to process your grief and face the future with hope.

Register online at st.lukes.org/ GriefSharespouse. Email care@ st.lukes.org or call (407) 8764991, Ext. 262, for more info.

THURSDAY, JAN. 17

LET’S CROCHET: BLOCK OF THE MONTH 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, at the Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant St. This class helps beginners build their crochet skills block by block. Each month, create a unique square that can be enjoyed alone or joined together as a comfortable blanket. (407) 835-7323.

SATURDAY, JAN. 19

LEGO BLOCK PARTY 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant St. Is there anything you can’t build with LEGO? Join friends for lots of building fun. The library provides the LEGOs, participants provide the creativity. LEGO will be provided but cannot go home with guests. Recommended for lower and upper elementary.

(407) 835-7323.

TUESDAY, JAN. 22

BOY SCOUT OPEN HOUSE FOR TEEN GIRLS 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, at Camp Ithiel, 2037 Hempel Ave., Gotha. Boy Scouts of America will hold an open house for girls ages 14-17 who are interested in the scouting program. Active scouts and adult leaders can answer questions, provide information and have applications for youth and adults wanting to join the program. Multiple troops for girls will have representatives present to help locate the best troop for each girl.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

2019 FORECAST

Eric Gutierrez

After swearing in, Jerry Demings took to the podium to give his first speech as Orange County mayor.

Answering the call The Orange County mayor had dedicated much of his life serving his community, and that has awarded him with a lifetime of accomplishments.

ERIC GUTIERREZ STAFF WRITER

O

range County Mayor Jerry Demings lives to serve.

Since childhood, he always knew that he wanted to

serve his community, but having grown up poor, he never knew how far his call to service would take him.

“As a child, that wasn’t something that I dreamed about — that I’m going to be mayor one day,” Demings said prior to taking his oath of office. “What I knew was that I wanted to serve my community. From an early age, from being a Boy Scout, I knew that I wanted to be of service to other people. I just didn’t quite know what kind of service.”

In an emotional speech at his historic Oath of Office Ceremony Dec. 4, he said, “A poor kid from Washington Shores in west Orlando has now become the Orange County mayor.”

The story of Orange County’s first African-American mayor is filled with many other “firsts” — all in the name of his lifelong call to serve his community.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Demings, 59, was born and raised in Orlando. Having grown up during the Civil Rights era, many of his early role models were Civil Rights leaders. He even got to meet some of those leaders throughout the years.

“I was born in Phillips Memorial Hospital, which was a segregated hospital,” Demings said. “I never got to meet Dr. (Martin Luther) King (Jr.), but I certainly studied Dr. King. I was able to meet many of the other Civil Rights leaders personally, and (I) have had conversations with people like Rosa Parks, Benjamin Hooks, Andrew Young … (and) Jesse Jackson.”

Demings’ mother was a maid,

and his father was a taxicab driver and budding entrepreneur. He’s the youngest of five children, and although he has a twin brother, his twin is older than him by 30 minutes. Despite growing up poor, his parents always provided him and his siblings with the necessities.

His mother, who was also a parttime seamstress, custom-made his clothes growing up.

“Even though I was poor, when I was in junior high and high school … I was honored with being ‘best dressed,’” Demings said. “A poor kid was recognized as the ‘best dressed’ at a school thanks to my mom who custom made my clothes at the time.”

Demings attended Jones High School, where he played football, basketball, soccer and ran track.

He graduated with honors from Jones High in 1977 and attended Florida State University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1980. In 1989, he received an MBA from Orlando College, now Everest University.

He graduated as a member of the 194th session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy in 1998, and in 2000, he graduated in the 23rd session of the FBI Executive Institute. He also completed studies at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School in 2013.

Earlier in his life, Demings’ older brother struggled with drug addiction. He died of an overdose in 1999 at age 50. His brother’s struggles with drugs became one of the reasons Demings got into law enforcement. “(I wanted) to try to really do

something about it (to) stop that from happening in our community for any other family,” he said.

CALL TO SERVICE

The call to serve his community came to Demings at an early age, starting with the Boy Scouts. That call to service has driven him all the way to the position of Orange County mayor.

“I’ve been given the tremendous opportunity to lead our community through the last 37-plus years in different public-sector roles,” Demings said. “I started out my public-sector/public-service career as an Orlando police officer (in 1981).”

Demings held every rank at the Orlando Police Department before he was appointed chief in 1998.

He is the first African-American to serve as chief of police in the Orlando Police Department. He served in that role until he retired from the department in September 2002. The following month, he was named deputy county administrator and director of public safety for Orange County.

He’s the first African-American to serve in those roles, as well. In November 2008, he became the first African-American elected as Orange County Sheriff. And today, he’s the first African-American to serve as Orange County mayor.

“In 2017, when I decided to run for Orange County Mayor … I was getting out of my comfort zone,” Demings said. “A number of people came to me and asked me

“From an early age, from being a Boy Scout, I knew that I wanted to be of service to other people.

I just didn’t quite know what kind of service.”

— Mayor Jerry Demings

to run … and initially, I said, ‘No, I’m not interested in that,’ because that’s not where I saw myself.”

Demings said he decided to run after he realized that he had an “opportunity to impact the lives of people in (the) community.”

“While (being) sheriff created a significant opportunity for me to do that, I believe being mayor creates an even bigger opportunity,” Demings said. “In the Bible … there’s scripture that says, ‘Oh lord, that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory that your hand will be with me and keep me from evil.’”

That verse, in a way, describes Demings’ life of public service. His “territory” — which in this case can be thought of as his level of impact on the community — grew each public service position he has held over the years.

“My life is a living testimony to my ancestry and to my religion,” Demings said. “These positions that I’ve been in, they had not been without challenge. … They have not been without a lot of sacrifice.

As a public servant, there’s a tremendous sacrifice to your family because you spend a lot of time trying to help someone else, and if you’re not careful, you’ll deprive your own family.”

Demings’ sacrifices has not gone unnoticed. Over his years of service, Demings has been honored with a number of awards for his contributions to the community.

“I received thousands of awards — with no exaggeration,” Demings said. “I’m proud of all of them. All of them mean something to me. I was recognized as a distinguished alumnus of Jones High School and Florida State University. ... I also received the lifetime achievement award from President (Barack) Obama.”

In addition to his public-service roles, Demings also serves the community through various organizations. He isn’t the only one in his family who answered the call to serve. His wife, Valdera, represents Florida’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. She’s also the first woman to serve as chief of the Orlando Police Department.

LOOKING AHEAD

Demings said his vision for Orange County is to make it “a safer, more prosperous and a stronger community.”

“The sum total of my experiences make me who I am, and I take that to the office of mayor,” Demings said. “Orange County is on the precipice of greatness, but it can be greater. In order for Orange County to realize its true potential, we’re going to have to take some risks as a community — some measured risks … to where we are able to address the issues (and) the challenges of this community.”

He added that some of those challenges are the lack of affordable housing in Orange County; improving wages for the working class; improving public transportation; “improving the opportunity for entrepreneurialism here in this community,” among other challenges.

“I want Orange County to be the environmental prototype community of tomorrow,” Demings said, borrowing some words from Walt Disney. “We want to advance Orange County to that experience: where other people from around the globe will study what we’re doing here; where we are on the cutting edge; where we are doing some things that no other community is doing. That’s where we want to take Orange County.”

DEMINGS’ FIRSTS Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has lived a life of community service. Throughout his years of service, he’s accomplished a number of firsts.

1981

Hired by Orlando Police Department

1998

Appointed as the first African-American chief of police of the Orlando Police Department

2002

Retired from Orlando Police Department and then became the first African-American to serve as deputy county administrator and director of public safety for Orange County

2008

Elected sheriff of Orange County and became Orange County’s first African-American sheriff and first African-American constitutional officer.

2017

Became first African-American to serve as president of the Florida Sheriff’s Association.

2018

Elected first African-American mayor of Orange County and fifth elected mayor of the county, overall.

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WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER WEST ORANGE TIMES &

Observer

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

2019 FORECAST

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944 Publisher / Matt Walsh, mwalsh@yourobserver.com Executive Editor / Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com Design Editor / Jessica Eng, jeng@OrangeObserver.com Community Editor / Amy Quesinberry, amyq@OrangeObserver.com News Editor / Gabby Baquero, gbaquero@OrangeObserver.com Sports Editor /Troy Herring, therring@OrangeObserver.com Black Tie Editor / Danielle Hendrix, dhendrix@OrangeObserver.com Staff Writer / Eric Gutierrez, egutierrez@OrangeObserver.com Advertising Executive Cyndi Gustafson, advertising@OrangeObserver.com Business Development Kim Kowske, kkowske@OrangeObserver.com Creative Services Tony Trotti, ttrotti@OrangeObserver.com Customer Service Representatives Allison Brunelle, abrunelle@OrangeObserver.com

MARKET WATCH

Katie Rehm, krehm@orangeobserver.com

Courtesy of Suzi Karr Realty

Located at 1128 Dingens Ave., this custom-built home in Gotha is on the market for $1.2 million. The 5,277-square-foot-home was built in 2007.

CONTACT US

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If you wish to subscribe, visit our website, OrangeObserver.com, call (407) 656-2121 or visit our office, 661 Garden Commerce Parkway, Suite 180, Winter Garden.

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Local real-estate experts offer their predictions for the 2019 housing market in West Orange based on 2018’s trends.

GABBY BAQUERO NEWS EDITOR

A

lthough the Orange County real-estate market experienced a slight cooling in 2018 compared

to the red-hot environment of 2015 through 2017, local experts agree the area will continue to enjoy a healthy market in 2019.

