SO U T H W E ST O RA N G E
Observer Windermere, Horizon West, Dr. Phillips
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 7, NO. 26
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Aloha! Water Spring throws Spring Luau. 15.
THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2022
Shepherd’s Hope celebrates its 25th year The Winter Garden-based nonprofit celebrated the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, March 25. SEE PAGE 2.
YOUR TOWN CITY, COUNTY EXTEND CRA The Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to extend the Winter Garden Community Redevelopment Agency for 10 years. The city of Winter Garden had approved the extension one month earlier at a City Commission meeting. The 10-year extension will allow the Winter Garden CRA to leverage the redevelopment success in downtown Winter Garden to benefit east Winter Garden. It is estimated that more than $20 million will be generated during this timeframe and at least 75% of these funds will be spent in east Winter Garden to revitalize the community. “The time has come for us to build up our community and continue to thrive here in east Winter Garden for the next twenty years and beyond,” said Jamie Holley, east Winter Garden resident, CRA Advisory Board member and president of One Winter Garden, an organization created to advocate for east Winter Garden and work within the community to bring everyone together.
DYNAMIC DUO Windermere High School junior Grace Utzinger has a hereditary disorder that makes it painful to move and causes dizziness. That’s where her service dog, Lincoln, comes into play. STORY ON PAGE 4.
CITRUS CRATE LABEL SHOW RETURNS
Amy Quesinberry
The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is hosting its Citrus Crate Label Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 2, with dealers from all over Florida. The sale takes place outside the Winter Garden Heritage Museum, 1 N. Main St. Pick up a slice of Florida history for the home office, or classroom.
54 MILES IN HIS SHOES Chilly
air, sizzling show
EVENT HOST NEEDS VENDORS A local event organization is looking for community food vendors. Apartment 20 Events LLC is searching for food trucks for its Saturday, April 30, event in Hamlin. The events hosted by Apartment 20 showcase a variety of goods which are made and sold by local small businesses. The spring event will take place in Winter Garden. Registration is only $35 for vendors who wish to participate. Those who would like to register can do so at bit.ly/3tPS9KM. For more information, email to apartment20events@yahoo. com.
PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID WINTER GARDEN, FL PERMIT NO. 81
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Postal Customer
Anthony Hodge completed Martin Luther King Jr.’s walk from Selma to Montgomery. PAGE 6.
Winter Garden Rotary’s Broadway and Beyond featured fantastic performances. PAGES 8-9.
20th annual Spring Fever
The Bloom & Grow Garden Society event begins April 2. SEE PAGE 3.