Jeffrey Fagan, president of the Orlando Regional REALTOR Association, predicts an increase in housing inventory with new construction becoming available; an increase — and then leveling out — of home prices; and a likely increase in interest rates depending on the Federal Reserve.

Fagan said those factors could lead to an overall more balanced market.

“2018 has been a good year,” he said. “Albeit, it has slowed down a little bit compared to what we were experiencing in 2015 through 2017. It slowed down a bit this year, but we have pockets in the county that increased, and other areas that slowed down.

“Overall, Orange County came down about 3% compared to what it had been at the same point in time in 2017,” Fagan said. “But that’s not a bad thing, because it needed to slow down a little bit.

Prices were gaining a little bit too fast, and for long-term sustainable growth, you need a bit of a balance. If it rises too fast, you end up getting too much price appreciation, but you certainly don’t want it going too far down either. So we’re coming more into a balanced position in our realestate market.”

Veteran West Orange realestate agent Suzi Karr agrees.

“If this month (December) is any indication, I would say 2019

is going to be dynamite,” Karr said. “I fully expect we’re going to see a whole lot going on. We’ve been seeing a lot of foreign buyers coming in and paying cash.

But I think everything is stabilizing. The economy is good, and that helps a lot. And, of course, interest rates were going up, but they may come down a little bit and then level out, depending on a lot of factors. But the country is in a pretty good position right now. We can never predict what will happen with home prices too accurately, but I don’t think we’re going to see them go down; I hope not. I think they will go up and then level out, according to availability.”

WEST ORANGE AMENITIES

In West Orange, high demand and the area’s unique amenities will continue to make it a popular place for families.

“We offer so much in Orange County,” Karr said. “Horizon West is doing really well, and Winter Garden is phenomenal.

Their downtown is great. A lot of people are moving there — including people from Windermere — to be close to the West Orange Trail and downtown. And of course, you have the 12 lakes joined by canals — you can’t beat that. And old Windermere, just as it is, is beautiful.”

Fagan agrees.

HOMES SOLD BY ZIP CODE 34787

34786

WINTER GARDEN

WINDERMERE

2018 January: 112 February: 126 March: 172 April: 183 May: 188 June: 126 July: 123 August: 94 September: 88 October: 86 Jan. To Oct. 2018: 1,298

2018 January: 55 February: 74 March: 95 April: 100 May: 113 June: 94 July: 89 August: 92 September: 54 October: 83 Jan. To Oct. 2018: 849

2017 January: 103 February: 138 March: 159 April: 140 May: 163 June: 212 July: 165 August: 202 September: 145 October: 170 November: 120 December: 167 Jan. To Dec. 2017: 1,884 Change in sales: 31.1%

2017 January: 68 February: 71 March: 108 April: 83 May: 101 June: 107 July: 97 August: 78 September: 72 October: 80 November: 77 December: 93 Jan. To Dec. 2017: 1,035 Change in sales: 18%

34761

34734

2018 January: 54 February: 40 March: 78 April: 70 May: 68 June: 65 July: 76 August: 77 September: 51 October: 56 Jan. To Oct. 2018: 635

2018 January: 4 February: 4 March: 8 April: 9 May: 7 June: 5 July: 3 August: 8 September: 5 October: 1 Jan. To Oct. 2018: 54

2017 January: 55 February: 49 March: 62 April: 44 May: 70 June: 69 July: 62 August: 77 September: 49 October: 56 November: 55 December: 74 Jan. To Dec. 2017: 722 Change in sales: 12%

2017 January: 5 February: 5 March: 4 April: 4 May: 4 June: 8 July: 5 August: 6 September: 5 October: 3 November: 3 December: 5 Jan. To Dec. 2017: 57 Change in sales: 5.3%

OCOEE

GOTHA

Source: Orlando Regional REALTOR Association

WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

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However, the news isn’t all positive. Finding affordable housing in Orange County will remain difficult.

Although the new construction coming online will increase inventory, it won’t be at a price some buyers can afford.

“We don’t have a lot of builders that are building lower-priced homes right now,” Fagan said.

“The challenge with new construction, typically, is the price point. Because of the costs for labor, materials and even permitting, the entry-level price point for new construction is a little more than would be ideal.

So first-time homebuyers are having a bit of a challenge finding new housing because of low inventory, lack of builder inventory and high demand that prices homes outside of their budget.”

Realtor Christina Rordam noted any increase in interest rates also will make it harder for first-time buyers to afford a home.

“I cannot say how high rates will climb in 2019,” she said. “However, they will rise, and in doing so, will cause mortgage payments to increase. … Although I see many new home developments com-

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AFFORDABILITY

ing up, I do not see many in what would be an entry-level price range based on Orlando-area incomes, leaving first-time buyers most vulnerable.”

“I think it’s inevitable that mortgage rates are going to have to go up,” Fagan said. “The federal government was artificially depressing interest rates for a while to stimulate the economy.

That said, it does need to come into more normal ranges. I should say, though, that even at 6% or 7% — even if that seems terrible to people — that really is a normal interest rate. We had artificially low interest rates for a decade.

“And now, necessarily, interest rates will have to go back up, but it’s going to take people a bit of time to get used to that, because it does decrease your purchasing power,” he said. “But, back in the day, interest rates were as high as 18 or 19% and people still bought houses. Of course, I’d never want to see that again, but it’s still going to have to normalize a bit.

And I think we will see it go up a bit in 2019.”

To compound the problem, rental rates also are rising.

“The rental markets are very strong, and that is a concern because rental rates are going up, but vacancy rates are down,” Fagan said. “I heard (Orange County Mayor) Jerry Demings talking about affordable housing. And that is something that should be high on the priority list going into 2019. We’re actually working with communities, Florida Realtors and with the Orlando Regional REALTOR Association to address affordable housing in Tallahassee, because we absolutely need some assistance.”

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

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“People want to live in areas that have strong schools and are in aesthetically pleasing areas close to transportation and jobs,” he said. “The West Orange area checks off a lot of those boxes.

Winter Garden is probably one of the fastest-growing areas in Orange County. A community that only had a few sales and all of a sudden had 10 sales will see a significant increase in percentage growth. And Winter Garden is near the top five in the county.”

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

2019 FORECAST SIX COMMON HOME INSPECTION ISSUES

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

POOR DRAINAGE. This can make the supporting soil around the foundation weak and cause mild to severe cracking in stucco and increase the likelihood of water intrusion into the home.

LEAKY ROOFS. Florida’s inclement weather results in a short life for roofs, and weather-worn roofs can lead to water leaks when it rains.

POOR VENTILATION. If a home’s attic gets too hot, it may cause the roof shingles to fail faster.

Caveat emptor

FAULTY FOUNDATION. Most home foundations in Florida are on sand, which can shift and move when concrete is poured over the sand, causing the foundation to crack.

Following a disaster with her own home, Winter Garden resident Torey Eisenman has set out to educate the community on handling the many issues that may come up after closing on a home.

HAZARDOUS WIRING. Wiring issues are pretty common, which can cause nonfunctioning outlets and exposed wires that puts your family at risk.

GABBY BAQUERO NEWS EDITOR

W

hat should have been a beautiful dream home located on Johns Lake in Winter Garden soon

WINDOWS. Windows that are improperly sealed/caulked will cause hot air from outside to create moisture and mold when it reacts with the cool air inside your home, causing hardware to rust.

morphed into a nightmare for one family. Following the discovery of 22 issues with her $1.09 million home, Torey Eisenman — a real-estate broker and general contractor — was devastated.

After several months of litigation and thousands of dollars later, the Eisenman family has since moved into the home and hired their own contractors to handle the remaining repairs.

“It’s not just us; it’s a huge epidemic,” Eisenman said. “And I

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mean, it’s unfortunate because these builders are making millions to billions of dollars, and they’re buying more companies, but they’re just not hiring skilled people. And they’re not holding their company accountable — and that’s obviously a problem.”

The stressful experience her family endured because of the builder — Lennar Homes — and the shoddy work performed by the subcontractors motivated Eisenman to do what she could to educate other potential homebuyers and ensure they do not fall into the same all-too-common trap.

“I just want to educate people because it can be very frustrating when things go wrong,” she said.

“I think what’s happening in the industry right now with some of the bigger builders that are not doing what they should and forcing people to fight them is just unnecessary and unconscionable.

But I think if people gain an understanding of how to get things done and protect themselves, they’re less likely to be put in such awful situations.”

Eisenman invited about 25 homeowners and potential homebuyers to an educational meeting last fall.

During the meeting, which Eisenman said will be the first of many, attendees heard from Bill Ostoyic, a residential and commercial inspector based in Windermere.

Ostoyic, who has been conducting inspections in Florida for the last 13 years, offered insight into the home-inspection industry.

He warned attendees to do heavy research on who they hire as home inspectors, because aspiring home inspectors can obtain their licenses after taking a two-weekend course.

Inspectors also often provide vague reports that fail to provide details on a specific problem and follow a routine inspection checklist that could potentially miss major issues in a home, he said.

“One of the problems with the home-inspection industry is the standards and practices,” Ostoyic said. “They tell you that you’re only responsible for checking a representative number of items like, say, maybe one outlet in every room. But you need to inspect everything — every light switch, door, window, plumbing fixture — from top to bottom as if you’re the one buying the home. That’s the only way you won’t miss anything.”

Ostoyic also said that, before hiring an inspector, one should request to see sample reports to check how thoroughly they conduct home inspections. He also suggested hiring a professional who has proven experience with the type of home in which you are interested.

“If it’s a new home, they need to hire a home inspector that has experience with new-construction homes,” he said. “New construction requires more of an eye for detail. A contractor is only as good as the subcontractors that they hire to do the actual work.

I’ve found guys using broken and cracked pieces of wood for trim work. And the painters don’t care; they just caulk it, paint it and keep on going. And most superintendents don’t have any building knowledge, so they just let it go, because the building industry is all about making money — it’s not about putting out a quality product. Because if one person doesn’t

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a house if you haven’t lived in it.”

However, buyers can take a few measures to verify what they’re told during home-sale negotiations by researching the home, he shared. Whenever a home has construction work done, a permit is required. So one can pull the permits online to check any upgrades or replacements that have been done to the roof, air-conditioning unit, plumbing system, electrical wiring and the like.

Eisenman and Ostoyic said they plan to collaborate this year to offer opportunities for the community to become more educated on subjects related to home inspections and builder warranties.

“I really want, and will continue, to educate people even before they close on properties or buy from a builder, because they need to understand how the contract reads, what they’re signing, and what their rights are,” Eisenman said. “Bill (Ostoyic) and I have both talked about doing more meetings for people before they actually buy their homes. I mean, I don’t want to imply that every builder is a bad builder, because it’s not all builders, but it’s definitely some of the bigger ones, and people need to be educated and prepared.”

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For older homes, Ostoyic usually instructs potential homebuyers to be wary, because he frequently catches people trying to hide issues with the home they’re attempting to sell. His advice: If something looks suspicious, investigate it.

“A lot of people will try to hide issues with a home if they don’t have the money or gumption to fix it,” he said. “If you see something that doesn’t make sense, there’s usually a reason for it. I inspected a house not that long ago, and the sellers were showing off the kitchen but piled all this stuff in the corner by the breakfast nook. At first you think, well, they’re moving out so they’ve got to stack this stuff somewhere, but at the same time, that’s not the first place where one would think to stack it, because people usually like to display the kitchen features. We later found out that corner was where all the termites were, but they made it inaccessible to inspect. Unfortunately, my clients didn’t know until after the people moved out and they closed on the house.”

Relying on people to be upfront with the issues of an older home is one of the most common mistakes for new homebuyers, he said.

“Trusting other people is one of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen people make,” Ostoyic said. “I hate to put it that way, because you’d think someone selling a house has taken measures to maintain it and take care of it, but that is often not the case. So people really have to be careful. Especially if it’s a home that’s been flipped because the state of Florida says you don’t have to disclose what’s wrong with

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

OCPS BOARD

2019 FORECAST

Fresh perspective With new faces representing five of the eight positions on the Orange County School Board, each hopes to bring change.

DANIELLE HENDRIX BLACK TIE EDITOR

L

ast February, dozens of teachers arrived at Orange County Public Schools headquarters in downtown

Orlando — posters in hand and frustration on their faces — and called for a return to education. In October, a resignation letter written by former OCPS teacher Maren Hicks ran in The Washington Post.

“Teachers are no longer given the autonomy to practice what endless amounts of research have proven are developmentally appropriate, dynamic ways of measuring student growth and skill mastery,” Hicks wrote.

But with elections over, parents and teachers — and OCPS as a whole — now have five new faces on the Orange County School Board.

Will this bring about the change residents and teachers are seeking?

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Only three of the School Board’s members —District 3’s Linda Kobert, District 4’s Pam Gould and District 5’s Kat Gordon — are continuing in their roles. Joining them now are School Board Chair Teresa Jacobs, District 1’s Angie Gallo, District 2’s Johanna López, District 6’s Dr. Karen Castor Dentel and District 7’s Melissa Byrd. This also marks the first time the board was made up of all women.

López, a former Spanish teacher at Colonial High and OCPS teacher of the year in 2016, is also the board’s first Puerto Rican member. She decided to run after talking to students and teachers, the latter of whom were frustrated with their workloads.

“The teachers feel overwhelmed, and as a teacher I heard a lot of stories from colleagues feeling frustrated because of the load of work they were having,” López said.

“I believe that was also an asset — to be a voice for the teachers. When you’re in the classroom for so many years and your friends and colleagues are teachers, I know the way they feel. I saw them crying sometimes, and they love what they’re doing, but it’s a lot of work.”

Gallo, a longtime PTA volunteer and former legislative chair for the Florida PTA the last four years, wanted to use her experience in policy and educational advocacy to help lead District 1. Byrd, an OCPS parent and a former teacher, decided it was time to bring her experience to the board. Castor Dentel is a former OCPS teacher and legislator — as well as daughter of Florida’s former education commissioner, Betty Castor — and Teresa Jacobs is the former Orange County mayor.

Each brings a fresh perspective to the table, and although they have many goals in common — improving communication, increasing parental and communal engagement and recruiting and retaining quality teachers — they know their first priority is to listen to the people they serve.

“One thing I heard over and over again when I was knocking on doors was these people feel like they’re not heard,” Byrd said. “That’s one of my big priorities, is to let my community know that I’m here for them and I work for them. … You can’t fix anything if you aren’t even listening or don’t know what’s going on.”

TEACHER TROUBLES

Although these five board members are new to their roles, they recognize the importance of quality teachers and know of the frustrations that educators are voicing — not only in OCPS but also nationwide.

In Hicks’ resignation letter, she wrote she was closing the curtain on her career with OCPS after just five years. The reason?

“There is a massive and deeply concerning disconnect between the supposed aims of OCPS and their practices,” she wrote.

Hicks noted collaboration should occur between everyone involved in public education and that the board needs to listen. She also called for a return to education and lamented the district for treating students as “data points.”

“Across a variety of platforms, teachers and faculty members have implored Orange County School Board members specifically for the drastic changes our

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Former OCPS teacher Maren Hicks resigned from the school district in 2018, citing inadequate teacher autonomy, low pay and standardized testing as a few of the frustrations that drove her to leave. She sent a letter detailing some of these issues to the district as part of her retirement package, and the letter was published in The Washington Post. To read it, visit wapo.st/2EB5oGO.

classrooms need,” Hicks wrote.

“We speak at meetings, we write editorials for local papers, we sign petitions and propose legislative measures. Instead, we are met with closed doors and deaf ears.”

These are the same sentiments that were echoed by members of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association at their February rally in downtown Orlando. There, teachers and parents called for a “clean house,” with some calling for board members who weren’t politically incentivized and who would advocate for students at both the district and state levels.

“I believe that the teacher recruitment and retention is also another challenge we have to work on, because teachers just leave the profession, and it’s very hard to find (quality) teachers,” López said. “When we do find teachers, it’s hard to retain them. Salary is something we have to work on. The load of testing is something that the parents and students are feeling very overwhelmed by — as are the teachers, because you have that responsibility on your shoulders. As a teacher, they evaluate you because of the student results. It’s unfair for teachers to have that type of evaluation and it’s unfair for our students to have so many tests.”

Gallo knows teacher retention is on the minds of many school districts nationwide, and she said the No. 1 issue she hears about from teachers is their cry for autonomy and better pay.

“They got into the profession because they want to make a difference,” Gallo said. “(And) I get it: These teachers work very hard (and) they want the ability to have teachable moments. …We do have a teacher shortage across Florida. Making sure we have highly qualified, happy teachers in classrooms is important because that’s directly linked to student success.”

López said she already is setting up meetings with teachers and hopes to have formal roundtables around her district with teachers and parents to get feedback from them.

“I believe that the community needs to validate the teaching profession more, as well,” López said. “It’s very important. …You can change children’s lives.”

At the OCCTA rally in February, many teachers voiced frustrations with time management as they juggle regular teaching hours, tutoring and prepping students for standardized testing. But even the district grapples with the state’s current accountability system, Gould said.

“On the time-management side, it’s so difficult because of the way the accountability system is structured,” Gould said.

“It drives all of this benchmarking and tracking…instead of finding ways to utilize what

teachers do every day to really keep us accountable. It’s a constant struggle and the teachers often think we’re responsible for that…but at the end of the day, everybody is stressing out because of the way the accountability system is structured.”

Gould agreed with teachers’ rallies for higher pay, adding that the state needs to fund education at a level that is not only competitive in a highgrowth market but that also shows teachers they are valued.

“We value our educators as the economic-development investors that they are,” Gould said. “They are creating our workforce. On top of that they help shape the character of our children and really inspire kids to invent and be entrepreneurs.”

DIVING IN

Although they stepped into their roles just before the holidays, the new board members are excited to join the current ones in 2019.

Community involvement and parental engagement are crucial keys to ensuring student success, as is school safety, they said.

“I believe if we increase the parental engagement, we can help the students more,” López said. “If we don’t have the parents engaging in the system, it’s kind of hard to work as a team.

That’s something that would make a difference in all of the aspects I’ve mentioned before — safety, smart growth, teachers. … All of us want the students to be successful in life, to graduate and to contribute to our society.”

Byrd plans to focus on community involvement and being present and involved in her district. She hopes to create a community or advisory council of local leaders and stakeholders in education to focus on the communities outside and around the schools.

“The new members are very in touch with the heartbeat of the communities,” Byrd said.

“We have more educators on the board now than we did previously. I think that that is going to definitely raise the bar as far as being in tune with what the teachers need.”

“We also have amazing members (who) already have experience in how to advocate for student rights,” López said. “We have teachers, parents, PTA representatives, a former mayor. … I think we have an amazing school board, and (people) are excited to have them.”

Gould noted that during their first board meeting, the new members were ready to dive into reviewing concerns the board has been facing and helping find improvements and solutions for them.

“When you have fresh perspectives, there’s sometimes answers you didn’t think about before or a new way to do things,” Gould said. “It’s new and exciting. Everybody brings new thoughts and perspectives, and that’s really cool.”

Teresa Jacobs declined multiple attempts seeking comment for this story.

Chair: Teresa Jacobs teresa.jacobs@ocps.net

District 1: Angie Gallo angela.gallo@ocps.net

District 2: Johanna López johanna.lopez@ocps.net

District 3: Linda Kobert linda.kobert@ocps.net

District 4: Pam Gould pamela.gould@ocps.net

District 5: Kat Gordon kathleen.gordon@ocps.net

District 6: Karen Castor Dentel, karen.castordentel@ocps.net

District 7: Melissa Byrd melissa.byrd@ocps.net

WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

2019 FORECAST

Continuing the mission he never really considered himself as leadership material.

But as of Dec. 4, 2018, John Mina, 50, is now the head of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and in charge of about 2,600 deputies.

Before running for Orange County sheriff, which was previously occupied by newly elected Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings for nine years, Mina served in various roles throughout his 28-year law-enforcement career with the Orlando Police Department.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Stanhope, New Jersey, Mina was recruited by OPD while stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, during his three-year service in the U.S. Army as a military police officer.

A LEADER IN THE MAKING

“I always considered myself a hard worker, although I never really thought of myself as a leader or thought I could be a leader,” Mina said. “But in the Army, I had people kind of pushing me along and saying, ‘Hey, you need to better yourself and get more education and take these leadership courses.’

And then when I got to the police academy, the same continued with supervisors and friends who encouraged me to be a leader.

“They would tell me I could go as high as I wanted,” he said. “Hearing that at a young age, I started thinking, ‘Maybe I could.’ And as I acquired more experience and rose through the ranks I started gaining more confidence. And here we are now.”

Prior to his appointment as Orlando police chief — a role he held from 2014 to 2018 — Mina worked as a patrol officer and a SWAT team commander. He also worked with OPD’s drug-enforcement unit and conducted criminal and sex-crime investigations.

During his four years as OPD chief, Mina handled several crises, including the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016, the shooting death of Lt. Debra Clayton in 2017

X

In his new role, Mina knows he will face similar challenges. But what particularly intrigued him about the position was the higher independence and his direct accountability to the people.

“The biggest difference is that, before, I answered to the Orlando mayor and City Commission, whereas now, I’m a constitutional officer elected by the people — and that was one of the things that enticed me to run for sheriff,” he said. “And I liked the idea of being more independent.

I’m looking forward to that part.”

Mina said he also is looking forward to taking action on his specific priorities for the county, including crime reduction, school safety, officer recruitment, drug enforcement and community engagement.

“I think Orange County is a pretty safe place to live and work already, but obviously my priority will be to reduce crime even further, specifically violent crime,” he said. “Another priority of mine is school safety, which I think is on everyone’s mind. But I think it’s important to make sure parents and students alike feel safe at school. And one of the ways I can help with that is to make sure we’re on track to have a deputy at every single school. Here in Orange County, we’re already in good shape, because we have two at every high school, and one at every middle school, and the gap was at the elementary school. So we’re working toward filling that gap, and we’re almost there. When we recruit and hire more deputies, that gap will close.”

Another one of his priorities is boosting public engagement and interagency collaboration. He has

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John Mina took the oath of office for his new position as Orange County sheriff Dec. 4.

a few successful community-led programs and public-engagement initiatives in mind from OPD that he hopes to bring to the sheriff’s office.

He also will ensure attention is given to the issue of drug abuse, he said.

“Another big issue is heroin and opioid abuse,” Mina noted. “We’re not the only community that faces that issue, because it’s a nationwide problem with many people overdosing. We’ve done a good job so far making sure our deputies and officers are issued Narcan to save lives.”

The former Orlando police chief and Army veteran is aware his new job will come with its own unique set of challenges, but as someone who was taught the value of hard work — starting with his first job in high school as a dishwasher — he expects his hard work, and that of his deputies, will be worth it as long as the community stays safe.

“I just really enjoy helping keep this community safe and having an impact,” Mina said. “Everyone wants to catch the bad guys. Don’t get me wrong: I love the part when bad guys go to jail. But there’s also the aspect of having a real impact on our community, particularly our youth. … And I thank everyone who supported me. I’m going to listen to the needs of this community. I’m willing to work with everyone to do what we can to make improvements because there’s always room to get better and ensure people trust us to help make the community safer.”

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AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF WINTER PARK, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 74, PERSONNEL, ARTICLE V, RETIREMENT AND PENSION PLANS, DIVISION 4, POLICE OFFICERS, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF WINTER PARK; AMENDING SECTION 74-205, CONTRIBUTIONS; AMENDING SECTION 74-208, DISABILITY; AMENDING SECTION 74-217, MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS; AMENDING SECTION 74-226, DEFERRED RETIREMENT OPTION PLAN; AMENDING SECTION 74-229, REEMPLOYMENT AFTER RETIREMENT; AMENDING SECTION 74-230, SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT COMPONENT FOR SPECIAL BENEFITS; CHAPTER 185 SHARE ACCOUNTS PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. All interested parties are invited to attend and be heard. Additional information is available on the City’s website at www.cityofwinterpark.org so that citizens may acquaint themselves with each issue. “If a person decides to appeal any decision made by the Commission with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or hearing, he/she will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he/she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.” (F.S. 286.0105) Persons with disabilities needing assistance to participate in any of these proceedings should contact the City Clerk’s office (407-599-3277) at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. /s/ Cynthia S. Bonham, City Clerk, MMC

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and the 21-hour hostage standoff that ended with the death of four children in 2018.

After leading OPD during such tragedies, Mina is no stranger to the challenges that come with being the public face and leader of a law-enforcement agency.

“Being Orlando police chief has prepared me well for this position,” he said. “There’s been many challenges. This can be a very dangerous job. I’ve lost officers, and we’ve also had officers involved in very critical errors and mistakes.

And more often than not, that can really weigh on leaders, because sometimes you feel the brunt of that. Even though it wasn’t you involved, you sometimes have to take that head-on anyway.”

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WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

2019 FORECAST

TYPES INDEPENDENT LIVING Independent-living communities are designed for independent seniors who desire the conveniences of community living. These offer a senior lifestyle filled with recreational, educational and social opportunities. Independent-living communities also can be called retirement communities, congregate living or senior apartments.

ASSISTED LIVING An assisted-living community allows older adults to maintain their independence while still having the assistance they need nearby.

Assisted-living communities are designed for adults who need help performing the activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming or managing their medication schedule. Staff is onsite 24 hours a day, but the goal is to keep residents as independent as possible.

These communities offer different levels of care, services and amenities. Some are more upscale and formal, while others have a casual, relaxed environment.

Amy Quesinberry

Residents such as Josefina Arus engage in activities in the memory-care building at Golden Pond Communities, in Winter Garden.

FUTURE FACILITIES Six senior-housing projects are making their way through the application process in West Orange County. n Arya at Ocoee is a 148-unit independent-living facility proposed north of Roberson Road and east of Tomyn Boulevard. n The Roberson by Legacy Lifestyles, on Roberson Road, near the proposed Arya at Ocoee, will open in late 2019.

The 120-bed facility is designed for seniors to age in place. n The Longleaf subdivision, in Oakland — with a mix of singlefamily homes, townhomes and apartments — will include senior housing. The developer has approval for 84 units but has not defined the care level or construction schedule. n CERTUS Senior Living is a 46,000-square-foot assistedliving facility with 64 beds proposed on Conroy Windermere Road. n A 75-bed assisted-living facility is proposed at 8498 Seidel Road, in Horizon West Village F. n Orlando Health Center for Rehabilitation, currently under construction at Health Central Hospital, in Ocoee, will include a skilled-nursing unit and memory-care unit.

Plenty of options AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

I

n the 1960s, when senior citizens no longer could care for themselves and they had no family in the area, they had few options and typically ended up in a nursing home or retirement home that provided 24-hour care.

Many of the early facilities basically were hospital-like institutions offering little more than medical care and regular meals.

The 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act provided guidelines and minimal standards for such facilities — and the public’s perception started to change as nursing homes improved and appeared to be an appealing option for seniors.

A decade ago, there was just a handful of skilled-nursing and assisted-living facilities in West Orange County. Today, that list is extensive — and it continues to grow as municipalities are discovering the need for more options.

Many of today’s facilities resemble upscale resorts with their luxurious amenities, such as chef-prepared meals, Happy Hour, spas, health-and-wellness programs, home theaters and highspeed Wi-Fi. Developers also are creating multicare-level communities on a single or adjacent property where, for instance,

seniors can start in the independentliving facility; as they age and their physical or mental capacities decrease, they can gradually transition to assisted living and to memory care.

Florida’s population increases by nearly 1,000 people daily, according to Sachs Media Group. As residents age, appropriate housing remains a concern to seniors and their families. Citizens can visit Medicare.Gov to obtain a list of senior-housing options and to check for licensing, surveys and state rating.

Other resources include the Department of Elder Affairs, elderaffairs.state. fl.us; Office on Aging and Commission on Aging, orangecountyfl.net/ familieshealthsocialsvcs/seniorservices.aspx; and Agency for Health Care Administration, FloridaHealthFinder. gov.

A PLACE TO CALL HOME

INDEPENDENT ASSISTED MEMORY FACILITY ADDRESS LIVING LIVING CARE Brookdale Senior Living Dr. Phillips 8001 Pin Oak Drive, Orlando • • Brookdale Senior Living Ocoee 80 N. Clarke Road, Ocoee • • Colonial Lakes Health Care 15204 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden Golden Pond Communities 402 Lakeview Road, Winter Garden • • HarborChase of Dr. Phillips 7233 Della Drive, Orlando • • • Health Central Park 411 N. Dillard St., Winter Garden Inspired Living 1061 Tomyn Blvd., Ocoee • • Lake Bennett Health and Rehabilitation 1091 Kelton Ave., Ocoee Quality Health of Orange County 12751 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden MetroWest Nursing and Rehab Center 5900 Westgate Drive, Orlando Ocoee Health Care Center 1556 Maguire Road, Ocoee Serenades at West Orange 720 Roper Road, Winter Garden • Solaris Healthcare Windermere 4875 Cason Cove Drive, Orlando Sonata West 420 Roper Road, Winter Garden • • The Gardens at Lakeview 30 W. Garden Ave., Winter Garden • • The Gardens at Oakland 715 Hull Island Drive, Oakland • • The Sheridan at Windermere 13798 Speer Island Drive, Windermere • •

SKILLED NURSING

•

• • • • • •

MEMORY CARE In broad terms, memory care is designed to meet the unique needs of adults who have Alzheimer’s disease or a similar form of dementia. Most memorycare programs are attached to an assisted-living community or a nursing-care community.

The focus of memory-care programs is on improving quality of life for people with dementia while also keeping them safe and secure.

These dedicated memorycare living units offer residents a secure environment that helps reduce the risk of an adult with Alzheimer’s wandering away.

IN-HOME CARE In-home care is a general term to describe services delivered at home to recovering, disabled or terminally ill persons in need of medical, nursing, social or therapeutic treatment.

With many seniors wishing to live at home for as long as possible, home care provides a range of caregiver services to the elderly, as well those who are recovering, disabled or terminally ill, allowing for a more comfortable experience. At-home care services give seniors a sense of independence in life while still assisting them in an assortment of basic needs and activities.

RESPITE CARE Respite care is a short-term stay option for seniors currently receiving in-home care. It provides temporary relief from duties for caregivers, ranging from several hours to days.

Whether it’s a few hours a week, or a few weeks a year for a vacation, respite care gives caregivers the ability to reduce stress, restore energy and maintain a balanced lifestyle.

CONTINUING-CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES These are residential campuses that provide a continuum of care — from private units to assisted living and then skilled-nursing care, all in one location. CCRCs are designed to offer active seniors an independent lifestyle from the privacy of their own home but also include the availability of services in an assisted-living environment and onsite intermediate or skillednursing care if necessary.

SOURCE: Seniorhousingnet.com

WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

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11

2019 FORECAST

Planting season As the population of West Orange continues to grow, the number of churches in the area are growing with it.

ERIC GUTIERREZ STAFF WRITER

W

hen Matt Czarnecki left his

teaching job at Bridgewater Middle School, he did so to answer God’s call to plant a church in West Orange. It’s the same call that Walter and Teresa Price heard when they launched Overflow Wor-

ship Center.

That call is what inspired the Rev. Dr. James A. Harnish in the 1970s to hold services in homes and public places as he founded the church that would become St. Luke’s United Methodist Church — where he served as lead pastor from 1978 to 1992.

It also inspired senior pastor Jason Cooper to revitalize Oak Level Heights Baptist Church, now known as The Church at Oak Level. When he first arrived to the church 12 years ago, there were 55 regular attendees. Under Cooper’s leadership, The Church at Oak Level has more than doubled that number.

Today, Forever Free Church operates out of Bridgewater, and Overflow operates out of Maxey Elementary. Both have had strong followings since launching, and both churches are just part a growing number of churches in West Orange. But with the number of churches growing, and a large number of established churches such as St. Luke’s United Methodist and The Church at Oak Level already here, it begs the

question: What’s the secret to a successful church?

METHOD OF THE MESSAGE

The leaders of Forever Free Church, Overflow Worship Center, St. Luke’s United Methodist and The Church at Oak Level agree that any church spreading the message of the Gospel is successful in spreading the word of God. What differs in that success is the method of spreading that message.

Cooper said one aspect that attributes to the successful revitalization of The Church at Oak Level is that the church’s demographics reflect the surrounding community. When he began the revitalization process for The Church at Oak Level, its members were mostly white with an average age of about 72. Those demographics were different from the surrounding area, which was ethnically diverse and had an average age of about 33.

“If you look at your community and you realize that your demographics around your church … doesn’t look anything like the people inside the church, you’re not accomplishing your mission,” Cooper said. “For us, as an evangelical church, our mission is to simply take the Gospel of Christ to every single person around us. … We want to be a multicultural, ethnically diverse church because our community is multicultural and ethnically diverse.”

During the revitalization, Cooper changed how he delivered his sermons. He structured his services in a conversational, relaxed manner. He even comes up with creative ways to structure his services and hosts at least three themed series every year. Those changes helped proved successful in the church’s revitalization.

“We started making some radical changes,” Cooper said. “We changed music style. We changed how we did our main worship event — our service — and we

Pastor Teresa Price leads a prayer during a service at Overflow Worship Center.

began to use very innovative and creative ways of delivering the message. … The message doesn’t change, but the methods that a church uses to deliver that message, it does change.”

Forever Free Church is not affiliated with any existing, established church. Czarnecki said he’s been able grow Forever Free through word of mouth, social media and community involvement, but he’s kept the church strong through God’s word.

“If you’re wanting to grow according to the will of God, you have to allow your secret to be publicized, which is that Jesus changes your life — Jesus saves,” Czarnecki said. “From the beginning, that has been our effort. …

We want to do the best that we can to walk like Christ. That is our secret of success — to be the hands and feet of Jesus everywhere that we are.”

The Rev. Jennifer Stiles Williams is the lead pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

She said the key to success for a church is faithfulness, authenticity, grace and being the voice for the voiceless.

“Our call is to go to where God is working and be a part of it,” Stiles Williams said. “When we’re real, when we’re authentic, and when we’re filled with grace, and when we seek to make the lives of those around us better, I believe we are doing what Christ called us to do.

And that’s the true definition of success.”

Although Walter and Teresa

Price launched Overflow Worship Center locally in 2015, they launched services during a traditional time on Sunday mornings at Maxey Elementary in 2018.

Prior to that, they hosted services on different days of the week, mostly Saturday nights. Walter serves as the church’s senior pastor/founder and Teresa serves as executive pastor. Overflow Worship Center is affiliated with The Reformed Church in America.

“For us, it’s loving God and loving people,” Walter Price said. “If you don’t love people and have a genuine interest in the betterment of people, I don’t know how successful you’re going to be as a church. … You’ve got to love people and you’ve got to be interested in the well being of the people that you’re serving.”

He added that leadership is important to a church’s success.

“I see our church as successful — despite its size — because of the leadership base that we have,” he said. “Success starts with competent leadership, and one thing we’ve been able to do over the course of the past three years is build a diverse leadership base.”

COLLABORATION, NOT COMPETITION

When it comes to attracting members, Czarnecki, Stiles Williams, Cooper and the Prices agree it’s not a competition but rather a collaboration. With the 1.3 million people who call Orange County home and the growing number of new residents who

Eric Gutierrez

move here every week, there are plenty of potential congregants.

“What we’re doing as churches is ... we’re collaborating, we’re working together, we’re working as a team,” Czarnecki said. “We may have denominational differences, but those peripheral ideas don’t take away from the central viewpoint where we all should be promoting Christ. That’s the only goal we should have.”

Czarnecki added he isn’t trying to take members away from existing churches. He’s more interested in attracting “the unchurched.”

“Our goal is to not steal other church people,” Czarnecki said.

“We want to go into the community of Horizon West and look at people who have never met Jesus before.”

Teresa Price said forming relationships in the community and creating a family-like culture among members is vital.

“We really believe in (experiencing) life with people and helping them grow” Teresa Price said.

Stiles Williams said different people will have different preferences on how they worship.

“Some people like a smaller feel — some people are energized by being involved in something from the ground up,” she said. “Some people want a more established church. To me, it’s all of us working for the kingdom and working to make sure that everybody knows that they’re loved by God. … It does not matter what church you go to because we’re working for the same goals.”

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WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

THE NAME GAME

2019 FORECAST

The town is offering naming opportunities for various parts of the new Arts & Heritage Center. For information, call the WGHF at (407) 656-3244. n Exterior: bike racks, $5,000 each; the gardens, $15,000 each; entry paths, $20,000 each; handicap ramp entry, $20,000; porches, $30,000 each; courtyard concession wall, $30,000; courtyard, $50,000 n Interior: wall hanging system, $10,000; display cases, $10,000; conference room break station, $15,000; A/V system, $25,000; conference room, $70,000; community meeting room, $300,000 n Entire building: $1.5 million

The Arts & Heritage Center at Oakland will incorporate the historic Grace Park pergola in its design.

Focal point Elected officials hope the Arts & Heritage Center at Oakland will become a social hub for town residents and West Orange Trail users.

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

A

construction office trailer and a storage trailer currently sit on the lot across from Town Hall, just north of the West Orange

Trail. But by summer, a beautiful new center will stand in its place, a facility intended to bring the community together by celebrating its arts and heritage — and also providing a trail stop to buy snacks and use the rest room.

At the town’s groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 14, town staff, the Town Commission, community leaders, local and state officials, and investment and development partners turned the dirt to ceremonially begin work on the Arts & Heritage Center at Oakland.

The facility will stand near the Grace Park pergola, which recently was refurbished by Oakland’s Public Works staff. Originally built in 1913, it was partially “resurrected” in the late 1990s after years of neglect and decay and was again showing the effects of time.

“The new building is designed to wrap around the existing structure and, effectively, make it a focal point of the new facility,” Public Works Director Mike Parker said.

R. Miller Architecture is the project architect; Ovation Con-

struction is the builder.

The 3,100-square-foot center will include a multi-purpose room that also will serve as the main exhibit hall. It has about 1,600 square feet of space and will have its own set of rest rooms that are separate from the public facilities outside.

A 300-square-foot storage area will hold historic exhibits when the multi-purpose space is being used for other cultural activities, such as music- and art-related gatherings.

It can serve as a meeting or conference room, too.

The large, wrap-around, Southern-style porch can be used for many purposes. There is a 200-square-foot space that will likely house a concession area sometime in the future, Parker said.

display cases and lighting for their exhibits,” said Cynthia Cardona, WGHF executive director. “We occasionally will also assist in the creation of programs related to the town’s history which will be held at the new Arts & Heritage Center.”

The Winter Garden History Center has amassed an impressive collection of Oakland artifacts, photographs and archival material, and Cardona said it will remain the repository for such items.

There are family files documenting the town’s earliest residents, as well as memorabilia such as a large stained-glass window and wall sconces saved from the second Oakland Presbyterian church building.

“When these items are needed for new exhibits at the Arts & Heritage Center, we will display them there, but the items will remain part of the foundation’s collection,” Cardona said. “The foundation will continue to collect and preserve material related to Oakland’s history, as the new Arts & Heritage Center will not feature an archive.”

The collaboration between the two organizations allows for the continued professional preservation of Oakland’s history, Cardona said. The heritage foundation has started a capital campaign to help raise funds for the new center.

“The expertise the foundation provides in exhibit and program development will be pivotal to the Arts & Heritage Center’s success,” she said.

“The Arts and Heritage Center at Oakland will become part of our community,” Mayor Kathy Stark said. “This is what we are all about; it differentiates us and makes us a town. This is the heart of our community, a place to gather, learn, make memories and share memories.”

Commissioner Joseph McMullen, an advocate for youth arts and music programs, has worked for years to bring something like this to Oakland. He said the venue is about serving the public and will be available to rent for events such as social engagements and community meetings.

“It’s the start of our town having a central location that the residents can call our own and learn about our history and get to see art on display, live music, food and more activities only a few steps away from their home,” McMullen said.

He stressed the art portion of the plan is all about art presentation and the facility will not offer classes or programs.

Construction of the center is expected to be completed around June 1.

“And, yes, that does include the much-needed rest room facilities,” Parker said.

When construction is finished, the town will shift its focus to the creation of the internal features.

“We are already working closely with the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation in developing historical displays and exhibits.”

PRESENTING HISTORY

The town is collaborating with the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, which will provide logistical support with the historic preservation, identify and procure potential donors and manage the capital campaign.

This partnership is nothing new: The WGHF already assists the town of Oakland in creating exhibits highlighting the town’s history.

“We will continue to do so in the new Arts & Heritage Center, as well as provide consultation on the town’s acquisition of proper

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WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

13

OAKLAND — A SMALL TOWN ON THE VERGE OF GROWTH

1867: The post office closed. Speer returned and bought 1,000 acres from Dr. J.D. Starke, of Ocoee.

1885: A charter was issued for the Orange Belt Railroad, which was to run from Lake Monroe to Lake Apopka.

1886: The Orange Belt was purchased, and tracks were laid on a path toward Lake Apopka. Speer offered 200 acres on the south shore of Lake Apopka (half interest in 180 acres plus 15 acres for railroad shops and a depot and five acres for a town park) if the owners would swing the railroad line into Oakland. An agreement was reached. The rails reached the town later that year, and the first train arrived in Oakland.

1887: A meeting was called to incorporate the town with 31 qualified voters listed. Peter A. Demens was elected the first mayor.

1891: The Florida Legislature legalized incorporation of the town of Oakland. The first mayor, a Russian immigrant, wanted to name it St. Petersburg, but residents insisted on keeping the Oakland name because it reflected the town’s beautiful canopy of oak trees.

1900S

1910: The Angebilt Lodge, also called the Oakland Hotel, was constructed on what is now Tubb Street, and rooms were $3 a day.

1917: Oakland had its first motorized school bus, a Model T Ford that replaced the previously used one-mule wagon. Driver Tilly Rosell hauled children from Killarney.

2000: Oakland hired its first female police officers, Nicole Torres and Dawn Beninato.

1940: Two Army camps were set up on Lake Johns and on the old Oakland golf course, and the troops practiced drilling on Oakland’s main street. Dewey Vick and R.L. Smith ran for the mayor’s seat. Each received 10 votes, so the town operated without a mayor.

1945: The town dock was rebuilt.

1948: Dave Starr was appointed city marshal. The big park finally received a name: Speer Park.

1962: Town Council meetings were set for the first Tuesday of each month.

1969: A full-time police officer was hired for the town.

1972: All town streets were given names honoring longtime residents.

Streets and avenues were designated by numbers prior to this time.

1974: The Oakland Volunteer Fire Department was authorized. No one qualified to run for mayor, so H.S. Hull Jr., Town Council president, became the acting mayor.

1975: Curtis Massey was elected mayor. The council voted 3-2 to allow Gallman’s Oakland Inn tavern on the west side of town to sell beer on Sundays.

1981: Oakland forgot to include the name change from “city” to “town” when it approved a proposed charter revision, so it didn’t appear on the ballot that year. Mayor Sam Hovsepian said he prefers “village.” Oakland was considered a city after a charter revision in 1959.

1982: A new charter was passed that established the makeup of the commission and with the mayor as the head. Until that time, the mayor served only as a figurehead and only could vote in a tie. The Town Council dropped plans for funding a dock and a bike trail in favor of a new fire station. The council voted to charge residents $3 monthly for street lighting.

1991: The Friends of Lake Apopka organized in an effort to save the polluted lake.

1993: Oakland, with Jake Voss as mayor, enacted the town’s first property tax in 60 years. The millage rate was set at four mills, which was expected to generate approximately $100,000.

1994: Orange County Chairman Linda Chapin cut the ribbon to official open the West Orange Trail through Oakland.

1999: The Oak Tubb Bed and Breakfast opened. The Town Commission enacted the Gateway Corridor Ordinance to strictly control the types of businesses — and their architectural styles, landscaping, signage and lighting — along West Colonial Drive and Oakland Avenue. The Oakland Nature Preserve was purchased with funds from the Florida Communities Trust, and an agreement between the town and the ONP board of directors allowed the board to develop

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2002: A town center design was unveiled. Oakland received Tree City USA designation. The police department disbanded the K-9 program.

ONP dedicated its boardwalk that leads to Lake Apopka.

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2003: After years of planning, the town dedicated West Orange Charter Elementary School (now called Oakland Avenue Charter School) and the police and fire facility. FOLA completed its design of the Greenways and Trails project, which includes a loop trail around the lake.

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2004: Kathy Stark, the current mayor, was elected. The town held a dedication ceremony for the new Oakland Town Hall and meeting hall, the C.M. “Pete” Tucker Square and the Grover Tubb Fountain on Tubb Street. The long-forgotten original Oakland-Tildenville Colored Cemetery was rediscovered in an overgrown thicket near West Colonial Drive. The town and ONP joined resources to organize the Oakland Heritage Festival to celebrate their “natural and cultural heritage.”

2009: Dennis Foltz was hired as interim town manager, a temporary job that ended up being a full-time position for the next nine years.

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2011: Steve Thomas was hired as Oakland police chief. Historic Town Hall was renovated.

2013: Oakland formed an agreement with the city of Clermont to process wastewater for the town and received the first of $2.35 million to fund the wastewater utility.

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1929: The council voted to spend $1,500 for a fire truck.

2000S

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1860: The first post office was established; William C. Roper was postmaster. A two-story inn was built at a midway point on the trail between Sanford (then called Mellonville) and Tampa. James Speer, who was moving back to Texas, sold his holdings in Oakland to Dr. Buford, who then sold them to James Jackson.

and manage the preserve. Oakland’s controversial old “blue building” was torn down.

2014: The town modernized the water utility with construction of new pumping and storage facilities. Walt Disney World partnered with the town to build a Kaboom! Playground.

2016: The town received three drainage grants worth $779,000 and began getting grants to start construction on the Arts & Heritage Center at Oakland along the West Orange Trail.

Officials negotiated an update to the town’s Joint Planning Area Agreement with Orange County.

2018: Town Manager Dennis Foltz retired and was replaced by Steve Koontz. The town broke ground on its Arts & Heritage Center. Dedication ceremonies were held to recognize residents who made significant contributions to Oakland: the late Commissioner Willie Welch, the late Mayor Jon VanderLey, former Mayor Francine Postell, the late Mayor Jake Voss and the late Bob Montgomery.

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1800S

1912: Highway 438 (Oakland Avenue) was paved west to the Orange County line and north to the Oakland Bank (now historic Town Hall).

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Although the town of Oakland wasn’t incorporated until 1887, records indicate there were four Indian trading posts and six Indian villages set up in the area in the 1850s. The first real settler, James Gamble Speer, arrived in the Oakland area after being appointed a member of the Indian Removal Commission.

He bought a spanse of land between Lake Apopka and Johns Lake in 1857.

The park at the northwest corner of Tubb Street and Briley Avenue is named for this pioneer.

At that time, Oakland was considered a loosely designated area between the two lakes and two or three miles east and west. Today, Oakland has 3,119 residents in its 2.13 square miles.

Oakland’s popularity increased when the railroad system was extended through the area in the late 1880s. But the town’s economy took a major downturn when a devastating fire later wiped out the downtown business district, an 1895 freeze killed off the orange groves and the railroad pulled out because of a decline in business.

Oakland’s town limits stretched from Killarney to Tildenville from 1926 to 1959, when Oakland officials voted to de-annex more than 800 acres because the town couldn’t afford to serve the area.

The town seemed to stay at a relative standstill for decades — partly by choice and partly because of a lack of real authority — until 1999, when Oakland’s mayor, commissioners, manager and Town Hall staff began working on a steady growth plan that was aggressive yet wellplanned.

A large portion of this timeline was furnished from a history written in 1976 by H.S. “Buck” Hall Jr. Other information was provided by the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.

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WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

2019 FORECAST

Start of something new Classroom animals

60

Students joining FFA this school year

160

Total students in WOHS agriscience program

DANIELLE HENDRIX BLACK TIE EDITOR

B

1928

Year National FFA Organization was founded

1976

(Approximate) year WOHS FFA began

CROSSWORD

©2019 Universal Uclick

ACROSS

efore she stepped through the doors of West Orange High’s FFA and agriculture classroom building, Kristy Lightbody knew there were going to be challenges.

Even so, nothing could have prepared her for what would happen after crossing the threshold for the first time.

“It was beyond disgusting in here,” said Lightbody, the new agriscience teacher and FFA adviser at West Orange. “There was rat feces everywhere — in the kitchen area, in all the different classrooms. The smell alone walking into the building would turn the facilities and maintenance crew away.”

The building was infested with rats, and students said they would find dead rats throughout it or heard live ones scurrying about up in the ceiling. The agriculture yard was overgrown with tall grass, and there was no clear method of organization.

To top it all off, the previous teacher took all the animals on the premises with her when she left the school, leaving the students without any.

Lightbody took a deep breath, held her head high and focused on the task at hand — righting the ship and creating a program of which her students could be proud.

PATH TO AGRICULTURE

Lightbody does not have a background in agriculture, but anyone who does know her knows that she has the heart of a teacher. The spark to consider moving into her role came from none other than the students with whom she worked daily.

“I have been teaching and tutoring math over the last four years, and a couple of the students I’ve worked with have been part of the program at SunRidge Middle’s FFA,” she said. “(As they were) moving up to the highschool level, they were looking at other options — such as applying to Colonial High’s (agriscience) magnet or moving to Winder-

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT by Timothy B. Parker

28 Originates (from) 29 Far from fashionable 1 Warrior princess played by 31 Try Lucy Lawless 34 Actress Russo 5 Netanyahu nickname 35 Colorful visualization in a 9 Grits go-with weather report 15 Put an end to 36 Twelve, on a clock face 19 Good fighter?

37 ... catches wind of 20 Principal water carrier 41 Shoo-___ (sure winners) 21 Type of roll 42 Krabappel of Springfield 22 A violinist, violist and Elementary cellist might form one 44 Adams with the 1991 hit 23 After applying this “Get Here” answer’s first word to the 45 Do a bar job start of the second ... United 46 Raggedy ___ or American 48 Forest animal or animals 26 Small stream 49 Farrow of “Rosemary’s 27 Suddenly bright star

Baby” 50 Spacewalks, in NASA lingo 52 Farming prefix 55 ... often-automatic car feature 61 Japanese noodles 62 Tennis great Arthur 64 Way in 65 “What are ___ waiting for?”

66 A bit 67 Desdemona’s Shakespeare play 70 Ready to serve, at a bar 72 Battle 74 Custardy dessert

75 Health-care lobby org.

77 Spittoon sound 78 “Life of Pi” author Martel 79 Thing 1?

80 ... polite dude 85 Do part of a triathlon 86 Punch 87 Nev. neighbor 88 Blonde queen in “Frozen” 92 Albany is its capital (Abbr.)

94 Palindromic magazine 96 Certain Arabian Peninsula dweller 98 Compete on “American Idol” 99 Pester

Kristy Lightbody and her FFA students have worked together to help restore the school’s program to its former glory.

mere, because they were worried about things they’d heard with the West Orange program and teachers here not being quite as active and involved as in the rest of the county and state.”

As Lightbody continued tutoring, she heard things from her previous students that struck her as odd. Students said they were missing out on field trips and opportunities to go to agrisciencerelated events, and some felt it was better to keep their own animals off property.

“Over the course of about four months, it was me listening to the students talk about how the program was not where they wanted it and how they were going to quit, because they weren’t getting anything out of it,” she said. “I went from wondering if that was something I’d consider to finding that the students were so excited about me even thinking about it.”

In November 2017, she decided to take the leap of faith for her

101 ... two cubed 105 One of the Stooges 106 It’s taken for coll. credit 108 Post-Christmas curb sight 109 They couldn’t string Odysseus’ bow 111 Stormer of Iwo Jima 112 Midsize Kia model 115 Read a blog without commenting 116 Gets 100% on 117 ... natives for whom a Great Lake is named 122 “The One ___ Got Away” (Katy Perry hit) 123 Follows the edges of 124 Org. with the Final Four 125 Like some threats 126 Skirt lines 127 Getting ready to go home, say?

128 Start of an idea 129 Prepare for a baby bird

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Danielle Hendrix

Puddles the pig was not camera shy at WOHS FFA’s Ag-stravaganza event in September.

students. Although it would be a learning curve going from teaching math to horticulture and animal science, she studied for months and worked toward earning her certification to teach the courses.

“I went to an agriculture-based high school and always joked in high school that my school had tractors and cows on property, and now I’m actually in charge of the tractors and cows,” she said,

CELEBRITY CIPHER

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

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25

The future is bright for students in West Orange High’s FFA and agriscience programs, which are undergoing a makeover under teacher Kristy Lightbody’s tenure.

Puzzle One Clue: R equals C

BY THE NUMBERS

©2019 NEA, Inc.

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

©2019 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

1-3-19

WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

laughing. “My husband and I, over the last five years we have had a very small-scale farm in our backyard. Where we live is agriculturezoned, so we have had two goats, a flock of chickens, some ducks and rabbits over the last couple of years.”

SunRidge Middle agriculture teacher Katrina Alford provided study materials and advice, and after passing her certification, Lightbody began focusing her vision for the program.

FUTURE PROJECTS

REALITY CHECK

The first time she saw the property in June 2018, a bit of shock set in.

The grass in the six-and-one-halfacre agriculture yard had been allowed to grow several feet tall, and the classroom building also was in poor condition.

But that didn’t deter Lightbody or her students and parents from restoring the program to its former glory. Over the course of the summer, they rolled up their sleeves and spent countless hours tackling the clean-up process. “(We were) cutting, weed eating and trimming (the ag yard) and cleaning the building,” she said. “It’s amazing what you can do when you have dedicated parents and students helping you, and there’s no way I could do this without them. A team of parents and students came with gloves and Fabuloso and just attacked the entire building. Some of the kids documented 150 to 200 community service hours this summer working.”

Freshman Adrianna Loper, the FFA chapter’s junior president, came over from the agriculture program at SunRidge. Although she hadn’t experienced West Orange’s program before Lightbody, she was excited to be part of revamping the program.

“I had seen the previous (WOHS) program and thought it was OK until I heard otherwise from the students,” Loper said. “It didn’t sound at all good, and I was one of the ones here over the summer, and we cleaned out a lot. The garage

The concepts for the pole barn include bovine wash racks and stalls, sheep stalls, storage and show rings.

Courtesy Kristy Lightbody and Chuck Sauls

These renderings depict what the ADA-compliant, raised garden-bed area will look like.

was a total mess — dead rats everywhere, and I was the designated one to pick them up.”

Students stacked and organized tools, placed gardening tools and equipment on pegs on walls, and took ownership of their space. “(It was great) getting things organized and putting them in places where they’d be efficient and useful — we got the tractor up and running this summer and

that’s played a big role in exploration and growth,” said sophomore Amelia Sauls, chapter treasurer.

“The way things have been managed, they’re constantly trying to improve it.”

FULL STEAM AHEAD

Now, halfway through the school year, both the property and the program look drastically different.

Over the summer, the program

received donations of leopard geckos, bearded dragons, guinea pigs, rabbits, land tortoises, aquatic turtles, snakes, a hedgehog and more for a total of more than 25 classroom animals.

There’s also a 6-month-old Jersey heifer calf named Buttercup, along with goats, ducks, steer, sheep, pigs, miniature horses, chickens and rabbits.

Each area of the ag yard now has its own purpose, and students are working on different pasture rotations. There’s a large area in the back that soon will be cleared out and turned into a pasture area. And since the beginning of the year, 60 students have joined FFA. But perhaps some of the most exciting changes and additions to the program are just around the bend.

The school recently received a large grant from the 4 Rivers Foundation, which came to the school and saw what was being done with the agriscience program. The grant will fund the program’s ADAcompliant raised garden-bed area, which includes raised planter boxes with low-maintenance Florida vegetation, drip irrigation, a seating area, fencing and a koi pond.

“Even if we don’t have any students in wheelchairs, we want the program to be accessible to everyone,” Lightbody said. “The 4 Rivers Foundation loved the idea, and I thought they’d maybe sponsor one or two of the beds but they decided to sponsor the entire area.”

Another goal is to install a large pole barn in the area where another barn once was, just across from the classroom building. The old barn was torn down because of damages that posed a safety hazard, but Lightbody and her students hope to work with the county and community to build a new barn area that would serve many purposes.

The idea consists of a 4,000-square-foot area with stalls for bovine and sheep, two show rings, a storage area, three bovine wash racks and restrooms.

“A lot of the (current) livestock structures are as old as the program

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

15

is and some of them need a lot of work,” Lightbody said. “Over the summer, the parents patched up and built a lot of the exterior of the structures, but if we don’t have the pole barn in our sights by this summer, we’ll gut the steer pens and rebuild them. We also are going to be giving our swine area a complete overhaul.”

Lightbody and her students also are starting a therapy animal club, which will use the program’s two miniature horses, two pigs and some guinea pigs and rabbits. Students will be able to join the therapy animal club and will have to spend six months working toward becoming certified handlers. They will then be able to go out in public and bring therapy animals to students or community members.

But with all of the cleanup, hard work and big plans ahead, the biggest transformation in the program lies within the students who call it home.

“The biggest change is that I actually see excitement in them again, and I see them looking toward the future and coming up with new ideas on their own and bringing them to the table,” Lightbody said. “They definitely feel they’re a part of something big and exciting and something that is going to be a positive name in the community.”

“This is my safe, happy place. This gives me my sense of home. … Having people put time, money and support into it reassures me that it’s a program that’s going to last a lifetime.”

— Amelia Sauls, sophomore

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WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019

YOUTH SPORT PARTICIPATION

2019 FORECAST

n In 2017-18, high-school sports participation saw a record high of 7,980,886, according to figures from the 51 NFHS member state high-school associations (which includes the District of Columbia). n In 2016, 49.8% of children age 6 to 12 participated in individual sports; meanwhile 36.9% participated in team sports. n Youth sports is a $15 billion industry.

CONCUSSIONS n 25% of all patients presented to the emergency department with a head injury. n The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that 20% of the estimated 1.7 million concussions that occur each year are sports-related.

Troy Herring

West Orange athletic trainers Matt and Jennifer Laws help keep athletes at West Orange High School on the field.

Healthy competition As significant injuries rise in all levels of sports, athletic trainers around the area look to keep local high-school athletes safe.

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

A

lot can happen when an athlete is out on the field or court. Touchdowns are scored, baskets are made and

glory can be found in all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, with tests of physical strength and endurance also comes the possibility of injury.

It’s like waiting for the inevitable, said West Orange High head athletic trainer Matt Laws.

“It’s physically impossible to prevent injury in sports; it’s not going to happen,” said Laws, who works alongside his wife, Jennifer, another athletic trainer. “Whether it be the general wear and tear from playing the game, you’ll never be 100%.

“One thing I heard from one of my mentors, and it really stuck with me, is that sports medicine isn’t the best medicine,” he said.

“In a lot of avenues, a lot of the athletes that we have that have certain muscular or musculoskeletal injuries going on throughout a season, we keep them healthy enough for them to participate.”

CONCUSSIONS CAUSE CONCERN

There are numerous health risks

that come with sports, but the one that has worried the general public the most has to be concussions — especially as it relates to football.

At the national level, the debate began to rage following the suicide of NFL linebacker Junior Seau. In the Hall of Famer’s autopsy, doctors found he had suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a neurodegenerative disease brought on by numerous blows to the head.

Concussions are common — about 1.1 to 1.9 million sports/ rec-related concussions occur in youth athletes under age 18 annually, according to the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“A true concussion is going to be when there is any form of bleeding around the brain, which will, in turn, swell,” Laws said. “If the swelling starts to get worse, it pinches just like if you had swell-

ing in any part of your body. It can impact pretty much anything in the human body, because the brain controls everything.”

Unfortunately, there isn’t much one can do to prevent concussions, but there are some ways players and coaches can limit the injury from occurring.

The most basic precaution is simply making sure that a player’s helmet fits snugly, said Ranil Sirigampola, who serves primarily as the athletic trainer at Foundation Academy through CORA Physical Therapy.

It’s also about teaching proper tackling technique.

“I like to get a little involved as well in teaching proper mechanics — not leading with your head, not dropping your head,” Sirigampola said. “I always make a point that if I see it, I’m going to pull the kid aside, and I’m going to get into his face mask and give him the facts straight up. When you kind of scare them a little bit, it sticks a little more than just saying, ‘Form tackle, form tackle, form tackle.’”

Being aware of the telltale signs of one when its happens is important, as well. Symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness and a change in personality are all typical of concussions. The easiest to pick up on — if you know your player well — is the latter.

“We have had athletes before who have had very drastic person-

OVERUSE INJURIES n Overall estimates of overuse injuries versus acute injuries range from 45.9% to 54%. n The prevalence of overuse injury varies by sport, ranging from 37% (skiing and handball) to 68% (running).

UNDIAGNOSED HEALTH ISSUES BY THE NUMBERS: n The No. 1 cause of sudden cardiac arrest is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The second most common is congenital coronary-artery anomalies.

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The issue is that by having a player solely concentrate on one sport, it also means they’re overworking specific parts of their bodies.

For instance, a player who only plays baseball will put too much stress on the joints in his arms — especially the rotator cuff, a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder. In soccer, the overuse of leg muscles and joints can overextend and eventually tear.

This issue of overuse is one of the most common causes of injuries among athletes, but there are a few options to help prevent such overuse.

The first is having athletes play multiple sports throughout the year.

“I can tell you from my experience that multi-sport athletes are the ones I’ve had in high school who have had less injuries,” Laws said.

Sirigampola said he had seen the same at Foundation and that multi-sport athletes had a real advantage.

“Youth athletes should not be specializing at an early age — they should be playing every sport under the sun, because their body gets to develop in certain planes of motion,” Sirigampola said. “They get to do different movements in each sport. It’s not the same thing over and over again. It sets them up for more functional strength later on when they specialize in a sport going into high school and beyond.”

UNDIAGNOSED HEALTH ISSUES

ality change or they develop certain speech issues or aggressiveness that are not normal due to the head injury,” Laws said.

EARLY SPECIALIZATION LEADS TO ISSUES

As youth sports become more commercialized, the concept of early specialization has become normal.

For those looking to eventually make their way to the upper echelons of their sport, children as young as 4 and 5 begin their training. But that is leading to more injuries.

“What we’re seeing — and this can’t be argued — are kids having the kinds of injuries that you didn’t see until people were in their 20s,” said Dan Bessetti, head athletic trainer and owner of Total Athlete Training, which focuses on training youth athletes. “Tommy John surgeries in young teenagers — if not 12 and 13 years old — and ACL injuries in female athletes that are non-contact are also common.

“It’s honestly an epidemic,” he said. “Unfortunately, there’s too much money flowing for anybody to say, ‘We shouldn’t be making these kids play soccer 10 to 11 months every year at a high, elite level.’”

The most dangerous issue affecting youth athletes today is also the least common — undiagnosed health conditions.

Despite that fact, undiagnosed health conditions — mainly heart issues and sickle cell — are the No. 1 cause of death among young athletes. It’s an event that Laws experienced first-hand.

“I was at the school when we had a young man, Oliver Lewis, who passed away,” Laws said. “He didn’t know he had a medical condition, which ultimately was the cause of his death.”

Among the undiagnosed issues, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common.

According to the Mayo Clinic, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an inherited condition where the walls of the heart muscle thicken. The conditions caused by the thickened muscle can “disrupt the heart’s electrical system, leading to fast or irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), which can lead to sudden cardiac death.”

These conditions can be best identified with proper testing before the start of the season.

“The pre-participation is going to be your telltale sign —making sure they’re getting their pre-participation physicals from a physician trained in doing these physicals,” Sirigampola said.

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CHURCH DIRECTORY

STARKE LAKE BAPTIST CHURCH PO Box 520, 611 W Ave, Ocoee Pastor Jeff Pritchard (407) 656-2351 www.starkelakebaptist.org

EPISCOPAL

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH 241 N. Main, Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11am, 7pm www.churchofthemessiah.com CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION 4950 S. Apopka-Vineland Rd. Orlando Sun.Serv 8:30am, 10:30am, 5:30pm.

407-876-3480 www.ascension-orlando.org

METHODIST

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 125 N. Lakeview Ave Winter Garden Service Times 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM Phone – 407-656-1135 Web: fumcwg.org

WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd. Windermere, FL 34786 407-876-2112 Worship times: 9:00am Adult Sunday School 10:00am Worship www.windermereunion.org

Advertise your Services or Events on this page weekly.

This page appears weekly in the West Orange Times & Observer and online at OrangeObserver.com.

To advertise in the Church Directory call 407-656-2121 or email AdvertiseNow@OrangeObserver.com

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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 125 E Plant St., Winter Garden 407-656-2352 SUNDAYS 8:30 am Traditional 9:45 am Bible Study 11:00 am Contemporary WEDNESDAYS - 6pm - Awana Pastor Tim Grosshans www.fbcwg.org 2nd Campus: FOUNDATION WORSHIP SUNDAYS 9:45 am - All Ages Foundation Academy High School 15304 Tilden Rd., Winter Garden www.FoundationWorship.com 407-730-1867

NON-DENOMINATIONAL PURPOSE CHURCH OLANDO 13640 W. Colonial Dr., Ste 110, Winter Garden 407-654-9661 • Prayer 9:30AM, Fellowship 9:45AM, Service 10:05AM

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“Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery.

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| THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019 WEST ORANGE TIMES OBSERVER| THURSDAY, WEST ORANGE TIMES && OBSERVER DECEMBER 20, 2018

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